Survey calls for major reforms in power sector

Calling for bold reforms in the power sector, the Economic Survey today asked the 

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states to reduce subsidies and cross-subsidies on electricity and hike tariffs.

The Survey tabled in Parliament today pointed out that India currently has one of the lowest and most uneconomical average electricity tariffs in the world -- 8 cents per unit at the retail level, compared to about 12-15 cents in countries endowed with more coal or gas and 19-10 cents per unit elsewhere.

It also suggested reducing the monopoly of state electricity boards (SEBs) in power distribution by encouraging open sales of the bulk of power supply in the market, which would increase competition.

It pointed out that the transmission and distribution losses in the power sector, at 35 per cent, were among the highest in the world.

"This (loss) is draining public revenues, forcing larger price increase requirements and causing massive losses to the state electricity boards, which is about 1 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product," it said.

It stressed on the strong role of independent regulators to ensure adequate competition and act on uncompetitive behaviour in wholesale trade (of electricity), including capping wholesale tariffs and investigating competition.

In view of the monopoly of SEBs in power distribution, with mounting losses and poor services, the survey suggested three different ways to encourage open access or putting the bulk of power supply for sale in the market.

Firstly, there could be a public-private partnership mode with open access, where long-term concessions were granted to private distribution companies. These firms would be required to make high investments and adhere to performance benchmarks.

Under this mode, which is very similar to what is being followed in the telecom sector, the tariff would be regulated and bulk consumers would be permitted to access the network. This would involve the bulk of power supply being put on sale in the market.

The second option was a distribution franchisee model where operators are selected through competitive bidding and ownership of the assets remains with the state power distribution company. This mode is being adopted in Delhi.

In the third mode suggested by the survey, there could be a performance-based state distribution company where open access is allowed.

Source:-http://www.mydigitalfc.com/power/survey-calls-major-reforms-power-sector-427

SABCONS Project Management Consultants

Source: Cities-Dec10

Chiria Iron Ore Mines of SAIL in Jharkhand Gets Forest Clearance

Chiria iron ore mines of SAIL in the Saranda forest in Paschimi Singhbhum district of Jharkhand gets forest clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests today. The approval is subjected to the usual 13 specific conditions governing forest clearance like those relating to compensatory afforestation and Net Present Value. Forest clearances had been given to SAIL earlier in July 1998 and October 1998 for two leases in Chiria itself.

As per the conditions, only mining and primary and secondary crushing be allowed in the forest area. Processing, beneficiation, blending, stockpiling, railway sidings, infrastructure and all township facilities will be 15km away in non-forest land. Only conveyor systems will be used for transportation of ore. A cluster management approach will be adopted for mining-related activities to avoid excessive fragmentation. Thus, the diverted area will be broken up in phases. No disturbance to the forest areas above their water collection points. Other conditions include:

 Forest roads will not be used by SAIL during night time.

SAIL will position a wildlife management team at Chiria from the start of operations to monitor impacts and take remedial measures as the project proceeds.

Over the next 20 years 0nly 25% of the total forest area being diverted (equivalent to around 595 hectares) will be broken up.

SAIL will make a contribution of Rs 20 crore over the next five years for programmes relating to wildlife-related and biodiversity-related programmes in the region with particular focus on the Sarinda Forest Division.

In keeping with the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Enterprises, SAIL will earmark at least 2% of net profits for CSR activities (as distinct from wildlife and biodiversity management programmes). The CSR will include vocational and skill-development programmes for local youth to begin as the mining activities commence. Employment of local tribal youth will be maximised in a transparent manner.

Proper mitigative measures to minimise soil erosion and choking of streams will be undertaken. 

There will be zero discharge into the Koena River and steps will be taken to ensure that the river does not get polluted. This will be subject to regular field reviews by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The river ecology is critical to the health of the forest.

The entire mine lease covering 2376 hectares will remain with SAIL as at present. Five-year plans should be prepared for land-use and the fellings will be regulated accordingly.

SAIL will support the preparation of a comprehensive wildlife and biodiversity management plan by the Wildlife Institute of India, the Wildlife Trust of India and the WWF. This study will also identify areas that should be kept inviolate in the Saranda forest. This study should be commissioned immediately.

