Vol. 2 Issue 07 10.

00 24 Pages
RNI Reg. No.: PUNMUL/2012/45041
Postal Reg. No. PB/JL-047/2013-15
SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013
www.facebook.com/uconnectt
National 4 | International 6 | Campus 10 | Celebrity 14 | Leisure 16 | Business 20 | Sports 22
Whoever put my name
for the PMs post, he is
not my well-wisher. All
this pains me,
- Nitish Kumar
Special
Edition for the Tri-City
Chandigarh-Panchkula-Mohali
4000 Crore
For
12 VVIP Helicopters
Middleman gets 7.5% Kickback
Scam exposed, but will they catch the thief
High court notice to CBI on Chautalas plea
New Delhi
The Delhi High Court Friday issued
notice to the CBI on former Haryana
chief minister Om Prakash Chautalas
plea for suspending the 10-year jail
sentence handed down to him for ir-
regular appointment of teachers in
2000.
Seeking a response from the Central
Bureau of Investigation, Justice Mukta
Gupta said Chautalas interim bail plea
on health grounds would be heard later
and asked Tihar Jail authorities to pro-
duce his medical records.
The court posted the matter for April 4.
I have no record to go through before
passing an order. If there is some ur-
gency, you can very well come and ap-
proach the court, the court said when
Chautalas counsel sought early hear-
ing.
Chautala, chief of the Indian National
Lok Dal (INLD), fled the plea for sus-
pension of his sentence on the ground
that he was unwell and suffering from
various ailments.
Appearing for Chautala, 78, senior
advocate and former Solicitor Gen-
eral (SG) Gopal Subramaniam told
the court that due to his old age, he
is suffering from various ailments and
documents have already been produced
before the court.
Chautala is the leader of opposition
in the Haryana assembly and his pres-
ence is required in the assembly, which
is commencing from Feb 22, added
Subramaniam.
CBI counsel, however, opposed the
bail plea, saying the accused had been
discharged from the hospital and no
bail was required.
Chautala also appealed against his
conviction by the trial court, saying
the verdict was liable to be set aside as
it was against the tenets of law.
The trial court last month sentenced
Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and
eight others to 10 years in jail while
one convict was sentenced to fve
years and 45 others were handed out
four-year jail terms.
Chautala and the other accused were
found guilty of illegally recruiting
3,206 junior basic trained teachers in
Haryana in 2000.
The trial court has failed to appre-
ciate that in a democratic set-up and
under the principles of collective re-
sponsibility, it is the entire council of
ministers which is responsible for a
cabinet decision and not any one min-
ister, the plea said.
Singling out the appellant (Chautala)
merely because he is the chief minister
is unwarranted and erroneous. Further,
it is a settled principle that in a cabinet,
the chief minister is only frst among
equals, the plea said.
Seeking interim bail on health grounds,
the plea said Chautala was 70 percent
disabled and required constant super-
vision.
The applicant had to be hospitalised
(after the conviction Jan 16) for chest
pain, diffculty in breathing, fuctua-
tions in blood pressure and heart dis-
ease and till recently was in GB Pant
Hospital, the plea said.
Chautala in his plea said the case
against him was false, fctitious and
subsumed with political overtones.
As more high-profle names cropped up in connection with bribery allegations in the $750 million VVIP chopper deal, the
Indian government put the contract with Italian frm Finmeccanica on hold and began the process to cancel it.
In a three-para statement, the Ministry of Defence said it has initiated action for cancellation of contract for procurement of
12 AW101 helicopters for the use of VVIPs.
It also issued a formal show cause notice to AgustaWestland, the subsidiary of Finmeccanica, seeking cancellation of contract and
taking other actions as per the terms of the contract and the Integrity Pact. The company has been given seven days to reply.
Action will be taken for
Allahabad stampede,
says Akhilesh
Benedict to stay at
pontifcal summer
residence
Thank you for being
honest
Sitar legend Ravi
Shankar wins
Grammy
IOC leaves Indian
wrestlings future in
doubt
Page 4
Page 6
Page 12
Page 14
Page 23
2
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013
OPINION
Send your feedback and articles to editor@rajpandit.com
Indias universities crying for better leadership
EDITORIAL DESK
LOUD & CLEAR
S.K. Sinha
Manu Sharma
HE IS JUST A CHILD , OR IS HE ?
All those who have a fair idea of the juvenile justice act understand
that there is a need to relook at it and make necessary changes in the
real earnest .The act was promulgated with the view that whenever
a person who is not an adult is in confict with the law shall be dealt
with softly. But the question arises as to what should be the right age
to declare a child to be an adult. In a country like India where people
still dont have identifcation documents, it becomes diffcult for the law
enforcing agencies to decide the age of a person. Hence the option lies
in medical reports involving dental evaluation or bone density tests or
other means. And there lies the loop hole where many offenders have
been able to save themselves from punishments even after committing
heinous crimes. The Supreme Court has also committed itself to see
into the factor of what should be the age of a juvenile. Punishment is
given for reformation but if appropriately used it can act as a deterrent
too. Looking at it in a simpler way a 16 year old, who can fy an aero
plane, play in the national cricket team surely understands what is right
and what is wrong unless he is insane, and if he commits a crime he
does know what he is doing. In the recent outrageous criminal act com-
mitted against a young woman in the national capital where one of the
culprits involved has been declared a juvenile on dubious evidence and
thus can escape punishment, and this has highlighted how easy it is
to circumvent the law. Whenever we talk of child laws let us also make
sure that the society understands that there should be enough deter-
rents to frighten the passion for crime.
With hope for a crime free India
Jai Hind
It Need Not Be Disastrous
Scam A Day Holds Sway
The national level mega mock drill by
National Disaster Management Au-
thority on 13th February exposed the
soft underbelly of our civilian infra-
structure to cope with mass casualties.
No country irrespective of its power
and stature is free from the scourge
of disasters. Disasters, man made or
otherwise have stuck with increasing
ferocity and power in the recent times.
Hurricane Katrina brought US to its
knees in the aftermath of widespread
destruction of life and property. India
due to its varied climate and topog-
raphy is a potential site for a number
In a stunning deja vu inspiring ex-
pose, Italian investigating agencies
arrested Giuseppe Orsi the CEO of
Finmeccanica for charges of paying
kickbacks for a helicopter deal in In-
dia. With buzzwords like Italy, arms
deal, Augusta, Europe, defence, scam
and government dominating the head-
lines it seems like 1989 all over again.
Reams will be written over the details
of the scam and government will fnd
itself subjected to a scrutiny of very
high order. Allegations and counter
allegations will envelope the media
of disasters. It must be lauded on the
part of government that it is thinking
in terns of stimulating a practice run
for such eventualities, however there
is a thin line between mock drill and
mockery.
The purpose of mock drill was to give
a realistic experience of the pulls and
pressures of a disaster to the response
mechanisms in place and to identify
any lacunae. The mock drill under-
scored some pre-identifed factors like
lack of effective emergency commu-
nications system, poor logistics and
inadequate transport equipment. How-
discourse like a snow blizzard. The op-
position will bay for the governments
blood while government would try
play up the tenuous links between pre-
vious regime and the deal.
Amidst the cacophony that will pass
for debate in our polity we will tend
to gloss over the all important point,
as a nation we have allowed corrup-
tion to seep into the deepest vestiges of
our being. The details of investigation
by Italian authorities, obtained by the
channel Times Now talk about brib-
ing journalists, media houses, civilian
ever what stood out in highlights was
an utter lack of awareness about rescue
techniques, improper usage of equip-
ment and tools and a distinct apathy of
citizens towards the entire exercise that
was viewed as yet another government
shenanigan. Disaster management
requires constrained optimization of
logistics, supply chain, transportation
and rescue resources, it is a quasi-sci-
entifc discipline in its own right. India
needs to make its disaster management
less disastrous using the learnings
from this exercise and a comparative
study of international practices.
policy makers, lobbyists, defence of-
fcials and procurement negotiators. In
other words the kickbacks as per Ital-
ian authorities were not intended for
a particular authority but for an entire
chains of individuals comprising the
defence procurement eco-system. The
implication being that corruption in de-
fence deals has moved on from being
deal specifc to systemic corruption.
Armed forces constitute the last de-
fence of any republic, a systemic rot is
only a harbinger of dangerous portents
for future, India needs a wake up call.
Indias higher and professional educa-
tion system is passing through a phase
that is turbulent, non-directional and
unsustainable.
It is turbulent because it is being
pulled and pushed by several stake-
holders who have different aspirations
and hence varied demands.
The states are struggling to fnd their
way to meet challenge of numbers in
a revenue-cost squeeze, including ris-
ing costs of faculty, technology and
administrative burden.
The central government is clueless as
regards creating a national consensus
on larger and broader legal framework
to address burning issues such as pro-
tecting merits and cost of education
while retaining access and equity. This
certainly is unsustainable. It is because
of such a scenario that we do not have
winning universities.
I use the term winning in the sense
that the graduates from universi-
ties become useful driving force in
knowledge-linked economy and also
are talented brains that generate new
knowledge.
In developed economies, winning uni-
versities are a force to reckon with. In
a way, we have predominantly losing
universities -- universities that are
performing duties of research and edu-
cation as a ritual with no commitment
to accountability.
Today, we do not have competitive
leadership at various levels of higher
education institutions. It is true for
vice chancellors (VCs). It is equally
true in case of academic deans and
heads of departments.
What is worst is that it is true for
various advisers at the policy-making
level. They work with a narrow vision
guided by personal likes and dislikes
and try to serve narrower political
causes rather than looking at global
challenges.
The last statement is true when one
looks at the various diffculties the
Ministry of Human Resource Devel-
opment is facing in the initiation of
reforms based on various reports and
legal framework created by the advis-
ers with the help of internal bureau-
crats who unfortunately have no feel
for ground realities.
The concept of winning is more com-
mon in the corporate world. It is linked
with capital markets and their proft
and loss accounts.
But for universities, the test is whether
they are growing and improving their
use of assets. Their primary assets
are faculty. The other assets are aca-
demic and support infrastructure that
makes environment of the universi-
ties vibrant for learning and research.
The success of winning universities is
linked to the type of leadership at the
helm of affairs.
In the case of universities, it is the
VC who is frst an academic leader
and then an administrative head. At
its core, leadership is the capacity to
release and engage human potential in
the pursuit of common cause.
With these expectations, we need VCs
who act with a purpose and a vision, a
focus, and an end in mind that empow-
ers colleagues to align their initiatives
with the vision of the VC. Leadership
is not high individual performance. It
is not solo virtuosity, although leaders
often are high individual performers.
Leadership is something that happens
only between people in relationships.
It is about evoking high individual per-
formance in others. There is one more
important and critical component in
winning universities. They have VCs
who nurture the development of other
faculty with a potential for leadership
at all levels. Hence, there are two ulti-
mate tests for identifcation of a suc-
cessful VC -- frst is to fnd whether
the university, by producing the right
human power, has become an engine
of socio-economic growth and the
other is to check whether a chain of
leaders is created in the system that
can sustain its success even when the
VC is not around.
But the fact remains that in state uni-
versities, barring a few chancellors,
the rest do communicate with the
government and chief ministers and
education ministers do play a role of
endorsement before the fnal selection.
Just before elections for the present
parliament, the human resource devel-
opment minister steam-rolled the ap-
pointments of VCs for 15 new central
universities.
By Arun Nigavekar
By Santhosh Babu
Management lessons from Kumbh
There are management lessons for
leaders in large gatherings and events.
Look at an event like the Kumbh Mela
in India and explore what makes it a
success. This largest gathering on
earth has naked sadhus to Wall Street
bankers foating in a temporary city
created every 12 years at the confu-
ence of three holy rivers in Allahabad.
How does such a huge gathering
emerge from nowhere and function
harmoniously? How is it that people
thrive in an environment that is dense-
ly crowded, intensely noisy and often
unsanitary? Not to mention the cold,
dust, pollution and overwhelming di-
versity of people.
Considering that these 100 million
people that visit the banks of a river
during six to eight weeks constitute
more than the population of several
countries, also considering that the
law and order situation in Indias
crowded cities is not something that
we can be proud of, we still man-
age the Kumbh Mela, the mother of
all gatherings on earth. It is just like
the Woodstock Festival, where half a
million people came together in 1968,
happening every year, attracting mil-
lions of people creating chaos and a
perfect order.
Interestingly, even though Woodstock
is not happening, there is the Burn-
ing Man Festival that is held in a
temporary city in Nevada, US, (built
and erased within a month) where the
event goes on every year; this years
event had around 60,000 people at-
tending. Not since Woodstocks 3
days of peace and music over four de-
cades back has a festival captured the
attention of the US academia. What
can we learn from these gigantic gath-
erings that congregate seemingly ef-
fortlessly (though a lot of effort goes
into making the gathering a safe one)?
What lessons does the event offer for
organisations and countries?
The event has a tendency to expand
horizons, reveal possibilities, and
question the assumptions that most of
us make about how were supposed to
live our lives. People from all walks
of life participate in this festival dedi-
cated to community, art, self-expres-
sion, and self-reliance. When you give
people freedom, you get chaos, but
you also get incredible creativity and
a great variety of expression. Google
Inc. founders Sergey Brin and Larry
Page, festival veterans, have said they
give extra weightage to job applicants
who have been to Burning Man. Its
high time we sent our political leaders
and corporate CEOs to Kumbh Mela.
Importance of having a shared big
purpose:
Having a shared purpose and aspira-
tion is the bond that connects com-
munities together. Kumbh Mela and
Burning Man have it and we need to
create this shared purpose and dream
in our communities and organisations.
Every political leader and corpo-
rate CEO struggle to create a shared
dream in her or his constituency or or-
ganisation. Companies that have im-
bibed the shared aspiration work like
a strong networked and connected
community.
Organisations that dont create a
shared aspiration are designed to fail.
You must keep in mind that this aspi-
ration needs to be a higher purpose,
not the quarterly numbers that you are
chasing. What would be really mean-
ingful for everyone? How are you
making a difference in this world?
What is the legacy you want to leave
behind? Answer these questions and
fnd out what would be a bigger pur-
pose that would connect everyone in
your organisation. What would be a
bigger purpose for India?
Touching the hearts:
Once the bigger purpose is articulated,
there has to be personal freedom and
freedom to express oneself. Organi-
sations and communities are learn-
ing that the command and control
management does not work much in
todays world. A paradigm shift from
controlling and accumulating power
to a systems view of management
is needed now. It helps us to see or-
ganisations and communities as living
systems that are constantly changing.
Any pressure, any intrusion and
change in one part of the system will
have an overall impact. Combined
with the networked nature of our com-
munity where Facebook took only
two years to reach 50 million people,
controlling personal freedom will not
give any advantage to authorities.
Build a culture of self-expression and
accountability to the purpose. Peo-
ples behaviour is infuenced by the
culture we create. Thats why Kerala
has a culture and behaviour that are
different from Punjabs.
Shared Leadership:
Once the higher purpose is defned
and personal expression is encour-
aged, its about creating shared lead-
ership. Leadership can be explored
as a social process - something that
happens between people. It is not so
much what leaders do as something
that arises out of social relationships.
As such it does not depend on one per-
son, but on how people act together to
make sense of the situations that face
them. At many events like Kumbh
Mela, its not one person but a shared
leadership that creates the ownership.
So creating a higher purpose, nurtur-
ing personal freedom and expression
and developing shared leadership are
the key to creating meaningful organ-
isations and communities. Jai Ho to
the Naga Sadhus!
3
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 COVER STORY
Antony promises strongest action in VVIP
chopper deal
New Delhi
Defence Minister A.K. Antony Wednes-
day pledged strongest action if it is
proved that bribes swung the $750 mil-
lion deal for 12 VVIP helicopters for
the IAF, as the opposition prepared to
raise a storm in parliament opening a
week later.
Antony said the the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI) had been asked to
conduct an early inquiry after Italian
authorities arrested the head of Finmec-
canica company on corruption charges.
I can assure you that the moment we
get a report from CBI, we will take
strongest action provided in the integ-
rity pact, Antony said. This would in-
clude cancellation of the contract and
blacklisting the companies.
We are examining everything. If (con-
tractual) terms have been violated, we
will take the strongest action. We are
not bothered about who they are or how
big they are, Antony added.
The minister sought to downplay a me-
dia report on the alleged involvement
of a former IAF chief, Air Chief Mar-
shal S.P. Tyagi, during whose tenure
the AgustaWestland deal was negoti-
ated.
Tyagi denied any wrongdoing after
a preliminary inquiry report fled by
prosecutors in Italy Tuesday sought to
link him to the corruption charges.
The charge I was bribed to tweak a
change in requirement to suit (Agus-
taWestland)... Changes are not made by
the Air Headquarters... Final changes
have to be approved by the minister of
defence, he said.
Air Headquarters can recommend it.
But to the best of my knowledge Air
Headquarters have not recommended
any changes. I am shocked... I have no
clue what this is all about.
Antony denied the suggestion that the
IAFs original requirements
were modifed to suit the Italian frm.
The recommendation was made by the
IAF and the SPG on security consider-
ations.
The contract for the helicopters was
signed in February 2010. The IAF
sought the choppers as a replacement
for its Mi-17 cargo helicopters which
had been modifed for VVIP deploy-
ment.
External Affairs Minister Salman
Khurshid said if the CBI required any
assistance from the government ... di-
rectly or through courts, (it) will ask for
it and we would respond.
The Congress welcomed the CBI probe,
with party leader Digviyaja Singh say-
ing the deal had been initiated when the
Bharatiya Janata Party headed the cen-
tral government.
The Comptroller and Auditor General
had called the deal a waste of resources.
Opposition fgures are comparing the
scandal to the bribery charges made
when India agreed to buy Swedens
Bofors artillery guns, allegations which
led to the election defeat of Prime Min-
ister Rajiv Gandhi in 1989.
The BJP also questioned the delay in
ordering a probe into the purchase of
the helicopters.
It said the matter would be taken up in
parliament when it meets for the budget
session Feb 21.
Khurshid denied the helicopter pur-
chase could be compared with the Bo-
fors saga.
Those who say this is another Bofors
will please provide me the fnal conclu-
sion of the Bofors, including the Su-
preme Court judgment, and I would say
you are right, he said.
VVIP chopper deal: India begins
contract cancellation process
New Delhi
As more high-profle names cropped
up in connection with bribery allega-
tions in the $750 million VVIP chopper
deal, the Indian government Friday put
the contract with Italian frm Finmec-
canica on hold and began the process
to cancel it.
In a three-para statement, the Ministry
of Defence said it has initiated action
for cancellation of contract for procure-
ment of 12 AW101 helicopters for the
use of VVIPs.
It also issued a formal show cause no-
tice to AgustaWestland, the subsidiary
of Finmeccanica, seeking cancellation
of contract and taking other actions
as per the terms of the contract and the
Integrity Pact. The company has been
given seven days to reply.
The action comes a day after the gov-
ernment warned Finmeccanica of le-
gal action, including blacklisting, and
asked whether any slush money had
been paid to fx the deal that has led to
a political uproar.
The defence procurement scam came
to light when the Italian government
arrested Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe
Orsi Tuesday for allegedly paying
bribes to clinch the chopper deal.
The government launched a Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe
into the bribery charges on Tuesday.
Clarifying its position, the government
Thursday had noted that the mandatory
technical requirements of the chopper
were changed in the tender during the
A.B. Vajpayee government in 2003,
with the then national security adviser
Brajesh Mishra playing a key role.
It had also noted that the changes in the
tender were incorporated during March
2005 to September 2006 when Pranab
Mukherjee was defence minister and
S.P. Tyagi was the Air Chief. Mukher-
jee is now president of India and Tyagi
is facing allegations that three of his
kin took kickbacks to swing the deal.
Congress, BJP trade barbs over
chopper deal
New Delhi
The blame game over the $750-million
VVIP chopper deal continued Thurs-
day with the Congress-led government
slamming opposition BJP for compar-
ing the deal with Bofors scam and for-
mer defence minister Jaswant Singh
supporting former Indian Air Force
chief S.P. Tyagi alleged to be involved
in the case.
We should not make wild allegations
against a former air chief. It is not in
the interest of both the air force and
the country, BJP leader Jaswant Singh
said.
The probe is on. As Air Chief Mar-
shal (retd) Tyagi himself is saying, the
probe should be held early. Why dont
you agree to his suggestion? he said.
He stressed on quick and fair probe into
the allegations.
We need an expeditious and fair
probe. Dont rush to conclusions and
denigrate the former air force chief. A
thorough probe must be conducted into
the entire matter so that all hidden facts
are cleared and the truth comes out, he
said.
Tyagi denied any wrongdoing after
a preliminary inquiry report fled by
prosecutors in Italy Tuesday sought to
link him to the corruption charges.
A Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) probe has been ordered into the
deal for the 12 VVIP AgustaWestland
helicopters following the arrest of the
helicopters Italian manufacturer Fin-
meccanicas chief on charges of graft
in the contract in Italy.
Information and Broadcasting Minis-
ter Manish Tewari slammed the BJP
for comparing the deal with the Bofors
scam of the 1980s.
He said the government has not been
hesitant in taking action.
The chopper deal process was initi-
ated during the NDA government and
culminated under the UPA government.
Certain issues have come out about the
deal. The government has addressed
them by ordering a CBI inquiry,
Tewari told journalists at the Indian
Womens Press Corps.
There has been no foot dragging on
the issue, he said.
Chopper deal: India warns Italian frm of blacklisting
New Delhi
India Thursday warned Italian frm
Finmeccanica of legal action, includ-
ing blacklisting, over corruption alle-
gations in the VVIP chopper deal and
asked them whether any slush money
had been paid to fx the deal that has led
to a political uproar.
The ministry of defence issued a de-
tailed statement on the sequence of the
$750 million deal for 12 VVIP Agus-
taWestland helicopters by the Ital-
ian frms subsidiary, two days after a
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
probe was ordered into the bribery
charges.
The statement noted that the mandatory
technical requirements of the chopper
were changed in the tender during the
Vajpayee government in 2003, with the
then national security adviser Brajesh
Mishra playing a key role.
The defence ministry has asked the
chief of AgustaWestland to categori-
cally state the clear position in view
of the current developments indicating
specifcally if any fnancial transaction
has taken place with any Indian indi-
vidual/entity which would be violative
of the integrity pact or any other terms
and conditions of the contract.
It also cited the clauses of the integrity
pact that was signed, noting that the
contract bars paying of bribes or in-
volvement of middlemen. The clause
warned of strict action including can-
cellation of contract, recovery of pay-
ment, blacklisting and penal action
against the vendors.
The defence ministry warned that the
government is determined to take all
possible legal and administrative ac-
tion against the guilty parties and ac-
cordingly has ordered a thorough probe
by CBI.
The statement also said that the frst
request for the proposal was issued in
March 2002 mandating 6,000 metres as
the fying altitude for selection of the
chopper.
Under this, AgustaWestland was not
certifed for an altitude of 6,000 metres
and it did not participate in the fight
evaluation. This ruled out other com-
petitors, and only Eurocopter of France
was found suitable.
In 2003, changes were made to enable
other competitors enter the bid, the
statement said.
On Tuesday, the Italian government
arrested Finmeccanica CEO Giuseppe
Orsi for allegedly paying bribes to fx
the chopper deal.
Italian investigators have named three
relatives of former Indian Air Force
chief S.P. Tyagi as benefciaries of the
slush money. The revelations have led
to an uproar in the country with the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) compar-
ing the chopper deal with the Bofors
scam.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar
demanded said that CBI probe should
be monitored by a competent authority.
Ordering a mere CBI inquiry is not
enough. It must be monitored, he told
reporters.
However, senior BJP leader and former
defence minister Jaswant Singh came
out in support of the former Air Force
chief.
We should not make wild allegations
against a former air chief. It is not in
the interest of both the air force and the
country, he said.
Tyagi has denied any wrongdoing.
One of his cousins accused in the brib-
ery termed the allegations as base-
less.
