STUdenT aGe

Vol. 1 No: 156

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JKENG/2012/41612
Jammu Edition 8 Pages Rs: 1.00
R E A D T H E N E E D
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
IN BRIEF IN BRIEF
Court rejects Jagan's
bail plea again
NEW DELHI: The Central
Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) special court dismissed
the bail petition of Jagan, as
the MP from Kadapa is popu-
larly known. This was his
second bail petition dis-
missed by the court in a
week. The court Nov 28 dis-
missed
Rajiv Awas Yojana phase
2 to cover all cities
NEW DELHI: The second
phase of the Rajiv Awas
Yojana will cover all cities in
the country irrespective of
population. Any town recom-
mended by the State govern-
ments will be included in the
project. Housing and Urban
Poverty Alleviation Minister
Ajay
Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
appears a second time
before impeachment panel
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's
chief justice has appeared
before a Parliamentary com-
mittee for a second time to
answer impeachment charges
amid protests supporting and
opposing her. Thousands of
gover nment - s uppor t er s
called
Govt to set up independent
coal regulator
NEWDELHI, DEC 4 : The
union government is plan-
ning to set up an independent
regulator for the coal sector,
Minister of State for Coal
Pratik Prakashbapu Patil said
Tuesday. In a written reply in
the Lok Sabha, the minister
said the proposed regulator
would
Curfew continues for
the 4th day in parts
of Srinagar
SRINAGAR, DEC 04:
Curfew continued for the
fourth day Tuesday in parts
of this Jammu and Kashmir
summer capital following
sectarian clashes last week.
Curfew would continue unin-
terrupted in the Nowhatta and
Zadibal
Governor remembers
Sheikh Abdullah
JAMMU, DEC 4 : Mr. N. N.
Vohra, Governor, has paid
glowing tribute to Sheikh
Mohammad Abdullah on his
birth anniversary.
In a message, the
Governor recalled Sheikh
Abdullah's important contri-
bution towards the all round
development of the State,
adding that he was among the
tallest leaders of his time in
the country, who worked
with
NEWDELHI: In an outreach diploma-
cy aimed at pacifying India, Maldives'
Foreign Minister Abdul Samad
Abdullah Tuesday rang up External
Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and
explained his government's view on the
cancellation of the airport contract given
to Indian firm GMR. Maldives is stand-
ing firm by its decision to take control of
Male airport by December 8. This
despite sources saying that India is upset
with the development and has decided to
freeze an aid of $ 25 million to
Maldives, due in 2013.
The Maldives minister explained
legal and other reasons behind the can-
cellation of the project, said official
sources. The sources added that
Abdullah sought India's understanding
and hoped it will not hurt bilateral ties
said the sources.
Abdullah conveyed to Khurshid that
a detailed communication on the GMR
issue will be sent to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh. On his part, Khurshid
conveyed India's displeasure at the deci-
sion on GMR project and underlined
that the scrapping of the biggest single
Indian FDI in the Maldives will nega-
tively impact bilateral trade ties and the
larger relationship.
Khurshid had claimed that India-
Maldives ties were hinged on Male ful-
filling its promises. "I think politically it
is important that Maldives handles this
matter with sincerity, handles with trans-
parency and handles it keeping in mind
the value of our relationship. Maldives
has been an important partner for us, we
would want it to remain an important
partner. But in
GMR row: Maldives stands firm, calls Khurshid to pacify India
NEW DELHI: The govern-
ment had promised a decision
on foreign investment in
retail after consensus but had
gone back on its promise,
Bharatiya Janata Party leader
Sushma Swaraj said Tuesday
while initiating the debate on
the issue in the Lok Sabha.
She ended a fiery argument
against FDI in retail, replete
with political jibes at the
Congress and its top leader-
ship, by saying, "we don't
want to win by defeating you
and we want to win by con-
vincing you."
Ms Swaraj was clear that
the BJP's opposition was not
to FDI but to FDI in multi-
brand retail, which she said
would allow big foreign
supermarkets to enter India
and swallow its small retail-
ers. "The retailers who will
now come in will resort to
predatory pricing - first wipe
out the competition at low
rates and then when the con-
sumer has no choice sell at
high prices," she said. "The
government has gone back on
its promise of holding con-
sultation with all stakehold-
ers before allowing FDI in
retail. It is sad that no effort
was made to make a political
consensus and no meeting or
any consultation was held
with even the main opposi-
tion party," she said.
Defending the govern-
ment, Union IT Minister
Kapil Sibal said, "BJP's
claim on FDI is vastly exag-
gerated. We are not enforcing
the FDI decision. It is only
for the willing states to
implement the FDI decision.
Ultimate choice rests with the
states."
Speaking in the Lok
Sabha, Sibal made a direct
attack on the main opposition
BJP by saying, "BJP's 2004
poll manifesto promised FDI
in the multi-brand retail so
why it is opposing it today."
The minister continued by
saying the main opposition
party was "unnecessarily
politicizing" the issue.
Supporting the government's
decision to allow foreign
investment in multi-brand
retail, the Communications
and IT Minister asked in the
Lok Sabha whether the issue
needed to be debated in
Parliament at all. "I wonder,
why this debate," Sibal said.
The Minister further said,
"A new kind of federal struc-
ture was being suggested in
the country by the opposi-
tion, which was ignoring the
fact that the policy allowed
the states whether or not to
permit an FDI project in
retail."
The Lok Sabha will dis-
cuss FDI in retail over two
days before voting on it
tomorrow. The second speak-
er, Saugata Roy of the
Trinamool Congress,
endorsed Ms Swaraj's oppo-
sition to the government's
reform. Mamata Banerjee's
Trinamool pulled out its six
ministers, including Mr Roy,
from the Manmohan Singh
government and quit the rul-
ing coalition in September
this year to protest against
FDI in retail and other reform
measures.
As Ms Swaraj ended her
speech she turned to the BSP
and Samajwadi Party bench-
es in the Lok Sabha and made
a direct appeal saying, "If the
government does not take the
decision back, then I appeal
to my
BJP demands roll back in FDI, says govt gone back on promise
* FDI debate begins, BJP says govt gone back on promise * 'FDI decision will encourage monopolistic tendencies'
NEW DELHI: Expressing
concern over the timing of
the announcement, the poll
panel also directed that
implementation of the
scheme in Gujarat and
Himachal Pradesh be kept in
abeyance till the assembly
polls process was over.
Dissatisfied with the UPA
government's reply to its
notice on the direct cash
transfer scheme, the Election
Commission on Tuesday
asked the Congress-led rul-
ing coalition to defer its
implementation till the
assembly elections are held
in Gujarat.
According to reports, the
decision in this regard was
taken by the full-bench of the
Election Commission, which
met this morning to decide on
a complaint by the BJP that
the UPAgovernment violated
the rules by announcing the
direct cash transfer scheme
and implementing it in poll-
bound Gujarat where the
Model Code of Conduct is in
force.
The three-member poll
body headed by Chief
Election Commissioner VS
Sampath asked the UPA gov-
ernment to defer its imple-
mentation till the assembly
elections are over in Gujarat
and Himachal Pradesh.
Under fire from the apex
poll body, government yes-
terday told the Election
Commission that there was
nothing new in the scheme
which is part of this year's
budget proposals. The
Planning Commission pro-
vided details of the scheme
and claimed that nothing new
has been announced by the
government. The Plan Panel's
note was preceded by a brief
communication to the EC
from the Cabinet Secretariat
stating that they had referred
the matter to the Planning
Commission for detailed
inputs. The opposition BJP
has complained that the
announcement of the direct
cash transfer scheme violates
the model code of conduct,
which
Cash transfer announcement avoidable, says poll panel
SRINAGAR, DEC 04 :
Chief Minister, Omar
Abdullah Tuesday said that
his government endeavours
to dispel apprehension in
tourists about the situation
prevailing in the state and
encourages them to visit here
from all over the world.
"We have succeeded in
our efforts to some extent and
our work in this direction is
continuous", he said adding
that the removal of travel
advisories by Germany and
Japan and now modification
in its travel advisory by
Britain is highly encouraging
and certain to give further
boost to tourism in the state.
Speaking to media at the
sidelines of a function organ-
ized to flag off the cycling
event 'Tour-de-India' at pic-
turesque Dal Lake shore,
here, the Chief Minister said
that the government wants to
showcase state's beauty and
potential of sports and adven-
ture tourism in a renewed and
befitting perspective.
Omar said that the poten-
tial of adventure tourism like
skiing, white water rafting,
mountain biking, trekking,
competitive and recreational
cycling etc need to be show-
cased widely to rope in
tourists having interest in
these fields. He said various
events of adventure and
sports tourism are being
organized in the state on reg-
ular intervals to provide
opportunities to the lovers of
adventure tourism and sports
to visit the state and partici-
pate in these events.
Expressing pleasure over
the holding of 'Tour-de-India'
cycling event in Srinagar, the
Chief Minister said that this
has placed Jammu and
Kashmir on cycling map of
the country adding that hold-
ing of this event would also
attract young generation to
participate in cycling compe-
titions and also make cycling
a recreational activity.
Flagging
J&K govt to dispel apprehension in tourists to visit J&K : Omar
ISD migratory
project office
to function at
Dayala Chak
from 11th dec
JAMMU, DEC 04:
Consequent upon the down-
ward migration of the flocks
of Bhaderwah/ Hiranagar
project to their respective
winter head quarters, the
office of Assistant Project
Officer (APO), ISD
Migratory Project,
Bhaderwah/Hiranagar has
been closed at its summer
head quarter Bhaderwah and
from 11-12-2012 onwards
will be functioning at its win-
ter head quarter Dayala Chak
(Hiranagar).
As such, all the breeders
falling under the
Organization of ISD
Ajatshatru chairs
PC meeting
JAMMU, DEC 04: The
Privilege Committee of the
Legislative Council met here
today under the
Chairmanship of Mr.
Ajatshatru Singh and dis-
cussed the privilege motions
moved by the members of the
upper house.
Legislatures Mr. Jahangir
Ahmad Mir and Mr. Subash
Chander Gupta were also
present in the meeting.
Initiating the discussions,
the Chairman said that Union
Ministry of Personnel Affairs
and Trainings have issued
detailed guidelines in 2011
regarding observance of pro-
tocol by the administration
while dealing with the
Members of Parliament
(MPs) and state legislatures
(MLAs/MLCs). He said that
the
Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah flagging off the cycling event 'Tour-de-India' at picturesque Dal Lake shore.
SRINAGAR, DEC 4: Over
1,200 panchayat members in
Kashmir had announced their
resignations through paid
advertisements in the wake of
militant threats early this year
but the high turnout in the
Legislative Council polls
proved that all of them were
not serious about it.
According to the official
data, the overall voting per-
centage for the two
Legislative Council seats of
Kashmir division was 97 per
cent of the 17,912 eligible
voters.
It shows that only 537
panchayat members had not
cast their votes in the polling
that took place yesterday.
As many as 37 candidates
were in the fray for the four
seats of the Legislative
Council, reserved under
Panchayat quota, for which
polling was held after a gap
of four decades.
Militants had carried out
several attacks on panchayat
members, who were elected
in the landmark elections last
year, killing three of them
and injuring nearly 10 others.
The ultras had issued
posters, asking the Panchayat
members to resign from their
posts or face the conse-
quences.
A panchayat member was
shot dead in February in
Kulgam district while two
more were killed by the mili-
tants in September in
Baramulla district.
The killings led to a spree
of resignations by the pan-
chayat members who made
the announcements through
paid
High turnout shows the activism
of Panchayat members
Only 537 panchayat members did not vote
JAMMU,DEC 4: Daring
Hizb-ul Mujahideen chief
Syed Salahuddin to come to
Jammu and Kashmir and
issue threat statement here,
state Director General of
Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad
Tuesday said police is per-
fectly equipped to take care
of his threats.
"I say anything he is giv-
ing statements--he is little too
far from here--He is out of
our reach--he should come
here and issue statement (of
threats)," Prasad told
reporters here.
"As far as his threats of
violence, J&K Police is per-
fectly equipped to take care
of it (threats)," he said.
Prasad was replying to a
volley of question about the
threat of Syed Salahuddin to
trigger violence and target
panchayat members in
Jammu and Kashmir.
"We have taken care of it
(threats) in the past --I think
police would be able to main-
tain level of order --we had
been managing it for past 4-5
years now," he said.
As per the reports in the
section of media in Jammu
and Kashmir, Hizbul
Mujahideen chief Syed
Salahuddin had last month
said that New Delhi was
"exploiting panchs and
sarpanchs to project Kashmir
as pro-India" and that they
will "continue to be targeted
no matter
J&K police equipped to take care of Salahuddin's threat: DGP
Killing of Panchs
in J&K being
probed: MHA
NEWDELHI: Jammu and
Kashmir Government is
probing whether the recent
killings of panchayat mem-
bers were carried out by
militants or resulted from
personal enmity and crimi-
nal nexus.
Counting on Dec
06 at SKICC
A
ccording to
Returning Officer
for Legislative
Council Elections for two
seats of Panchayat quota in
Kashmir division, the
counting of polled votes
shall be held at SKICC,
Srinagar from 8 am on Dec
06, 2012.
Page 1_Bali_Bali.qxd 12/5/2012 11:32 AM Page 1
Court rejects ....
the first petition, in which Jagan
sought to invoke his statutory
right to bail, claiming that the CBI
had failed to complete the probe
in his case within the stipulated 90
days. The CBI said if released on
bail, Jagan could influence the
investigations and tamper with
evidence.
Jagan was arrested by the CBI
May 27 and lodged in
Chanchalguda Central Jail here.
The CBI alleged that Jagan con-
spired with his father and then
chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara
Reddy to favour some individuals
and companies, which made quid
pro quo investments in his busi-
nesses.
Rajiv Awas....
Maken said this while answering
supplementaries in the Lok Sabha
Tuesday. He said the Centre is to
allocate 30 thousand crore rupees
to the States to implement the
scheme.
The first phase of the Rajiv
Awas Yojana will continue till
2014. The second phase of the
scheme is intended to overcome
the shortage of about one crore 87
lakh houses in the urban areas.
Mr. Maken said that 35 percent
dwelling units will be reserved for
the economically weaker sections.
The houses under the scheme will
be constructed through public-pri-
vate partnership. Mr. Maken said
loans up to five lakh rupees will
be provided to the weaker sec-
tions. The scheme aims at eradi-
cating slums in the urban areas,
the Minister added.
Chief Justice ....
for Shirani Bandaranayake's res-
ignation as she left the court com-
plex Tuesday. The government
has accused Ms. Bandaranayake
of misusing power and having
unexplained wealth. She denies
any wrongdoing. Opposition par-
ties and independent analysts say,
the impeachment attempt is aimed
at stifling judiciary independence
and concentrating power with
President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Govt to set up ....
ensure more optimal development
and conservation of coal
resources, rational pricing and
better distribution of coal, evolu-
tion of a more competitive market
and a level playing field for new
entrants in the sector.
Union Coal Minister
Sriprakash Jaiswal last month said
that the group of ministers (GoM)
deliberating the appointment of a
coal regulator is likely to give its
final recommendations soon.
The union cabinet in May 2012
asked the GoM, headed by
Finance Minister P.
Chidambaram, to make recom-
mendations about the proposed
coal regulator's powers and func-
tions.
Independent regulation of the
coal sector is considered impor-
tant for competitiveness of e-auc-
tion, fixing guidelines for price
revision in supply pacts, fixing
trading margins and increasing
transparency in allocation of
reserves.
A coal regulator was recom-
mended in the Integrated Energy
Policy as well as by the T.L.
Shankar Committee on the coal
sector reforms.
Curfew continues ....
areas as well as in Urdu Bazar, a
police officer said. Sectarian
clashes between Shia and Sunni
Muslims had erupted in the old
city areas of Srinagar last week
Wednesday. Curfew was clamped
in nine police station areas when
police failed to end the violence.
This had been lifted Saturday.
While life remained normal in
all other places, clashes had again
erupted in some parts after curfew
was lifted. Authorities then reim-
posed curfew in these areas
Saturday.
Governor remembers ....
eminent leaders, like Mahatma
Gandhi and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
for strengthening the values of
secularism and democracy.
Describing Sheikh Sahib as a
far seeing politician, the Governor
recalled his commitment to safe-
guarding the pluralistic ethos of
the State at the time of Partition
when communal frenzy had
engulfed the country. He also
referred to the historic Land
Reforms and schemes like
Rehbar-i-Sehat and single line
administration introduced by
Sheikh Abdullah, which helped in
placing the State on the path of
growth and development.
The Governor said that, today,
the best way of remembering
Sheikh Sahib would be to work
with a missionary zeal to strength-
en the State's deep rooted secular
traditions and restoring the bonds
of communal harmony, brother-
hood and amity for ensuring
peace, progress and prosperity in
the State.