Given that in recent months, it has been permitted mining in ecologically sensitive areas in Duarguiburu as well as in Kiriburu-Meghahatuburu, SAIL should set up a full-fledged forest management team under a full-time Executive Director whose sole responsibility will be forest management.The Chiria mine complex covers about 2376 hectares which is about 3% of the entire Saranda forest area. Of this, around 194 hectares (8%) has already been broken up. SAIL’s proposal was for diversion of a total 595 hectares which is 25% of the total Chiria mine area. The permission is being sought for a period of 20 years. It has two components: (i) renewal of permission to mine in the 194 hectares already broken up; and (ii) permission to divert an additional 401 hectares (17%) for mining. The project already had been accorded environmental clearances earlier.SAIL is a “maharatna” public sector company with a good track record of corporate social responsibility and as such deserving of special treatment even in this era of a certain economic orthodoxy.

Given the ecological sensitivity of the Saranda forest area, the MoE&F will assume direct responsibility and set up a multi-disciplinary expert group (that would include not only ecologists but also anthropologists) to be responsible for this monitoring. The monitoring, evaluation and compliance reports will be made available in the public domain once a quarter. This committee will pay special attention to the concerns relating to the impact of mining on elephant habitats and migratory routes.

The erstwhile privately-owned Indian Iron and Steel Company (IISCO) took control of the Chiria iron ore mine complex in the Saranda forest in Paschimi Singhbhum district of Jharkhand in 1936. IISCO became a fully-owned subsidiary of SAIL in 1978 and final merger took place in 2006 on the premise that the mines would be made available to SAIL since it had been forced to absorb substantial losses on IISCO’s account.

Details are available on Ministry’s website www.moef.nic.in.

Source: Print Release

Nupur Talwar charged for first time, will seek anticipatory bail

GHAZIABAD: Summoning Nupur and Rajesh Talwar in the Aarushi-Hemraj double murder case, special CBI judge Preeti Singh on Wednesday observed, "There is enough evidence in the CBI report to prove that Aarushi's private parts were cleaned, the room was cleaned, no outsider could have gained entry into the house and that only the Talwars could have called the doctor conducting the postmortem." 

According to sources, the court relied on many points in the closure report like the internet router being switched off only around 3:30pm. "The surgical cuts on the neck of both victims were the work of professionally trained experts. They could only be the parents," the CBI had said. Rajesh Talwar's act of not identifying Hemraj's body also figures as circumstantial evidence in the CBI report. The court found all these points valid and accordingly passed the order. 

In doing so, it rejected Talwar's petition against the CBI report seeking fresh investigations to nail the real culprits. He had pointed a finger at the servants. Nupur Talwar, who has been vouching for her husband's innocence from day one, has been accused for the first time of murder and destroying evidence along with him. Rajesh was arrested by the Noida police in 2008 but given a clean chit by the CBI. 

The order paves the way for a trial in the case though the CBI had sought closure even after hinting at the involvement of the couple as accused. It had pleaded helplessness in pursuing the case any further for lack of proper evidence. 

The Talwars are expected to fight back. They had filed a point-by-point rebuttal of the CBI report. Among their main contentions were that CBI did not investigate the possibility of an intruder known to Hemraj, it ignored the results of the narco and brain-mapping tests conducted on Nupur and the servants, the blood samples found on a Scotch bottle were not sent for touch DNA test, the original autopsy report didn't mention any cleaning of private parts and that the 'surgical' marks on the neck of both victims could have been made by a khukri according to an expert panel of doctors. 

During the arguments on Tuesday, the CBI had said: "Our stand is that the probe by the investigating officer proves that no outsider was involved in this (Aarushi-Hemraj deaths). The servants are not involved in this and circumstantial evidence shows that the parents are behind the act.'' 

However, Talwar's lawyer Rebecca John said they were completely innocent and were likely to challenge the order. "There is no material against Rajesh and Nupur. We are waiting for a copy of the court's order after which we will decide our course of action," John said. She added they would seek anticipatory bail for Nupur Talwar. 

The parents will now be given copies of all annexures given by the agency along with the closure report. The annexures include statements by the witnesses and other documents that the CBI relied on during their probe.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Nupur-Talwar-charged-for-first-time-will-seek-anticipatory-bail/articleshow/7463706.cms

Black money abroad to be taxable income: Govt

New Delhi: Black money parked in tax havens abroad will be taxable income under the Direct Taxes Code Bill, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Wednesday, spelling out a host of measures to retrieve it. 

The government also informed the apex court that it has completed negotiations for Tax Informations Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with 10 countries where the money is believed to have been stashed.

The ten countries are Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Island, Isle of Man, Cayman Island, British island of Jersey, Monaco, St Kitts and Nevis, Argentina and Marshall Island. 

It said Cabinet approval has been granted in relation to eight of these agreements. 

