In the new tourism policy, we are trying to give a new dimension to this sector. We are no longer looking at it as a leisure activity, but as a major source of employment.

The labour capital ratio per million rupee of investment at 1985-86 prices in the tourism sector is 47.5 jobs as against 44.7 jobs in agriculture and 12.6 jobs in case of manufacturing industries.

So far, we had not looked at this aspect of tourism but the new policy will change all this. It could help solve the major national problem of unemployment. It will also focus on promotion of eco-tourism and involvement of private sector in a big way in tourism projects.

The private sector needs to invest more in promotion of tourism to reap its real benefits. The government is also to strengthen its own hotel chain, ITDC. Besides, we are looking at promoting culture tourism. The government has decided to organise `VISIT INDIA' year from April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2000 to coincide with 300 years of birth of Khalsa for which tri-centenary celebrations are to be held in Punjab in a big way.

We expect a lot of expatriates to come to Punjab for these celebrations. Then, there is plan to organise a `Buddha Mahotsava' to attract tourists from South-East Asian countries. We plan to have many more such events in the near future.

It is almost ready. We are in the process of giving it final touches. Earlier this month, the ministry held a meeting of all state tourism ministers to seek their views on the focus areas and draft an action plan. The findings of the state tourism ministers will be placed before the Union Cabinet early next month. Thereafter, we will get down to implementing the policy.

The government has realised this problem. In fact, the Prime Minister has constituted an inter-ministerial group of ministers of Civil Aviation, Tourism, Transport, Railways and Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission to look into such things.

The group is slated to have its meeting early next month under the chairmanship of the Tourism Minister. Besides, the government has formed a committee of secretaries of the five ministers to take a coordinated approach for improvement in facilities and promotion of domestic and overseas tourism.

We have decided to expand its operations by setting up new hotels. As you know, we had recently laid the foundation stones of a five-star deluxe in Chandigarh and a three-star in Anandpur Sahib (Punjab). We are planning to to go to Mumbai with a three-star hotel. Talks are being held with the Maharastra government for this. In addition, the corporation is refurbishing its existing hotels.

The government is yet to take a final decision on the nature and extent of divestment of its equity. We are looking for global advisors to study the suggestions and suggest a strategy. We have already invited consultants in this regard.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Not that I am given to making dramatic opening statements, but the media planners in the Indian advertising industry need to wake up to the power of the Internet as a revolutionary new medium and junk their ostrich-like attitude.

Presently, less than 1 per cent of the Indian ad spend goes to advertising on the Net. State Bank of India's Resurgent India Bonds, which mopped up in excess of over $4 billion, have been an unequivocal success. But utilised just 2 per cent of the total ad spend on the Net. Considering they were essentially targeting the Indian Diaspora, it would have been of far more value to leverage the efficiencies offered by the Net in a bolder manner.

The argument advanced against advertising on the Net is simple and naive: there aren't enough users. Sure, 4,50,000 isn't a big sum, but isn't successful marketing about being pro-active and not reactive?

Great marketers are not pushy salesmen, but men and women of vision who can see the dawn before the others. Though a NASSCOM study that suggests that India will see an Internet user base of up to 8 million users by the year 2002 seems exaggerated, the numbers will leapfrog substantially in the coming months, what with the ISP policy round the corner. Even in the present scenario, it is remarkable that rediff.com gets about 35 million hits per month. Now, what does that say about the advertising potential of this site?

Not that things are all lost. Indian companies are becoming Net savvy and are keen to arrive on the www, though in some cases it is simply fashionable to do so. It is banking and finance companies, with an eye to the NRI market, that are putting this new medium to productive use.

Product advertising, however, is still in an embryonic stage on the Net in India. And that's where an on-the-ball media planner can play a positive role. From banner and button ads, sponsorships, e-mails, online shopping malls to interstitials and push technologies, Internet advertising comes in myriad forms and offers a plethora of benefits: interactivity, speed, focus, accountability, savings in terms of cost per thousand and reach.

In the US, 78 per cent of the ad agencies have created Internet sites for their clients. A comparison with the Indian context is neither warranted nor justified, but the mindset of the Indian ad shops need to be broadened. More so when the traditional media is cluttered and battles for the share-of-voice are becoming nothing but raucous exercises in self gratification. No prizes for guessing who ends up footing the bill! Database marketing is here and one-to-one marketing is staring in our face. A great leveller, the Internet is a celebration of direct and niche marketing and merits a closer look.

Ultimately, all advertising is about trust. It is a sacred covenant between the buyer and the seller that makes for lasting relationships. In the West, the seeds of a new science of online marketing are germinating. Call it permission marketing or collaborative marketing, at the heart of it lies an attempt to take customers along. Approach them the right way and they are willing to share more personal information than the traditional advertisers would expect.

The Internet is here to stay and will change the way we live. Though it is an article of belief with me, I'm gung-ho about the Net not without any reason. Consider one of the many: while radio took 50 years and TV took 20 years to reach 50 million people, the Internet accomplished the same in just 5 years.

The author is an advertising consultant.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Great copy

Copying is a crime. But it can also be good business if done properly.

Camera company Polaroid has made copying an institution and is busy replicating the paintings of masters. These replicas are sold and are also used as replacements for the originals in travelling shows.

Polaroid's site at www.polaroid.com/replica has examples of such copies and also details the process by which the paintings are copied.

Replication is done by taking the original masterpiece and precision photographing the image on to a high resolution transparency film with a large format area. There are more than 100 million points per painting. The image is then put on a polaroid film of the same size as the painting. The final copy is then done in a room-sized camera which makes 40 by 80 inch prints.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Making a mark

There has been a tremendous increase in trademark applications in India in the last 10 years. While only 18,266 applications were filed in the year 1987-88, the figure for 1996-97 was more than double at 43,234. This implies an average increase of 14 per cent each year.

During this period, the maximum number of applications (7,986) were for pharmaceuticals, veterinary and sanitary substances. The second most popular category was clothing including boots, shoes and slippers (3,729).

Applications from Indians continued to dominate with 38,192, while foreign applications were only about 5,000.

This is a significant trend as it shows that stronger intellectual property laws on issues like trademarks will benefits the local industry more than the foreign companies.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. HYDERABAD, Aug 30: Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha today attributed the resounding success of the Resurgent India Bonds (RIB) floated by the State Bank of India to the confidence reposed by the NRIs in the country's economy.It was significant that the bonds were over-subscribed despite sanctions imposed by the developed countries in the wake of Pokharan nuclear tests.

Addressing a meeting organised by the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry here (FAPCCI), he, however, admitted that with the interest rate pegged at 7.75 per cent, the country may have to "pay a cost" at the end of five years when the bonds come up for redemption. We are chalking out measures to minimise the impact in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India," he said. Sinha also launched the first agricultural credit card `Andhra Bank Pattabhi Agri Card'. The scheme covers all individual farmers who are owner-cultivators and availing production credit facilities with the bank.

Justifying mobilisation of NRI funds, Sinha said said that given the crisis faced by the markets world over, even countries like China would not be able to mobilise so much at such low interest. The funds would be utilised to develop basic infrastructure like ports, telecommunication, roads and irrigation projects.

Reiterating his slogan that "no farmer in the country shall be sent to jail for default of loan," Sinha said that the Reserve Bank of India was asked to work out a scheme for farmers who default on loans due to natural calamities and pest attacks so that banks can deal with them on a case-to-case basis.

An arrangement was being made to moderate the impact of the redemption of RIBs on the fiscal balance, he said. Pointing to the resilience of economy, he explained that Rs 18,000 crore mopped up through RIBs was a small amount compared to the size of the budget.

Making light of the economic sanctions imposed by US in the wake of nuclear test last May, Sinha said: "We have almost forgotten sanctions during last three months. US, the only country which imposed sanctions too realised that they cannot work. The shadow of sanctions will fade away soon," he said.

Stating that everybody appreciated India's security concerns, Sinha reminded that even the US which conducted a series of studies came to the conclusion that it alone would be the loser if the sanctions were imposed and hence amended its law.

On Andhra Pradesh's plea for a special central assistance towards its share in the World Bank sponsored AP economic restructuring project, Sinha merely replied that the matter was under consideration. He said he was trying his level best to solve them within the resources of the Central government.

Naidu sought a grant of Rs 1,100 crore towards AP's share in the WB aided project.

The new card, valid within the district where it is issued, enables the farmers to draw cash in any branch as per his requirement. Agricultural inputs can also be purchased from notified dealers in the mandal to the extent of sub-limit sanctioned. Besides other features, the card holders are also eligible for an accident insurance of Rs one lakh.

Speaking on the occasion, Sinha said that the Indian economy was mainly dependent on the agricultural sector and keeping this in view, the BJP government had allocated 51 per cent of the budget to the sector.

Referring to the plight of farmers in the country and the suicides, the minister expressed unhappiness over the financial institutions and banks for the inadequate coverage of poor farmers. He called for a change in the attitude of banks in lending loans to the poor and wanted the procedure of lending to be simplified.

While urging the banks to extend loans liberally to the farmers, the minister also wanted bankers to be aggressive in recovering loans. "The bank's money is public money and one should not try to evade repayment. Prompt payment ensures increased credit and benefit to the public", he pointed out.

Central government loans to the farming community were not adequate. As a result, farmers were obtaining credit from the private money lenders which ultimately forced them to suicides.

Speaking on the occasion, Union minister of state for urban development, Bandaru Dattatreya said farmers were obtaining credit from the private money lenders which ultimately forced them to suicides. "While the farmers incurred a loss of Rs 10,000 per acre, the governments paid only Rs 250 per acre as compensation", Dattatreya observed and called for increased help to the rural poor.

Sinha attributed the recessionary trends in the economy largely to investors' sentiments. "It is true, instability has an impact on economy and sentiments, but, sentiments are influenced by a host of other factors too," he said. A comprehensive crop insurance scheme for all farmers including those who do not take loans from banks, would be finalised in two months besides extending the existing pilot scheme in 24 districts to all the districts in the country. Presently, only loanees were covered by the crop insurance scheme.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: Since 1991, the country has seen umpteen Exim policies that are targeted at pushing up trade, and various announcements ostensibly aiming at simplifying procedures to ensure that importers and exporters have no problem in getting their consignments cleared. The situation on the ground level, however, continues to be dismal with both exporters and importers spending large amounts of time in getting their consignments cleared.

According to Ramu S Deora, president, Federation of Indian Exporters' Organisation (FIEO), in fact, if one takes into account the loss of time as well as the `deliberate hassles created', the exporters and importers land up paying anywhere between 1 and 3 per cent of the consignment's worth. What this means is that exporters and importers end up losing anywhere up to Rs 5,000 crore a year.

This reporter went to the Indira Gandhi International Airport's cargo terminal posing as a staffer of an importing firm to get a first-hand feel of how things move at the grassroots level.

A clearing agent escorted this reporter to a big hall, where the agents of the importing firms obtain the gate pass to get the consignments out. There were over 300 clearing agents in the hall. And just two auditors of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) processing over 600 files they receive each day, on an average. This, in turn, results in enormous backlog. For instance, over 120 tonnes of import cargo arrives at the IGI airport and only around 75 tonnes get cleared in a day, adding around 45 tonnes each day to the existing backlog.

The storage facility with the AAI can't manage this burden, for imported packages were seen lying around, even on the run-way.

Hence poor infrastructure has given rise to delays which in turn has led to corruption.

``It mostly takes eight to 10 days before the import consignment reaches my company,'' says an importer. Confirming this, Deora said: ``Every deal of importers and exporters at every stage faces deliberate hassles created by the five agencies customs, excise, DGFT, octroi and banks. Going by the 1997-98 figures for imports and exports (Rs 1,51,554 crore and Rs 1,26,286, respectively), Deora's statement indicates that corruption and delays are costing the trading community around Rs 5,000 crore a year. Needless to say that these delays increase the cost to the traders in the international market.

``If you have the money, the work will be done in no time,'' says Anil Kumar Singh, a clearing agent with ECM Service Private Limited. The term commonly used is to `fit' the guy be it the auditor or the clerk at the bank. On that particular day, the rate was Rs 500 before lunch, and Rs 1,000 after lunch.

The most pressing demand before the importers is that of the hefty demurrage. Under a new regulation, the demurrage for seven days has gone up considerably. Prior to June 1, importers did not have to pay any demurrage for a week.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, AUG 30: A shareholder of Raasi Cement Ltd (RCL) has lodged a complaint with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over the role of financial institutions (FIs) in the transfer of 40 per cent of Sri Vishnu Cement Ltd's (SVCL) shares from RCL to nine companies controlled by Dr B V Raju.

SVCL shares were sold to the nine companies before Madras-based India Cements Ltd (ICL) acquired the Hyderabad based RCL. The shareholder M Z Khan from Hyderabad has asked, ``how could the FIs allow sale of SVCL shares held by RCL at par (Rs. 10) and now sell their own holdings at `inflated' prices.

ICICI first sold at the rate of Rs. 55 per share 6.5 percent shares of SVCL held by it to Raju, whose open offer to acquire 20 per cent SVCL shares is under way. This was followed by IDBI selling its holding at Rs. 75 per share.

Raju finally struck another negotiated deal with IFCI acquiring 6.58 per cent of SVCL shares at the rate of Rs.100 per share and would be paying the difference to both ICICI and IDBI. Khan is now endeavouring to establish a forum of RCL shareholders to fight against the `discriminatory' role of FIs. ICL too has filed a complaint with SEBI against the transfer of 40 per cent shares of SVCL held by RCL to nine Raju group companies.

It is being contended that the 40 per cent transfer should have triggered the SEBI takeover code because the nine companies which acquired the shares `seemed' to have acted in concert. Also, objections are being raised on the grounds that the transfer at par deprived RCL of the right value of its shares in SVCL.

SEBI is expected to take a final view on ICL's complaint on September one.

``It seems the FIs have acted in concert and deprived other shareholders of their rightful dues,'' the shareholder has stated.

The ultimate ownership of the 40 per cent SVCL stake would decide who would eventually control SVCL.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Aug 30: State Bank of India (SBI) has decided not to have Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation as a partner for its proposed subsidiary in Moscow. "SBI has decided to go it alone for business reasons," SBI sources said.

Earlier, SBI and MMTC, the public sector trading house, were to jointly float a banking venture in the Russian capital and the latter had even obtained the go-ahead from the Commerce Ministry about a year ago.

The subsidiary, in which MMTC was to hold a minority stake, is being floated to provide hassle-free banking facilities.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha has said that spiralling rise in prices of essential commodities has been halted and prices would start coming down in the next four to six weeks. The price rise had nothing to do with the policies of the government, he said adding the rise was largely due to the shortage in agricultural produce like potatoes and onions last year.

"In the next four to six weeks, the kharif crop should be in the market and the prices will start coming down," he told a private television channel. Sinha said price deceleration has already begun. Due to good monsoon during this kharif season, the shortage would be overcome.

Annual rate of inflation stayed below the eight per cent mark for the second successive week and remained unchanged at 7.94 per cent during the week ended August 15. This was, however, substantially higher than the 3.65 percent recorded in the corresponding week of last year.

In the previous week, the inflation based on wholesale Price Index (WPI) had fallen by 0.10 points to 7.94 per cent after ruling above eight per cent for the earlier five weeks.The rate of price rise has been on the slide since July 25. During the week, the official index for `all commodities' rose O.1 per cent at 351.9 (provisional).

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: The Delhi Factory Owners Federation (DFOF) will soon approach the Supreme Court against what it calls an arbitrary decision of the Delhi government to reduce the size of the plots to DFOF members for relocation of industries.

DFOF president, R.R. Jindal told UNI that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had in a survey identified about 97,000 industries in the non-conforming areas of Delhi and had suggested that they should be shifted to conforming areas.

After the DOCC survey, SC had said in a judgment that all the industries should be shifted from non-conforming areas, Jindal said and added that out of 97,000 about 52,000 factory owners had applied for land in the conforming areas as per their plot size requirements.

He said about 52,000 factory owners had deposited ten per cent of the land cost with the government aggregating to about Rs 300 crore before December 31, 1996 as required by the authorities. At the time of application, the individual factory owners had clearly mentioned the plot size they required according to the size of their establishment and had deposited the money calculated on that formula.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: The apex body of public sector undertakings (PSUs) today flayed the government for ignoring PSU representatives in Prime Minister's panel on trade and industry to reorient policies for higher economic growth.

"Please do not stifle and ignore PSUs, which are the backbone of Indian industry, while planning economic revival," secretary general of Standing Conference on Public Enterprises (SCOPE) M A Hakeem urged the government.

"It is amazing that there is nobody from the PSUs in the Prime Minister's 12-member panel on trade and industry, despite the fact that as much as 65 per cent of the corporate investment in the country comes from the state owned enterprises," he told PTI in an interview.

Criticising successive governments for "ignoring" PSUs, which are major contributors to the government's overall tax revenue, Hakeem demanded that this productive sector be provided with "level playing field" vis-a-vis the private corporate sector.

Even in a dismal year of economic growth, PSUs emerged as top performers as was evident from the fact that out of 42 corporates, which registered Rs. 100 crore or more net profit during 1997-98, 23 were state owned enterprises, he claimed.

These PSUs accounted for 67 per cent (Rs. 10,209 crore) ofthe total profit of Rs. 15,181 crore recorded by these 42 corporates, Hakeem added. Hakeem said it was high time that government treat PSUs as "separate commercial entities" and club these with other industries, instead of treating these as annexures of the government.

By virtue of being the "honest" and largest tax paying sector, along with massive investment of over Rs. 180,000 crore, PSUs could not be ignored by the government for working out a strategy of industrial and economic resurgence, he added. Prime Minister's office had announced constitution of two panels -- of economists and industrialists -- for "refashioning" policies for higher economic growth.

Scope officials regretted that PSUs were even ignored by the government at various meetings of industrialists with Prime Ministers or finance ministers.

During the first five years of economic reforms beginning 1991, the Congress government had totally "overlooked" PSU reforms and restructuring. The subsequent United Front governments had announced some initiatives in this direction, though these did not see the light of day, he added.

Pinning his hopes on BJP government, which had "clarity"on PSU front, Hakeem said decisions taken by government should be translated into realities.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. More Islamisation of Pakistani law and society is no answer to the country's multiple crises the worst of which at the moment is a crisis of confidence. The appeasement of religious fundamentalists will make governance more, not less, difficult than it is today in a country with social tensions running high in the midst of a collapsing economy.

Nawaz Sharif knows this. Nevertheless, he is proposing to amend the constitution to make the Koran and the Sunnah the supreme law of the country.

These are desperate measures from a leader driven to desperation by his own inability to get a grip on the situation.

There is no question that developments inside and outside Pakistan since May have made almost impossible demands on its political leadership. The public mood has swung rapidly and uncontrollably from highs to lows, anger chasing ecstasy, jingoism chasing anxiety, one after the other. People have been out in the streets almost without a break since the nuclear tests in Chagai, to celebrate military prowess, to protest rising prices, to cheer the Taliban's onward march and to condemn US missile attacks.

Here is Pakistan crying out for strong leadership. What it sees is a prime minister fearful of a popular backlash and looking over his shoulder at the reaction from the well-heeled whose asset values are crashing by the day.

And yet, Sharif is no ordinary prime minister. He won the largest popular mandate in Pakistani history. The powers of the president and, to some extent, the courts have been curtailed. The army chief has shown a definite reluctance to step into the political arena. In sum, Nawaz Sharif is in the unique position of being able to assert democratic leadership without challenge from other centres of power.

He has chosen instead to build up hardline fundamentalist parties like the Jamaat-i-Islami by adopting their agenda. It is a suicidal course for Pakistani democracy.

Gen Zia-ul Haq needed the ulemas to legitimise his martial law regime. Sharif courts the ulemas at the risk of destabilising a democratically elected government.

It may be too late already to prevent the upper classes turning against his government. They have always been the first to abandon ship. But Nawaz Sharif can still hope to keep the people on his side by showing that he can govern with the instruments of democracy.

Symbolic gestures will not do the trick. He cannot avoid hard decisions on the law and order front or on the economy or vis-a-vis the Americans who would like to see him accede to the CTBT. His opponents will seize on anything to discredit his government. He should not let that paralyse him but decide case by case what is in Pakistan's best interest and go ahead.

It is all too easy to argue that the rise of extremists in Pakistan is inevitable given the alarming state of its economy, the disarray in mainstream political parties and the siren call of the Taliban.

This is defeatism. Strong leadership can and must avert a slide into chaos. No one else can provide that but Nawaz Sharif. For Pakistan's sake one must hope he will find it in himself to do so.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NAGPUR, August 30: A ban on manufacture of export goods made out of antlers shed by stag and Cheetal (deer) in Maharashtra, which comes into effect from August 31, is likely to be challenged in courts.

All India Shed Antlers Manufactures and Exporters Association vice-president Rakesh Sharma has tried to explain that the ban would in no way help wildlife conservation at the same time would deny the State Rs 25 cr in forex and affect 1000 persons involved directly and indirectly in the trade. The association pointed out that antlers collected are from the jungles in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka and not in Maharashtra. Secondly, it is also important to curb the burgeoning population of deer and stag to maintain the fragile eco-balance of the jungles.

The State The State Government, acting on a proposal of the Wildlife Advisory Board of February 1997 for a ban on these export manufacturing units in the vicinity of Nagpur, ordered the close-down effective from August 31, 1998. The Forest Department served notices to these units last year asking them to dispose of stocks of antlers by August 31 as the trading would be closed down, quoting conservation reasons for the measure.

However, the Association pointed out that the issue of banning the trade came up as a retaliatory order of then Forest Minister Ganesh Naik miffed over the denial of antler products' licences to some of his Shiv Sena cronies aspiring to enter the trade. When the proposal was flatly refused by then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Jagir Singh, reportedly Naik retaliated by saying `If you are not obliging my party men by issuing licences then better you close down the entire trade.' The PCCF subsequently relented to Naik's whims.

Again, a section of environmentalists on the State Wildlife Advisory Board has been insisting on a ban for quite a long time and the group exploited the situation to compel the department to ban the trade, Sharma said.

Sharma alleged that the ban was imposed at the behest of Sena's Union Minister of Forest Suresh Prabhu, as his party men were denied licences for the trade. ``How can government ban the trade when the export and import authorities gave permission for the export of manufactured articles and shavings of shed antlers of Cheetal and Sambhar last month for the current financial year ?'' he asked.

Lashing out at the so-called environmentalists he pointed out that not a single case of poaching was found against any exporters or their agents so far.

The Association members are likely to meet the Union Minister for Forest and Environment, Prabhu, during his Nagpur visit on August 31 and apprise him about the real facts in connection with the trade.

There are almost 25 small-scale manufacturing units of shed antlers in and around Nagpur. Articles that are made out of antlers are mainly cutlery handles and buttons for garments. Stag buttons have a traditional value as no Bavarian dress is complete without stag buttons.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NASHIK, August 30: Coming on the heels of the Bharatiya Janata Party's plans to launch a State-wide grassroots programme to monitor the Sena-BJP government's developmental activities, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and rural development minister Anna Dange vehemently blamed the workers of the saffron alliance for not highlighting the achievements of the government in the state, which had adversely affected its performance in the recent past.

Inaugurating the memorial of the late Shiv Sena MLA Raosaheb Kadam at Ozar, Joshi and BJP minister Dange lamented that the workers of the Sena-BJP alliance were too busy in inter-party and intra-party squabbles to enlighten the common people about the achievements of the State government.

Dange dwelt on ambitious government schemes like eradication of water scarcity by the turn of the century. He said that although such schemes had never been thought of during the 45 year-old rule of the Congress governments, the common man continued to remain ignorant as party workers were too busy in other things. He pointed out that the government had also taken ambitious irrigation schemes to help farmers, industrial estates and the like, though its image was sagging.

Joshi agreed with Dange on the issue, pointing out that party workers of the alliance had failed to become messengers of the government at the grassroots level lamenting the utter lacklustre job that party cadres had done in pushing the saffron agenda.

Joshi further referred to the massive farmers' rally organised in Mumbai on for September 9. He said that about 5 lakh farmers were likely to participate in the gathering.

Joshi also announced that the Nashik district would be bifurcated to form a new Malegaon district before the Maharasthra Day (May 1). He said that he would place the proposal before his Cabinet to meet the long-pending demand of the people of Malegaon.

Among other things, Joshi inaugurated a shop `Mahalaxmi Automobiles' at Tehra (near Malegaon) and unveiled a statue of late Venkatrao Hiray near Chandwad. Venkatrao Hirey was the father of Prashant Hirey (who joined the Sena in 1996) and husband of former Congress minister Pushpati Hirey.

Joshi later visited the family members of the late freedom fighter and founder-editor of Marathi daily `Gavkari' Dadasaheb Potnis. He also condoled his death at a public meeting announcing an annual award in memory of Potnis for developmental journalism.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. SURAT, August 30: In a bid to check alleged conversions by Christian missionaries in the tribal areas, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad has decided to set up 120 schools in parts of South Gujarat, VHP national general secretary Pravin Togadia announced here on Sunday.

Elaborating, Togadia said that donations for the project would only be solicited from Hindus.

Quoting statistics from the World Christian Encyclopaedia, he said of the 2.65 lakh missionaries active worldwide, 5000 were in India. ``There is an annual budget of Rs 2,200 crore for conversions'', Togadia claimed, alleging that Bibles were handed out not only to the common man but also the military and the police.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. PUNE, August 30: Veteran freedom fighter and journalist Narhar Waman alias Narubhau Limaye breathed his last at his residence off Fergusson College Road this morning. He was 89.

The think-tank for a generation of politicians in Maharashtra, Narubhau had not been keeping well and had been advised complete rest since July. The end came around 6.40 am after he had finished his morning chores, his family said.

He headed the Maharashtra Sahakari Mudranalaya -- formerly the Aryabhushan Press. He revived the press, pulling it out from an economic crisis and turning it into a profit-making establishment. He saw one of his cherished dreams fulfilled last April when 80-odd employees in his press moved into their new homes in a complex on the southwestern outskirts of Pune. Born in a middle-class family on November 8, 1909 in Satara, Narubhau's father died three days before his birth. Supported by family members, he completed his schooling at the New English School, Satara. While in school, he joined the balveer pathak which left a lasting impression on his young mind.