BJP demands....
colleagues here, vote with us
and defeat FDI. The government
will not fall if they lose the vote."
The government, which has
managed to convince all UPA
partners, including the DMK, to
stand by it in tomorrow's vote, has
been kept guessing by the SP and
BSP, which provide external sup-
port to it, on which way they will
vote. Ms Swaraj was alluding to
the fact that these parties, espe-
cially the SP, have spoken against
FDI in retail outside Parliament,
but have hinted that they might
bail out the government to keep
the BJP at bay. But while SP chief
Mulayam Singh Yadav was non-
committal yesterday, his brother
and party colleague Ram Gopal
Yadav said before the debate
today, "The Samajwadi Party is of
the opinion that FDI is completely
against the welfare of small
traders", adding, "Voting with the
BJP may not be a consideration.
The Left is also against FDI but
both parties' policies are poles
apart." The government is said to
be counting on the SP to abstain or
walk out, either way not voting
against it.
The BSP, too, has played hard
to get, with party chief Mayawati
indicating that her vote on FDI is
linked to the passing of a bill that
provides reservation for scheduled
castes and tribes in promotions for
government jobs. The BSP report-
edly wanted the quota bill to be
passed first, and the government
had duly listed it in the Rajya
Sabha today. Only, the SP, which
is opposed to the quota bill, did
not let the Upper House function.
The Rajya Sabha has been
adjourned for the day. As it grap-
ples with that knot, the
Manmohan Singh government
wore its confident face this morn-
ing with Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Kamal Nath saying, "The
government is confident that the
BJP's motion against FDI will be
rejected in both Houses of
Parliament."
Mayawati's BSP could abstain
or, if satisfied with the govern-
ment's intention on the quota Bill,
even vote in favour of it, the gov-
ernment's floor managers reckon.
She said yesterday that keeping
"communal forces" at bay was a
priority, indicating that she would
not vote on the same side as the
BJP. "Without seeing the results,
we cannot currently support the
policy to introduce FDI in retail.
We will decide about voting on
the floor of the House as we don't
want to stand by communal par-
ties," Ms Mayawati said.
If the BSP and SP both abstain
in the 545-seat Lok Sabha, the
majority mark will come down
from 273 to 251. The Congress
and its UPA allies have 261 MPs.
Anti-FDI MPs add up to 219. The
motion will be put to vote in the
Lok Sabha tomorrow. The Rajya
Sabha will begin debating the
issue on Thursday and will vote
on Friday.
In the Rajya Sabha, the gov-
ernment is in a distinct minority
and will need more active support
from the SP and the BSP. The
Upper House has strength of 244.
Along with its allies, the UPA has
strength of 94 members. The 10
nominated members may go
ahead to vote with the govern-
ment. Among the seven
Independents, three or four may
support the government. Still, the
ruling coalition may have to per-
suade outside supporters BSP (15)
and SP (9) to vote with the gov-
ernment. The government is said
to be talking to smaller groups too
in the Rajya Sabha to make up
numbers.
The government has managed
to consolidate the support of its
UPA allies, including the DMK,
ahead of the FDI vote, but some
Congressmen from the Telangana
region in Andhra Pradesh have
chosen to send ominous signals
hours before the crucial debate
begins in the Lok Sabha. Nine
Telangana MPs, including
Minister Jaipal Reddy, boycotted
a meeting with Mr Kamal Nath
this morning. The MPs have not
made it clear yet if they plan to
abstain during the vote; sources
said they are upset that the
Telangana issue is being over-
looked. If they do abstain, they
will be defying a Congress whip
for all members to be present dur-
ing the debate and vote.
The entire BJP-led NDA has
closed ranks in opposing the FDI
decision. "We will strongly
oppose FDI in both houses. In Lok
Sabha, the debate will be initiated
by Sushma Swaraj and our senior
leader MM Joshi will intervene. In
Rajya Sabha, the debate will be
initiated by Arun Jaitley and Mr
Venkaiah Naidu will intervene,"
BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar
Prasad said after the party's parlia-
mentary party meet today.
The Left parties, AIADMK,
Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Asom
Gana Parishad (AGP) and some
other parties have also made their
intent to vote against the govern-
ment clear. Despite that, the Prime
Minister reached out to the
AIADMK yesterday and asked it
to reconsider its opposition to the
policy in national interest. The
AIADMK rules Tamil Nadu with
its chief J Jayalalithaa as Chief
Minister.
The vote in both Houses is a
symbolic one, but a loss could
adrenalise the Opposition's
demand for a rollback of the
reform, and severely undermine
the authority of the Prime
Minister whose government
shrank to a minority in September
when key ally Mamata Banerjee
and her Trinamool Congress exit-
ed the ruling coalition over the
decision to allow 51% Foreign
Direct Investment or FDI in retail.
Other reforms opposed by the
party included a decision to limit
the supply of subsidised cooking
gas to households.
ISD migratory ....
Migratory Project
Bhaderwah/Hiranagar in
Hiranagar area are informed that
in case of any assistance regarding
treatment/ management etc. of
their livestock (Sheep and Goats)
or any requisite information
regarding livestock rearing, may
contact the office of APO at
Billawar Road, Dayala Chak.
J&K govt to dispel....
off the event, Omar said that
cycling is gaining popularity as a
sport in the country and from a
mere tradition it is fast developing
into a sport activity rather than
necessity. He hoped that the
younger generation in the state
will adopt cycling not only for
keeping their body fit but also tak-
ing part in national and interna-
tional cycling events.
Omar said that the participa-
tion of cyclists from various parts
of India and oversees countries is
highly encouraging. He asked the
organizers to make this landmark
event a regular annual feature to
make cycling more and more pop-
ular among young generation. He
said that the participation of
cyclists from oversees in the event
will develop confidence of situa-
tion in them they feel in the state
at present and this would in turn
results in visit of lovers of beauty
and adventure to the state besides
conventional tourists.
The Chief Minister expressed
the hope that the organizers of the
event would also explore possibil-
ity of holding multinational
cycling event in the state in future.
Speaker Legislative Assembly,
Mohammad Akbar Lone, Finance
Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather,
Minister for Youth Welfare and
Sports, R. S. Chib, Advisor to the
Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul
were present on the occasion
among others.
Cyclists from India, Thailand,
UAE, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,
Ireland and other oversees coun-
tries are participating in the event
that started at Mumbai some days
back, was flagged off from
Srinagar today and will move fur-
ther from Noida UP to other parts
of the country in its third leg.
J&K police...
how much government tries to
secure them."
Speaking at the occasion, the
Additional Director General
(ADG) of Armed Police, K
Rajendra said "96 per cent of
polling (in MLC elections yester-
day) is an answer to Syed
Salahuddin's threat".
Meanwhile, the DGP said that
in a bid to upgrade capacity of the
border fencing in the state to sur-
vive harsh weather conditions, the
Government of India(GoI) is
mulling on setting up group of
engineers to look into the issue.
"I think Government of India is
contemplating setting up a group
of engineers who will look at the
problem (all weather border fenc-
ing in J&K) to see whether it is
possible or not," Prasad told
reporters here.
"GoI is not considering any-
thing which is going to be radical-
ly different which exist now--it is
just to upgrade the capacity of that
particular obstacle to survive
harsh weather," the DGP said.
Prasad added that considering
the fact that 90 per cent of militan-
cy is coming from across the bor-
der, the all weather fencing would
lead to zero infiltration in the
state.
Cash transfer.....
kicks in as soon as elections
are announced and forbids parties
and candidates from sharing deci-
sions or policies that could influ-
ence voters in their favour.
Earlier defending the govern-
ment, Union I&B Minister
Manish Tewari said, "The BJP
should make its position clear on
cash transfers. Are they for cash
transfers or are they against it?"
Gujarat votes on December 13
and 17. The direct cash transfer
scheme, a major reform measure,
is meant to be implemented from
January 1.
Starting with 51 districts,
including four in Gujarat, the gov-
ernment plans to replace subsi-
dized items with direct deposits in
the bank accounts of beneficiar-
ies, most of them low-income
families.
The cash transfers will change
the way millions of Indians access
entitlement programmes, though
for now, the manner in which sub-
sidized food is distributed to fam-
ilies will remain unaffected.
The main advantages in paying
cash directly are that corruption
can be reduced by removing gov-
ernment middlemen who often
demand bribes to dispense subsi-
dized products or services, while
the poor can be better targeted.
However, only those with a
Unique ID (UID) number and a
bank account will be eligible for
the cash transfers. Under the
Aadhar scheme headed by
Infosys' co-founder Nandan
Nilekani, every citizen is to be
assigned a unique biometric iden-
tity number.
GMR row: Maldives.....
a partnership, there are respon-
sibilities. We have a right to
expect that those responsibilities
will be fulfilled," Khurshid had
said.
In a move to put pressure on
Male, India has put on hold aid to
the Maldives after the Maldives
government Monday decided to
take control of the international
airport despite a Singapore court
staying the suspension of the con-
tract given to India's GMR-led
consortium. The High Court of
Singapore suspended the
Maldives government's decision
last week to terminate the $500
million contract awarded to the
consortium for developing the
Ibrahim Nasir International
Airport at Male.
The Maldives government,
however, has chosen to defy the
court order.
"We will continue the airport
takeover and Inshallah next
Saturday onwards MACL (state-
controlled Maldives Airport
Company Ltd.) will be running
the airport," Defence Minister and
acting Transport Minister
Mohamed Nazim told reporters in
Male Monday. Upset at the
Maldives government's attitude,
India has put on hold $25-million
budgetary commitment to Male,
said reliable sources Monday.
The bilateral ties will be affect-
ed, said the sources. The Indian
government is also studying the
court order and its implications,
said the sources.
The Maldives government on
Wednesday had defended its deci-
sion to terminate the GMR con-
tract, saying the deal was dogged
by "legal, technical and economic
issues". However, in the wake of
reaction by the Maldives govern-
ment on Monday, it seems legal
issues were only the fig leaf
behind which President Mohamed
Waheed was hiding, the sources
said.
In New Delhi's assessment,
there are many vested interests at
work, a veiled allusion to the
increasing clout of a pro-China
clique that is said to be close to
the powers-that-be in Male and
has influenced the decision to
scrap the GMR contract.
What is more distressing to
India, the sources added, is the
way a commercial dispute has
been used by some fringe ele-
ments and political parties in the
Maldives to whip up anti-India
sentiments. "It has become an
election issue and it has ceased to
be a purely commercial matter,"
said the sources. Elections are
scheduled to be held in the
Maldives late next year, but there
are indications that they could be
held as early as next year.
GMIAL, which is a consortium of
GMR and Malaysian airports
operator MAHB, had won the
right to operate and modernise
Ibrahim Nasir International
Airport in a bidding conducted by
IFC, an arm of the World Bank.
The Maldivian cabinet had
directed GMIAL to hand over the
airport within seven days to
MACL. It had also asked GMR to
vacate and remove all property
from the airport within 30 days.
According to GMR, both
MACL and the MoFT, under the
concession agreement, "are not
allowed to interfere with the rights
of the Investor (GMR-MAHB
consortium)". "With this (judg-
ment), GMIAL shall continue to
operate the Ibrahim Nasir
International Airport as usual as
per the provisions of the conces-
sion agreement," GMR said.
Ajatshatru chairs....
guidelines were circulated by
the General Administration
Department to all state officers for
follow up action.
The Committee called upon the
Government to adhere to the
guidelines spirit. The members
asserted that the Chief Secretary
shall ensure observance of pro-
tocol by the government func-
tionaries, while dealing with the
members of the two houses of
state legislature.
The Committee also dis-
cussed the 3 privilege motions
moved by Mr. Murtaza Ahmad
Khan, Mr. Vijay Bakaya and Syed
Rafiq Ahmad Shah. The
Committee decided to hear Mr.
Murtaza Ahmad Khan and Mr.
Vijay Bakaya in person with
regard to their motions against
each other. While with regard to
privilege motion of Syed Rafiq
Ahmad Shah against the Minister
for Public Health Engineer (PHE)
Mr. Taj Mohi-ud-din, the
Committee decided to forward the
complaint to the Minister for his
response in the first instance.
Among others Secretary
Legislative Council Mr.
Muhammad Asraf and senior offi-
cers of Council Secretariat attend-
ed the meeting.
High turnout ....
advertisements in local news-
papers.
Hardline Hurriyat Conference
headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani
and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo
Syed Salahuddin had asked the
panchayat members to boycott the
polls.
"The polling was conducted in
a free and fair manner and no
untoward incident was reported
from anywhere," Divisional
Commissioner, Kashmir Asgar,
Hassan Samoon, who is the
Returning Officer for the two
seats of Kashmir division, said.
In Kashmir Division, Srinagar
district recorded the highest poll
percentage of 100 per cent but,
surprisingly, Kargil district
recorded the lowest turnout of just
over 65 per cent.
Officials attributed low voter
turnout to chilly weather and
ongoing Muhurram mourning in
the predominantly Shia district of
the state.
Pulwama in south Kashmir and
Baramulla in the north of the
Valley where the militants had
issued the threatening posters also
recorded comparatively lower
turnouts of 86.75 per cent and
88.28 per cent, respectively.
Budgam (91.56 per cent)
Anantnag (95.87 per cent),
Kupwara (90.25 per cent),
Kulgam (92.84 per cent), Shopian
(92.68 per cent), Bandipora
(97.80 per cent), Ganderbal (97.80
per cent) and Leh (93.28 per cent)
recorded high voter turnout.
The electronic voting
machines have been stored in the
strong room established at
SKICC, where counting of votes
will take place on Thursday.
Killing of Panchs ....
In a written reply, Minister of
State for Home Affairs R P N
Singh said, "As per information
received from the State
Government, two sarpanchs
(Kulgam and Baramulla) and one
panch (Baramulla) have been
killed by unknown gunmen in
incidents of violence against the
elected representatives of
Panchayats."
He said investigation is on to
unravel the truth as to whether the
killings of panchayat members
were related to militancy or there
was some criminal nexus or per-
sonal enmity behind the incidents.
"State government has taken
measures to ensure safety of elect-
ed representatives of panchayats
which includes night patrolling by
security forces and domination of
area, perceived to be vulnerable to
such attacks. All specific reports
about threats to Sarpanchs/Panchs
are being attended by State
police," Singh said.
Panchayat elections were held
in the state earlier this year after
more than three decades and as
many as 35,000 Panches and
Sarpanches were elected.
In August this year, posters
claiming to be that of a terror
group were pasted in some parts
of the Valley asking the panches to
quit. However, the police was not
sure whether the posters were a
handiwork of some terror group or
miscreants
STUDENT AGE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
2
Contd. from page 1...
25th Farm
Machinery
Mela held at
Kreeri
Baramulla
BARAMULLA, DEC 04: In
order to make available
Agriculture Machinery and
Tools to the farmers of valley
at their door steps,
Department of Agriculture
organized Farm Machinery
Mela at Kreeri Baramulla
today.
On this occasion Director
Law Enforcement J&K appre-
ciated the role of farmers in
the upliftment of agriculture
and allied sectors. He asked
farmers to participate in
Melas and Awareness Camps
organized by the department
to remain updated with the
latest technology and farm
machinery. He said that if we
concentrate on harnessing the
potential of available land we
can give considerable fillip to
our economy.
Additional District
Development Commissioner
Baramulla, Peerzada Mushtaq
Ahmad said that farm mecha-
nization in agriculture sector
is pivotal in maximized yields
as the fellow lands can also be
brought to cultivation. He
impressed upon farmers to
adopt latest modern technolo-
gy and mechanization in agri-
culture sector to bring the cost
of labour component down
and will yield good results in
cultivation, help the farming
community in upliftment in
their economy. He advised
farmers to coordinate with
agriculture department for
successful implementation of
farmer friendly schemes, and
avail benefits from these
schemes.
On this occasion Chief
Agriculture Officer
Baramulla said that farmers of
Sub-Division Kreeri have
purchased 14 Tractors, 22
Tillers, 120 Irrigation Pump
Sets and 20 Foot Sprayers,
besides establishing 24 Poly
Green Houses and 8 Vermi-
compost Units for which Rs.
32.92 Lakh will be provided
to farmers as subsidy compo-
nent.
Among others officers and
field functionaries of the
department, besides large
number of farmers were pres-
ent on this occasion. Farmers
gave overwhelming response
and interacted with the
experts of the department on
various issues related to mod-
ern technology and machin-
ery. Registered Dealers dis-
played latest agriculture
machinery, equipments and
other tools at their stalls.