"It is submitted that the central government has proposed new provisions for unearthing black money in the Direct Taxes Code Bill by defining taxable assets as inclusive of the deposits in banks located outside India in case of individuals and such bank deposits not recorded in the books of account in case of others," an additional affidavit filed by the Ministry of Finance said.

The affidavit comes in the wake of searching questions posed by a bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar on a PIL filed by eminent jurist Ram Jethmalanai and others, seeking retrieval of black money stashed in banks abroad.

Source:-http://www.zeenews.com/news686080.html

BSNL gave away valuable spectrum to 'shell companies'

NEW DELHI: State-run telecom firm BSNL bestowed favours on "shell companies" by allotting them wireless access (WiMAX) franchises; they, in turn, were more interested in selling their stake to "potential buyers" than in rolling out broadband network services. 

Communications minister Kapil Sibal has asked the telecom department to probe how Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) handed out costly broadband wireless spectrum to select WiMAX franchises who did not meet eligibility criteria for technical experience. "It has been pointed out that cheap access has been provided to these shell companies to precious resources of BSNL, including costly broadband wireless access spectrum in metropolitan cities for which BSNL has already made massive upfront payments," Sibal said in his letter. 

Official sources said some of these firms had no track record — one dealt in auto parts. BSNL allowed tweaking of contract conditions post-bid to favour some franchises. Firms also "changed their technology partners after the bid". One firm dropped Cisco for Alvarion and similarly other companies also changed technology partners. 

DoT sources said the file on the controversial deals never reached the ministry. 

"I would like DoT in coordination with finance wing to scrutinize the entire exercise once again and suggest appropriate action latest by February 11, 2011," Sibal wrote to the telecom department. He noted that BSNL made "massive upfront payments" for WiMAX, a technology that allows speedy broadband services. But it provided "cheap access" to the shell companies. 

The penalty clauses for not complying with rollout obligations were weak - ranging between Rs 5 to 10 crore — while the spectrum was worth hundreds of crores. To date, none of the companies have shared any revenue with BSNL and no services have been provided. The firms were also allowed automatic renewal of contract and a one-year moratorium in payment after winning the bids.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/BSNL-gave-away-valuable-spectrum-to-shell-companies/articleshow/7457393.cms

Ties with U.S. on course: Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Amid reports suggesting that the U.S. has put bilateral meetings with Pakistan on hold till Islamabad releases its “diplomat” arrested for gunning down two Pakistanis in “self-defence', the spokespersons for both countries maintained that the relationship was on course.

While there were strong indications that contact between the U.S. State Department and the Pakistan embassy in Washington had been snapped and upcoming bilateral engagements were in peril, the official line from both countries sought to contradict this. Maintaining that “we continue to have contacts with the Pakistanis'', U. S. embassy spokesperson flagged Monday's meeting of Ambassador Cameron Munter with President Asif Ali Zardari as a case in point. The spokesperson also quoted from the daily briefing of Assistant Secretary of State P. J. Crowley in Washington on Monday when he said in response to similar questions that “we continue to have contacts with our Pakistani counterparts, and we continue to emphasise the importance of resolving this case''.

As for Pakistan, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said relations were anchored in mutual interest and mutual respect. “Both our countries are committed to further strengthening the bilateral relationship to our mutual benefit. Our relations are mature enough to navigate through difficulties. We must not lose focus of the strategic imperatives of Pak-U.S. relations.''

Asked what the U.S. proposed to do if Pakistan does not yield, the embassy spokesperson remained non-committal saying “we will continue to work with the Pakistani government to resolve this issue''. But , questions are being asked about the fate of the upcoming ministerial-level trilateral conference of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the U.S. later this month; particularly since Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is understood to have cancelled a scheduled meeting with Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference last week.

Adding to the woes of the Pakistan government, the provincial dispensation in Punjab — where the shooting took place and the case is registered — dug its heels in on Tuesday; asserting that it would not succumb to any kind of pressure.

Source:-http://www.hindu.com/2011/02/09/stories/2011020965242100.htm

IIT-Bombay may set up campus in New York

MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay could soon have a second address — in New York.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) has invited IIT-B to submit a proposal to set up a campus in the Big Apple for applied science courses.

The Mumbai institute will fill a lacuna that the city's five boroughs have had all these years — a world-class facility for applied science teaching and research with a strong bent towards applied engineering.

A committee at IIT-B is firming up the institute's pitch, which will be sent to NYCEDC by April. The host city will make a capital contribution, in addition to possibly providing land and other considerations.

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, director Devang Khakhar, who was invited by The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to consider setting up a campus there, has said the concept is being explored. "Yes, we may start with something small there. My team is working on a feasibility plan of going to New York."

