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PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
VATICAN CITY, Sept 1: While many may already think of Mother Teresa as a saint, any official canonisation will has to wait, under Vatican rules that require a five-year interval after a candidate's death.
With the first anniversary of her death at the age of 87 on September 5 last year, tributes to the diminutive yet media savvy nun who catered to Calcutta's needy have again brought this question to the forefront.
Even a person like Mother Teresa, whose selfless devotion to the downtrodden and oppressed helped win her the 1979 Nobel Peace prize, cannot justify speeding up the process, said a Vatican spokesman.
``All candidates for sanctification are equal before God,'' he said. The rules require a five-year wait before the path towards sainthood starts. After her death, many voices within the Roman Catholic church tried to push for an exception in Mother Teresa's case and urged for an immediate canonisation. Among them was her close friend Italian cardinal Pio Laghi, now 76, who argued that MotherTeresa had ``done what Jesus did 2,000 years ago''.
In Rome, however, members of Her Missionaries of Charity, a community of 2,500 nuns around the world who minister to the poor, sick and abandoned, uphold Vatican rules and have not pressed for any early start to the canonisation procedure.
Though Pope John Paul II simplified the process in 1983, the path towards sainthood is still a long one. It starts with the local bishop in the diocese where the candidate lived, who must conduct a full inquiry into the acts, writings, and possible martyrdom of an individual whose ``reputation for holiness'' has been brought to the attention of religious authorities.
In the case of Mother Teresa, this would fall to the Calcutta diocese to collect evidence of what the church refers to as the ``heroic virtue'' of the candidate, meaning their practice of the Christian virtues of faith, hope and charity to an outstanding degree.
Should this initial inquiry prove worthy in the bishop's eyes, the file will be transferredto a special Vatican committee for a second look to see if it is deemed worthy enough to send on the Pope, who makes the final decision.
In his 20 years as pontiff, John Paul II has broken church records for pronouncing the most number of beatifications - a first formal step on the road to sainthood - and actual canonisations. As of August, he has beatified 803 people and canonised 279 saints.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHENNAI, Sept 1: Virtually every major political party in Tamil Nadu is busy shifting loyalties and schisms in political alliances dominate the scene as the game of numbers at the Centre casts a shadow on them.
Poll allies from 1996, the DMK and the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) continue to be part of the United Front (UF) but the DMK seems to be reaching out to the BJP in an effort to save its Government from the marauding influence of the AIADMK, while the TMC's G K Moopanar prefers a Congress-led Government at the Centre. The TMC's view is fortified by the Left parties' inclination to pave way for a Congress-led Government, which they consider is the lesser evil as compared to the BJP. However, with opinion divided in the UF, confusion pervades, with each constituent chalking out the best option for itself.
Despite different goals, the DMK and TMC continue to keep their alliance in Tamil Nadu afloat. However, a break will be inevitable if they have to choose between the BJP and the Congress as anational ally. It would require considerable sagacity to keep their alliance going in Tamil Nadu in the event of the two opting for different stable-mates at the Centre.
The picture on the other side is even more chaotic. The AIADMK's now-on now-off relationship with the BJP has even got her allies protesting. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) and the Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress (TRC) are willing to throw their lot with the BJP at the Centre but are reluctant to announce a break in ties with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.
These AIADMK allies have announced that they would continue to back the Vajpayee Government and that they wanted the AIADMK to continue backing it. The PMK and MDMK have even struck a note of rebellion by declaring that they would continue to back the BJP Government even if Jayalalitha withdrew her party's support. The TRC has also made it clear that it would not pull out of the Government.
However, they are willing to wound but afraid to strike, when it comes totheir relationship with the AIADMK. Obviously, for the TRC, it is difficult to give up a good portfolio like Petroleum. These allies, too, are in a dilemma to choose between the BJP and the AIADMK as their future poll partner, just as the UF partners have their own choices.
It is thus that the MDMK leader Vaiko and the PMK founder-leader Dr S Ramadoss soft-pedal their parties' stand regarding the AIADMK and do not take their relationship with the AIADMK to the point of no-return, even while making it clear to the BJP leadership that they stand by it.
The misgivings of the MDMK, PMK and the TRC regarding the AIADMK's repeated threats against the Vajpayee Government can be traced to the political formations at the Centre. These three parties do not find a place in AICC president Sonia Gandhi's long-term strategy to form a Congress-led Government.
The perceived softness of the MDMK and PMK for the LTTE, which has been identified by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) as responsible for the assassinationof Rajiv Gandhi, has come in the way of any understanding with the Congress. Sonia Gandhi is also upset over the way in which Vazhapadi K Ramamurthy, who launched a party (TRC) in the name of Rajiv Gandhi, has teamed up with the BJP and joined its Government. With the Congress doors not likely to open for these three parties, they prefer to be within the security provided by the BJP, especially when lucrative ministerships are at stake.
Consequently, the fluid political situation has thrown up the curious spectacle of these three parties trying to please the BJP on one hand, even if that means displeasure for the Poes Garden lady; and on the other hand, humouring Jayalalitha to keep the AIADMK-led combine going.
Jayalalitha, on her part, is a prominent BJP ally but is more busy these days trying to establish lines of communication with the AICC leaders and usher in an alternative Government. Her only ally in this venture is Subramanian Swamy.
The decisive moment when parties will have to stand up and becounted will come when the Congress makes its moves to form a Government at the Centre and the AIADMK supports the Congress. If and when that happens, the AIADMK could gain some at the Centre and lose some in Tamil Nadu.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. OSLO, Sept 1: Not only did they probably discover America, the Vikings may also have invented the precursor of the modern pizza more than 1,000 years ago, according to findings published by a Norwegian archaeologist.