Sher-i-Kashmir
was epitome of
pluralistic, secular
ideology: Rather
JAMMU, DEC 04: Minister
for Finance and Ladakh
Affairs, Mr. Abdul Rahim
Rather has paid glowing trib-
utes to late Sher-i-Kashmir,
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah
on his 106th birth anniver-
sary. In his tributes to Sher-i-
Kashmir, Mr. Rather
described him as an epitome
of state's pluralistic ethos,
communal harmony and
brotherhood adding that his
dearest of the dear slogan,
Hindu, Muslim, Sikh Ithhad
would continue to reverberate
and provide fragrance in nook
and corner of the state for
times to come. He said it was
the outcome of Sher-i-
Kashmir's farsighted secular
and pluralistic ideology that
Father of the Nation,
Mahatma Gandhi saw a ray of
hope in Kashmir when whole
of the sub-continent was
engulfed in the flames of
communal frenzy in 1947.
Page 2_Defence_Bali.qxd 12/5/2012 11:33 AM Page 1
STATE
STUDENT AGE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
3
NEWS IN BOX
Omar praises council poll
turnout
JAMMU, DEC 4 : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is happy
over the huge turnout for the four seats in the legislative
council elections Monday, which has proved wrong the
"experts" who had written "obituaries of the pancyati raj" in
the state.
Abdullah wrote on the microblogginhg site Twitter
Tuesday: "Good to see the turnout yesterday especially after
experts had written the obituaries for panchayati raj in the
state." He was referring to some columnists who had written
that not many panchayat members would vote because of the
fear of militants and their disillusionment over the real pow-
ers to them despite promises for devolution by the govern-
ment and the chief minister. According to election authori-
ties, more than 96 per cent of the 33,500 village council
members and heads from 4,130 panchayats across the state
cast ballot in the polls, held after nearly three decades.
Counting of votes is slated for Dec 6.
Migratory Birds photo exhibition
attracts school children
JAMMU, DEC 04: The photo exhibition on Migratory
Birds clicked by Guldev Raj is drawing lot of attention of
school children at Kala Kendra.
Hundreds of school children visited the exhibition today
and were amazed to see the colourful birds which they have
never seen before. The rare species of migratory birds com-
ing all the way from Siberia and other cold regions of the
world can be seen in the exhibition. About 130 pictures of
various migratory birds are at display in the Photo
Exhibition. The event is being organized by the Department
of Information in collaboration with the Academy of Art
Culture and Languages. Apart from the photo exhibition var-
ious other attractions which are drawing huge crowds
include Departmental stalls of Handloom, Handicrafts,
Book fair, House Hold items, Teracota, Joy Rides, Rajasthani
Food stall, Cultural programme by artists of Information
Department and much more.
Lok Adalat held
JAMMU, DEC 04: A Special Lok Adalat for MACT cases
was held on 03rd and 4th December in the District Court
Complex, Janipur Jammu under the chairmanship of Mr.
Jang Bahadur Singh Jamwal, Chairman, District Legal
Services Authority, Pr. District & Sessions Judge, Jammu on
the trial basis of "Common Mechanism for Compromised
Settlement of TP claims".
Two benches were constituted on 3RD December . The
bench No. 1 headed by Mr. S. C. Gupta, 2nd Additional
District & Sessions Judge, Jammu and assisted by Mrs.
Nighat Sultana, Additional District Judge (Matrimonial
Cases), Jammu took up 20 MACT cases and settled 1 case.
An amount of Rs. 1.50 lakhs was awarded as compensation.
The bench No. 2 headed by Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Additional
District Judge, Jammu assisted by Mr. Sanjeev Gupta,
3rdAdditional Sessions Judge, Jammu took up 52 MACT
cases and 20 cases were settled. An amount of Rs. 50.65
lakhs was awarded as compensation.
On December 04, a single bench headed by Mr. S. C.
Gupta, 2nd Additional District & Sessions Judge, Jammu and
assisted by Mrs. Nighat Sultana, Addl. District Judge
(Matrimonial Cases), Jammu took up 50 MACT cases and
settled 6 cases. An amount of Rs. 12. 90 lakhs was awarded
as compensation.
During the Lok Adalat an amount of Rs. 63.55 lakh was
awarded as compensation to the litigants in 26 cases. Next
permanent Lok Adalat is scheduled for 06 December.
Javed inspects Duksum Bridge
SRINAGAR, DEC 4: Minister of State for R&B, Mr. Javed
Ahmad Dar today inspected 21 meter long steel bridge at
Duksum constructed on Anantnag-Simthan-Kishtwar road at
a cost of Rs. 7 crore. He also inspected ongoing Vailoo and
Vidarat bridges being constructed and asked the engineers
and concerned executing agency to speed up the work and
ensure that work is completed as per schedule.
The Minister asked district administration to take neces-
sary measures in removing the bottlenecks coming in the
way of progress of work on Vailoo bridge.
The Minister also inspected two sites at Daksum and
Kokernag proposed for construction of two guest houses and
directed engineers to come up with detailed project reports of
both the projects early.
Chief Engineer, Project BEACON, Brdg. T.P.S Rawat,
Superintending Engineers, R&B, Anantnag, Additional
Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag besides senior engineers of
R&B department accompanied the minister.
Ban on extraction of minor
minerals from rivers in Jammu
JAMMU, DEC 04: The District Magistrate today imposed
ban on the extraction of minor minerals from the rivers for a
period of two months in an order issued here.
District Magistrate Jammu Sanjeev Verma in exercise of
his powers today imposed ban on extraction of minor miner-
als like sand, bajri and RBM from the rivers and from the
areas 150 meter upstream and 100 meter downstream of the
culverts, causeways for local nullahs.
The ban has been imposed to keep a check on the uncon-
trolled extraction of minor minerals from local rivers and
nallahs including River Tawi and Nallah near Sidhra Bye-
pass Bridge, Jajjar Nallah, Kattal Battal, particularly in close
vicinity of motorable roads and railway bridges, which is
likely to cause damages to the basements and super-structure
of these bridges. Mr Verma however, also asked the District
Mineral Officer, Geology and Mining Department Jammu,
besides Tehsildars and Station House Officers to ensure strict
compliance of the order and also make sure that the mining
and quarrying shall be strictly in conformity with the norms
laid down by the Geology and Mining Department.
Bhalla reviews PDD functioning
Orchardists
flagged off in
Bandipora
BANDIPORA, DEC 04:
As many as 24 orchardists
were flagged off for 7 days
tour to Himachal Pradesh
under Horticulture Mission
on North East and
Himalayan States
(HMNEHS) from
Bandipora today.
Additional District
D e v e l o p m e n t
Commissioner Bandipora
in presence of Chief
Horticulture Officer,
Bandipora flagged off
these orchardists.
The Chief Horticulture
Officer on this occasion
said that the farmers are
deputed to various research
centres and other institu-
tions for exposure visit-
cum-training programme
in order to boost the horti-
culture sector. He said that
these orchardists will make
visit of CSKVV Palampur,
IHVT Palampur and KVK
Bajonre Kullu in Himachal
Pradesh during 7 days tour.
The Additional District
D e v e l o p m e n t
Commissioner on this
occasion wished a success
tour of the orchardists.
Traffic diversion on
Baramulla road on
Dec 10
SRINAGAR, DEC 04:
According to
Superintendent of Police,
Traffic Rural, Kashmir, in
view of Muharram proces-
sion December 10, 2012,
there will be traffic diver-
sion on the Narbal to
Hartreth Singpora road to
ensure smooth flow of
vehicular traffic movement
of light vehicles coming
from Srinagar and bound
for Pattan/Baramulla shall
adopt the route as Narbal to
Kanihama to Nooripora,
Archanderhama to Gund to
Khawaja Qasim to
Matipora Flood Channel
Bund road to Singpora
Bridge to Baramulla
National Highway.
Similarly, for heavy
vehicles, the route chosen
will be from Narbal to
Kanihama to Magam to
Hagarpora to Kungumdora
to Khor to Hanjiwera to
Baramulla National
Highway.
Traffic coming from
Baramulla/Pattan and
bound for Srinagar shall
adopt the route Hartreth
Singpora to Khanpeth to
Udina Ikhmanpora to
Tregam to Shadipora to
Maloora/HMT crossing.
Div Com orders
closure of Srinagar-
Kargil-Leh road
SRINAGAR, DEC 04:
Divisional Commissioner,
Kashmir, Dr. Asgar Hassan
Samoon has ordered clo-
sure of Srinagar-Kargil-
Leh road for traffic from
December 06, 2012 till fur-
ther orders.
Market checking
conducted at
Baramulla, Sopore
BARAMULLA, DEC 04:
During the market check-
ing at Baramulla 150 Kgs
of polythene were seized
from different shopkeepers
and fined Rs. 3600/- on-
the-spot, besides 50 Kgs of
rotten vegetables and fruits
have also been destroyed
during the checking.
Meanwhile, during market
checking in Sopore 300
Kgs of polythene were
seized from various shop-
keepers besides 100 Kgs of
rotten vegetables and fruits
were destroyed by the
checking squad.
JAMMU, DEC 04: Minister
for Revenue, Relief and
Rehabilitation Mr Raman
Bhalla today reviewed the
power supply scenario here
at a high level meeting of
Power Development
Department functionaries
(PDD).
The meeting was attended
by Principal Secretary Power
Development Department,
Mr. B. R. Sharma, District
Development Commissioner
Jammu, Mr. Sanjeev Verma,
Development Commissioner
Power, Mr. M. A. Salroo,
Chief Engineer M&RE
Jammu, Mtr. Shehnaz Goni
and Executive Engineers.
The review took stock of the
measures being taken to up-
grade the power infrastruc-
ture to improve the power
supply scenario in the state.
The meeting listed vari-
ous projects taken up under
various centrally sponsored
schemes to modernize the
Transmission and distribu-
tion network aimed at to con-
tain the T&D losses.
Speaking at the meeting,
the Minister asked the PDD
authorities to take every pos-
sible step to plug the power
and revenue pilferage and
achieve set targets of rev-
enue collection. He asked
PDD to ensure uninterrupt-
ed power supply to metered
areas and at the same time
ensure hundred percent rev-
enue collections as per the
consumption.
Mr. Bhalla also called for
making the people aware
about the benefits of energy
saving, besides encouraging
them to voluntarily disclose
their power load so that
improved power supply
could be supplied to them
after upgrading the power
infrastructure in their respec-
tive localities as per the actu-
al load. .
The Minister asked the
PDD functionaries to imple-
ment the power reforms and
personally monitor the load
of at their respective areas of
jurisdiction.
He further asked PDD
authorities to explore the
possibility to install special
feeders for running Water
Supply Schemes to improve
the drinking water facilities
in Raika, Beermeni,
Sunjwan, Bathindi, Shastri
Nagar, Preet Nagar, Lower
Gaddigarh, Hakkal, Greater
Kailash, Barzalla, Raipur
Satwari, Rohi Morh, Bahu
Fort and Channi Himmat, .
Earlier, the Minister also
visited Jeevan Nagar,
Satwari and Shastri Nagar
and inspected the ongoing
mecademisation work on 6-
lane Satwari-Kunjwani,
Jeevan Nagar-Maralian road,
besides construction work on
parking lot at Shastri Nagar
near Cremation Ground. He
asked the executing agencies
to complete the projects
within specific time period.
'Steps afoot to improve power supply scenario in J&K'
Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla reviewing PDD functioning at Jammu.
JAMMU, DEC 04 :
Paying rich tributes to late
Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh
Mohammad Abdullah on
his birth anniversary on
5th of December, Chief
Minister, Omar Abdullah
described the late leader
symbol of amity, unity and
progress of Jammu and
Kashmir.
"Sheikh Sahib denotes
the State's high traits of
pluralistic ethos and com-
munal harmony. He nur-
tured and strengthened this
characteristic and cement-
ed the bonds of love
between various sections
of the society and different
regions of the State", he
added. "The slogan of
'Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Ithad'
preached and practiced by
Sher-i-Kashmir throughout
his life, still reverberates
the valleys, plains and
mountains in the State and
the universal harmony cul-
tivated by Sheikh Sahib
has become the integral
part of the State's quality",
Omar said.
The Chief Minister said
that Sheikh Mohammad
Abdullah was the epitome
of sacrifices and he always
fought for the cause and
dignity of general people.
"His target was empower-
ment of common man and
equitable development of
the State. His vision of
'Naya Kashmir' embedded
holistic and comprehen-
sive development of all
sections and all regions",
Omar elaborated.
Omar Abdullah said
that the empowerment of
people in the State would
be our rich tribute to
Sheikh Mohammad
Abdullah.
He said Sheikh Sahib's
high principals and sacri-
fice would continue to
guide us to march on path
of peace and development
with a commitment.
Omar said that the best
way of paying tributes to
the great leader is that we
strive for peaceful, pro-
gressive and prosperous
Jammu and Kashmir.
RAMNAGAR,DEC 4: R. S.
Pathania, General Secretary, J
& K P.Y.C., while addressing
a comprehensive communica-
tion supported with facts and
figures and documentary evi-
dence to Election Commission
of India has charged JKNPP
of resorting to low-grade poli-
tics of money, muscle and
wine-power in Ramnagar,
Udhampur and Chenani
assembly segments and
throwing to winds the norms
and standards set by the
Election Commission as well
as Representation Of Peoples
Act and other laws and legis-
lations in force, in the recent-
ly-concluded Panchayat
M.L.C. elections. Mr.
Pathania lamented that can-
vassing on caste and creed
lines has been resorted to
brazenly and unabashedly by
Panthers Party leaders. He has
claimed that his party cadres
are in possession of recorded
CDs of the public addresses of
Panthers Party leaders where
they have openly deprecated
certain communities and side-
by-side sought votes of partic-
ular castes/communities. The
said evidence shall be shortly
made available to the Election
Commission as election
observers have failed to act
and assert. Mr Pathania while
taking a dig at the Election
Commission observers has
wondered as to where and
why the so called observers
appointed by it were sleeping
when JKNPP was lavishing
lacs of rupees on massive pub-
lic rallies at Ramnagar and
Bharnara (Majalta) and
arranging sumptuous dinners
for sarpanches/panches on 1st
December, 2012 as well as on
the polling day,i.e., 3rd
December, 2012.
He further questioned as to
why the local administration
has not impounded 100-odd
taxi-cars hired by Panthers
Party candidates to ferry vot-
ers from their native places to
respective polling stations at
block headquarters at Jakhed,
Ramnagar, Ghordi,
Udhampur, Chenani and
Majalta. He rather accused
vested interests within the
local administration of being
hand-in-glove with these
wishy n' wily candidates who
have thrown to winds all the
rules and principles associated
with the noble job of election-
eering.
Mr. Pathania has accord-
ingly demanded institution of
a Commission Of Inquiry and
de-recognition of JKNPP as
violation of Code Of Conduct
has been a name anonymous
with JKNPP. In various
assembly and parliamentary
elections held in the past, this
party has been given to the
habbit of using excessive
money, muscle and wine
power and caste-politics in
order to influence the innocent
voters. And the ethics and lim-
itations associated inseparably
with electioneering are tram-
pled every time with full
impunity under the nose of the
local administration and the
election observers. He has
also demanded introduction of
further remedial measures in
this regard by the E.C.I. Mr.
Pathania has further reminded
the Election Commission
authorities that in the last
assembly elections, Mr.
Harshdev in close liaison with
a senior district-level officer
of Udhampur had entered in to
a truck with as many as 25-30
presiding officers who had
doctored and trained the
E.V.M.s in their respective
booths by 'mechanical rigging'
with a view to giving an out-
of-way edge to JKNPP in
Ramnagar assembly.
Sher-i-Kashmir symbolizes
unity, amity of Jammu and
Kashmir: Omar
Youth Congress seeks de-recognition of
JKNPP as a political party by E.C.I
SRINAGAR, DEC 04: In
connection with concluding
function of Tour De
International Cycling Race,
flagged off by Chief
Minister, Omar Abdullah
this morning at Royal
Springs Golf Course here
today, a prize distribution
function was held here today.
The function was
presided over by Minister for
Youth Services and Sports,
Mr. R. S. Chib.
Almansoorian Ahmad of
UAE was declared first and
awarded with a cheque of
Rs. 75,000. Naveen Thomas,
India stood second and was
awarded with a cheque of
Rs. 50,000. Third position
was bagged by Sarmochi
Sarva of Thailand who
received a cheque of Rs.
20,000. Runners up which
include Naveen, N. Lokesh
and Arun of India were
awarded with Rs. 50,000,
Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 20,000
respectively. The function
was among others attended
by Commissioner/Secretary
Sports, Mr. Bipul Pathak,
IGP Security, Mr. Ram
Lohia, Secretary Sports, Mr.
Thussu, Director Sports, S.
Jaipal Singh, Managing
Director Tour De
International, Dr. Akeel
Khan and Turf Manager,
RSGC, Mrs. Nuzhat Gul,
Sports Officer and other offi-
cers of sports department
and traffic.