Associated with the freedom struggle since 1932, he became politically active after 1940 and was jailed for individual satyagraha. He was detained at Yerawada prison during the 1942 Quit India movement. A versatile journalist and political activist, Narubhau was also involved in music and drama and headed the Bharat Natya Samshodhan Mandir in Pune.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. There were eighteen categories of `Mahamatras' (high officials) in the Kautilyan state and the highest salary stood at 48,000 panas a year (``enough to prevent one from succumbing to the temptations of the enemy or rising up in revolt'').

Yet, misdeeds and corruption were not uncommon. Eight distinct causes of loss to the treasury owing to officials' failures, apathy and wrong-doing were identified. They remain as relevant today as they were then:

Broadly speaking, civil servants could enrich themselves improperly in two ways -- either by cheating the government or by exploiting the public, and Kautilya listed ``forty ways of stealing''.

Kautilya conceded that ``it is possible to know even the path of birds flying in the sky but not the ways of civil servants who hide their (dishonest) income''.

Hence two general principles for running an efficient and disciplined civil service were listed. The first: unless controlled, civil servants are bound to make money in unauthorised ways. The second is to reward good civil servants. Importance was given to recruitment as men are by nature fickle and, like horses, change in the place of work.

That was the scene in the fourth century BC. How are things now? Has there been any change? Any improvement or decay? The inherent danger today is to make a value judgment and establish links between two eras separated by five thousands years.

The wise may ask: What is so special about corruption in the civil services? It was there! It is there! It will be there! Why talk?

Talk, because one needs to understand, discuss, mobilise public opinion, enlighten the uninitiated and try to minimise its spread and ill-effect on the economic and social health of a country of 980 million people.

The crux of the matter, simplistic though it may sound, is the economics of poverty, the inelasticity of supply and insatiable demand vis-a-vis chronic shortages. For instance, a job advertisement. The ratio of aspirants to vacancy may be as high as a hundred to one, resulting in full-throttle manoeuvring to grab the slot. One thus begins work the wrong way, tasting the fruits of unethical means. The ends justify the means.

If corruption is so transparent and well-understood, then why fight? Why not join them? An easy way out, no doubt, but with a difference. Homo sapiens, notwithstanding its common physical features, is not mentally homogeneous. That is the problem. But had it been so, the world would not have been an interesting place to live in.

Going back to the fundamental question, how rampant is corruption in the civil services in India? Without doubt, the five most privileged and coveted civil services are the IAS, IPS, IRS (Customs & Central Excise), IRS (Income Tax) and Indian Foreign Service. These `Pancha Ratnas' rule the roost and shape the destiny of administration in India. And without doubt the power and privilege of these five are the owner's pride and the neighbour's envy.

Regarding the ``how much'' and ``where'' aspects of corruption, the public perception is simply horrible: ``beyond redemption''. Though the percentage of personnel of dubious integrity is steadily on the rise, the debate and race intensify for the championship amongst the `Pancha Ratnas'.

Regretfully, one gets an impression (nay perception) that whereas the police are the clear toppers, Customs and Central Excise and Income Tax are close followers, perhaps joint runners-up at times. They keep changing places in the snakes and ladders game for the second and third spot. The IAS and IFS miss the gold, silver and bronze medals by a whisker to finish fourth and fifth in the corruption race. Not surprisingly, one found on a random sample check of a particular service that at least 40 out of 180 senior officers bore the indelible stamp of corruption.

It would be pertinent to ask precisely what corruption is and how it ought to be defined. The short answer to this is -- one needs to distinguish between greed-based corruption (a macro phenomenon) and need-based corruption (which is virtually rampant in its micro-dimensional effects) owing to the social and political environment and broad economic factors of inflation, price rise and the diminishing purchasing power of the rupee.

Alas! Gone are the days of the Kautilyan economy and polity which at least had vision enough to give ``enough to prevent one from succumbing to the temptations of the enemy or rising up in revolt.''

The issue is the reputation of a civil servant with a fifteen-year service. It is at that point that the reputation precedes the actual posting or physical presence of the civil servant. Hereinafter, everyone knows: the boss, the colleague, the political hierarchy, the public, the press and the trade. The vigilance agencies too are normally aware of the level of integrity of the civil servant, but are conveniently unaware of their options, or are willingly unable to take punitive action.

The result is that more join the bandwagon, some out of compulsion, some owing to convenience and some more out of frustration and disillusionment.

Fifty years after Independence, India is yet to come to terms with itself in confronting the corrupt elements of the `Pancha Ratnas', the five elite services of the Government of India. More often than not the corrupt have been pandered to and pampered, and the honest suppressed and sidelined.

A few thousand years ago Kautilya had listed ``forty ways of stealing''. Technology and human ingenuity broke that barrier of forty long ago.

Notwithstanding the Indian national emblem of Satyameva Jayate, the paradox of Mithyameva Jayate in the Indian civil services seems to be thriving, despite the vigilance wings of the Government of India. That is the reality, and the show just goes on.

The writer is Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. PUNE, August 30: Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde today appeared miffed over Maharashtra Housing Minister Suresh Jain's statement to the press regarding a threat to his life.

On Saturday, the Minister told the press that he feared a threat to his life as the housing redevelopment scheme for slum dwellers in Mumbai would adversely affect builders.

Addressing the press here, Munde wondered why Jain had not bothered to express his fear to Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi or Munde himself. Thackeray had recently issued blanket orders refraining Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers from directly speaking to the media in the light of the controversy over the `press war' between BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and Jain.

Munde taunted the Shiv Sena for its `indiscipline', and pointed out that the BJP ministers had always followed Thackeray's unwritten rule.

Jain's statements some time back about BJP state chief Suryabhan Wahadne, had irked the BJP top brass, resulting in strained relations within the alliance. At the time, Thackeray had specifically directed the ministers not to air their grievances to the media but only consult the apex leaders, and had also specified that the CM would be the sole authority to speak to the press.

Munde, who not only holds the Home portfolio, but is also the leader of BJP legislators, expressed surprise that Jain had again talked directly to the press, thereby flouting the `rule'.

``The five-member coordination committee had only met yesterday regarding the Shiv Shahi Punarvasan Prakalp. Jain could have told Shiv Sena leader Thackeray or the CM or me. Thackeray had hoped that the ministers would air their grievances to this committee instead of making statements directly to the media. If Dada (Jain) was feeling insecure, he should have told me about it,'' Munde said.

However, when a reporter pointed out that the `insecurity' felt by no other than a State Minister like Suresh Jain did not bode well for the State's law and order situation, Munde said, ``The law and order situation is alright. That's why the ministers are also speaking.''

Justifying the power tariff hike, Munde said the prices of coal had shot up by 20 per cent and the tariff rates of the National Thermal Power Corporation had also increased by 30 per cent. He added that there was nothing unusual about the hike, which was effected every two years. Munde also said the State had given permission to the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation to raise bonds of Rs 1000 crore and added there was no financial problem regarding the scheme. Munde also clarified that the State did not face a fiscal crisis and explained that when the alliance Government too over, it was a Rs 4,000 crore budget. It is now an Rs 8,000 crore budget, he said, which means we have been successful in generating our own resources, Munde said.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. HOWRAH, August 30: West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu today said that the Left would be with the Congress in its attempt to work for an alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition.

Basu, who was addressing a rally on the concluding day of Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s 19th State Conference, claimed that during his talks with the Congress leaders, he told them, ``to do some self-criticism for the mistakes and failures and correct their economic agenda which they thrust on the nation.''

The veteran Marxist and the party's Politburo member, said, ``BJP's continuing in power has already done the nation incalculable harm and we don't want it to continue any further.''

Basu, who was speaking here this afternoon on the concluding day of the four-day State conference, however said, ``We don't know how long this Government will last, for Jayalalitha might bring down the Government tomorrow.''

Basu, who also criticised the Congress for withdrawing its support from the United Front Government, termed its action as ``political irresponsibility,'' which he said ``was responsible for BJP's coming to power.'' Basu, who was addressing a rain-soaked party rally, also admitted that a week Congress would only help the BJP to consolidate its political hold. He urged all Left, secular and democratic forces to unite in their fight against the ``barbaric BJP.'' Charging the BJP-led coalition for pushing the economy of the nation to `disaster,' he said, ``Within a few months of its rule, its policies have contributed to the rise in unemployment, industrial sickness and burdened the people with inflation.'' Maintaining that the CPI (M) is willing to talk to Congress because it's a lesser evil than the BJP, Basu said, ``We aren't left with many alternatives, for BJP's staying in power would damage the integrity of the nation and its economy.''

He said that the Left Front in West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala which survived the BJP onslaught in the last election should serve as an example for the Left, secular and anti-BJP forces who want, ``to fight the BJP ideologically.''

Earlier, party General Secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet said his party's support to the Congress will not make the CPI (M) abandon its struggle against the party's economic policies.

He said in the coming October Party Congress in Calcutta, his party would give the nation a political agenda which would be unique.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: Two of the four camps in Afghanistan blasted by American missiles last week were being used for training Kashmiri militants, including those belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen, ``for war against India in Kashmir'', the New York Times has reported.

These two camps were situated near Khost and were used for imparting arms training to Pakistanis and Kashmiris for the war against India in Kashmir, the newspaper said.

In a report filed on Thursday from Mansehra in Pakistan, the daily's correspondents said ``one of the groups trained in Afghanistan with help from the Pakistan intelligence service was of the Hizbul Mujahideen.''

They quoted a self-styled commander of that outfit, Bakht Zamin, as saying that the US missile attacks would further motivate people. The report said Zamin was a commander of the outfit that was trained in Afghanistan and is now fighting not far from here (Mansehra) in Kashmir.

It quoted Pakistani government officials and western diplomats as saying that two of the three camps struck by US missiles have been covertly supported in varying degrees by Pakistan's intelligence service.

More than 20,000 men from his (Zamin's) group were trained at the camps in the last six years, the report said.

Zamin, in his interview, gave a detailed account of the training imparted in these camps with the reporters summing it up saying, ``it is standard military basic training with the exception of the heavy religious component.''

Washington, through its missile attacks, ``eliminated'' terrorists and militants ``preparing to go back to fight in Turkey, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and India. Earlier graduates have also fought in Bosnia and Chechnya'', it said.

Besides the two camps, the third camp - Al Farooq - was used primarily by Arabs from many countries. The fourth - Al Badr, was an Arab camp run by (now most sought after) Osama Bin Laden; reports filtering out from Afghanistan are that this camp was badly damaged and that the casualty figure may be high.''

The report quotes a senior, non-American western diplomat as saying, ``We always told the Pakistanis there are dangers in allowing these camps .... They always denied they had any connection. Last year Russians showed them pictures of weapons from Pakistan to the camps. But Pakistan government dismissed the photos as fake''.

Another diplomat from a major US ally is quoted as saying that there was no doubt about these militants receiving assistance from Pakistan intelligence services.

``The nature of assistance changed over time and when the situation got too hot politically, the intelligence services would back off for a while,'' the report said.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Russia's alarming political and economic situation was undoubtedly the trigger for Friday's chaos on world markets. But the gloom around the globe is so all-pervasive now, and with such good reason, that specific provocation is scarcely needed to engineer a collapse.

As to the immediate factor, while Russia's economic crisis is frightening enough, it is its political fortunes that are panicking the world. Global investors' exposure in Russia, unlike in Asia, is small enough that they are not seriously threatened by economic turmoil in that unfortunate country.

Far more ominous in a global sense is the prospect of an overturning of the political and economic systems so painfully established in Russia in recent years. The consensus is that Boris Yeltsin's remaining days as president can be counted in days rather than weeks.

While that may be no bad thing given his recent track record, it is the leadership that replaces him that is the crucial issue. It seems likelier than not that Yeltsin's successor would take a different political and economic course, one that sought inspiration in Russia's past. The West has abundant cause for alarm.

Russia is only one part of the global nightmare that began unfolding last year and which is now accelerating sharply. The fact is that there is scarcely any good news coming out of any corner of the world any more. The gloom threatens to reverse Europe's modest recovery and turn America's just-beginning slowdown into something far worse. The scale and the nature of the crises engulfing regions from the Pacific to the Atlantic and threatening now to take down Latin America as well is proof. The world's strongest economies, from Japan to Hong Kong, have been humbled. East and South-East Asia remain besieged by a banking and currency crisis. China's booming economy has witnessed a sharp slowdown, and if the yuan came under pressure that could become the signal for a currency meltdown in the region. Severe pressure on commodity prices is menacing the Latin American economies. Worst of all, the US is no longer looking invulnerable.

America's irrational stock market boom, about which sensible economists have been warning for long, could go spectacularly bust and take the rest of the world down with it. The unjustified exuberance of Wall Street for some years has created sufficient conditions for trouble even without taking the global crisis into account. The sense of well-being created by this boom has fuelled America's consumption boom and serious asset-price inflation. All this can implode resoundingly in no time if the bubble bursts.

It could yet be that the current fall will halt at a long-overdue correction rather than a crash, but this looks increasingly unlikely. What that means is that countries which might normally have been expected to lead the rest of the world out of economic disaster, America chief among them, could themselves be headed for it.

Add the fact that the far greater integration of the world economy than even a decade ago makes countries vulnerable to economic developments at the other end of the globe, and it justifies fears about economic disaster to match the Great Depression and the oil-shock years. Should the worst come true, the current pains could look mild in retrospect.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHENNAI, August 30: Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy has demanded an explanation from the other constituents of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led front -- Pattali MK, MDMK and TRC -- on why they had changed their stand on support to the BJP-led Government at the Centre.

Expressing surprise over their shift, he told mediapersons today that he did not question their right to change their stand, but only insists they give a reason either publicly or to the AIADMK-led combine. At the meeting with former Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalitha on Aug 13, the allies had given her the authority to `take an appropriate decision at appropriate time' on the issue of support to the BJP-led Government.

However, the three partners had changed their mind within a fortnight, and had made individual announcements that they would not withdraw support even if the AIADMK did so.

On whether he knew the reason for the change of stand, Swamy said that he would tell the reason after they give an explanation. He would meet PMK leader S Ramadoss and find out the reason.On the Sept 15 MDMK rally to celebrate Annadurai's birth anniversary, Swamy alleged that he received information that a leader of that party had invited some LTTE men to participate in it.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: Congress, Janata Dal, and CPM today decried the promulgation of an ordinance restoring the original 1990 Prasar Bharati Act. They termed it ``unconstitutional'' and charged the Vajpayee government with ``subverting'' democracy.

Congress spokesperson Girija Vyas said the government had handled the issue in an ``undemocratic manner'' by issuing an ordinance when a bill had already been passed by the Lok Sabha and had become the property of the Parliament. The BJP-led coalition was not following Parliamentary rules and procedures.The Janata Dal described the controversial ordinance as ``unconstitutional'' and a ``fraud'' perpetrated on the Parliament. It was a blot on the career of Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister, the party felt.

Gill was appointed chief executive officer of the Prasar Bharti when Jaipal Reddy was the Information and Broadcasting Minister in the previous United Front government.CPM polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury said the government should have brought forward the Prasar Bharati Bill in the Rajya Sabha after it was passed by the Lok Sabha. ``But it has chosen to ignore it and the Parliament, and exposed its malafide intentions.''

The party would shortly chalk out a strategy against the ordinance, which he alleged, was not aimed at granting greater autonomy to Doordarshan and All India Radio. ``The government wants to use them as its mouthpiece.''

Leaders of other political parties including were not not available for their comments.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. KOZHIKODE, August 30: Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of being an ``association of communal parties'', Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has said the conflict engulfing the country today was between ``liberal Hindus and fascist Hindus''.

Addressing a mammoth ``secularism protection rally'' organised by IUML here last night, the former Union minister said his fight was not aimed at capturing power but against the `fascist' forces represented by the BJP and the RSS.

Stating that his fight was ``to maintain the secular character of the country and protect the rights of the minorities', he said it would continue till the minorities were assured of a just and proper place in the country. The conflict engulfing the country today was not between Hindus and Muslims but between ``liberal Hindus and fascist Hindus', he said and denied that he was adopting a policy of ``Muslim appeasement''.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHENNAI, August 31: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder-leader S Ramadoss has agreed to participate in the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) rally scheduled to be held on September 15 in Chennai, according to MDMK leader Vaiko. In a statement, Vaiko said Ramadoss, who had earlier decided to boycott the rally, had agreed to attend following his telephonic conversation with the PMK leader.

Vaiko said he had contacted Ramadoss at Tindivanam and impressed upon him to attend the rally. During the talk, the MDMK chief also clarified that the omission of Ramadoss's name in the MDMK organ Sangoli's invitation was an inadvertent error.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. The story so far: you boot up your machine, dial about 35 times to connect to the Internet, surf at the niggardly speeds that the Indian phone system allows, and then get cut off when a switch at your local exchange trips. Sad story. Most Indians believe it to be an ethnic story as well. It just isn't true. Setting aside the most telecommunications-capable countries, it's more or less the same story for Internet users the world over.

About three years from now, the sad story may find a happy ending when Internet2 and the New Generation Internet (NGI), now being developed in the US, are opened to the public. This billion-dollar network of networks is visualised as a place that will try to recapture the original spirit of the Internet: knowledge first, commerce afterwards. No ads, and lots of bandwidth for text, pictures, sound, video, television, telephony, fax and paging. So what else, you might well ask, is new?

True, the current Internet provides all these services, but it suffers from one tragic flaw: it is routed through the global phone system. The network out there is so large and so cumulatively intelligent that no one would be particularly surprised if one of these days, it started demanding an annual vacation.

The terminal on your desktop may look stupid, especially when it has to deliver a printout, but it is also rather smart.

The problem is that the phone system that connects the two is irretrievably dumb. Parts of it are convinced that they are living in the Edwardian Age. Apart from the advent of packet switching, there has been no fundamental change in a century.

Eventually, the new Net will not be dependent on the phone system. It will absorb it. Conversations, videoconferences, faxes and pager messages, the standard phone network traffic, will ride on Internet Protocol, the platform that now brings only the Internet to your desktop. Telephony, the biggest and most expensive legacy system in the world, will be slowly dismantled.

The new network will be a shock to the system. Running exclusively on high-speed fibre optic links, it is intended to deliver speeds up to a thousand times what your modem can handle. It should be able to transmit the entire contents of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in a fraction of a second.

More usefully, it will make possible the transmission of sensory data at the rate that true virtual reality calls for. Already, there is speculation that company executives from all over the world will be able to attend board meetings in `tele-immersion', connecting their desktops to create a `room' that is as real as reality itself. The Internet we use today cannot deliver real cyberspace, the alternate reality that William Gibson writes of. But life on the new network will imitate art very, very closely.

The new Internet is going to change the way people think of communications. And it is going to begin the process of convergence between major media that was predicted as early as 1996.

However, the process promises to be slow because of the usual reason -- corporate gang-wars over standards. To get onto the new platform, old media will either have to mutate completely (that's an expensive, painful process) or develop an interface. Corporates will seek to dominate the new markets by pushing their own interface.

It is a business model that seems to have outlived its usefulness. It's ironic that most entertainment companies have a production-model high definition television (HDTV) but there's no sign of a global market only because the standards are different. It's a strategy that worked well enough for companies in audio, radio, TV and video.

HDTV is the first sign that the market has changed. But big business is stupid enough to try it again with the new Internet. And as long as it can, it will hold true cyberspace at bay.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Jaya Again

Poetry and Politics

Asked to read one of his poems, the poet Prime Minister protested, ``poetry and politics don't mix,'' still he read out his poem ``Geet naya gata hoon'', which is believed to be autobiographical.

Emperor and PM

Vajpayee's foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya is, however, the only family member travelling with him.

The Emperor Harsh Vardhan has been taken off commercial flights and will be on VVIP duty throughout September. A day after the Boeing returns on September 5 with the PM and his party from the NAM conference, it will take off with President KR Narayanan who is going on a tour of Europe. At the end of the month, Vajpayee will fly in the same aircraft to New York.

Fine and fit

Sultan's party

Now, Namibia

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: A war of words appears to have broken out between the Shiv Sena and the Congress over alleged fictitious identities created in the name of the former and the alleged manufacture of statements attributed to the latter.

Mischief-makers within one or the other party appear to have manufactured the identity of a vibhag pramukh of the Sena's Worli branch. Objections have been raised in this matter by Dagdu Sankpal, who is the actual vibhag pramukh of the area.

According to Sankpal, he was surprised to read the name of `Ramakant Desai' in a section of the Press mentioned as the person holding his job. No such person exists in the Sena at any of its branches and Desai appears to have vanished into thin air after issuing certain statements. But while this might be a matter of minor pique to Sankpal, it is the Congress which is more greatly outraged at the statements made by Desai. This allegedly fictitious Desai in a statement issued to the Press made some damaging comments about All India Congress Committee (AICC) member Rajiv Chavan, quoting him as stating that the Congress had been destroyed by Sonia Gandhi because she was Italian and Christian as well as that Chavan had been routinely commenting against both Sonia and Sharad Pawar.

An irate Chavan in a statement today said he had at no time expressed such a sentiment ``either in private or in public, on the record or off it,'' for he believed that Sonia was the best thing to have happened to the Congress in the last seven years.

Chavan said the statements attributed to him by `Desai' were also self-contradictory : If he were anti-Pawar how could he be anti-Sonia as well, he queried, because Congressmen in the State tended to be in one or the other camp but never divorced from both. Moreover, he along with Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Kripashankar Singh was the only one in the State Congress to have challenged Mulayam Singh Yadav's comments against Sonia during the course of the February 1998 elections. They had demanded a snapping of the State Congress's ties with the Samajwadi Party -- a fact that earned both of them a charge-sheet from then MPCC president Ranjit Deshmukh. Chavan said his enquiries to locate the malicious Desai had borne no fruit, leading him to believe that his was an utterly fictitious identity.

``I resent the attribution of such statements to me,'' he said. However, in view of the Sena's own outrage at the alleged manufacture of a fresh identity for its vibhag pramukh, he has had no alternative but shrug it off : ``My detractors' attempts to destroy my bonds with the Congress or the Nehru-Gandhi family will not bear any positive results,'' he added.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: The National Human Rights Commission has set up a `central action group' to deal with the problem of bonded labour.

The step follows a Supreme Court decision in November last year entrusting the NHRC with the task of ensuring that laws against the practice of bonded labour are implemented. The court also asked the concerned authorities to comply with any directions from the Commission.

The action group is expected to set in place a mechanism, involving the government as well as voluntary organisations, to identify people working as bonded labourers and `sensitise' government personnel working in this field.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. LONDON, Aug 30: Flowers are once again being laid at the gates of Kensington Palace, home of Princess Diana. It will be one year tomorrow since the fateful accident that killed the Princess took place.

Despite a poll indicating that only 6 per cent of Britons plan to observe the anniversary, TV stations are planning programmes about her, while the weekend's newspapers from tabloid to highbrow carried tributes to the Princess, essays on why her death was -- or wasn't -- important, and pullout supplements carrying her most well-known images.

Britain's royal family hasn't been quite the same since Diana's death in the Paris car crash on August 31 that also killed her companion Dodi Fayed.

The Sunday Times, on the front page of its review section, questioned whether Queen Elizabeth II, who is still well regarded by most Britons according to polls, has been able to adapt to a more informal role that Britons now seem to expect from their monarchy.

And for those who needed reminding that Diana's death remains contentious for some, The Sunday Telegraph reported that Mohamed al Fayed -- who has publicly said he believes Diana and Dodi death were no accident -- is offering up to $ 20 million to anyone who could provide evidence to prove his theory.

The conservative, broadsheet newspaper quoted unnamed sources for the story. A spokesman for al Fayed was not available for comment.

Dozens of those who left flowers this weekend at Diana's West London palace home said they'd come early to avoid the rush tomorrow.

But it was a trickle compared with the hundreds of thousands who turned the area into a sea of flowers in the week after the 36-year-old Princess was killed in a car crash in Paris.

``Everyone can remember what they were doing a year ago when she died,'' said 15-year-old Victoria Ivins. ``I simply cried and watched the television for a week.'' Rita Young, 51, who brought flowers from her home in Reading, 50 kms west of London, said she still felt just as sad. ``The pain hasn't left my heart.''

For weeks, there has been a buildup of pictures of Diana and of her sons, Prince William, 16, and Prince Harry, 13, in glossy magazines and newspapers.

Some newspapers yesterday also carried pictures of Camilla Parker Bowles, 51, the longtime love of Prince Charles and the woman Diana blamed for the breakdown of her marriage which ended in divorce in 1996.

Forty-six per cent of Britons still oppose the idea of Prince Charles, 49, marrying the divorced Parker Bowles, according to a poll London newspaper, The Express.

A resounding near 80 per cent agreed when asked whether they felt Diana's ``memory should be left alone'' after this week. Parker-Bowles now regularly spends nights at St James's Palace, Charles' London residence, and Highgrove, his country house, according to newspaper reports.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: The Supreme Court has ruled that though a cheque could be presented to a bank a number of times during its validity period, its repeated dishonouring could make the payer liable for prosecution only once.

A division bench comprising Justices M K Mukherjee and D P Wadhawa harmonised Sections 138 and 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and said, ``The combined reading of the two sections leaves no room for doubt that cause of action arises -- and can arise -- only once.''

Section 138 says an offence is committed if a cheque is returned unpaid and the drawer of the cheque (payer) fails to make the payment within 15 days of receiving a registered notice from the payee, informing him about the cheque's dishonouring.

Section 142 says a court can take cognisance of a written complaint stating the offence within one month of expiry of the 15-day notice period.

The bench said, ``We are of the opinion that the two provisions can be harmonised, with the interpretation that on each presentation of the cheque and its dishonour a fresh right -- and not a cause of action -- accrues in his (payee's) favour.''

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. It is an interesting analogy. After confessing to an improper relationship with a young woman, Bill Clinton ordered the bombing of suspected terrorist strongholds in Sudan and Afghanistan.

Critics suggested that the second action was a deliberate ploy to cover up the first. This may be just unkind speculation. What is significant though is that the attacks evoked strong condemnation in various parts of the world. Hold that thought for the moment and let us return to the first matter and its central figure.

Monica Lewinsky. Is there anyone in this media-savvy world that has not heard the name. And not just the name but also the pictures. Everyone has seen them. Everyone has commented on her looks, her figure, her attire, her friends, her ex-boyfriends, her sex life. Everyone has sniggered at Clinton's indiscriminate taste in women. Everyone in short has had their way with Monica Lewinsky. `That woman'.

But wait! This scandal is not about sex. It is, a commentators would have us believe, about truth and the obstruction of justice. This scandal is not about sex. It is, a public reaction would have us believe, about adultery and the impossibly high standards expected of political figures.