Flat, round crusts with an array of tasty toppings and toasted on stone platters in large pizza-style ovens were being consumed by hungry Vikings as early as the 9th century AD, researcher Astri Riddervold said in Oslo's newspaper yesterday. Digs have unearthed the ovens and the stone platters, she said, adding that the toppings clearly ran the gamut of ``everything available at any given season'' of the year. She said the evidence indicates that seafood pizzas were a particular favourite for some 400 years up until innovations in grinding procedures and yeast-production gave rise to bread baking in the 13th century, ushering in the demise of pizzas in Scandinavia until the 20th century. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. BANGALORE, Sept 1: Karnataka's Agriculture Minister C Byre Gowda on Tuesday blamed the ``stupidity'' of the BJP government at the Centre for the nation-wide shortfall in fertiliser imports and held Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, who also holds the Agriculture portfolio, directly responsible for this ``neglect of the agriculture sector''. He was countering Karnataka BJP president B S Yediyurappa's charge, made on Monday, that the State Government was neglecting the interests of farmers by not taking measures to meet their fertiliser requirements. Defending the shortfall in the State's requirement of the fertiliser, Muriate of Phosphate (MoP) -- for this kharif season -- he said the country's entire requirement was being met through imports which have always been the responsibility of the Union Government. Gowda told media persons here, that it was for the first time that the country was witnessing this unprecedented shortfall of over 50 per cent in the supply of MoP, which is not indigenously produced. Ofa total requirement of 21,40,000 metric tonnes (mt) of MoP, only 10,00,000 mt had been supplied throughout the country this year. With the prime minister having retained charge of the Agriculture portfolio for himself, and Som Pal being only a Minister of State, this amounts to a ``sheer neglect of the agriculture sector in the country'' by the BJP government, he added. In all the years since farmers started using fertilisers, the Central government had taken care of the fertiliser needs of the entire country. India Potash Limited, a wholly-owned Government of India undertaking was vested with powers to authorise imports in this regard. However, this year the Centre had not imported the required quantity of potash and because of the ``BJP government's stupidity the whole country has to face this shortage now,'' he added. Gowda himself had written both to Som Pal and Union Fertiliser Minister S S Barnala, in June this year, urging them to take measures to meet the State's need. Moreover, as far back asMarch, during the zonal meeting of agriculture ministers, Karnataka had indicated its requirement for the season. However, the response from both ministers had not been positive. Subsequently Chief Minister J H Patel too had written to both Union ministers, with little success. Last month, both Gowda and Patel had also tried to meet them, but they were busy tackling the political problems in their respective states. ``We have made all-out efforts to make available the required quantity of MoP in the State. But it is the responsibility of the Government of India to meet it,'' he added. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, SEPT 1: The State government has awarded the contract for setting up a 12 MW hydro power station at Bhandaradara in Ahmednagar district to an NRI firm D L International. Joshi today announced this decision after the State Cabinet approved the same in its routine weekly meeting at Mantralaya. DLI, owned by an NRI originally from Maharashtra, V Rajadhyaksha, will be involved in setting up the 36 MW plant to be completed in 15 months. Talking to reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting, Joshi said the power station on completion would be given to the company on a 30-year lease. The power produce would be purchased by the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) at an initial rate of Rs 2.13 and subsequently at Rs 2.38 per unit. DLI would pay Rs 18 lakh per year to the Irrigation Department of the state government as royalty to use water for generating power. The said project was a result of the Advantage Maharashtra exhibition held recently to attract NRIs to invest in key sectors ofdevelopment in Maharashtra. : The State Cabinet, in another decision, conferred the rights on the MSEB to alter the agreement between the State government and Reliance Industries Limited on the Rs 463.13-cr Patalganga project. The government and representatives of the company had signed an agreement recently according to which the MSEB was to buy about 410 MW power generated at the proposed plant. The agreement had provided that the levelised capacity charge would be Rs 1.55 per unit. But, when the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) imposed certain conditions before sanctioning the project to reduce project costs by Rs 32.82 crore and to increase the generation capacity to 447 MW from the projected 410 MW, it resulted in reducing the levelised capacity charge to Rs 1.41 per unit. The Cabinet today accepted the request from RI on raising the rate and empowered the MSEB to amend the earlier agreement. The new levelised capacity charge will be Rs 1.48 per unit instead of theearlier of Rs 1.55 per unit. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MYSORE, SEPT 1: The Mysore chapter of People For Animals (PFA) has decided to campaign against the practice of making elephants carry the 750-kg golden howdah during the Dussehra celebrations. ``This amounts to cruelty on animals. Why should an elephant be forced to carry the huge weight for more than 4 km during Vijayadashami procession apart from having to practise carrying it weeks before the celebrations?'' Geetha Manja, PFA convenor asked. Geetha said the matter had been discussed with the national PFA chairperson Maneka Gandhi on Sunday. ``We will not impose our will on the organisers or the people but try to convince them not to subject the elephants to such ardous tasks.'' The howdah is used to carry the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari during the festival. Suggestions to use a chariot to carry the howdah have been doing the rounds since an elephant, Arjuna, damaged it when he threw a tantrum four years ago. The death of another elephant, Drona, who had carried the howdah for 16 years, hasbolstered the idea. Meanwhile, speculation is rife that the scion of the Mysore royal family, Srikantadutta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, will not hand over the golden howdah to the State Government. Wadiyar had earlier gone on record saying he would hand it over as he did not want to be seen obstructing the celebrations. But with the President giving his assent to the take-over of the palace, Wadiyar is unlikely to stick to his words. The movables in the palace including the golden throne are listed as private collections of Wadiyar, with others are under joint management of the government and Wadiyar. Culture Minister and Dussehra celebrations committee chairperson Leeladevi R Prasad is frantic to meet Wadiyar and have the matter sorted out as soon as possible at a ``time and place of his convenience''. But Wadiyar is out of town fighting legal battles to save his palaces. Consequently, the minister left a letter with Dussehra special officer Bore Gowda to be handed over personally to Wadiyar when hereturns. In the letter, the minister has sought total co-operation of the scion to organise the `Nada Habba' (a people's festival) without any hiccups. However, she told that she would resort to legal measures if necessary to secure the golden howdah. She said she has sought to prevail upon Wadiyar that the Government was not out to `insult' anybody. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Sept 1: The Congress today finalised the list of executive members and office-bearers of its Karnataka unit after a long delay of about two years. It also filled the vacancies of chiefs of 12 district units in the State. The process of finalisation went on till this afternoon. The KPCC chief, Dharam Singh, had extensive consultations over the last few weeks with the party high command represented by Tariq Anwar, general secretary in charge of the State. The 152-member list has 18 vice-presidents, 25 general secretaries, 28 secretaries, 31 executive members, 42 permanent invitees, and 16 special invitees. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MOSCOW, Sept 1: Amidst the standoff between Russian President Boris Yeltsin and the Communists-dominated lower house of Parliament, acting Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin today proposed a list of ministers for approval even as chances of his own re-election appeared shaky. The Communists have express their determination to reject again Chernomyrdin's candidature in the Duma. According to the list put forth by Chernomyrdin to Yeltsin for approval, the ministers of Defence, Interior, Foreign Affairs and the all-powerful Federal Service looking after internal security, will retain their posts, news agency Itar-Tass said quoting government staff. The development came even as the President and the Communist Party asserted their intention to stand by their positions. While Yeltsin said he would insist on Chernomyrdin as his choice for prime ministership despite the resounding rejection of his nomination yesterday by the Duma, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov said his faction would again reject theprime minister-designate's candidature in the second vote scheduled for next Monday. ``I insist that Chernomyrdin be confirmed as prime minister as soon as possible... He is my candidate and I will insist on it... I, of course, will fight so that, literally in the course of the week he will be confirmed as prime minister,'' said Yeltsin at a Moscow school to mark the start of Russia's new academic year. Zyuganov, meanwhile, told reporters that ``our decision is firm -- we shall vote against the candidacy of Chernomyrdin.'' ``He (Yeltsin) insisted on the appointment of Ilyushenko (former prosecutor general) and nominated his candidacy thrice, who later went straight to prison. He insisted on the nomination of (Sergei) Kiriyenko, who bankrupted the country. Now Yeltsin is again insisting on Chernomyrdin. This is molestation of the Duma, rape of Russia,'' Zyuganov said. A motion to confirm Chernomyrdin's nomination was defeated by 253 votes against 94 yesterday but Yeltsin within hours renominated himfor a second vote. Three rejections of Yeltsin's nominee by the Duma would lead to the Duma's dissolution and an early parliamentary election, an option Russia can ill afford at a time of deep economic crisis. Asked about the prospect of an early dissolution of the Duma, Zyuganov said, ``What is at stake is not the dissolution of the Duma but the dissolution of the country.'' Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, September 1: The `Silent Assasin' is at it, once again. Enjoying an amazing season with his off-spinners, Muthiah Muralitharan added another feather to his cap by snaring 16 English batsmen in the Oval Test to script Sri Lanka's historic maiden Test win in the land of the Old Blighty. Not only were his figures the fifth best ever in Test cricket, he also became the second off spinner, after the legendary West Indian Lance Gibbs, to reach the coveted figure of 200 Test wickets. His success has not only been a personal victory, but is also a tribute to the faith the Sri Lankan Cricket Board reposed in him. Under tremendous pressure, after being called for `throwing' by the Australian umpire Darell Hair on Lanka's tour Down Under in '95-96, most bowlers would have broken down. Not Murali, and what's more his teammates, and most importantly the Lankan cricket board rallied behind him. ``No bossing around,'' went the Lankan board's signals to the ICC. ``We respect his contribution to Lankan cricketand will play him even if Murali cannot bowl his off spinners. Sure, he will bowl leg spin in the next Test,'' said the board, even as the Australian Cricket Board was pressurising ICC to ban him. Subsequently, cleared by the ICC, Murali, as indeed the entire Lankan side, were a changed lot. ``That incident changed the entire perception of cricket for us. It brought all the members together and hardened them. Actually, it went a long way in urging the players to show the world our potential. The World Cup win, by and large, was a result of that,'' once confessed Ranjit Fernando, a former Lankan player turned administrator, who himself was instrumental in counselling Murali during the turbulent period. And now, the `cricketing powers' are at it once again. England coach David Llyod's ``suspicions about Murali's bowling action'' in English press on the eve of the final day of the Test match were no more than a gimmick, meant to unsettle Murali before the crucial last day's play. But, Murali was unruffledand as the result showed, Lloyd would have been better advised to counsel his own batsmen on the art of playing spin bowling rather than finding faults elsewhere. But the English are always known for nursing a grudge or tow, be it the Calcutta smog or the Madras prawns. Lloyd's comments may have actually fired Murali up to expose the brittle English batting. They paid dearly for the line of indecision in their minds. Caught between whether to play forward or go back, they could not fathom Murali's skills. Had Alec Stewart not been run out, who knows Murali may have emulated another off-spinner, Jim Laker's feat of taking all the ten wickets in a Test innings. Navjot Sidhu, arguably one of the best batsman of off spin bowling in the world, feels that Murali is simply unplayable for batsmen playing from the crease. ``You have to use your feet while playing him. He is very accurate and with the amount of turn that he gets, you have to get on top of him otherwise you are doomed. In between, padding is thebest defence to him.'' One can trust Sidhu as he has been fairly successful against Murali. The clobbering that Murali received from in the Lucknow Test in '93-94 (Sidhu hit six sixes off Murali) or the last season's S A S Nagar Test confirm Sidhu's theory. ``Still you cannot belittle him. He is a champion bowler with a great heart,'' Sidhu adds. In fact, the new and exciting Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh sees Murali as a role model for himself and feels that he would be very happy to get a few tips from him Smoke without fire is difficult and Murali's action sometimes does hinge on the verge of suspicion (almost every off-spinner is like that). Luckily, he has the support of his board quite unlike our own Rajesh Chauhan, who himself may have lost count of the number of times he was put under suspicion and then cleared by the ICC. A pity that our board could not stand up for an international player's cause. Murali, the only Tamil in the Lankan squad, has always been overshadowed by the likes ofShane Warne, Anil Kumble and Saqlain Mushtaq in international cricket. Not any more as he has carved out a place for his art. For this he has to thank his own board more than anybody else. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Sep 1: Industry Ministry Sikander Bakht said today that an effective system of protection of intellectual property is necessary for the country's development. Hinting at the political objection to product patents, he said, ``There is some hesitation in political quarters about patent laws changes. But I am convinced that better laws will help Indian industry and scientists.'' He also announced that the Government was trying to have the National Patent Office declared as an International Search Authority and as International Preliminary Examination Authority under the terms of the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Speaking on the occasion of the first AGM of the Institute of Intellectual Property Development (IIPD), here today, he said that India had to globalise to survive. ``We have to enter the global game and win it to protect the interest of India,'' he said. The declaration of the National Patent office as examination and search centre will give great boost to the domestic scientific andinventor community. They will be able to access patent information at their doorstep without incurring high costs. ``It is absolutely necessary to ensure that accurate and authentic information is disseminated widely to the people,'' the minister said. Bakht said that the Government decision to accede to the Paris Convention would help Indian inventors and encourage them to market their inventions across the world. Dr Anji Reddy, head of IIPD said that he was keen to see tough patent protection laws so that the Indian companies which were innovating would be protected. ``I spent Rs 60 crore on developing new drug molecules. I do not want someone else to copy them and make profit without investing anything.'' He said that India needed process patent in the 1970s so that the local drug industry could prosper. ``But we can't keep asking for protection forever. We have to start coming up with fresh research on our own,'' he said. The Director General of CSIR, Dr RA Mashelkar said that information was thekey to success in the global environment. Unless India learnt to protect and nurture knowledge creation, it would suffer, he said, adding ``Future wars will not be fought with bombs but with knowledge. India has grey gold in its grey cells which can help it be on top. For this we must protect intellectual property creation.'' Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, September1: Talks between chemists and the civic authorities remained deadlocked today as pharmacies all over Mumbai shut shop on the first day of their indefinite strike to protest against the two per cent octroi duty on medical formulations. Mayor Nandu Satam told the Joint Coordination Committee of Chemists that the levy would not be withdrawn, adding that the duty should have in fact been imposed 10 years ago. He asked them why the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should exempt medicines from octroi when the levy is charged on other products. Over-the-counter sale of drugs was completely stopped with the 6,800 drugstores in Mumbai, affiliated to various chemists' and distributors' associations, remaining shut. The agitation has also received ``unconditional support'' from their counterparts in Thane and Navi Mumbai, who will down shutters on September 4 if the June 22 decision to levy octroi on medicines is not revoked. Life-saving drugs, though, were made available by the five controlrooms opened by the coordination committee. ``It has been an extremely hectic day. Our staff manning the control rooms attended to over 4,000 calls from people requiring medicines. However, they were supplied only to persons who could produce a medical prescription. We also did not entertain people who wanted over-the-counter household drugs,'' Kishore Shah, president of the Retail and Dispensing Chemists' Association, told ``There were two cases in South Mumbai which urgently required anti-cancer drugs costing about Rs 25,000 per ampoule. Our control room at Prarthna Samaj procured the drugs and delivered them at the callers' doorsteps,'' Shah says. The strike will not immediately affect civic and state-run hospitals in Mumbai as they have been supplied with additional stocks. Dr L B Khotkar, superintendent of J J Hospital, says government hospitals ``do no merely depend on supply from chemists'' and will not run out of stocks for 10 days at least. However, they refused to sellmedicines to outdoor patients. ``We have to be prepared for contingencies in the wake of a calamity or a disaster when we might have to use large stocks of medicines without notice. Selling medicines to outdoor patients under these circumstances is virtually impossible,'' says a doctor from KEM Hospital at Parel. Bombay Hospital in South Mumbai had some difficulty controlling the crowd which clamoured for supplies. The authorities divided the people into two queues - ones requiring medicines for the hospital's indoor patients and the other comprising outsiders. However, tempers ran high as indoor patients were given preferential treatment. ``All seven chemists around the hospital are not open and I have been waiting for two hours to get Amoxicillin capsules for my daughter,'' said Upendra Tripathi, a resident of Colaba. ``Is my daughter's life less important than those who are admitted to this hospital,'' he asked. The hospital though says it is not duty-bound to cater to the general public. ``Witharound seven large chemists around the hospital, we generally never get requests for medicines from outside. Since they are shut today, we obliged those who produced prescriptions,'' the hospital's pharmacy manager Lalit P Kaushal, told Express Newsline. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHANDIGARH, Sept 1: About 25 per cent of the sorties by Pakistan military aircraft along the Indo-Pakistan International Border (IB) have violated international airspace norms. Army and IAF agencies monitoring movement of Pakistan aircraft reveal that till date this year, there have been about 60 reported incidents of breach of the `Air Agreement' signed by the Indian and Pakistani government a couple of years ago. As per the terms of the agreement, no military aircraft or unscheduled civilian flights are to approach the restricted airspace over the IB. This airspace, akin to no-man's land on the ground, extends atleast 1,000 metres on either side of the demarcated IB and is out of bounds for all aircraft except trans-border flights. Military sources say that this year, about 264 Pakistani aircraft, both combat as well as non-combat types, were observed in close vicinity of the IB. The number of violations show that on an average, there are eight reported intrusions into the prohibited air-zone. Theseflights are observed and reported by BSF personnel manning pickets along the IB or by Army troops where their deployment is imperative. The Amritsar Sector, having the highest reported number of sorties and breaches, was particularly ``hot'' when a lot of work was being done on bunds near Ranian during flood control measures. Bunds also form important defences. The Dera Baba Nanak Sector along the Ravi, with its network of ditch-cum-bund defence system has also remained active. As per procedure, details about the number and type of aircraft sighted, their flight configuration and time of flight are passed on to the nearest Army division headquarters, which in turn directly intimates Army Headquartes along with the Command Headquarters. The Army Headquarters intimates the Ministry of Defence and a ``protest'' is lodged through the embassy of the concerned country by the Ministry of External Affairs. Though no `scramble' of interceptors by the IAF in such cases had been reported, sources say that anydecision by ground forces to shoot down hostile aircraft would have to be taken on the spur of the moment, after determining the threat it poses. There have been instances of hostile aircraft coming right over the IB. The issue of airspace violation