Chib awards Intl Cycling Race toppers
Minister for Youth Services and Sports, R. S. Chib along with Intl Cycling Race toppers at Srinagar.
JAMMU, DEC 4 : Militancy in
Jammu and Kashmir is due to infiltra-
tion from Pakistan across the Line of
Control (LoC), Director General of
Jammu and Kashmir Police (DGP)
Ashok Prasad said Tuesday.
Talking to mediapersons in Jammu,
the state police chief said: "Ninety per-
cent of militancy in Jammu and
Kashmir is due to infiltration from
Pakistan across the LoC."
He added that if the barbed-wire
fence along the Line of Control (LoC)
was made all weather, "the level of
peace we have in Jammu and Kashmir
can become permanent. Zero infiltra-
tion can give us zero militancy".
He said that the central government
was contemplating measures to con-
struct an all-weather fence which can
"survive the harsh weather". Heavy
snowfall last winter had damaged a
considerable portion of the fencing.
Replying to a question on the threat
by militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen's
leader Syed Salauddin based in
Pakistan to elected village council
members and heads (panches and
sarpanches), Prasad said: "He is send-
ing threats sitting far away. We have
the capacity to deal with his threats."
In a recent interview, Salauddin
said: "Panches and sarpanches are
exploited by India to project Kashmir
as pro-India, and as such, they will
continue to be targetted."
Kashmir militancy due to infiltration, says police chief
Page 3_State.qxd 12/5/2012 11:33 AM Page 1
EDITORIAL & STATE WATCH
STUDENT AGE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
4
STATE WATCH
BY: MR SRINIVASAN
T
he opposition by some
sections of our society to
the use of nuclear energy
to meet the country's galloping
electricity demands, is based on
misinformation and the spread
of false propaganda by vested
elements
We are facing a serious situa-
tion in the supply of electricity
in many parts of India. In the
last few months, consumers in
Tamil Nadu have had to put up
with power cuts for eight to ten
hours a day. In Karnataka, due
to the scanty south-west mon-
soon, the hydropower plants are
unlikely to generate much, and
hence big power cuts are on the
horizon during the early months
of 2013. During the recent past,
coal-fired stations could not
generate at optimal capacity due
to short supply of coal. Some of
the gas fired plants in west and
north India had to cut down gen-
eration due to the non-availabil-
ity of gas.
Electricity generation in
India, which was about
2000MW in 1950, has now
reached about 2,00,000MW.
This hundred-fold increase in
about 60 years appears impres-
sive when looked at in isolation.
China also had about 2000MW
in 1950, and now has a capacity
of 8,00,000MW, four times the
Indian capacity. This capacity
consists of a large fraction of
coal fired units, with some
hydro and gas fired plants.
China is building at a furious
pace nuclear, solar and wind
energy generation in the last
decade.
During the past 10 or 15
years, the most dominant news
on the energy front in India is
that of opposition to opening of
new coal mines, or building of
hydropower dams or nuclear
power stations. There are no
doubt genuine concerns in each
of these agitations, namely loss
of forest cover when new coal
mines are opened; submergence
of towns and villages and dis-
placement of people when dams
are built and fears about the
safety of nuclear plants. The
opponents often project the view
that electric power produced is
only for enriching the elite and
that it does not benefit the ordi-
nary people. This is a complete
misrepresentation of the reality.
A large proportion of electricity
is used for agricultural pumping,
industry, railways and other
services. Unless business and
industry expand, job opportuni-
ties cannot expand. Electricity is
a key ingredient that can enlarge
business and industry. It is not
just big business and industry
but also small and medium
industries and also agro-indus-
tries and food processing that
depend on reliable supply of
electricity for their economic
success.
Everyone likes solar and
wind energy. They are intermit-
tent sources and can add energy
when available to a grid system
that is anchored with continuous
generation provided by coal, gas
and nuclear and to some extent
by hydro power (associated with
large storage reservoirs). But,
can solar and wind energy
power huge steel, cement and
aluminum plants or railway sys-
tems or large-scale manufacture
of textiles, chemicals or auto-
mobiles? At present both these
energy sources are two to four
times more expensive than coal
or nuclear electricity.
But for the next many
decades, bulk power supply will
have to continue to come from
coal, hydro, gas and nuclear
sources. The public perception
of nuclear energy is unfortunate-
ly influenced by a mistaken
impression that all nuclear activ-
ities are related to weapon mak-
ing. France produces about 75
per cent of its electricity from
nuclear power plants and has the
lowest cost electricity in
Europe, as also the lowest per
capita carbon emission. In con-
trast, Germany has decided for
the present to phase out nuclear
energy due to political compul-
sions. It is in the happy position
of being able to import large
quantities of natural gas from
Russia, at long-term contracted
prices, not indexed to the market
price of petroleum. Interestingly
Germany (as also Italy which
has no nuclear power plants and
Switzerland which expects to
phase out the small number
which it has in operation now)
have no qualms about importing
nuclear electricity from France.
India has at present 20
nuclear power units in opera-
tion. The earliest two Tarapur
units have completed 43 years
of service and supply power at
less than one rupee per KWh.
The more recent units of the
Nuclear Power Corporation of
India supply power at
Rs3.25/KWh. Kudankulam
units (of 1000MW capacity
each) would have supplied
power at less than Rs3/KWh.
Due to the delay of one year in
commissioning as a result of the
prolonged agitation, the tariff is
likely to go up to Rs3.25/KWh.
These costs are comparable to
coal-based power at locations of
a thousand kilometre or more
from the coal mines. If we
import coal, it is much more
expensive, and power cost could
go up to Rs4 or Rs5/KWh, com-
pared to Rs3.25/KWh. If we
were to consider liquified natu-
ral gas, its cost is about $14 or
more per million BTU (a unit of
thermal energy). At that price,
power cost would be Rs10 or
more per KWh.
Some people cite the exam-
ple of the US where shale gas
has become an important energy
source. It is available at about $2
per million BTU. Unfortunately,
shale gas exploitation also
impacts adversely on ground
water. The hydro fracturing
process contaminates ground
water. This may be acceptable in
the U.S where there are large
tracts of land with scant popula-
tion. This is not the case in
India. The country uses about
700KWh per capita electricity
per year. The global average is
about four times this number.
Middle income countries of
Europe use about 5,000KWh
per capita. By2050, our installed
capacity will have to grow from
2,00,00MW to about
1,300,000MW. This may have
40 per cent component of clean
coal and gas-based generation,
about 20 per cent based on
renewables - hydro, solar and
wind -and the balance 40 per
cent from nuclear source. The
latter would consist of first-gen-
eration reactors (heavy water
and enriched uranium), fast
breeder reactors and thorium
based systems. If we turn back
on developing energy in a deter-
mined and scientific manner, we
shall only perpetuate electricity
shortages even in to the long-
term future.
There is a tendency among
many of our people to lapse into
nostalgia, to go back to an age
that has long ceased to exist
when we could pick fruits from
trees in the forests and survive
on them. Similarly we dramatise
the appropriateness of the pan-
chakki where a hill stream
turned a grinding stone to make
atta. What is forgotten is that we
have a population of nearly a
billion, and two hundred million
who have to be fed, clothed,
housed and provided gainful
employment. For this to happen
we have to give up our 'small is
beautiful' romanticism. We can-
not produce all the things and
services to keep this large popu-
lation at a minimum acceptable
quality of life unless we accept
the challenges of large-scale
production. Some critics of
nuclear energy are especially
concerned that it is a centralised
form of production and hence
inherently anti-democratic.
They are all for decentralised,
distributed forms of electricity
generation to serve local needs.
There has been no example any-
where in the world of such a
system working to satisfy the
needs of a gigantic population
such as ours.
The progress China has made
is entirely due to their resolve to
gear themselves up to managing
large- scale supply systems
based on modern technology. If
China can do that, there is no
reason why India cannot.
N
ational Security Adviser
Shivshanker Menon's
three-day visit to China at
a time when that country is under-
taking its once-in-a-decade revamp
of its political leadership, speaks
volumes about the importance that
New Delhi attaches to ties with
Beijing. In fact, Mr Menon is one of
the first foreign dignitaries to be
hosted by the Asian giant since the
18th National Congress of the
Communist Party of China which
concluded on November 15. During
that week-long event, China wel-
comed its fifth generation of leaders
and firmed up its policy roadmap
for the next five years. The aim of
Mr Menon's visit is to gain an
understanding of the new regime
while interacting with the outgoing
old guard to ensure that there are no
hiccups in bilateral relations during
and after the transition process. Mr
Menon is expected to meet with
several of the recently appointed
leaders, including one of the seven
members of the newly-selected
Politburo Standing Committee -
possibly Mr Li Keqiang, the anoint-
ed Premier. On Monday, Mr Menon
also met with his outgoing counter-
part in Beijing, Mr Dai Bingguo.
Because both men also act as
Special Representatives from their
respective countries on the India-
China border dispute issue, there
has been some expectation of a
breakthrough on the issue.
But given that 15 rounds of
talks in the past seven years have
produced almost no result at all,
there is little reason to believe that
Monday's negotiations - which
were not even formally labelled as
Round 16 - will lead to any dramat-
ic development.
Border talks between India and
China have made no headway since
2005, when both countries complet-
ed the first of the three stages of
negotiations. The second stage
involves the complex question of
preparing a framework for resolv-
ing the boundary dispute. That has
been deadlocked for years now and
is unlikely to be resolved even
under the new Chinese Special
Representative. His name is yet to
be announced, but like Mr Dai his
successor is also not expected to do
more than implement the mandate
set by the Communist Party. After
all, amidst all the talk of change, it
is the theme of continuity that has
emerged as the spirit of China's
large-scale political transition.
However, while Beijing has
made it clear that there will be no
radical policy changes under the
new regime, the Chinese leadership
is by no means blind to the chang-
ing geo-politics of the outside
world. For instance, the Obama
Administration's 'Pivot to Asia' mil-
itary policy aimed explicitly at con-
taining China's growing footprint
has caused much concern. This is
likely to be Beijing's primary for-
eign policy focus in the immediate
future. Coming in as a close second
will be China's relations with its
neighbours in the West Pacific,
such as Vietnam and the
Philippines. Beijing's assertiveness
in the energy-rich South China Sea
has annoyed its neigbours, who
have made it amply clear that they
will not take Chinese aggression
lying down.
The recently-concluded summit
of the Association of South-East
Asian Nations is proof of the chal-
lenges that lie ahead for China's
foreign policy mandarins. Under
such circumstances, it makes sense
for Beijing to seek a more stable, if
not more comfortable, relation with
India - and Chinese officials have
already made that much clear.
BY SOUTIK BISWAS
T
here's a sense of polit-
ical triumphalism
over the government's
ambitious plan for cash trans-
fers to the poor in lieu of enti-
tlements and subsidies.
Money meant for recipi-
ents of 29 welfare pro-
grammes - mainly related to
scholarships and pensions -
will be transferred to bank
accounts linked to their
unique identification num-
bers in 51 districts spread
over 16 states from next
January.
If all goes well, the
scheme will cover the entire
country by the end of 2013.
Senior government minis-
ters are calling this a "pio-
neering and path-breaking
reform", even a game-chang-
er in a country beset with
appalling levels of corruption
in public services. A vote-
grabbing slogan - Aapka
paisa, aapke haath (your
money, in your hands) - has
been quickly coined around
the scheme. Remember, gen-
eral elections are barely 18
months away.
Clearly, the government,
hobbled by allegations of
financial scandals, a slowing
economy and an environment
of highly partisan politics,
believes that cash transfers
will help bolster its sagging
political fortunes.
But the jury is still out on
whether cash transfer will
work in India the way it has
done in many countries.
Over 30 countries,
notably in Latin America,
dole out conditional cash
transfers - payments to the
poor that meet certain condi-
tions, like health care and
education. Such transfers
typically cut transaction
costs, plug leakages, curb
corruption, help migrant
workers and are easier to
monitor.
But, as economist Jean
Dreze eloquently argues,
cash transfers should never
replace public services by
forcing the poor to buy health
and education from private
providers.
Cash transfers have been
successful in Latin America,
he says, because they are
"seen as a complement, not a
substitute, for public provi-
sion of health, education and
other basic services". In other
words, the incentives work
because the state spends and
delivers public services effi-
ciently. Dr Dreze cites the
example of Brazil where
almost half of all health
expenses is paid by the gov-
ernment (compared to barely
a quarter by India), and
where basic health services
like immunisation and ante-
natal care at birth are almost
universal.
Even the World Bank
believes cash transfers are
not a panacea. They work
well, the Bank says, when the
"supply of health and educa-
tion services is extensive and
of reasonable quality".
Sadly, none of this can be
said of India.
Public services are badly
planned (there is still no con-
sensus, for example, on who
comprise the very poor and
who should be subsidised),
leaky and notorious for cor-
ruption. Successive govern-
ments have shown little
enthusiasm to reform what
has become a highly unre-
sponsive and sluggish state.
The country's booming mid-
dle-class have virtually
seceded from public services
- they avoid government hos-
pitals and public transport,
hire private security and run
private generators for their
electricity - and the poor bear
the brunt of the miserable
services. In large swathes of
the country, the state has sim-
ply withered away.
In truth, the government
has made a cautious start
with cash payouts for pen-
sions and scholarships. The
real challenge will come
when cash transfers will be
made for food and fertiliser.
"Food is a complex issue and
fertiliser is more complex
than food," Finance Minister
P Chidambaram concedes.
"They are not being put into
the system now as there are
many issues that need to be
addressed."
Cash transfers, especially
in lieu of cheap food or fuel
distributed through a vast
network of public distribu-
tion shops, can lead to misuse
by family members and result
in higher food prices in the
market. They can also put
immense pressure on India's
patchy banking system which
is not very friendly to the
poor and will struggle to cope
with the rush of claimants.
Only 222 million people have
enrolled into a biometric
identity scheme which helps
them with the identification
number. Also, the poor, stud-
ies have shown, still prefer
food over cash.
Cash transfers, as analyst
Pratap Bhanu Mehta says,
can never be a substitute for
governance. They will actu-
ally, he believes, require a
"more sophisticated gover-
nance". In India, that sounds
like an oxymoron.
India must engage China's
new leadership
Will cash transfers work in India?
Small is not beautiful in power generation
PANAJI: Goa can't afford the
social and political unrest that
may arise due to the Supreme
Court imposed ban on mining,
the state's chief secretary has
said in a letter to an apex court-
appointed committee.
In one of the several mis-
sives sent by the Goa govern-
ment to the committee probing
illegal mining in the state, B
Vijayan has also argued for
resumption of "sustainable min-
ing" in Goa.
"The state would rather
forego the revenue that accrues
from mining. However, it is
afraid of serious threat of social
and political unrest which the
state is in no position to afford,"
the chief secretary has said in
his latest communication to the
Supreme Court-appointed
Central Empowered
Committee, which wound up its
probe in Goa a few weeks ago.
Vijayan has also given a
detailed breakdown of the
direct and indirect impact
which could be caused to Goa's
economy in view of the mining
ban.
The top bureaucrat said that
while the state government
would suffer a direct revenue
loss of Rs.930 crore, the "total
cumulative income loss to the
economy of the state" would
amount to Rs.17,600 crore,
which is more than double the
state's revenue expenditure for
the 2012-13 fiscal.
Spelling out a possible
unemployment scenario,
Vijayan has said that over one
lakh people would be rendered
jobless if the ban on mining
continued, almost echoing the
sentiments of the Goa Mineral
Ore Exporters Association
(GMOEA), which last week
quoted a similar figure of pro-
jected unemployment.
"The state is totally against
reckless mining at the cost of
ecology and environment but
sustainable mining in the state
cannot be stopped," the chief
secretary has said, adding that
mining as an economic activity
had been going on in Goa since
the Portuguese times and it was
the mainstay of the state's econ-
omy. Incidentally, Vijayan has
also pointed in his letter that the
contribution of the mining sec-
tor to the state domestic product
almost doubled from 9.36 per-
cent in 2006-07 to 18.06 per-
cent in 2011-12.
The Justice MB Shah com-
mission, which probed illegal
mining in Goa and put a figure
of Rs.35,000 crore on the scam,
had identified the years from
2006 to 2011 as the period
when the bulk of the scam took
place. The letter also said that
the Goa government would not
even resume mining in the
state, even if the Central
Empowered Committee and the
Supreme Court sanctions
approval, until an effective reg-
ulatory mechanism is put in
place to check rampant and
excessive mining.
ROHTAK: Known for their moral
policing-blended diktats, Khap pan-
chayats in Haryana have now
demanded closure of liquor shops
situated near places of worship, say-
ing that they not only undermine
religious sanctity, but also drive
youths towards alcohol consump-
tion. After a meeting of nearly 20
khap panchayats (caste councils) in
Jhajjar town, it was decided that a
dedicated campaign will be launched
by the councils to get their demand
met. "We have unanimously passed a
resolution to launch a special drive
to get the liquor shops closed within
municipality limit of all religious
places in Haryana in order to main-
tain dignity of holy places and keep
people away from drug and liquor
use," said Om Prakash Dhankhar,
chief of Haryana Dhankar Sabha.