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has said the city must optimize its business strengths. "The city is committed to finding the right partner and providing the support needed to establish such a facility because research in the fields of engineering, science and technology is creating the next generation of global business innovations that will propel our economy forward," Bloomberg said. "New York City has all the ingredients to complement an applied science and engineering hub—a highly educated global population, an unparalleled financial and business community to provide capital and support for new ventures and existing top-notch institutions performing cutting-edge research. We want to capitalize on those strengths."

Apart from inviting top institutes around the world to send in their offers, NYCEDC has also broadened its hunt by allowing institutes wanting a presence in NY to apply under this scheme. IIT-B's dean (international relations) Subhasis Chaudhuri, said, "The proposal is at a rather nascent stage. But we are considering it very seriously."

NYCEDC, which has received responses from a select group of top schools from around the world bidding for the same project, is likely to assess all the expressions of interest in April and later work toward setting up the school in a year. Terming this as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity", Bloomberg said, "The impact of this initiative will be extraordinary."

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IIT-Bombay-may-set-up-campus-in-New-York/articleshow/7439196.cms

Five rape 21-yr-old accountant in Ghaziabad

GHAZIABAD: A 21-year-old woman, sitting with a friend by the roadside at Ghaziabad's CGO Complex, was allegedly gangraped by five men on Saturday night. The accused, all from a neighbouring village, pinned down the victim's 24-year-old engineer friend and beat him unconscious while committing the crime.

The engineer reported the rape to the police who have arrested all five accused and charged them with rape and robbery. Police said the victim, an accountant at a showroom in Noida's Sector 63, was too traumatized to lodge a complaint.

"We will provide protection to the victim and ensure that she is not harmed," Ghaziabad police chief Raghuvir Lal said while appealing to the victim and her parents to testify against the culprits or else they will walk away free.

Lal said the victim had met her friend on the internet and the two had been chatting online for quite a while. On Saturday night, they met for the first time in Noida and later rode on his motorcycle to Ghaziabad. The man lives in Ghaziabad's CGO Complex.

Around 9.30pm, they parked the motorcycle and sat down at a spot on the Raispur-Kamla Nehru Nagar Road. "The accused — Devendra, Monu, Tony, Jai Kishore and Manoj — all from Raispur, spotted the couple and started beating up the engineer. They also robbed his Dell Inspiron laptop and the mobile phones of the couple. Then, even as some of the assailants held the engineer down, the others took turns to rape the woman," Lal said.

The engineer told the police that the woman begged the accused to let her go. But the more she cried, the more they beat him up. The man told the police that he lost consciousness and came round after the culprits had escaped.

Kavi Nagar police station chief, Vijay Kumar, said, "The engineer dropped the victim to Noida and came to the police station around midnight. He filed the report of gangrape and robbery without giving us the name and address of the victim. He said she was too scared to come forward to pursue the case. But we are trying to reassure the victim and her family." 

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Five-rape-21-yr-old-accountant-in-Ghaziabad/articleshow/7439664.cms

Strong farm sector to help GDP grow 8.5% in 2010-11

The government`s statistical office is expected to peg gross domestic product at 8.5% for the current financial year in the advance estimates that are due to be released on Monday. This reflects a mild slowdown from the 8.9% growth registered during the first half of 2010-11. During the last financial year, the economy had grown by 8%. 

The growth will be powered by the farm sector. Helped by abundant rains this monsoon, the agriculture sector that now accounts for less than one-fifth of the economy, is expected to expand by 6-6.5% according to the first official estimates. 

According to sources, per capita income is likely to grow at around 6.5-7% during 2010-11. 

Manufacturing sector, seen as the main job creator, is also going to be the biggest worry for policymakers with the sector showing signs of slowdown as inflation, and the subsequent increase in interest rates, is affecting capacity addition in the sector. 

The first estimates of GDP would be revised in May and again next January. 

The advance estimates of GDP are near the levels announced by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee but lower than what has been projected by several agencies including the Reserve Bank of India. In its latest monetary policy review, RBI had retained its earlier projection of 8.5% with the possibility of an upward bias. 

The Prime Minister`s Economic Advisory Council headed by C Rangarajan and the Asian Development Bank had estimated that the Indian economy would expand by 8.5% this year. 

Among the international agencies, the World Bank had projected a growth of 8.7% this year in its estimates released in January, but it is lower than the International Monetary Fund`s 8.8%. 