The three Tyagi brothers -- Julie, Docsa
and Sanjeev -- are alleged to have re-
ceived kickbacks of around Rs.72 lakh
from middlemen.
Julie Tyagi claimed he and his two
brothers are involved in the power
sector as consultants and have never
ventured into the defence sector in any
way.
The Italian probe report suggests that
the former IAF chief had met the mid-
dlemen more than six to seven times
and allegedly briefed them about the
developments in the contract.
Ex-chief executive offcer Giuseppe Orsi Former Indian Air Force chief S.P Tyagi Silvio Berlusconi
4
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 NATIONAL NEWS
Kolkata cop shot dead, four
arrested
Kerala has 2.5 million migrant
labourers: study
Will impound Yasin Maliks
passport if requested, says MEA
Action will be taken for Allahabad stampede,
says Akhilesh
Kolkata
A police sub-inspector was shot dead
and another man injured in fring by
miscreants during a clash between stu-
dent activists of the Trinamool Con-
gress and the Congress at a college
here Tuesday, police said. Four accused
were arrested.
Tapas Chowdhury, a sub-inspector
attached to the city polices Special
Branch, was shot at from close range
while trying to control the clashing stu-
dents in Harimohan Ghose College in
the Garden Reach area of west Kolkata,
police said.
Four persons have been arrested in-
cluding prime suspect Mohammad
Shubhaan. Irrespective of the political
affliations, those found guilty will be
punished, Home Secretary Basudeb
Banerjee said.
Condemning the incident, Chief Min-
ister Mamata Banerjee said shooting
a police offcer was not democracy.
Fatally shooting a police offcer is not
democracy. Democracy does not mean
terror, Banerjee said at a meeting in
Nandigram of East Midnapore district.
The violence in the college erupted
over the issue of picking up nomination
forms for the students union election,
police said.
Suddenly, crude bombs were hurled
and there was also gun fre, V.S. Nesa-
kumar, deputy commissioner of police,
port division, told reporters.
Chowdhury was hit by a bullet while
trying to control the situation. He died
in a hospital, he said.
Jammu
A militant killed near the Line of Con-
trol (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu
and Kashmir while trying to infltrate
into India has been identifed as a Paki-
stani soldier, army sources said.
According to the sources Friday, the
killed militant had been identifed as
Mohammad Ikhlaq, a Pakistani soldier
of 60 Punjab regiment. They said com-
munication has been established with
the Pakistani side and the body would
be handed over today (Friday) itself.
According to an army spokesman
Thursday, a group of militants was
crossing the LoC into the Indian side
in Jhangar sector of Rajouri, about 170
km north of Jammu.
Indian troops challenged them on no-
ticing their movement which led to a
fre-fght between the two sides, leav-
ing one militant dead and an Indian sol-
dier injured.
According to the sources, there were
only two infltrators and they were
sighted about 400 metres inside Indian
territory in Jhangar area.
Pakistani soldiers had Jan 8 intruded
into the Indian side in Mendhar areas of
Poonch district, killed two Indian sol-
diers and beheaded them. This resulted
in escalation of tension between the
two countries, but the situation eased
after a fag meeting between the two
sides Jan 14.
Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala is home to some 2.5 million
workers from other Indian states, and
a minister said: We know little about
them, care little for them and do little
for them.
According to the labour ministry, 75
percent of the migrant population is
from West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Uttar
Pradesh and Odisha.
The study, carried out by the Gulati In-
stitute of Finance and Taxation (GIFT),
said the workforce was almost entirely
male, aged between 18 to 35 years and
highly mobile within Kerala.
They work mostly up to seven days a
week for contractors.
Labour Minister Shibhu Baby John
told the assembly that migrant labour-
ers were today one of Keralas wealth
creators.
While their numbers have grown
in recent years, we know little about
them, care little for them and do little
for them, he said.
Sixty percent work in the construction
sector. They also work in the hospital-
ity, manufacturing, trade and agricul-
ture sectors.
Their skills range from unskilled to
New Delhi
Amid concerns over Kashmiri separat-
ist leader Yasin Malik sharing the dais
with 26/11 mastermind Hafz Saeed in
Pakistan and demands for revoking his
passport, the external affairs ministry
Tuesday said if it receives a request for
impounding Maliks passport it would
act on it.
The external affairs ministry said: If
we receive a request to impound his
(Malik) passport, we will act on it.
Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbarud-
din said the passport was given to Ma-
lik, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir
Liberation Front (JKLF), after getting a
no objection from other Indian min-
istries and agencies.
When violation (of provisions of pass-
port) is indicated... when it is brought
to our notice, we will act, he said, add-
ing that the government would act with
Malik as ft of a citizen of India.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has
demanded that Maliks passport be re-
voked for sharing the dais with Lash-
kar-e-Taiba founder Hafz Saeed at a
rally held to protest the execution of
parliament attack convict Afzal Guru
in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday.
Akbaruddin said India has raised with
Pakistan the issue of bringing to jus-
Allahabad
Action will be taken against offcials
if found guilty of lapses for the Feb 10
stampede due to the Kumbh Mela rush
at the Allahabad railway station here,
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh
Yadav said.
Yadav asked political parties not to
play politics on the issue and wait for
the probe report. A total fo 36 people
were killed and scores were injured in
the stampede Sunday night.
I would not like to jump the gun as of
now and would wait for the inquiry re-
port to come to me, he said and added
that strict action would follow if some
offcials were found guilty.
Talking to reporters after visiting those
injured at the S.R.N. Hospital, Yadav
said he would not like to blame anyone
for now and would wait for the probe
committee report.
A man, also injured in the fring, was in
hospital, he said.
Asked about the groups which perpe-
trated the violence, Nesakumar said the
clash took place between Trinamool
Congress Chhatra Parishad, the student
wing of the ruling Trinamool Congress)
and Chhatra Parishad, the student wing
of the Congress, who were rivals in the
college election.
West Bengal Urban Development Min-
ister Firhad Hakim, who rushed to the
spot, claimed that the Congress and
the Communist Party of India-Marxist
(CPI-M) fomented the trouble.
The miscreant was earlier with the
CPI-M and later he switched to the
Congress. The targets were our leaders.
Chowdhury took the bullet while he
was trying to save them, said Hakim.
Terming the allegation as baseless,
state Congress chief Pradip Bhattacha-
rya said the incident showed how law
and order had deteriorated in the state
and demanded that the central govern-
ment intervene.
CPI-M central committee member Md.
Selim said the area had been a politi-
cal fashpoint over the last few days. He
alleged that some Trinamool Congress
activists were injured while making
bombs Monday.
Magsaysay award-winning writer Ma-
hasweta Devi expressed sadness over
the incident and said it should be en-
sured that there was no political tension
in education.
Sub-inspector Chowdhurys body was
cremated with full police honours.
skilled carpenters, masons and electri-
cians, said John.
The study adopted a unique train-based
survey of migrant labourers to estimate
their numbers and their annual infow
into Kerala.
D. Narayana, director of GIFT, told
IANS: Our team members got into 63
long-distance trains entering the state.
We felt that was the only way to esti-
mate the migrant labourers coming and
leaving.
The study found out that over 70 per-
cent of the labourers earned above
Rs.300 a day. On an average, each la-
bourer sends Rs.70,000 to his family
annually.
What attracted them to Kerala was the
relatively high wage level and prompt
payment.
The study recommended that there
should be a voluntary registration of
migrant labourers based on which all
benefts to them would converge.
A voluntary registration system led
by the department of labour and imple-
mented at the local self government
level is proposed, Narayana said.
Affordable housing for the migrant la-
bourers has also been suggested.
tice Saeed, the evil mastermind of the
Mumbai attacks.
Hafz Saeed continues to pour vitriol
on India...he is a ft case to bring to jus-
tice and we will do so, he added.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister
Salman Khurshid said the matter of
Malik pertains to the home ministry
and Im sure they will take appropri-
ate steps. When they do, they will in-
form us.
BJP president Rajnath Singh said the
government should seriously take
cognizance of Malik sharing the public
dais with Saeed.
The government should seriously take
cognizance of this. Its not a small is-
sue. I expect this much from the gov-
ernment, he told reporters here.
BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu also
criticised the government, saying Ma-
liks passport should be revoked imme-
diately.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar
said it was the home ministrys mistake
to allow Malik to go to Pakistan and
the party would raise the issue on all
forums.
Malik has said that Saeed was on the
stage for 10 minutes and they did not
exchange any words.
It is a very sad moment for all those in-
volved in the arrangements for Kumbh
and we are trying our best to ensure that
the remaining days of Kumbh Mela
pass off peacefully, and the safety and
security of the people coming here is
guaranteed by the state government,
Yadav said.
Till the fateful Sunday, he pointed out,
the Kumbh Mela was going on well
and visitors, media and foreign tourists
were appreciating the arrangements
done by the state administration.
Roads, power, food distribution, secu-
rity, transport - everything was looked
after well...Such an incident should not
have happened, he said.
He recalled that he himself had visited
the city twice to oversee the arrange-
ments for the Kumbh, the biggest reli-
gious congregation on earth.
Yadav also appreciated the work done
by the medical staff and doctors and
announced that all treatment to the in-
jured would be free of cost.
Yadav noted that the injured from Ma-
harashtra, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar and West Bengal, among others,
have appreciated the treatment and care
given by the doctors in the state.
I have personally met every injured
and I am satisfed that they had kind
words to say about the treatment ad-
ministered to them, the chief minister
added.
He handed over Rs.5,000 in cash and
cheques of Rs.1 lakh to those injured in
the stampede. Rs.1 lakh more would be
given to the injured later, offcials said.
Uttar Pradesh has already enhanced to
Rs.7 lakh the ex-gratia payment an-
nounced for the families of the dead.
Yadav earlier visited the railway sta-
tion for an on-the-spot inspection of the
stampede site and heard out the railway
and district offcials on the chain of
events that led to the incident. stam-
pede.
He urged all political parties not to
play politics on the tragedy.
Governor B.L. Joshi earlier paid a visit
to the city and met those injured in the
stampede. Meanwhile, 16 of the 36
dead remain unidentifed.
We are trying our best to get them
identifed through photographs, said a
local offcial. District offcials and the
police are now busy making arrange-
ments for the Feb 15 bathing on Basant
Panchami.
Infltrator
killed near LoC
was Pakistani
soldier
Diesel price hiked by 45 paise a
litre, petrol to cost Rs.1.50 more
New Delhi
Diesel became costlier by 45 paise per li-
tre and petrol by Rs.1.50 a litre from Fri-
day-Saturday midnight due to increase in
crude oil prices in international markets,
oil marketing frms said.
A litre of diesel which currently costs
Rs.47.65 in New Delhi will be costlier by
45 paise plus taxes. Petrol currently costs
Rs.67.26 per litre in the national capital
and it will become costlier by Rs.1.50 a
litre plus taxes. Rates of petrol and diesel
vary from state to state due to different
tax structure.
The last revision in petrol and diesel prices
was done Jan 18 this year, when the diesel
price was increased by the same amount
45 paise per litre. However, petrol price
was reduced by 25 paise per litre. Since
the last price change, the international
oil prices have constantly shown an up-
trend. Crude oil price has increased from
$109.08 per barrel to $113.24 per barrel,
said Indian Oil Corporation, the countrys
largest oil marketing frm.
As a result of the latest hike in prices,
under-recovery on diesel will come down
to Rs.10.27 per litre from the current
Rs.10.72 a litre. At the time of last price
revision, under-recovery on diesel price
was Rs.9.15 per litre. The under-recovery
on diesel has increased in the last one
month due to a sharp increase in the pric-
es of crude oil in the international market.
5
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 NATIONAL NEWS
Indian visitors rank Australia as Number 1
India wants peace, but will frmly deal with
threats: PM
Mughal Gardens set to open for public
A new study has revealed that Indian
travellers ranked Australia number one
among 11 countries on safety, world
class natural beauty, food and wine
experiences, and friendly and open
citizens. The Tourism Australia study
looked at how Indian consumers view
Australia and what motivates them to
visit Australia. The fndings are con-
sistent with surveys by leading market
research organisations including the
Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands In-
dex and the Reputation Institute.
Australia is known in many countries
for its lifestyle, natural beauty and en-
vironment. This study shows that In-
dian travellers share many of these per-
ceptions but also fnd Australia to be a
safe destination with friendly people,
said Patrick Suckling, Australias High
Commissioner to India.
In 2011, 148,200 people visited Aus-
tralia from India and in the 10 months
to October 2012, there was a 14 per cent
increase in leisure arrivals to Australia
from India. Indian visitor numbers are
expected to double by 2020, he added.
According to the Tourism Australia
research, the majority of Indian travel-
lers ranked safety, world class natural
beauty, value for money, romantic ex-
periences and a destination that offers a
wide range of activities for all age groups
as the most important factors for choos-
ing a holiday destination. Indians ranked
the Australian beaches, its wildlife, island
experiences, rainforests and the Great
Barrier Reef, as the top attractions.
The Tourism Australia research surveyed
eleven major tourism markets for Austra-
lia, including the US, UK, Japan, Singa-
pore and Germany.
Key fndings of the research were:
Australia ranked No. 1 on safety, world-
class natural beauty, friendly and open
citizens, the highest rank among all com-
petitor countries.
Australia ranked No.1 on Food and
Wine among those Indians who have pre-
viously travelled to Australia.
Sydney, Gold Coast, Cairns, Melbourne
and Kangaroo Island were the most ap-
pealing regions for Indians intending to
visit Australia.
Among Australias 11 key tourism mar-
kets, Indians showed the highest inten-
tion to visit Australia for a holiday.
The research surveyed 1,200 Indian cus-
tomers who were selected on the basis of
their previous long-haul travel behaviour
and/or their intention to travel long haul
in the next few years.
New Delhi
Signalling no thaw in relations with
Pakistan, Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh Tuesday said India wants peace
with neighbours but incidents like the
brutal killing of two soldiers on the
LoC were simply unacceptable and the
country would effectively deal with
any threat.
Speaking at the governors confer-
ence here, the prime minister dwelled
on an array of issues and said that the
past year had seen improvement in im-
provement in internal security situation
including that in Jammu and Kashmir,
the northeast and in the Maoist-affect-
ed areas.
He said India was committed to work-
ing for good relations and peaceful
existence with its neighbours but are
also frm in our resolve to deal effec-
tively with any threat to our country.
Incidents like the one that took place
on the LoC last month are against the
norms of civilized international behav-
iour and are simply unacceptable to
us, he said.
India had strongly protested the Jan
8 killing and mutilation of two In-
dian soldiers near the Line of Control
(LoC). Following the incident, India
had said there cannot be business as
usual with Pakistan.
Referring to the Dec 16 gang-rape that
evoked nationwide outrage, the prime
minister said real and effective change
in the status of women can come only
if there is a change in societal values.
Urging collective work for the goal, he
suggested induction of more women
in police forces.
He said the government was alive to
the need to curb corruption in pub-
lic life and hoped the parliament will
pass the Lokpal bill in the coming
days. The government was consider-
ing amending the anti-corruption Act
to enable faster punishment of guilty
public servants and provide more ef-
fective protection to honest ones, he
added.
The prime minister while there had
been improvement in overall internal
security situation, there is a lot which
still needs to be done.
He said the suggestions of Jammu and
Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra for
more coherent action on the part of se-
curity agencies were worth exploring.
Manmohan Singh said the government
has endeavoured to bridge the devel-
opment and governance defcit in the
left wing extremist-affected areas and
the Integrated Action Plan for 82 back-
ward districts was beginning to show
encouraging results.
The prime minister said that due to
governments efforts, the geographi-
cal spread of the menace had shown
a shrinking trend and the number of
Maoist incidents showed a perceptible
decline over the previous year.
However, much more remains to be
done and we will make all efforts to ac-
complish what we still have to do, he
said.
The prime minister said that there was
need to sensitize the police forces to-
wards showing special care in dealing
with crimes against the weaker sections
and induction of more women in police
forces.
I urge the governors to guide their
state governments in this direction, he
said.
New Delhi
The warm spring sunshine graciously
bathes the foral carpets of exquisitely
manicured lawns of Mughal Gardens
adorned with myriad fowers of every
description. Rashtrapati Bhavans trea-
sured gardens are set to be opened to
the public from Friday.
While there are 120 varieties of roses
across the 15-acre Mughal Gardens,
this time around the main attraction
are the 2,500 dahlias that will certainly
grab eyeballs.
A foral wall of dahlias can been seen
encircling the Circular Garden -- a part
of the Mughal Gardens.
Scarlet fax, sweet william, christian
dior and rose scentimental are among
the fower varieties that embellish this
sprawling garden.
Though this year we dont have tulips,
we have planted cyclamen. These fow-
ers will be in full bloom in a fortnight,
said Nigam Prakash Semiwal, offcer
on special duty (horticulture) at Rash-
trapati Bhavan.
Semiwal said the hailstorm earlier this
month affected the quality of fowers.
The grandeur of the sprawling gardens
is the result of conscientiousness of 35
gardeners who work here.
While it will be President Pranab
Mukherjees maiden Udyanoytsav
Feb 15, he strolls around the garden ev-
ery morning.
He likes to take a walk every morning
and enjoys watching peacocks dance
in the evening, Venu Rajamony, press
secretary to the president, told IANS.
The Mughal Gardens will remain open
to general public from Feb 16 to March
17 while the differently-abled and the
visually impaired people can visit it till
March 19.
Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidents
offcial residence, is spread over 330
acres and was designed by British ar-
chitect Edwin Luteyns.
Maharashtra ATS
announce Rs.10
lakh reward
Four Veerappan
associates mercy
plea rejected:
activists
Lalit Kala Akademi
gets new chairman
Himachal tells
centre to bear cost
of Dalai Lama,
Karmapa security
Mumbai
Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS)
Monday announced a Rs.10 lakh re-
ward for anyone providing informa-
tion on Indian Mujahideen chief Yasin
Bhatkal and three of his aides, accused
of the 2011 Mumbai triple bombings,
an offcial said.
Police have issued names and photo-
graphs of Mohammed Ahmed Moham-
med Zarrar Siddhibappa alias Yasin
Bhatkal, who is allegedly the conspira-
tor and planter of the Mumbai bombs.
He is also accused of planting the four
low-intensity bombs in Pune last year.
Photographs of Asadullah Akhtar alias
Tabrez, who along with Yasin, is al-
legedly involved in blasts across the
country including Delhi, Bangalore,
Ahmedabad and Surat, have also been
released.
The other two for fnding whom re-
wards have been announced are Tahas-
een Akhtar, a resident of Samastipur in
Bihar, who the ATS alleges was among
those who planted the bomb in Dadar
in Mumbai, and Waqas alias Ahmed.
The ATS has released posters announc-
ing a reward of Rs.10 lakh for provid-
ing information on the four, ATS chief
Rakesh Maria said.
Three blasts at close intervals, July 13,
2011, shook the countrys diamond and
gold hubs - Opera House and Zaveri
Bazar - and a busy commercial area
of Dadar, killing at least 27 people and
leaving around 125 injured.
Maria also said that Yasin and Asadulla
are also suspected to be involved in
bomb blasts that took place over the
years in Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore,
Delhi and Hyderabad.
Chennai
President Pranab Mukherjee has reject-
ed the mercy petition of four associates
of the late forest brigand Veerappan
who were on the death row, civil rights
activists.
S. Balamurugan of the Peoples Union
for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and V.P.
Gunasekaran said the family members
of the four convicts had since called on
them at the Belgaum prison in Karna-
taka.
Speaking to IANS over telephone from
Coimbatore, Balamurugan and Gunas-
ekaran identifed the four as Simon,
Gnanaprakash, Madaiah and Bilavan-
dra.
Accused of killing 22 people with land-
mines when Veerappan virtually con-
trolled a large forest tract on the Tamil
Nadu-Karnataka border, the Supreme
Court had sentenced them to death Jan
29, 2004.
According to offcial sources, President
Mukherjee is said to have rejected the
mercy plea Nov 17 last year.
Today, the prison authorities informed
the convicts that their mercy petition
has been rejected, Balamurugan told
IANS. He said the family members too
had been informed.
Gunasekaran, an executive member of
the Tamil Nadu Tribal Peoples Associ-
ation, said the families met the convicts
in Belgaum in Karnataka Wednesday.
The relatives have asked us to help
them to try reverse the decision. We are
looking at legal possibilities, he said.
But M. Paramasivam, son of Madaiah,
one of the convicts, told IANS: We re-
ceived information (about the rejection
of mercy pleas) only from the media.
He also said that before the death sen-
tence was carried out, there should be
suffcient time to allow the prisoners or
civil society to intervene before the Su-
preme Court. The victims of violence
on both the sides -- police and the gen-
eral people -- should be compensated,
Tiphagne IANS over telephone from
Salem.
K. Muniswamy Veerappan Gounder,
widely known as Veerappan, was killed
in a gun battle by police in October
2004.
New Delhi
IAS offcer Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty
has been appointed the new chairman
of the Lalit Kala Akademi.
Chakravarty will hold offce till the end
of the calendar year in which he com-
pletes 70 years of age till 2017. A 1970
batch, Madhya Pradesh cadre Indian
Administrative Service (IAS) offcer,
he has held a variety of posts at district
and national level in developmental
and cultural administration.
In Madhya Pradesh, he held several
assignments including as director,
education, archaeology and museums,
special secretary, culture, and direc-
tor of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav
Sangrahalaya at Bhopal. He has also
served as member-secretary of the In-
dira Gandhi National Centre for the
Arts, director general of the National
Museum, New Delhi and vice chancel-
lor, National Museum Institute.
New Delhi
Himachal Pradesh Tuesday again
raised the issue of expenditure the state
is incurring on the security of Tibetan
spiritual leaders, the Dalai Lama and
the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dor-
je and asked the central government to
bear the expense.
Only a small amount of assistance
is being provided to the state for their
security. The government of India
should also provide liberal assistance
for establishing Tibetan refugee units
in Shimla and Tibetan refugee cell in
Dharamsala, Governor Urmila Singh
said at the governors conference here.
More than 50 years ago, the Dalai Lama
fed to India from Tibet and established
his government-in-exile in Dharamsa-
la. Over 27,000 exiles are in the state,
mainly in and around Dharamsala, say
state government offcials.
The governor also raised the demand to
sanction a battalion of National Disas-
ter Action Force and need to strengthen
states Narcotic Control Bureau.
On curbing narcotics trade, the gover-
nor stressed on strengthening states
Narcotic Control Bureau as huge tracts
in the interiors of Kullu and Mandi
districts are under opium and cannabis
cultivation.
She asked the central government to re-
consider the decision of withdrawing
Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) from
Chamba district, which shares a border
with Jammu and Kashmir.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
6
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013
INTERNATIONAL
Nasheed held worlds frst
underwater cabinet meeting
Chavez working, giving
orders: Venezuelan government
Damascus ready for reconciliation talks
If Congress fails to act on immigration, I will:
Obama
US military to get device that scans faces
Benedict to stay at pontifcal summer residence
Male
Mohamed Nasheed, who stepped down
as the president of the Maldives last
year and Tuesday took refuge at the
Indian High Commission here, hit the
world headlines four years ago when
he held a cabinet meeting under water
to highlight global warming and the
threat to his atoll nation.
Nasheed and his ministers were in full
scuba gear as they met for about 30
minutes at a depth of six metres just
north of the capital Male in 2009.
The Maldives is made up of 26 atolls
and a cluster of 1,192 islands, some of
them barely inches above the sea level.
Nasheed took sanctuary at the Indian
High Commission here Tuesday after
a court issued an arrest order for his
failing to attend a hearing in the illegal
detention of a judge.
Mindful of my own security and sta-
bility in the Indian Ocean, I have taken
refuge at the Indian High Commission
in Maldives, tweeted Nasheed, now
the Maldivian opposition leader who
Caracas
Two months after being operated for
cancer in Cuba, President Hugo Chavez
was analyzing images from Venezu-
elas recently launched Miranda satel-
lite and giving orders based on what
he observed, Science and Technology
Minister Jorge Arreaza said.