has also repeatedly been raised and discussed during operational conferences and tactical briefings at the highest level and concerned has also been voiced at their frequency. The only known instance of a infiltrating Pakistan aircraft being shot down was in 1996, when a Remotely Piloted Vehicle was downed in Kutch. Military sources say that though the breach may be inadvertent at times, there is a possibility of such aircraft involved in mapping out local defences. ``Their purpose could be a visual, first hand appraisal of our defences by commanders, judging the strength and layout of border out-posts as well as getting the lay of the land,'' an intelligence officer commented. Carrying photographic and survey equipment by these aircraft, particularlychoppers and transport aircraft, is not ruled out. Helicopters of the Pakistan Army Aviation Wing, headquartered at Dhanval near Rawalpindi with detatchements attached with all major airbases for liason and search and rescue roles are also known to fly in close viciinity of the IB. Another reason for flying in close proximity to Indian positions is for new pilots getting themselves familiar with the topography of the area. Possible errors in navigation during training exercises are also cited as a reason. Sources say that some concessions in airspace restrictions have been allowed by both sides in the Northern Sector on account of the mountainous terrain. ``But they are trying to take advantage of these concessions in other sectors too,'' an officer commented. Pakistan does not possess any strategic reconnaissance capability, for which it depends on inputs from China and the US. Though the No 5 Squadron equipped with 13 Mirage-IIIRD carries out tactical reconnaissance sorties from its base atSargodha, experts say that for border observations it flies atleast two-three kilometers behind the IB, using its `sideways' looking camera for photography. Though there have been no known instances of the Mirage infiltrating Indian airspace, there were unconfirmed reports sometime back of the more advanced F-16s carrying reconnaissance pods and electronic radar jamming equipment entering Indian airspace. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Sep 1: The primary capital market continues to be in doldrums with the month of August, like July, witnessing only one public issue. This issue too like the July one was a debt issue from ICICI. The current fiscal, in the first five months, has seen only 12 public issues raising a meagre Rs 1,402 crore, compared to 62 issues aggregating Rs 3,061 crore in full 1997-98 and 753 issues for Rs 11,648 crore in full 1996-97, according to a study done by Prithvi Haldea of Prime Database. A significant, but worrying, feature, according to Prime, is the near-total absence of equity. Public issues of equity at Rs 182 crore have accounted for only 13 per cent of the five-month period's total mobilisation. These have successively been going down from a high 100 per cent (Rs 13,312 crore) in 1994-95. The most adversely affected are the corporates. Only Rs 83 crore representing 6 per cent of the total funds raised in the five-month period of the current fiscal have been from the manufacturing sector, down froma high 83 per cent in 1994-95. On the other hand, financial institutions and banks, as per Prime, have continued to dominate the market. Their offerings at Rs 1318 crore constitute 94 per cent of the five month period's total amount, up from a meagre 4 per cent in 1994-95. The government continues to monopolise the primary market, with a 93 per cent share in five month period's total mobilisation, up from 9 per cent in 1994-95. According to Prime, it is now for the 14th month in succession that the primary market has witnessed an extremely low level of activity in public issues. Since July 1997, there have been only 38 public issues. While August 1998 had 1 public issue, the earlier monthly figures have also been equally dismal: July (1), June (5), May (3), April (2), March (2), February (0), January (4), December 1997 (6), November (4), October (4), September (1), August (3) and July (2). Initial public offerings (IPOs), in specific, have been badly hit. IPOs, which are essentially first public issuesfrom unlisted companies, had already fallen from a high of 1,350 in 1995-96 to only 51 in 1997-98. These are now down to only 7 in the first five months of fiscal 1998-99 mobilising a meagre sum of Rs 124 crore. Given the state of the market and economy, Haldea projects that the balance period of 1998-99 may also be dismal. One of the points is the number of public issue documents filed with SEBI for clearance. From an average of 87 documents per month in the January-December 1996 period, the figure fell to only 7 per month in the January-December 1997 period and is now down to only 3 per month in the January-August 1998 period. It said rescue act, if any, may come only from some bank issues and from materialisation of the disinvestment programme. ``What we may continue to see is some amount of debt mobilisation,'' it said. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. CHENNAI, Sept 1: There is much at stake for Indian hockey at the next week's Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, admitted Indian Hockey Federation president KPS Gill at an impromptu press conference, here on Tuesday. In the wake of the debacle at the World Cup in Utrecht, earlier this year, Gill felt that the results in Malaysia will count vis-a-vis revival of Indian hockey. ``We will be attaching a lot of importance to our performance in the Commonwealth Games, and if we play to our potential, then we will win the tournament,'' he said. While expressing satisfaction at the fitness level of the players, Gill said he concurred with coach M K Kaushik's views that longer camps were needed to improve further. ``After we return from Malaysia, we will be giving a short break to the players who will reassemble in Bangalore for a long camp in our preparation for the Asian Games,'' the IHF chief said. Having learnt the futility of ill-advised foreign tours prior to a major tournament,Gill asserted that the Indian team for the Asiad will stay at home and probably play a few Test matches against visiting sides before the Bangkok Games in December. However, the `developmental team' which suffered crushing defeats at Hamburg last month, might be engaged in a couple of tours, he said, but did not elaborate. Gill confirmed that in 1999, India and Pakistan will be playing another series, like the one earlier this year. ``Since we have no major tournaments in 1999, a series against Pakistan will be of help,'' he said. Apparently, Gill believes in the adage, ``deserve and then desire''. He opined that money alone will not produce results. ``When you excel, the money will come, and not the other way round,'' he said. Referring to the controversy over payment to players, earlier this year, Gill charged that it was a ``problem engineered by some ex-players''. He said it was absolutely ``disgraceful and reprehensible'' on part of the formerplayers who, by their action, had done a great ``disservice'' to the game. In a hard-hitting statement, with obvious reference to former India captain Pargat Singh, Gill said: ``He wrote in his little magazine that my re-election had done harm to Indian hockey. But the same person wrote to me later that I was the right choice.'' Gill underlined the importance of a physiotherapist, more than a doctor, accompanying the Indian team. ``I had suggested to the Sports Authority of India that they must send a physio abroad for training and then attach him to the Indian team. I hope they accept my suggestion,'' he said. On the thorny issue of former coach Vasudevan Baskaran's adverse remarks against certain players, Gill stated that