Did Clinton instruct Monica Lewinsky to lie in the Paula Jones suit or anywhere else? No? Then he has committed no serious crime. Does Hillary forgive him? Then no one else has any right to complain. It is on these lines that the debate has run. And it is these details on which Clinton's fate will hinge.

What happens next to Bill Clinton is of concern to the American people. The issues thrown up by the scandal concern people and particularly women, everywhere. Because this scandal is about sex and mainly about sex.

It is, in the first place, about the propriety of an older, married man, the President of the United States, messing around with a young intern. What propriety you may ask. She consented, didn't she? Sure she did.

It is not rape, molestation or harassment that is being argued here but a simple idea of responsibility. Giddy schoolgirls often throw themselves at schoolteachers. When disparities in age, power and position create an imbalance in favour of one party, one cannot be blamed for judging that person's integrity by how he deals with it.

And how did he deal with it? He dealt with it by embarking on a sleazy affair comprising of shady trysts, phone sex and, if one is to interpret his clumsy fencing with technicalities, a sexual liason in which she did most of the work and he got all the pleasure.

Now let us take another view, a more charitable view of the whole matter. Let us assume that it was a less cold-blooded sort of thing and more like an irresistible attraction between an unhappy married man and a young girl. A powerful pull that made the disparities seem irrelevant, almost non-existent. Why not? It is a possibility.

But then, when the affair became public. When this young girl was hauled over the coals, her life dissected, held up for speculation, curiosity, even ridicule. What did he do? He just denied the whole thing. He abandoned her. Next, when he was forced to confess. What did he say? He claimed it was a matter between him, his family and his God. Monica Lewinsky did not matter. She was a peccadillo, a fling, not important.

So even by the kindest view, Clinton emerges as a man who cannot take responsibility for his actions. Not an unusual failing. Few people can. The funny thing to my mind is this. Had the actions involved an African-American, a Republican, a Cuban or even an Arab terrorist, there would have been someone, more likely a lot of people, somewhere, protesting.

Why? Because that is the way things are. The reason why everyone including, unfortunately, feminists who are so vocal about everything from abortion to equal wages, is so keen to maintain that this is not about sex is because that is precisely what it is about.

It is about sex in the way that is so close up and familiar that it makes everyone uncomfortable. A powerful man and a young woman. It is a common story in our increasingly mixed-gender working world. It is one way of retaining the old power structures amidst rapid change. Accepting that there is something wrong with this would hurt too much. Better to say it is not about sex.

Amrita Shah is a freelance writer based in Mumbai

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. SYDNEY, Aug 30: Australian Prime Minister John Howard today announced Federal elections on October 3 on the plank of economic management of the country.

``The main issue will be whether the coalition or the Labour Party (ALP) at the time of economic uncertainty, even turmoil in some parts of the world... should be placed at the helm of economic management in Australia,'' he said, announcing the polls at Parliament House in Canberra. ``The main issue in this election campaign would be that of economic competence,'' the coalition leader said after visiting Governor General Sir William Deane.

Opposition leader Kim Beazley conceded he had the most difficult task ever faced by a Labour leader this century -- to win 27 seats in the election.

Beazley told Channel Nine the Labour would not just focus on tax reforms but also issues relating to nation-building.

``The circumstances of the world economy reinforce the absolute need that the economic foundation of Australia be as strong as possible,'' said Howard, whose government will be taking to the electorate a radically changed tax proposal.

Which includes the imposition of Goods and Services Tax.

Analysts believe that Howard's attempt to tap political opportunity amid the prevailing global economic uncertainty could go in his favour as traditionally, Australians have stuck with the Government of the day in times of turmoil.

The release of the tax package by the two major parties appears to have shifted the attention away from the extreme right-wing One Nation Party, which seems to be losing the momentum it gained in the wake of the Queensland state elections recently.

One Nation Party Senate candidate David Oldfield said the party would find it very difficult to win Lower Hosue seats due to the preference allocations of major parties.

However, he told Channel Nine, it was possible One Nation would have a senator elected in each State.

``I think in some places, with four weeks to run, and goodness knows what will happen and how the campaign will develop, we may do even better than one candidate in some states,'' he said.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MANASBAL, August 30: The mystery shrouding the disappearance of 23 Kashmiri boys was cleared on Friday. The boys, who escaped from the clutches of Hizbul Mujahideen militants after they were asleep, were kidnapped at gun point from their schools, play grounds and villages and forced to march through rugged mountain terrains for days together.

This account was given by the boys today after they were handed over to their parents by Army Chief Gen V P Malik. This brings the total to 59 boys rescued from the clutches of an ISI plan to forcibly recruit Kashmiris.

However, the full contours of the systematic ISI plot launched this month to kidnap and forcibly recruit young boys for a 8-month training stint in Pakistan will be known when the fate of all the missing boys is known.

The police said that at least 65 boys are still missing while the estimate of missing boys from Pulwama, Anantnag and Budgam districts is being compiled. The bulk of those boys reported as missing is based on the FIRs lodged by their parents. But some parents send their children willingly after the ISI agents promise them hefty sums.

While these 23 boys escaped from the clutches of militants and surrendered east of Davar before the BSF and troops of the 109 Infantry Brigade, another batch of 32 boys from Anantnag, Pulwama and Budgam were saved by troops of the Army's Victor Force last Saturday. Four boys from the Bandipore area were rescued by troops of the 15 Rashtriya Rifles at Bailipora on August 17.

Most of these boys were bunched in groups ranging from five to 23 to cross the LoC in Kashmir sector and the International Border in Rajouri-Poonch sector. ``Once across, the recruits would have been heading for the Kamri and the Minimag training camps in PoK,'' said Capt V S Budhwar of the 109 Infantry Brigade.

Training in Pakistan would have entailed gaining expertise in small-arms fire, throwing grenades, indoctrination and survival techniques of guerrilla warfare. However, the emphasis would have been on training these boys as grenade-throwers, guides and mercenaries. ``Currently grenades are thrown by young boys who are paid anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 for a single throw,'' said a police officer.

``These boys were abducted by the Hizbul Mujahideen group led by Hamid Gada alias Bomber Khan, self-styled Hizbul Mujahideen district commander, and handed over to Yousuf Chopas,'' said Brig G D Singh, Deputy GOC, 28 Infantry Division.

Naseer Ahmad Shah, 19, of Asham village was being pressurised for the last three years to join the ranks of militancy and act as a guide for the foreign mercenaries. ``After two days into the journey to Gurez, I made an attempt to escape but was caught by the militants who laid heavy stones on my back and beat me with a stick,'' said Naseer. Mohammad Y Dar, 12 was kidnapped by a militant from his school and taken to a jungle. ``They turned a deaf ear to my pleas and beat me up badly,'' said Dar. Other boys recounted the harrowing experience of walking through the jungles without adequate food for four days.

``Our hands were tied day and night and during the day we were blindfolded,'' said 16 year-old Mohammad Sultan War. Fiaz Ahmad, who was kidnapped along with War from village Gogjigund, Ganderbal, said the five-day walk through mountains and ridges had made him faint many times due to hunger and exhaustion.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. WINDHOEK, Aug 30: Namibia has extended full support to India's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council saying all continents must be equally represented in it, and demanded abolition of the veto facility enjoyed by a few countries.

``India has all the qualifications (to become a Security Council member). In terms of manpower, India is the largest democracy in the world. India has a large population, India has the wealth. India has the capacity.

``So, why is India excluded? Is it not a kind of system of imperialists playing with power when they are not in power,'' Namibian president Sam Nujoma told All India Radio in an interview coinciding with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's first-ever visit to the country.

Calling for ``complete reforms'' in the UN, especially the Security Council, he said, ``All nations and all continents should be equally represented in the Security Council .. do away with the veto that is, at the moment, enjoyed only by a few countries.''

Strongly criticising non-representation of any African nation as a permanent member of the Council, he questioned the selection criteria and said, ``If it is in terms of wealth, in terms of raw material, Africa is qualified for that ... it is unjust and must be condemned and rejected.''

Referring to Vajpayee's visit, Nujoma said it would give an opportunity to discuss the importance of the non-aligned movement as well as strengthen bilateral ties.

He said NAM still had a task in hand as there were some areas still colonised by Britain, the United States and France. ``The people in those occupied islands still need our support,'' he said.

Lauding India's efforts in promoting production in various sectors, particularly agriculture, Nujoma said Namibia needed New Delhi's cooperation in lifting its economy.

``The visit of Prime Minister of India would give us an opportunity to further exchange views,'' he said, adding, ``I have been calling on private sectors to invite Indian business persons to enter into joint ventures, particularly in the small and medium enterprises because India has proved to be a successful country in these areas.''

Praising the role of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi in establishing and strengthening the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Nujoma said its member countries spearheaded the anti-colonial struggle in Asia, Africa and Latin America and played a major role in ensuring that the ``cold war does not become a hot war''.

Nujoma called for better South-South cooperation to strengthen the region's strategic position and then trade with the North on an equal basis.

``If the North does not want to trade on equal basis there is no question of globalisation being talked about, no question of equality, human rights and good governance,'' he observed.

He also called for establishment of the NAM headquarters in a country ``committed and dedicated'' to the ideals of the movement.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: Seven more deaths were reported in the Capital today taking the dropsy epidemic toll to 30 as Delhi government teams went around inspecting nearly 1400 mills, godowns and shops to check for adulteration of mustard oil.

Unofficial reports however put the toll at at least ten more.

As many as 333 people reported to various hospitals with suspected dropsy complaints of whom 126 were admitted. Nearly 1300 people are said to have been affected by the epidemic. ESI and St Stephen's hospitals reported two deaths each, while one each was reported from Guru Tegh Bahadur, Ram Manohar Lohia and Safdarjang hospitals.

Twenty-seven sub-divisional magistrates, who have been given the powers of local health authority, began operations on a war-footing, inspecting outlets selling mustard oil and lifting about 20 samples.

Four mills in north-west district and one each in the north and west districts were sealed, Delhi Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said.

He said of the 245 samples tested, 52 were found to be adulterated. These included the Ekta, Vandemataram, Lakshmi, Vandev, Tiranga, Jaihind, Pansari, Kachchighani, Kanodia, Hathi, Scooter, Parivar, Dhara, Jumbo and Kohinoor brands.

The main adulterants in the samples were found to be argemone and polybromide. Mobil oil was also found in some samples.

The minister appealed to citizens to disregard rumours of other food items being adulterated. With the exception of mustard oil, he said, all kinds of edible oils and ghee could be used.

In view of reports today that the spurious oil could result in blindness, the minister said any person who has dropsy could also be affected with glaucoma. He advised all those who had received treatment for dropsy to get their eyes checked.

Retailers have been told to ask their wholesalers to take back existing stocks and also display the entire stock in front of their shops. These steps, Harsh Vardhan said, were being taken not with a view to harassing the traders but to to bring the culprits to book.

The minister has appealed to all citizens, traders in particular, to cooperate with the government machinery. A high-level meeting of health secretaries of states and Union territories is being held here tomorrow to take stock of the dropsy epidemic.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Aug 30: There were all kinds of different matches in the Maharashtra Open badminton finals at the Bandra Gymkhana today.

Rajeev Bagga had to fight for his title, Mitesh Hajirnis got it on a platter while fortune played a part in Trupti Murgunde's success.

Bagga played the now customary three-game gut wrenching battle against Amrish Shinde before claiming his fifth crown at the Gymkhana, in what is considered one of the oldest badminton tournaments in the country.

The match, similar in many ways to Bagga's semi-final win yesterday over Parag Modi, was a 55-minute testimony of Bagga's resilience and flamboyance, replete as it was with typical shots of brilliance. The 7-15, 15-2, 15-6 win also handed Shinde his second successive loss in the final here after he succumbed to Bunty Walia last year.

Bagga saved two game points in the first game before losing, but gave ample indications of what was to follow. He went up 14-2 in the second before Shinde did some repair work.

The Thane player came close at 12-14 but two errors at the net cost him the game much to the joy of the Sunday gathering disappointed as it was by the women's final.

The match to ended at the net -- where Bagga dominates so much -- after he had taken a big lead in the decider and not allowed any resistance from his opponent. The former national champion rapped in his last shot from close to the net before letting out a victory-cry.

TRUPTI TRIUMPH: The 16-year-old from Pune won her third successive title in Mumbai after her trail blazing maiden title win at MIG last month. Sampada Shetye stretched a bit too much, damaged a thigh muscle and conceded at 1-7 down in the second game. Shetye saved a game point at 5-10 down in the first, clawed back to 10-10 but found the net stopping her further progress. The next game was firmly in Murgunde's grasp before fate intervened and gave her a double following yesterday's doubles crown.

HAJIRNIS HURRAH: Thane's 17-year-old Hajirnis faced little opposition from R Rohan in a disappointing 12-minute final before winning 15-4, 15-1.

RESULTS (ALL FINALS)

Men's Singles: Rajeev Bagga bt Amrish Shinde 7-15, 15-2, 15-6.

Doubles: Amrish Shinde/Mayur Ghatnekar bt Mayur Tawade/Vikrant Patwardhan 15-11, 13-15, 15-1.

Junior Boys' Singles: Mitesh Hajirnis bt R Rohan 15-4, 15-1.

Women's Singles: Trupti Murgunde bt Sampada Shetye 13-11, 7-1 conceded.

Veterans' Doubles: Vilas Damle/Pradeep Pai bt Ashwin Khanolkar/PV Khargupikar 15-13, 15-12.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: The Forum for Biotechnology and Food Security, a collective of well-known agricultural scientists, economists, farmer leaders, environmentalists and policy makers, sees a definite conspiracy behind the large-scale adulteration of mustard oil.

``It has all the ingredients of an economic espionage. A careful examination of the timing of the outbreak of dropsy epidemic in Delhi and the neighbouring areas clearly brings out the hidden motive. For nearly six months now, the government has been under tremendous pressure to import edible oils and oilseeds, especially soyabean,'' the forum's president Devinder Sharma said.

The government has finally decided to allow the free import of oilseeds, including one million tonne of contaminated soyabean from the United States. Interestingly, the soyabean import is the first major consignment of genetically- engineered seed and also brings along five weeds and eleven viral diseases, he alleged. The move to ensure that the soyabean seeds upon import are split before being processed, is essentially aimed at justifying the sub-standard imports, he added.

The US has had a bumper harvest of soyabean this year. With a production of 150 million tonnes, and with recession all around, the market has been rather sluggish, he said.

Calling for a detailed investigation bythe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Forum appealed to the edible oil industry to help bring the culprits to book. After all, the private industry and trade along with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will have to do a lot of explanation for ascertaining the real causes and motives behind the death of 25 people and the hospitalisation of another 1,000.

The Forum said argemone seed that causes dropsy, has been growing for centuries along with mustard, but has never led to the outbreak of an epidemic.

``In any case, the mustard crop is harvested in March-April, and if the outbreak was to happen it should have taken place latest by May and June, when the edible oil from the new crop hits the market.''

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Aug 30: Sahil Kukreja and Sherry Crawford claimed the boys and girls title in the sub-junior section of the Clinic Shampoo-sponsored Major State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament at the Sachivalaya Gymkhana this morning.

Sahil, the second seed defeated seventh seed Aditya Tawade 18-21, 21-17, 21-17, 21-13 while top-seeded Sherry won 21-6, 21-12, 14-21, 22-20 against the third seed Aditi Jagganathan.

In the men's section, top seed Sunil Babras of Dena Bank and third seed S Ramaswamy of Hindustan Petroleum set up a meeting in the semi-finals. Both won the quarter-finals in contrasting styles. Babras faced a tough fight from former National Junior champion, Mahindra Chiplunkar, in the first two games 21-19, 24-22 but the India No 5 ran out easy winner in the third, winning it 21-10.

Ramaswamy, in contrast, seemed to go on and off form after every game. He won 21-18, 19-21, 21-16, 12-21, 21-11 against the ninth seed Nilesh Pandirkar. Ramaswamy was brilliant in the first and third games and outstandingly swift in the decided which he won in a canter. But in the second game, he squandered a 6-1 opening lead to lose the game. Pandirkar was in sparkling form as he wrested the fourth game but Ramaswamy won the match.

In the other semi-finals, Nachiket Chawathe will meet Gandeep Bhiwandkar. Chawathe, the fifth seed, ran out 22-20, 22-20, 21-13 win over Neville Irani while Bhiwandkar came back from two games down (19-21, 21-3, 20-22, 21-13, 21-13) against Zubin Panthaky.

RESULTS

Men's (quarter-finals): Sunil Babras bt Mahindra Chiplunkar 21-19, 4-22, 21-10; S Ramaswamy bt Nilesh Pandirkar 21-18, 19-21, 21-16, 12-21, 21-11; Nachiket Chawathe bt Neville Irani 22-20, 22-20, 21-13.

Boys (quarter-finals): Sushant Kulkarni bt Behzad Mistry 10-21, 21-19, 21-18, 14-21, 21-18; Anand Nagarkatti bt Debmit Dutta 21-5, 1-13, 16-21, 21-16; Eric Fernandes bt Karan Kapur 21-17, 21-12, 21-9; Kalpesh Mohite bt Chetan Gupte 24-22, 15-21, 21-13, 21-17.

Sub-junior boys (final): Sahil Kukreja bt Aditya Tawade 18-21, 21-17, 21-17, 21-13.

Women's (QFs): Deepali Zaveri bt Shivali Nayak 21-14, 21-16, 22-20; Janhavi Deshpande bt Bindu Suvarna 21-4, 21-9, 21-15; Amruta Joshi bt Mangala Saraf 21-17, 18-21, 24-22, 23-25, 21-18; Chandani Ashar bt Leena Medhekar 21-17, 21-18, 18-21, 18-21, 21-15.

Junior girls (QFs): Sherry Crawford bt Bhavana Suvarna 21-6, 21-16, 21-18; Deepali Zaveri bt Amruta Joshi 16-21, 11-21, 21-15, 21-18, 21-16; Chandani Ashar bt Ashwini Mokashi 21-9, 21-15, 21-13; Aditi Jagannathan bt Rikita Dalal 21-12, 21-15, 21-10.

Sub-junior girls (final): Sherry Crawford bt Aditi Jagganathan 21-6, 21-12, 14-21, 22-20.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Aug 30: The Bombay YMCA Major State Ranking Table Tennis tournament has been hit by withdrawals.

The pull outs, that came after the organisers completed the seedings and draw, took away much of competitive edge. The players who have withdrawn are second seed Bhushan Thakur and seventh seed Rohit Choudhary.

Bhushan, pulling out on medical grounds, came all the way from Pune where he is based to hand over a medical certificate to the organisers. Rohit Coudhary has also submitted a medical certificate. Choudhary was fit while winning the State Ranking tournament at Anushakti Nagar on Saturday evening.

Two of the leading seeds -- Sunil Babras and S Ramaswamy -- will clash in the semi-finals in an encounter which will bear the look of a final.

Two juniors have also withdrawn from the tournament -- Aditya Mahagaonkar, the top seed in junior boys category and Rujuta Rege in the girls. Both have cited medical reasons like Thakur and Choudhary.

Apparently the Table Tennis Federation of India rules do not permit players to withdraw after the draw is made and seedings given.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Aug 30: Top seed Karan Kapoor of Jai Hind and second seed Sagar Yadav of Mithibai continued their victory march in the Inter-Junior Collegiate Table Tennis Tournament being conducted at the University Pavilion today.

Kapoor outplayed A Kulkarni (Ruia) 21-5, 21-8 while Yadav defeated A Deshpande (Khalsa) 21-12, 21-17.

RESULTS

Boys' singles (third round): Karan Kapoor (Jai Hind) bt A Kulkarni (Ruia) 21-5, 21-8; S Goregaonkar (Siddharth Commerce) bt B Dodhia (MVLU) 21-12, 21-9; A Deshmukh (Mulund Commerce) bt A Shrivastava (A Energy) 21-13, 21-16; Karan Anand (MMK) bt R Sinha (Raheja) 21-18, 21-16; N Borkar (NM Commerce) bt P Agrawal (SIWS) 21-15, 11-21, 21-19; N Bhandodkar (Podar) bt A Chalunke (Khalsa) 21-19, 7-21, 24-22; S Kapur (HR Commerce) bt a Tamhane (MLDC) 21-14, 21-19; Gunjan Wagle (Vaze) bt P Katakam (Dyana Sadhana) 21-16, 21-12; V Srinavas (A Energy) bt R Jilla (Somani) 21-14, 21-10; N Vasa (Cathedral) bt A Joshi (Ruia) 21-16, 13-21, 23-21; N Naik (Chetana) bt J Reshmiya (PD Lions) 21-11, 21-17; Ashwin Nayak (Vaze) bt S Sinha (Xavier's) 21-16, 21-15; M Abhishek (Mulund Com) bt S Chakraborty (DAV) 21-11, 21-13; Sagar Yadav (Mithibai) bt A Deshpande (Khalsa) 21-12, 21-17.

Team championships (2nd round): Mulund Commerce bt Tolani 2-1; Bhavans bt Rajeha 2-1; HR Commerce bt A Marathe 2-1; Vaze bt MVLU 2-1; Podar bt BES Bhandup 2-0; Jai Hind bt A D'Silva 2-0; PD Lions bt Dayanand 2-0; Khalsa bt Somaiya Arts 2-0; Atomic Energy bt Sidharth Commerce 2-1; Ruia bt St. Andrew's 2-1; KC bt Vivekananda 2-0; MMK bt Somani 2-1.

Kashelkar leads

Ramkrishna Kashelkar of Mulund Commerce College continued to lead the field of 36 players with 4.5 points at the end of the fifth round of the Mumbai University Chess selection trials at the Zandu Pharmaceutical Works Canteen, today.

Only half a point behind the leader are Yashraj Aidasani (Chetna), Rashmin Pulekar (Podar), D Ravishankar and Ashish Thatte (both of MCC), Sushant Banerjee (Pendharkar) and Sunil Sharma (MGM, Kalamboli).

Shaikh moves up

Unseeded Sallauddin Shaikh shocked sixth seed Amod Gangal 25-10, 25-10 to make the quarter-finals of the first Thane District Ranking carrom tournament, organised by Sainath Seva Mandal (Bhayander), today.

RESULTS

Priyang Vaidya bt Raghunandan Bhide 25-16, 25-8; Vijay Koli bt Vishal Wagale 11-25, 25-11, 25-13; Prasad Shembekar bt Navin Chitre 25-20, 20-25, 25-24.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. New Delhi, Aug 30: The deadlock on the college and university teachers' strike continued today with the Government showing no signs of entering into a dialogue over their demands.

However, a delegation of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and some teachers met the HRD Minister and submitted a memorandum suggesting ways for improving the higher education system including creation of an Indian education service. They also expressed dismay at the ongoing strike. The All-India federation of university and college teachers' organisations (AIFUCTO) and the Federation of Central Universities Teachers' Associations (FEDCUTA) spearheading the stir were still awaiting invitation from the minister for negotiations to resolve the issue. ``We have no information from the ministry as of now,'' AIFUCTO general secretary Mrinmoy Bhattacharya said. The strike by over four lakh university and college teachers across the country entered the 20th day today. Teachers of all the universities in the capital are already on strike till September 2. FEDCUTA was to meet today to decide the course of action.

Meanwhile, reacting to the appeal of the HRD ministry published in the local dailies today, the AIFUCTO said that as a result of the later age of entry necessitated by higher minimum qualifications, fewer grades and less or no perks, the total emoluments of university and college teachers fell far short of their counterparts in administration. The Centre should pay the full amount of arrears instead of the promised 80 per cent, Bhattacharya said.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: Home minister L K Advani has termed the US air strikes on Afghanistan and Sudan as an act of aggression by one country on another, and ruled out India exercising a similar option against terrorist camps in Pakistan.

``I do not not know whether the dimensions of this attack were justified. After all an attack on another county is a major decision. It's an attack. It's not like hot pursuit,'' Advani said in an interview to a private TV channel.

``There is no question of following precedents set by this type of super power who seen for lesser offences have acted very often very strongly.'' ``I'm concerned with internal security and in the case of Pakistan I have always maintained that internal security and external security are intertwined but a decision that can lead to more serious consequences is something that the government alone can take,'' Advani said.

Asked about the statement of US under-secretary of state Thomas Pickering that Washington and not New Delhi had the right to carry out anti-terrorist strikes, he said ``America cannot have double standards in these matters. Cross-border terrorism is an evil, it's a menace for the whole civilised world''. Advani said ``if it (terrorism) is a menace for America it's a menace for India also. India always reserves the right to respond as it thinks fit though what should be the dimension and gravity of the response is something that we alone can judge''.

Asked if Saudi billionaire and suspected mastermind behind recent bombings in Africa Osama bin Laden had played any role in terrorist activity in India, Advani replied ``i cannot say''.

The Home Minister said that in the last few months India has smashed many networks of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). ``We have in the past few months been able to smash many of the ISI networks in India and we propose to pursue that policy very vigorously,'' he said.

To a question if the three terrorist training camps in Khost in southern Afghanistan hit by the US had been the source of training or infiltration of terrorists, Advani said ``it is true. In fact only the other day after the Chamba incident the chief minister of Himachal Pradesh told me that villagers in that region who cited these militants, noted their ability to mount a running horse which struck them that may be they are Afghans''.

He said that as a result of US strikes ``there could be some diminution of terrorism faced by India and added that ``we could be unintended beneficiaries''.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. PUNE, Aug 30: Master of the Rolls thundered from 300 metres and humbled the entire opposition and won in a sensational manner The Western India Owner's Trophy, the feature of the 12th day of Pune Meeting held here on Sunday.

This charge of trainer Vinayak had showed his fighting abilities in the previous winning attempt.

RESULTS

1. Falarani Plate-(Div II) (VA) 1400 M: Monkey Tricks (A Muthana) 57.5 B. Prakash 1, Star Spangled 57.5 C Rajendra 2, Masai Mara 58 A Imran Khan 3, Unforgetable Smile 48 I Shaikh 4. All 11 ran. 1/2, D, 3/4. 1-28.54. Rs. 27; 6, 5, 8 Fc: 136 Shp: 69 Q: 16 Tanala: 275 and 197. (S. Jilla).