President Chavez attentively analyzed
recent images from our Miranda satel-
lite and issued several orders on Sun-
day night, even calling for an inspec-
tion of certain parcels of apparently
uncultivated land seen in multispectral
images of Barinas and Guarico, the
presidents son-in-law Arreaza said in
a Twitter posting.
The government has not updated in-
formation about the presidents health
since Jan 26.
On that occasion, Communication
Minister Ernesto Villegas said that
Moscow
The Syrian government has said that
reconciliation talks with rebel forces
should be held on the Syrian soil, the
SANA news agency reported.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry stated the
governments latest stance in a state-
ment Wednesday, which came in re-
sponse to media reports that the coun-
trys Foreign Minister Walid Muallem,
who is due to visit Moscow soon, may
meet an opposition delegation during
his visit.
The ministry said Muallem will meet
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lav-
rov during the visit.
As far as rumors about minister Mual-
lems meeting with opposition envoys
in Moscow, Syria has repeatedly ex-
pressed its stance on the issue - Damas-
Washington
A day after making a strong push for
comprehensive immigration reform,
President Barack Obama has warned
lawmakers that if the Congress fails to
move forward he will propose his own
legislation on the contentious issue.
Obama conveyed the message through
four Democrat senators - Dick Durbin,
Chuck Schumer, Robert Menendez and
Michael Bennet - who are part of a bi-
partisan group of eight senators who
introduced a framework for immigra-
tion reform last month, CNN reported.
A bipartisan group of House mem-
bers is also working in secret to craft
immigration reform measures to deal
with the problem of 11.5 million im-
migrants, including some 250,000 In-
dians.
With about 58 percent of the illegal or
to use the politically correct term un-
documented immigrants coming from
Washington
The US Department of Defense has
awarded a $3 million research contract
to California-based AOptix to develop
groundbreaking technology that
could one day allow troops in the feld
to use a smartphone to scan and record
facial features and identity people from
a distance.
The DOD saw an early version of the
system and was impressed with its ca-
pabilities, said Chuck Yort, AOptixs
vice president for identity solutions.
The product will be modifed to meet
the DODs specifc needs, but will pro-
vide iris, face, voice and fngerprint
recognition all in a smartphone-based
device.
These Smart Mobile Identity (SMI)
Vatican City
Pope Benedict XVI will stay at the pa-
pal summer residence outside Rome
when he offcially steps down Feb 28
before moving into a former nunnery
within the Vatican walls, the Holy See
announced.
When renovation work on the monas-
tery of cloistered nuns inside the Vati-
can is complete, the Holy Father will
move there for a period of prayer and
refection, said Vatican spokesman
Federico Lombardi.
The frst pontiff to retire in six centu-
ries has said that he will move out of
the papal apartments overlooking St
Peters Square after he ceases to be
Pope at 8 p.m. Feb 28.
He initially stays at the papal summer
residence, Castel Gandolfo, a medieval
castle beside a lake that is equipped
with a swimming pool, where his pre-
decessor the late John Paul II had ther-
apy for Parkinsons disease.
Eighty-fve-year-old Benedict an-
nounced Monday that he would resign
at the end of the month due to advanced
age and frail health. His move took his
close aides and the world by surprise.
Lombardi denied that the pontiff was
was the frst democratically elected
president in the history of his country.
He was elected president Oct 28, 2008,
defeating incumbent president Mau-
moon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the
Maldives from 1978-2008.
Nasheed graduated from Liverpool
University in 1989 with a Bachelor of
Arts in Maritime Studies.
In 1990, he helped establish Sangu, a
political magazine that scrutinised the
ruling political class. The government
banned Sangu within a year of its frst
publication and Nasheed was arrested
and jailed.
In 2003, Nasheed fed the Maldives.
A year later, on Nov 10, 2004, he co-
founded the countrys frst opposition
party, the Maldivian Democratic Party,
in exile in Sri Lanka.
After spending 18 months in self-im-
posed exile, Nasheed returned to the
Maldives April 30, 2005, to establish
the MDP in the Maldives, defying a
government edict banning political par-
ties.
the general progress of the patient
was favourable after overcoming a
pulmonary infection, though a certain
degree of respiratory insuffciency per-
sisted.
Villegas added that a systemic medical
treatment for cancer is now being ap-
plied.
Six days later Vice President Nicolas
Maduro said that Chavez had fnished
the postoperative stage of his treat-
ment, though he offered no details.
The 57-year-old president, in power
since 1999, has remained silent since
last Dec 11 when he underwent his
fourth operation in Havana for a cancer
whose type and extent have never been
revealed.
Chavez, re-elected for a third time last
October for the 2013-19 period, still
has not been sworn-in for his next term
as president due to his operation.
cus is open for dialogue with Syrias
domestic and external opposition on
the Syrian soil, the statement reads.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
Mikhail Bogdanov said Wednesday
that Al-Khatib, the leader of the Na-
tional Coalition of Syrian Revolution-
ary and Opposition Forces (SNCROF),
will visit Moscow within the next two
to three weeks. Mexico, the Hispanics have emerged as
a major voting bloc that largely backed
Obama in the November poll.
CNN citing the White House said that
in his meeting Wednesday with the four
Democrats, Obama reiterated the key
principles he believes must be a part of
any bipartisan, commonsense effort.
He also warned that he stands ready
to introduce his own legislation if Con-
gress fails to act on a comprehensive
immigration reform plan.
The senators in turn told the president
they remain confdent that a bipartisan
bill could be agreed to in the coming
weeks, CNN said citing an aide to one
of the Democratic senators
The Senators said the bipartisan nego-
tiations were progressing well and that
both sides were making progress and
working together in good faith, the
aide was quoted as saying.
suffering from any particular illness
although it has emerged that the Pope
underwent surgery to replace his pace-
maker three months ago and was ad-
vised against long-distance travel.
I reinterate that there are no specifc
ailments but rather a weakening due to
old age. The replacement of the pace-
maker was routine and in no way con-
tributed to the decision that has been
taken, Lombardi said Tuesday.
Cardinals hope to elect a new Oope be-
fore Easter, March 31.
In January when the bipartisan group
of senators was outlining its immigra-
tion framework the White House was
telling senators and advocates that
they were writing their own immigra-
tion bill, CNN said citing Democratic
sources.
Democrats then urged the president not
to release his own bill, fearing such a
move would stymie the delicate nego-
tiations taking place among lawmakers
in both parties, it said.
In his State of the Union address Tues-
day, Obama called on Congress to send
him a comprehensive immigration re-
form package, saying both sides agree
on what measures need to be included
to make the system work better.
Now lets get this done, he said asking
the Congress to send me a comprehen-
sive immigration reform bill in the next
few months, and I will sign it right away.
Pope was injured during Mexico-
Cuba trip
Pope fell and hit his head during a
March 2012 trip to Mexico, the Vatican
authorities confrmed.
The Vaticans spokesperson, howev-
er, denied the incident infuenced the
85-year-old pontiffs decision to abdi-
cate.
It was not relevant for the trip, in that
it didnt affect it or the decision to re-
sign, Federico Lombardi said.
Lombardis comments came after Ita-
lys La Stampa daily reported Thursday
that Benedict banged his head when
he got up in the middle of the night in
an unfamiliar bedroom in the Mexi-
can city of Leon, causing bleeding that
stained his hair and sheets.
Benedict had taken the decision to re-
sign after the Mexico-Cuba trip, which
was physically exhausting for the pope,
according to report in the Vatican
newspaper LOsservatore Romano ear-
lier this week.
The pope announced he would resign
Feb 28, saying his age and physical
frailty meant he was no longer ft to
lead the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics.
devices will allow for biological iden-
tity verifcation in areas where it was
previously thought to be impractical,
cost prohibitive, or impossible, AOptix
representatives said.
The devices are part of a portable class
of biometrics-based hardware and
software products that allows built-in
cameras on smartphones or tablets the
ability to do facial recognition or with
the help of additional sensors, provide
fngerprint and iris recognition.
While exact information surrounding
how the US military plans to use the
technology is classifed, a spokesman
with AOptix told RIA Novosti the de-
vices have practical real world uses as
well.The potential applications of SMI
include law enforcement, border secu-
rity, national and civil ID programs, di-
saster relief and humanitarian aid, and
healthcare, the spokesman said.
For example, SMI could allow a border
agent to quickly identify a person at a
security checkpoint.
Currently US troops rely on a single-
use device, known as the Handheld
Interagency Identity Detection System
(HIIDE) to scan, upload and transmit
data from someones facial, eye or
thumb feature into wartime biometrics
databases, Spencer Ackerman wrote
in an article for Wireds national secu-
rity blog Danger Room.
For the past two years, AOptix said it
has been developing SMI solutions for
commercial use, adding the technology
is almost ready for the market.
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 7
INTERNATIONAL
Tibetan Monk Dies After
Self-Immolating in Nepal
South Korea Unveils New Guided
Missile to Counter North
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES
MUST EMBRACE SHARED
VALUES TO FOSTER PEACE
UN OFFICIALS
JOINT UN MEETING ON FOOD SECURITY
FOCUSES ON BUILDING A FUTURE FREE OF
HUNGER
A Tibetan monk who set himself on fre
in Nepals capital, apparently to protest
Chinese rule, has died of his injuries.
Hospital staff and police in Kathman-
du say the man, in his early 20s, died
Wednesday, just hours after setting
himself alight near a prominent Bud-
dhist religious site.
Sudip Pathak with the Human Rights
Organization of Nepal - one of the only
people allowed to visit the protesters
hospital room - told VOA the still un-
identifed monk suffered burns on 96
percent of his body.
He is the 101st Tibetan to self-immolate
as part of a four-year protest campaign
against Chinese rule in Tibet.
On Wednesday, sources inside China
told VOAs Tibetan Service the 100th
victim was a 37-year-old monk from
the Kirti Monastery in Ngaba, or Aba in
Chinese. He is believed to have died on
February 3 after setting himself alight
in a small town.
Many of the initial self-immolation pro-
tests took place in that area and the re-
sulting crackdown by Chinese authori-
ties has delayed information about the
situation.
The latest self-immolation in Kathman-
du was apparently timed to coincide
Just days after North Korea declared
it had conducted its third nuclear test,
South Korea has unveiled a new missile
it says is capable of hitting any target in
the North.
Offcials in Seoul do not specify the
cruise missiles range, nor have they
given it a name. But they say it can
strike anywhere at anytime in North
Korea. Defense ministry spokesman
Kim Min-seok says the new weapon is
extremely destructive and powerful
and intended to restrain an enemy from
Scaling up the global response to food
security and nutrition topped the agenda
at a special joint meeting between the
United Nations Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC), the General As-
sembly, world experts and the UN food
agencies aimed at identifying steps to
build a future free of hunger.
The meeting, postponed when Hurri-
cane Sandy hit in November, included
the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), the International Fund for Ag-
ricultural Development (IFAD) and the
World Food Programme (WFP).
Governments, the UN system, civil
society, the private sector: each has
an important role to play if we are to
strengthen agriculture and banish mal-
nutrition, said George Talbot, the
Chair of the Assemblys committee on
economic and fnancial issues known
as the Second Committee which co-
organized the event on behalf of the As-
sembly.
One in eight people worldwide suf-
fer chronic malnutrition, according to
FAO, with volatile food prices, inad-
equate investment, land degradation
and climate making the situation more
precarious.
Mr. Talbot said the mission was two-
fold: Address immediate issues of
Senior United Nations offcials today
stressed the importance of religious
communities joining forces to foster
peace and development and to combat
extremism.
All of the worlds great religions share
the values of peace, human dignity and
respect for others, said Deputy Sec-
retary-General Jan Eliasson, at a spe-
cial event at UN Headquarters to mark
World Interfaith Harmony Week. We
welcome opportunities to join forces
with people of faith who are working
for peace, development, human rights
and the rule of law.
Mr. Eliasson noted that many religious
groups have been at the forefront of
grassroots efforts to help the poor, pro-
vide health services and support young
people. However, he warned that re-
ligious extremism is causing lasting
damage and widespread suffering.
We cannot let small numbers of ex-
tremists of any faith obscure the good
work of the vast majority of believers
in our world.
In particular, he expressed concern over
young people who turn to extremists
promising rewards or salvation, and are
conscripted to campaigns of hate and
violence. Young people naturally have
much energy and idealism. We should
fnd ways to help them use these posi-
tive qualities to improve conditions of
life.
While many conficts in the world are
marked by religious disputes, Mr. Elias-
son underlined that inter-faith dialogue
with the important Tibetan New Year
festival of Losar. Tibets government in
exile had asked Tibetans to show soli-
darity with Tibetans inside China by
not celebrating the holiday.
Some eyewitnesses say the protester
was chanting anti-China slogans before
police and other locals rushed in to put
out the fames.
The self-immolation campaign began
in February, 2009, to protest what some
Tibetans say is Chinese repression of
their culture. China denies the charges
and says the suicide protests are acts of
terrorism.
In the last two months, Beijing has
criminalized acts of self-immolation
and targeted those accused of inciting
them, imposing long jail terms and us-
ing fnancial incentives to encourage
the work of informants. The crackdown
also targets individuals that authorities
say have sent videos or photographs of
such acts to contacts outside China.
More than 20,000 Tibetan exiles are
living in Nepal, after a failed 1959 up-
rising against Chinese rule. Nepal has
prohibited demonstrations by Tibetan
exiles and cracked down on such gath-
erings in recent years, to avoid anger-
ing China.
carrying out an attack.
Kim says the precision-guided weapon
is very accurate, able to hit the win-
dows of a North Korean command of-
fce.
The ministry released video of test
launches from a submarine and a de-
stroyer, showing the weapon hitting
targets on land.
Last year, the United States agreed to
allow South Korea to expand the range
of its ballistic missiles. South Korean
military offcials have said that is nec-
volatile food prices, while making the
structural policy changes in areas like
production, consumption and trade.
Also speaking at todays meeting, the
President of ECOSOC urged partici-
pants to build on the momentum cre-
ated at the UN Conference on Sustain-
able Development (Rio+20), held in
Brazil last summer.
Last June in Rio, world leaders
pledged their support for efforts to
boost sustainable agriculture output
and farming productivity, efforts which
include creating a freer, more equitable
global trading system, said Nstor
Osorio.
He also praised the Committee on
World Food Security, an intergovern-
mental body serving as a forum to re-
view and follow up on food security
policies, for adopting the Global Stra-
tegic Framework for Food Security
and Nutrition to serve as a guide for
governmental policies. He also noted
efforts by Secretary-General Ban Ki-
moon, including his High-Level Task
Force and the Zero Hunger Challenge.
Our challenge, now, is to ensure that
present commitments are transformed
into meaningful action, Mr. Osorio
added.
Mr. Ban, who is in Washington D.C.
today, spoke to participants in a video,
can help resolve conficts. With dia-
logue, we can combat hate. With inter-
faith harmony, we can build bridges to
a better future.
The President of the General Assembly,
Vuk Jeremic, said the UN can greatly
beneft from engaging with religious
leaders around the world who are work-
ing to achieve peace, and pointed out
that many UN agencies have strength-
ened their partnerships with faith-based
groups.
We ought to re-embrace the calls of
our respective faiths for individuals to
show respect for all and compassion
for the most vulnerable, notwithstand-
ing their differences, in recognition of
Gods image not only in ourselves but
in everyone else however they may
worship and wherever they may live,
Mr. Jeremic said.
Let us reach out to one another, on
equal footing, and truly work on heal-
ing the wounds of centuries of confict
between peoples of different religions
vigilantly mindful of the danger that
the ills and grievances of bygone cen-
turies, if they continue to be reawak-
ened, can engulf us in a maelstrom of
unmatched ferocity.
The event, entitled United for a Cul-
ture of Peace Through Interfaith Har-
mony, was organized by the UN
Educational, Scientifc and Cultural
organization (UNESCO) and the Com-
mittee of Religious Non-Governmental
Organizations.
essary in the face of a growing threat
from the North.
South Korea and Japan are protected
under the American nuclear umbrella
and the U.S. has numerous military
bases in the two countries, with tens of
thousands of military personnel.
South Koreas military has been on a
heightened state of alert since Tues-
days underground explosion at North
Koreas nuclear test site. Large-scale
military drills are underway in South
Korea.
saying that in a world of plenty, no
one not a single person should go
hungry.
In addition to discussions at UN Head-
quarters in New York, people were
invited to virtually write in their com-
ments and questions in a two-week so-
cial media campaign.
Meanwhile, staff from FAO, IFAD and
WFP in Mozambique has been recog-
nized for their collaborated efforts to
improve the countrys food security
situation. The frst ever Award of Ex-
cellence: Working Together in the Field
was given to the Mozambique teams
for a joint pilot programme that reached
17,000 farmers from 14 farmers asso-
ciations to improve the quality of har-
vest and reduce post-harvest losses.
Staff of the three agencies in Mozam-
bique have leveraged their comparative
advantages and knowledge to achieve
an impressive level of synergy, put at
the service of the most vulnerable in
society, FAO Director-General Jos
Graziano da Silva said in a news re-
lease announcing the win.
The programme, called Building Com-
modity Value Chains and Market Link-
ages for Farmers Associations, has
been recognized as one of the best ex-
amples of UN cooperation, according
to FAO.
The award was presented in Rome dur-
ing the meeting of the IFAD Governing
Council.
When we work together, particularly
on the basis of our converging objec-
tives and mandates, our cooperation
highlights the key priorities for food
and nutrition security, said IFAD Pres-
ident Kanayo F. Nwanze.
WFPs Executive Director, Ertharin
Cousin, echoed the comments. No
single organization can solve the chal-
lenges of food security alone. We must
continue working closely together.
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 8 POLITICS
Agartala
The Congress has no tacit alliance
with any Left parties and our main
task is to end the rule of Communists
in any state in the country, party vice
president Rahul Gandhi said
The Congresss mission is not only
to oust the Left Front government
in Tripura, but to diminish their ac-
tivities in the entire country, Gandhi
said, addressing an election campaign
meet.
We have succeeded to vote out Left
parties in Kerala and West Bengal.
Hyderabad
Predicting early elections, Bharati-
ya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader
M. Venkaiah Naidu said people
were looking at the BJP-led coali-
tion as the best alternative to the
ruling dispensation.
Addressing a news conference here,
he claimed that the Congress-led
United Progressive Alliance has
been giving indications of early
polls. He hinted that general elec-
tions may be held in October or
Kolkata
Attacking union minister and
Congress leader Ashir Ranjan
Chowdhury, the Trinamool Con-
gress Monday said he was try-
ing to put pressure on the Mur-
shidabad district administration
ahead of the Rejinagar assembly
by-poll in West Bengal.
Trinamool secretary general Par-
tha Chatterjee also sought the
Election Commissions interven-
tion into the muscle fexing by
Chowdhury, union minister of
We would certainly be successful in
the Feb 14 Tripura polls, he added.
The Congress leader came here Mon-
day and addressed four election ral-
lies in different parts of Tripura. Re-
sponding to the state leaders request,
the Congress vice president in his un-
scheduled programme has addressed
two more public meetings in Tripura.
Union Finance Minister P. Chidam-
baram, All India Women Congress
chief Anita Verma also joined the
campaign Tuesday and addressed
separate election meetings.
November 2013, although they are
only due to be held 2014.
The allies are also publicly say-
ing elections may be held any time.
Whenever elections are held, the
defeat of Congress party is inevi-
table. Anti-Congress sentiments are
strong across the country, Naidu
said
Alleging that the UPA had failed on
all fronts, Naidu said people were
looking at the BJP-led National
state for railways.
We strongly condemn the way
the union minister is putting pres-
sure on the state administration
ahead of the Rejinagar by-poll,
Chatterjee told mediapersons
here.
The Congress has called a 12-
hour shutdown in Murshidabad
district Feb 13, protesting against
the district administration fling
police cases against the Congress
leaders and workers for alleged
Gandhi said: After the installation of
the Congress-led government in the
Feb 14 polls, a government job will
be provided to each family (in the
state) which has no employee. Un-
employed allowance would also be
given.
The central governments Sixth Pay
Commissions recommendations
would be implemented for the Tripu-
ra state employees and salaries would
be provided to the Tripura State Rifes
personnel at par with central forces
salaries, Gandhi said.
Future of your children, future of
Tripura at the hands of the Commu-
nist rule is completely gloomy, he
told the masses and urged them to
start removing Communists from In-
dia through the Tripura polls.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi earlier
cancelled their trips to the Left-ruled
state for the election campaign.
Tripura will vote for a new 60-mem-
ber assembly Feb 14. The results will
be out Feb 28.
Democratic Alliance as the best al-
ternative.
The BJP will gain further strength
in the coming days. Even in states
where the BJP is considered weak,
the situation will change, he said.
The BJP leader said some leaders
like Mulayam Singh were talking of
a Third Front.Naidu also announced
that the BJP national council meet-
ing would be held in Delhi on
March 2 and 3 to discuss measures
vandalism at the district magis-
trates bungalow Feb 7.
Angry over District Magistrate
Rajeev Kumar not personally
taking a memorandum from Con-
gress workers protesting against
the death of a party worker in po-
lice custody, the activists forcibly
entered the offcers residence
in Baharampur town smashing
fower pots, uprooting fowers
and stoning public vehicles in the
presene of Chowdhury.
to further strengthen the party and
to chalk out its future programme.
Targeting the economic policies
of the UPA government, Naidu
claimed that the decision to allow
Foreign Direct Investment has in-
creased unemployment. Terming
the government incompetent, he
said that because of its anti-people
measures, price rise and insecurity,
people were waiting to see it out of
offce.
The Rejinagar by-poll, slated for
Feb 23, have been necessitated
by the lawmaker and erstwhile
Chowdhury loyalist humayun
Kabir leaving the Congress and
becoming a minister in the Trin-
amool Congress government by
resigning his assembly seat.
The Congress is fexing its mus-
cles by calling the shutdown. I
appeal to the Election Commis-
sion to foil his efforts of foment-
ing trouble, Chatterjee said.
Congress will oust Left from country, says Rahul
Venkaiah Naidu predicts early general elections
Trinamool slams Congress union minister
POLITICAL CAMP NEWS
CAMP UPA
CAMP NDA
Both CPI-M, Congress hopeful of victory in Tripura
Agartala
Both the CPI-M led ruling Left
Front as well as the Congress-led
opposition alliance are optimistic of
forming the next government in Tri-
pura after Thursdays polling saw a
large turnout.
We shall win in more seats this
time compared to the last assembly
elections in 2008 and our vote share
would increase substantially, said
Communist Party of India-Marxist
(CPI-M) state secretary Bijan Dhar
immediately after the polling ended
at 4 p.m.
Accusing the Congress workers of
trying to create troubles in some
places, Dhar said that in most plac-
es, people cast their votes in festive
mood.We are happy with the cast-
ing of votes and peaceful polling. In
the previous elections in 2008 and
2003, the heavy turn-out went in fa-
vour of Left Front.
Accusing the Left parties of intimi-
dating voters, the Congress said it
was hopeful of victory.
The Congress-Indigenous Nation-
alist Party of Tripura-Nationalist
Conference of Tripura alliance in
Tripura will form the next govern-
ment, said state Congress chief
Sudip Roy Barman, who contested
from the Agartala assembly constit-
uency.
The Left Front, which has been in
power since 1978 barring 1988-
1993, has been facing a challenge on
numerous issues, including higher
salaries to the state government em-
ployees and rising unemployment.
In 2008, the Left registered a thump-
ing victory. The CPI-M alone won
46 seats and partners Communist
Party of India and Revolutionary
Socialist Party secured one and two
seats respectively. The Congress
bagged 10 seats and the INPT one.
Manish Tewari
Information and Broad-
casting Minister
There can never be one
size that fts all. In case of
capital punishment, there
is a need to be responsible,
need to realise the facts
and circumstance of each
case. According to courts
also, this was a rarest of
rare case,
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
People Democratic Party
It is no good to regret the
inability of the government
to deny Afzals family a last
mandatory meeting with
him or deny his body to the
family.: This reduces Ma-
hatama Gandhis country,
the worlds largest democ-
racy and a genuine candi-
date to a banana republic.