He said a delegation of various
Khaps will soon meet Haryana Chief
Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to
push forward their demand.
"We have also decided to launch
a special campaign to mobilise peo-
ple in support of our demand. The
campaign will be launched from
Beri, a religious town of Jhajjar dis-
trict," Dhankar said, adding that the
representatives will go to villages to
make the people aware about the
issue. Representatives from various
social councils including Ahlawat
Khap, Dalal Khap, Jakhar Khap,
Dhankhar Khap, Birhod 12 Khap,
Bahu 17 Khap, Khuddan Khap,
Chahar Khap, Kinha Khap, Kadian
Khap and Jhajjar 360 Khap were
present on the occasion.
Members of Akhil Bhartiya Jat
Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti and
some social organisations also
attended the meeting.
Various other issues like female
foeticide, dowry, drug addiction,
costly weddings and ill effects of
night marriages were also taken up
for discussion during the meeting.
Khaps believe liquor shops in the
vicinity of religious places not only
hurt religious emotions, but also
drive youths towards alcohol con-
sumption.
HARYANA
Shut liquor shops situated near religious
places, demand Khaps
GOA
SC bans mining in goa, Govt afraid of 'unrest'
PUNJAB
BJP pulls up Sidhu
for Patel remarks
CHANDIGARH: BJP MP from Amritsar and former cricketer Navjot
Singh Sidhu, known to be quite the motor-mouth, has landed himself
in trouble in Gujarat, where he had gone to campaign in favor of
incumbent Narendra Modi government. The BJP high command is
reported to have pulled him up over his rather intemperate utterances
against former Gujarat chief minister and erstwhile senior BJP leader
Keshubhai Patel, who is one of the principal opponents of Modi. Since
splitting from BJP, Keshubhai Patel has formed a new party Gujarat
Parivartan Party (GPP) and is vociferously campaigning against the
Modi government. According to reports reaching here, the former
cricketer came down heavily on Keshubhai at Visavadar and other in
Radhanpur, where he addressed election rallies and termed Patel as
'anti-national'. Hefurther likened voting for Patel as amounting to con-
suming 'gau-mans' (cow meat or beef).
However, his remarks have raised the heckles of people within and
outside of BJP, with many party leaders feeling that the utterances had
the potential of turning the Patels against the BJP.
Incidentally,Visavadar is considered as Patel bastion, home to Leuva
Patels, the community of Keshubhai.
The remarks have also invited the ire of GPP, who has moved court
against Sidhu as well as complained to the Election Commission. An
alarmed BJP high command is reported to have pulled up Navjot
Sidhu and advised him to be more guarded in his public remarks. It
may be mentioned here that Sidhu was pulled out of reality TV show
Bigg Boss by party chief Nitin Gadkari at the behest of Narendra
Modi, who was keen on Sidhu campaigning in Gujarat for the party.
Page 4_Editorial & State Watch.qxd 12/5/2012 11:33 AM Page 1
STUDENT AGE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
5
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19-A, 2nd Extn. Gandhi Nagar, Jammu
Mob: 9419164232, (O) 2459548
Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
Born: November 14, 1889
Died: May 27, 1964
Achievements: Took active part in Non-
Cooperation Movement; elected President of the
Allahabad Municipal Corporation in 1924, and
served for two years as the city's chief executive;
Presided over Congress' annual session in Lahore in
1929 and passed a resolution demanding India's
independence; elected as Congress President in
1936, 1937, and 1946; became first Prime Minister
of independent India; was one of the main architects
of Non Aligned Movement.
Jawaharlal Nehru, also known as Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru, was one of the foremost leaders
of Indian freedom struggle. He was the favourite
disciple of Mahatma Gandhi and later on went on to
become the first Prime Minister of India. Jawahar
Lal Nehru is widely regarded as the architect of
modern India. He was very fond of children and
children used to affectionately call him Chacha
Nehru. Jawahar Lal Nehru was born on November
14, 1889. His father Motilal Nehru was a famous
Allahabad based barrister. Jawaharlal Nehru's moth-
er's name was Swaroop Rani. Jawaharlal Nehru was
the only son of Motilal Nehru. Motilal Nehru has
three daughters apart from Jawaharlal Nehru.
Nehrus were Saraswat Brahmin of Kashmiri line-
age. Jawaharlal Nehru received education in some
of the finest schools and universities of the world.
He did his schooling from Harrow and completed
his Law degree from Trinity College, Cambridge.
The seven years he spent in England widened his
horizons and he acquired a rational and skeptical
outlook and sampled Fabian socialism and Irish
nationalism, which added to his own patriotic dedi-
cation.
J a wa h a r l a l
Nehru returned to
India in 1912 and
started legal prac-
tice. He married
Kamala Nehru in
1916. Jawahar Lal
Nehru joined
Home Rule
League in 1917.
His real initiation
into politics came
two years later
when he came in contact with Mahatma Gandhi in
1919. At that time Mahatma Gandhi had launched a
campaign against Rowlatt Act. Nehru was instantly
attracted to Gandhi's commitment for active but
peaceful, civil disobedience. Gandhi himself saw
promise and India's future in the young Jawaharlal
Nehru.
Nehru family changed its family according to
Mahatma Gandhi's teachings. Jawaharlal and
Motilal Nehru abandoned western clothes and tastes
for expensive possessions and pastimes. They now
wore a Khadi Kurta and Gandhi cap. Jawaharlal
Nehru took active part in the Non- Cooperation
Movement 1920-1922) and was arrested for the first
time during the movement. He was released after
few months.
Jawaharlal Nehru was elected President of the
Allahabad Municipal Corporation in 1924, and
served for two years as the city's chief executive.
This proved to be a valuable administrative experi-
ence for stood him in good stead later on when he
became the prime minister of the country. He used
his tenure to expand public education, health care
and sanitation. He resigned in 1926 citing lack of
cooperation from civil servants and obstruction
from British authorities.
From 1926 to 1928, Jawaharlal served as the
General Secretary of the All India Congress
Committee. In 1928-29, the Congress's annual ses-
sion under President Motilal Nehru was held.
During that session Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas
Chandra Bose backed a call for full political inde-
pendence, while Motilal Nehru and others wanted
dominion status within the British Empire. To
resolve the point, Gandhi said that the British would
be given two years to grant India dominion status. If
they did not, the Congress would launch a national
struggle for full, political independence. Nehru and
Bose reduced the time of opportunity to one year.
The British did not respond.
In December 1929, Congress's annual session
was held in Lahore and Jawaharlal Nehru was elect-
ed as the President of the Congress Party. During
that sessions a resolution demanding India's inde-
pendence was passed and on January 26, 1930 in
Lahore, Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled free India's flag.
Gandhiji gave a call for Civil Disobedience
Movement in 1930. The movement was a great suc-
cess and forced British Government to acknowledge
the need for major political reforms.
When the British promulgated the Government
of India Act 1935, the Congress Party decided to
contest elections. Nehru stayed out of the elections,
but campaigned vigorously nationwide for the party.
The Congress formed governments in almost every
province, and won the largest number of seats in the
Central Assembly. Nehru was elected to the
Congress presidency in 1936, 1937, and 1946, and
came to occupy a position in the nationalist move-
ment second only to that of Gandhi. Jawaharlal
Nehru was arrested in 1942 during Quit India
Movement. Released in 1945, he took a leading part
in the negotiations that culminated in the emergence
of the dominions of India and Pakistan in August
1947. In 1947, he becamethe first Prime Minister of
independent India. He effectively coped with the
formidable challenges of those times: the disorders
and mass exodus of minorities across the new bor-
der with Pakistan, the integration of 500-odd prince-
ly states into the Indian Union, the framing of a new
constitution, and the establishment of the political
and administrative infrastructure for a parliamentary
democracy. Jawaharlal Nehru played a key role in
building modern India. He set up a Planning
Commission, encouraged development of science
and technology, and launched three successive five-
year plans. His policies led to a sizable growth in
agricultural and industrial production. Nehru also
played a major role in developing independent
India's foreign policy. He called for liquidation of
colonialism in Asia and Africa and along with Tito
and Nasser, was one of the chief architects of the
nonaligned movement. He played a constructive,
mediatory role in bringing the Korean War to an end
and in resolving other international crises, offering
India's services for conciliation and international
policing. He contributed behind the scenes toward
the solution of several other explosive issues, such
as those of West Berlin, Austria, and Laos.
But Jawahar Lal Nehru couldn't improve India's
relations with Pakistan and China. The Kashmir
issue proved a stumbling block in reaching an
accord with Pakistan, and the border dispute pre-
vented a resolution with China. The Chinese inva-
sion in 1962, which Nehru failed to anticipate, came
as a great blow to him and probably hastened his
death. Jawaharlal Nehru died of a heart attack on
May 27, 1964.
Location: Near Mumbai,
Maharashtra
Founded In: 6th-7th century
Status: World Heritage Site
E
lephanta Caves are situ-
ated in the Elephanta
Island hills, which lie
almost 11 km to the northeast
of the Apollo Bandar of
Mumbai. The caves cover an
area of 7 km in circumference
and lie 7 km from the shore of
the mainland. The island is
named after a gigantic elephant
statue that was found near its
landing area. Presently, the ele-
phant statue has been kept in
the Jijamata Garden of
Mumbai. Numerous dynasties
are said to have occupied the
Elephanta Island, namely
Konkan-Mauryas, Trikutakas,
Chalukyas, Silaharas,
Rashtrakutas, Kalyani
Chalukyas, Yadavas, Muslim
rulers of Ahmedabad and the
Portuguese.
Even the Marathas had con-
trol over the island, from
whom it passed into the hands
of the British. Elephanta Caves
of Maharashtra have been
carved out of a single piece of
rock. The main features of
these caves include columns,
internal spaces and beautiful
images. Only some of the rock
surfaces here have been fin-
ished, while some are nothing
more than unfinished bare
rocks. The Elephanta Caves
date back to somewhere around
6th-7th century. There are a
total of seven cave excavations
in the Elephanta group.
The most impressive
amongst these caves is the
Mahesa-murti cave (cave num-
ber one). This cave represents
advanced Brahmanical rock-
cut architecture. Even the
beautiful and vivacious sculp-
tures of cave number one are
worth having a look. The cave
is very much similar to the
Dumar Lena (Cave 29) of
Ellora. The main entrance of
cave number one is situated in
the northern side. Apart from
that, there are two openings on
the eastern as well as western
side also. There is a central hall
in the cave, which is adorned
with six rows of pillared
columns.
In each of the row, there are
six columns. The only excep-
tion is the western corner,
where a lingam has been
enshrined. There are also three
large square recesses, divided
by pilasters, and each of them
has been illustrated with an
enormous image of the
Dvarapala. The eastern panel is
ornamented with the image of
Ardhanarisvara, a form of
Shiva with the combined ener-
gies of both male and female.
On the western panel, one can
see the carved figures of Lord
Shiva and His consort, Parvati,
in which both of them are play-
ing chausar.
The central recess is known
for housing the Mahesa-murti,
the most illustrious as well as
most impressive
sculpture of this peri-
od. The sculpture is
gigantic in size and
represents the three
different forms of
Lord Shiva. The first
form is that of
Aghora, which sym-
bolizes a tumultuous
and formidable Lord
Shiva. The second
form is of Tatpurusha,
who is benevolent
and is in a meditative
posture. The third, and the last,
form is that of Vamadeva, sig-
nifying a mild agreeable and
endearing Lord Shiva.
Other prominent panels
inside the main cave are those
of Andhakasuravada Murti, the
cosmic dance of Nataraja,
Kalyanasundara murti,
Gangadhara Murti, Ravana
shaking Kailasa and Shiva as
Lakulisa. You should also see
the panel near the eastern
opening, which illustrates
Saptamatrikas. The Elephanta
caves of Maharashtra are
believed to be the abode of
Lord Shiva.
T
he name itself offers a simple defi-
nition. Electrical transformers are
used to transformelectrical energy.
How electrical transformers do so is by
altering voltage, generally from high to
low. Voltage is simply the measurement of
electrons, how many or how strong, in the
flow. Electricity can then be transported
more easily and efficiently over long dis-
tances.
While power line electrical transform-
ers are commonly recognized, there are
other various types and sizes as well. They
range from huge, multi-ton units like those
at power plants, to intermediate, such as the
type used on electric poles, and others can
be quite small. Those used in equipment or
appliances in your home or place of busi-
ness are smaller electrical transformers and
there are also tiny ones used in items like
microphones and other electronics.
Probably the most common and perhaps
the most necessary use of various electrical
transformers is the transportation of elec-
tricity from power plants to homes and
businesses.
Because power often has to travel long
distances, it is transformed first into a more
manageable state. It is then transformed
again and again, or "stepped down," repeat-
edly as it gets closer to its destination.
When the power leaves the plant, it is
usually of high voltage. When it reaches
the substation the voltage is lowered. When
it reaches a smaller transformer, the type
found on top of electric poles, it is stepped
down again. It is a continuous process,
which repeats until the power is at a usable
level. You have likely seen the type of elec-
trical transformers that sit on top of electric
poles. These, like most electrical trans-
formers, contain coils or "windings" that
are wrapped around a core. The power trav-
els through the coils. The more coils, the
higher the voltage. On the other hand,
fewer coils mean lower voltage.
Electrical transformers have changed
industry. Electric power distribution is now
more efficient than ever. Transformers
have made it possible to transfer power
near and far, in a timely, efficient, and more
economical manner. Since many people do
not wish to live in close proximity to a
power plant, there is the added benefit of
making it possible for homes and business-
es that are quite a distance from power
plants to obtain dependable, affordable
electricity. Much of the electricity used
today will have passed through many elec-
trical transformers before it reaches users.
SCHOOL LIFE
General Knowledge
Freedom Fighters & First Prime Minister of India: Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
HISTORICAL MONUMENTS: El lora Caves
Classifieds
What are Electrical
Transformers?
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Page 5_Bali.qxd 12/5/2012 11:34 AM Page 1
AHMEDABAD: The
Congress Tuesday roped in
Sheila Dikshit, its three-time
Delhi Chief Minister, as star
campaigner for the crucial
Gujarat assembly polls and
unveiled its manifesto with a
series of promises, including
free laptops and tablets to
students.
Releasing the manifesto,
Gujarat Pradesh Congress
Committee chief Arjun
Modhwadia slammed the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
government for ignoring
farmers, minorities, health-
care facilities and small-scale
industries during its rule in
the state.
The Congress promised it
would provide free laptops
and tablets to students,
reduce their fees and grant
scholarships to minorities.
The party said if voted to
power, it will also implement
the Sachar Committee report
which advocates granting
more facilities to Muslims to
bring them into the main-
stream.
Dikshit, who led the
Congress to a record three
successive victories in Delhi
assembly elections, slammed
the Narendra Modi-led gov-
ernment in Gujarat for its
"misrule".
"We never make promises
which can't be fulfilled. Our
manifestos are based on
basic requirements of the
people and it includes every
section of society," she said.
Modhwadia, who read out
the manifesto, said the
Congress government in
Gujarat would provide better
irrigation facilities, construct
more dams (both small and
medium), provide VAT-free
fertilisers to farmers and
ensure regular supply of
electricity to them.
"They (BJP) made prom-
ises which were never ful-
filled. Some of their promis-
es figure in every election
manifesto," he said, describ-
ing the BJP's poll manifesto
as a "document full of lies".
The Congress manifesto
also promises to make diesel,
petrol and LPG cheaper,
implement the Sixth Pay
Commission recommenda-
tions, right to education to
all, set up fishing harbours
and provide insurance cover-
age to fishermen.
It also promises to revive
small-scale industries and set
up more industries in back-
ward areas where 85 percent
employees will be recruited
from local population and
strictly implement the labour
laws.
The manifesto promises
to provide free life-saving
drugs, pure drinking water to
all and complete the
Narmada dam. The state goes
to the polls Dececember 13
and 17. The counting of bal-
lots is slated for
December 20.
NATIONAL
STUDENT AGE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
6
NEW DELHI: Nine MPs
from the Telangana region in
Andhra Pradesh, including
Jaipal Reddy, Tuesday decid-
ed to boycott a meeting with
Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Kamal Nath ahead
of the voting in Parliament on
the Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in multi-
brand retail issue.
The MPs haven't made it
clear if they plan to abstain
during the voting. Sources
said they are upset that the
Telangana issue is being
overlooked.
The government faces
acid test in two Houses of
Parliament with "friendly
parties" like BSP and SP not
clearing their stand and a
united opposition appearing
firm to corner the ruling
coalition on the issue of
allowing FDI in multi-brand
retail.