Economists say the robust domestic demand is the key driver for India`s growth as is evident from a spurt in the sale of cars and white goods. Though the worry is about growth being close to full capacity, the higher farm sector output would augur well for the industrial sector as rural income would get a boost.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Strong-farm-sector-to-help-GDP-grow-85-in-2010-11/articleshow/7428628.cms

Protesters defy military orders, hold anti-govt rally

Defying military orders to "go home", tens of thousands of protesters on Friday laid a siege to Cairo's central square clamouring for immediate ouster of embattled President Hosni Mubarak, who ignored mounting global pressure to step down saying it will plunge Egypt into "chaos".


Amid reports that the US is trying to broker a deal for a transitional government in Egypt headed by Vice President Omar Suleiman, massive crowds thronged the Tahrir Square, the hub of unrelenting 11-day protests that have claimed over 300 lives, for a "day of departure" rally against Mubarak, chanting slogans, bowing in prayer and waving national flags.

Under the close vigil of armed security personnel and ringed by armoured vehicles, some of the protesters carried bread, food, fruits and bottled water for those who stuck out at the Square overnight after days of violent clashes.

The protesters dubbed Friday's protest as the "day of departure" for 82-year-old Mubarak, who has ruled the country since 1981, while state TV called it the "day of allegiance" to the President.

Egyptian Defence Minister Hussein Tantawi, who is also Deputy Premier, along with top army officials visited the Square, where soldiers checked IDs and frisked protesters at entrances, to assess the situation, state TV reported.

Protest organisers had set the deadline for the President to quit by Friday, but he refused to bow to the pressure.

In an interview to ABC News, his first since the revolt began last week, Mubarak said he is "fed up" and wants to quit but fears that the nation will "sink in chaos" if he steps down at this stage.

"I am fed up. After 62 years in public service, I have had enough. I want to go," said Mubarak.

"If I resign today, there will be chaos," he said when asked about today's deadline by the protesters for him to quit and leave the country. "I don't care what people say about me. Right now I care about my country."

He said he could have fled the country like other Presidents did but he refused to do so. He said he was present in the presidential palace with his son Gamal.

Mubarak, earlier in a speech in front of Parliament, vowed he will remain President "as long as his heart is beating."

Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that the Obama administration is in talks with top Egyptian leaders to broker a deal for Mubarak's exit and establishment of an army-backed transitional government headed by Suleiman.

It quoted US officials as saying that under the proposal, the transitional government would come out with constitutional reforms to prepare the country for a free and fair elections in September.

Suleiman had on Thursday night demanded that the protests come to an end as he promised that the army would "not use any violence."

The Vice President said that he was ready to start dialogue with the opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been banned since an attempt on the life of former President Jamal Abd-al-Nasir in 1954.

Muslim Brotherhood has said it is ready to hold talks on a "transition arrangement" in the violence-wracked nation on condition that Mubarak steps down.

"We have a single point demand that unjust, tyrant and corrupt Mubarak has to quit," Mohammed Badie, the chief spiritual guide of the Egyptian organisation, told Al Jazeera.

Banned for decades and treated as a pariah, the Muslim Brotherhood has suddenly shot into prominence and is within sight of its long-cherished dream of attaining power in a moderate secular country like Egypt.

The wave of protests have come as a boon to the organisation as it is now being recognised and playing an open role in the politics in Egypt.

The protesters, who want to put the "last nail in the regime's coffin", defied military orders to "go home" and were expecting a larger turnout of people on Friday than on Tuesday when over a million demonstrators had marched against the regime.

They have been angered further by the emergence in recent days of pro-Mubarak gangs - many suspected to be plain-clothes policemen - who have attacked anti-government demonstrators.

Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq said there would be investigations into the acts of violence on Wednesday between pro-democracy and pro-Mubarak activists, which had claimed seven lives that day.

Faced with three days of violent clashes between anti- and pro-government groups, security forces intensified their campaign against violence.

Mubarak blamed opposition Muslim Brotherhood for the violence in Cairo and said "I was very unhappy (about violence)... I do not want to see Egyptians fighting each other."

On US President Barack Obama's apparent calls for his resignation, he said he told his American counterpart "You don't understand the Egyptian culture and what would happen if I step down now."

Mubarak, who previously announced that he would quit in September when the Presidential polls are scheduled, dismissed speculation about his intentions to anoint his son Gamal when he relinquishes power.

"I would never run away... I will die on this soil," he said.

As the turmoil deepened, foreign journalists have become targets of rampaging mobs, mostly those aligned with the embattled President. Journalists were beaten, bloodied, harassed and detained by raging men.

News channels reported that several journalists had been detained or forcibly confined to their hotels.