Prakash Javadekar
BJP spokesperson
Saying that youth in the
Kashmir Valley will iden-
tify with Afzal Guru is an
insult to the youth in the
valley. They do not iden-
tify with Afzal Guru. They
identify with cricketer
Parvez Rasool and UPSC
topper Shah Faesal,
Sitaram Yechury CPI-M
It is clear that the UPA gov-
ernment has failed to check
high level corruption in de-
fence contracts in the past
eight years of its tenure. The
helicopter deal is the latest,
Gautam Das spokesperson
CPI-M
The UPA government has re-
sponded to the vociferous de-
mand raised by the BJP and
(Gujarat Chief Minister) Nar-
endra Modi that Afzal Guru
should be hanged.Afzal
Gurus execution had made
the case for the abolition of
the death penalty a strong one
and highly relevant
A.K. Antony
Defence Minister
We are examining every-
thing. If (contractual) terms
have been violated, we will
take the strongest action. We
are not bothered about who
they are or how big they are.
Under the terms of the integri-
ty pact, if corruption is proved,
then we can cancel the contract
and get back whatever money
that has been paid,
Salman Khurshid
External Affairs Minister
I would imagine that if the
CBI requires any assistance
from government of India,
then the government of India
would provide it. I think we
cant play hot and cold by
saying that the government of
India must remain at an arms
distance from CBI and yet the
government should actually
tell CBI what to do,,
QUOTE FIRE
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 9
POLITICS
Tripura records 92 percent turnout, polling
peaceful
Kerala government seeks Left
opinion on Suryanelli case
Agartala
Polling to elect a new assembly in the
Left-ruled Tripura ended peacefully
Thursday with more than 92 percent
voters casting their ballots.
Over 92 percent of the 23.5 lakh (2.35
million) voters have cast their votes
across the state, said Chief Electoral
Offcer Ashutosh Jindal.
He said the percentage might still go
jup after reports on the days balloting
arrive from all over the state.
Jindal said people were still standing in
queues outside polling stations even af-
ter the time to vote ended at 4 p.m.
Voters in large numbers queued up well
before polling started at 7 a.m. New
voters and women appeared the most
enthusiastic across the state.
Tripura recorded around 92 percent
polling in the last assembly elections
held in 2008.
According to Jindal, except one or
two small incidents, the voting passed
off peacefully with no major incident
reported from anywhere in the north-
eastern state, which shares a 856-km
border with Bangladesh.
The ballots will be counted Feb 28 and
decide the electoral fate of 249 candi-
dates, including 15 women and many
Agartala
Over 14 years ago, Mamata Banerjee
made an extraordinary allegation about
a young Kolkata police offcer. Then in
opposition, Banerjee alleged that Depu-
ty Commissioner of the South Division
Ranjit Kumar Pachnanda had bitten
(yes, bitten) her.
The then stormy petrel of opposition
politics in the state also alleged that the
police offcer had torn her saree and
blouse, dragging her as she led a sit-in
protest.
Pachnanda, who had since risen to be
Kolkatas police commissioner, was
Thursday removed from his post.
The divesting of the hot seat occurred
after a policeman was shot dead by a
youth in broad daylight in the Gar-
den Reach area, as clashes occurred
between rival student groups in the
stormy build-up to student union polls.
Public memory is short, and perhaps not
many will recall that on Oct 25, 1998,
about a week after Diwali, Pachnanda
had led a police force that dragged
Banerjee from South Kolkatas Bedi
Bhawan, leading to road and rail ob-
struction by the Trinamool supremos
loyalists.
It was after that protest that Banerjee
made the stunning bite allegation.
The IPS offcer was left defending him-
self: Do I look like a dog? he asked
media people.
It came as something of a surprise
that Banerjee decided to continue with
Pachnanda as the top cop of the eastern
metropolis on coming to power in May
2011. The 1983 batch police offcer
was appointed to the coveted post two
Kohima
Stating that he spoke for the rights of
the Naga people, Nagaland Chief Min-
ister Neiphiu Rio said that he was will-
ing to go to jail for their sake. He was
reacting to the Manipur governments
decision to seek action against him for
making a hate speech last week.
There is nothing wrong in voicing the
suffering of his people and the denial
of rights to the Nagas. I am speaking
for the right of the Naga people and for
that why should anybody threaten to
Thiruvananthapuram
Faced with relentless demands from the
Left opposition to reopen the 17-year-
old Suryanelli sex case, the Kerala gov-
ernment has sought the opinion of the
Left on how to proceed in the matter.
On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha Deputy
Chairman P.J. Kurien, also a senior
Congressman from the state, who has
been named in the case both by the fam-
ily of the victim and the sole convict in
the case, wrote to Congress president
Sonia Gandhi citing court verdicts that
had exonerated him.
Replying to the oppositions demand to
reopen the case, Chief Minister Oom-
men Chandy said the government will
place the three legal opinions that the
government got on this issue pn the
table of the house.
We request you to please take posses-
sion of the three legal opinions that we
received, which clearly state that it is
no longer possible to reopen this case
and order a fresh investigation. Please
read the legal opinions, give it to your
legal experts, and see what further steps
can be taken, Chandy said.
P. Sreeramakrishnan, the CPI-M leg-
islator who moved the third motion
seeking a discussion in the house on
the Suryanelli sex case and the in-
volvement of Kurien, alleged that the
Chandy government was playing tricks,
with the sole intention of saving Kurien
from disgrace.
You have now produced a legal opin-
ion from the director general of prose-
cution, who is your own party member.
This is just humbug, Sreeramakrish-
nan said.
State Home Minister Thiruvanchoor
Radhakrishnan, replying to Sreeramak-
rishnan, said that apart from the opin-
ion of Director-General of Prosecutions
T. Asif Ali, who held that there was no
need for a fresh probe, the government
had also received the advice of the state
law secretary.
We then got a third opinion from Jus-
tice (retired) Padmanabhan Nair, who
appeared for the state in the apex court
last month in this case. He too has
concluded that it is not possible to go
through a fresh probe.
Radhakrishnan recalled that in 2005,
Independents, in the fray.
Political parties also expressed happi-
ness over the heavy voter turnout and
the peaceful polling.
Inspector General of Police Nepal
Das said that except for an incident in
Khowai, 85 km west of here, no major
incident was reported from anywhere.
The situation was completely peaceful
in the extremist-dominated areas too,
he said.
Only a scuffe took place between po-
litical workers in Khowai in which two
people were injured, Das told IANS.
He said fve handmade crude bombs
were recovered in Khayerpur, 10 km
from here.
At a few polling stations, technical
trouble with electronic voting machines
(EVMs) led to brief disruptions.
In the wake of threats from separatists
and possible violence, a record 40,000
security personnel were deployed while
two air surveillance teams led by police
offcials also kept vigil, an election of-
fcial said.
After casting his vote at a school here,
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, said:
The Left Front will get more votes and
more seats this time too.
There is absolutely no impact of the
months earlier.
With Banerjee sworn in as chief minis-
ter, speculation was rife that Pachnanda
would be shown the door.
On the contrary, the two struck up a
good professional rapport.
Banerjee would appreciate Pachnanda
in public, and call on him to follow up
on her promises. She would, on occa-
sion, ask him to endorse her claims of
the governments achievements.
When the sensational Park Street
rape case - involving an Anglo-Indian
woman - came to light in February last
year, Banerjee described the matter as
cooked up, meant only to malign her
government.
Within hours, Pachnanda parroted Ba-
nerjee at a media conference.
One gutsy woman offcer, however,
went ahead with the probe. Joint Com-
missioner of Police (Crime) Damayanti
Sen cracked the case and arrested most
of the culprits.
Within six weeks, she was transferred
and made deputy inspector general of
police, training, Barrackpore, consid-
ered a garage posting for an IPS of-
fcer who had been entrusted complex
criminal cases in the metropolis.
Pachnanda has since been under the
scanner of both the media and former
top cops.
Banerjee still reposed full faith in her
offcer.
However, when Special Branch offcer
Tapas Chowdhury fell to the bullet of
a young man on a crowded road out-
side the Harimohan Ghosh College
Wednesday, things changed.
Television footage showed the killer
jail me, Rio said.
If I am to go to jail for the sake of my
people, so be it, he said.
On Feb 8, the Manipur cabinet decided
to approach the Election Commission
and the union home ministry to seek
action against the Nagaland chief min-
ister for a hate speech against Mani-
pur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
Manipur Education Minister Moi-
rangthem Okendro Singh said the hate
speech made by the Nagaland chief
minister could spark communal tension
and have an adverse impact on inter-
state relations.
On Feb 6, the Nagaland chief minister,
who is seeking re-election from the
Northern Angami-II Assembly Con-
stituency, referred to Ibobi as one of
the biggest enemies of Naga people and
responsible for the suppression of Na-
gas during his election campaign for
his party Naga Peoples Front (NPF) in
Nagalands Zunheboto district.
The NPF leader, who is confdent of
making a political hat-trick against a
divided opposition Congress in the Feb
23 elections to the 60-member assem-
bly, also termed the Congress leaders
in Nagaland as not genuine and only
agents of outsiders and representatives
of the adversaries of the Naga people.
K.P. Viswanathan, then the states for-
est minister, had resigned after Justice
Nair made remarks in the high court
linking him to the sandalwood mafa.
You should note that subsequently
Viswanathan was exonerated by the
apex court. So Justice Nairs opinion
in the Suryanelli case cannot be seen
as partial to the ruling dispensation. A
state government can only proceed in
accordance with law, and we are doing
just that, Radhakrishnan said.
The state home minister reminded the
Left opposition that they were free to
approach the court in the matter.
The Suryanelli sex scandal gets its
name from the place in Idukki district
from where the victim hailed. In Janu-
ary 1996, a 16-year-old girl was threat-
ened, abducted and abused by a bus
conductor, and later taken from place
to place for 45 days and subjected to
sexual assault by 42 men.
The case returned to the limelight after
the Supreme Court Jan 31 ordered a re-
trial in the high court, setting aside the
acquittal in 2005 by the Kerala High
Court of all but one of the 35 accused.
The victim, now 32 years old and an
employee of the state government, and
her family have consistently main-
tained that P.J. Kurien should stand trial
in the case, as he was among the people
who exploited the 16-year-old. They al-
lege that he has been shielded from law
because of his political infuence.
The Left opposition and the BJP here
have been demanding that the Kerala
government should order a fresh probe
against Kurien. However, the BJP at the
centre has not endorsed the demands by
the state unit since senior BJP leader
Arun Jaitley was one of Kuriens law-
yers in the case.
Kuriens wife Susan Kurien, in a letter
to the media here, has claimed that on
the day when the victim claims she was
exploited by Kurien, he was actually
having dinner with his wife.
Those fghting for the rights of women
must not forget that Kurien too has a
family. People have been raising base-
less, wild allegations against my hus-
band, said Susan Kurien, who has two
daughters and four grand-daughters.
paribartan (change) slogan raised
by the Congress here after stealing it
from West Bengal. The Left Front will
win the elections comfortably in most
seats, the 64-year-old CPI-M polit-
buro member told reporters here before
leaving for his Dhanpur assembly con-
stituency.
The Election Commission has de-
ployed specially modifed EVMs in all
the 3,041 polling stations to check pos-
sible malpractice and other irregulari-
ties, he said.
About 18,000 poll offcials were de-
ployed for the polls.
Of the 3,041 polling stations, 32 were
categorised as very vulnerable and 112
as vulnerable.
The Election Commission appointed
over 2,000 micro observers to assist 48
general, expenditure and police observ-
ers to oversee electioneering.
Tripura, ravaged by insurgency for de-
cades, has 60 assembly seats with 20 re-
served for tribals and 10 for Scheduled
Castes. Of the total 37 lakh population
of the state, 23.5 lakh were eligible to
exercise their franchise.
Thursdays vote will decide the fate
of the chief minister, his 11 cabinet
colleagues, former chief minister and
veteran Congress leader Samir Ranjan
Burman, his son and state Congress
chief Sudip Roy Barman, opposition
leader (Congress) Ratan Lal Nath, In-
digenous Nationalist Party of Tripura
(INPT) president and former militant
leader Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl and a
host of others.
After a month-long high-voltage cam-
paign, the ruling CPI-M led Left Front
is locked in a direct fght against the op-
position combine of the Congress and
the INPT.
The Left Front, which has been in pow-
er since 1978 barring one term (1988-
1993), has been facing a challenge in
numerous issues, including higher sala-
ries to the government employees and
rising unemployment.
I am ready to go to jail:
Nagaland CM
Mamata and the police chief : Who bit whom?
- later identifed as Sheikh Shubhaan
- running at a distance, then taking a
swift turn, rush a few paces and fre the
bullet.
The incident caused widespread shock,
and revealed much about the state of
law and order in Kolkata.
Hours after the incident, nobody was
arrested. There were allegations that
one of the culprits involved in the vio-
lence was allowed to fee, following the
intervention of a Trinamool Congress
councillor of the Kolkata Municipal
Corporation, Mohammad Iqbal.
As television aired the shocking foot-
age all day, Pachnanda visited the fam-
ily of the dead policeman. He rushed
to the Garden Reach police station to
supervise the handling of the case.
TV footage also showed council-
lor Iqbal threatening a policeman and
mobilising his supporters; however,
the councillor was not arrested, even
though he was named in the FIR (frst
information report) fled Thursday.
Urban affairs minister Firhad Hakim
gave Iqbal a clean chit.
Banerjee, who was away in the sea re-
sort of Digha when the incident hap-
pened, made no secret of her annoy-
ance at the handling of the violence
soon as she returned to the city.
There are some names missing in the
FIR. I will enquire why, she said.
Hours later, Pachnanda was shunted
out. He was transferred to the compara-
tively less signifcant post of additional
director general (security).
I had to take such strong action be-
cause the criminals were not arrested in
time, Banerjee explained.
10
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 CAMPUS
Love is in the air
Street play depicts violence against women
Laurie
(Tourist from Sydney who has
come to Shimla for vacation)
: Valentines day which is cel-
ebrated on the name of Saint
called Valentine is a day of love.
My boyfriend lives in America
and I wish that I could celebrate
this special day with my love.
Sapna
(Student of Sanjauli College) : Val-
entines day should be celebrated in
India as the Indians have also adopt-
ed modern philosophy. On this occa-
sion girls and boys wants to spend
time with each other and exchange
gifts.
Angie
(A tourist from Australia) : This
day should be celebrated all over
the world and it should be an in-
ternational holiday. Girls on this
day expect gifts like cake, choc-
olate, roses etc and boys wants
kisses and romance from their
partners.
Rajat and Neeti
(A newly married couple from Delhi)
: We have come to Shimla to celebrate
our frst valentines day and make our
love stronger and deeper. Valentines
Day should be celebrated because if
there are days for every festival than
why not for love. It is the best gift for
me from my husband that we are to-
gether on this special day.
Amit
(B.Tech student from Bahara
University) : I will take my girl-
friend for a date and will sur-
prise her with a beautiful gift.
This is the only day for lovers so
it should surely be celebrated.
Ankush
(Student from Sanjauli College) : I
have chosen this special day to pro-
pose a girl whom Im in love from
past one year. I want to propose her
in a special way by bending down on
my knees and offering her a bouquet
of roses. This day is a symbol of love
which should be celebrated by ev-
eryone and people should give gifts
not only to lovers but also to parents,
brother/sisters and friends.
SPEAK OUT
St. Valentine certainly never thought that his name would invoke such passion
after thousands of years of his death. Not much is known about the Saint, but it
is known that he died on 14 February around the ffth century. Now this day is
celebrated as Valentines Day all over the world.
Naari Shakti, a street play was per-
formed at The Ridge Shimla by
Youth enlightening the society (YES)
in association with Himachal Watcher
and YWCA to create awareness among
the masses about the protection of
women against the violence and wom-
en equality.
The objective of 10 minutes street play
was an attempt to highlight the discrim-
ination of women, which not only af-
fect their psyche but also leads to prob-
lems like insecurity, lack of self-esteem
and depression.
The play was written keeping in mind
the male audience in order to make
them understand the unfairness felt by
women and that men are nothing with-
out them. The play also depicts all kind
of abuse and violence that women are
subjected to by men in all walks of life.
Dr. Aakarshan Chauhan President of
YES said, the play gives a message
that men should understand the impor-
tance of abjuring against the women
and making Shimla safe city. Though
our state is credited to be peaceful, sta-
tistics do suggest that there has been
an increase in crimes against women
here.
He said that YES has started with
the women-centric YES helpline
(9418336668) for women and girls,
who face domestic violence, dowry ha-
rassment and eve teasing.
He also said that they have also or-
ganized an event one billion rise at
Gaiety Theatre, Shimla. 190 countries
of the world are already a part of this
event which was started keeping in
mind the safety of women.
However , the YES volunteers in as-
sociation with YWCA will conduct sur-
vey in Himachal Pradesh to know how
the women of the state tackle with the
hideous situations. This report will be
presented to the state government on
8th March this year, Dr. Aakarshan
said.
Munish Sharma, the director and writer
of the play Naari Shakti said, the
youth of Shimla has started to lead a
change in the sociey. Through our play
we want to show how essential it is for
our society to provide a safe and friend-
ly environment for women.
This play highlights the things a girl has
to face from her childhood till death.
The other play Pagal Bhai which is
also written by me compares a life of
a normal and an abnormal person. The
play depict that a normal boy never
respect her mother or sister but an ab-
normal person can sacrifce his life in
saving the respect of these two special
women of his life.
The street play motivated women to
raise their voice against the atrocities
and violence happening against them,
by forming a human chain at the Ridge
, Shimla .
Preneeta Sharma
UCNS
Rahul
UCNS
The College Canteen
Wo Lamhe
Wo Baatein......
If you are spotted in these
pictures kindly contact us
and collect your surprise gift
Contact : 7696606077
11
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013
REGION
Daler Mehndis 10 acre land
seized in Haryana
Curfew continues in Srinagar, relaxed
in many towns
Haryana CM skips talks with
sacked Maruti workers
Himachal to
augment
foodgrain storage
capacity
Three high
security jails
in Punjab
Congress expels 24
Himachal leaders
for indiscipline
Chandigarh
Punjabi pop singer Daler Singh Mehndi
was dispossessed of 10 acres land at
Sohna in Haryana by a sub-divisional
magistrate court which also served him
a 15-day notice for seizing another 100
acres of his farm house.
The court gave the 10 acres land, seized
from the singer, to the Sohna town mu-
nicipal committee in Gurgaon district
near Delhi.
A government spokesman said here
that the singer had a farmhouse spread
over 112 acres in Sohna. He said that
the SDM court served him a notice for
alleged illegal occupation of the land.
The Sohna municipal committee had
Chandigarh
Curfew continued for the sixth day in
the old city areas of Srinagar Thursday,
even as authorities decided to extend
curfew relaxation in many other towns
of the valley.
Curfew was imposed in parts of the
state after Afzal Guru, convicted in the
parliament attack case of December
2001, was hanged to death in the Tihar
Central Jail in the national capital Feb
9, even before his family was informed.
Authorities said curfew restrictions
would continue on Thursday in old city
areas of Srinagar, and the towns of So-
pore, Baramulla, Pattan, Handwara and
Kangan, Shopian, Pulwama and Anant-
nag in the valley.
It will also remain in force in Bandi-
pora district.
However, the curfew has been relaxed
in areas falling under Rajbagh, Ram
Munshi Bagh, Shergarhi, Saddar, Kot-
hibagh, Shaheed Gunj, Lal Bazaar,
Nigeen, Zakoora, Nowgam, Bemina,
Panthachowk and Parimpora police
stations in Srinagar district.
In entire Badgam district, curfew has
been relaxed from 10 a.m. to 12 noon
Gurgaon
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder
Singh Hooda has rescheduled to Feb
21 his proposed meeting with sacked
Maruti Suzuki workers, a trade union
leader.
Hooda was earlier expected to meet the
workers Wednesday.
Satbir Singh, state president, Centre
of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said
Hooda has now assured them of talks
on the issue Feb 21.
Shimla
The Congress has expelled 24 leaders, in-
cluding four former legislators, from the
party for indiscipline, Himachal Pradesh
Congress Committee president Sukhvin-
der Sukhu said.
He said the former legislators were ex-
pelled for contesting the recent assembly
elections against offcial nominees.
The former legislators are Yograj, Mast
Ram, Ishwar Dass and Kashmir Singh.
The other prominent expelled leaders
include Dharamvir Dhami, K.D. Lakhan-
pal, P.C. Paul and Paramjit Pammi. For-
mer legislator Sukhu, who took over as
the party chief Jan 15, suspended newly-
elected Congress legislator Ram Kumar
Chaudhary, who faces murder charges.
Asked about the fate of the legislators
who are facing criminal cases, he said:
That would be handled by the Congress
Legislature Party. The party would give
its input if there is such case. But if the
case is of political nature, that has to be
ignored.
Chaudhary, who has been booked for
murder by Haryana Police, is currently
lodged in Ambala jail.
Chandigarh
To give a boost to urban infrastructure,
the Punjab government announced that
50 new urban estates would be estab-
lished in the state.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal
gave the go-ahead signal to Punjab Ur-
ban Development Authority (PUDA) to
establish 50 new urban estates at vari-
ous identifed sites across the state to
provide better living facilities to peo-
ple.
The new urban estates will be estab-
lished under the jurisdiction of six
developmental authorities of Mohali,
Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala
and Bathinda.
Eight sites under Bathinda Develop-
ment Authority (BDA) having an area
of about 800 acres had been identifed
to establish new urban estates. Under
the Patiala Development Authority
(PDA), 160 acres for three new urban
estates, while nine sites under Jaland-
har Development Authority (JDA) had
been identifed, housing and urban de-
velopment offcials said.
Up to 3,100 acres of land for estab-
lishing six sites under Greater Lud-
hiana Area Development Authority
(GLADA) is likely to be fnalized, they
added.
Badal also approved a Rs.1,250 crore
project for providing 5,000 affordable
houses to the economically weaker
section (EWS) category at four sites in
Mohali, 10 km from here.
Interacting with chief administrators of
various development authorities here,
Badal directed them to ensure strict
implementation of the master plans in
the towns and cities under their juris-
diction.
Shimla
Himachal Pradesh will augment its stor-
age capacity of foodgrains by 42,000
tonnes, state Food and Civil Supplies
Minister G.S. Bali said Thursday.
The central and state governments
would jointly work to raise the addi-
tional storage capacity, Bali said in a
statement here after his meeting with
union Food Minister K.V. Thomas in
Delhi Thursday.
Bali said it was also decided in prin-
ciple that supply of rice to the state
from central quota would be raised un-
der public distribution system (PDS) in
comparison to wheat.
He said the state would spend Rs.19.5
crore on PDS computerization.
Chandigarh
Faced with the problem of crowded
jails, Punjab Wednesday approved the
setting up of three new ultra-modern
high security prisons at Amritsar, Bath-
inda and Muktsar for housing 5,000 in-
mates, an offcial said.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal
gave his approval for the jails which
will be constructed at a cost of about
Rs.300 crore within two years, the of-
fcial added.
Badal asked the jail department to in-
stall CCTV cameras, mobile jammers
and other security equipment to en-
sure proper security in the upcoming
jails. He also directed that modalities
be worked out to ban two-storied con-
struction up to 100 feet from the outer
walls of these new jails.
The Central Jail Amritsar would be
constructed over an area of 49 acres
while the Central Jail Bathinda would
be built over 38 acres area.
Each jail will have a capacity to ac-
commodate 2,000 prisoners while the
Muktsar Jail, spread over 25 acres,
would accommodate 1,000 inmates,
the offcial said.
Major jails in Punjab at Amritsar, Ja-
landhar and Nabha are holding far
more prisoners than their capacity.
fled a plea before Sub-Divisional
Magistrate Vivek Kalia.