2. Falarani Plate-(Div I) (VA) 1400 M: Nicholas (Jodhas) 48.5 P S Chouhan 1, Golden Glitter 57 T Bernard 2, Fire Blossom 54 B Prakash 3, Fury 52.5 C. Chowgule 4. All 12 ran. 4 3/4, 3/4, 1 1/4. 1-29.08 Rs. 63; 11, 6, 7 Fc: 927 Shp: 22 Q: 217 Tanala: 1,288 and 355.(Purtu Singh).

3. Memories Plate Div-II (TM 3 Yrs. Mdns) 1000 M: Khaalis (Mehtas) 56 A Imran Khan 1, Lovingly 54.5 R S Deora 2, Pas Fluke 56 Bajrang Singh 3, My Select 54.5 E J Lobow 4. Not run: Sweet Dancer. D, 1 3/4, 5 1/2. 1-1.51. Rs. 6; 5, 8, 8 Fc: 53 Shp: 52 Q: 42 Tanala: 132 and 33.(S.S. Shah).

4. Reprint Trophy (TM 3 Yrs.) 2000 M: Winning Hand (D R Thackers, S R Sanas) 54.5 C Rajendra 1, Waves Of Beauty 57 P Shroff 2, Kabul 54.5 Bajrang Singh 3, Konarko 54.5 A Imran Khan 4. All 8 Ran. 1 1/2, 7, 3/4. 2-13.19 Rs. 10; 5, 8, 20 Fc: 78 Shp: 42 Q: 46 Tanala: 902 and 479.(I. Sait)

5. Memories Plate (Div-I) (TM 3 Yrs Mdns) 1000 M: Noblest Motive (G.P. Singh) 54.5 T, Beranard 1, Decked Up 54.5 H Rathod 2, Am Capable 54.5 M. Narredu 3, Majesty Of Law 54.5 C. Rajendra 4. Not run: Sparkling Vision. Sh, 3/4, 3/4. 1-2.58. Rs. 164; 17, 7, 9 Fc: 1,676 Shp: 25 Q: 791 Tanala: 100% Rs. 16,491. (S.N. Joshi)

6. Tricumdas Dwarkadas Trophy (IV) 1200 M: My Solitaire (Jains) 57.5 P. Shroff 1, Capital Hill 41 H. Rathod 2, Mesmerisor 54 R. Shelar 3, Supercool 51 Ronald. All 14 ran. 4 3/4, H, 1 1/4. 1-14.38. Rs. 6; 7, 11, 18 Fc: 48 Shp: 17 Q: 48 Tanala: 367 and 215.(Sunderji).

7. Sub-Area Commander's Trophy (IV) 1800 M: Imperial Call (C.F. Palia) 55.5 Bajran Singh 1, Crown Quest 57 P. Shroff 2, Lovely Prospect 54 I. Shaikh 3 & also Amorous Heart 53.5 A. Imran Khan. All 9 ran. 1/2, 3/4, Dh. 1-57.37. Rs. 9; 6, 8, 5 Fc: 40 Shp: 18 Q: 31 Tanala: 91 and 66. (Jodha).

8. Western India Owner's Trophy (Grade 3) 1600 M: Master Of The Rolls (Dhunjibhoys) 54 M. Narredu 1, Regal Equity 59 Aslam Kader 2, First One Home 48.5 C. Rajendra 3, Ancient Warrior 51.5 K.P.G. Appu. 4. All 8 ran. 2 1/4, 1 1/2, 1 1/2. 1-39.82. Rs. 28; 8, 10, 5 Fc: 553 Shp: 58 Q: 694 Tanala: 671 and 248. (Vinayak).

9. Noble Dancer Plate (III) 1100 M: Specialist (Nandas) 57.5 P. Shroff 1, Montabella 47 K. Deepesh 2, Neptune's Girl 52 K.P.G. Appu 3, Etna's Way 52.5 J. George 4. All 11 ran. 3 3/4, 4, 6. 1-8.48. Rs. 8; 5, 6, 8 Fc: 23 Shp: 34 Q: 16 Tanala: 66 and 71. (A. Doctor).

10. Tudor Jet Plate (VB) 1200 M: Well Timed Move (D'Mellow) 49.5 (B. Prakash) 1, Top Model 51.5 K. Deepesh 2, Chief Surgeon 49 P.S. Chouhan 3, Winter Princess 51.5 K.P.G. Appu 4. All 13 ran. 3 1/4, N, Sh. 1-14.93. Rs. 15; 7, 28, 13 Fc: 647 Shp: Cf Q: 542 Tanala: 3,353 and 958. (D'Mellow).

Treble: (I) Rs.1,633 (4 tickets), (II) Rs.1,564 (12) & (III) Rs.495 (72 ).

Jackpot: (I) 70% Rs 16,972 (5) and 30% Rs.6,061 (6); (II) 70% Rs.869 (221) and 30% Rs.89 (920).

Place Pot: (I) Rs.67 (76 ) and (II) Rs.139 (73).

Double Fc: (I) & (II) C/f.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Aug 30: St Michael's (Mahim) are having a good season in the Colgate Palmolive-sponsored Inter-School football championship. Coached by Raphael Vaz, an ex-Metal Box player, Their senior string captured the under-16 title recently and their juniors impressed when they defeated Scholar with a goal in each half in the under-12 III-H section at the MSSA Schools Sports Centre, Azad Maidan, today.

``There is no single player who can take credit for the victory. The boys played well as a team,'' stated soft-spoken Vaz.

Michael's, who triumphed in two matches and drew one to make the play-off grade, dictated terms in a sustained manner right through the match. Their midfielders and wing-backs played close on the heels of their forwards and this mode of play saw them keeping their opponents pinned in their own half.

They could have won by a bigger margin but some easy misses by their forwards prevented them from finishing winners by a tennis-like score. Both their goals came from goalmouth melees and were scored by Sebastian Fernandes and Salil Pereira in that order.

Earlier in another match at the Schools Sports Centre, Campion scored a slender but deserving solitary goal victory over Christ Church (Byculla) in an under-12 Division I-D tussle.

The 1-0 score denied the superiority Campion enjoyed over their rivals during the course of the game. But try as they did, they could not prise the rival defence until four minutes from the end. This was because of the fine performance beneath the bar by Christ Church's Hasnain Rajkotwala. The goalkeeper came to his side's rescue on atleast six occasions.

The all-important goal for Campion was scored by Lorenza Vidal Folch. The midfielder beat a defender just over the rival's centreline, covered some 20 yards after outpacing the rival defence and then placed home the ball past a helpless goalkeeper Hasnain.

RESULTS

At St Francis D'Assisi ground, Borivli - Under-14 (1st round): St Joseph, Orlem, 6 (Tejinder Singh 3 hat-trick, Darasia Vikas, Karan Shah, Ramchandra Manna) bt Swami Vivekanand, Kandivli, 0; St Dominic Savio, Andheri, 4 (Maccaine Miranda 2, Clayton Mendonca 2) bt Utpal Sanghvi 0.

At St Dominic Savio ground, Andheri (E) - U-12 III C: St Mary's, Kalina, 4 (Preston Rodrigues, Steven Modoli, Mahesh M, Renaldo Coutinho) bt Holy Family C, Andheri, 0

St Stanislaus School, Bandra - U-10 G: St Andrew's A, Bandra, 1 (Nigel D'Souza) drew with St Stanislaus B 1 (Iqbal Shaikh). U-10 J: Utpal Sanghvi 1 (Neeraj Gandhi) drew with St Stanislaus C 1 (Daniel Martin); Jamnabai Narsee A 1 (Kanak Kerwlekar) bt St Andrew's B, Bandra, 0.

At Azad Maidan - U-12 I-B: Our Lady of Salvation, Dadar, 2 (Kevin Dias, Clyde D'Souza) bt ANZA, Byculla, 0. U-12 I-D: Campion 1 (Lorenza Vidal Folch) bt Christ Church, Byculla, 0. U-12 II-B: Naval Public 0 drew with Bombay Scottish, Mahim, 0. U-12 III-D: Anjuman, Madanpura, 0 drew with St Lawrence, Vashi, 0. U-12 III-H: St Francis Xavier, Kanjur Marg, 0 drew with Cathedral & John Connon B 0; St Michael's, Mahim, 2 (Sebastian Fernandes, Salil Pereira) bt Scholar 0. Girls U-16 B: Fatima, Sewri, 0 drew with New Era 0; St Joseph's, Vikhroli, 3 (Savina Cardoz, Marushka Dias, Reena Salian) bt Bombay International 0. Girls U-16 C: St Augustine, Nerul, 1 (Esha Gurung) bt Greenlawns, Worli, 0.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. U-15 cricket team returns
NEW DELHI: An India under-15 cricket team, under the banner of the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), returned home a couple of days ago, as quietly as it had left for its 25-day tour of England and Wales.

The 14-member team drew two `Test' matches of the three-Test series and lost one. They, however, won both their one-day games against the England Under-15 team.

Book released
NEW DELHI: A comprehensive compilation on Indian sportspersons, past and present, titled Great Indian Players was today released by hockey Olympian Ashok Kumar at a simple function here. The book is priced Rs 250 and a Hindi edition is due soon.

Team on Sept 2
CHENNAI: Chairman of the Selection Committee of the Board Of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Kishen Rungta today confirmed that the selection of the teams for the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and the Sahara Cup competition at Toronto in Canada, would be announced here on Sept 2.

Scindia elected
INDORE: Former BCCI president Madhavrao Scindia has been unanimously elected as the president of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association for the eighth time today. The general body meeting held here unanimously authorised Scindia to nominate the other office bearers of the association.

ODI for charity
GUWAHATI: A One-day benefit international cricket match between India XI and a foreign team for flood victims would be held here soon. This decision was taken today at the executive committee meeting of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) chaired by its president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

BCCI meeting
JAIPUR: A special Annual General Body Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will have to approve the recommendations of the rules commitee to have a three-member selection committee instead of existing five members, said BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur today.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW HAVEN, Aug 30: Steffi Graf served notice she is a force to be reckoned with yet again as she dismissed Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna in straight sets at Pilot Pen International for her first tennis title in more than a year.

Graf, who missed most of last season after having knee surgery, beat Novotna 6-4, 6-1 in the final of the $ 450,000 event yesterday for her first tournament title since winning the Strasbourg International in May 1997.

``It's been a long road,'' said Graf. ``I thought I was moving well, didn't make a lot of mistakes and I was controlling the points.''

The 29-year-old Graf, seeded fourth in new Haven, collected $ 79,000 for the victory, the 104th tournament triumph of her illustrious career. Graf, a five-time US Open champion, is seeded eighth for the Open, which starts tomorrow in New York. She currently is ranked 38th in the world, but with her yesterday's victory will jump to 27th in next week's WTA rankings.

The second-seeded Novotna, who fell to 4-27 lifetime against Graf, was seeking her 24th career singles title and fifth of the year, which would have tied her with Swiss Patty Schnyder for WTA Tour lead. She is seeded third at the Open.

Despite the loss, Novotna will overtake Davenport as the second-ranked player in the world in next week's rankings.

Graf ended Davenport's 13-match winning streak -- which included three consecutive tournament titles -- in Friday's semifinals.

Rafter ousts Rusedski

JERICHO (NEW YORK): Australian Patrick Rafter, gearing up for the defence of his US Open title starting next week, beat Britain's Greg Rusedski to reach the final of the $315,000 Hamlet Cup tennis event.

The second-seeded Rafter, who claimed the Open at the expense of Rusedski in last year's Grand Slam final at Flushing Meadows, broke the Briton once in each set in recording a 6-4, 7-5 victory.

Rafter, who has compiled a rousing 17-2 record and won twice already during the summer hardcourt season, will face eighth seed Felix Mantilla of Spain in today's final.

Mantilla defeated 18-year-old Russian Marat Safin 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in yesterday's second semifinal. Safin, who reached the round of 16 at the French Open with wins over Andre Agassi and defending champion Gustavo Kuerten, was playing in his first semifinal on the Tour.

Chang scrapes through

BROOKLINE (MASSACHUSETTS): Fourth-seeded Michael Chang escaped several sticky situations to defeat talented French qualifier Sebastien Grosjean 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the semifinals of the MFS pro tennis championships.

Chang's victory last night put him into the championship match against wild card entry Paul Haarhuis of the Netherlands, who ousted third-seeded Frenchman Cedric Pioline by the same 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 score in the first match of the day.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW YORK, Aug 30: India's Leander Paes will meet Alex O'Brien (US) in the first round of the $ 14 million US Open championships which begins here tomorrow. Draw including qualifiers for the top ten rankers:

Men's Singles

1-Pete Sampras (US) vs Marc Goellner (Germany), Daniel Vacek (Czech Republic) vs 2-Marcelo Rios (Chile), 3-Patrick Rafter (Australia) vs Hicham Arazi (Morocco), 4-Petr Korda (Czech Republic) vs Bernd Karbacher (Germany), 5-Richard Krajicek (Holland) vs Arnaud Clement (France), 6-Greg Rusedski (Britain) vs Wayne Ferreira (SA), 7-Alex Corretja (Spain) vs Gianluca Pozzi (Italy), 8-Andre Agassi (US) vs Sebastien Grosjean (France), 9-Karol Kucera (Slovakia) vs Steve Campbell (US), 10-Carlos Moya (Spain) vs Mariano Puerta (Argentina).

Women's Singles

1-Martina Hingis (Switzerland) vs Alexandra Olsza (Poland), 2-Lindsay Davenport (US) vs Cataline Cristea (Romania), 3-Jana Novotna (Czech Republic) vs Jennifer Capriati (US), 4-Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (Spain) vs Kristina Brandi (US); 5-Venus Williams (US) vs Elena Wagner (Germany), 6-Monica Seles (US) vs Florencia Labat (Argentina), 7-Conchita Martinez (Spain) vs Miriam Oremans (Holland), 8-Steffi Graf (Germany) vs Corinne Morariu (US), 9-Irina Spirlea (Romania) vs Elena Likhovtseva (Russia), 10-Nathalie Tauziat (France) vs Flora Perfetti (Italy).

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CALCUTTA, Aug 30: For the second time in three days, Mohameddan Sporting managed to beat a Punjab side to advance to the semi-final of the KBL Federation Cup football tournament at the Salt Lake Stadium here today.

Once again, the Calcutta side was stretched to the limits by Punjab State Electricity Board in an insipid quarter-final. Both sides had to use their entire quota of tie-breaker spot-kicks before Sporting emerged winners by a narrow 4-3 margin. The 120 minutes of field play in constant drizzle ended goalless.

Darshan Singh Goga, the PSEB coach had been praying for a sunny day, knowing well that his boys would struggle in wet conditions. However, the gods were not listening to him. It was raining when both the teams walked in, and continued to rain throughout.

Under these conditions, the Punjab side appears to have put up a creditable show, having held on with gritty determination. On another thought, the PSEB performance was not that brilliant either, considering that Sporting were as much at sea on the wet ground as their opponents. Cassius Owino and Moses Ohira, the two Kenyans controlling the attack for Sporting, slipped at crucial times, wasting the few opportunities that came their way.

It was left to goalkeeper Shanti Majumdar to save the day for Sporting. He guessed right in the first tie-breaker shot off Dalip Kumar, to dive to the right and effect a save. Arjan Ali for Sporting and Sukhbir for PSEB, missed their spot-kicks. Subir Ghosh, Sporting left-back, set off the celebrations by scoring with the last tie-breaker shot of the match.

Earlier, both the sides squandered scoring chances galore. Both Owino and Ohira broke away with counter-attacks for Sporting, but blundered in the end. In the 30th minute, Owino, with an open goal 10 yards away from the PSEB goalline, failed to connect a volley.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Aug 30: Student gets set to battle teacher tomorrow. Mohammad Najeeb, State Bank of Travancore (SBT) coach, faces his one-time Mohammedan Sporting and current Mohun Bagan coach Amal Dutta in the quarter-final of the KBL Federation Cup football tournament on a slushy Cooperage surface.

SBT start underdogs despite a stunning win over defending champions Salgaocar with an injury-time goal at the same venue last Monday.

While on the other hand, Bagan, the defending Philips National League champions got past a young FC Kochin side quite smoothly as the old warhorse Chima Okiere punched in a brace in the first 30 minutes.

Amal Dutta, coach of Mohun Bagan said, ``The ground conditions are really bad and if it rains tomorrow, I certainly have to think about my players. The goal area has no grass and I cannot ask my goalkeeper to go there and get injured.''

He also highlighted the directives laid down by FIFA for play on a mucky ground. ``The ball should not float, instead the ball should roll on the field and the marking should be visible,'' added the coach who surprised Indian football lovers with a diamond system.

The Calcutta giants have some of Indian football's big names their ranks. Nigerian Chima Okiere, IM Vijayan, diminutive Amit Das, Iranian Bassim Yonnan, Kenyan Sammy Omollo and international 'keeper Hemanta Dora are names feared by rivals. Seasoned mid-fielder Satyajit Chatterjee will be an anchor for the Calcutta outfit. The team looks very balanced on the paper in comparison to their Kerala League champion opponents.

But one should note that Dutta's side suffered a 0-1 loss to Mohammedan Sporting in the Calcutta league earlier this month. The only haunting moment for the Calcutta giants in the season.

But Dutta is satisfied with the performance and the way the team is shaping.When asked about the opponents, Dutta calmly admitted that his team has not seen much of them in the last season.

M Najeeb, coach of SBT along with K Rajeev, manager, had a strong wish to play the National League champions and that has come true. This will be the first Fed Cup quarter-final for the five-year-old team. Sylvester brothers, Ignatius and Earnest will form the attack along with VP Shaji. The dependable defence is a favourable factor for SBT who have in their ranks international Jiju Jacob and Dipu Krishnan. Both kept the Salgaocar strike force of Jude Odegah, Denis Cabral and junior international `Paklo' Alvito D'Cunha at bay.

International 'keeper Feroz Sheriff also had a satisfying day against Salgoacar and will guard the citadel in SBT's battle against Mohun Bagan.

``Our players have not played in bigger circles but we will make a mark on the national circuit in the coming season,'' affirmed Najeeb.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. LONDON, Aug 30: England have their backs to the wall in the one-off cricket Test against Sri Lanka after off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan snapped up two quick second innings wickets to bring his match haul to nine at the Oval today.

England, 146 behind on first innings, were 54 for two at the close on the fourth day after Muralitharan dismissed Mark Butcher (15) and first-day century-maker Graeme Hick (0) with the total on 25.

Muralitharan has taken two for 16 to add to his first innings of seven for 155, his second best figures in Tests. The spinner also played a key role with the bat earlier in the day, hitting 30 in a last-wicket stand of 59 with Suresh Perera that lifted Sri Lanka from 532 for nine to 591 all out, their highest in Tests against England.

Pace bowler Perera struck an unbeaten 43 in his first innings in Test cricket.

SCOREBOARD

England (1st Innings): 445

Sri Lanka (1st Innings): S Jayasuriya c Stewart b Hollioake 213, M Atapattu lbw b Cork 15, M Jayawardene c Hollioake b Fraser 9, A de Silva c Stewart b Hollioake 152, A Ranatunga lbw b Gough 51, H Tillekeratne lbw b Gough 0, R Kaluwitharana c Crawley b Cork 25, K Dharmasena lbw b Fraser 13, S Perera not out 43, P Wickremasinghe b Fraser 0, M Muralitharan c Stewart b Salisbury 30. Extras (b 16, lb 19, w 1, nb 4): 40. Total: 591.

Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-85, 3-328, 4-450, 5-450, 6-488, 7-504, 8-526, 9-532

Bowling: Gough 30-5-102-2, Fraser 23-3-95-3, Hollioake 26-2-105-2, Cork 36-5-128-2, Salisbury 25.5-7-86-1, Ramprakash 5-0-24-0, Butcher 11-2-16-0.

England (2nd Innings): M Butcher st Kaluwitharana b Muralitharan 15, S James batting 20, G Hick lbw b Muralitharan 0, A Stewart batting 15. Extras (b 2, nb 2):4. Total (for 2 wickets): 54

Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-25.

Bowling: Wickremasinghe 3-0-9-0, Perera 5-1-9-0, Muralitharan 18-9-16-2, Dharmasena 9-5-6-0, Jayasuriya 4-1-5-0, De Silva 3-0-7-0.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. LILLE (FRANCE), Aug 30: Britain's Hacket defeated giant-killers Swedish team Magic by 14 International Match Points (IMP) in the pre-quarter finals of the Vivendi Rosemblum Cup (Open) team event in the tenth World Bridge Championships at the Grand Palais here late last night.

Magic, who had defeated the top seed US team Walvic in the round of 32, began badly losing the first session 9-23. They, however, shot into the lead in the second session when they took a 17-IMP lead to be up by three IMP.

But Hackett outplayed the Swedes in the third, winning the session by 20 IMP. In the last session, which saw 150 IMP exchanged, the Swedes could not wipe out the deficit and bowed out 139-153.

Two Swedish teams advanced to the quarter-finals along with a team from Great Britain, Denmark, Brazil, USA, the Netherlands and Italy.

Sundelin beat Zakrzewski of Poland 111-88 while the other Swedish team Lindquist scored a facile win over Jacob of USA, beating them 183-80. In the faceoff between two Italian teams, both played the first quarter in the same direction. However, Angelni (coached by former World champion Benito Garozzo) outscored Bernasconi 167-64.

31 PAIRS FROM INDIA: Indian pairs, 27 in the open and four in the women, have entered the Bridge World Pairs Championships, being played here at the Grand Palaise. The open field has a record 627 entries and there are 119 women pairs in the fray. The open session plays a four session elimination over two days and at the halfway mark, the best Indian performance comes from Vinay Desai and Ajay Khare of Mumbai. They had a 61.14 per cent score in the first session with an overall ranking of 19, but dropped to 49th place in the second set to end the day with a healthy 56.35 per cent score.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Aug 30: The Indian teams of Naresh Yadav (helm) and Girdhari Lal Yadav (crew) and Ashim Mongia and Pushpendra Garg finished eighth and ninth respectively in the Enterprise Class World Championships which concluded at Bray Sailing Club, Ireland yesterday.

The Yadavs had 61 penalty points after one discard in the six-race series. The sailors are allowed to discard one of their worst result and the Yadavs had finished a poor 22nd in the fourth race. Mongia-Garg had 67 penalty points. Yadav finished fourth while in the sixth race they were ninth with the other Indian pair finishing fourth.

Ian Fisher and Simon Cook of Britain won the championships ahead of former champions Richard Estaugh and Peter Rowley.

FINAL STANDINGS

Positions of each race in parentheses: 1. Ian Fisher-Simon Cook, GBR (7,5,1,20,1,1) 23 penalty points; 2. Richard Estaugh-Peter Rowley, GBR (2,4,4,3,5,2) 27.7; 3. Nick Craig-Mark Carlton, GBR (3,8,6,2,3,10); 4. Roger Gilbert-Alan Skeens, GBR (5,1,5,6,dsq,7) 44.7; 5. Ian Pinnell-John Blundell, GBR (1,11,7,21,7,3) 48.7; 6. Zahid Rauf-Shehryar Arshad, Pakistan (12,3,2,27,6,6) 50.1; 7. Mamoon Sadiq-Munir Sadiq, Pakistan (6,6,8,9,2,5) 50.4; 8. Naresh Yadav-Girdhari Lal Yadav, India (13,2,10,22,4,9) 61; 9. Ashim Mongia-Pushpendra Garg, India (4,9,11,13,dsq,4) 67; 10. Steve Nicholson-Graham Vials, GBR (9,7,14,5,12,8) 70.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. AKRON (OHIO), August 30: John Cook torched the golf course where he first learned the game, shooting an 8-under-par 62 on Saturday, but steady David Duval still maintained the lead by a shot through three rounds of the NEC World Series of Golf.

Duval chipped in from 9 metres (30 feet) for a birdie at the 17th, but then had trouble getting out of the deep rough after pulling his drive on the closing hole. He settled for a bogey hitting a difficult 1-metre (4-foot) putt -- for a second straight 66 that put him at 9-under 201.

Cook, who had just six birdies while playing the first two rounds in even par, started the day tied for 10th and was five strokes behind co-leaders Duval, Tiger Woods and Craig Parry.

Yet he came out of the pack to flirt with the magical 59 -- the lowest score ever recorded in a US PGA Tour event. The 10-time Tour winner was nine under heading to the 16th tee and needed birdies on two of the last three holes to join Al Geiberger (1977) and Chip Beck (1991) as the only players to ever shoot 59 on Tour.

A three-putt bogey on the 17th green -- including a quirky U-turn on his 1-metre (3-foot) par putt -- ended his run at history. Still, the 62 matched the lowest round in an American PGA Tour event this year.

Almost lost in the wake of Cook's blitz was the steady assault of Duval. While many of the rest of the big names near the top of the leaderboard floundered, Duval had four birdies on the front side and never lost the lead.

Smriti Mehra shines

NEW DELHI: Indian pro Smriti Mehra fired a superb three-under 69 to be three strokes adrift of the leading pack when fading light suspended play in the second round of the 700,000-dollar LPGA State Farm Rail Classic golf tournament at Springfield, Illinois (USA) last evening.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: The Law Commission is preparing a bill to provide ``compulsory and free'' education in the light of a 1993 Supreme Court judgment stating that every child has a fundamental right to free education till the age of 14.

Expressing shock over the state of primary education in many states, Law Commission chairman Justice B Jeevan Reddy said today that the government's attempt to pass a bill inserting article 21A in the Constitution to carry out the apex court judgment has been unsuccessful so far.

He said owing to the neglect of primary education, hundreds of government schools were recording zero per cent pass results in the senior secondary certificate (SSC) examinations.

``It was shocking for me to learn during my visits to Andhra Pradesh that government teachers in the schools either did not teach or employed proxy teachers -- mostly villagers not qualified to teach,'' Justice Reddy said.

He said it was high time the government set its mind on improving education facilities for children and enhanced the quality of teaching as the problem had assumed ``serious proportions''.

Justice Reddy said after independence the government had neglected primary education which was of fundamental importance. While expenditure for primary education had been reduced, that for higher education had been increased.

Justice Reddy said there should be a law to obligate the government to examine the reports of the Law Commission and take action within a time frame.

He said the fifteenth Law Commission which was constituted in 1997 with a three-year term had produced or was in the process of completing nine reports.

The reports related to amendments to section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, amendments to the All India Technical Education Act, amendments to the Industries Development and Regulation Act, working of various tribunals, review of obsolete laws and amendments to existing laws under part one of the Constitution.