Nobel laureate and former IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who has joined the protests against the government, said Mubarak must go.

ElBaradei said Mubarak "should hear the clear voice coming from the people and leave in dignity."

Describing as "piecemeal" the concessions offered by Mubarak so far, he said "it's a question of trust, and the trust is gone."

There should be a year-long transition to democracy under a temporary Constitution with a presidential council of several people, including a military representative, he was quoted as saying by the media.

Last night, Suleiman offered more concessions to calm the uprising.

Appearing on state TV, he promised that neither Mubarak nor his son Gamal, who was widely seen as a possible successor, will run in September presidential elections.

He pledged to punish all those involved in violence and release innocent youths detained in anti-government protests.

He also said that violence against protesters Tahrir Square could have been the result of a conspiracy.

The state public prosecutor said officials, including the hated interior minister Habib al-Adly have been banned from travel and their accounts frozen pending investigations.

Toughening its stand, the US also asked Mubarak to immediately start meaningful steps towards transition.

"The time for transition ... is now. It's important that the world see some concrete steps towards meaningful change," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters.

Egyptian Prime Minister Shafiq dismissed the US demand, saying "'NOW' should not be given as an order to Egypt."

"President Mubarak should leave the presidency in an honourable way. He is leaving anyways within the coming few months, so there is no means for the 'NOW' orders," he told reporters.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/128759/top-stories/cairo-protesters-defy-military-orders-hold-anti-govt-rally.html

2G scam: DMK remains silent over Raja's arrest

The DMK has gone into silent mode. The arrest of disgraced telecom minister A. Raja has been a bitter pill for the party to swallow. That it comes barely a day after DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi's return from the Capital, ensuring the alliance with the Congress, has surprised the party rank and file. A gloom has descended on the DMK. None from the party has reacted to the development.

Even Karunanidhi, who had been parotting that action would be taken against Raja if he was found guilty, has chosen to maintain a studied silence.

Though some senior DMK leaders maintain that it is better to face the music now rather during the polls in May, the party had hoped that the arrest would be postponed till the election was over.

What worries the DMK most is how to face the opposition onslaught during the poll campaign, in which the 2G spectrum scam would be a main plank.

The arrest has provided fresh ammunition to the opposition, and especially to AIADMK czarina Jayalalithaa. In private, party functionaries confide that the taint of corruption would certainly affect the party's prospects.

Karunanidhi's visit to the Capital was reportedly to persuade the Congress high command to delay the action against Raja.

But, his hopes were dashed as sources said home minister P. Chidambaram had briefed him about the impending arrest at Tamil Nadu Bhavan on Monday night.

What's more, while his photoop with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was widely publicised, the one with Congress president Sonia Gandhi was conspicuously not. The octogenarian was kept waiting for more than six hours for an audience with Sonia.

The DMK chief and Congress troubleshooters discussed the legal and political fallout of Raja's arrest on the upcoming polls.

Both Congress and DMK leaders maintained that the arrest would not impact their proposed electoral tie-up.

AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said the development would not have any bearing on the relations between the Congress and the DMK.

"It is absolutely no reflection on the alliance. It is continuation of a legal process," AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said, adding that no one should mix up legal process and politics.

Already the spectrum scam has created fissures within Karunanidhi's family as everyone is against his daughter, Kanimozhi's, faction. But for her father, she has no one to bank on. Jayalalithaa could not have hoped for much more to take on the DMK as well as the Congress.

Her gameplan is to reinforce the notion that the DMK is corrupt to the core and with the Karunanidhi family holding sway over the party, it serves to build up public opinion. After all, the first time Karunanidhi was dismissed from power was on corruption charges. The patriarch appears rattled by this and also by her charisma to pull huge crowds. If anything, his recent utterances point to his apprehensions of losing power - so much so that he had asked his partymen to remain united or face being thrown out of power.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/128516/top-stories/2g-scam-dmk-remains-silent-over-arrest-of-raja.html

Egypt: Hosni Mubarak gives in, will not continue as president beyond present term

Facing an unprecedented public campaign for his ouster, embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said he does not intend to run for another term after three decades in power, but refused to bow out immediately.

The 82-year-old leader, facing the worst-ever civil unrest during his rule, said he will ensure a "peaceful transition of power" after elections due in September this year.

"I do not intend to stand for elections again. I will work during my remaining months as president to ensure that steps are taken to ensure the peaceful transition of power," Mubarak said on state television late on Tuesday night as close to one million Egyptians from diverse sections gathered at central Cairo's Tahrir Square in an unprecedented mammoth rally to press him to quit.