On the directions of the SDM court,
possession of 10 acres out of 112 acres
of Daler Mahndis farmhouse were
Thursday restored to municipal com-
mittee, Sohna, which had fled a case
alleging that the farm house was ille-
gally built on the committees land,
the spokesman said.
Restoring 10 acres, the SDM court
served a 15 days show cause notice
to the singer for the remaining about
100 acres of municipal committee land
which is allegedly under occupation of
his farm house, the spokesman said.
Thursday. The relaxation will continue
from Thursday morning onwards in
Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam dis-
tricts, except at the district headquar-
ters.
No major untoward incident was re-
ported from anywhere in the valley
Wednesday, though stray instances of
stone pelting were reported.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah denied
reports that a gag had been imposed on
the media. He, however, confrmed that
authorities blocked internet access to
check the spread of rumours.
There is no ban on newspapers in
Kashmir. Newspapers are choosing
not to print because restrictions make
delivery of newspapers impossible,
Omar Abdullah said on his micro blog-
ging Twitter site.
Those continuously going on about
government gag would well be ad-
vised to produce a single copy of this
gag order, the chief minister tweeted.
Internet remained blocked for the sixth
day Thursday across the valley both on
mobile phones and dongle appliances,
while BSNL broadband users were able
After the Nyaya-Adhikar Rally Jan
27 by several trade unions at Rohtak,
the chief ministers home town, Hooda
had agreed to consider a proposal to
meet the workers sacked by Maruti fol-
lowing violence at the Manesar plant
here, he said.
Feb 13 was proposed for talks with
the worker leaders on their demands
regarding the sacked Maruti employees
but as the chief minister was busy with
the Surajkund Crafts Mela the meeting
has been deferred, Shiv Bhatia, media
advisor to Hooda, told IANS.
The meeting is scheduled to be held
at the chief ministers offce in Chandi-
garh, he said.
After the July 18, 2012 Manesar plant
violence, that claimed the life of a se-
nior executive and left dozens of others
injured, nearly 2,500 workers includ-
ing 546 permanent employees were
sacked.
Worker unions are demanding the re-
instatement of the terminated workers
and withdrawal of cases against their
jailed colleagues.
to access internet.
Three persons have so far died in clash-
es with security forces across the val-
ley in the last six days. Over 50 others,
including protestors and security men,
have been injured in this period.
Police said one local policeman was
injured while performing his duties in
Sopore in north Kashmir, and has been
admitted to the army hospital in Srina-
gar in a critical condition.
Director General of Police Ashok
Prasad has denied that any complaint
has been lodged against Central Re-
serve Police Force personnel in the
north Kashmir Watergam (Rafabad)
fring incident, in which one teenager
was killed Sunday.
Prasad, however, confrmed that a frst
information report (FIR) was lodged by
state police to investigate the incident
that led to the death of one teenager and
injuries to four people.
In areas where curfew has been relaxed
Thursday morning, people were seen
busy buying essential commodities, in-
cluding foodstuff, medicines and cook-
ing gas.
Punjab to
develop 50 new
urban estates
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013
12
Special
Thank you for being honest
Mock earthquake drill reveals all
And that is the truth
Had the administration planned a tailor made drama,
which was very much possible with the budget they had ,
we would have never come to know how ill prepared we are for disasters.
The whole exercise only threw up more questions and fear among the masses.
In most places the exercise took the shape of a comedy show.
The Mega Mock Drill -
13th Feb
Mock earthquake drill ends up in
fasco in Gurgaon
With the occurrence of frequent disasters in the last decade, it has
become mandatory to get prepared for any such emergencies to re-
duce the impact of disasters. Massive earthquakes which can neither
be predicted nor prevented, devastated Bhuj and Sikkim in the last
decade and took away human lives & property. Therefore, to generate
awareness and face such a calamity Chandigarh Administration con-
ducted a Mega Mock Drill on Feb13 at various locations in Chandi-
garh City, on Earthquake Preparedness, in collaboration with National
Disaster Management Authority, New Delhi.
To generate awareness at a large scale and reach out masses, an
Awareness Generation Campaign was launched in Chandigarh city
and Cricketer Yuvraj Singh is the Good Will Ambassador of this Cam-
paign. The administration could not generate mass participation of
citizens of Chandigarh city in all the awareness activities and Mega
Mock Drill. The idea was that the drill would help them prepare them-
selves and their families to face any future earthquake. After this mega
event, Chandigarh City would be better prepared and aware about the
Earthquake Safety and Preparedness. But the whole show could not
achieve what it was supposed to.
The mock earthquake drill here failed
because of non-cooperation of other
agencies, including an expressway
contractor, volunteers have said, and
added that the equipments did not work
and a hospital failed to provide stretch-
ers for dummy victims.
The two-hour drill of the Gurgaon Di-
saster Management Authority (GDMA)
and the National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) ended within fve
minutes on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway
under pressure from heavy traffc.
Barely two dozen volunteers from civil
defence, National Service Scheme
(NSS) and Haryana Home Guards
gathered near 32nd Milestone fyover
for the drill.
The siren was sounded as scheduled
at 11 a.m. and volunteers diverted the
traffc (from Jaipur to Delhi), saying
that the fyover got dangerous cracks
during the quake.
Employees from Delhi-Gurgaon Su-
per Connectivity Limited (DGSCL),
the contractor frm of expressway,
stopped them to doing so and asked for
the valid authority letter. The service
lane could not hold the fow of heavy
traffc and it was choked, said a vol-
unteer who was on the spot.
At the intervention of Assistant Com-
missioner of Police (ACP) Ravinder
Tomar, the traffc was once again di-
verted to the service lane as per the drill
plan.
But within a few minutes traffc situ-
ation started worsening and traffc was
allowed to go as routine, said a volun-
teer on condition of anonymity.
The mock drill was conducted at four
locations, including Government Col-
lege Sector 14 on Mehrauli-Gurgaon
Road, Mini Secretariat near Rajiv
Chowk on the expressway, General
Hospital, and the fy-over on Delhi-
Gurgaon Expressway near 32nd Mile-
stone.
The hospital failed to provide even suf-
fcient numbers of stretchers for quake
hit dummy victims and patients.
Door and window cutter machines pro-
vided by the GDMA and NDMA did
not work at the Mini Secretariat. Stone
cutting and drill machines also did not
start when they were pressed into ser-
vice. The rubber pipe that was used
by fre brigade to deliver water on the
foors of multi-storey Mini Secretariat
was leaking.
Several offces were not evacuated on
sounding of siren and even Deputy Com-
missioner P.C. Meena remained busy in
meeting in his offce, said an offcial on
condition of anonymity.
A dummy girl victim who was brought
from the Government Womens College at
Sector 14 was left all alone in the hospital
and was not dropped back to her college.
Special
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013
13
Thank you for being honest
Mock earthquake drill reveals all
And that is the truth
Had the administration planned a tailor made drama,
which was very much possible with the budget they had ,
we would have never come to know how ill prepared we are for disasters.
The whole exercise only threw up more questions and fear among the masses.
In most places the exercise took the shape of a comedy show.
Mock quake shakes Shimla
Earthquake preparedness
With the collaboration and guidance of National Disaster Manage-
ment Authority (NDMA) a Mega Mock Drill on earthquake prepared-
ness was conducted by states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab
and UT Chandigarh in tri-cities of Chandigarh, Mohali and Punch-
kula and at Shimla. It is for the frst time that such an effort has been
made in this region. These areas lie in seismic zones IV and V and
therefore their vulnerability to earthquake hazards is a matter of seri-
ous concern.
About 900 personnel from NDRF organized in 30 teams, approx 900
civil defense personnel and 270 independent observers from Army
participated in the exercise. The emergency support functionaries like
police, health, fre, ambulance, civil defense, power and PWD etc also
participated. During the mock drill the response time, communication,
coordination and skills of these emergency support functionaries were
observed. The mock drill also resulted in increased awareness of lo-
cal residents .
The key important lessons learnt are:
i. Necessity of establishment Disaster Management Plans at various
levels;
ii. Need for state-of-the art emergency operation centres at the state
and district levels with redundancy;
iii. Setting-up and use of wireless communication system for the stake-
holders to more effectively deal with an earthquake disaster scenario;
iv. Recognise capacity of having better road accessibility in case of
disaster;
v. Identifcation of requirements of state-of-the-art equipment and sys-
tematic inventory of resources, both with govt. and private sector;
vi. Need for adequate number of ambulances;
vii. Greater public awareness and sensitization of people for enhanced
preparedness.
viii. The need to make younger generation aware of the earthquake
hazards and coping mechanism.
The NDMA in close collaboration with other states in seismic zones
IV & V is planning to focus on earthquake disaster preparedness over
the next two-three years.
The Himachal Pradesh capital was
roused to action as hooters blared, an-
nouncing an earthquake. Residents
scurried even though the quake could
not quite be felt.
It was only later that authorities let on
that a mock drill was conducted, to
check preparedness of emergency ser-
vices, including police and the fre ser-
vice, if disaster struck.
The National Disaster Management
Authoritys (NDMA) B.K. Khanna
said the drill was held to also know
the reaction time of residents in case a
quake of more than eight on the Richter
scale struck Shimla.
The hill state falls in zones IV and V,
with severe seismic sensitivity.
As per studies by IITs, if an earth-
quake measuring eight on the Richter
scale hits the state with its epicentre in
Sundernagar at night, 1.6 lakh people
will die and over 11 lakh will be in-
jured, Khanna said.
Himachal Pradesh is home to over 68
lakh people.
NDMA offcials said the states widen-
ing concrete jungle, which has come up
without conforming to safety standards
prescribed to withstand quakes, could
exacerbate loss of life and damage to
property.
Bigger towns like Shimla, Solan,
Kangra, Dharamsala and Mandi have
large tracts of land given over to un-
planned construction.
Shimla falls in seismic zone IV. Off-
cials said not even two percent of its
buildings can withstand earthquakes of
high intensity.
Offcials say Shimlas northern slope of
the historic Ridge, an open space above
the Mall, extending to the Grand Hotel
in the west and Lakkar Bazaar in the
east, is sinking.
Shimla has 187 buildings with more
than fve foors.
Planned for a maximum population of
16,000, Shimla now supports 236,000
people, as per census fgures for 2011.
Himachal Pradesh witnessed its most
devastating earthquake in 1905 in the
Kangra Valley which left more than
20,000 people dead.
The rescue team
Just for the photo
The best way to carry
Heavy Duty
14
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 CELEB
Star power can create awareness: Palash Sen
New Delhi
Singer Palash Sen strongly believes
that popular faces in the entertainment
industry can use their star power to cre-
ate awareness about the social issues
plaguing the nation because he feels
they will be heard by the masses.
Star power works, feels Palash, who
said: If such people (celebrities) will
come forward and say that whatever is
happening is wrong and women should
be respected, then people will listen to
them.
The safety of women has become ma-
jor a concern as crimes against women
is growing at an alarming rate across
the country. Recently, the brutal gang
rape of a 23-year-old girl in the capital
outraged the nation -- the girl later suc-
cumbed to the injuries.
If I have power to get up on stage and
sing, then I should do it. But Palash Sen
is not as big as Salman Khan or Shah
Rukh Khan. Main people are the actors
who infuence everybody, Palash told
The singer has recently composed a
song Main hoon supporting the birth
of a girl child.
The entertainment industry itself is un-
der scanner for glorifying crime and
commodatising women in movies.
Whatever is most exposed to the audi-
ence, people would talk about it, ar-
gued Palash and added that these days
more focus is on entertainment related
news with 90 percent of the newspa-
pers having only entertainment news.
Many feel the vulgar lyrics of songs
lead to crime against women.
When asked about the same, he said:
There was a time when item songs
were there, but there was decency. Now
it seems there is competition about who
will do more vulgar song?
Palash said that flmmakers are not
thinking about what is good or what is
bad? They are just thinking from the
prospect of money.
He feels that the industry people think
they will do something new, then peo-
ple will come to see it and this will be
followed by money.
Sitar legend Ravi Shankar wins
Grammy
Los Angeles
Two months after his death, Indian sitar
legend Ravi Shankar has won the best
world music album Grammy for The
Living Room Sessions Part 1 span-
ning a wide range of Indian classical
styles.
The maestros daughter Anoushka,
who too was nominated in the same
category for her album Traveller ac-
cepted the Grammy on behalf of her
late father at the Grammy awards show
here Sunday.
Its OK to lose to your father, said the
31-year-old, who is also a sitar player
and composer, as she received the
award for her father.
Ravi Shankar, who died in December
at the age of 92, after heart surgery at
a hospital in La Jolla, California, near
San Diego, was also awarded a posthu-
mous lifetime achievement Grammy.
The Indian icon was among seven
artists, including Carole King and
the Temptations, named as Lifetime
Achievement Award honourees.
Jones, who has won nine Grammys of
her own, said of her father, We know
he was very excited to be receiving this
award. We really miss him. He lived
and breathed music.
I remember him drumming on the
breakfast table, trying to get me to learn
to play seven (beats) over fve. Im still
trying to learn that. We are very happy
to accept the award for him.
Her half sister added, It was 60 days
ago today that he passed away. Its kind
of diffcult to be standing up here, like
Norah said, I am thrilled that he knew
about this award before he passed away
at least. But I wish we werent standing
up here for him.
Although her mother, Sukanya, was
in attendance but she did not take the
stage.
Shes the reason he was able to be
alive as long as he was, so Im eternally
grateful to her, Anoushka said of her
mother.
Rihanna naked in bathtub for
new video
Los Angeles
Singer Rihanna has stripped off for a
video of her single Stay. She is seen
soaking in a bathtub.
The camera stays on the 24-year-old
singer as she wallows naked in the
blue-tinged water and emotions pass
across her face, reports thesun.co.uk.
She is seen immersed in her thoughts
and she remains motionless for most of
the four-minute shot. The number is a
duet with Mikky Ekko.
Rihanna sports her latest lop-sided
Paris Hilton proposes boyfriend?
Sunny Leone fles FIR against
KRK
Mumbai
Actress Sunny Leone is emotion-
ally and mentally disturbed after Ka-
maal R. Khan (KRK) claimed that she
had made the controversial statement
- Rape is not a crime, its just a sur-
prise. The actress has now fled an FIR
against KRK.
Sunny is emotionally and mentally
very disturbed with the false allega-
tions levied by Kamaal Khan against
her, and the cheap and demeaning jokes
that he is continuously posting on his
twitter account in her name, thereby
outraging her modesty openly on a
public platform, Rizwan Siddiquee,
lawyer of the actress, told
Resultantly, she has been crying in-
consolably and is not in a proper frame
of mind to even talk to the media with
regard to such built-up controversies
surrounding her.
He added: As the acts committed by
Kamaal Khan are largely cognizable, to
protect her legitimate rights and inter-
est we have fled an FIR under Sections
500, 504, 509 of the Indian Penal Code
together with Section 66 A of the Infor-
mation Technology Act 2000.
The said FIR was registered with the
Versova police station on Feb 12. The
police will accordingly investigate the
matter at the earliest and proceed ac-
cordingly.
Following KRKs comments, Sunny
had fled a complaint with the Cyber
Crime Investigation Cell of the Mum-
bai Police.However, the small-time ac-
tor continued tweeting against the ac-
tress, forcing her to fle an FIR against
him. It could lead to Kamaals arrest.
Los Angeles
Paris Hilton has reportedly proposed
boyfriend Spanish model River Viiperi.
The 31-year-old is ready to settle down
with Viiperi, whom she has been dat-
ing since they met during the New York
Fashion Week in September 2012.
Paris asked for Rivers hand because
so many of her friends are engaged
or already married with kids, and she
didnt want to be some sad, old loser
hairdo, with shaved hair one side, and
shows off her tattoos as she turns in the
oversized white tub.
The video, sans special effects, features
Rihanna with hardly any make-up, and
hence, lays the singers emotions bare.
left on the shelf, showbizspy.com
quoted.It is incredibly impulsive be-
cause they have only been together a
few months, but Paris believes River is
the one, added the source.
He has given her an enthusiastic yes,
but they are keeping the engagement
quiet for now. Paris can see hes a good
infuence. Paris feels she has fnally
found Mr. Right, even if he is a decade
younger,
Priyamani to
do item song in
Chennai
Express
Mumbai
National Award-winning southern actress
Priyamani has worked in Hindi flms
earlier but in Rohit Shetty's "Chennai
Express" she is doing her frst ever item
number. The actress can't wait to shoot
for it as it would allow her to meet
Bollywood superstar and the flm's lead
actor Shah Rukh Khan.
"I am very excited. I am just waiting for
the shoot to happen so that I get to meet
Shah Rukh Khan and to shoot with him,"
Priyamani told
The actress, who won the National Award
for 2006 Tamil flm "Paruthi Veeran", is
doing an item song for the frst time and
said: "I have never done an item number.
It is the frst time and there is always
a frst time for everything." "I am not
scared. That is a completely different
league. They are excellent in what they
do, which is fantastic. I am not going to
be scared to be branded," she confessed
15
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 CELEB
Madrid
Spanish actress Penelope Cruz is
pregnant with her second child.
Leonardo, the frst child of Cruz,
38, and 43-year-old husband Javier
Bardem, another Spanish big-screen
star, was born in January 2011 at the
Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Ange-
les.
The pair of Oscar-winning perform-
ers married in July 2010 in The Ba-
hamas.
Cruz, who was nominated for a
Goya - Spains equivalent of the Os-
car - for her performance in Volver
a nacer, will not be able to attend
Sundays gala in Madrid due to a
scheduling confict, said publicist
Javier Giner.
The actress is in the US as a result of
her work, he said.
Monica Cruz, the actresss younger
sister, announced her own pregnancy
by artifcial insemination earlier this
year.
Penelope Cruz pregnant with
second child
Mumbai
Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha made
a major blooper at the unveiling of late
flmmaker Yash Chopras statue Mon-
day, when he referred to Rani Mukerji
as Rani Chopra! It is likely to spark
fresh rumours about the actresss cur-
rent relationship status with Yash Raj
Films (YRF) scion Aditya Chopra.
While mentioning the entire Chopra
family during a speech, Shatrughan
said: Yash Chopra, Pamela Chopra,
Uday Chopra, Rani... just now my wife
said I missed out on Aditya Chopra.
Rani Chopra ka naam liye hai toh za-
hir se baat hai Aditya Chopra ka naam
bhi... (When I am taking Rani Chopras
name, then it is obvious that I am tak-
ing Aditya Chopras name as well).
Rani was left khamosh (silent) --
clearly indicated by her immediate ges-
ture of covering her mouth in apparent
shock.
Since years, rumours have been rife
that the 34-year-old shares a close bond
with Aditya Chopra, and that she was
the prime reason behind his divorce in
2009. As per other rumours, the duo
has already tied the knot in 2012 in a
private ceremony.
None of them have either offcially
confrmed their relationship, or their
wedding.
The unveiling of Yash Chopras statue
at the YRF Studios saw many industry
members like Poonam Sinha, Poonam
Dhillon, Parineeti Chopra, and Prem
Chopra in attendance.
Many of them took to the stage to share
their experiences with the maverick
flmmaker.
When photographers requested Pamela
Chopra to pose for a picture alongside
the statue with Rani in the same frame,
she politely gestured and refused.
Oops! Shatrughan calls Rani...
Rani Chopra!
London
Argo continued its winning streak
this season at the British Academy of
Film Awards by clinching three hon-
ours, including best flm. Les Mis-
erables received four gongs, while
Ben Affeck walked away with the best
directors trophy for Argo, which is
New Delhi
Fashion designer Saakshee Pradhan,
politician Ashok Pradhans daughter,
has tied the knot with Mumbai-based
boy Abhishek Nadkarni.
The nuptials took place here Thurs-
day night.
Abhishek, a pilot by profession, and
Sakshee have known each other for
based on the rescue of American hos-
tages in Iran during the 1979 revolu-
tion. The movie, a big winner at the
70th Golden Globe awards, too, also
received the best editing title at the
ceremony, organised by the British
Academy of Film and Television Arts
(BAFTA).
eight years and they frst met at a
common friends party. Post that,
they met after a gap of two years in
New York, where she was studying
fashion, while he was fnishing an
aviation course.
For the wedding, Sakshee wore a
Tarun Tahiliani creation, with an an-
tique fnish, and had zardosi and dab-
Argo wins top honours at BAFTA
Designer Sakshee Pradhan gets hitched!
Im the most imperfect man:
John Abraham
Actor-producer John Abraham, cur-
rently busy promoting his flm I, Me
Aur Main, says he is the most imper-
fect man.
I am not perfect. I am the most imper-
fect man. Any man who says that he is
perfect, trust me, its a lie. I have tried.
I have lied I am trying to be a better
human being, John told reporters at I,
Me Aur Main press meet.
The entire star cast of the flm was
present at the promotions including
Chitrangada Singh, Prachi Desai and
Goldie Behl.
The 40-year-old says I, Me Aur Main
is a tribute to all women.
The flm is releasing on March 1st and
March 8th is Womens Day, so this flm
is dedicated to all the women. Its a
tribute to women, he said.
Describing his kind of girl, John said:
Defnitely, she will be simple. The
beauty about any relationship is its sim-
plicity. Just settle down with the one
with whom you have a connection.
In the flm, Prachi will be seen as the-
girl-next-door and fnds similarity be-
tween her and her character. The char-
acter is the closest to my heart.
Sonam to play lawyer in YRFs
next
New Delhi
Fashionista Sonam Kapoors wardrobe
for Yash Raj Films untitled project
would include black gown and coat as
she plays a lawyer in it. She teams up
with Ayushmann Khurrana the movie.
She is very excited about the role.
She is looking forward to it because
she wants to play the role to complete
perfection, said a source close to the
actress.She wants to be well-prepared
before she faces the camera for the flm,
which is why she will be devoting time
to specially prepare for her part well in
advance, added the source.
To understand lawyers, their body lan-
guage and general demeanour, the mak-
ers are scheduling Sonams meetings
with young professionals.
Meanwhile, the actress has just wrapped
up shooting Ranjhanaa and is look-
ing forward to the release of Rakeysh
Omprakash Mehras Bhaag Milkha
Bhaag in which she will be seen op-
posite Farhan Akhtar
Overall, musical drama Les Miser-
ables picked up four trophies - sup-
porting actress for Anne Hathaway,
production design, sound and make-up
and hair - out of its nine nominations.
Actor Daniel Day Lewis was named
the best actor for Lincoln - the only
award for the biopic on former US pres-
ident Abraham Lincoln and his strug-
gles during the Civil War, which was
the front runner at the event this year
with a total of 10 nominations. Daniel
played Abraham Lincoln in the movie.
Among the actresses, Emmanuelle
Riva, 85, secured the winners spot for
playing a partially paralysed old lady
in French flm Amour, which won
the best flm award not in the English
language. Riva is said to be the oldest
actress ever to have been nominated for
BAFTA, where she was frst nominated
for the best foreign actress way back
in 1959 for Hiroshima mon amour.
Indian actor Suraj Sharma, who played
the protagonist in Ang Lees Life of
Pi, lost out the EE Rising Star Award
to British actress Juno Temple. James
Bond fick Skyfall won two awards
- outstanding British flm and original
flm music, while Kathryn Bigelows
Zero Dark Thirty, which received
fve nominations, failed to win a single
honour.
David O. Russell won for adapted
screenplay of Silver Linings Play-
book, and Quentin Tarantino picked
the best original screenplay gong for
Django Unchained, which also re-
served the best supporting actor gong
for Christoph Waltz.
Actor Akshay Kumar got a standing
ovation from wife Twinkle for his per-
formance in Neeraj Pandeys Special
26 -- a frst in their 12-year-old mar-
ried life.
Akshay had held a special screening of
the heist drama for Twinkle who was
so impressed that she couldnt help but
give a standing ovation to her husband.
It was a frst in our 12 years together
as a married couple, needless to add,
Im more than just happy about it, said
the actor-producer.
Akshay is glad the flm is getting rave
reviews from critics as well as audi-
ences.
As an actor, you always want to do
something new and Im extremely
glad that the flm is receiving good re-
sponse. The flm deserves every bit of
it, he added.