Justice Reddy said the commission had submitted the draft bill on statutory status to the Central Vigilance Commission by suggesting amendments to the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act as well as FERA. A report on amendments to the Civil Procedure Code was being finalised.

He said the commission was examining the Sick Industries Relief Act which was outdated in the age of liberalisation and foreign competition.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CALCUTTA, Aug 30: Despite their close friendship Rabindranath Tagore abhorred the instrumentalist view of the Gandhian concept of satyagraha saying the politicians had converted the Mahatma's message into a ``mindless mantra'' strengthening ``bigotry and inertia'', suggests a new book.

Tagore was also unhappy with the call to boycott government schools because there was no alternative educational system to impart better education, says the book The Mahatma and the Poet -- a collection of letters and articles exchanged between the two from 1915 to 1941.

The great poet, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 for Geetanjali, a collection of verse, was also sceptical about Gandhi's charkha and burning of foreign cloth, apprehensive that an isolationist obscurantism might develop if India failed to take a broader view of humanity as a whole, the book says.

Gandhiji, on his part, had agreed that those who slavishly mimicked his message begot bigotry but believed that his followers were not among them.

However, the two had formed a mutual admiration club as according to the book, Tagore was among the first few who addressed Gandhiji as `Mahatma' who too readily adopted the form of calling the poet `Gurudev' despite their differences on several social, political and economic matters.

About boycott of government schools, Tagore wrote ``Our students are bringing their offering of sacrifice to what? Not to a fuller education but to non-education''.

Gandhi replied, ``I am firmly of the opinion that the government schools have unmanned us, rendered us helpless and godless...They have made us what we were intended to become -- clerks and interpreters... It became sinful for us to associate our children with it''.

As the poet expressed reservation on non-cooperation, Gandhi wrote: ``The poet has been unnecessarily alarmed at the negative aspect of non-cooperation. We had lost the power of saying `no'. Non-cooperation is the nation's notice that it is no longer satisfied to be in tutelage''.

Simultaneously on the concept of the charkha, Tagore wrote ``the question of using or refusing cloth of a particular manufacture belongs mainly to economic science'' but the tendency to use the magical formula that foreign cloth is impure and thus ``economics is bundled out and a fictitious moral dictum dragged in its place''.

Gandhi's response to the economic question was that Tagore had denounced what he imagined to be the excess of the charkha cult from sheer ignorance. ``All he knows about the movement is what he has picked up from table talk. Secondly poets are given to exaggeration and what is said under `poetic license' is not to be taken literally.''

Tagore pursued the question of economic rationality further. ``The causes of poverty'', he says, ``are complexly ramified and we have the British sweeping away wealth across the seas. Something that did not happen in the Mughal and Pathan regime. The ruination of handicrafts was only one of the external symptoms of the process of impoverishment''.

Tagore suggested that the leaders of the nation think more broadly and comprehensively address the totality of the problem.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MOSCOW, Aug 30: Russian President Boris Yeltsin and his Communist rivals today struck a deal that would strip some of his sweeping powers and put the cabinet under the control of parliament as a compromise formula for the confirmation of interim premier Viktor Chernomyrdin by parliament.

The lawmakers already have powers over the appointment of Prime Minister by the President. Now under the deal, these will be expanded to include other ministers with the exception of foreign minister and so-called power ministers, including defence, interior and security.

The deal was initiated by the leaders of the parliamentary parties, deputy speaker of the upper house Vladimir Platonov, Viktor Chernomyrdin and chief of presidential administration Valentin Yumashev.

The power-sharing deal is likely to be signed shortly by Yeltsin, currently ``working with documents'' at his country residence near Moscow.

According to NTV, this provides for launching the process of amending the president-centric constitution within a month, moratorium until Duma elections in December 1999 on dismissal of the cabinet, no-confidence motions and seeking a trust vote respectively by the President, Duma and the Prime Minister.

However, it is not sure when Duma will vote confirming the appointment of Chernomyrdin. Earlier it was to vote on Monday when the seven-day constitutional deadline expires.

``So far no decision has been taken to postpone Monday's vote, but it would depend on the outcome of Chernomyrdin's meeting with the Communist faction at 9 am on Monday,'' Seleznyov said.

Commenting on the deal, Communist Party leader Gennady Zytuganov said Chernomyrdin's approval by Parliament would depend on the composition of the Cabinet. ``If he doesn't announce the composition of the government before the parliamentary session, Communists will not support him,'' he underlined.

Untranationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky also said his support to Chernomyrdin will depend on how many portfolios he was ready to allot to his party LDPR.

Duma speaker Gennady Seleznev said under the deal, the Communist-dominated lower house will not table a no-confidence motion against the government for one-and-a-half years and Yeltsin will not dismiss the Cabinet and the Duma until it completes its term.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Aug 30: Though Surrindar Singh Gill has been shown the door as Prasar Bharati CEO, his battle with the Government looks unlikely to end. Just as Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sushma Swaraj's businesslike approach to ending the uncertainty surrounding the ``Rs 50,000-crore organisation with 40,000 staff members'' looks unstoppable.

With Gill now effectively out of the way (``they delivered the ordinance to me at midnight on Saturday. They probably feared an armed attack by me on Doordarshan in the morning,'' Gill said today), the Prasar Bharati board members too, including the so far silent historian Romila Thapar and scientist UR Rao, now look likely to take a decision.

``We are going to meet informally very soon and discuss the implications of the 22-member Parliamentary committee. It could be dangerous,'' said board member, Hindi writer Rajendra Yadav. ``When the board came into being, over 2,500 serials were waiting to be telecast. All had been recommended by politicians,'' he said. ``We don't want a repeat of that situation.''

Gill, however, dismissed the idea that the board would act collectively to confront the Government (especially as Swaraj has made it clear that they will not be touched). ``They are very legal-mined and careful. In any case, they know that I am enough to wage battle,'' he said. Gill added that he would be immediately filing a writ petition for interim relief and would eventually seek a stay order. ``I will fight the case on its merits,'' he said. He said he will move court by Tuesday.

In the meantime, interim Executive Member OP Kejriwal spent a busy day meeting senior officials of DD and AIR in preparation for Monday's meeting of State Information and Broadcasting Secretaries. He also visited the DD newsroom.

He wasn't present when Swaraj attempted to close the Gill chapter at a press conference on Sunday morning, where she sought to put to rest all rumours and speculation. She said there had been no dissent in the Cabinet. She said there was no malice or ill will in the ordinance, and neither was it her personal agenda.

She said that the Ministry would recommend to the selection committee next week that they fill five vacancies -- that of Executive Member, Members (Personnel) and (Finance), Chairman as well as a part-time member. She said the Ministry would decide the terms of the part-time members which will now be on the RS pattern of one-third retiring every two years.

Swaraj again reiterated that she had had every intention to introduce the Prasar Bharati Bill in the RS during the Budget session. As for the crucial delay in getting the President's assent to introduce the Bill in the RS, she said: ``It was entirely due to a slip on our part. The man who was supposed to have delivered the Bill to the President's Secretariat actually went to the Cabinet Secretariat on Monday at 5 p.m. and found it closed. It was finally delivered to the President on Tuesday morning. He signed it at 3.15 p.m.''

To a question why she did not then agree to the Opposition request that the RS sit for one more day (Tuesday was the last day of its session), she said: ``In the Lok Sabha they wanted to scuttle the debate and in the Rajya Sabha they had a different strategy. I was not bound by them.''

She also said that she would comment on Minister of State Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi's allegations of Gill's ``scams'' only after adequate proof was found. She added that her predecessor S. Jaipal Reddy had no moral authority to question the BJP-led Government's ordinance.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. WASHINGTON, Aug 30: US sanctions against India will be lifted ``as soon as possible,'' and this is linked to progress in the ongoing talks between the countries, a key American official said on Sunday.

In the first official insight into the ongoing dialogue between the two countries on nuclear and other matters, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Karl Inderfurth gave broad indications to a gathering of Indian-Americans that the talks are not only going well, but are designed to put Indo-US ties ``on the most sound and secure footing possible for the future.''

Addressing a meeting of the Indo-American Forum for Political Education in Chantilly, Virginia, Inderfurth said what the United States was trying to do could be summed up in one word -- reconciliation. Washington is trying to reconcile the vital national interests of the United States and the entire world with the vital national interests of India and Pakistan respectively.

``We are not asking either country to do anything it feels is contrary to its self-interests. We are working with both governments to identify as clearly as possible what it believes is its core interests. We are looking for common ground, to build on areas of agreement and find some ways to manage differences where we do not agree,'' Inderfurth said in remarks that suggested a distinct shift from the hard-line position the Clinton administration first took in the aftermath of the test.

As a result of these diplomatic efforts, the official added, the US is making progress in ``defining the principles that will underpin our relationships in the post-test environment.''

In contrast to the overheated polemics and what some Indian officials said was an overbearing attitude that emerged from Washington following the test, Inderfurth returned to the theme of Indo-US reconciliation, saying ``ours is one of the great unfulfilled relationships of the world.''

``It is quite clear that the similarities between the United States and India are much more important than our differences. And yet, it is our differences that have been in the spotlight for much of the past few months. It is my hope that we will soon be able to overcome our current difficulties and resume the important work of building our vital relationship,'' he said.

The official maintained that the US still believed the security of both India and Pakistan was diminished by the May tests, ``however, we must continue to recognise that as sovereign nations, India and Pakistan have legitimate security concerns and interests, as we must bear that in mind as we move forward.''

While not elaborating on the on-going dialogue because of the high stakes involved, Inderfurth said the US has a strong desire to re-establish the cooperative, broad-based relationship with India which it has envisioned before the events in May.

The official said President Clinton was and remains interested in traveling to the region, ``but will do so when circumstances permit his visit to look to the kind of relations we hope will characterise the 21st century, not the 20th.''

Indian fears on Chinese attack were ignored

They said the Indian emissary B K Nehru was asked by New Delhi to explore whether the US and Russia would give a guarantee to India against the use of Chinese nuclear weapons against her, but in both the countries Nehru got `tea and sympathy' and nothing more. Only then India decided to go ahead with the Pokhran test, sources said.

The records released by the State Department also show that even earlier in 1962 after the Chinese attack on India, the then President John F Kennedy raised at a cabinet meeting the possibility and desirability of giving a guarantee against future Chinese attack. The then Defence Secretary, according to records, said the only way the US could defend India against the kind of attacks it suffered in Korea was by the use of nuclear weapons but the US did not want to subject Asians to nuclear attack.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: Tired of being neglected at home, 14-year-old Lalji Aher decided to spring a visit on his aunt at Ghatkopar for a change. But the lad, smarting from a scolding for failing in two exams, left more than his troubles behind. Somewhere between Vasai and Andheri station, Lalji also lost his memory along the way.

What transpired between August 13 and 27 was a dream vacation for this young runaway. It is also the chronicle of what happened to a sensitive child whose cry for help was smothered amid the clatter and din of his eight siblings.

Setting off in a Churchgate-bound train at around 11 am on August 13, Lalji alighted at Andheri station to board a bus for Ghatkopar. Suddenly confused and lost, the boy wandered aimlessly around the station. Hungry and frightened, he was noticed by a commuter, who realised something was desperately amiss. The samaritan immediately telephoned Childline, a helpline for children operated by the National Addiction Research Centre (NARC) at Andheri, and handed the boy over to the volunteers who came to collect him.

``The boy struck me as having come from a good family, and he was polite and unharmed. But he remembered nothing of his family and close relatives,'' Mark Britto, director of NARC, told Express Newsline. ``Back at the centre, he told us he was from Goregaon. Of course, our attempts to trace his family there failed. Then I asked Dr Harish Shetty, a psychiatrist who offers his services to NARC, to take the child under his charge,'' Britto says.

For the next two weeks, Lalji stayed at the centre and soon became friends with the other children. He also underwent intensive counselling which provided the cathartic relief the teenager had been searching for, for so long.

Says Dr Shetty: ``When I first met the boy, I found him perplexed, anxious and with amnesia. Lalji told me he wanted to visit his aunt as he needed a change from his daily grind, which began with work at his father's diamond polishing factory in the morning. Then, he attended school from noon till evening. This was followed by homework from 7 pm till mealtime and then it was off to bed,'' Dr Shetty says.

But Lalji was more than just bored. He had failed in his English and Mathematics papers in the recent school exams and was severely scolded by his uncle, he had confided to Dr Shetty. He also claimed he was given a light beating.

``Lalji was a victim of selective amnesia or hysterical fugue, which occurs when intense fear and anxiety are suppressed,'' the psychiatrist explains. This often happens to children who run away from home and suddenly begin to miss their parents when they get lost.''

Largely ignored at home and the pressures of a joint family (comprising five adults and nine children) predisposed the boy to running away. The scolding over his exams was the last straw, which only precipitated his anxiety and amnesia, Dr Shetty explains.

The friendly atmosphere at NARC and Dr Shetty's gentle coaxing calmed the boy's fears and for the first time, Lalji did not feel invisible. Still, his memory did not return. However, on August 27, destiny decided it was time to reunite the boy with his family and quite by coincidence, Britto chanced upon a message in Express Newsline (on August 25) asking anyone who knew of the boy's whereabouts to telephone his parents. Lalji's memory returned in a flash when his parents and relatives turned up at the centre to collect him. Back with his parents today, he told Express Newsline: ``At first, I was very scared and did not talk freely to the others at the centre. But with time, I began playing indoor games with the other children. Sometimes, Uncle (Britto) used to take me to a Missingboy returnsÎcontinued from page 1hotel and buy me food of my liking.'' For Lalji's parents, the reunion was like finding their son all over again. They listened attentively to what NARC's volunteers had to say. Now they also pay close attention to their son's chatter.``No more of the factory routine for him,'' his father says. The shadow that crossed Madhurbhai Ahir's face for a fortnight vanished when he was reunited with his son. It has long since been replaced by a warm and welcoming smile.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. DURBAN, Aug 30: India today said the non-aligned summit should take the lead by proposing a global conference on a nuclear weapons convention before the end of this century and asked NAM countries to take a firm stand to combat international terrorism.

Responding to widespread sentiments of NAM countries, for whom nuclear disarmament has been a priority theme since 1961, Minister of State for External Affairs Vasundhara Raje said such a convention would ensure that ``peoples of the world in the next millennium do not have to continue under the shadow of nuclear weapons.''

In wide-ranging separate meetings with foreign ministers of Egypt, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and New Zealand shortly after her arrival here, Raje said the five declared nuclear weapon states - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - must form part of the proposed international conference.

The Minister's talks with her foreign counterparts gave a clear indication of the stand New Delhi will take on issues like disarmament and terrorism at the summit, beginning September two.

During her meeting with the Egyptian foreign minister, which focussed on perspectives of the two sides on disarmament, New Delhi and Cairo shared the objective of complete and total disarmament while underscoring the fact that there was a great degree of harmony in their respective positions.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will arrive here on September one from Namibia to attend the summit.

On the work of the NAM political committee which was progressing ``satisfactorily'', Indian diplomats said New Delhi's proposal relating to terrorism and mercenaries had found strong support among African countries, including host South Africa.

They said Sudan was expected to press for a NAM declaration calling for an impartial investigation of the facts regarding the pharmaceutical plant which was destroyed in the recent US missile attack. ``This is expected to obtain widespread support, including from India,'' they said.

Referring to the economic agenda for the south, they said India, Sri Lanka and South Africa were working together to develop a concrete proposal and specific mechanisms which could be adopted by the heads of state and government.

These would take into account the useful suggestion made by the ad hoc group of economists from NAM countries set up at the New Delhi NAM ministerial meeting in April, 1997.

The diplomats maintained that the uncertainty regarding representation of Afghanistan in NAM had been removed with the participation of the delegation of President Burhanuddin Rabbani in the deliberations.

The Afghan delegation has circulated a strong position paper regarding outside interference, including involvement of foreign military personnel in exacerbating the Afghan crisis.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: Two more white tigers will soon hit the trail to Mumbai, with the Siddharth Zoo Park run by the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) already prepping them for their onward journey. However, unlike Renuka and Siddharth, who were a gift to Mumbai's Sanjay Gandhi National Park's tiger safari, these rare cats will be confined to the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan. The price tag: a whopping Rs 5 lakh each to be paid by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Albino tigers, an accident of birth, first made their appearance in India at the Nandan Kanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, about 50 years ago. The AMC procured its first pair of white tigers from the park, now a breeding ground for the rare cats, in April 1995. The pair has since given birth to 10 cubs: four male and six female. The AMC, however, soon realised that the animals' voracious appetite devours a considerable portion of the earnings from ticket sales.

The zoo earns about Rs 1 lakh a month, of which Rs 3,000 is spent on beef to feed the cats alone. The 25 panthers that the zoo also houses take a sizeable chunk out of the remaining funds, leaving just about enough to pay the employees and for maintenance, explains S V Rizvi, the veterinary doctor in charge of the zoo. Moreover, panthers have no `market value' and are often donated to other zoos across the country, he points out. ``However, if there is a demand for white tigers elsewhere, the zoo would not mind breeding the big cats and sell them for a profit,'' Rizvi told Express Newsline.

White tigers, whose unique skin colour is produced by the activation of a recessive gene, are bred only in captivity as Nature does not encourage their proliferation. Their survival skills, which are greatly diminished compared to other carnivores, would ensure their elimination in the wild.

Man, however, has been much more accommodating. Fascinated by the oddity, he has prodded the beast to reproduce for half a century already. The government, though, does not exactly encourage their breeding on the ground that the animal is not entirely `natural'. The cats can therefore be procured only from zoos under Section 38 (1) of the Wildlife Preservation Act with permission from the Delhi-based Central Zoo Authority. However, experts differ, pointing out that the tigers should be preserved as the phenomenon occurs `naturally'. Rajendra Dhongde, forest ranger at the Gautala wildlife sanctuary in Aurangabad, points out that the tigers have successfully adapted to the environment in which they are bred and nurtured for the last 50 years. Breeding them will thus pose no risk to them in any way, he observes. Charles Darwin was not available for comment.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: A young man taking a stroll on the Girgaum Chowpatty beach with his girlfriend on Saturday night was stabbed to death by robbers when he resisted their attempts to snatch his gold chain.

Lokesh Bangera (25) left his home at around 8 in the evening for a stroll on the beach with his girlfriend. According to the statement made by the girl to the police, the two were accosted by eight to nine robbers at around 9 pm. When they tried to snatch Lokesh's chain, he resisted their attempts and was stabbed. As he slumped on the ground, the robbers made good their escape. The girl then ran all the way to the Charni Road railway police for help. Police rushed the victim to the Nair Hospital, but Lokesh was declared dead before admission. Of the numerous stabs on his body, one on his heart had proved fatal.

Lokesh's family -- father, elder brother and four sisters -- have yet to come to terms with the loss. As also with a city that has failed them. ``Mumbai is no longer a safe place, but do the police have the time to take any action?'' asks his father Kunjiram Bangera, a paan-beedi shop owner. The sisters have a blank look on their faces. The Bangeras' small room in the MHADA chawl of the Ghasletwala building at Keshavrao Khade Marg, Mahalaxmi, is crowded with the stream of relatives and neighbours.

``It was a light chain, some six to seven grammes. Imagine losing one's life over it,'' says an agonised aunt. ``There can be no question about it. Robberies are definitely on the rise in the city,'' say the menfolk gathered around the family. Lokesh was a Third Year BCom student at Burhani College. ``Muh mein mitti dal ke gaya. How do we live in our old age?'' asks the father.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: A 65-year-old hotelier was stabbed by his former servant, whom he had sacked a fortnight ago, at 7.25 am at Dadar on Sunday.

Bystanders managed to overpower the assailant, who was held by Shivaji Park police. Police said Narayan Lakanna Shetty, owner of Natraj Hotel at Shivaji Park, was stabbed at the N C Kelkar Road-R K Vaidya junction at Dadar. The assailant repeatedly knifed him in the chest and stomach. When Tanaji Salunke, a waiter in Shetty's hotel, rushed to his rescue, he too was stabbed in the right hand. The assailant was later identified as Sunil Shetty alias Suresh. While Salunke was discharged after treatment at KEM Hospital, Lakanna Shetty's condition is stated to be serious.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: In fifteen days Captain Hemanshu Pushkarna and Captain Shehzad Khan have seen the world. Well almost, there are a few more days of flying left.

This afternoon, 12.30 pm to be precise, the duo landed their tiny single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft at the Sahar International Airport aware that they were in the fag end of their 45,000-km round-the-world flight, quite aptly called The Spirit of United India, and also that they were a few days behind the schedule. Not their fault, though. The US bombing of a chemical factory in Sudan forced them to change their flight path adding hours to their journey, and has perhaps, denied them a world record.

As per their original flight path they were to fly across the Sudanese airspace and land at Djibouti in Africa. However, after they learnt that the American cruiser missiles were flying the same path, they flew around the entire air-space to land at Saudi, a little disappointed and little relieved.

But the experience still has been memorable. The exhaustion and the fatigue at the end of the gruelling 15-day journey from Portland in the US that began on August 15, was quickly forgotten today as they faced photographers and press teams at the airport. ``It's been an unforgettable experience. I am feeling at the top of the world,'' Capt Pushkarna said. The experience he was referring to was not just of flying, it was of cutting corners, it was of spending nights in airport lobbies and of surviving on fast-food for days together. ``The landing fees, fuel, parking charges, overflying fees and other paperwork all required money. On our shoe-string budget we had no choice but to save every single penny on overheads like hotel stay and inter-city travel,'' he said. ``The boys have done the families proud,'' said Capt Pushkarna's mother, Madhu, who has been spending most of her time praying for her son's well-being. ``We were very nervous when we heard about the bombings, but God has been with them,'' she said.While her son and his partner were negotiating the treacherous stretch over the Atlantic, an 11-hour journey and a distance of 2,560 km from St John's in Canada to Santa Maria off the coast of Portugal, she was praying at the Vaishnodevi shrine in Pune.

Capt Khan's mother, on the other hand, monitored each and every flight. ``She used to get the telephone numbers of each and every airport where we landed on the internet. She spoke to us at nearly all the places in the world,'' said Capt Pushkarna.

After clearing the formalities at Sahar, Capt Pushkarna and Capt Khan today flew down to Juhu aerodrome where for two days their aircraft will undergo the mandatory 100-hour check. Next, they take off for Delhi.

They may have missed a record, but the spirits are intact.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Language courses

Rotary's talent contest

Entrants must write their names, addresses, ages, telephone numbers and mention their schools, colleges or any other institution they belong to. Entries are to be sent by October 30 to Kalpana Munshi, 155, Maker Chambers VI, Nariman Point. Call: 2841154/57.

Entry date for awards extended

The award will be given to Indian owners/proprietors or partners of small scale manufacturing units for excellent achievement in exports. This year's award will be a cash prize of Rs 10,000, a memento and a certificate of merit. These will be given for export achievements for the period April 1997-March 1998. The award scheme and the entry forms are available with the secretary general, Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Oricon House, 6th floor, 12 K Dubash Marg, Fort. Tel: 2855859/ 2855860.

Free diabetes check-up camp

Mira Rd residents step up security

Some residents, under conditions of anonymity, said no priest from outside the parish would be allowed to enter houses in the area without proper authorisation. This could prevent further incidence, they said. On Tuesday afternoon, the imposter priest had stripped and robbed a housewife, whose husband works abroad. The woman has now stated that she was not stripped, but was tied to a chair with an old night dress.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: The recruitment of nearly 18,000 persons from backward class to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has been held up because it released an `incomplete advertisement' last year.

In October last year, the BMC released advertisements in selected newspapers inviting applications from candidates belonging to the backward class for vacancies in 52 civic departments. Over five lakh applications were received.

However, as they did not specify how many candidates would be shortlisted for the waiting list after the vacant posts were filled, the Backward Class Unemployed Organisation challenged the drive and filed a writ petition in the Bombay high court early this year seeking a stay on the recruitment drive. When the case came up for hearing last month, a two-member division bench comprising Chief Justice M B Shah and Justice R M S Khandeparkar directed the BMC not to recruit any candidates on the basis of the advertisement it released last October . They also asked the BMC to be more specific in future about the number of the shortlisted candidates after inviting applications.

The personnel department issued circulars to all the departments stopping scrutiny of the applications. The deputy municipal commissioner V L Patankar issued a circular stating that if any candidates have been recruited, their services should be terminated with immediate effect and also directed the officers not to call any candidates for interviews till the matter was sorted out. Patankar admitted that HC had termed the drive illegal and had directed the BMC not to recruit anyone. He added that the only option for the BMC would be either to approach the Supreme Court or re-invite the applications. However, he agreed that re-inviting the applications was a less expensive and less time consuming option.

Though Patankar was not aware of the number of vacant posts, he informed that a few had been vacant for the last 10 years while a majority were not filled up for the last five to six years.

``The BMC had advertised earlier also but we have not been able to get the right candidate,'' he said, adding that apart from advertising from time to time, BMC had also approached the employment exchange for candidates but it is difficult to get candidates in certain departments for a particular cadre. ``Now we will be more careful while releasing ads. . To avoid any legal hassles, we will mention that the number of waitlisted candidates may change with the demand,'' he said adding that the number of such candidates cannot be fixed.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: Two unidentified men shot at a businessman Shahanlal Divan (28) at Dharavi on Sunday. According to the police sources the duo came to Divan's shop, called him out and demanded ransom from him. When he turned his back, the two fired at Divan and immediately fled from the scene.

Divan sustained a bullet injury in stomach. He was rushed to the Sion hospital. The Dharavi police have registered a case of attempted murder. No one has been arrested so far and further investigations are on, the police added.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: A leopard suspected to be a man-eater was trapped by Sanjay Gandhi National Park officials and the police in Miregaon in Thane district on Sunday.

Three-year-old Shashikala fell prey to a big cat on August 9 at the spot. However, Deputy Conservator of Forests A R Bharti said, ``It is still not clear if it is the same leopard which killed the girl.''

The girl's father Vishnu Dama Dongaonkar, a resident of Dakhul pada, had lodged a complaint that a leopard had picked up his daughter while she was defecating in the open after dusk. Severed parts of her body were recovered. The Kashimira police had intensified armed patrolling in the area after nightfall but could not sight the animal for nearly two weeks, revealed PSI Venkatesh Naik. On Saturday night, the park's veterinarian Ranbir Barhate laid a trap at the spot where the child was lifted.