The debate on FDI is
expected to start in Lok
Sabha after the Question
Hour. The UPA government
recently agreed to hold a
debate in Lok Sabha on the
issue under rule 184 and
under Rule 168 in Rajya
Sabha, both entailing vote.
Though, the UPA govern-
ment is confident of sailing
through in the lower house, it
does not have the required
numbers in the Rajya Sabha,
which was adjourned till
noon soon after it assembled
today. While Congress is
making all out efforts to bring
its constituents and outside
supports on board, the entire
BJP-led NDA is united in
opposing the FDI decision.
The Left parties, AIADMK,
Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Asom
Gana Parishad (AGP) and
some other parties are also
against the decision.
The Prime Minister has,
meanwhile, urged the
AIADMK to reconsider its
opposition to the policy in
national interest. This may,
however, upset the UPA's
southern ally DMK, which
has eventually come around
to vote for the government
despite their opposition.
UPA's crisis managers
have also worked overtime to
garner crucial support from
regional parties like SP and
BSP. The role of the SP and
the BSP, which support the
Congress-led UPA govern-
ment from outside, would be
crucial in the Rajya Sabha.
SP leader
Ram Gopal
Yadav sur-
prised every-
one by saying,
"If there is a
vote on FDI in
Rajya Sabha,
we will vote
against it. We
will not let it
pass."
Minister of State for
Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev
Shukla said," We are in touch
with both the SP and the BSP.
We hope they will vote in
favour of FDI in retail." BSP
chief Mayawati said that her
party does not support FDI
and would decide how to vote
on the "floor of house" Dec 5.
"Inviting FDI in retail
without clauses for the use of
local produce would mean an
invitation to foreigners to
earn maximum profits here.
FDI in retail will affect farm-
ers and small traders," she
told reporters.The SP led by
Mulayam Singh Yadav is
irked over what it feels is the
UPA's support for reservation
for Dalits and tribals in job
promotions, an idea backed
by its archrival, the BSP.
The Congress had earlier
issued a whip to all its mem-
bers asking them to be pres-
ent in the Lok Sabha on
December 4 and 5 for the cru-
cial debate and vote on FDI
in retail.
Parliamentary Affairs
Minister Kamal Nath yester-
day said that the government
would get the amendments to
the Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA),
required to facilitate FDI in
multi-brand retail, passed in
both houses, if needed.
Of the total 245 members
in the Rajya Sabha, the UPA
has a strength of 90. With 27
outside supporters from the
BSP, SP, Lok Janshakti Party
and the Rashtriya Janata Dal,
the government tally stands at
117 as against the magical
123 figure for majority. The
opposition claims the support
of 110 members. Besides,
there are seven independents,
five from smaller parties and
10 nominated.
The BJP and CPI-M had
submitted separate notices for
a debate with a voting provi-
sion. The CPI-M also wants a
vote on amendments to
FEMA, tabled in the Lok
Sabha on Friday. Both houses
of Parliament have seen
repeated disruptions on the
issue since the Winter
Session began November 22.
CPI-M leader Sitaram
Yechury recently said that
amendments to the FEMA
need to be passed in both
houses and the government's
failure to do so will be chal-
lenged in court.
FDI vote: Nine Telangana MPs boycott meeting with Kamal Nath
NEW DELHI: The govern-
ment has decided to allow for-
eign investments in the exist-
ing domestic pharma compa-
nies only after clearance by
the Foreign Investment
Promotion Board (FIPB). The
decision taken at a high-level
meeting chaired by PM
Manmohan Singh comes in
the wake of mounting con-
cerns over availability of
affordable essential drugs in
the wake of multinationals
acquiring local companies.
As per decision, any for-
eign company acquiring an
Indian firm, which had been
producing essential medicines,
would have to continue to do
so till the time the
Competition Commission of
India (CCI) was empowered
to vet such deals. The govt. is
also checking the legality of
inserting new sectoral specific
clauses in the Act so that the
CCI could direct foreign firms
to produce a specific quantity
of essential medicines after
acquiring an Indian company.
It is also examining whether
the threshold limit for foreign
investment in Brownfield
projects that would require
CCI clearance should be
revised from the existing
about 750 crore rupee limit.
NEW DELHI: Special
Secretary in the ministry of
Chemicals and Fertilizers V.
Rajagopalan Tuesday said
that government has proposed
to open 3 thousand Jan
Aushadhi Generic Drug out-
lets in coming years across
the country in the 12th five
year plan. Addressing the
India Pharma Summit-2012
in New Delhi, he said there is
a need to provide affordable
and quality generic medicines
to the people of the country
especially to the weaker sec-
tion of the society. Mr
Rajgopalan said, access of
affordable medicines is on
high priority of the Centre as
it is critical to the provision of
equitable, affordable and
quality healthcare.
Underlining the importance of
more innovations and
research in the field of phar-
ma, he urged all concerned
stakeholders to come up with
innovative methods for
increasing access of medi-
cines in far-flung areas.
sSpeaking on the occasion,
WHO representative to India,
Nata Menabde urged India to
develop more generic medi-
cines. Ms Menabde said
WHO is a strong supporter of
generic medicines as these
medicines are easily afford-
able and accessible for all.
Talking about the factors
affecting access of medicine
in India, she stressed the need
for strengthening regulation
of the medicine and vaccines.
She also said that irrational
use of medicines and insuffi-
cient research and develop-
ment also affects the access of
medicine in the country.
Govt to open 3000 Jan
Aushadhi generic drug
outlets in 12th plan
Gujarat polls: Congress promises free laptops, tablets
FI allowed in pharma
companies after the
clearance of FIPB: Govt
WASHINGTON:
In a setback to
Gujarat Chief
Minister Narendra
Modi, a group of
25 American law-
makers have urged
the US Secretary
of State Hillary
Clinton to contin-
ue denying visa to
the BJP leader,
stating that his government
has not adequately pursued
justice for the 2002 riot vic-
tims.
As Narendra Modi seeks a
fresh mandate in Gujarat and
also eyes prime ministership,
a bipartisan group of 25 US
Congressmen has asked
Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton to continue denying
him visa, claiming he has not
adequately pursued justice
for victims of the 2002 riots.
"As ... Justice has yet to be
fully realised for the victims
of the riots, we ask that you
continue to deny Mr Modi a
visa," the lawmakers from
the US House of
Representatives said in a let-
ter to Clinton.
Dated November 29, the
letter, which comes ahead of
the Gujarat polls on
December 13 and 17, was
released to the press yester-
day by Republican
Congressman Joe Pitts and
Frank Wolf on the eve of
their joint press conference at
the Capitol Hill with family
members of the victims of
the 2002 Gujarat riots.
As the Gujarat Chief
Minister "continues to pursue
a potential run for higher
office, we believe a change in
policy to his request for a
visa will only embolden
Modi and his government's
efforts to obstruct further
investigations ... To bring the
perpetrators to justice," the
Congressmen said.
India is a thriving democ-
racy, and one that is aspiring
to a high standard of leader-
ship and progress, they said.
"It is disturbing that certain
parties in India are consider-
ing elevating Modi, despite
his tie to these attacks.
Allowing him to enter the
United States will only serve
to abdicate his responsibility
for the 2002 human rights
abuses." Observing that the
Bush Administration "rightly
denied" Modi a visa, the law-
makers said as he is currently
seeking support for a possi-
ble bid for prime minister-
ship, including meetings with
leaders of foreign nations,
"we expect" that he may
again request entry into the
US.
"We respectfully request
that the US government deny
Mr Modi entry due to numer-
ous reports of his involve-
ment in horrific human rights
violations in India," they
said. The lawmakers noted
the State Department has
stated that the Gujarat gov-
ernment has not adequately
pursued justice for the vic-
tims of the 2002 violence.
Continue denying visa to
Modi, don't allow him into
US: US lawmakers to Clinton
OSLO: Oslo court found the
Indian couple guilty of "gross
or repeated maltreatment" of
their child on Tuesday and
sentenced the father for 18
months and mother for 15
months in prison. The prose-
cution had termed the case as
"very serious" and justified
their arrest ahead of the court
verdict.
"They are facing child
abuse case and are charged
with gross or repeated mal-
treatment of their child/chil-
dren by threats, violence or
other wrong, under section
219," Kurt Lir, Head of
Prosecution, Oslo Police
Department, said.
He said, "There were burn
marks and scars on the body
of the child, who has also been
beaten by the belt." Asked
why the police arrested the
couple - Chandrasekhar
Vallabhaneni, a software pro-
fessional from Andhra
Pradesh, and his wife
Anupama- before the sentenc-
ing, Lir said, it is feared that
they will evade prosecution by
returning to India.
"Under three circum-
stances i.e. if we are con-
cerned about (tampering) of
the evidence or we fear they
may leave the country or they
might do it again, we make
arrests before the sentencing,"
he said. On whether the police
department came across such
cases often, he said, "yes, it is
quite often. And not only for-
eigners but Norwegians are
also involved in such cases."
He also said prosecution has
proposed a sentence of 15
months for the mother and 18
months for the father in the
case.
Anupama's lawyer Marte
Brotrome said it was wrong to
keep the Indian couple in
prison in Norway. "If the court
sentences them, we will
appeal against it," she has
said.
"They didn't hurt their chil-
dren...They had some difficul-
ties in handling the boy but
they didn't hurt him and they
didn't mean to do anything
wrong. They tried to get help
but they did not get any help,"
she said.
The police arrested
Chandrasekhar, nine months
after the child complained to
his school teachers that his
parents were threatening to
send him back to India for his
acts.
Indian government has
already indicated that it will
not intervene in the legal
process of that country.
"This is an issue that
relates not to the government.
It relates to a private citizen
and to the local law of that
country," External Affairs
Minister Salman Khurshid has
said.
Norway child row: Indian couple
found guilty, sent to prison
NEW DELHI: The govt. has
eased restrictions on tourist
visas which had mandated a
two-month gap between con-
secutive visits by foreign
nationals. However, it will not
apply to nationals of
Afghanistan, China, Iran,
Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan,
Bangladesh, foreigners of
Pakistani and Bangladeshi ori-
gin and stateless persons and
they will continue to come
under the 60-day gap rule. The
decision is expected to breathe
fresh life into the tourism
industry and comes just ahead
of the peak tourist season.
The restriction was
imposed in 2009 after the
Mumbai terror attack when it
was found that Lashkar-e-
Taiba terrorist David Headley
had "grossly misused" his mul-
tiple-entry visa with which he
made nine trips to India and
prepared footage of 26/11 tar-
gets for the Pakistan-based ter-
ror group. The Home Ministry,
however, made it clear that any
applicant for an Indian visa
who has any sort of Pakistan
lineage, even if it is two gener-
ations back, must be referred to
Delhi by the Indian missions
for prior clearance. In its
November 23 order, the Home
Ministry said, "The provision
relating to the two-month gap
between two visits of a foreign
national to India on a tourist
visa has been reviewed by the
govt. It has now been decided
to lift the restriction of two-
month gap on re-entry of for-
eign nationals coming to
India".
The move to review the
visa restriction was initiated by
the PM's Office (PMO) in
January 2012 after concerns
were raised by the Tourism
Ministry that the negative per-
ception following the move
had affected flow of tourists.
The PMO had asked the min-
istries of Home and External
Affairs to review the restric-
tions, including the possibility
of bringing in more countries
under the visa-on-arrival
scheme and improving condi-
tions at major airports.
MUMBAI: The controversy
surrounding the temporary
structure on which former
Shiv Sena chief Bal
Thackeray was cremated at
Shivaji Park in Mumbai has
intensified.
The Brihan Mumbai
Corporation has sent a
notice to the Shiv Sena to
dismantle the temporary
structure built at the Shivaji
Park where party founder
Bal Thackeray's cremation
took place.
The Shiv Sena is treating
the structure as a Samadhi
Sthal (memorial) of Mr
Thackeray and has refused
to vacate the space inside the
sprawling ground. The
Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC), the
civic body that governs
Mumbai, has objected to
this, terming it as illegal.
Interestingly, BMC is cur-
rently being run by the Shiv
Sena-BJP combine which is
the principal Opposition in
Maharashtra.
The civic authorities have
now served a notice to the
city's Mayor, Sunil Prabhu, a
Sena leader, as also party
MP Sanjay Raut to remove
the structure as soon as pos-
sible.
The notice points out that
while permission for the
structure, which the duo had
sought, was granted only for
a day - November 18 - for
Mr Thackeray's funeral, it
had still not been removed
even after two weeks.
The letter also says that
an unauthorised pedestal has
been erected on the ground
and the area around it area
has been barricaded illegal-
ly. A mandap too has been
built there in violation of the
five conditions that were set
by the BMC initially, the
notice adds.
Last week, Mr Raut had
said that the site of Mr
Thackeray's cremation was
like a "temple" for Shiv
Sainiks, and while he insist-
ed that they weren't terming
it a memorial, he made it
clear that the structure
would not be dismantled.
"It is like a temple for us
and we won't remove the
structure that has come up at
the cremation site...We are
not calling it a memorial.
But we want the memorial at
the Shivaji Park," he had
said. Mr Raut had also asked
the government and court to
refrain from intervening in
the issue.
His remarks were in
response to Chief Minister
Prithviraj Chavan who had
earlier said that nothing
would be done in violation
of the law with regard to the
Shiv Sena's demand for a
memorial for Mr Thackeray.
BMC sends notice to Shiv sena for
removal of Thackeray memorial
NEW DELHI: Even as Gujarat
Chief Minister Narendra Modi is
being increasingly perceived as
BJP's best prime ministerial candi-
date in 2014, some leaders contin-
ue to be pensive over the move.
A day after senior BJP leader
Sushma Swaraj said Modi is "fit"
for the top post, another party
leader Venkaiah Naidu played
down the entire issue. "All chan-
nels are making Modi as PM can-
didate, there is no discussion in
party about PM, and many have
capable candidates, including
Modi," Naidu said.
While campaigning for the
upcoming Gujarat elections,
Sushma Swaraj had said, "There
are no boundaries for the post of
Prime Minister. I feel Narendra
Modi is capable to become the next
PM and I have no doubts about it.
He is both capable and suitable for
holding the PM's post." Other party
leaders are also treading the cau-
tious line. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
said, "Right now focus is Gujarat.
When national elections are
announced in 2013/14 then we will
decide PM candidate."
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has
deferred a hearing over the Sahara con-
glomerate's failure to meet the court's
guidelines to repay crores of rupees it had
raised from investors through bond sales
that were later ruled to be illegal. The
Supreme Court said it would hear the case
on Wednesday, after a lawyer for Sahara
sought more time to reply to why the
group had not complied with the court's
order.
On August 31, the apex court had
asked Sahara Group to repay about Rs
24000 crore with interest within 90
days. Sahara had said in newspaper
advertisements on Saturday it had
"cleared" about Rs 33000 crore to
investors in the so-called optionally
fully-convertible debentures and had
maximum outstanding liability of Rs
5120 crore, which it was ready to
deposit with the authorities.
Capital markets regulator said in late
October it had received complaints from
investors that they were being "forced" by
agents and officials of Sahara to switch
the money held through the outlawed
bonds to other investment products sold
by the group. The unlisted Sahara, whose
interests range from real estate to insur-
ance and sports, is the lead sponsor of the
Indian cricket team.
No discussion in BJP on
PM candidate: Naidu
Govt eases tourist visa restrictions
ahead of peak season
SC defers Sahara Group case
hearing to Wednesday
Page 6_ National_Bali.qxd 12/5/2012 11:34 AM Page 1
INTERNATIONAL & ECONOMY
STUDENT AGE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
7
ECONOMY
NEW DELHI, DEC 4: Policy
slippage, fiscal loosening in the
run-up to 2014 general elections
and weak growth could force a
downgrade of India's credit rat-
ing, international ratings agency
Fitch warned on Monday, peg-
ging country's growth for the
current financial year at 6%.
"Our affirmation of the 'BBB-
' rating in June reflected India's
diversified economy and high
domestic savings... Policy slip-
page and/or mounting evidence
of a structural decline in the
trend growth rate, such as pro-
tracted relatively weak economic
data, could cause the ratings to
be downgraded," Fitch said in a
statement on Monday after tak-
ing stock of July-September
quarter GDP numbers.
"India's third-quarter (July-
Sept) GDP reading Friday
demonstrates the slowdown in
the country's performance," it
said and warned that the recov-
ery could be shallow.
The ratings agency also
expects some populism ahead of
the 2014 general elections that
could put pressure on the fiscal
deficit.
It took note of finance minis-
ter P Chidambaram's five-year
fiscal consolidation plan that
envisages a reduction in fiscal
deficit to 3% of GDP by 2016-17
and minimal slippage in the cur-
rent year to 5.3% of GDP against
budgeted 5.1% of GDP, but
added that India's delivery record
on such plans was 'not encourag-
ing'.