Akshay gets
standing ovation
from wife Twinkle
ka work on it.
The wedding took place at a private
bunglow in the capital with Bolly-
wood celebrities like veteran actor
Shatrugan Sinha, Jeetendra and Arjan
Bajwa in attendance. Other high pro-
fle guests included Sheila Dikshit,
L.K. Advani, Naveen Jindal and Arun
Jaitley.
16
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 LEISURE


NUGGETS OF WISDOM
Konkan Railway
starts on-board
shopping
H O R O S C O P E
Jhen~ Hkxon~ xhrk
bwbw &rId jI dy slok
== !+.
|++++. ;..=.. :.=.= ..+ i
==.=..+ -..|+. ..+++ ii
..+..|+c.+ =+.. +r..+.+ i
!+. |.. |+.= =+++.= ===+ ii
..+.. == +.a- r .+.: == o.. =r
==. +r..= =.=. = .=. ==.. =
+. + ..+ . .... = =.+= +..
=|. .=.. = =.+= !++ . =. c.:. =
;= |=. =r. = r |.. o = a| =: r|
;= =.+. =. c.i
|+.|-.+.= |.. |+=. |+.+r.= i
...-+.+a.-..+-|+.-|.+.-=c..-+.. ii
+..= =;+ ==.=..| i
..+.. ;== +. |..|+ == = != .=.
r. ==.. + -.+ +.=-.. =., ..-|..
=., =. =., +.+.. =., ..;. =., |+.
=. +.. ++. =., ==. =. . =;. =.
.. c..i
=|. |.+:. +..++++.+ i
..+.. != !|-.+ =|. +-.. =. c.=
+ =+.|+ == -+ ==.. = ++ r.=
..= =+ r| r += +.ai
== !+.
:++ -+== =. = =+|-.++ ii
=.-+ ++ .+.. +c. |.+ i
+|. .. + .+r. =.+ ii
..+.. == +.a-r =. o .+ + :: r|
o = .a... ;= -+===+. =. c.=
+ ..a r| =. r r . +c. =c..
=. r. r +.. + .. + =| |+ .+.
r. r. ri
.:.+ -+=+ r-+.+++ |n+ i
= .+=.++-..+ .++.+ + += ii
..+.. r.. = .:.+ .=. r. r .
+. .. +r+ =a r. r +.. +. +=
.++-=. r. r. r, ;=a| + c.:. r= =.
.. =+. =r. ri
U0|U! 0!3| 8|H' | | U5| !H!!
Fareed, the nights are long, and my
sides are aching in pain.
|T |3J! U! H||H! |H! |8!| H!H!!
Cursed are the lives of those who
place their hopes in others.
U0|U! H H JU! !|0H! |H3! H!|8|3H'!!
Fareed, if I had been there when my
friend came, I would have made my-
self a sacrifce to him.
J3! H HH|5 |HU U|0 HT!0! !!
Now my fesh is burning red on the
hot coals.
U0|U! 3 U! |8HU0|H' |NN|0
8|H H!!
Fareed, the farmer plants acacia
trees, and wishes for grapes.
J8 U' N3!|8U! ! 3 !!
He is spinning wool, but he wishes
to wear silk.
U0|U! T|8 |8N3 U|0 =0 !|
|H!0 J !!
Fareed, the path is muddy, and the
house of my Beloved is so far away.
8! 3 |H N8| 0J' 3 3 J !!
If I go out, my blanket will get soaked,
but if I remain at home, then my heart
will be broken.
|HU |HHU N8| HJ 0HU HJ !!
My blanket is soaked, drenched
with the downpour of the Lords
Rain.
H!|8 |H! |3! HH! 3U !J| J!!
I am going out to meet my Friend,
so that my heart will not be broken.
U0|U! H !! T U! H3 H| J8|
H!|8 !!
Fareed, I was worried that my tur-
ban might become dirty.
T|J! 0J H!8| |H0 | |H|
!|8!!
My thoughtlesss self did not realize
that one day, dust will consume my
head as well.
Sudoku Solution10-FEB-2013
When daughter asked his father
about two look-alike classmates at
her school, he told her that those
were probably twins. The next
day, she came home from school
all excited and said, Guess what?
They are not only twins, theyre
brothers!
Sam: I am so miser that I went
alone for my honeymoon and
saved half the money.
Manoj: That is nothing, I saved
full money.
I sent my wife for honeymoon
with a friend.
Teacher: What a pair of strange
socks you are wearing, one is
green and one is blue with red
spots!
Ramu: Yes ,its really strange.
Ive got another pair of the same
at home.
Teacher: Shamu, go to the map
and fnd North America.
Shamu: Here it is!
Teacher: Correct. Now, Ramu,
who discovered America?
Ramu: Shamu!
Teacher: Raju, your composition
on My Dog is exactly the same
as your brothers. Did you copy
his?
Raju: No, teacher, its the same
dog!
Be not afraid of greatness: some are
born great, some achieve greatness, and
some have greatness thrust upon them.
William Shakespeare
The purpose of art is washing the dust
of daily life off our souls.
Pablo Picasso
A picture is a poem without words.
Horace
The best thing about the future is that
it comes one day at a time.
Abraham Lincoln
Circumstances are beyond human con-
trol, but our conduct is in our own power.
Benjamin Disraeli
Mans greatness lies in his power of
thought.
Blaise Pascal
All the great things are simple, and
many can be expressed in a single
word: freedom, justice, honor, duty,
mercy, hope.
Winston Churchill
One sees great things from the valley;
only small things from the peak.
Gilbert K. Chesterton
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Choosing to be positive and having a
grateful attitude is going to determine
how youre going to live your life.
Joel Osteen
It is not the bodys posture, but the heart
s attitude that counts when we pray.
Billy Graham
Respect your efforts, respect yourself.
Self-respect leads to self-discipline.
When you have both frmly under
your belt, thats real power.
Clint Eastwood
One of the most sincere forms of re-
spect is actually listening to what an-
other has to say.
Bryant H. McGill
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is
a mystery, today is a gift of God,
which is why we call it the present.
Bil Keane
Panaji,
Konkan Railway Thursday started
on-board shopping in select trains,
offering a variety of goods at most
competitive rates.
Commuters on the Goa-Mumbai
route, otherwise harassed by illegal
hop-on-hop-off vendors selling trin-
kets, will now be able to buy anything
from lifestyle watches, jewellery sets
to electronic goods.
Konkan Railway opened its coaches
to on-board sales representatives on
the occasion of Valentines Day.
Konkan Railway said the service had
begun in the Konkankanya and Man-
dovi Express.
It said various products would be sold
at most discounted and competitive
rates. The items shall be vended dur-
ing day time between the Mangaon
and Madgaon stations.
The items on sale would include life-
style watches for ladies and gents,
portable music system, neck band
MP3 player, designer jewellery set,
ladies clutches and handbags, multi
media speakers, spy pen with video
recorder and many more attractive
products.
Do not get short tem-
pered. Finance will im-
prove. Gain from prop-
erty and government is
indicated.
Intelligence will im-
prove.
Professional enhance-
ment is foreseen. Gain
from property is indi-
cated. Do not quarrel
with spouse.
Some skin problems
can arise. Remedy for
Mars is suggested.
Take good care of your
health. Problems related
to brain and spinal cord
are indicated. Do not en-
gage yourself in litiga-
tion. Remedy for Jupiter
is suggested.
Good health and men-
tal peace is indicated.
Education, Business and
luck will improve.
Relation with spouse
will be cordial.
Religious and spiritual
journey is indicated. Good
luck will prevail. Health
will improve.
Financial gains are indi-
cated from others than
own sources.
Success in love affair
and speculation is fore-
seen. Problem related
to property and mother
is indicated. Change in
job is also seen. Rem-
edy for Ketu and Rahu
is suggested.
ARIES
Mar 21-Apr 19
LEO
Jul 23 - Aug. 22
VIRGO
Aug. 23 - Sep 22
CAPRICORN
Dec 22 - Jan 19
SAGITTARIUS
Nov 22 - Dec 21
TAURUS
Apr 20 - May 20

JOKES
Living at higher altitude
can keep you slim
London, Americans living at higher al-
titudes were more likely to be slimmer
than those in low-lying areas, says a
new research. Jameson Voss, from Uni-
formed Services University in Mary-
land, who led the research, said: I
was surprised by the magnitude of the
effect...I wasnt expecting such a con-
sistent pattern as what was emerging.
The study was based on data from
400,000 people living in Colorado. The
fgures showed a persons obesity risk
dropped with every 660 feet increase
in elevation. Cynthia Beall, who re-
searches how the body adapts to high
altitudes but was not involved with the
new study, said its com-
mon for travelers to high
elevations to burn more
calories in their frst few
weeks, the International
Journal of Obesity re-
ports.
Researchers combined
information from sever-
al databases, including a
telephone health survey
of 422,603 Americans
from 2011. They had in-
formation on 236 people
who lived at the highest
altitude of at least 9,800
feet above sea level.
Those people tended to
smoke less, eat health-
ier and exercise more,
according to the Daily
Mail.
The researchers also had
information on 322,681
people who lived in the
lowest altitude range -
less than 1,600ft above
sea level. After taking into account
other factors that could infuence the
results such as retirement age, the re-
searchers found adults living in the
lowest altitude range had a Body Mass
Index (BMI), a height to weight ration
of 26.6. That compared to people who
lived in the highest altitude range, who
had a BMI of 24.2.
INTERESTING TO
KNOW
Sudoku 17-FEB-2013
Expenditure can rise.
Spend wisely. Loss
from speculation is in-
dicated. Love life will
be dull.
Stomach upset cannot
be ruled out. Remedies for Shani and
Rahu are suggested .
Purchase of vehicle is
indicated. Discord in
married life is seen.
Avoid quarrel with
spouse.
No success in business.
Remedy for Rahu and
Ketu is suggested.
Expenses on luxury are
seen. Health will improve.
Sport persons will excel.
Finance will improve.
Mothers health will im-
prove.
Good luck will prevail.
Gain in income is fore-
seen. Transfer in job is
indicated. Your Mothers
health can worry you.
Remedies for Shani &
Rahu are suggested.
Mental Bliss and gain
from business and prop-
erty is indicated. Take
care of your expenses as
there may be unnecessary
expenditure.
Beware of your enemies.
Remedy for Rahu is suggested.
Take care of belongings as
there are chances of theft
and loss.
Unnecessary expenses on
clothing and luxury are
seen. Your siblings will
help you in need. Remedy
for Ketu is suggested.
GEMINI
May 21 - Jun 20
CANCER
Jun 21 - Jul 22
LIBRA
Sep 23 - Oct 22
SCORPIO
Oct 23 - Nov 21
AQUARIUS
Jan 20 - Feb. 18
PISCES
Feb 19 - Mar 20
Sun and Venus in Capricorn. Moon and Jupiter in Taurus.
Shani and Rahu in Libra. Ketu in Aries.
Mars and Mercury in Aquarius.
V. Kumar (Scientifc Horoscope Consultant) You can consult him with
appointment on: 9855150789; 9592095234
The Family by Prabhjot
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 17 REVIEW
Murder 3-not as thrilling as before
Cast: Randeep Hooda, Adi-
ti Rao Hyadri, Sara Loren,
Rajesh Shringapure, Shekhar
Shukla, Bugs Bhargava
Director: Vishesh Bhatt
Producer: Vishesh Films, Fox
Star Studios
After delivering most memo-
rable thrillers, the Bhatt camp is
back again with their latest of-
fering Murder 3. This is the third
installment in the Murder series
and is an offcial Bollywood re-
make of the Colombian thriller
The Hidden Face.
STORY
The story starts off with a top
fashion and wildlife photogra-
pher Vikram (Randeep Hooda)
who is dealing with the mysteri-
ous disappearance of his former
girlfriend Roshni (Aditi Rao
Hydari). The story takes an in-
teresting turn when Vikram gets
into a relationship with Nisha
(Sara Loren), a waitress from a
lounge. She moves in with him
in his grand house outside the
city which holds many secrets,
which Nisha is soon to discover.
Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story-Same old
script with uninteresting Plot
Director: Vinnil Markan
Producer: Kumar S. Taurani
Cast: Vivek Oberoi ,Neha Sharma
, Nassar
Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story is an Bolly-
wood crime romance flm directed by
Vinnil Markan, and produced by Ku-
mar Taurani under Tips Music Films
STORY
Jayanta Bhai(Vivek Oberoi) is a small
gangster of Mumbai who works for
Don(Nassar). However, for some rea-
sons, Don gets imprisoned. His life gets
an unexpected turn when one fne day,
destiny plots a chance encounter and he
meets beautiful enemy Simran (Neha
Sharma) with whom he falls in love.
Everything goes well for them until
Don Returns from jail.
Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story is not a
unique fick, but a lighthearted movie
to be watch, especially by lovers
Kai Po Che-
A magical
soundtrack
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Raj
Kumar Yadav, Amit Sadh, Am-
rita Puri
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Lyrics: Swanand Kirkire
A UTV Motion Pictures pro-
duced d by Ronnie Screwvala
and Siddharth Roy Kapur, direct-
ed by Abhishek Kapoor is based
on the novel The 3 Mistakes of
My Life by Chetan Bhagat. This
album featured only 3 songs from
the most desired Amit Trivedi.
Manja - sung by Amit Trivedi
which is the frst promo. The song
has some proportions of acoustic
guitar, esraj followed by the claps
and the louder bass beat. Brilliant
composition by Amit Trivedi
and outstanding imaginative lyr-
ics by Swanand Kirkire about
ambitions, relationships and life
makes this song a treat to your
ears.
Meethi Boliyaan - Mili Nair,
Amit Trivedi
The song with cheerful mel-
ody will reminds you of the
track Khwabon Ke Parindey
(ZNMD) you will fall in love
with the voice of the Mili Nai
who is a new discovery of Amit
Trivedi. The song is full of life
and energy with meaningful lyr-
ics and mesmerizing tune.
Shubhaarambh - Shruti Pathak,
Divya Kumar
Noticeable Gujrati track by a
Gujarati composer that just force
you tap your foot. The garba
number starts off with Gujarati
lyrics by Shruti Pathak and fur-
ther joined by Divya Kumar with
beautiful tunes of Shehnai and
bagpipes. The mixed lyrics of
original Gujarati and Hindi com-
pliment the tune of the song.
Overall the soundtrack with pure
brilliance reminds of Gujarati
rhythms and sounds. All three
songs are simply fabulous with
high repeat value. Over the years
Amit Trivedi has given more and
more of good music in flms like
DevD, Wake up Sid, etc and he
has proved himself as someone
who values quality over quantity.
Bonjour festival in 16 Indian cities
New Delhi
France is connecting to India with
new arts projects from Indian cul-
tural sensitivities at the ongoing
three-month long Bonjour festival in
16 Indian cities. It began Jan 26 here
and will close in April.
More than 1,000 French artistes are
simaltaneously performing in 16 cit-
ies, including New Delhi, Mumbai,
Bangalore, Chennai, Pune and Kolk-
ata, in the Bonjour India 2013-Fes-
tival of France, with some groups
hopping from one city to another
to showcase their artistic intellectu-
alism. Among the new dance proj-
ects by the French performers are
Ganga and Urban Ballet of tra-
ditional and contemporary free-style
ballet choreographies.It points to the
growing synergy of France with In-
dian dance forms and the new hip-
hop sub-cultures coming out of the
fringe urban neighbourhood, includ-
ing those of India.Ganga is a trib-
ute to the spiritual relevance of the
2,525-km river in the Indian culture,
and is a contemporary dance cho-
reographed by French Mohiniattam
dancer, Brigitte Chataignier.
Chataignier, who studied Mohini-
attam at Kalamandalam in Kerala,
uses the river as a analogy to chron-
icle the journey of a spiritual dancer,
whose rhythm is controlled by the
fow of the river.Before performing
here Feb 9-10 at the Bonjour festival,
Chataignier spent a week in Kolkata
to put her team of artistes from Kol-
kata together and study the course
of the river in maturity and redefne
the body language.Ganga is one
of the four Indian choreographies by
Chataignier based on French poet
Zeno Bianus compositions. Bianu,
a reputed poet who has translated
some work of Indian philosopher J.
Krishnamurthi into French, explores
Indian spirituality and mythology in
his poetry.French choreographer and
dancer Anthony Egea, on the other
hand, has connected to younger au-
diences in eight cities of India with
his hybrid production, Urban Bal-
let that combines classical ballet
with hip-hop, jazz dance, free-style
funk and break dances.
Urban Ballet represents a concept
that is becoming popular among the
new generation of dancers in Paris
and other European capitals, as-
sistant choreographer Celia Thomas
explained.Choreographies apart, a
play, Gates to India Song, an ad-
aptation of two cross-cultural French
novels, India Song and The Vice
Consul by Marguerite Duras will
cast Indian actress Nandita Das in a
central character.Describing the na-
ture of the adaptation, director Eric
Vigner said: The two texts are in-
spired by a common nature, an imag-
inary India. I wanted a cross-cultural
cast to relate to the Indian audience.
Bon Jour has been culturally relating
to India since Jan 26, the day the fes-
tival began with Ballet Preljocaj.
Not only the things that have happened
Author: Mridula Koshy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 352
Price: Rs499
Not Only the Things That Have Hap-
pened is a novel about the stories that
make us and break us and then remake
us.It is the emotional pairing of two
stories, of a mother and a son who were
separated by situation many years ago.
The title comes from the words of An-
nakutty, who believed that, If it is real,
you can remember not only the things
that have happened, but also remember
the things that are going to happen.
STORY
Not Only the Things That Have Hap-
pened is about living with a defciency,
with the impression of what could, or
should, have been. We meet Annakutty
who surrenders her four-year-old son
to German tourists passing through her
town. Thirty six years pass, and she
rest on her death bed not knowing how
to die. He struggles with not knowing
how to live in his life. The mother and
sons search for each other is the form
of their mission for a story command-
ing enough to allow him to live and her
to die without the release of a meeting.
Author profle
Mridula Koshys short-story collec-
tion If It Is Sweet (Tranquebar Press,
2009; Brass Monkey, 2011), won the
2009 Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize and
was shortlisted for the 2009 Vodafone
Crossword Book Award. She lives in
New Delhi and Portland, Oregon, with
her poet-school teacher partner and
three exceptionally wonderful chil-
dren. The author tells us her experi-
ence about writing this brilliant writing
piece. The novel takes place over a
thirty-six hour period and what I like to
do with time in my writing, is to make
the point that the present is always giv-
en to us but the past and the future is of
our making. This makes for a complex
structure as characters travel back and
forth from the present to the past and
into the future
MOVIE REVIEW MUSIC
BOOK REVIEW
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 18 SCIENCE AND TECH
Berlin
Researchers have fgured out why
some people are slow learners -- their
brain may not be able to process infor-
mation suffciently.
Scientists trained the subjects sense of
touch to be more sensitive.
In subjects who responded well to the
training, the EEG (Electroencephalog-
raphy) revealed characteristic changes
in brain activity, more specifcally in
the alpha waves.
These alpha waves show, among other
things, how effectively the brain ex-
ploits the sensory information needed
for learning.
An exciting question now is to what
extent the alpha activity can be delib-
erately infuenced with biofeedback,
said Hubert Dinse from the Neural
Plasticity Lab of the Ruhr-Universitat
Bochum, who led the study.
This could have enormous implica-
tions for therapy after brain injury or,
Washington
The worlds biggest chip-maker Intel
has said it is developing a set-top TV
entertainment box that can provide per-
sonalised programming using a camera
that can watch users watch TV.
This has sparked a conversation among
technology enthusiasts about the fne
line between innovation and privacy.
Today, television does not really know
anything about you, and it is the same
television service for everyone in the
household, said Erik Huggers, vice
president of Intel Media at conference
in California.
The front facing camera on Intels yet-
to-be-named set-top box will come
equipped with facial-recognition soft-
ware that will allow users to receive
TV show recommendations based on
individual viewing patterns and his-
tory, the company said.
In order to actually recognise who is
Toronto
Some people still get past security with
explosives on them, but this may no
longer be possible with scientists re-
vealing a foolproof method to detect
molecules linked to explosive mix-
tures.
Researchers from University of
Albertas Department of Chem-
ical and Materials Engineer-
ing have found a method of
using receptor-free nano-
mechanical infrared
spectroscopy (NIS) to
increase recognition
of chemical mol-
ecules in explo-
sive mixtures.
Seonghwan
Kim, post-
doct or al
fellow at
Alberta,
e x -
p l a i n e d
that conventional sensors cannot detect
specifc molecules in complex mix-
tures if the concentration of interfering
molecules is fve times greater than the
target molecules, the journal Nature re-
ports.
NIS helps detect a few trillionths of a
gram of explosive molecules in a com-
Sydney
Ice ages wiped out rich plant diversity
in Australia, proving that extinction,
instead of evolution, infuences bio-
diversity, says a new research.
Scientists from the Universities of Mel-
bourne and Tasmania has shown that
plant diversity in South East Australia
was as rich as some of the most diverse
places in the world, and that most of
these species went extinct during the
ice ages, probably about one million
years ago.
Kale Sniderman of Melbournes School
of Earth Sciences said the fndings,
based on a comparison of Southern
Australia and South Africa, show ex-
tinction is just as important to diversity
of organisms as evolution, the journal
Proceedings of the National Academy
Washington
Scientists have developed jumping
robots which could skirt obstacles
during search and rescue, thanks to
tiny explosions triggered by a meth-
ane-oxygen mix.
Initially, our soft robot systems used
pneumatic pressure to actuate. While
that system worked, it was rather
slow - it took on the order of a sec-
ond, said Robert Shepherd, former
post-doctoral researcher at Harvard,
now assistant professor at Cornell
University, who led the study.
Using combustion, however, allows
us to actuate the robots very fast. We
were able to measure the speed of the
robots jump at four metres per sec-
ond, said Shepherd, the journal An-
gewandte Chemie reports.
Just as with other soft robots, the
three-legged jumping system be-
gins life as a mould created by a 3-D
printer.
But where pneumatic robots are con-
nected to tubing that pumps in air,
the jumping robots are connected to
tubes that deliver a precisely con-
trolled mix of methane and oxygen.
Using high-voltage wires embedded
in each leg of the robot, researchers
deliver a spark to ignite the gases,
causing a small explosion that sends
the robot into the air.
New Delhi
A state-of-the-art body scanner has
been set up at the Apollo hospital which
detects cancerous cells quickly, and
may go a long way in timely selection
of treatment for cancer patients, off-
cials of the hospital said.
The Positron Emission Tomography-
Magnetic Resonance (PET-MR) has
been combined with PET Computer-
ised Tomography (CT) to create the
PET Suite which scans patients quicker,
thus reducing discomfort and helping in
therapy selection and treatment.
Since they (doctors) can simultane-
ously acquire data from the whole
body, the scanning takes less time, thus,
reducing the discomfort of the patient,
Prathap C. Reddy, chairman of the
Apollo Hospitals Group, told reporters
here.
As MR has no radiation, this machine
can signifcantly reduce the overall ra-
diation dose, making it safer for paedi-
atrics and patients undergoing repeated
studies for therapy monitoring, he
added.
Compared to hospitals abroad, the cost
is 75 percent less and diagnostic accu-
racy is 100 percent, said Uma Ravis-
hankar, head of the department of mo-
lecular imaging and nuclear medicine.
quite generally, for the understand-
ing of learning processes, Dinse was
quoted as saying in the Journal of Neu-
roscience.
The research team from the Ruhr-Uni-
versitat, the Humboldt Universitat zu
Berlin, Charite-Universitatsmedizin
Berlin, and the Max Planck Institute
(MPI) for Human Cognitive and Brain
Sciences were involved in the fndings,
according to a statement of Ruhr-Uni-
versitat Bochum.
How well we learn depends on genetic
aspects, the individual brain anatomy,
and, not least, on attention.
In recent years we have established a
procedure with which we trigger learn-
ing processes in people that do not re-
quire attention, said Dinse.