Around midnight the leopard walked into the trap. A tranquilised dart was shot to prevent the ensnared animal from hurting itself in the cage. Bharthi told Express Newsline that the leopard will be released in the core area of the national park after nightfall. ``Leopards are mostly lured by the domesticated pets like dogs found in the human settlements on the fringes of the park,'' he informed.

According to the recent census there are over 40 leopards in the ranges of the 103.9 sq km national park, which is surrounded by seven suburbs. Over the years there has been a steady decline in the count of herbivorous (plant eating) animals while the population of the spotted predators has remained constant disturbing the predator-prey ratio. Wildlife experts say there are too little prey for the leopards, due to which they are forced to stray into human settlements. The large human settlements inside the park has also affected the breeding of the animals, they pointed out. There are 80,000-odd hutments within the prohibited areas of the park.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: Playwright Pradeep Dalvi , of Mee Nathuram Godse Boltoy fame, will meet Chief Justice M B Shah of the Bombay High Court and plead his case before him on Monday.

Dalvi said that he will put his case before the Chief Justice seeking advice as to what he should do further and the threatened to hold a dharna outside the CJ's office unless and until he meets Justice Shah.

He alleged that the state government is overlooking the verdict of the high court and the Chief Minister's statement that the play has been banned and that their lawyer did not guide them properly is uncalled for. Dalvi further alleged that on inquiry with the Mantralaya, they were given vague replies and asked to come for themselves and find out whether the papers regarding the ban were ready or not.

He said that his visit to the high court would be only to give the Chief Justice an idea of the overall situation. ``The Chief Justice should consider my visit as a writ and guide me accordingly'', he added.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. ANANDPUR SAHIB, Aug 30: ``This is illegal, we are being bound against our wishes,'' screams Gurmit Singh of Manimajra near Chandigarh. Dilbagh Singh shouts: ``We are being detained here to settle scores. I was implicated in a case of fraud. My enemies have had me thrown in here hoping I will go crazy.''

More than dozen patients, most of them drug addicts, are bound in chains in a unlicensed Unani hospital in Mangewal village near Anandpur Sahib. The prisoners at the Guru Nanak Hospital don't know when they will be freed from the primitive method of ``treatment''. The `hospital' is unrecognised and is just a Unani dispensary with the licence to practise that stream of medicine.

Though the law clearly prohibits such treatment, the hospital management justifies chaining the patients ``to avoid any mishap''. Hakim Harbhawan Singh, who looks after the hospital, says that the hospital had been treating people with mental problems, including drug addiction, in this way since their forefathers' time.

The Guru Nanak Hospital was established at Mangewal around 1880 by Harbhawan Singh's ancestors, the physicians of the Raja of Bilaspur.

A psychiatrist associated with the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGI) in Chandigarh says that modern medicine disapproves of the primitive methods of treatment followed at the Guru Nanak Hospital.

Roopnagar's civil surgeon, Dr Rajinder Singh, adds: ``Only government-run mental asylums are authorised to detain a patient under extraordinary circumstances.'' He says that binding a patient against his will is a cognizable offence.

The police say they cannot act if there are no complaints. A senior police officer who agrees that the practice is in violation of the law, says: ``Unless there is a complaint, we cannot take action against the hospital authorities, who are taking care of lunatics and drug addicts.''

However, Harbhawan Singh and his cousin Harminderpal Singh justify the practice. Harminderpal Singh claims that many patients had tried to flee or harm themselves.

He narrates a recent incident: ``Parents brought their son here for treatment and cautioned us that he son might give us the slip. Although he was chained, the boy escaped two days ago.'' He says that more than a dozen of the hospital's patients have been chained for the past two months.

Regarding the complaints of the inmates that they are bound against their will, Harminder Singh says that since the inmates are mentally sick, they often concoct stories. He adds that the hospital also offers treatment for other ailments ranging from common cold to asthma and claims that even senior Punjab police officers consult them. ``Generally people turn to us only after modern medical treatment fails to provide relief,'' he added.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: The sessions court recently reduced the life imprisonment awarded to a partially blind murder convict to three-and-a-half years rigorous imprisonment on humanitarian grounds.

The accused Lakhanlal Vasudev Sharma (37), jailed since 1996 for allegedly murdering his wife Sulabha and causing grievous injury to his daughter Lalita, has his vision impaired.

On August 29, Sharma was sentenced by Additional Sessions Judge PS Gupta to three-and-a-half years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000.

Special Public Prosecutors Arun Dehiwalkar and Ram Tahiliramani said that on June 17, 1996, at around 10.00 am, Sharma demanded money from his wife to buy liquor. She refused since he was to be taken to a hospital for treatment in the next few days.

When Sulabha refused to concede to his repeated demands, Sharma stabbed her 17 times on the chest, stomach and legs with a knife used for cutting vegetables. Lalita was stabbed on the right hand when she tried to prevent her father from stabbing her mother. Lalita's neighbours apprehended Sharma and handed him over to the Vikhroli police. Both mother and daughter were admitted to Rajawadi hospital. While the daughter was discharged after first aid, the mother, who was in a serious condition, died later that day.

Lalita, the only eye-witness in the case, deposed that her father, an egg-seller, would behave abnormally if liquor was not provided to him. The judge reduced Sharma's sentence of rigorous imprisonment on account of his physical handicap.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. ISLAMABAD, Aug 30: A day after its decision to introduce Islamic laws, the Nawaz Sharif Government today cracked its whip further. It first bulldozed the controversial Bill through a parliamentary standing committee despite walkouts by the Opposition and then reacted sharply to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's comments on the process of Islamisation saying it would most likely issue a formal protest tomorrow in this regard.

The constitutional amendment Bill, which Sharif asserted would help convert Pakistan into a ``welfare and peaceful state'', was rushed through the standing committee on law and parliamentary affairs on Saturday despite strong opposition from the Pakistan People's Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and members from the Christian community.

The Opposition charged the government with not giving them sufficient time to study the crucial amendment and discuss at their party level. The PPP representative in the committee, Syed Naveed Qamar, said they were given only 12 hours notice for the committee's meeting.

Alongwith PPP, the MQM representatives also walked out of the meeting alleging that the Bill was aimed at making Sharif more powerful rather than to reform the society.

Peter John Sahotra, representing the minority Christian community, also opposed the Bill saying he could not recommend the passage of the Bill in the assembly without consulting bishops and walked out of the meeting.

Reacting further to the Indian Prime Minister's remarks, Pakistani Information Minister Mushahid Hussain told newsmen here that Vajpayee had no business to criticise us on our internal matters. Hussain said the Indian leader's statements were ``contrary to diplomatic norms and practices of inter-state relations'', adding that Pakistan has never impressed its views about the BJP and its government. The track record of BJP is its ``Hindu fundamentalism'' which had been the basis of its policies, he said.

Meanwhile, dismissing fears that there would be Taliban-like controls on the activities of women, the Pakistani Government clarified that the proposed law would not curb the rights of women or non-Muslims.

``We are not like the Taliban'' who have barred women from work and education in Afghanistan, Hussain said.

``We guarantee that rights of minorities and women will be protected. We are both moderate and modern,'' Hussain added.

The legislation will usher Pakistan into a ``revolutionary era of social justice, prosperity and peace besides eradicating corruption and lawlessness,'' Parliamentary Affairs Minister Yasin Wattoo said.

He rejected criticism that the constitutional amendment Bill moved on Friday would foster `sectarian disharmony.'

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: The metropolitan magistrate of the 23rd Esplanade court recently ordered an inquiry into allegations of cheating, forgery and falsification of accounts by former office bearers of SNDT Women's University Employees Union.

The Metropolitan Magistrate P N Nirnekar directed the Azad Maidan police to probe following a criminal complaint filed by the union president Purnima Joshi against her predecessor Vijay Tambe, former secretary K R Sawant and 15 other committee members.

Joshi alleged that Tambe, Sawant and others had not submitted the union's annual reports and accounts since 1990-91 to the Registrar of Trade Unions. After the union ignored three notices the registrar cancelled its registration on March 8, 1994.

According to the complaint the former unionists had failed to provide account of Rs 22,000 collected for a cultural programme at the varsity's Churchgate campus in 1992. Besides, they did not inform other members about the cancellation of registration and continued to collect subscription from the staff by issuing forged receipts.

After Joshi took charge as president, the union secured a new registration in February 1997.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: An air of pungent acidity continues to hang over the small hutments at Pawane village in Navi Mumbai, the site of the alleged gas leak on Thursday, even as life regains a semblance of normalcy. The number of patients admitted to the municipal hospital at Vashi has, meanwhile, reached 75.

``My eyes have been burning for the last three days. I'm going to Vashi hospital to get myself admitted,'' said Ramesh Yadav, who had puss formation on his reddened eyes. He couldn't open his eyes because of the pain, and neither could he close them due to the acidity inside. ``It's hell,'' he said.

Ramchandra Mhatre, who has a vegetable stall in the village, claimed the smell was a permanent feature there. ``These companies release the gas at night daily, so we're familiar with the smell,'' he said. But this was the first time the gas had been let out in the evening, he added.

Recalling the incident, villagers said since they were accustomed to the smell, they didn't pay any notice when it became a bit heavy on August 27. But gradually their eyes started burning, for which they purchased medicines, including eye-drops and ointments.

When the sensations persisted the next day, they informed Turbhe police, who took them to the municipal hospital at Vashi. ``By then, nearly 100 people had swollen eyes filled with pus, and we were all scared we'd be blinded,'' Mohan Patil told Express Newsline, whose family of four has been admitted to the hospital.

But hospital authorities haven't so far come across any serious injury to the eyes of victims. ``When they felt their eyes burning, they rubbed them hard, which resulted in abrasions on the cornea,'' said Dr Rahul Patoria, the hospital ophthalmologist.

Meanwhile, teams of doctors from government hospitals nearby have been visiting the village, treating those who couldn't be removed to hospitals. ``According to reports from our teams, the air is clearing, and things will be normalised in a day or two,'' said Dr Patoria. He claimed the injuries on the eyes were not critical and that the victims' eyesight wouldn't be affected.

Turbhe police are awaiting the report of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board on the safety methods adopted by companies in the industrial area.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, August 30: Film thespian Dilip Kumar lamented that parochial forces had torn apart the basic fibre of the country leading to erosion of precious values such as humanity and nationalism. He was addressing a gathering at a function organised by Sahyog Foundation on Saturday to felicitate Sunil Dutt, social activist, for his contribution to national integration. Kumar said he regretted that those responsible for the mess were sitting on a pedestal as architects of the nation.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Panel for review of Constitution
NEW DELHI: Home Minister L K Advani has said that a commission to review the Constitution is likely to be set up next month, for which the basics are ready. ``The Government is at the moment actively considering setting up a commission to have a second look at the Constitution. I think it may not be long. In fact, it would be soon, may be in September itself,'' he said, in an interview to a private television channel. The minister said the proposed commission would not be barred from including any subject except the basic structure of the Constitution.

Litterateurs dead
NEW DELHI/AGRA: The world of Hindi literature suffered two major jolts on Sunday with the deaths of Dr Ratanlal Sharma and Dwarika Prasad Maheshwari -- both known for their contribution to juveniles' literature.

Dr Sharma, 65, succumbed to a heart attack early on Sunday morning and is survived by a son and a daughter. Sharma promoted children's literature with zeal, writing stories, poetry and plays besides critical analyses. He had over two dozen books to his credit and was associated in an honorary capacity with Delhi University where he guided research students. He was presented the Lifetime Contribution Award for Hindi literature in 1996 by then prime minister H D Deve Gowda. Maheshwari, fondly known as `children's Gandhi', died of brain haemorrhage in Agra on Sunday evening. He was 82. Recipient of the Bal Sahitya Bharti award, Maheshwari also authored five books for neo-literates. He was honoured with a Tamrapatra by Morarji Desai in 1977.

Malpa relief effort
LUCKNOW: Rescuers on Sunday extricated one more body from the debris in landslide-hit Malpa village in Pithoragarh district of Uttar Pradesh, taking the number of bodies recovered so far to 42. An Army spokesman at the Central command here said the bodies were highly decomposed and pulling them out was becoming increasingly difficult.

Meanwhile, all 49 pilgrims belonging to 11th batch of the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra were air-lifted from Gunji and brought to Pithoragarh on Saturday.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Finally, the residents of Chembur are learning to breathe easy, as changes at the Deonar dumping ground ensure that pollution levels are lower than they have been for years. Deonar, togging up 77 hectares, has been one of the biggest repositories of the 5,000-odd tonnes of garbage that Mumbai generates per day. The dump, pilloried as being responsible for pollution in and around Chembur, was also the prime arena for change.

Things hotted up for authorities in Mumbai's official `gas chamber' after a 10-month-old girl died, whose family lived in close proximity to the dumping ground due to a respiratory ailment. Her death was blamed on the noxious fumes her family and residents of societies like Pestom Sagar, Shanti Sorento and Garodia Nagar, located in and around the dump, had to breathe every day. Since then, Deonar came under the microscopic attention of the area residents who went on to form the Smoke Affected Residents' Association and took the BMC to court over the burning of garbage. And, by their own admission, they reached a victory of sorts when the court asked the civic body to stop burning the garbage in August 1996.

Says Dr Sandeep Rane of the SARF: "In 1990, Deonar was a burning issue. The fumes from the ground would form a cloud over the societies in Pestom Sagar, Govandi and Garodia Nagar." H N Daruwalla, a resident of Shanti Sorento, a society which lies on the highway across Deonar, says: "The fumes had made breathing almost impossible. Now there has been a tremendous drop in pollution which has been made possible only because of day-to-day regulation by residents."

A chastened BMC put into motion Operation Damage Control: it appointed watchmen to prevent burning of garbage by ragpickers, installed lights, pressed fire-tenders into service, set up a nursery in the ground... and, as a long-term measure, took the esoteric `solid waste management' term to heart. It has invited private participation for waste disposal projects from three companies: Excel Industries Limited, Global Waste Conversion Industries Limited and Integrated Biological Farming Company Limited. "The dumping ground should be a landfill or disposal site, which means that the garbage should be disposed the scientific way," concedes M R Shah, Chief Engineer, Solid Waste Management. "The litigation put pressure on it to perform and not neglect the issue," he adds. The BMC has also appointed R B Anderson firm to carry out a study on garbage disposal. "Today's waste is tomorrow's raw material," remarks Shah. All efforts are convening at Deonar, as, pointed out R P Chittravanshi, deputy chief engineer(mechanical and technical): "Where's the land to relocate the dump? It's uneconomical for the BMC to shift it elsewhere. The idea is to improve on the existing garbage disposal site and put it to maximum use."

The pollution seems to have receded. Now the issue is the livelihood of many a ragpicker here. The 4,000 to 5,000-odd ragpickers, many of whom have clocked an average 10-15 years at the dump, say the new environmental measures have caused a slump in their earnings. As Deonar witnesses changes thought of as impossible, those who earn their living out of the trash stand on the periphery of its grand agenda of change.

"Business is down," rues Ratna Nilmale. She, like the rest of the ragpickers living around the dump, has been scrounging the trash for almost 15 years. Now, she says, ragpicking seems tantamount to committing a crime. "The watchmen snatch our tools and turn us over to the police. And at the station, we have to pay fines, all of which eats into our meagre income."Local activists say ragpickers have borne the brunt of a suddenly vigilant BMC. The changed scenario permits the BMC to arrest them if they are `caught' burning trash. Apnayala project coordinator Siraj Momin said: "The ragpickers, branded as polluters, are unnecessarily being targeted."

Sampatrao Akale, part mason part ragpicker adds: "Why should we cause fires? And even if we did, there was a reason; we would find even silver and gold in the ashes."

Informs Shah: "The BMC is committed to see change, for which a joint coordination committee has been formed with the residents' association. But this committee, point out Apnalaya workers, excludes one of the most important parties to the issue: the ragpickers. "We have demanded that the civic body include the ragpickers. For them it's a question of their livelihood," says Momin.

A silent fear is that private participation may usher in the danger that the unregistered ragpickers will be erased out or, worse, eat into their business by eating into their turf. The BMC also has plans for a project to dispose off 50 per cent of the 5,000 tonnes within the next 18 months. "We can't eliminate the ragpickers from the scheme of things. They will be taken into confidence," assures Shah.

The assurance may seem a typical bureaucratic response to the ragpickers. At an Apnayala-organised interface with Chittravanshi, they had poured out their grouses, particularly against the watchmen and pinpointed them as prime hurdles to their work. At the meeting, Chittravanshi promised a solution. As Deonar cleans up, it remains to be seen whether the new measures will touch the lives of the thousands who seem to be as much of a fixture at the dump as the garbage heaps.

Pointers

A road that is initially free of garbage at its approach gradually begins to house garbage piles as it reaches the end. Residents of 10 buildings situated at the end of Road No 10, Sindhi Immigrants Co-operative Housing Society, say that while the BMC safai karamcharis make a clean sweep of the approach roads, they stop short of entering the lane. Consequence? Ugly piles of trash greet the residents just as they step outside their houses.

And rains make matters worse, adds P L Chhabria, as the garbage piles attract more than their fair share of mosquitoes. "What we can't understand is that why this particular stretch of the road is being neglected. After all, this land also belongs to the BMC," complains Moloy Roy.

While the building compounds are swept clean by privately hired sweepers, informed residents, the roads are to be cleaned by civic staff. But entreaties to sweepers have fallen on deaf ears, they add. "If we can strive to keep our houses and building compounds clean, then why can't the civic body clean up the road for us?" asks Chhabria.

"Ordinarily," says Prakash Thorat, ward officer, M west, "BMC sweepers are supposed to move into private spaces as well." He assured necessary action.

Road No 10 has some other peculiarities as well. Water is a scarce and precious resource here: it flows out of taps only between 4.30 and 8.30 pm. "The supply should have been augmented as the population of the area increased," says B N Basu, a resident of Sindhi Society for four decades now. Also, according to him, small rain showers cause big puddles as the drains are not cleared properly. The location of the buildings at the end of the road also ensures that during the rains the compounds swell with water. Looks like the residents are up against yet another dead-end.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. When 1,200 doctors were interviewed by the Jammu & Kashmir government for appointment in the State's rural areas, all of them agreed to work in remote, rural areas for a minimum period of two years. That was in 1997.

But immediately after their selection, the threat of militancy was used as a ready-made excuse. As a result, most of the 1,200 doctors selected for posting in rural areas stay in urban and semi-urban areas on one pretext or the other, defeating the very purpose of a special recruitment drive.

Official sources admit that a large number of Public Health Centres (PHCs) and dispensaries in most of the rural areas in Jammu region are virtually defunct due to the non-availability of doctors and para-medical staff. While the doctors and para-medical staff are not prepared to join duty in militancy-infested areas, only skeletal staff are available at other places.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary Health and Medical Education B.R. Kundal had ordered the detachment of all doctors for posting in rural areas two months ago. However, most doctors again got themselves attached to the Directorate of Health and in the Medical College at Jammu.

Sources say the Health Department has been planning to appoint 125 assistant surgeons and 25 dental surgeons on ad hoc basis and post them in remote rural areas. However, a decision is yet to be taken.

Kundal says the main problem is that even the doctors, who had sought admission to the Medical College under the reserved categories of Line of Control and Backward areas, are not prepared to go to these areas. In the areas not affected by militancy, they are hesitant to join duty because of absence of roads, residential accommodation and other infrastructure.

The worst affected areas are Doda, Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur districts. Sources said of the 27 vacancies of doctors in Budhal block of the border Rajouri district, only three are functioning. Two of them were stationed at Kandi and one at Budhal.

There is no female gynecologist in the entire Rajouri district, which has a population of about 4.20 lakh, officials in the Revenue and Police Department said. As a result, most of the women in the district prefer to travel all the way to the Government Medical College Hospital at Jammu.

Doctors are not prepared to join duty even in peaceful areas. Deputy Commissioner of Udhampur Mehboob Iqbal said there are no doctors available at most of the places in Majalta, Pouni, Reasi, Arnas and Gool blocks of the district though there has been no militancy-related incident in these blocks. Even in Gool, where the Border Security Force (BSF) had set up a base camp, only two doctors are working in the sub-district hospital.

The Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri said 87 posts of government doctors are lying vacant in the district.

``Stretches after stretches in various parts of the region were without doctors,'' a senior Health Department official said. The official further added that people have to trek a minimum of ten to 15 kilometres mountainous terrain even for getting first aid in many areas of Jammu.

``Even if we post them (doctors) in far flung areas, they do not go there on the pretext of militancy,'' the Health Department officials said. While the influential ones manage to get themselves posted in urban areas, a number of others go on leave. The remaining few, however, join duty and return home the very next day, they added.

Officials say that there has not been even a single instance of militants having attacked any doctor in the region. ``The militants, too, require medical treatment many a times and they visit the doctors posted in far flung areas. However, we don't question any doctor on this count,'' a senior police officer said.

At few places, where the doctors are available, there are no medicines for the patients. The Health Department officials said most of the time departmental drivers express hesitation in transporting medicines to militancy-infested areas. However, by the time the health department manages to transport medicines to the remote areas, most of the medicines are taken away either by the security forces or the militants.

``What you can do when an armed militant comes to you for medicines? Either, you will hand over the medicines or lose your life,'' a Health Department official said.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. What, 350 words! One can't do justice to the problems Mumbai's facing in one full page! How can one talk about congestion, lack of open spaces, garbage, pollution, traffic, the horrors of commuting, noise pollution, breakdown of infrastructure, disaster management in just 350 words? Anyway, I thought about it, tried to prioritise all the problems, and came to the conclusion that perhaps the biggest problem is none of those mentioned above, but the apathy of Mumbaiites.

The reason behind this conclusion is simple -- all these problems are known to us and all these problems have solutions. Yet, day after day, month after month, year after year, decade after decade, the Mumbaikar struggles on, cursing all and sundry, but oblivious to the fact that the solutions lie within his grasp.

Let me talk about commuting. As pedestrians, we all know we have no footpaths to walk on. They are either occupied by hawkers or encroachers or have simply disappeared in the name of road widening. As motorists, we all know that despite road widening, concretisation and flyovers, the potholes just get bigger and bigger and the traffic jams more torturous. The suburban railways merrily transport passengers in conditions that would have the SPCA up in arms if animals were involved rather than humans! In fact, the Bombay High Court recently passed an order against the manner in which chickens were being transported. To my mind, though, the chickens were in much better shape than commuters! Perhaps, as my better half pointed out, the chickens make this trip just once, the Mumbaikar has to do it twice a day!

The point is, besides cursing the railways, the cops, the municipal workers the bureaucrats and the ministers, what else do we do? The answer, sadly, is NOTHING. And this is why, day after day, month after month, year after year, decade after decade, Mumbai continues to crumble and decay, despite the hundreds of crores of rupees that are poured down the drain, and, of course, into the right pockets.

Mumbai has produced great crusaders and reformers. Yet, why is it that the average Mumbaikar feels so helpless? Time and again, history has proved that a handful of people can make a difference. Then why is it that 12 million Mumbaikars take it for granted that they can do nothing to help themselves, their families, their friends, their environment? If 12 million people decide that they want clean air, clean water, a clean and green environment, then no government, politician or bureaucrat can fight down this demand. The Mumbaikar must realise this fact, and MUST act. Only he can save himself.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. QUETTA, August 30: Pakistani Army experts have destroyed the warhead of a Tomahawk Cruise missile which fell in Baluchistan province during the recent US raids on Afghanistan targets, officials said today.

The missile was found on Wednesday in remote area of Balam Taghir mountains in Turbat district near the Iranian border. A team of military experts sent earlier to examine the missile destroyed it yesterday after enforcing tight security in the area. It was the second cruise missile to have been found in Pakistan.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Exactly one year ago, television deified death. Celebrity death. Violent, accidental, meaningless death. That was the day, Diana died.

Possibly never again, will the demise of one human being receive so much unwarranted coverage. Since, the electronic media, perhaps chastened by its own excesses, has trained its cameras elsewhere -- on people dying in wars, natural disasters, what have you, instead of prying into private places (other than those belonging to Clinton).

Will it handle the first death anniversary of the people's Princess with greater delicacy? And how will it remember the Mother of the masses, when her first death anniversary occurs later in the week? Watch out.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee conducted his first TV interview since becoming Prime Minister with ease, but without elan (DD). What prompted the interview, a full six months after he assumed office?

The President's conversation with us on August 14 must have been a consideration and impetus. Next was the need to scotch two different kinds of stories doing the media rounds after his August 15 speech: first, that his stumble indicated a serious illness; second, that his lacklustre speech confirmed what earlier sightings of him had suggested: the Great Communicator was depressed, glum and losing his touch.

It was a public relations exercise which worked. The interviewer was handpicked -- as in the President's case. Rajat Sharma. He fed Vajpayee leading questions on everything from his grim silence and reported ill health to Jayalalitha, Pokharan, Indo-Pak relations, Article 356, Sonia Gandhi, the state of the opposition, farmers suicides, price rise, sanctions, communalism, his relationship with Advani...

By covering such varied topics, Vajpayee aimed to establish the image of a man in-the-know, in control of the situation. He spoke fairly fluently, without pronounced pauses -- to indicate he was well, not ailing with sickness. He laughed and smiled to dispel the idea of depression.

But both were obviously forced and therefore, unconvincing. Also, the eloquence he is so renowned for was not in evidence. Maybe because Vajpayee's mesmerising speeches belonged to another era and arena: addressing the public or Parliament is quite different from facing a TV camera.

So: are we witnessing a new trend? One in which people in high office will speak to us through stage-managed TV interviews? Could be.

Time to bitch about the itch. Last week, the National Commission for Women, expressed its acute displeasure with certain advertisements which exploited females. In the past, the Minister of I&B, has objected to liquor advertisements appearing on cable/satellite TV channels. However, it is time to protest against advertisements which simply offend us by their crudeness, ads which are plain and simply, ugly.

Itchguard's has to be one of the most incredibly distasteful ads. You've seen it: a suitable and hopeful young man reaches for the tea cup offered by the girl he hopes will suit him, when, dear oh dear -- no, he hasn't got ants in his pants, but a scratch-patch within the thigh folds. The cup goes flying as cups are wont to do if you fling them, and with it his hopes of her. A curiously incorrect sketch of the male body (er, certain vital organs are missing) then reveals how sweat trickles into the said folds and rests there until it gets mouldy and little, green monsters give you an overpowering urge to scratch yourself in public. Oh, the unbearable khhitch-khh-itchiness of being.