"It has gone off track before
with similar plans, such as that
under the Fiscal Responsibility
and Budget Management Act of
2003 or in the Thirteenth Finance
Commission report of 2010. A
loosening in fiscal policy ahead
of the elections could further
weaken India's public finances
and put pressure on the ratings,"
the statement said.
Fitch's assessment is in sharp
contrast to that of another agency
Moody's that said last week
India's rating was stable citing its
structural strengths of a high
household savings rate and rela-
tively competitive private sector.
GDP growth dropped to a 14-
quarter low of 5.3% in the sec-
ond quarter of the fiscal, raising
the prospects of the overall
growth declining to a decade
low.
The economy expanded 5.5%
in the first quarter of the 2012-13
financial year that ends in
March. It said the recovery in
manufacturing PMI for
November suggests 'growth may
have troughed' but added 'tight
fiscal and monetary policy set-
tings decrease the authorities'
scope to support growth amid
stubbornly high inflation and a
commitment to consolidating
public finances'.
The ratings agency took note
of the FDI reforms, opening
multi-brand retail to foreign
investors, adjustment in fuel sub-
sidies and the decision to set up
the National Investment Board,
but added that political and
implementation risks remained.
"Recent reform proposals,
while potentially growth-sup-
portive, need time to work and
face political risks to their imple-
mentation," it said. "Several pro-
posals still require legislative
approval, and policy reversals
cannot be ruled out. The
approach of general elections in
2014 mean there is little time to
fully enact reform. These risks
are reflected in the Negative
Outlook," the agency said.
Policy slippage, fiscal loosening could lead to India downgrade: Fitch
Moody's express
concerns over
asset quality of
Indian banks
MUMBAI, DEC 4: Global ratings firm
Moody's has expressed its concerns
over the deteriorating asset quality of
the Indian banks which it says is
masked by it loan classifying norms.
This could pose further capital chal-
lenges for the sector on account of
higher provisioning costs and fall in
profitability.
The ratings firm has retained theout
negative outlook for this sector which it
had revised in November'11 from sta-
ble. This rating reflects " the challeng-
ing nature of an operating environment
that is characterized by slow economic
growth, high inflation, high interest
rates, and a weak local currency. We
expect these factors to lead to a further
deterioration in asset quality, an
increase in provisioning costs, and a
fall in profitability." a release by
Moody's said.
Moody's expects the operating envi-
ronment to remain difficult, and the
limited fiscal capacity of the Indian
government is constraining it from
exercising growth policies. "We expect
these difficult conditions will cause
both gross non-performing loans
(NPLs) and restructured loans to con-
tinue to rise."the release said
Lending income too is expected to
slowdown because of the deteriorating
nature of the operating environment,
although the banks' current wide lend-
ing margins (NIMs of 300 bps) will
allow for steady pre-provision incomes
as a percentage of average risk weight-
ed assets.
Th e ratings firms assumes a high
probability of support from the govern-
ment which already provides strong
ongoing support in the form of annual
equity infusions (Rs 15800 crore or
0.2% of GDP is budgeted in FY13) for
the public sector banks (representing
about 75% of the system), and all banks
are mandated to meet loan quotas for
certain sectors of the economy, imply-
ing a high degree of involvement by the
government in the banking sector.
BEIRUT: Fighting between
rebels and government forces
raged near the Syrian capital
Damascus, forcing an
inbound commercial jet to
turn back while the UN said
it was withdrawing staff
because of deteriorating
security conditions.
Lebanese security offi-
cials said Jihad Makdissi, a
polished Foreign Ministry
spokesman known for
defending the regime of
President Bashar Assad in
fluent English, flew from
Beirut to London. But it was
not immediately clear
whether he had defected.
The fighting over the past
few weeks in and around
Damascus has been the most
serious in the capital since
July, when rebels captured
several neighbourhoods
before a swift government
counteroffensive swept them
out.
The spike in violence
recently is concentrated in
the ring of mostly poor sub-
urbs around Damascus but
often bleeds into the capital
itself as rebels bring their
fight closer to Assad's seat of
power.
Assad's forces have so far
repelled major rebel
advances on the capital,
though their hold may be
slipping.
"The security situation
has become extremely diffi-
cult, including in
Damascus," said Radhouane
Nouicer, the UN's regional
humanitarian coordinator
for Syria.
Nouicer said the UN was
withdrawing most of its
international staff from
Syria due to security issues,
adding that up to one quarter
of the 100 international staff
working for several UN
agencies could leave by
week's end. There is about
900 more local staff working
for the UN in Syria, officials
said.
UN teams are also stop-
ping most staff trips outside
Damascus. In another sign of
deteriorating security, an
Egyptian commercial jet
aborted a trip to Damascus in
mid-flight because of vio-
lence near the airport.
The EgyptAir flight from
Cairo rerouted about 30 min-
utes after takeoff because
Egyptian officials received
word from their counterparts
in Damascus that the area
near the airport was not safe,
Egyptian airport officials
said.
EgyptAir cancelled all
further flights to Syria yester-
day and today and will
decide later whether to
resume flights later in the
week, the officials said,
speaking on condition of
anonymity because they were
not authorised to speak to
reporters.
UN pulling staff from Syria, violence near capital
'India among nations most impacted by terrorism'
NEW YORK: India,
Pakistan and Afghanistan
were among the nation's
most impacted by terrorism
in 2011, according to a new
global study, which said the
terror strikes worldwide had
increased fourfold since the
start of the Iraq war in 2003.
The inaugural Global
Terrorism Index (GTI) said
Pakistan, India and
Afghanistan accounted for
12 per cent, 11 per cent and
10 per cent of global terror-
ist incidents respectively
from 2002 to 2009.
In 2011, Middle East,
India, Pakistan and Russia
were the areas most impact-
ed by terrorism. Overall,
there were 7,473 fatalities in
2011 due to terrorism,
which is 25 per cent less
than in 2007.
The report said the num-
ber of terrorist incidents
increased virtually every
year since the 9/11 attacks
in the US, with most terror
strikes occurring in a wider
conflict situation. The index
shows that global terrorism
only started to increase after
the escalation of the Iraq
war.
This was subsequently
followed by further increas-
ing waves of terrorism in
Afghanistan and then in
Pakistan 18 months later.
While terrorism fatalities
fell by 25 per cent since
2007, coinciding with the
wind-down of the Iraq war,
Iraq still remained the coun-
try that suffered most from
terrorism in 2011.
The US, Algeria and
Colombia had the biggest
improvements over the last
ten years. "Terrorism is one
of the most emotive subjects
of our time.
The impact of terrorism
does seem to have plateaued
over the last three years but
is still unacceptably high,"
said Steve Killelea,
Executive Chairman of
Institute for Economics &
Peace, which produced the
index.
In the decade since 9/11,
fatalities from terrorist
attacks have increased by
195 per cent, incidents by
460 per cent and injuries by
224 per cent.
DOHA: The High level talks
at the ongoing UN
Conference on Climate
Change get underway in
Qatari capital Doha. Ahead of
the meet, the Chairman of the
Conference of Parties, COP-
18 , Abdul Hamd Bin Attiya
has urged the international
community to work together
to tackle the challenges of cli-
mate change in a spirit of co-
operation. Over 100 cabinet
Ministers from the developing
and the developed nations will
be discussing during the next
three days how to reach an
agreement over contentious
issues such as the extension of
Kyoto Protocol, climate
financing, long term co-oper-
ative action, unused emission
credits.
The developing nations are
insisting on a second commit-
ment for Kyoto Protocol to
extend the cap on greenhouse
gases emission by rich nations
to 5 percent by 2020.
European Union, Australia
and a smaller group of island
nations have expressed their
commitments at their own
pace. EU representative
Connie Heggedard said its
current emission is around 20
percent. United States has said
no to ratify the protocol and
said its current emission is
around 16.5 percent. Japan,
Russia and New Zealand have
refused for second commit-
ment and called for fresh
negotiations beyond Kyoto
Protocol. They are in favour
of setting emission reduction
norms for the emerging
economies.
The developing countries
led by India and G-77 have
opposed the move saying they
are grappling with growing
energy demands and poverty
alleviation. The differences
over the draft text of Long
term co-operative Action,
LCA is yet to be resolved.
Russia, Ukraine and Poland
want to use their unused emis-
sion credit which is being
opposed by many even among
the European Union nations.
The rich nations had promised
funding for fast tracking
finance and the $100 billion
Green Climate fund two years
ago at Durban conference to
help poor nations tackle cli-
mate change issues which has
not moved yet. India and G-
77 have asked when the
money would be released.
The response from the rich
nations has not been forth-
coming .It is indeed going to
be tough call for the world
leaders in Doha as they try to
iron out the differences and
move towards tackling the
challenges of Climate change.
MANILA: Typhoon Bopha
smashed into the southern
Philippines Tuesday, uprooting trees
and bringing drenching rains as
more than 40,000 people crammed
into shelters to escape the storm's
onslaught.
Bopha, packing gusts of up to
210 kilometres an hour, made land-
fall on Mindanao's east coast at
dawn, raking across the island of 10
million people. According to resi-
dents, it uprooted trees and blew off
roofs made of light materials, with
cities plunged into darkness after
authorities cut power supplies.
Aviation and shipping were sus-
pended, with 80 flights grounded
and thousands of ferry passengers
stranded as the coastguard ordered
vessels to stay in port.
The civil defence office said
more than 41,000 people had moved
into nearly 1,000 government shel-
ters across the island by early today.
It said large of Mindanao were with-
out power after supplies were shut
down to cut the risk of fires and
electrocutions.
The commercial centre of
Cagayan de Oro, one of Mindanao's
largest cities, was hit by flooding as
rivers overflowed following heavy
rain. Schools were shut in Mindanao
and across large areas of the central
Philippines.
'Work together to tackle climate challenges': COP18 Chairman
Typhoon Bopha smashes into southern Phillippines
TOKYO: The Japanese gov-
ernment ordered the inspec-
tion of dozens of highway tun-
nels throughout the country
after the ceiling of one of them
collapsed and killed nine peo-
ple.
The incident, which also
injured three other people,
took place in the Sasago tun-
nel, some 80 km west of
Tokyo. The tunnel passed its
most recent inspection in
September without authorities
detecting any problems or
anomalies. Dozens of cement
panels or slabs weighing 1.2
tonnes each became detached
from the tunnel's ceiling and
fell onto three moving vehi-
cles, one of which burst into
flames. Five of the six people
riding in that vehicle were
killed. The other four fatalities
included a man and two elder-
ly women, as well as the driv-
er of a frozen food truck who
managed to make a cell phone
call for help from inside his
crushed vehicle but died
before help arrived.
The authorities said that
the people riding in the two
cars died as a result of the fire
that followed the collapse. At
present, authorities do not
know the reason the panels
fell onto the roadway, but
employees with the Central
Nippon Expressway, which
operates the highway, said that
one of the bars holding the
slabs up could have become
loose causing a chain reaction.
After the incident, the
transportation ministry
ordered inspections of all
national highway tunnels that
have the same system of
cement slabs as the Sasago
tunnel, public television net-
work NHK reported
Obama warns Syria
against using chemi-
cal weapons
WASHINGTON: President
Barack Obama warned Syria that
the use of chemical weapons
would be "totally unacceptable"
and that the country's leaders
would be held accountable.
Obama said that if Syrian
President Bashar Assad made the
"tragic mistake" of deploying
chemical weapons, there would
be consequences. Obama stopped
short of detailing those conse-
quences. Obama's comments
came as U.S. officials said intelli-
gence had detected Syrian move-
ment of chemical weapons com-
ponents in recent days. The
White House said earlier Monday
that it was increasingly con-
cerned that the beleaguered
regime in Syria might be consid-
ering use of chemical weapons
against its own people and
warned that doing so would
"cross a red line."
Japan to inspect all highway
tunnels after deadly collapse
Over 1 lakh
requests pending
with patent offices
NEW DELHI,DEC 4: Over one lakh
patent applications are pending with vari-
ous patent examination offices, Minister of
State For Commerce and Industry S
Jagathrakshakan has said. Of these, 45,525
requests are in Delhi, 22,431 inKolkata,
37,811, in Chennai and 13,748 in Mumbai,
he said in a written reply tabled in the Lok
Sabhayesterday. The highest number of
requests are pending in the electrical engi-
neering segment (49,266), followed by
mechanical engineering (37,942), chem-
istry (24,959) and biotechnology (7,348).
"The government has completed the
process of selection of 248 patent examin-
ers. Of these, 151 have joined. At present,
processing of patent applications are con-
ducted through electronic modules which
enable achieving enhanced speed in the
examination and final disposal of patent
applications and has also improved trans-
parency," he added. Patent is a statutory
right for an invention granted for a limited
period of time to the patentee by the gov-
ernment, in exchange of full disclosure of
his invention.
He also said that the govt. has revoked
six patents and granted 50 for herbal medi-
cines in the three year period so far.
India 19th biggest exporter
in merchandise trade
DUBAI,DEC 4: India is the
world's 19th biggest exporter
inmerchandise trade surpass-
ing countries like
Australia,Brazil, Switzerland
and Sweden, according to the
recent classification done by
the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) Secretariat for 2011.
Areport released by WTO
Secretariat said India export-
ed of $297 billion in mer-
chandise trade. The figures
were released on the sidelines
of the announcement of the
27th International Autumn
Trade Fair (IATF2012),
which will be held here from
11-13 Dec. This year the fair
will host the official national
pavilionsof six countries,
including 225 exhibitors from
China, 30 from India, 35 from
Hong Kong, 15 from Korea,
20 fromTaiwan and 10 from
Pakistan. Other countries par-
ticipating at IATF 2012 at
individual levels include
UAE, Netherlands, Turkey,
Indonesia, Malaysia and Iran.
US tops the list of importers
with $2,265 billion of imports
in 2011.
NEWDELHI, DEC 4 : Clean
coal technologists from Canada
and India met here Tuesday to
discuss strategies for reducing
carbon emissions during power
generation.
The conference was kicked
off by B. Prasada Rao, chair-
man and managing director,
Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.
(BHEL) who called for accel-
erating the adoption of newer
clean coal technologies from
labs to commercial stage.
Rao indicated that the gov-
ernment of India has identified
supercritical coal combustion
technology (SCCT) for power-
plants of over 660 MWcapaci-
ty. BHEL is partnering other
power producers to establish
thermal power plants employ-
ing this technology by 2017.
The SCCT allows power
production efficiency to move
up from 39 percent to 46 per-
cent in an eco-friendly manner,
according to a statement issued
by the Indian National
Academy of Engineering
(INAE).
Lauding INAE for playing a
key role in bringing scientific
and academic community face
to face with industry and gov-
ernment, Prasada Rao second-
ed INAE president Baldev
Raj's idea of throwing up chal-
lenge of producing cleanenergy
to young Indian engineers.
The day-long conference
was hosted by Indian National
Academy of Engineering
(INAE) and Canadian
Academy of Engineering
(CAE), as part of the INAE's
silver jubilee celebrations.
Baldev Raj said India is
among the lowest consumers of
electricity. When India triples
per capita energy production to
around 2,500 watts per person
in the current decade it can ill
afford to triple its carbon emis-
sions, he added. Ivy Lerner-
Frank, Canadian trade commis-
sioner extended her govern-
ment's support in implementing
the ongoing energy memoran-
dum of understanding and sci-
ence & technology agreement
to ensure sharing of knowledge
and technology to produce
clean energy.
Plea for faster adoption of clean coal technologies
CHANDIGARH ,DEC 04: While
Punjab has procured nearly 133.5 lakh
tonnes paddy, Haryana has procured near-
ly 51 lakh tonnes. Bulk of the paddy (over
95 percent) has been procured by govern-
ment agencies while the rest has been pro-
cured by private millers in Punjab.
"In Punjab, the paddy crop has been a
bumper one despite 42 percent deficient
rainfall in the state this year. This is a
record of sorts," an agriculture depart-
ment officer said. Farmers in Punjab have
been made payments of over Rs.16,000
crore this season, officials said here.
In Punjab, Ludhiana, Sangrur and
Patiala were leading in procurement.
Punjab's procurement of paddy this
season was nearly 16 lakh tonnes higher
than the paddy procured (118 lakh tonnes)
in the same period last year.
A state government spokesman said
the high paddy production was owing to
hard work of Punjab farmers.
"This could be possible as farmers of
Punjab nurtured the crops this season
with their hard work and incurring extra
expenditure of Rs.900 crore on diesel to
save the paddy. The Punjab government
provided free electricity worth Rs.5,200
crore to farmers," the spokesman said.
In neighbouring Haryana, nearly 51
lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured
compared to over 44.53 lakh tonnes that
arrived during the corresponding period
last year, officials said.