The researchers were, therefore, able
to exclude attention as a factor. They
repeatedly stimulated the participants
there and to offer you your personal
experience, rather than having to log
in or put your fngerprint or do a retina
scan... to make it completely seamless
you need a camera, Huggers said.
With the chip industry struggling, the
consumer electronics market is where
the money is, Nathan Brookwood,
principal analyst with Insight 64, a
semiconductor consulting frm, told the
website Tech Hive.
The release of the device, slated for lat-
er this year, means Intel will join the al-
ready crowded set-top box market that
includes companies like Roku, Apple,
and Boxee which offer different varia-
tions of home entertainment devices
that can stream movies, shows, and let
users surf the internet.
The box will also offer live and on-de-
mand TV programming and will come
equipped with a programming interface
plex mixture even if there is a higher
concentration of other interfering mol-
ecules, according to an Alberta state-
ment.
Thomas Thundat, professor of chemi-
cal and material engineering at Al-
berta, said the nano-mechanical in-
frared spectroscopy (interaction
between matter and radiated
energy) looks at the physical
nature of the molecule and
even if there are mixed
molecules, we can de-
tect specifc molecules
using this method.
The research
teams current
work looks at
detecting bio-
mol ecul es
and hydro-
carbons
in the oil
industry
and nerve
gas stimulants (DMMP), which can be
found in household radiators, gasoline
and fabric softeners, for example.
The team also hopes to develop a hand-
held device for chemical detection that
could be utilised in felds such as se-
curity, healthcare and environmental
protection.
sense of touch for 30 minutes by elec-
trically stimulating the skin of the hand.
Before and after this passive training,
they tested the so-called two-point
discrimination threshold, a measure of
the sensitivity of touch.
For this, they applied gentle pressure
to the hand with two needles and de-
termined the smallest distance between
the needles at which the patient still
perceived them as separate stimuli.
On average, the passive training im-
proved the discrimination threshold by
12 percent - but not in all of the 26 par-
ticipants.
Using EEG, the team studied why some
people learned better than others.
The results, therefore, suggest that
perception-based learning is highly de-
pendent on how accessible the sensory
information is. The alpha activity, as
a marker of constantly changing brain
states, modulates this accessibility.
that will allow users to fnd shows more
easily than with current cable and satel-
lite options, the company said.
Intels new technology will be of spe-
cial interest to advertisers, who tech
writers said, will have the ability to tar-
get ads using the age and gender of the
individual watching TV.
The on-demand project will none-
theless rely on the viewer-tracker po-
tential, helping advertisers craft more
appropriate content and recommend-
ing more relevant shows depending on
whos watching what, electronics blog
SlashGear reported.
It said Intel is aware of the uphill chal-
lenge the company will face attempt-
ing to market such a device to the gen-
eral public.
Asked if it was getting into a little bit
of creepiness, Huggers said he wanted
to remind potential consumers that the
camera does come equipped with a
shutter that can be closed at any time
for the camera-shy.
Were used to being watched while
were web surfng, said Bill Ray, writ-
er with the global online tech publica-
tion The Register.
What remains to be seen, experts said,
is if the comfort of revealing private in-
formation that has become second na-
ture on the web will be commonplace
for users watching TV in their homes.
Intel developing box that watches you
watch TV
Researchers fgure out why some are
slow learners
Jumping robots
to facilitate search
and rescue
Scanner at Delhi
hospital shows
promise in cancer
treatment
New method to detect explosives
Ice age wiped out plant diversity?
of Sciences reports.
Traditionally scientists believed some
places have more species than others
because species evolved more rapidly
in these places. We have overthrown
this theory, which emphasizes evolu-
tion, by showing that extinction may be
more important, he said, according to
a Melbourne statement.
South-western Australia has a huge
diversity of tough-leaved shrubs and
trees such as eucalypts, Banksias, Gre-
villeas and Acacias, making it one of
the most bio-diverse places on Earth,
Sniderman said.
The southern tip of South Africa is
even richer, with astonishing numbers
of similar kinds of plants such as pro-
teas and ericas, added Sniderman.
19
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013
KIDS
Strange Facts You
Didnt Know
Galileo Galilei
Steps for Raising a Healthy and Fit
Child
Knowing the signifcance
of Basant Panchmi
Vicious
Meaning- Faulty, imperfect
Example- There was a moment when
it looked really vicious.
Licentious
Meaning- Vulgar, dirty
Example- We were treated by that
corrupt policeman in a most licentious
manner.
Abhorrent
Meaning- Disgusting
Example-We were treated by that
corrupt policeman in a most licentious
manner.
Nefarious
Meaning - bad, sinful
Example- The nefarious September
11th attacks did not weaken America.
Despicable
Meaning- hateful
Example- The despicable bandits
who had robbed the old woman were
soon captured.
Learning an instrument can make
kids smarter
I start with an E, end with an E and I
only have one letter, what am I ?
What has four legs and a back, but
cant walk ?
Say my name and I am gone.What am
I ?
I am an insect and the frst half of my
name reveals another insect.
Some famous musicians had a name
similar to mine.
What am I ?
I go up but at the same time go down.
Up towards the blue sky, and down
towards the ground.
Im present tense and past tense too, so
why dont you come for a ride, just me
and you !
China has more English speakers
than the United States.
The strongest muscle in the body
is the TONGUE.
The human body has enough iron
in it to make 3 inches long nail.
An adult human body contains
approximately 100 trillion cells!
Bones in an adult account for 14%
of the bodys total weight.
A n s w e r s :
T h e E n v e l o p e
A C h a i r
S i l e n c e
B e e t l e
S e e s a w
A study has found learning to play an
instrument at a young age can make a
child grow up smarter in life.
Research shows sending youngsters
to music classes from age seven will
speed the development of motor skills
- the part of your brain that plans and
carries out movement, Daily Mail re-
ported.
Vasant Panchami sometimes referred to
as Saraswati Puja or Shree Panchami,
is a Hindu festival. On this day Hindus
worship Maa Saraswati, the goddess of
knowledge, music, art and culture. It is
celebrated on the ffth day of the month
of Magh according to the lunar calendar
.It is frst day of the spring season and
the word Panchami also refers to the
ffth day of the month. Since it is the
worship of Goddess Saraswati, books
are kept at the Devis feet for blessings
and then used by the students to gain
her blessings. Some children do not
even touch the books for the day think-
ing that it would be profane as the books
are the representations of the Goddess
Parents can give their kids a healthy start
from birth. But in the end they need to
follow their own healthy lifestyle. Par-
ents who make healthy selection for
themselves become a perfect model for
their children. Discussion with your child
about a healthy lifestyle will give them a
chance to practice good habits in their life
which can make up for the rest of her life.
Being ft is always referred to a person
who eats well, gets a lot of physical exer-
cise, and has a appropriate body weight. .
If you are ft you can perform any activity
and your body works well.
Below, you will fnd some steps which
can help your children in keeping them-
selves healthy.
Importance of Health- Visit your doc-
tor for regular check up and keep up to
date on all of the recommended vaccines.
Vaccinations also prevent disease and
play an important part in helping your
child grow up healthy. Help your child
understand that this vaccination is a medi-
cine that prevents disease.
Promote good Habits- You can teach
your children to wash their hands at an
early age. Tell your children that skin can
stop germs from entering the body, and
washing can reduce the risk of infection
.These actions may do more to protect
them from harmful germs and viruses can
be spread by a sneeze or a cough.
Physical Fitness- Physical ftness is a
vital part of being healthy. You need to
fgure out which activities your kid likes.
Plan physical activities for them like bi-
cycling, roller skating, running, dancing,
( Feb 15, 1564 - January 8, 1642.)
He is known to the entire world as as-
tronomer, mathematician,
physicist, inventor and philosopher.
Among his many inventions were tele-
scopes, a thermometer and a compass.
Galileo enrolled himself in the Univer-
sity of Pisa to get a medical
degree, but he never fnished. He rather
went on to choose to study
mathematics.
He built on the work of others to create
It was found that there is a special win-
dow of learning between the ages of six
and eight when musical training inter-
acts with motor development, produc-
ing long term changes to the brain.
Learning to play an instrument re-
quires coordination between hands and
with visual or auditory stimuli, said
lead researcher Virginia Penhune, of
power . Yellow color is given impor-
tance and is seen everywhere on this
particular day. As yellow color is con-
nected with Goddess Saraswati as well
as the mustard crop. People prepare
yellow sweets and exchange them with
sense of cheerfulness. Kite-fying is an
integral part of this festival and people
really enjoy this event. Throughout the
nation, Saraswati Puja is performed in
schools, colleges as well as in homes.
In all educational institutions. So now
that we know about this holy festival,
let us worship the Goddess of knowl-
edge Maa Saraswati on this Vas-
ant Panchami with devotion.
the Concordia University in Montreal,
Canada. Importantly, the younger a
musician started, the greater the con-
nectivity.
Practising an instrument before age
seven likely boosts the normal matura-
tion of connections between motor and
sensory regions of the brain, creating a
framework upon which ongoing train-
ing can build.
a telescope with about 3
times magnifcation.
He later improved on his own telescope
and made it with around 30
times magnifcation. With these tele-
scopes, Galileo was able to
observe the sky in ways previously not
achieved.Einstein was Galileos
biggest fan.All knowledge of reality
starts from experience and ends
in it, wrote Einstein.
and ask them to do their favorite activi-
ties regularly.
Eating Habits- Offer your children nu-
tritious choices for meal this way you can
help them control their own diet. Poor
eating habits and junk foods may result in
various health problems. It is essential for
parents to set good examples of healthy
eating in front of them.
Develop good sleeping habits- Getting
enough sleep is crucial to the develop-
ment of children. Avoid allowing chil-
dren to watch television to fall asleep.
Develop a routine as children need about
10 hours of sleep.
Pay attention to them- Communicate
with your child to help them from pick-
ing up bad habits like consumption of to-
bacco, alcohol and drugs.
Education is the most powerful
weapon which you can use to change
the world
- Nelson Mandela
20
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 BUSINESS
SBI proft up at sluggish
4 percent in third quarter
Food bill in budget session: minister
Mumbai
State Bank of India, the countrys larg-
est lender, its net proft in the third quar-
ter of the current fnancial year rose by
a sluggish 4 percent to Rs.3,396.06
crore.
The banks total income increased
to Rs.33,992.11 crore for quar-
ter ended Dec 31, 2012, as
compared to Rs.29,787.37
crore recorded in the cor-
responding quarter of the
previous year.
Addressing a press con-
ference here, SBI chairman
Pratip Chaudhuri said the overall
proft numbers for the year were en-
couraging even though there was slug-
gish increase in the third quarter.
Broadly the proft in the third quarter
is fat. But for the nine month it is up by
Mumbai
Indias entire banking and fnancial
sector will be paralyzed as over 1.5
million employees join the all-India
strike scheduled Feb 20-21, a bank em-
ployees union offcial asserted.
Employees of Reserve Bank of India,
NABARD, 27 nationalized banks, 18
private banks, 12 foreign banks, 46
regional rural banks and 1,600 urban
co-operative banks, besides LIC, GIC
and other fnancial institutions will join
the two-day action, said All India Bank
Employees Associations Maharashtra
unit general secretary V. Utagi.
This will be biggest-ever joint action
by 45 top trade unions across the po-
litical spectrum in recent years and will
signal to the world that trade unionism
is not dead in India, Utagi told IANS
as hectic preparations were underway
to make the agitation a success.
The strike has been called to oppose to
foreign direct investment (FDI) in all
sectors, privatization, contractual ap-
Hyderabad
Sitting on cash reserves of Rs.22,000
crore, National Mineral Development
Corporation, Indias largest iron ore
producer, is looking to acquire more
assets overseas.
C.S. Verma, NMDC chairman and
managing director, told that they were
looking into various proposals for ac-
quisitions including four proposals for
coal and another three to four iron ore
assets.
These are opportune times. We are
looking into various proposals and de-
pending on the merit of each case, we
will take a view, he said.
Verma, however, declined to give any
time frame to complete the acquisi-
tions, saying they were not in a hurry.
He said NMDC was also looking at
overseas acquisitions through Legacy
Iron Ore, an Australian company in
which NMDC bought 50 percent stake.
The public sector miner as an active
partner of International Coal Ventures
New Delhi
Increasing subsidised cooking gas cyl-
inders from nine to 12, more jobs, curb-
ing price rise and providing income tax
relief to the salaried class were some
of the wishes Congress leaders shared
with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram
during his pre-budget consultations,
said party leaders.
Issues like farm sector, minorities,
tribal development, education and in-
frastructure sector were raised. Out of
the 46 leaders present, 32, including
Chidamabaram, spoke, Congress gen-
eral secretary Janardan Dwivedi told
reporters after the two hour long meet-
ing.
Briefng the leaders, Chidambaram told
the leaders that the Indian economy
was undergoing a diffcult period and
the global recession has impacted the
growth rate.
He said former fnance minister Pranab
Mukherjee had tried to arrest the de-
cline in the Indian economy in 2008-09
through a fnancial stimulus.
Chidambaram highlighted that the fs-
cal defcit has to be controlled, said a
Gurgaon
Sub-contractors, land owners and
employees of the upcoming Kundli-
Palwal-Manesar (KMP) Expressway
in Haryana staged a sit-in over unpaid
dues near the main contractors site
offce here on Delhi-Jaipur National
Highway.
They were demanding early payment
of dues by main contractor DSC Lim-
ited whose offce is based at Mokalwas
on National Highway 8, some 60 km
from Delhi.
The sub-contractors on agitation
included Dharma Constructions
Dharamvir Yadav, Sunderji Construc-
tions Sunder Singh, Shri Ram Crane
Servicess Satish Kumar and Atul Trac-
tors Hemraj.
Dharma Constructions Dharamvir Ya-
dav alleged that he had done earth work
and his more than Rs.1 crore payment
was pending with the company.
A cheque for Rs.15 lakh was issued Dec
14, 2012, but its payment was stopped.
A fresh cheque issued Feb 5 bounced
when presented in bank, he alleged.
Sunil Nayak, spokesperson of DSC,
told IANS: We will certainly make
payments of all the sub-contractors, but
a few days back they took our trucks
with drivers and materials forcibly into
their custody.
We have already made some payment,
he said.
New Delhi
The Congress-led UPA government
wants to pass the National Food Se-
curity Bill during parliaments budget
session beginning Feb 21 and will pro-
tect the interest of the states, Food
Minister K.V. Thomas.
We hope to introduce the bill in the
last week of the frst half of the budget
session and pass it in the second half,
Thomas told reporters.
He said many states expressed reserva-
tions on the provisions of the proposed
bill, especially on subsidised grain al-
location, with Tamil Nadu saying it
wanted to stay out of it.
We will protect the current subsidised
grain allocation of the states...we hope
Tamil Nadu will also come around to
our view, said Thomas.
The food ministry had held detailed
discussions with the state ministers.
The revised bill will be fnalised based
a healthy 40 percent, Chaudhuri said.
He pointed out that SBI was the third
highest proft making company in India
after Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
(ONGC) and Reliance Industries (RIL).
SBIs share price dropped 1.82 percent
at Rs.2,214 at the Bombay Stock
Exchange (BSE) after the quar-
terly result was announced.
SBI Groups net proft after
minority interest increased
to Rs.4,648.44 crore for
the quarter ended Dec 31
as compared to Rs.4,318.08
crore in the corresponding pe-
riod of previous year.
The groups total income increased to
Rs.50,942.14 crore in the third quarter
of the current fnancial year as com-
pared to Rs.43,106.49 crore in the like
period of last year.
pointments, infation, corruption and
other key issues confronting the people
of the country.
The two-day strike in Mumbai will
be preceded by a long march Monday
(Feb 18) in south Mumbai which over
200,000 people are expected to take
part.
Mumbai, the countrys fnancial capi-
tal, will be particularly hit hard next
week starting with Mondays long
march, Tuesday being a public holiday
on account of Shivaji Jayanti followed
by the two-day strike.
According to Utagi, public transport in-
cluding cabbies and buses, the Mumbai
Port Trust and other major organiza-
tions will take part in the strike.
He said that the strike will see the par-
ticipation of over 50 crore, including
members of all trade unions and other
employees in the private sector, farm-
ers and labourers across different sec-
tors.
Limited is looking to acquire various
coal assets in different countries.
To another query, Verma said NMDC
was trying to operationalise the licence
it got for a gold mine in Tanzania.
We have to complete prospecting and
then only we can have a time frame,
he said.
He denied that NMDC proposed to in-
vest in other state-owned companies.
The companys proposed Rs.16,000-
crore steel plant in Chhattisgarh has
also gathered momentum.
Verma said it has so far invested
Rs.3.500 crore and placed orders worth
Rs.13,000 crore.
The money for overseas acquisitions,
steel plant and the expansion of its iron
ore capacity will come from Rs.30,000
crore capital expenditure earmarked for
the 12th fve-year plan (2012-17).
The companys capex has gone up by
10 times from Rs.3,000 crore during
the 11th fve-year plan.
Congress leader who was present in the
meeting.
Senior leader Ajit Jogi talked about
tribal development and the need to
push development projects in the Mao-
ist-affected areas.
General secretary Oscar Fernandes
wanted more gas reserves to be found
to reduce Indias dependence on oil im-
ports.
Suggestions about increasing the bud-
gets for minority welfare, child welfare
and education development depart-
ments were also made.
General secretary Jagdish Tytler
stressed the government should focus
on creating more employment opportu-
nities with an eye on the 2014 general
elections.
Demands like a rail coach factory in
Jammu and Kashmir to generate local
employment and focused development
of the usually neglected north eastern
region were also made during the meet-
ing, said the sources.
Some leaders also wanted spending on
social sector and fagship programmes
to be increased.
on the agreements reached with the
states, he said.
The points of convergence are overall
67 percent of the 1.2 billion population
to be covered with the benefciaries
entitled to fve kg grain per person per
month at Rs.3 per kg for rice, Rs.2 for
wheat and Re.1 for coarse grain.
Many states expressed differences on
the quantity of grain to be given at sub-
sidised rates under the bill and on who
would be the benefciaries.
Thomas said the states would identify
the benefciaries based on the inclusion
and exclusion criteria agreed between
them and the centre.
Welcoming states who run their own
subsidised food schemes, the minister
said state laws will be dependent on the
central law as it gives subsidy on the
grain.
There will be no confict with state
laws, said Thomas.
He said the food security bill would be
implemented in consultation with the
states, many of whom have asked for a
one year window to prepare for it.
Bihar, Orissa, Punjab and Gujarat want
the government to modernise the pub-
lic distribution system (PDS) before
implementing the proposed law.
Distribution is key to implementation
of the bill, said Thomas.
The proposed bill, part of the Congress
manifesto in the 2009 general elections,
is expected to be the fagship legisla-
tion of the United Progressive Alliance
(UPA-II) in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
It is a pro-poor bill... it is a dream proj-
ect of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi,
said Thomas. It aims at protection of
lifecycle of the poor people.
The bill will add Rs.20,000 crore more
to the Rs.1 lakh crore food subsidy at
present.
Also, food grain requirement under the
bill will go up from 55 million tonnes
to between 60-62 million tonnes.
The bill was introduced in the Lok
Sabha in December 2011 and sent to a
parliamentary standing committee. The
revised bill is being worked out on the
basis of the panels recommendations,
Thomas said.
While states like Tamil Nadu, West
Bengal and Chhattisgarh wanted uni-
versal PDS, Orissa, Kerala and Bihar
said the quantity of 5 kg grain per per-
son per month suggested by the parlia-
mentary panel was not suffcient.
Financial sector to be hit
during two-day bank strike
NMDC looking to acquire
more overseas assets
Congress leaders present budget
wishlist to Chidambaram
Sit-in by unpaid
Haryana
expressway sub-
contractors
21
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 BUSINESS
Index Starting Value Close Value Your Money Change Change in Money Total Sum in Hand
S&P CNX Nifty 5920 5887 10000 -0.6% -55 9945
CNX Nifty Junior 12072 11871 10000 -1.7% -166 9834
CNX 100 5840 5798 10000 -0.7% -72 9928
CNX 200 3006 2979 10000 -0.9% -90 9910
S&P CNX 500 4692 4647 10000 -1.0% -95 9905
NIFTY Midcap 50 2228 2152 10000 -3.4% -338 9662
CNX Midcap 8110 7925 10000 -2.3% -227 9773
CNX Smallcap 3506 3414 10000 -2.6% -262 9738
CNX Auto 4593 4585 10000 -0.2% -16 9984
CNX Bank 12298 12337 10000 0.31% 31 10031
CNX Energy 8185 8074 10000 -1.4% -136 9864
CNX Finance 5028 5020 10000 -0.2% -16 9984
CNX FMCG 15037 14979 10000 -0.4% -39 9961
CNX IT 6873 6864 10000 -0.1% -13 9987
CNX Media 1802 1732 10000 -3.9% -391 9609
CNX Metal 2666 2603 10000 -2.3% -234 9766
CNX MNC 5396 5287 10000 -2.0% -203 9797
CNX Pharma 5862 5865 10000 0.1% 6 10006
CNX PSU Bank 3445 3375 10000 -2.0% -204 9796
CNX Realty 283 262 10000 -7.31% -731 9269
CNX Consumption 2286 2255 10000 -1.4% -136 9864
CNX Commodities 2449 2415 10000 -1.4% -141 9859
CNX Dividend Opportunities 1685 1665 10000 -1.2% -119 9881
CNX Infrastructure 2457 2378 10000 -3.2% -321 9679
CNX PSE 2971 2970 10000 0.0% -3 9997
CNX Service Sector 7247 7233 10000 -0.2% -19 9981
*In Rs *In Rs
Best Performer 10031 CNX Bank
Worst Perfromer 9269 CNX Realty
If I invested Rs 10,000
This column tabulates and calculates the net amount with a person if he invested Rs. 10,000 in an index or market linked plan. The section
provides the readers with net returns linked to CNX Nifty and also its sub-indices like IT, Realty and Automobiles to name a few. The column
is a potent tool to understand market performance in simple Rupee terms rather than percentage or basis points.
Indian frm to train 1,500 IT
engineers in Nigeria
Lagos
An Indian information technology
company will train 1,500 computer
aided designs and drafting (CADD) en-
gineers in Nigeria annually.
Having opened a centre in the capi-
tal city of Abuja earlier, the IT frm
-- CADD Centre -- has now set up an-
other centre in this port city of Lagos in
western Africa for this objective.
CADD Centre Training Services is the
training arm of 24-year-old CADD
Centre Group, headquartered in Chen-
nai.
S. Karaiadiselvan, managing direc-
tor of the CADD Centre, said the two
centres will train the engineers in over
15 global CAD/CAE/CAM and Project
Management products from engineer-
ing frms such as Autodesk, PTC, Bent-
ley, and Siemens.
The CADD Centre is committed to
enhance Nigerias competitiveness by
providing world class CAD and project
management education customised to
the needs of oil and non-oil based in-
dustries and services sector in Nigeria.
Today, Nigeria ranks third in Africa in
factory output. This West African na-
tion is fast becoming the powerhouse
of Africa with the country focusing
on infrastructure development, said
Karaiadiselvan.
In this context, the country needs a
vast pool of local talent well trained in
software.
Ayoola Jolayemi, chief executive of
Riverbank Technologies and Engineer-
ing Services Limited, said the compa-
ny, master franchise of CADD Centre
in Nigeria and west Africa, the centre
will help in improving skilled work-
force in various engineering felds in
Nigeria.
Local and multi-national companies
are continuously looking for qualifed
or multi-skilled manpower who are in
tune with latest technology, said Jolay-
emi.
Hence over 95 percent of corporate
send their staff on international train-
ings outside Nigeria to acquire new
skills.
However, with the setting up of
CADD Centres in Nigeria, they can be
trained within the country, thus saving
training cost both for companies and
students, Jolayemi added.
General Motors
2012 proft drops
Chicago
General Motors Co. earned $4.86 bil-
lion in 2012, down from a record $7.59
billion in 2011, Detroit News quoted
GM as saying.