There's a female variation to the theme: a young girl is dancing, when the inevitable happens: her sebaceous glands sweat into a flood -- you know where. As ads go, the ad is in such bad taste. Besides the fact that it really does appear to be creating an hitherto unknown need. What happened in life before Itchguard? Had you ever, previously, experienced the uncontrollable desire to scratch THERE? And do you find yourself now unconsciously, subconsciously thinking perhaps you should -- scratch? Or, did you Itchguard your thighs this morning?

Another horrid ad has a woman attacked by obnoxious characters when a man appears from apparently nowhere and rescues her. There's one unforgettable, obscene shot of the saviour jumping to his moment of glory. The camera catches him from below: he is seen bare-chested, bare-legged in a tight, white pair of underwear, which, by the way it has been shot, seems destined to land in your face. Revolting. VIP Frenchie underwear. There are other examples but you don't want to have to read about them. Don't you think something should be done to such advertisements, preferably something that keeps them off air?

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: Manufacturers and retailers of mustard oil may have stopped selling adulterated oil for the time being, but their stock have neither been destroyed nor seized. Also, there is no trace of the stocks meant to be eliminated.

When the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) department and the SDMs started raiding and picking up the samples of mustard oil from the factories and retail shops for argemone testing, the stock had mysteriously disappeared from the scene.

The factories that The Indian Express team visited were mostly empty and the owners insisted that the stock had been sold out.

In Uttamnagar, where most of the wholesalers of mustard oil are located, retailers and the factory-owners have apparently shifted their stock to their residence-cum-go-downs.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. WASHINGTON, August 30: Special prosecutor Kenneth Starr's prosecutors are preparing to send a lengthy report to the US Congress setting out ``substantial and credible information'' of impeachable offenses by President Bill Clinton, The New York Times said on Sunday.

The daily, quoting ``lawyers who say they are familiar with Starr's plans,'' said Starr's report will almost certainly say Clinton lied under oath when he denied in January that he had a sexual relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

The report may also contain accusations that Clinton lied to Starr's grand jury when he testified on August 17 about the nature of his relationship with Lewinsky.

Clinton admitted in a nationally televised broadcast later that day he had conducted a relationship with Lewinsky that was ``not appropriate''. The confession came seven months after Starr began investigating whether Clinton had lied in his deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment lawsuit about having a sexual relationship with Lewinsky, and whether he obstructed justice by asking her to lie about it, too.

The Times said Starr's prosecutors have discussed the possibility of accusing Clinton of lying to the grand jury when he testified that his physical contacts with Lewinsky did not meet the definition of ``sexual relations'' as set out by Jones' lawyers.

The prosecutors are also drafting sections that would accuse Clinton of obstruction of justice and subornation of perjury -- encouraging others to lie under oath, the daily said.

The prosecutors are also said to be considering accusing Clinton of abusing the power of his office by using White House lawyers and claims of executive privilege to thwart Starr's inquiry, the daily said.

That charge echoes an article of impeachment filed against disgraced President Richard Nixon, who left office over the Watergate scandal.

The prosecutors are likely to include with the report transcripts of testimony from the 75 witnesses Starr subpoenaed and 20 hours of secretly taped conversations made by former Lewinsky friend Linda Tripp, records of Lewinsky's visits to the White House, telephone calls between the President and Lewinsky and ``physical evidence''.

The report is expected to be completed in September and sent to the House later that month, the daily said.

Under the 20-year-old Independent Counsel Act, created out of Nixon's ``stonewalling'' on his election campaign tactics and fund-raising, a special prosecutor is required to advise the House ``of any substantial and credible information that may constitute grounds for impeachment''.

The House Judiciary Committee would review the special prosecutor's report and decide whether impeachment proceedings are warranted.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. SAS NAGAR, Aug 30: An ex-gratia relief amounting to Rs 28 lakh consisting of Rs 25,000 each from the Himachal Government and Rs 50,000 each from the Central government, was distributed to the next of kin to those who died in a Kullu bus tragedy. A religious congregation was also organised at Phase-3B1 Sacha Dhan Gurudwara for the peace of the departed souls.

Earlier, the Punjab government had released Rs 50,000 each to the dependents of 28 out of 45 victims declared dead by the Himachal Government.

Meanwhile, the officials of SDM's office in SAS Nagar have also written to the Punjab government to declared all 13 missing bus victims dead on the line of the Himachal government and the Centre.

All 58 passengers had gone on an excursion-cum-religious trip to Manikaran and other gurudwaras in and around Kullu. When they were on their way home, their ill-fated bus had plunged in the swirling Beas river at Kullu, killing 45 passengers.

However, dead bodies of 13 passengers have so far not been fished out from the river despite joint rescue operations carried out by the Punjab and Himachal governments.

Handing over the checks individually to the family members of the bus victims, local MLA Bibi Daljit Kaur prayed for strength for the family members to bear their irreparable losses. The Sacha Dham Gurudwara Management Committee presented siropas to Mohali SDM M.P. Arora and his four officials, MC president and executive officer Harinder Pal Singh Billa and K.S. Brar respectively and Manjeet Singh Sethi. Three members of the gurudwara committee were also presented siropas.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Prasar Bharati
Amendment welcomed
Satya Pal Jain MP, has welcomed the issuance of the ordinance amending the Prasar Bharti Act. In a statement issued here, Jain congratulated the Central government, especially the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Sushma Swaraj for bringing this amendment, which he said "will restore real authority to the media".

Condolences
Sarup Singh's death mourned
The Junior Engineers Association Punjab, Housing and Urban Development Department and Residents' Welfare Association of Phase-X, at their meetings held separately in SAS Nagar, expressed grief at the sudden demise of the Punjab Housing Minister Sarup Singh. Senior vice-president of the Engineers Association Tara Singh Dhindsa said that under the dynamic leadership of Sarup Singh, PUDA had achieved important goals in the field of urban development. The Associations also paid tributes to the departed soul by observing two minutes silence.

Demand
House-building society wants early plot allotment
The Action Committee of Co-operative House Building Societies has demanded from the Chandigarh Administration that plots be allotted early to members who have deposited 10 per cent earnest money with Chandigarh Housing Board in 1991 and remaining 15 per cent including 18 per cent interest in February, 1998.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. SAS NAGAR, Aug 30: About 1,100 people including women and children were examined at a day-long general health check up camp organised by the SAS Rotary Club at Dharamgarh near here today. Civil surgeon of Ropar, Rajinder Singh was the chief guest. Local MLA Daljit Kaur and SDM M.P. Arora inaugurated and presided over the function respectively.

All facilities including a laboratory and equipment for dentists, gynecologists and ENT and Skin specialists as welle as Surgical, pediatrics, and ECG machines were set up at the camp.

According to director of the Community Services Rotary Club, Mohali, a team of doctors and paramedical staff of the Civil Hospital under the supervision of the SMO spent the entire day conducting the health check up.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: Four bishops representing the Northern dioceses of the Catholic church, met here today and resolved to devote special attention to problems of migrants, especially those hailing from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The bishops, namely Symphoriam of Jalandhar, Gilbert Rego of Shimla-Chandigarh, Allan Delastic of Delhi and the Jammu and Kashmir bishop's representative, will guide the associations of their respective dioceses in forming legal aid cells to deal with difficult situations and tell the government about the migrants' problems. In Chandigarh, the church's Prem Jyoti Association, a registered body, has been entrusted with the job of offering legal aid.

The bishops' meeting, held at the Sector 19 Catholic Church, was a prelude to the Northern Pastoral Council meeting.

The bishops in their ceremonial attire were greeted by Bhangra dancers and, to the beat of drums, were escorted from the pastor centre to the cathedral where they offered mass.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: The residents of Police Lines in Sector 26 here are facing considerable problem because truck drivers who park the trucks along the road between the vegetable market and the residential area.

Family members of police personnel, especially the females, point out that whenever they pass by the area, the truckers pass lewd remarks. "One has to go many times from the passage during the day. It has become difficult for us to go by this area because of their behavior,'' says Mona Verma, a resident of the area. Verma adds that a group of residents had also met the deputy commissioner, the sub-divisional magistrate and other officials in this regard. They point out that despite the assurances given by the officials, no concrete step had been taken to sort out this problem.

The road leading towards St Kabir school in Sector 26 too, is now lined with trucks. The residents add that the problem had multiplied ever since tents were set up by the shopkeepers for the apple crop arriving from Himachal Pradesh.

"The administration should have made some provision so that dozens of trucks do not park in this area, creating traffic jams and other nuisance,'' says a resident.

They suggest that the administration extend the wall of the government school opposite the police lines. "With this, the girls will be partly sheltered from their lewd remarks,'' says a resident.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. SAS NAGAR, Aug 30: Almost all roads leading to Chandigarh are in a sorry state and present a picture of neglect. Big chunks of land on both sides of the road coming from Mohali to the City have been encroached upon for running various businesses.

One example of the neglect is the road leading to Sector 47. The pedestrians have to wade through ankle-deep water whenever it rains there. And as if this is not enough, road sides are filled with the garbage dumped by the people living in the area.

Residents living on the side road from Phase-IX to Sector 47 said the authorities had an indifferent attitude towards its upkeep and maintenance. They said that they have never seen any road officials visiting the place even for patch-up works.

Last Wednesday, two mini trucks had collided while trying to dodge the pot-holes, bringing traffic to a grinding halt for hours together.

A cross-section of the people of village Faida alleged that they were living in miserable conditions. Inadequate civic amenities, growing encroachments and casual disposal of garbage shows that the MC officials are not sincere in solving the problems of the people.

This road is very narrow and does not allow heavy vehicles to pass at the same time. People from nearby sectors have to wade through pot-holes filled with filthy water.

The situation is no better at the three other uneven roads leading to Sector 42, 44 and 45 of Chandigarh which also get submerged in water whenever it rains. Long stretch of unacquired land on both sides of the roads have been grabbed by encroachers and they are earning fabulously by setting up marble and furniture shops.

However, refuting the allegations of having an "indifferent'' attitude, officials of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation say that the situation has improved a lot with the repair work having been completed on the roads in Southern sectors. They further added that repair work was not done following confusion over allocation of work. The Mohali MC officials when contacted, said the entire road of the township will be completed after the rainy season.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: The State Bank of India, Chandigarh circle, has awarded trophies to its branches for excellence in the area of Community Services Banking activities during the year 1997-98. Distributing trophies, SBI chief general manager, K K Narula said that the Chandigarh circle had conducted 3,557 Community Services Banking activities during the year 1997-98.

The offices and branches that were awarded the trophies included the Punjab Region-II and IV in Group-A, Shimla Region-I and III in Group-B, Shimla branch and Parwanoo branch in Group-C.

Other bank branches lauded for having undertaken best CSB activities are Ladda Kothi in Punjab, STC Jammu and branches in Haryana and Punjab-I.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: As many as 400 students from 20 schools participated in the inter school poster making competition organised by fabric manufacturer Amartex.

Following are the results of the competition in order of merit:
Category-A: ( Class II to IV) Ankita ( Blue Bird), Nausheen Sodhi (Woodland House) and Najil Khan ( Little Flower).
Category-B: ( Class V to VII) Sonam ( Little Flower), Nikhil ( Blue Bird) and Aakriti ( Bhawan Vidyalaya).
Category C: ( Class VIII -X): Heena ( Blue Bird), Vijit ( Bhawan Vidyalaya) and Sandhya ( Chaman Lal DAV).

While all the winners were given family gift packs, 30 children were given consolation prizes.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. AMRITSAR, Aug 30 : The campus of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) wore a deserted look due to strike by the teachers except for an hour every morning, when faculty members do meet to hold the rally in front of office of the Vice Chancellor.

While, the teachers have proceeded on an indefinite strike in favour of their demand for higher salaries, the university authorities are facing a financial crunch, not even able to pay arrears of revised pay scales of non-teaching staff.

GNDU is the first university in the state to implement the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission, says R.S.Bawa, registrar of the university. He adds that Punjab government has sanctioned a special grant of Rs 2.25 crore to pay the arrears of revised pay scales which is unsufficient to meet the demand.

Bawa says a sum of Rs 1 crore per annum would be required to cope with the recurring annual burden. He says Rs 2.50 crore is an additional annual implication for revised salaries only. He states the deficit would severely affect the contingency of departments, purchase and research projects etc.

Registrar says annual requirements to pay the salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff at present is around Rs 25 crore, out of which the Punjab government has given only Rs 17.50 crore. He says after revision of pay scales of teaching staff, the financial burden would be almost double of it.

Bawa says authorities are trying to generate funds from internal resources by starting more job-oriented courses and maximum number of applied science technology courses. He says a number of NRI seats have been increased beside starting few courses in collaboration with foreign universities. He says there is proposal for marginal increase in funds and admission fee also.

The election of GNDU Teachers Association held in August has registered anti-establishment sentiments of faculty despite the fact that Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) and its ally Radical Teachers Front (RTF) have managed to capture the association.

R K Bedi, professor and head of the Physics Department, a soft-peddaller, was elected president by defeating Gurnam Singh (Political Science) of Progressive Teachers Front with a magin of 32 votes. The third contender C S Cheema, representing the pro-establishment group of Progressive Teachers Front (PTF), has finished poor third.

G M Singh of DTF-RTF alliance was elected vice-president. The all important office of secretary went to Devinder Singh of Psychology Department fielded by the same alliance.

Simrat Kahlon of IAS centre has been elected joint secretary and Sukhdev Singh of English Department is the new treasurer. While Kahlon belongs to Gurnam Singh group of PTF, Sukhdev Singh represents PTF (Ghuman group).

Gurnam Singh who had contested election on anti-establishment agenda, has got an unexpected number of 109 votes which gives an indication of increasing level of unrest in the faculty against Vice Chancellor H S Soch.

Ghuman group which was in power for the last two successive years has lost almost all the offices except the treasurer, the success of whom is attributed to his personal connections among the faculty. The office of joint secretary won by Kahlon of Gurnam Singh group too appears to have the same reasons. She has got 121 votes.

In the election of Non-Teaching Employees Association too Sukhminder Singh Randhawa group having anti-establishment approach has emerged the winner. Randhawa was elected president with a comfortable margin of 202 votes defeating Swinderjit Singh.

Amarjit Singh Bai of Randhawa group who is elected secretary, increased his victory margin to 250. Santokh Singh of the same group, however, could win the election with a margin of 64 votes only. Ramesh Sharma has been elected joint secretary and Sham Mohan has got the post of treasurer.

VC of GNDU H S Soch is expected to return on Sept 5 after the longest official foreign tour of over one month, third in his tenure. He is the firstV-C who has made maximum visits abroad. He is again expected to go to England next month. Pro-Vice Chancellor Inderpal Singh who has so far made two foreign tours is also expected to visit England to attend a conference.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: The Punjab police, in a follow up operation, have recovered a huge cache of arms and high grade explosives from the fields of Chan Ladia village near Indo-Pak border in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.

State police Chief P C Dogra, in a press communique here today, said a Ludhiana district police party, led by Inspector Dilbagh Singh and accompanied by DSP border (J and K police) S S Jamwal and his men recovered an olive green bag that contained about 13 kg of black RDX explosive, two German made .32 revolvers, five timer switches, detonators and five 9-volt batteries, in its search operation conducted yesterday.

Dogra said that the police conducted the operation after the Pakistan-trained Indian mercenary Dipty Nath Sharma, who was arrested on Wednesday along with his two associates, confessed that he had brought two bags of arms and explosives from Pakistan eight to ten months ago. He told that these consignments were handed over to him by Khalistan Commando Force chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar, who was based in Pakistan, for delivery to the members of his outfit in India for carrying out terrorist actions.

According to Dogra, Dipty Nath alias Palla had disclosed that the consignment was successfully carried across the border by him and one of his associates from near the Paharpur post of BSF in the area of Rajgarh police station. Both the bags were concealed in the dense under growth near the nullah which flows at some distance from the zero line.

On the following night Dipty Nath went to the place but found only one bag, the communique added.

Dogra said the operation was carried in full public view in broad day light with the help of villagers and J and K officials. Dipty Nath, who accompanied them, pointed the spot where he had concealed the consignment and after that the villagers managed to fish out the bag. The arms and explosives were later displayed in the village school.

Dogra said that after the recovery from the area there was a need for fencing the highly porous border of the Rajgarh-Hire Nagar in Kathua district.

Dogra said with this haul, the total recovery of high grade explosive made by Ludhiana police during the past week was about 35 kg apart from weapons and equipment.

Ludhiana: Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police (detective) K S Sandhu giving details of the operation said that while, the Punjab police party, which had gone for the operation, was all praises for the help extended by J and K police and the residents of village Chan Laldin, they were sore over the humiliation meted out to them by the BSF personnel.

According to Dilbagh Singh, the BSF personnel headed by a DSP not only threatened to seize the material recovered jointly by the Punjab police and their counterparts in J and K police but kept them in illegal confinement for about two and a half hours.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. AMRITSAR, Aug 30: Supporters of Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh today held a demonstration here in front of sub office of daily Ajit, raised slogans against its editor and burnt his effigy and copies of paper in protest against two editorials written in the paper recently challenging the authority of Bhai Ranjit Singh.

The demonstrators carrying banners of ``Jo Akal Takht se takrayega, choor choor ho jayega'' and ``Akal Takht mahan Sikhan dee shaan'' walked through the Hall Bazar. The local staff of Ajit said that only handful of persons had participated in the demonstration.

Meanwhile, Akal Takht Sahib Support Committee, formed in United States, in a faxed press release from New York said that the Sikh community abroad was outraged at the naivety and ignorance of the Sikh leadership in Punjab for tolerating the unmitigated impudence of the editor of Ajit.

The release further said that editor Barjinder Singh in cahoots with some crafty communal BJP Hindu fundamentalists has fanned a challenge to the reverable authority of the Akal Takht and its hukamnamas issued by Bhai Ranjit Singh. It said Sikhs had tradition of unquestioned obedience of hukamnamas of which religious command has been obligatory on every Gur Sikh for centuries no matter where he lived and no matter what the circumstances.

The support committee said it was need of the hour that they took up gauntlet, just as it did last year to defend the sovereignty of Akal Takht and reverence of its hukamnamas. It said prosperous and wide awake three million Sikhs living free in different countries of the world would defend the highest temporal seat of Sikhs.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. AMBALA, Aug 30: Former Vice Chancellor of Jammu University J D Sharma, a retired IAS officer, said that IAS officers these days were shirking responsibility and lacked will in decision making. Stressing the need for IAS officers to shoulder greater responsibility, he advised them to have courage in advising the political bosses in the "right" direction and honestly implement the policies and programmes on public welfare since "they were more responsive to the public than political leaders."

Sharma, who was here to preside over the joint installation of Rotary, Rotaract and Interact Clubs of Ambala on Friday was interacting with media persons. He said that since the country was passing through a "transitional period of alliance governments," bureaucrats had to play an important role in smoothing relations between politicians and the bureaucracy.

He, said that at present the two were not have an ideal relationship. On the teachers' strike, he said that an amicable settlement should be worked out regarding the demands of the striking college and university teachers in the interest of students.

Vinay Malhotra, Savinder Arora and Suhail Ahmed were installed the presidents of Rotary, Rotaract and Interact Clubs respectively, alongwith their team members.

Tree Plantation Function: Local legislator Anil Vij while presiding over a Tree Plantation Function at the S. D. High School, Chakwal, Top Khana Bazaar, Ambala Cantonment, urged the school authorities and students to ensure survival of the planted saplings instead of planting saplings in large numbers.

He pointed out that holding of such functions as a mere formality would not help in the greening process. He suggested to the students to celebrate their birthdays by planting a sapling in or outside the premises of their houses or in open spaces and look after the saplings the whole year round, till their next birthday.

More than 400 trees were planted on the occasion.

Two Drowned: Sukhvinder (18) and Mahinder (14), sons of Harvel Singh, a resident of village Sadiqpur (Naraingarh) drowned in the Begna Nadi, a seasonal rivulet. The two had taken their buffaloes out. Mahinder, who waded into the water to bring the animals out of the Nadi, drowned. The elder brother too drowned, while trying to save his drowning brother.

Rise in HIV Cases: The increasing number of people who tested HIV positive during the blood group tests conducted at the Civil Hospital here, is worrying doctors, conducting these tests. According to sources from the blood bank, eight persons, tested HIV positive. One of the victims belonged to a well off family.

These tests were conducted on donors.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. KOTH KALAN (Hisar), Aug 30: Taking serious view of frequent cases of water thefts in the state, the Haryana government has decided to charge 30 times more than the actual charge against six times applicable earlier from those found to be stealing irrigation water.

This was disclosed here today by Chief Minister Bansi Lal while addressing a big rally at Koth Kalan village, about 65 km from here today. He said several cases of water theft have already been registered and action was being initiated against all those involved. He discounted the theory of giving free water or power to the farming community saying that even the neighbouring state of Punjab was finding it difficult to continue for long to provide both the facilities.

``Instead of giving free power and water for irrigation, I can assure you of giving 24-hour power supply and adequate water for irrigation purposes'', he said and added, ``the state government has already been given a World Bank loan of Rs 2,000 crore for power and Rs 1,600 crore for irrigation and maintenance of canals''.

During his 45-minute speech, Bansi repeatedly made scathing attack on former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: The Haryana Dairy Development Cooperative Federation has launched an ambitious Rs 4.48-crore dairy project to benefit 10,000 women through 200 women cooperative societies in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Jind, Rohtak, Faridabad and Sirsa districts.

Disclosing this here today, Haryana Cooperation Minister, Narbir Singh said the government would set up 70 women dairy cooperative societies (WDCSs) in the first year, 80 in second year and 50 in third year. The societies would be initially set up with 40 members pouring 80 litres of milk per day which would gradually increase to 150 litres per day for becoming fully viable and self-sustaining.

The minister said the main aim of the project was to increase production and procurement of milk through WDCSs. In addition, these societies would help in creating general awareness among rural women, contribute to literacy programme and these would also become centres for overall development of rural women.

The govt plans to provide a number of facilities, including financial as well as training facilities, to the WDCSs in the first three years. "These societies would be given initial support in terms of meeting their milk testing equipment, including chemicals, glassware and stationery, at the rate of Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,500 for five milk cans per society for one time only," Singh said.

A provision of managerial subsidy at the rate of Rs 5000, Rs 4000 and Rs 2500 for the first, second and third year respectively per WDCS had been proposed to meet expenditure of salary and wages.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. PATIALA, Aug 30: Ved Parkash Gupta, president of the Patiala District Congress Committee (Urban), demanded that the Punjab government should recognise former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh as a national martyr and his birthday and death anniversary be organised at the state level by the government.

Speaking at a prayer meeting organised by the Patiala DCC (Urban) at the statue of Beant Singh in Chhoti Baradari here today. Ved Parkash Gupta said that though Beant Singh belonged to Congress Party, he had become a national martyr by laying down his life for the cause of national unity and integrity.

Tej Parkash Singh, MLA and son of Beant Singh, speaking on the occasion said that he and other members of his family would not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for safeguarding the interests of the Congress. Praneet Kaur wife of Amarinder Singh, Punjab Congress Committee president, paying glowing tributes to Beant Singh called upon people to follow his ideals. Beant's widow garlanded his statue.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. SHIMLA, Aug 30: Talks for the proposed merger of the Zee TV and Star TV network are on at the highest level but there was no final decision on the move.

B S Nayyar, executive vice-president of the Asian Sky Shop Zee TV group) disclosed this here at a press conference. Nayyar was here in connection with opening of Asian Sky Shop's new franchisee.

Replying to questions, he said exact details of the talks and other modalities were known only to the chiefs of two networks and he expressed ignorance about the out come.

Nayyar, however, said the Star TV network had been suffering huge losses in Asia while Zee TV was doing very well. The executive vice-president earlier inaugurated the Asian Sky Shop at Mahashe House on the Mall.

Kapil Mahashe, the local representative of Asian Sky Shop, who was present at the press conference clarified that the building where Asian Sky Shop was located was not ``illegal'' though Shimla Municipal Corporation had issued him notices and hearing was going on in the court of the MC commissioner.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MANSA, Aug 30: The much-talked about Sunam-based Guru Nanak Dev Dental College and Research Institute has landed in a fix, following withholding of recognition by the Dental Council of India (DCI), New Delhi.

The secretary of DCI A L Miglani has asked the joint secretary to the Government of Punjab, Department of Medical Education and Research (Health III) to ensure that no student be admitted in the BDS course for 1998-99 by the college authorities. He said the DCI had granted recognition to the institute for a period of one year as per provision of the DCI regulation.

In a letter to the joint secretary, he further said the DCI had appointed a committee for inspection of the college and fixed August 20 for this purpose. But the college authorities avoided the inspection. He instructed the college management not to admit my student for the current session until the inspection for verification of the achievement of annual target was carried out by the DCI and a letter of renewal of permission for the institution was issued by the Central government.

The joint secretary in his report to the DCI had submitted that the college was not functioning according to the norms laid down in the establishment of the new Dental College Regulation, 1993.

When contacted over the telephone, the college director, Ashok Bansal told ENS that the DCI had asked the college authorities to get the inspection done before August 15. Bansal alleged that the DCI could not conduct the inspection on August 9,13 or 14, as offered by the college. Bansal said the DCI later fixed August 20 for the inspection, but the principal Parminder Kaur was unable to attend the inspection as she was participating in the counselling regarding fresh admission. The DCI had refused to conduct the inspection in the absence of the principal. He said the college had not received any communique about the withholding of recognition so far.

The enquiries revealed that the management was making fresh admissions for the current session.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: The Punjab State General Categories Welfare Federation held a massive rally in Lambi, assembly constituency of the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today in support of their demands.

Shyam Lal Sharma, state president of the federation, criticised the government for not revoking the ban imposed on promotions despite assurance to that effect. Since 1997 not even a single promotion had been ordered.

Sharma said that the government was dithering in implementing the verdict of the Supreme Court in the case title Ajit Singh Janjua versus State. Now a sub-committee headed by Agriculture Minister Gurdev Singh Badal had been constituted which was aimed at delaying the implementation of the verdict.

The federation demanded immediate scrapping of the cabinet committee. Those who addressed the rally inculed Jagjit Singh Sidhu, Gurtek Singh, Mohinder Kaur, Mool Raj Sharma, Jarnail Singh Brar and Tejbir Singh.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: The decision of Punjabi University to grant affiliation to two colleges being set up by wards of two university deans in Patiala, has drawn sharp reaction from different quarters who have demanded that the affiliation granted to these colleges be withdrawn and a high-level inquiry be ordered into the matter.