Kurukshetra, Karnal and Kaithal were
leading in paddy procurement in Haryana.
Procurement of paddy in both states
started Oct 1 but the bulk of the stocks
started arriving only after Oct 10.
In Punjab, the state government has set
up 1,770 procurement centres.
Punjab, Haryana procure 184 lakh tonnes paddy
Page 7_International & Economy.qxd 12/5/2012 11:34 AM Page 1
KOLKATA: Former India
captain Sourav Ganguly on
Tuesday said that the media
should refrain from criticis-
ing Sachin Tendulkar who is
likely to play his last Test at
the Eden Gardens starting on
Wednesday. Post Ricky
Ponting`s retirement, there
has been talks that Tendulkar
should also follow suit, but
Ganguly thinks otherwise.
"The retirement of Ricky
Ponting does not mean that
Tendulkar should also quit.
We all hope he goes with his
with his head held high. The
problem with Tendulkar is
that people always look at his
negative sides. Nobody talks
about his centuries and the
wins he has given us,"
Ganguly told during a pro-
motional event of STAR
CRICKET`s hindi commen-
tary panel.
Wishing Tendulkar luck
ahead of his probable last
Test at Eden, Ganguly said
it`s important for him to get
past 30-mark.
SPORTS
STUDENT AGE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
8
CHIEF-EDITOR, PUBLISHER, OWNER: Rohit Singh Rana, ADMINISTRATIVE HEAD (J&K):Pawan Rathore, DY. CHIEF EDITOR : Vikram Singh Shan, LEGAL ADVISOR: Advocate Ashok Parihar EDITORIAL BOARD: NATIONAL AFFAIRS: Shweta Bhat, STATE AFFAIRS: Jaswant Singh Rana,
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(All disputes are subjected to the exclusive jurisdiction of Jammu District courts only.)
NEW DELHI: London
Olympics silver medallist
Vijay Kumar on Tuesday
equalled his best ranking
when he scaled to the number
2 spot in the world but even
before one could blink, the
men's 25-metre rapid fire pis-
tol ace expressed a desire to
claim the numero uno spot at
the earliest.
"I want to reach the top as
soon as possible, and that will
be possible if I do well in the
World Cups next year, and I
can say that I will try my level
best," Vijay said.
The 25-metre rapid fire
pistol shooter has been hover-
ing in the top 10 for the past
couple of years, since attain-
ing the number two rank for
the first time in 2009.
"I was number three in
October-November. Now, I
am number two, but my target
is to bag the number one posi-
tion by winning medals at the
World Cups next year," said
Vijay from his training base at
Mhow.
Vijay has 2,665 points
compared to top-ranked Pupo
Leuris's 3,364. The Cuban
won the gold medal in the
London Games.
"I am already preparing
for the World Cups, because
they are my immediate goals,
and it is going good."
London Games bronze
medallist Gagan Narang too
moved a place to become
number five in the men's 10-
metre air rifle category.
Men's 50-metre rifle prone
shooter Joydeep Karmakar,
who finished fourth in
London, retained the number
six position in his category,
while double trap shooter
Ronjan Sodhi managed to
keep his number seventh spot.
Shooter Vijay Kumar moves to number 2 spot
Lausanne:The International
Olympic Committee (IOC)
on Tuesday
s u s p e n d e d
the Indian
O l y m p i c
Association
for holding
hold elec-
tions under a
controversial
government
sports code.
Two officials with knowl-
edge of the decision say the
IOC has suspended India's
national Olympic body
because of government inter-
ference, sources said.
The decision comes just a
day before IOA's elections to
be held tomorrow.
According to Associated
Press, the IOC executive
board imposed the sanctions
today after the Indian
Olympic Association failed
to comply with the world
body's directive to hold its
elections scheduled tomor-
row under the Olympic
Charter.
The officials spoke on
condition of anonymity
because the official
announcement hadn't been
made yet The IOC had
repeatedly told the Indian
body to adhere
to its own con-
stitution and
the Olympic
Charter and not
follow the gov-
e r n m e n t ' s
sports code for
the elections.
Suspension
meant that the
IOA will stop receiving IOC
funding and its officials will
be banned from attending
Olympic meetings and
events. India's athletes will
be barred from competing in
Olympic events under their
national flag, but they can
participate under the IOC
banner.
The IOA top brass said
that they were not aware of
the decision yet as no com-
munication has been sent to
them yet.
Sports Minister Jitendra
Singh said that it was an
"unfortunate decision" for
Indian sports community.
"Once we knew about the
mess we had written to the
IOC but they never respond-
ed," Jitendra said.
IOC bans Indian Olympic
Association over elections
MELBOURNE: India fin-
ished on top of their pool
despite losing 2-3 to Olympic
champions Germany in their
last preliminary league match
of the Champions Trophy
hockey tournament.
India squandered the lead
twice to handover the match
to the Germans, but still man-
aged to top Pool Aon a supe-
rior goal difference.
Both India and Germany
finished with six points each,
but India's two previous vic-
tories with two-goal margins
ensured them the top spot.
India finished with a goal dif-
ference of plus-three (+3),
while the German's goal dif-
ference was minus-one (-1).
The top-spot finish has set
up India's quarterfinal date
against Belgium, who fin-
ished at the bottom of Pool B
with three successive losses,
including narrow 4-5 defeat
at the hands of Olympic sil-
ver medallists Netherlands.
Germany will take on
Asian Games champions
Pakistan, who were beaten 0-
1 by defending champions
and hosts Australia in the last
preliminary league fixture.
Australia needed to post a
two-goal win over Pakistan
to finish on top in their group
ahead of Netherlands but just
managed to score once
through Kieren Govers.Both
Netherlands and Australia
finished with seven points
from three games, but the
Dutch side took the top posi-
tion in Pool B on the basis of
a one-goal advantage over
the hosts.
The Dutch will now face
Pool A's bottom place finish-
er New Zealand in the quar-
ters, while Australia meet
England. England finished
third with four points after
being held to a 1-1 draw by
New Zealand for whom this
was their only point in three
outings.
Against Germany, India
drew first blood in the sixth
minute when Gurwinder
Singh Chandi picked up a
through ball from Rupinder
Pal Singh on top of the 'D'
and sent a rasping shot into
the net past German custodi-
an Nicolas Jacobi.
Germany equalised in the
14th minute through Oliver
Korn, who capitalised on the
shaky Indian defence on his
second attempt after the first
shy had rebounded off the
right post.
India tops group despite losing 2-3 to Germany
LONDON: The England and
Wales Cricket Board has
apologized to the Indian
Cricket Board following its
failure to gain all the neces-
sary clearances for the
England Performance
Programme's (EPP) tour of
India.
Following a letter by the
BCCI demanding to know
why it had not been
approached to grant permis-
sion for the tour, the ECB
explained there had been an
oversight and apologized.
According to a website,
the BCCI has accepted the
apology and that the EPP tour
will continue as planned.
While the incident will be
an embarrassment to the
ECB, there are some mitigat-
ing factors. It did have the
authority of the Mumbai
Cricket Association (MCA)
for the tour and had pre-
sumed - erroneously as it
transpired - that, as several
officials within the MCA are
also officials within the
BCCI, it had all the permis-
sion required.
The ECB has now accept-
ed that the tour did not have
the appropriate clearance.
The issue was exacerbated by
the fact that several members
of the England Test squad,
including Steven Finn, took
part in the EPP game against
the Dr DY Patil Academy
side. Some at the BCCI were
understood to be under-
whelmed at the lending hand
being offered to the touring
side in the middle of a hotly
contested Test series.
BCCI officials were also
concerned that the likes of
Craig Kieswetter and Jos
Buttler, who are part of
England's limited-overs
squads, were using the EPP
tour to gain a familiarity with
Indian conditions.
In September, the BCCI
issued a letter to all state
associations in which BCCI
president N Srinivasan
informed them they must
"not entertain any foreign
teams without the prior per-
mission of the board."
"The board has written a
letter to us asking for an
explanation on the issue and
we have forwarded that to Mr
Vijay Patil, who runs the DY
Patil Academy, asking him to
reply," MCA president, Ravi
Savant, said.
"We will forward his reply
to the BCCI. It's a question of
not following the proper pro-
tocol."
ECB apologises to BCCI for EPP controversy
JAMMU: The Jammu and
Kashmir Police is going to
host the 61st All India
Police Hockey
Championship-2012, here in
Jammu.
Starting from December
7, the championship would
last till December 14 with
participation of twenty four
Police Hockey teams from
various states, Union
Territories (UTs) and
Central Police
Organizations (CPOs).
Addressing a press con-
ference, the Director
General Police, Mr. Ashok
Prasad said that the matches
of the Championship are
being conducted and offici-
ated by expert officials
under the banner of All
India Police Sports Control
Board New Delhi. The
matches of the champi-
onship shall be played on
League cum Knock Out
basis. For smooth conduct
of the Championship all the
arrangements for the teams
related to accommodation,
transport, sight-seeing, cul-
tural programmes, and med-
ical facilities have been
worked out by different
committees which are being
supervised by organizing
Secretary.
Over the last two
decades, besides maintain-
ing public order and tack-
ling insurgency, the J&K
Police has made a land mark
as a host, for organizing
many prestigious and high
profile All India Police
Championships, bestowed
by All India Police Sports
Control Board New Delhi,
in a professional manner.
61stAll India Police Hockey Cship
WASHINGTON: NASA's
long-lived Voyager 1 space-
craft, which is heading out of
the solar system, has reached
a "magnetic highway" lead-
ing to interstellar space. The
probe, launched 35 years ago
to study the outer planets, is
now about 11 billion miles
(18 billion km) from Earth.
At that distance, it takes
radio signals traveling at the
speed of light 17 hours to
reach Earth. Light moves at
186,000 miles (300,000 km)
per second).
Voyager 1 will be the first
manmade object to leave the
solar system.
Scientists believe
Voyager 1 is in an area where
the magnetic field lines from
the sun are connecting with
magnetic field lines from
interstellar space. The phe-
nomenon is causing highly
energetic particles from dis-
tant supernova explosions
and other cosmic events to
zoom inside the solar sys-
tem, while less-energetic
solar particles exit. "It's like
a highway, letting particles
in and out," Scientists don't
know how long it will take
for the probe to cross the so-
called "magnetic highway,"
but they believe it is the last
layer of a complex boundary
between the region of space
under the sun's influence and
interstellar space. "Our best
guess is it's likely just a few
months to a couple years
away," Stone said.
Voyager 1 hit the outer
sphere of the solar system, a
region called the helios-
phere, in 2004 and passed
into the heliosheath, where
the supersonic stream of par-
ticles from the sun - the so-
called "solar wind" - slowed
down and became turbulent.
That phase of the journey
lasted for 5.5 years. Then the
solar wind stopped moving
and the magnetic field
strengthened. Based on an
instrument that measures
charged particles,
Voyager entered the mag-
netic highway on July 28,
2012. The region was in flux
for about a month and stabi-
lized on Aug. 25. Each time
Voyager re-entered the high-
way, the magnetic field
strengthened, but its direc-
tion remained unchanged.
Scientists believe the direc-
tion of the magnetic field
lines will shift when the
probe finally enters interstel-
lar space.
Voyager 2, traveling on a
different path out of the solar
system, has experienced sim-
ilar, though more gradual
changes in its environment
than Voyager 1. Scientists do
not believe Voyager 2, which
is about 9 billion miles (14.5
billion km) from Earth, has
reached the magnetic high-
way.
Voyager 1 probe leaving solar system
reaches ''magnetic highway'' exit
One of the world's creepi-
est creatures may be the
source of new kinds of petro-
leum-free plastics and super-
strong fabrics, according to
research by scientists in
Canada studying the hagfish,
a bottom-dwelling creature
that hasn't evolved for 300
million years and produces a
sticky slime when threatened.
The gooey material is actual-
ly a kind of protein that turns
into choking strands of tough
fibers when released into the
water.
A research team at
Canada's University of
Guelph managed to harvest
the slime from the fish, dis-
solve it in liquid, and then
reassemble its structure by
spinning it like silk. It's an
important first step in being
able to process the hagfish
slime into a useable material,
according to Atsuko Negishi,
a research assistant and lead
author on the paper in this
week's journal
Biomacromolecules.
"The first step is can we
harvest the threads. It turns
out that is doable."Negishi
has been working with the
hagfish for about four years
in the laboratory, trying to
understand some of the phys-
ical and chemical properties
of the slime. The fish pro-
duces a protein which it
releases into the water from
glands along the side of its
snake-like body
Negishi says the slime can
be difficult to handle and
there are plenty of reasons
why most people, and fisher-
men, avoid them.
"They don't smell partic-
ularly nice either. They are
wet clammy and wiggly. But
they you appreciate what
they are capable of doing and
you respect them."
As for the slime itself,
Negishi says it smells like
dirty seawater and has the
consistency of snot.
"It feels like mucous but a
little bit more wet," she said.
"If you hold the slime up into
the air, the water will drip out
of that and what you have
leftover is something that is
threadlike."
The threads are made of
intermediate filament, a pro-
tein in the same family as
bone and nails. The hagfish
threads are 100 times smaller
than a human hair and have
given the creature an evolu-
tionary advantage as a unique
defense mechanism. Negishi
works in the laboratory of
professor Douglas Fudge,
director of the comparative
biomaterials laboratory at the
University of Guelph. Fudge
says he thinks the hagfish
slime threads could be woven
to produce a material with the
strength of nylon or plastic.
"What we'd like to see is
synthetic petroleum-based
fibers replaced by more sus-
tainable ones," he said.
Hagfish Slime Makes Super-Clothes
KOLKATA: Spinner
Harbhajan Singh is down with
flu and did not attend the prac-
tice session on Tuesday. There
are speculations that the turner
may miss the third Test against
England scheduled at Eden
Gardens from Wednesday.
Indian captain M.S. Dhoni, however, refused to predict the
availability of Harbhajan for the third Test. "Harbhajan is
down with flu and he stayed at the hotel and did not come
down for the practice. We will have to go back to the hotel and
check his condition. Only after assessing his condition, we will
take a call," Dhoni said during the media meet.
KOLKATA: Yuvraj
Singh has battled can-
cer with flying colours
and now the India's
World Cup hero has
launched a drive to
detect the dreaded dis-
ease at the early stages
for a successful cure.
The stylish left-hander joined hands with
the Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital
through which they would screen one lakh
people in next six months for the disease.
"It's very close to my heart and I want it to
grow. I believe all of us can join hands to save
lives," Yuvraj said at the pact of Yuvraj Singh
Foundation's YouWe Can and the Apollo
Gleneagles Cancer Hospital.
"It feels great to be playing again. My
team, family and friends have played a huge
supportive role," Yuvraj who was diagnosed
with a stage-1 cancerous tumour in his left
lung in 2011, said.
Yuvraj successfully underwent three
cycles of chemotherapy in the United States
and returned to action after battling a germ
cell cancer in September for a T20
International against New Zealand.
Yuvraj launches drive to detect cancer at early stage
Harbhajan may skip third Test
against England
KOLKATTA: With the four-
Test series against England
levelled at 1-1, India will be
seeking to bounce back as
they go into the third cricket
Test here beginning tomor-
row, with intense pressure on
their under-performing star
players to deliver.
After India's humiliating
loss in the second Test, where
their ploy to prepare a turning
track backfired in Mumbai,
the build-up to the Eden
match has been marked by a
pitch row that began with a
desperate India skipper
Mahendra Singh Dhoni insist-
ing for a rank-turner, leading
to local curator Prabir
Mukherjee calling the Indian
skipper "immoral and unethi-
cal". The BCCI then sent East
Zone curator Ashish
Bhowmick to "assist"
Mukherjee. The pitch for the
match has drawn a lot more
attention because of the con-
troversy and it remains to be
seen whether the hosts can put
everything behind them and
focus on the game.
On Tuesday, Dhoni said
the wicket would not assist
the spinners in the first two
days and the pacers are likely
to get some help from the
pitch initially, making it clear
he has not managed to get his
way with the curator, after all.
"The wicket looks good.
We will have to see how the
pitch behaves. It depends a lot
on the clay content. It won't
help the spinner much initial-
ly," Dhoni said during the
match-eve press conference
India have never lost a
series to England since 1984-
85, when David Gower's team
registered a 2-1 win, but over
the last one year Dhoni and
Co. have lost much ground
beneath their feet as they have
slipped to number 5 in world
rankings from being number
one at one stage.
There was further bad
news for India with senior off-
spinner Harbhajan Singh
skipping the team's final prac-
tise session after a bout of
flu.Dhoni also said that a final
call on Harbhajan would be
taken only after assessing his
condition.
On the other hand,
England too would be looking
to prove they are not inept
against spin and can win a
series on Indian soil.
Under pressure India get
ready for test at Eden
Stop criticising
Tendulkar, says Ganguly
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