Watching his speech on a giant TV, protesters booed and shouted slogan "Go, go, go! We are not leaving until he leaves."

Mubarak, however, lashed out at his detractors for "pouring fuel into the fire" and said his offer of dialogue has been rejected.

"We have been living very painful days together. The events of the past few days require us all - people and leaders - to make the choice between chaos and stability...," he said and concluded his speech by saying that he intends "to die in Egypt".

The protests in Egypt erupted close on the heels of the events in Tunisia, where a popular uprising ended the 23-year reign of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.

Mubarak had appeared on television on January 28 and sacked his government. He had named Omar Suleiman, Egypt's military intelligence chief, as the country's new vice-president but the protests only intensified.

His new statement came on Tuesday night as he virtually lost the backing of his strongest ally - the US - with President Barack Obama reportedly sending a message through an envoy to Mubarak not to run for another term.

Meanwhile, Cairo's international airport remained a scene of chaos as thousands of foreigners sought to flee.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/128421/top-stories/mubarak-gives-in-will-not-continue-beyond-present-term.html

AIIMS doctor sexually abused 8-yr-old patient?

NEW DELHI: An eight-year-old patient was allegedly sexually abused by a doctor of the AIIMS neurosurgery department within the hospital premises on January 23.

The child, who had been admitted to the hospital on January 18, underwent surgery on January 20 and was to be discharged on January 24. In a written complaint submitted to the AIIMS administration on January 24, the victim's father has alleged that his son was taken from the ICU to the duty room and sexually harassed by the accused doctor.

In a written reply to the boy's father, Dr A C Ammini -- head of the committee for prevention of sexual harassment at AIIMS -- acknowledged receipt of the complaint and asked the parents to attend a meeting of the committee on January 28 along with their son. TOI has copies of both the written complaint as well as Ammini's response. We are also aware of the name of the accused doctor but have chosen not to publish it as we have been unable to obtain his version.

The AIIMS administration has asked Dr Ammini to conduct an internal inquiry into the matter. When contacted, she said she was not authorized to speak to the media. AIIMS director R C Deka said, "It could be a misunderstanding between the patient and the doctor. An inquiry has been set up and we are awaiting the result."

The victim's father told TOI, "My son was taken from the ICU to the duty room around 10.30pm on January 23 while he was still admitted in the hospital. After he was harassed, he was threatened by the doctor not to tell anyone or he would not be discharged from hospital. My son, who was very scared, kept quiet until he was discharged on January 24 morning and told us afterwards. It was only then that we approached the police at the hospital who directed us to the medical superintendent where we gave a written complaint at 4.40pm. We were called by the committee of three doctors on January 28 and my son was questioned about the incident and asked to draw some things as well. However no physical medical test was conducted. We are planning to lodge a police complaint on Monday."

When contacted, local police claimed they were yet to receive a complaint on the matter. "We have not received an intimation of the matter and cannot register a case even suo moto. The victims should have immediately approached the police and we would have immediately looked into the matter," said a senior police officer.

Hospital sources said the committee has already questioned doctors, nurses and other staff on duty, though it has not submitted any report yet.

When TOI spoke to Dr D K Sharma, the medical superintendent, he said, "I am not aware of such an incident. If something like this happened, you should wait for the inquiry report."

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Duped-Indian-students-ignored-red-flags/articleshow/7393658.cms 

 

Pakistan blocks Facebook over Prophet Mohammad online competition row

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directed Internet service providers to block Facebook indefinitely on Wednesday because of an online competition to draw the Prophet Mohammad.

The order followed a decision by the Lahore High Court temporarily banning Facebook in Pakistan after the country's media reported that the competition would be held on May 20.

"The court has ordered the government to immediately block Facebook until May 31 because of this blasphemous competition," Azhar Siddique, a representative of the Islamic Lawyers Forum who filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, said.

"The court has also ordered the foreign ministry to investigate why such a competition is being held." A spokesman for the PTA, the country's telecommunication watchdog, said the government on Tuesday ordered Internet providers to block only the Facebook page showing these caricatures.

But on Wednesday the court ordered the entire Facebook site blocked. Any representation of the Prophet Mohammad is deemed un-Islamic and blasphemous by Muslims.

By late afternoon, Facebook was unavailable to Pakistan's computer users, although Blackberries and other mobile devices appeared able to access the site.

But some warned the court's response could backfire. "Blocking the entire website would anger users, especially young adults, because the social networking website is so popular among them and they spend most of their time on it," said the CEO of Nayatel, Wahaj-us-Siraj.