A member of the University Senate Bir Devinder Singh here today demanded that the affiliation granted to the two colleges being set up by sons of Dr Balkar Singh, Dean Colleges, and Dr B S Bhatia, Dean of Academic Affairs, be suspended forthwith. In a communication to the chancellor of the university, Lt Gen (retd) B.K.N. Chhibber, he has demanded that a high-level inquiry be ordered into the matter.

He alleged that the two deans were utterly disregarding the intellectual honesty and academic propriety and had appointed themselves to inspect the institutes being set up by their sons.

He has described this as a ``brazen misuse of authority and breach of trust'' in which they had crossed all limits of academic propriety.

Dr Amarjit Singh Dhillon, a former dean of Colleges of Punjabi University, said that the act of the two deans to inspect the colleges and accord affiliation to these colleges, had tarnished the image of the university and also lowered the prestige of the dean's office. He said that this was a grave violation of the laid down mandatory UGC norms for grant of affiliation which stipulated provision of enough qualified staff, infrastructure facilities and about five acres of land for play grounds etc.

Prof Harbaksh Singh, a former dean of colleges of Punjabi University, who is also a former DPI (Colleges) and chairman of the Punjab School Education Board, said that by including themselves on the inspection teams, the two deans had committed gross impropriety as it was a recognised norm not to be associated with supervisory or inspection work of the university where a relative was involved.

He said that admissions to colleges should be allowed only after all conditions laid by the university inspection team were fulfilled.

Affiliation should also be granted only after fulfillment of the university conditions. Over the years, he said, he had seen that the managements of the new colleges tended to skip fulfilling the conditions once the university granted affiliation to a college.

Dr P S Bhatti, president of the Government College Teachers Association (GCTA) demanded that the affiliation granted to the two college be withdrawn and a thorough probe ordered into the circumstances in which these colleges got affiliation.

Dr Bhatti said that the two deans should have refused to be members of the inspection team that went to these colleges in view of their sons being involved in setting up these colleges.

Prof Nirdhok Singh Chahal, a former vice-president and presently a member of the state executive committee of Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union, expressing shock over the development demanded that the two deans should be removed from their posts immediately.

Chahal said that the action of the two deans had lowered the prestige of the university and demanded that these so-called institutes be disaffiliated forthwith. He said that the students who had got admission in these colleges be allowed to be transferred to Khalsa College where classes in BBA and BCA were already being run.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. JALANDHAR, Aug 30: Body of Punjab Urban Development Minister Sarup Singh was cremated with full state honours here today. The minister died of heart attack at Chandigarh yesterday.

The eldest son of the deceased minister, Kuldip Singh lit the pyre.

A large number of people from various walks of life and leaders from various political parties including Punjab Chief Minister P S Badal were among those who bid tearful adieu to the deceased minister.

Among others who attended the funeral included Punjab BJP president Daya Singh Sodhi. Congress leaders Umrao Singh and Iqbal Singh and ministers from the Punjab councils of ministers.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. FATEHGARH SAHIB, Aug 30: People agitated over the alleged murder of a youth last night at Bassi Pathanan, blocked traffic for several hours at Sirhind- Morinda road today demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.

According to the police, the incident took place after a minor tiff between the alleged culprit and the victim's brother Mohan Lal, who had gone to an STD booth near Lal Cinema at Bassi Pathana. The alleged culprit injured Mohan Lal. When they were going to the police station, three persons in a Maruti car, stopped them and allegedly fired at Mohan Lal's brother Sonu, who was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead.

The agitated people alleged that the culprits who were living in a rented house had `influence' with the police. When contacted, Senior Superintendent of Police Fatehgarh Sahib Paramjit Singh Dhaliwal refuted the charges that the culprits had any connection with the police. He said that he had been informed that the alleged culprits had a criminal background and were bailed out criminals. Dhaliwal said a criminal case had been registered against them under section 302/34 IPC and police parties had been dispatched to nab them.

To pacify the agitators, Deputy CommissionerT..R. Sarangal and the SSP rushed to Bassi Pathanan. Sarangal said the administration would extend all help to the victims' family as he was the only earning member and supporting a widowed mother.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Divorce and separation figures are reaching staggering heights, be it in the metros or mini-metros, such as Chandigarh. What is the cause? Many claim the Western culture has eroded the very foundation of our values and culture.

Another cause of the breakdown is the metamorphosis that marriages have experienced. Roles of both partners have been reversed to some extent, or at the very least, both partners are now expected to do their bit in household chores. Add to that the pressures of career and economic constraints for both women and men. Consequently, living-happily-ever-after is turning out to be a balancing act. A majority of Indian marriages are still arranged.

Very little time is given for the two to get to know and understand each other. During courtship the couple is usually on their best behaviour anyway. Even if the match is accepted, the families expect them to tie the knot as soon as possible, regardless of whether they are ready or not.

So, does it not make sense, in view of the changing scenario of today, to allow the couples to have the freedom of choice and sufficient space to make that choice? Marriage after all is a lifetime investment. Is it not better to allow the man and the woman to understand each other prior to signing that wedding certificate? That is where the concept of live-in relationships comes in. But why not look at the advantages of this form of relationship?

The man and woman share a home and a life just like a married couple, except for that one legal piece of paper, which gives their relationship `validation' by the courts and society. Critics would claim that a marriage provides a sense of security. But merely a piece of paper is not enough, nor is it a guarantee, for a relationship to last.

A relationship should be based on mutual trust, security and love, without the necessity of a `validation' by courts. Actually, those couples who choose live-in relationships rather than marriage, show more dedication, faith and determination to make their relationship last, against all odds.

The fact that live-in relationships allow the couples the freedom to understand each other, realise each other's needs, wants and feelings, and examine their compatibility as a couple are definitely major plus points. Moreover in a marriage, a sort of complacency creeps in and everything becomes routine-like and almost binding.

A live-in relationship, on the other hand, allows the couple to explore. However, perhaps because the live-in relationships are not conventional and involve different expectations, both partners do their share of household work and are more sensitised to each other's needs. All these can be valuable lessons in compatibility.

The only damaging effect of living in for the couple is the effect on children. If a couple decides to have children without marriage, the child is considered illegitimate, with hardly any legal rights, such as inheritance. Unfortunately, this arises from the limited perceptions and demarcations of the society and legislation, but not from any fault of the parents or the child.

None of this is to say that the institution of marriage is extinct, but neither should the concept of live-in relationships be dismissed entirely, especially as an option prior to marriage.

The writer is a PR consultant and writes on socio-economic issues.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. The news shook me again, this time more deeply than before. It happened each time I read about a tender life being snuffed away by the cruel hands of a figure that was supposed to light its way, to help that little bud flower into a humane, capable individual. A figure the little one trusted implicitly. I felt a deep desire to pen my thoughts and yet, the gloom overpowered, It numbed me.

But perhaps this time, the anguish inside me was more overpowering and words just poured out, bringing back the memories of my own childhood, of the special relationship I shared with my teachers, who shaped me into the person that I am today.

I see myself giving back what I received from them, when I am dealing with little kids in my own family. I see myself being by their side, gently holding their hand and pulling them out of little difficulties, letting them indulge in funny pranks and yet being careful not to let them hurt themselves or others, being a part of their fun and being there for them -- a bond that goes into realms much deeper than words can explain.

And when I hear stories of the brutalities being inflicted on little kids, who look up to their teachers with adoring eyes, who wouldn't think twice before correcting their parents with a ``Ma'm said you spell it like this'', I wonder if we should send our children to schools at all? We send the kids to school not just to learn the rudiments of knowledge.

Today, with the kind of technology that we have access to, it wouldn't be difficult to impart that knowledge to them at home. We send them to school to teach them what it means to be a human being: to lose a game and yet have the courage to congratulate your opponent, to fight back for it again with all your intrinsic ability, to learn what it means to work together, to respect other's opinion, to respect your elders not because they know more than you (which may not always be the case) but because they have given you so much of themselves: their love, caring, guidance, support and their faith, in so many ways, that your mere going away from them won't break those invincible bonds. We send our children to schools to impart social and community values to them, to evolve them into responsible, sensitive and rational individuals.

And when day after day, when all you see and read are the horror stories of teachers taking out their frustrations, their anger on the kids, something begins to churn inside and the word `teacher' begins to get associated in your mind: not with warmth and respect but with violence, even death.

Who are the teachers today in whose hands we place the future, the entire personality of our kids? In most cases, especially in the privately run schools, people with unfulfilled ambitions, girls awaiting matrimony or just interested in making a little more money for the family. They work for measly amounts, spend long hours at their job, are harassed by the money-minting school managements. All this takes it's toll: on the kids. Because they are the only ones who can't speak out.

I am ashamed of the kind of embarrassment that kids go through at the teachers' hands, slapping being a very mild example. A girl in Class IX, who failed to do her homework one day, was let off with a few slaps and this warning: ``If you don't do your homework next time, I am going to pull off your skirt in front of the whole class.'' The mollified girl didn't have the courage to attend her school the next day. The teacher may have forgotten the incident over the next cup of tea, but that girl will never forget the statement or what it did to her self-esteem and her femininity -- for the rest of the life.

No sensible parent would want such a person within two feet of their child, and yet, we thrust our kids their way, day after day. For how long can we let this system perpetuate and expect to bring up kids who don't believe in violence, are mannerable, respect elders and are sensitive to others' pain, even to our own, when what they have received for nearly eight hours a day is a subtle and not-so-subtle dance of violence, domination, anger and frustration? For how long can we damn our kids to the hell and look away? For how much longer?

The writer is working as a Sub-Editor with The Indian Express.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Aug 30: Parminder Singh of Chandigarh Police was declared the best shooter in the 23rd Chandigarh State shooting championship which concluded at Patiali Rao Ranges here today. Parminder won three individual golds in centre fire pistol, air rifle, air pistol (ISU) events. His fourth gold came in the air rifle team event.

Results
Men: Centre fire pistol (open): 1 parminder Singh 74/100, 2 raj Pal Singh 67, 3 Daleep Chandel 52. Centre fire pistol (civilians): 1 Daleep Chandel 52/100, 2 Sukhminder Singh Mann 42, 3 Mainash Jain 41. Air pistol (NR): 1 Daleep Chandel 336/400, 2 Ripudaman Singh Gill 328, 3 Harkirat Singh 317. Air rifle (NR): 1 Parminder Singh 320/400, 2 Ripudaman Singh 309, 3 Balvinder Singh 278. Air rifle (team): 1 Parminder, Ripudaman, Dharminder 891/1200, 2 Ripjit Sanmukh, Balvinder 710, 3 Deepak, Dharam, Pooran 513. Air pistol (team): Daleep Chandel, Ripudaman Singh, Rajinder Singla 925/1200, 2 Waheguru, Harkirat, Raja 902, 3 Pooran, Deepak Dharam 634. Junior men: Air pistol (NR): 1 Amtoj Singh 309/400, 2 Munit Inder Singh 308, 3 Amanjot Sachdeva 269. Air rifle (NR): 1 Ripjit Singh 256/400, 2 Deepak Singh 241, 3 Amanjot Sachdeva 241. Sub-junior men: Air pistol (NR): 1 Hitesh Chauhan 102/400. Women: Air pistol (NR): 1 Aarti Mehta 326/400, 2 Jyoti Mehta 318, 3 Ritu Bajaj 267. Air pistol (team): 1 Preeti, Maninder,Ritu 761/1200, 2 Sujata, Sukhjit, Seema 480. Air rifle: (NR): 1 tamana 302/400, 2 Aarti Mehta 261, 3 Milipreet Mangat 243. Air rifle (team): 1 Preeti, Maninder, Ritu 538/1200, 2 Sukhjit, Sujata, Seema 538, 3 Tamana, Deep Shibha, Priya 519. Junior women: Air pistol (NR): 1 Aarti Mehta 326/400, 2 Ritu Bajaj 267, 3 Maninder Kaur 262. Air rifle (NR): 1 Aarti Mehta 261/400, 2 Maninder Kaur 208, 3 Srishty Sharma 170. Sub-junior: Air rifle (NR): 1 Gurinder Singh 237/400, 2 Arjun Partap 233, 3 Pooran 170.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. PANCHKULA, August 30: Nearly 2,650 people have been vaccinated against Hepatitis B in the "vaccination week'' which concluded here today. The Hepatitis B immunisation drive was undertaken by the Department of Social Service and Survey- an NGO.

The vaccination drive was organised at different schools, both in Panchkula and Ambala. Beginning from Lord Mahavir Public School and Jain Girls Senior Secondary School at Ambala, three other camps were held at Little Flower Convent School and Shemrock Public School at Panchkula.

Programme coordinator Rishi Mahajan claimed that this was the first time that so many people had been vaccinated within a week. Nearly 45 children were vaccinated free of cost under the Group Percentile Call Programme. Mahajan said "under this programme, vaccination is provided free of cost to all needy people, the destitutes - all those who cannot afford to get vaccinated on account of financial constraints".

The Immunisation Week was organised in schools to make it convenient for the parents to vaccinate the children, specially the working couples. Subsidised vaccines were also administered during the week.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has put the Delhi Government in a fix. One lakh fifty thousand litres of adulterated Dhara refined oil is untraceable.

The government raided 1,500 godowns, factories and consumer outlets. But they could only recover 5,000 litres of adulterated oil. But the missing stock of the Dhara refined is nowhere to be found, a source in the Delhi Government said.

The government in desperation today launched a door-to-door survey in order to trace the missing oil.

Of the 150,000 litres of adulterated Dhara refined oil, some was pumped into the market. But officials of the NDDB, which produces 650-660 metric tonnes of refined vegetable in Delhi per month, could not give the figures of how much of the adulterated oil has gone into the market.

``There are 200,000 food establishments in Delhi. Where all can we check? Besides, the NDDB has no record of the batch numbers of oil suspected to be adulterated. It is a near impossible task to track down the adulterated brand in the market,'' the Delhi Health Secretary, Ramesh Chandra said.

The main supplier of adulterated mustrad oil Kamal Aggarwal, who was nabbed by the Crime Branch on Friday, had also supplied three tankers containing 10,000 litres of mustard oil to the NDDB. And that is how the popular Dhara refined oil got contaminated.

This 10,000 litres of mustard oil after being mixed with other consignments was sent for double refining. This led to 1,50,000 litres getting contaminated due to mixing with the adulterated mustard oil supplied by Agarwal.

The Crime Branch investigations reveal that negligence on part of the NDDB in examining mustard oil before purchasing it from traders has led to the adulteration of Dhara refined oil.

The NDDB had purchased three tankers of mustard oil from Kamal Oil Mills and Vikas Oil Traders without testing its quality. Kamal Aggarwal reportedly sold mustard oil originally meant for DCM oil refineries to NDDB as the former closed operations in the same period.

``The NDDB does not have proper lab-testing facility by which they could detect the argemeone or other forms of adulteration in mustard. That is how the contaminated supply went into the market without anybody noticing it,'' the Delhi Government sources said.

The problem of the missing adulterated Dhara refined oil has put the Delhi Government in such as a bind that they are unable to decide on how or when to lift the ban. And if it is lifted which of the brands are to be given permits to sell edible oil in the Delhi market.

``We can issue fresh tenders, but how can we sure be that the adulterated oil will not resurface in the market once again,'' Ramesh Chandra said.

The Delhi Government hopes to control the situation by Wednesday, although they do not exactly know how. ``The decline in the death toll shows the situation is coming under control and main culprits have been arrested. The prosecution process will begin by Wednesday,'' Ramesh Chandra said.

The office of the Prevention of Food Adulteration at Lawrence Road and the nine offices of Deputy Commissioners will open public service counters from tomorrow, to help consumers get edible oil checked for adulteration.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: Preliminary reports prepared by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) about the mysterious deaths of Zee TV assistant producers Rajiv Rajah, 21, and Monika Malik, 25, have more or less vindicated the findings of the Delhi police so far.

The CFSL reports have ruled out the possibility of a third person having sex with Monika and then killing her and Rajiv. Semen and blood samples from the bodies have indicated that Rajiv and Monika made love on the night of August 4.

Traces of an organo-phosphorous compound have also been found in Rajiv's viscera samples. What is still not clear from the reports is whether Rajiv smothered Monika to death and if he himself consumed the insecticide, containing the organo-phosphorous compound.

Joint Commissioner of Police (southern range) Amod Kanth told Express Newsline today that ``nothing unexpected has emerged from the preliminary reports'' which were sent to police headquarters on Friday.

``We now have two sets of reports -- the post-mortem reports and the CFSL reports. We have to compile all the findings from these reports as well as those of the investigating officers before we arrive at a final conclusion,'' said Kanth.

More importantly, the reports and the circumstantial evidence have raised several questions. Answers will be sought afresh by the police to correlate all these findings and also, another round of questioning for the Rajah family.

Though CFSL is yet to submit the final report, the preliminary reports have also cited the findings on the examination of letters, clothes and documents recovered either from the spot or from the homes of Rajiv and Monika.

Unlike the previous instance, soon after the post-mortem reports were submitted, when senior police officials described the deaths of Monika and Rajiv as an open and shut case, this time around the police are cautiously commenting on the implications of the CFSL report.

A senior official said: ``We want to cross check everything including statements from CFSL experts about how they arrived at each conclusion. Once we tally everything we will disclose the conclusions.''

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: An empty Moolchand Khairatiram Hospital is waiting for the cut-throat power game for control over its management to end. Currently, three consultant lobbies are slugging it out to wrest control over the hospital. According to the employees, the empty hospital is a clear indication that the management has ``put up the land for sale''. However, what the employees term as a `sale', may turn out to be a mere transfer of property, wherein a new management will take over after money changes hands.

At current real estate prices, the value of the nine acres of prime land in Lajpat Nagar, which houses the hospital, is estimated at Rs 600 crore. What the union fears is a sellout of the property which was acquired at a concessional rate from the government in 1950s.

Already, the Heart Care Foundation operates out of a rented space from within the hospital premises. Similarly, Naveen C. Nanda Institute of Echocardiography and the Pacemaker Bank also share the same address. The trust has already subleased part of the property in one of the cases. According to reliable sources, this move is a precusor to the final sellout.

Apprehending closure of the hospital and subsequent sale of the land, hospital employees have written to the Lieutenant-Governor demanding his intervention.

In a memorandum to the Lt-Governor, the workers' union has pointed out that even though the employees were still coming for their duty as usual, the doctors have stopped altogether.

Union president Jagat Ram, who has issued an appeal to the doctors to come back to work, said: ``We have already met Labour Minister S.P. Ratawal, who referred us to Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan. And though I've tried twice, I have not been able to meet him so far. We are also seeking an appointment with Union Minister for Urban Development Ram Jethmalani in this regard. We are convinced that the trustees are planning to close the place and sell the land to the highest bidder, which may be as high as Rs 600 crore.''

None of the trustees of the hospital are willing to talk about their plans for the hospital. However, meetings on its future are on between consultant doctors and managing trustee Suresh Talwar on a regular basis.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: The Delhi Opthalmological Society (DOS) warned of an outbreak of epidemic dropsy glaucoma, which causes irreversible blindness. Thirty cases of retinal swelling and infection have already been reported from the Deen Dayal Upadhyay and the Guru Nanak hospitals alone.

While issuing the warning at a press conference today, the DOS president G Mukherjee said, dropsy affected patients and their family members should immediately go for regular and periodic eye-pressure check-ups. It is inexpensive and can be tested at any Opthological (eye-care) centre.

Dropsy glaucoma cause no pain and there is no outward manifestation of the disease. It takes three to four weeks from the intake of argemone adulterated mustard oil for the minor symptoms, like hazy vision, to be evident. Hence it is all the more important for people in the dropsy affected area to go for regular checks-up without further delay. Untreated patient could end up with irreversible blindness, he said.

Presence of more than 0.01 per cent of Argemone mexicana (prickly yellow poppy) in oil produces toxic alkaloids which pushes up the normal IOP (eye-pressure) from 10-20mm Hg to 70-80mm Hg leading to dilation and swelling of retinal vessels and hemorrhage of the eye and ultimately blindness.

``Dropsy glaucoma is bilateral, which means it affects both the eyes. So the affected person looses both the eyes if it is not detected at an early stage. Therefore, it is very important that people in dropsy affected areas must go for eye-pressure check-ups immediately,'' said Mahipal S. Sachadev, Senior Consultant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, who was present at the conference.

Describing a case Lalit Verma, assistant professor R.P. Opthalmological Centre, AIIMS, said a man had come in a few days ago to get his spectacles changed as he was suffering from hazy vision.``The back of the man's retina was to be found swollen. So we questioned him and he revealed that two of his family members were admitted in hospitals for dropsy. We immediately knew the cause,'' he related.

However, the ophthalmologists clarified that not that all patients suffering from primary dropsy are prone to dropsy glaucoma as it affects only those genetically predisposed to glaucoma. But it can also be found in people who have not been affected by the symptoms of primary dropsy.

Since the magnitude of the present epidemic is much greater than the previous epidemics, the number of people likely to be affected by dropsy glaucoma could be much higher this time.

Except for breast-feeding babies no one is exempt. Epidemiological study during the last outbreak revealed that the age of 75 per cent of the patients ranged from 11 to 40 years, glaucoma is rarely seen among this age group in normal circumstances.

Body massage or use of adulterated mustard oil in any form can also cause dropsy, they said.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: Epidemic dropsy claimed seven more lives in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 34, even as 161 fresh admissions were reported at city hospitals.

The latest casualties have been reported from DDU, St Stephen's, ESI, GTB, RML and Safdarjung Hospitals. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police registered 15 cases against the oil traders in the city for selling and storing adulterated mustered oil. No further arrests were, however, made since yesterday.

The government has summoned a meeting of the health secretaries of all the states affected with epidemic dropsy to chalk out a strategy to control the menace.

Health ministry officials said at least 400 persons with symptoms thronged the hospitals for treatment, though most were sent back after the necessary medication. West Delhi continues to be the worst affected area as the maximum number of patients came to the DDU Hospital today as well, closely followed by Safdarjung.

During their survey of shops all over the city, 27 teams headed by sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) checked 1,400 oil mills, depots and shops and sealed six of them on suspicion. Of the 245 samples of mustered oil collected by the teams, 52 were found to be adulterated.

The police has intensified searches in the jhuggi clusters to identify the sources of oil being used by their inhabitants. A party has been sent to Rajasthan as well after the source of one of the consignments of adulterated was traced there.

Incidentally, it is not for the first time that the disease has reared its ugly head. It first struck the country in 1953 at Nanded, the then Central province. After that it let loose terror in 1977 in West Bengal and in 1983 in Madhya Pradesh. Each time it took many lives and paralysed thousands. The disease is caused by adulteration of mustard oil with agremone oil and has no cure.

The agremone oil is taken from seeds of the poisonous Mexican poppy plant (agremone mexicana), known as sial kanta in the eastern parts of the country and pila dhatura in the northern parts.

The entire Mexican poppy plant and its seeds are poisonous and could prove fatal on consumption. It causes weakness, bleeding and diarrhoea leading to death. Clinical reports show that a lethal dose is nearly 20 gm per kg of body weight (average human body weight is 50 kg in India). One kg of adulterated oil can cause death, say experts.

In India, the per day average consumption of edible oil among affluent people is nearly 110 to 115 gm and 75 to 80 gm in the case of the poor. It would take nearly ten days for the rich people to reach the fatal stage and 13 to 16 days for the poor.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, August 30: Platform No 12 at the New Delhi station must be the most upwardly mobile railway platform in entire country. It even smells different.

True, a passing breeze may bear an occasional whiff of the all-too-familiar ammonia in its breath. But if the havaldar on Platform No 12 duty could have chased it with his lathi, he would have done so. Because, strictly speaking, it is a refugee from Platform No 9, or No 8 or any of the other platforms in this gargantuan complex that handles some 191 trains every day. It really has no business to be loitering about on Platform No 12.

On Platform No 12 one is not supposed to perform the thousands of familiar acts that have become synonymous with train travel for us Indians.

On no account must one leave traces of pan-stained saliva on the flooring near dustbins (although there is evidence to suggest that some visitors seem to have been either overwhelmed by their overworked masticatory glands or plain forgotten this rule).

One is not expected to stand around the familiar khadai of stale, smoking oil perched uncertainly on a makeshift stove which is in turn precariously placed on a handcart and eat piping hot bhajias.

Instead one imbibes Wimpy burgers dispensed from a neat little counter with the crisp notes accessed from the Citibank automatic teller machine that New Delhi Railway station has acquired for its Platform No 12 denizens.

The detritus from the meal are then presumably not allowed to litter, like leaf containers which once held alu ki sabzi do the other platforms. Instead, they are to be carefully put into the specially designed fibreglass dustbins of Platform No 12, which are a world apart from their overflowing country-cousins made of tin and painted a bilious yellow, that surface elsewhere.

The coffee/tea arrives on Platform No 12 not from the common aluminium spout belonging to a large soot-bottomed kettle but from automated dispensers housed in spanking new modular stalls with neat lettering proudly proclaiming -- `Rail Ahar'. And it is sipped while sitting on aesthetically designed wrought iron chairs -- quite removed from the concrete slabs that less fortunate travellers have to make do with.

But then the traveller on Platform No 12, doesn't even remotely resemble their counterparts on other platforms -- the great unwashed, worn, wretched of the earth, lugging ungainly pieces of luggage held together with pieces of rope, and the mandatory wailing baby.

Babies on Platform No 12, when they put in a rare appearance, gurgle happily in their ever-dry Pampers, and the accompanying luggage is sleek and minimalist. In any case, most people here seem to travel only with a patent leather briefcase with gold fittings which is usually teamed with the morning's pink papers worn under the right arm.

This lot look, in fact, as if they are about to board flight IC 405 for Mumbai, what with their well-shined shoes that the myriad shoeshine boys who swarm Platform No 12 so energetically polish.

All in all, Platform No 12 is a spit-and-polish affair. If one were somehow to be spared the sight of the other platforms, with its plastic bag litter and curlicues of shit on the tracks, the garbage piles and the inexplicable patches of dirty water everywhere, one could even imagine that the Indian Railways is indeed steaming into the future.

Time is, of course, the great leveller. The big question is: will the railways do something about bringing some of the privileges of Platform No 12 to the other more pedestrian platforms in New Delhi station and elsewhere, or will this brave new facility begin to wear the look of utter neglect that has unfortunately become the hallmark of the Indian Railways?

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.

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