The Detroit automaker earned $2.92
per share for the year, down from $4.58
a share in 2011, reported Xinhua.
GMs revenue rose by $1.3 billion
in the fourth quarter to $39.3 billion
and increased one percent in 2012 to
$152.3 billion.
GM lost $699 million before interest
and taxes in Europe in the fourth quar-
ter, compared to a loss of $562 million
a year ago; and lost $1.8 billion in 2012
as a whole, compared to a loss of $747
million in 2011.
Analysts hold that 2012 as a whole
was a good year for GM. Though the
automaker lost certain market share at
home, it still posted a 4-percent sales
growth and has benefted greatly from
the Chinese market expansion. GM
is expected to enjoy continued sales
growth in North America, China, India
and Brazil in 2013.
US looking for business opportunities
in Vizag
Hyderabad
The US is looking for business oppor-
tunities in Visakhapatnam, the second
biggest city in Andhra Pradesh, espe-
cially in the port sector.
Judy R. Reinke, minister counsellor for
commercial affairs at the US embassy,
would be visiting the port city also
known as Vizag.
I will have a chance to talk to the port
community and to see opportunities
for American business to do more en-
gagement in the port sector, she said
at annual day function of the American
Chamber of Commerce Hyderabad
Chapter (AMCHAM) here.
She said the US was keen to have fur-
ther engagement with Andhra Pradesh.
The US commercial service at US
embassy has an offce here. I am also
happy to say that last year we opened
American Business Corner in Vizag
with a local partner because we see it
is important to have even further en-
gagement here in Andhra Pradesh, she
said.
Reinke noted that many American
companies including Microsoft, AMD,
International Paper, DE Shaw & Co,
Qualcomm, S&P Capital and CA Tech-
nologies have made Andhra Pradesh
their home.
Hyderabad is beautiful city known for
its cuisine, culture, history and people.
It is also global destination city. One
fnds people from all over world in
hotels and in companies here and it is
a city known for its engagement with
global market, she said.
James Golsen, commercial offcer, US
Consulate, Chennai said the business
relationship between the US and Hy-
derabad was ever expanding.
Katherine Dhanani, consul general in
Hyderabad, pointed out that during last
one year trade delegations from San
Antonio, Texas and Washington states
visited Hyderabad and the focus was
medical devices and renewable energy
sectors.
J. A. Chowdary of Talent Sprint and B.
V. R. Mohan Reddy of Infotech Enter-
prises were felicitated for their leader-
ship role in promoting business ties be-
tween the US and Andhra Pradesh.
Eleven institutions were also honoured.
They included the Confederation of In-
dian Industry (CII), Federation of Indi-
an Chambers of Commerce and Indus-
try (FICCI), the Andhra Pradesh unit
of FICCI, Indo-American Chamber of
Commerce and Aurobindo Pharma.
22
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013
SPORTS
Spectacular celebrations have taken
place in Sochi
Special Paharganj trio followed Olympic
dream to Seoul
The Russian city begins the one-year countdown until it hosts the 2014 Olympic Winter Games
International Olympic Committee
President Jacques Rogge, joined by
President and CEO of the Sochi 2014
Olympic Organising Committee Dmi-
try Chernyshenko, offcially invited the
worlds National Olympic Committees
(NOCs) and their athletes to take part in
next years Games after a stunning ice
show saw more than 300 participants
re-enact the story of Sochis prepara-
tions over the last six years.
New Delhi
All India Football Federation (AIFF)
president Praful Patel said Wednes-
day that he was in talks with the gov-
ernment and hoped to get assurances
that would satisfy world body FIFA in
granting the hosting rights of the
2017 U-17 World Cup to
India.
We are working on
a resolution with
the sports ministry.
FIFA has asked
for some more as-
surances from the
government in
the form of guar-
antees. Hopefully
it will be solved,
Patel told reporters
here on the sidelines of a
two-day seminar on football
organised by FICCI.
Patel said that AIFF lawyers have been
briefed by the FIFA at its headquarters
in Zurich.
But the sports ministry is yet to hear
from the AIFF the specifc assurances
demanded by FIFA.
Pradip Kumar Dep, secretary, sports,
said that the government was keen to
New Delhi
From the congested bylanes of central
Delhis Paharganj to icy arenas in glit-
tering Seoul, it has been a journey to
fame and honour for teens Raj Kumar
Tiwari, Suman Chandraprakash and
Alpana Jagdish who won golds at the
Special Winter Olympics.
Raj Kumar, 18, who suffers from hy-
peractivity disorder and low IQ, won a
gold and silver in fgure skating, a sport
hardly known in India. Suman, 19, who
is intellectually disabled, captained the
foor hockey team to another gold as
Indias tally of medals at the February
Games reached 46. And Alpana, 18,
who also suffers from the same con-
dition, won the gold in snowshoeing,
again a sport few people know about.
Theirs is a rare story of triumphing
odds at multiple levels - battling not
just their compulsions and societal bi-
ases to reach the acme of their sport but
also overcoming enormous fnancial
constraints to scale heights rarely seen
before. Because the trio from Paha-
rganj, a locality known more as budget
tourist hangout, is not part of Indias
elite but belong to families who strug-
gle to make ends meet.
Raj Kumars father is a street vendor,
Sumans a tailor and Alpana, who lost
Mumbai
Indias cricket selectors dropped out-
of-form Gautam Gambhir and included
off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for the
frst two Test of the four-match series
against Australia starting later this
month.
The Sandip Patil-headed selection
committee, that met at the Cricket
Centre here Sunday, also included two
opening batsmen Murali Vijay and Shi-
khar Dhawan, who were impressive for
Rest of India against Mumbai in the
Irani Cup.
Vijay was part of the Test squad against
England while Dhawan was selected
ahead of veteran Mumbai opener Wa-
sim Jaffer, who has been in good form
this season.
Harbhajan was dropped from the squad
for the fourth Test against England but
has come back after a strong perfor-
mance in the Ranji Trophy. Harbha-
jan, who replaces Piyush Chawla, will
be third spinner in the side along with
Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan
Ojha.
Among the pacers, Bhuvneshwar Ku-
mar retained his place in the side fol-
lowing a strong performance in the
ODIs against Pakistan and England.
Ishant Sharma and Ashok Dinda are
the other fast bowlers while Parwind-
er Awana, who was in the side during
The performance which was direct-
ed by Olympic silver medallist Ilya
Averbukh and featured fgure skat-
ing stars such as Olympic champions
Tatiana Navka, Roman Kostomarov,
Alexej Yagudin, Tatiana Totmianina
and Maxim Marinin included tributes
to the history of the Olympic Winter
Games and its athletes, as well as seg-
ments highlighting the construction of
the new venues in Sochi and the off-
look into the assurances demanded by
FIFA but it was diffcult to give it in
writing.
The AIFF hasnt got back to us after
they were briefed by FIFA. We are keen
to offer the assurances but diffcult for
the government to give it in
writing, he said.
Asked if the assur-
ances are practi-
cally feasible,
Deb said: The
a s s u r a n c e s
they want are
there in the
laws of the
land. But it can
only be given
once they apply.
During the Com-
monwealth Games
also we gave tax conces-
sions but again it was applied
for. The government is keen on hosting
the U-17 World Cup and we will try our
best.
FIFA last month rejected the govern-
ments letter supporting Indias bid
for the U-17 World Cup and asked for
specifc assurances on security, tax and
foreign exchange infow.
her father to dengue in 1996, is sup-
ported by her mother who works as a
domestic help.
The trio attend the Prabha Institute, a
school for special children, where they
met their coach Rohit Manchanda, who
was a catalyst in their sporting careers.
I cant thank people enough... I have
had to work really hard but its all come
good. Now I want to go to the Special
Summer Olympics, Raj Kumar told
IANS.
His father Ramkesh earns just about
Rs.1,000-Rs.1,500 a month (About
$25-30). The households major in-
come comes from Raj Kumars el-
der brother Vivekanand, who earns
Rs.4,000 a month as an electrician.
The severe crunch did not come in the
way of the family doing everything it
could to provide training to the son,
who has always been an athlete at heart.
A small rented room in Paharganj
where seven family members are
crammed in, is hardly a place for bud-
ding fgure skaters. But that didnt stop
him from fulflling his dream.
I had never seen ice before. I started
with roller skating but my coach at the
Prabha Institute thought that I should
give fgure skating a try, he said.
Accompanied by his mother, Raj Ku-
Tests against England, faced the axe.
Another opening batsman Ajinkya Ra-
hane, who scored 83 in the frst innings
of the Irani Cup match, also managed to
retain his place in the squad but Suresh
Raina, who struck a century and a ffty
in both the innings, failed to attract the
attention of the selectors.
Dhawan was rewarded for his con-
sistent performance in the domestic
circuit. The Delhi boy has scored 833
frst-class runs this season at an average
of 55.53, including four hundreds and
three ffties. He has scored 524 runs,
including two hundreds and two ffties,
at an average of 47.63 from eight Ranji
Trophy matches. He also struck 110 for
Delhi against England XI in a warm-
up fxture ahead of the fve-match ODI
series that was won by India.
Board secretary Sanjay Jagdale in a
statement said Gambhir replaces Dha-
wan in the India A side that will play
a three-day warm-up game against
Australia Feb 16-18. Gambhir will lead
India A.
Indian squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
(captain), Virender Sehwag, Shikhar
Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin
Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jade-
ja, Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandran
Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Bhuvneshwar
Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Dinda,
Murali Vijay and Ishant Sharma
cial slogan of the Games, Hot, Cool,
Yours.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Jean-Claude Killy, the Chairman of the
IOC Coordination Commission for So-
chi 2014, also spoke during the event,
which concluded with a spectacular
freworks display in the skies above
Sochi, marking exactly one year to
go until the Opening Ceremony of the
Games on 7 February 2014.
mar then went for fgure skating ses-
sions at the Ambience Mall in Gurgaon
where each session, lasting an hour and
15 minutes, on weekdays costs Rs.350
and on weekends and Rs.450 on holi-
days.
You cannot fathom what he has done
for the family. People who would shun
us away at every sight now want to
meet us and sit with us. Our villagers
back home are slowly getting the news
of my sons achievement and the phone
has not stopped ringing, said his proud
father Ramkesh.
We could only manage two small
meals a day but now I can see good
things happening to this family. I cant
thank my son enough.
Suman, who stays a stones throw away
from Raj Kumar, tells a similar story.
This is only the start for me. I have
now got a great platform and I want to
learn other sports as well so that I can
compete in many more competitions.
I also want to teach sports to children
like me, a beaming Suman told IANS.
Life has not been easy for her but bat-
tling adversities has made her the per-
son she is. Sumans father has a small
tailor stand and takes care of his wife,
four daughters and a son.
Alpana stays in a tiny room with her
mother and twin brother. Her doughty
mother Krishna left no stone unturned
to fulfl her daughters wishes.
I was never interested in studying. I
spent my time playing various sports.
The coach used to send me to Shimla
and other places where it snows for my
training, said Alpana.
Now when I step up out from the
house, people recognise me as the girl
who came on television. I want to go
for other tournaments as well. Im
pretty good in basketball so hopefully
someone will notice that as well.
Inspirational stories all, unfolding in
one neighbourhood. Clearly, Paharganj
is where special dreams are born.
Gambhir dropped, Harbhajan
back for frst two Tests
AIFF, sports ministry hope to
satisfy FIFA queries
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013 23
SPORTS
IOC leaves Indian wrestlings future in doubt
New Delhi
Indias wrestling community, including
Olympic medal winners Sushil Kumar
and Yogeshwar Dutt, was in a state of
shock after the International Olympic
Committees (IOC) decision Tuesday
to remove the sport from the 2020 edi-
tion of the Games.
Sushil, Indias only double individual
Olympic medallist, said it was a Black
Day for the sport at a time when Indian
wrestlers were doing good at interna-
tional events.
It is a huge setback for the sport. It
came as a complete shocker. I cannot
believe that IOC can take such a harsh
decision about one of the oldest sports in
the Olympics, Sushil, who won back-
to-back medals in Beijing (bronze) and
London (silver), told IANS.
Sushil said the sport will now only go
down despite India winning two medals
from the sport at the London Games.
The sport was looking up in India. It
had a bright future. Lot of youngsters
were taking up the sport, especially af-
ter our success at the London Games.
But now the blow will take the sport
backward in India, said Sushil.
Yogeshwar, who won a silver medal at
the London Games, also agreed with
Sushil and said IOCs decision will be a
big blow for the youngsters.
New Delhi
The National Rife Association of In-
dia (NRAI) Monday barred its three
offcials who occupy key positions in
the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)
from taking part in its elections April 6.
The three offcials are IOA vice-pres-
ident Anurag Thakur, joint secretary
Raja K. Sidhu and executive committee
member Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi.
Thakur, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Member of Parliament (MP), also holds
important administrative positions in
other sports associations. Thakur is the
president of Himachal Pradeshs crick-
et, shooting and Olympic associations.
Secretary of Punjab Olympic Asso-
ciation Sidhu and Sodhi both represent
Punjabs shooting body as secretary-
general and vice-president, respective-
ly. Tripura Olympic Associations sec-
retary Rupak Deb Roy, who is also an
offce bearer of the state shooting body,
will also not be allowed tot ake part in
the NRAI election.
NRAI president Raninder Singh said
the national body has written to all its
affliated units to bar those offcials
who took part in the elections of the
IOA, which has been de-recognised by
the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) over rigged elections in Decem-
ber. The units have been given 15 days
time to act against the members, who
took Abhay Singh Chautalas side in
the IOA elections.
The elected IOA body is an illegal
entity. The IOC has clearly said that it
recognises the IOA that was headed by
president Vijay Kumar Malhotra and
secretary-general Randhir Singh. We
have sent a directive to all our affliated
units that they should stay away from
all the offcials who took part in the
Sydney
Australia captain Michael Clarke has
said touring India for a Test series al-
ways remains the toughest challenge.
Clarke, who left for India Tuesday
morning, said the tour remains a huge
challenge because the Australian team
hasnt won many matches in the sub-
continent.
Touring India is as tough a challenge
as Ive had in my career. Every time
Ive been there on a Test tour its been
extremely diffcult, hence the Austra-
lian team hasnt won that much over
there. So its a huge challenge, the play-
ers know that, Clarke was quoted as
saying in the Australian media.
The Australian captain said sending an
advanced tour party will help the crick-
eters acclimatise to the Indian condi-
tions.
Thats partly why were trying to pre-
pare as well as we can by sending play-
ers early to get them used to conditions,
to give ourselves the best chance. We
know its going to be tough, we know
how good India is, but we look forward
New Delhi
Indian mens and womens team will
play their opening matches against Fiji
and Kazakhstan, respectively, in the
Hero Hockey World League Round 2
to be held here from Feb 18.
China, Ireland, Bangladesh, Oman, Fiji
and India are participating in the mens
event, while in the womens group, Ja-
pan, Russia, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Fiji
and India are competing.
India mens team will play their frst
match against Fiji Feb 18 followed by
China Feb 23. The women start their
campaign Feb 18 against Kazakhstan
and play a tough match against Japan
Feb 22.
The Hockey World League is a qualify-
ing league for the 2014 FIH World Cup
in Hague, the Netherlands.
In all, 54 countries are participating in
the mens category and 45 in the wom-
ens section.
In Round 1, which was held from Aug
17 to Dec 15, 2012, 34 teams partici-
pated and played matches in a round-
I am surprised with IOCs decision be-
cause it is played in all the 209 member
countries of FILA (international wres-
tling body). It is also a very spectator-
friendly sport. I see no logic behind
removing wrestling from 2020, Yo-
geshwar told IANS.
The 30-year-old said that now the
youngsters wont be inspired to take up
the sport.
Why will the youngsters take up
wrestling any more? There were so
many long-term programmes planned
till 2020 and now all will be shelved.
There also wont be any government
support since wrestling no longer will
be an Olympic sport, said Yogeshwar.
Sushil and Yogeshwars coach Yash-
vir Singh said it was a Black Day for
wrestling but remained hopeful that
the sport will be again included in the
Olympics.
It is a Black Day for wrestling. We had
already planned for the 2020 Games.
We had a pool of 25 wrestlers for the
next two Olympics. The government
was giving us all support for the Olym-
pics. Now there will be a big question
on all these plans if wrestling no longer
remains an Olympic sport, said Yash-
vir.
Wrestling, which includes freestyle and
Greco-Roman events, has been a part
illegal IOA elections, said Raninder
Singh.
Raninder Singh said Punjab is the frst
state to take action against its offcials,
who voted for Abhay Singh Chautala in
the IOA elections. Gurbir Singh Sand-
hu, president of Punjabs shooting body
and father of former World Champion
Manavjit Singh Sandhu, has already
suspended Sidhu and Sodhi.
Raninder Singh, son of former Punjab
chief minister Amrinder Singh, said
steps are being taken to ensure that the
careers of the Indian shooters are not
jeopardised.
The IOA has been suspended by the
IOC. We were the only association
to boycott the IOA elections. Our af-
fliation to our international body ISSF
hasnt been affected. There will be no
double standards and we will follow
the directives of the ISSF, said Ra-
ninder Singh.
The NRAI president said the Return-
ing Offcer retired Judge Mehtab Singh
Gill has been given the option to con-
duct the elections as per the national
sports code or any other process he
feels suitable.
Rule 14 of the NRAI constitution
clearly states that the chairman/Re-
turning Offcer has the authority to se-
lect the method for the conduct of the
elections. We have forwarded Mr. Gill
the advisory by the sports ministry re-
garding the sports code. It is up to the
Returning Offcer to decide how he
conducts the elections, said Raninder
Singh.
The NRAI president also said that the
Indian shooters will be participating
in the World Cup, as also other ISSF
events, under the tricolour.
to it, he said.
Asked about his unimpressive perfor-
mance when Australia last toured in
2010, Clarke said: What Ive learned
in the past is how important preparation
is for my personal performance. I need
to make sure Ive done all my training
to give myself the best chance of scor-
ing runs.
Clarke said he was looking forward to
play the warm-up game starting Satur-
day in Chennai.
Thats what Im looking forward to
over the next few days. Getting into
the Indian conditions, batting on those
wickets, facing a lot of reverse swing,
a lot of spin bowling, and making sure
when that frst balls bowled in that frst
Test that Ill be as well prepared as I
was for this summer.
Id really like to play that three-dayer.
Ill be advised by Alex [Kountouris]
the physio once I land in India but at
this stage my plan is to play that three-
dayer. There is so much time I dont
think there is any doubt Ill be ft for
the frst Test, he said.
robin format across nine venues. Thir-
teen teams qualifed from Round 1 and
will join 10 higher-ranked teams in
Round 2.
Twenty-three teams in the FIH Hockey
World League Round 2 will compete
against each other at four venues - New
Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Saint-Germain-
en-Laye (France) and Elektrostal (Rus-
sia) - from Feb 18 to June 2.
Seven teams will qualify from Round 2
and will join nine higher-ranked teams
in Round 3 (Semi-Final league), to be
held in the Netherlands and Malaysia
June 13-July 7.
From there, seven teams will qualify
of the Olympics since the inaugural
modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.
Despite being one of the most tradition-
al sports of the Olympics, wrestling has
been axed to make way for a new sport
to be added to the Olympics that will be
decided in May at IOCs meeting in St.
Petersburg.
Wrestling lost to taekwondo and mod-
ern pentathlon in a close voting held
at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne.
The sports were rated on 39 different
criteria including television ratings and
ticket sales based on the 2012 London
Games.
At the London Games, 344 wrestlers
competed in 11 medal events in free-
style and seven in Greco-Roman.
Wrestling, which is the national sport
of Iran, will now have to fght it out
with other sports like softball and base-
ball, squash, karate, sport climbing,
wakeboarding, wushu and rollersports
for pitching its case for inclusion in the
Olympics in May.
The changes will be ratifed in Septem-
ber during the full session of the IOC in
Buenos Aires.
India have won four Olympic medals
from wrestling. Khashaba Dadasaheb
Jadhav was the frst Indian wrestler to
win an Olympic medal, a bronze, in the
1952 Helsinki Games.
NRAI bars three top IOA
members from its election process
Touring India is a tough
challenge: Clarke
Indian men face Fiji in Hockey World League
opener
for the fnal in February 2014.
In the womens Round 1, 28 teams
participated and played matches in a
round-robin format at six venues. Fif-
teen teams qualifed from Round 1 and
have joined 10 higher-ranked teams in
Round 2.
Twenty-three teams in Round 2 are
competing against each other at four
venues - Cape Town, New Delhi,
Valencia and Rio de Janeiro - Jan
21-March 10. Eight teams will qualify
from Round 2 and will join eight high-
er-ranked teams in the FIH Hockey
World League Round 3 (Semi-Final
league) June 13-July 7.
24
CHANDIGARH
SUNDAY 17 Feb 2013
Printer, Owner and Publisher: Manu Sharma, Editor: Manu Sharma, RNI Reg. No.: PUNMUL/2012/45041 Postal Reg. No. PB/JL-047/2013-15. Published at Central Town,
Jalandhar Printed at: Tej Mohan Nagar Jalandhar
Beware of being catfshed online!
You cant fsh without bait. But in the
wake of a high-profle episode involv-
ing a college athlete and his fctitious
girlfriend, experts warn that catfsh-
ing - online romance through decep-
tion - is a rising internet risk with po-
tentially dangerous consequences.
People dont realise how much they
are playing with fre when they play
with a persons emotions, said Pepper
Schwartz, sociology professor at the
University of Washington and an author
and sexologist.
Anyone can be taken in by online cat-
fshing scammers, she said, but people
who were experientially or emotion-
ally nave are particularly at risk of be-
ing duped by people they meet through
the internet but not in person.
There is a lot of delusionary behaviour
and naivety on the part of a person who
gets catfshed, Schwartz told RIA No-
vosti.
Someone who is a little bit more expe-
rienced might say something about this
doesnt smell right.
Catfshing, a term coined from the 2010
flm Catfsh documenting a young
mans supposed romance with a woman
he met through Facebook who in fact
did not exist, has come into sharp fo-
cus following an embarrassing story in-
volving Manti Teo, a football star with
the University of Notre Dame.
In Teos case, the bait manifested
itself in the form of a woman he met
online named Lennay Kekua. He said
the girl tragically died of leukemia last
year - a gripping human drama that was
amplifed by numerous US media out-
lets which themselves fell for the tale
without checking facts independently.
Teos story of excelling on the football
feld while trying to cope with the death
of his girlfriend captivated the nation.
Until, that is, sport website Deadspin
reported that the entire story was an
elaborate hoax, forcing Teo and his
school to admit they had been catfshed.
Manti had been the victim of what ap-
pears to be a hoax in which someone
using the fctitious name Lennay Kekua
apparently ingratiated herself with
Manti and then conspired with others to
lead him to believe she had tragically
died of leukemia, Notre Dame said in
a statement.
According to US media reports, Teo is
by no means the only high-profle fgure
who has been targeted in a catfsh-style
scandal.
In that episode, an apparently volup-
tuous, wealthy blonde using the name
Samantha developed a romance with
22-year-old Cooper Jackson after the
two met online.
She failed however to show up for
a face to face meeting, claiming she
missed the rendezvous because she had
been raped.
According to local media accounts, an
enraged Jackson tracked down a man
who ft Samanthas description of
her attacker, murdered him by cutting
his throat and burned his body in the
woods.
Jacksons internet love Samantha
turned out to be an overweight 22-year-
old high school dropout who worked as
a hotel clerk in North Carolina.
The girl bore no resemblance to her
online photos and confessed she had
made the entire identity up because she
had low self-esteem.
To avoid falling for the online bait, re-
lationship experts suggest giving Inter-
net companions a deadline of no more
than one month from the initial meeting
before arranging
a meeting in per-
son.
Those who date
online should
also conduct an
online search to
verify the infor-
mation provided
during conversa-
tions.
If someone
starts making
excuses as to
why they cant
meet, end it,
Schwartz said.