"Basically, our judges aren't technically sound. They have just ordered it, but it should have been done in a better way by just blocking a particular URL or link."

On the Facebook information page for the contest the organisers described it as a "snarky" response to Muslim bloggers who "warned" the creators of the Comedy Central television show " South Park" over a recent depiction of the Prophet in a bear suit.

"We are not trying to slander the average Muslim," the Facebook page creators wrote. "We simply want to show the extremists that threaten to harm people because of their Mohammad depictions that we're not afraid of them. That they can't take away our right to freedom of speech by trying to scare us into silence." Publications of similar cartoons in Danish newspapers in 2005 sparked deadly protests in Muslim countries.

Around 50 people were killed during protests in Muslim countries in 2006 over the cartoons, five of them in Pakistan. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on Denmark's embassy in Islamabad in 2008, killing six people, saying it was in revenge for publication of caricatures.

Pakistan also blocked the popular video sharing site YouTube in 2007 for about a year for what it called un-Islamic videos.

Source:- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-blocks-Facebook-over-Prophet-Mohammad-online-competition-row/articleshow/5950037.cms

Driver, gunman flee with Rs. 68.5 lakh to be deposited in ATMs

New Delhi: A gunman and driver of a private security agency van fled with Rs. 68.5 lakh meant
to be deposited in different ATMs in the city when the cash custodians were depositing money in an ATM.

Police said the accused have been identified as Ram Kumar, driver of the cash van and Sanjeev Kumar, the gunman.

The incident took place in Alaknanda in Southeast Delhi on Friday evening, police said, adding that the accused even managed to disconnect the Global Positioning System installed inside the van.

The accused worked for Scientific Security Management Private Limited.

Ram, a resident of Mahipalpur, and Sanjeev, resident of Kotla Mubarakpur, were waiting outside the HDFC Bank ATM in the market at around 3.15 PM when the custodians Rajesh and Suresh went to the ATM to deposit the cash.

After waiting for sometime, Sanjeev handed over his gun to the ATM guard and told him that he and his colleague will come after having lunch.

"However, they never came back," police said. Police have formed a team to nab the accused and investigate the incident. The police said that the company employed the two last year in November.

Source:-http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/driver-gunman-flee-with-rs-68-5-lakh-to-be-deposited-in-atms-82120?pfrom=home-Cities 

Obama calls on Mubarak, asks to halt crackdown on protestors

US President Barack Obama on Saturday called on his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak to halt the crackdown on protestors, saying Washington would continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work along with their government to ensure a better future.

US President Barack Obama
Obama, who spoke to Mubarak for 30 minutes, asked the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protestors.


"The people of Egypt have rights that are universal.

That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere," Obama said in his statement to the press.

Obama spoke with Mubarak after the latter addressed the nation, in which he ordered the resignation of his entire Cabinet.

The US President also called on the Egyptian government to restore services of Internet and cellphone, which was earlier suspended following the protests.

"At the same time, those protesting in the streets have a responsibility to express themselves peacefully. Violence and destruction will not lead to the reforms that they seek," he said in his remarks addressed to the protestors.

"Now, going forward, this moment of volatility has to be turned into a moment of promise. The United States has a close partnership with Egypt and we've cooperated on many issues, including working together to advance a more peaceful region.

But we've also been clear that there must be reform -- political, social and economic reforms that meet aspirations of the Egyptian people," he said.

Noting that grievances have built up over time in the absence of these reforms, Obama said Mubarak pledged for a better democracy and greater economic opportunity when he addressed the Egyptian people.

"I just spoke to him after his speech and I told him he has a responsibility to give meaning to those words, to take concrete steps and actions that deliver on that promise," Obama said.

Violence, he argued, would not address the grievances of the Egyptian people.

"And suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. What's needed right now are concrete steps that advance the rights of the Egyptian people: a meaningful dialogue between the government and its citizens, and a path of political change that leads to a future of greater freedom and greater opportunity and justice for the Egyptian people."

Observing that ultimately the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people, Obama said that they want the same things like every one -- a better life for themselves and their children, and a government that is fair, just and responsive.

"Put simply, the Egyptian people want a future that befits the heirs to a great and ancient civilization."

Expressing America's commitment to work with all the sections in Egypt to achieve a better future, Obama said, "Around the world governments have an obligation to respond to their citizens. That's true here in the US; that's true in Asia; it is true in Europe; it is true in Africa; and it's certainly true in the Arab world, where a new generation of citizens has the right to be heard," he said.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/128064/latest-headlines/egypt-protests-obama-calls-on-mubarak-asks-to-halt-crackdown-on-protestors.html