the players had got over it. ``I was surprised that the report was made public. There is no way I can guarantee confidentiality because by the time I receive it, the newspapers have already published it. Copyright © 1998 Indian ExpressNewspapers (Bombay) Ltd. September 1: For the first time this financial year, Indian exports started looking up registering a 7.71 per cent growth in dollar terms in July. The latest trade data released today showed Indian exports during July was increased to $ 2.99 billion against $ 2.78 billion in July 1997. However, exports during the first four months of the financial year registered a negative three per cent growth as shipments from the country from April to July slid to $ 10.62 billion against $ 11.03 billion during the corresponding period last year. In rupee terms, exports were up by 10.82 per cent during the period and for July the growth was 28.12 per cent. Trade deficit during the period widened further to $ 3.30 billion against $ 1.83 billion during the same period last year. The rise in trade balance was in tune with the fall in rupee value against the dollar during May and June this year as imports costs were up against lowered export value. Imports during July registered a significant rise of 18.70 per centto $ 3.80 billion against $ 3.20 billion in July 1997 in view of the rupee fall. During April-July, imports increased by 8.26 per cent at $ 14 billion against $ 13 billion during the same period last year. Oil imports during the period was valued at $ 1.8 billion, down 31.27 per cent against 2.65 billion dollars during April-July last year. Non-oil imports during April-July were estimated at 12.1 billion dollars, up by 18.54 per cent against $ 10.2 billion during the same period last year. While exports during April-June had registered a 7.94 per cent fall and imports were up by 3.75 per cent during the period, compared to last year. Trade balance at the end of the first quarter was $ 2.4 billion. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MOSCOW, Sept 1: US President Bill Clinton today urged his Russian counterpart Boris Yeltsin to stop military cooperation with India and warned that nuclear rivalry in South Asia could lead to a ``direct war'' between the two nuclear super powers. According to local radio ``Echo Moskvy'', Clinton's plea came during his 30-minute meeting with Yeltsin. Expressing American concern over arms race between India and Pakistan in the backdrop of nuclear rivalry in South Asia, close to the Russian borders, Clinton warned that it could lead to a ``direct war'' between the two nuclear super powers. India remains the biggest customer of Russian arms in the world and Indian orders to the tune of two billion (US) dollars annually have a vital importance for the cash-strapped Russian economy. According to the Russian Defence sources, Washington is greatly alarmed at the Delhi-Moscow negotiations for the development of an advanced Air-Defence system capable of protecting India from the ``punitive'' missile strikessimilar to the recent US attacks on Afghanistan and Sudan. In the grip of political storm each in his own country, Russian President Boris Yeltsin and US President Bill Clinton today bear-hugged in the former's study to inaugurate, what promises to be, a summit of uncertain terms. The first agreement to trickle out was a joint pledge to eliminate some stockpiles of plutonium taken from dismantled missile warheads. With Russia reeling from a political and economic crisis, Yeltsin formally welcomed Clinton outside the Kremlin after wreath-laying at Moscow's tomb of the unknown soldier. Republican senator Pete Domenici who flew here with Clinton, told a media person today that the two Presidents would sign tomorrow an agreement to get rid of about 50 metric tons of plutonium on each side and break down the weapons material so it cannot be used for military purposes. A draft of the leaders' joint statement said the plutonium would be withdrawn in stages, with financing arrangements to be set by year'send. The draft said: Measures to manage and reduce such stockpiles are an essential element of irreversible arms reduction efforts and necessary to ensure that these materials do not become a proliferation risk. Earlier, Viktor Chernomyrdin, acting prime minister, met Clinton and his wife, Hillary, at the Moscow airport. Hoping to get a boost from summiteering, and doing his bit as an ambassador of West's free market, Clinton pledged continued US support for Russia as long as its leaders ``stay on the path of reform'' and do not revert to the Communist ways of the past. With a message of support but no financial help, the US President urged Russians to reject the ``failed policies of the past'' in coping with their current economic crisis. ``Given the facts before you, I have to tell you that I do not believe there are any painless solutions,'' Clinton told a new generation of Russian leaders at Moscow state university of international relations. He repeatedly said that Russia must play by therules of international commerce. With Russia's economic turmoil throwing the summit agenda into uncertainty, Clinton addressed the crisis with frankness, but offered no specific ideas on how the infant democracy could weather the tailspin of its currency. Earlier, at the start of their meeting, Yeltsin presented Clinton with a loaf of salted bread, a traditional East European symbol of welcome. Clinton pushed at the bread with the heel of his hand, and it sprang back up. ``Amazing, kind of like you,'' Clinton told his embattled host. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Sept 1: The Delhi High Court today pulled up the City Government for not placing on record the affidavit on unauthorised colonies despite the August 17 commitment to the effect by Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma. A division bench, comprising Justices Y K Sabharwal and K S Gupta said, ``It is most unfortunate that on the one hand, considering the importance of the case, the Chief Minister thought it fit to appear in person (on August 17) and on the other, the affidavit in terms of the order passed by the court is still not filed.'' The CM had, on his voluntary appearance in court on August 17, submitted that a decision on regularisataion or demolition of 1,071 ``unauthorised'' colonies in the Capital would be taken within 45 days and an affidavit on the Government stand filed within 10 days. The court had allowed Verma's plea for construction of roads and drainage systems in these colonies, stating that the provision would not come in the way of the Government taking a decision. ``It seemsthe Government is not interested in filing the affidavit and wishes to rely upon the affidavit to be filed by the Centre,'' the bench observed, while expressing anguish over the Government taking the court direction lightly. The court gave two more weeks to the Government to file its affidavit and posted the matter for hearing on September 17. The court reminded the Government to enforce strictly its decision of December last, banning further construction in the city till it (the Government) took a decision on the issue of regularisation of the ``unuathorised'' colonies. The bench further directed the Government that water and electricity connections in unauthorised colonies would be provided after they were given on ``priority'' to the colonies built by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). This direction came after DDA counsel Surinder Sethi submitted that thousands of DDA flats were not being allotted to applicants due to the lack of water and power connections. The court also directed theGovernment to submit a report on the boundries of each ``unauthorised'' colony to ensure that no further construction took place. Sethi told the court that 392 of the 1,071 unauthorised colonies in the Capital were raised on DDA land and the rest were either on the land owned by the State Government or the local civic bodies. The CM, on his personal appearance, had told the court that the Government has, in principle, decided to fix December 31, 1997 as the cut-off-date for regularisation of the colonies. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. September 1: With six Indian pairs competing in Societe Genarale World Open bridge pairs championships, three pairs are in with a good chance to make it to the finals. The scratch partnership of Vinod Sharma and Alok Sadhu had a 59.9 per cent score. They added a 50.8 per cent score in the second session to end day one of the semifinals in position 28 with a healthy aggregate of 53.36 per cent. JM Shah and Rajiv Khandelwal of Mumbai, and Prabhakar and Krishnan of Chennai are other two who show some promise of making the cut as well. Shah and Khandelwal had poor 47.64 per cent (rank 115) in session one but recovered to position 92 with a 54.94 per cent in session two to aggregate 51.14 per cent. Prabhakar and Krishnan made a good start with 53.36 per cent (rank 40) but dropped to rank 106, scoring a poor 45.95 per cent in session two. Their session average of 50.66 per cent. Three other Indian pairs languish in the bottom half of the draw and will need huge scores in both sessions to make the cut. Atthe bottom of the Indian rankings are Tewari/Gupta of Delhi who had led the six Indian pairs into the semi-finals. Scoring 43.37 per cent and 45.97 per cent in two sessions, the Delhi pair find themselves in rank 207 at the end of day. Ajay Khare and Vinay Desai of Mumbai improved from rank 190 45.3 per cent in session 1 to rank 165 in session 11 (50.04 per cent), but this rate of improvement will not be adequate to see them into the finals. Their cumulative scores are 47.66 per cent. Agarwal/Bandi from Indore are ranked 159 at the end of day 1, with 47.64 per cent in session 1 and 48.48 per cent in session 11 (48.07 per cent cumulative). Michael Rosenberg/Steve Weinstein from USA lead the field with 61.95 per cent. Followed by Poland's Pityr Gawrys/Marcin Lesniewski (59.62 per cent). In the Louis Vuitton women's pairs where 119 pairs competed, the Indian challenge ended in the 1st elimination where the four Indian ladies' combinations finished in the bottom half of the draw. Copyright © 1998 IndianExpress Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. PATNA, SEPT 1: Cooking oil including mustard oil and other grocery items worth over Rs 25 crore have been seized as raids on business establishments continue unabated after the Bihar Government enforced ban on sale of mustard oil following detection of dropsy cases. Official sources said today that district officials assisted by food inspectors and police had during the last five days conducted raids on over 750 places across the State to seize the ``adulterated'' cooking mediums. The sources said the samples of the seized edible oils were being collected to send them to different laboratories for test. The district magistrate were supervising the operations in their respective districts. The Chief Minister had on Friday ordered ban on sale of both packed and unpacked mustard oil till ``laboratory examination'' of samples of the oil being sold in open market was done. In the State capital, district magistrate Rajbala Verma led the team to conduct raids on departmental stores and premises ofstock-holders to collect samples of edible oils for laboratory examinations. The district administration had so far seized cooking oils and other grocery items worth over Rs 8 crore by conducting searches on around 45 business premises, they said. In Marufganj business locality, a raiding team stumbled upon packets of poisonous chemicals. According to experts, ``if the chemicals are mixed with ordinary oil, it will look and smell like mustard oil''. ``The mix of the chemicals in small quantity cannot cause any harm but an inadvertent excess use of the chemicals may prove to be fatal,'' experts opine. A Begusarai report quoting official sources said over ten oil tankers filled with over 50 lakh litre mustard oil value of which being estimated to be around one crore were impounded during the last two days and samples of the oil sent to laboratories. Over 285 tins of edible oils were seized from business premises and factories at Hajipur township in Vaishali district since yesterday, the districtmagistrate R N Prasad said. Reports of seizure of several tankers fully loaded with edible oils continue to pour in from different districts in the state. According to State health department sources a few more fresh dropsy cases were identified at Madhepura and Bhagalpur as an intensive campaign continued to detect such cases and take preventive measure to check further spreads of the disease. Over 200 people including traders and labourers have so far been arrested during the raids at different places in the state. The State Government had also banned supplies of mustard oil from outside Bihar till samples of existing stocks of the cooking oils were tested in laboratories. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI, Sept 1: India had witnessed more than 30 epidemics of dropsy over past hundred years due to the wild weed argemone mexicana (mexican poppy) and its non-edible oil getting mixed with mustard oil naturally or because of deliberate adulteration, according to Prof Gunavant Oza, emeritus fellow of the University Grant Commission. Oza, a botanist from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, who had worked extensively on the plant for decades, said the only method of preventing further dropsy epidemics was to eradicate argemone mexicana from the country which, of course, was a herculian task. The introduced mexican weed, naturalised throughout India and reaching the hilly regions upto 5000 feet, can tolerate almost any set of climatic conditions and bear flower and fruit most of the year. The plant produces numerous seeds, roughly about 20,000-30,000, and since it resembles black mustard seeds (brassica nigra) there were enough chances of it getting mixed with mustard seeds, Oza said. He saidthough `hakims' and `vaidyas' use argemone for its medicinal properties, it was high time for its eradication from the country. Oza, in one of scientific papers, had said ``We can destroy the seedlings by pulling them out of the soil during the rainy season and repeat the operations several times during monsoon and not allow the plant to grow and shed the seeds''. He pointed out that since argemone seeds were collected by certain local people in large quantities and sold in the market, there was a possibility of taking their help for identifying the plant and seedlings for its complete eradication. Since the plant finds shelter in the cultivated fields quite often, chances of the seeds getting mixed with other grains were more, he said. Oza said the mysterious disease of the swelling of legs in Mumbai in late 1960s, a disease of similar nature in late 1950s in Nadiad (Gujarat), West Bengal and Bihar and the epidemic of dropsy had all resulted due to consumption of edible oil contaminated with argemoneoil. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. DURBAN, Sept 1: Despite round-the-clock lobbying by Pakistani delegates, nations of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) meeting today refused to tow its line on having one comprehensive resolution on the US missile attack on Sudan and Afghanistan with majority of countries feeling that the Taliban regime was sponsoring terrorism the world over. Pakistan received this major diplomatic set-back when the issue came up for discussions at the ministerial and official level meetings of the NAM. An overwhelming majority of member countries felt that Washington's attack on militant camps in Afghanistan cannot be equated with its strikes on Sudan. While the NAM is yet to formulate its response on attacks on militant camps on Saudi billionaire Osama bin Laden, it was already agreed to condemn the US action on a pharmaceutical company in Khartoum. Pakistani representatives were working hard for the last few days to convince and persuade NAM members to accept its proposal for a common resolution on Afghanistan and Sudanbut there were not many takers for their theory. Pakistan was left with no option but to give up its efforts. Interestingly senior officials of US government who arrived here to seek observer status for their country were overtly and covertly lobbying for toning down of the NAM resolution on its attacks. The NAM in its resolution on the US attack on Sudan felt that the action was a ``serious violation of principles of international law and UN charter and contrary to the principles of peaceful settlement of disputes.'' The resolution stated that ``such acts are a serious threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sudan and to regional stability and international peace and security. ``The NAM condemns this act of aggression and continuing threats made by US against Sudan.'' it urged Washington to refrain from such unilateral acts. NAM sources said that India had played a vital role in delinking of the grouping's approach on attacks on Sudan and Afghanistan. The Indian government alsobelieved that the Taliban was providing training in arms to mercenaries who operate in Jammu & Kashmir. The Arab countries, which form a dominating group in the NAM, were eager to have a strongly worded resolution on Sudan but most of them were not keen to have an identical resolution on strikes in Afghanistan. India also received a boost when its consistent efforts to mobilise international support for eradication of terrorism bore fruit. The NAM accepted the Egyptian proposal which called for an international summit conference under the auspices of the United Nations to formulate a joint organised response of the international community to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The Egyptian proposal is similar to India's position on combating the menace of terrorism. India has proposed an international action plan to fight and tackle terrorism. A further boost to Indian diplomatic efforts came when the NAM expressed its serious concern on the role of mercenaries in acts of terrorism. Theconcern vindicates India's position that it is facing terrorism being exported and executed by mercenaries from across its border in Jammu & Kashmir. While making its standpoint, the Indian representative said the country was a serious victim of cross-border terrorism and hence was keen that there should be a major initiative to fight terrorism which posed a serious challenge to the sovereignty of a number of countries. The resolution said that the UN organs should take appropriate decisions, consistent with its charter, to fight and eradicate terrorism. It emphasised that international cooperation to combat this menace should be conducted in conformity with the principles of UN charter. It suggested strengthening of international legal regimes for combatting terrorism. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who arrived here last night, is expected to make a strong plea for coordinated action against terrorism. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. BANGALORE, Sept 1: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda today ``unconditionally apologised'' to State unit Janata Dal president B L Shankar over his son's alleged misconduct with him. Gowda's son, H D Kumaraswamy, a former MP, had allegedly threatened and abused Shankar last week over phone on party affairs. His apology comes in the wake of reports which said Kumaraswamy had used foul language against Shankar over reported attempts to wean away Gowda's supporters to the Patel group and that the former prime minister was interfering in the appointment of chairmen to boards and corporations. Gowda told reporters it was true that his son spoke in `an angry tone' but he had denied having abused Shankar. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Sep 1: In a significant move today, the new telecom secretary Anil Kumar met with the chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Justice S S Sodhi at his 20th floor office housed in the STC building in the capital today. While there may be nothing unusual in the event itself, telecom observers have attached importance to this meeting as signifying a change in approach in the building up of dwindling investor confidence in the telecom sector. TRAI Chairman Justice Sodhi said that the meeting today was too preliminary for any conclusions to be drawn and included just an exchange courtesies. The meeting has however assumed importance as despite directions from the former Cabinet Secretary T S R Subramaniam last year insisting on a monthly informal interaction between officials on both sides, only one such meeting took place almost ten months ago. The impasse between the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the TRAI has now become legendary in telecom circles with the TRAIhaving pushed into a corner ever since the recent High Court judgement in July curtailed the latter's powers by refusing to allow its jurisdiction to interfere in the licensing rights of the DoT. This has left the TRAI virtually with no powers to interfere in any disputes that pivate operators in the field of basic, cellular and paging services, and the DOT on encashment of bank guarantees for delayed licence fee payments. Before this, in February, the TRAI had acted tough with the DoT staying its proceedings in announcing the new internet policy, encashing bank guarantees of operators defaulting on licence fee payments and going as far as cancelling the licence issued by the DoT to the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) for allowing it entry in the field of cellular services. This had forced the DoT to drag the TRAi to court to get the jurisdiction of the authority sorted out. In the words of Sodhi himself, the TRAI has been reduced to being a "toothless wonder". He says, the government has to have itsobjectives clear in forming a regulatory authority - it has to be an independent forum, expeditious in settling disputes and inexpensive for disputing parties to approach. If these are the objectives of any regulator then this is how these bodies should be allowed to function. Whether today's meeting will herald a new chapter in the TRAI-DoT relations, only time will tell, but for the moment industry hopes are high. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Sept 1: The Mule track connecting the landslide-hit Malpa village and Dharchula, which was completely destroyed, was today recreated by the Army and it would be ready for vehicles by tomorrow. Announcing this here, Army and Air Force officials who led the rescue and relief operations in the area said the joint operations carried out by defence forces, Indo-Tibetan border police, the State police and administration, under very trying circumstances could well be taken as an example for successful large-scale disaster management in future. Air Commodore HPS Sidhu and Col Vikram Singh, who planned and got the operations implemented at the site, explained in detail the situation as it developed from the wee hours of August 18 when rocks, boulders and slush came rumbling down taking away with them the Malpa village and its inhabitants, including several Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrims. They said at least 200 people would have been buried dead in the debris, but bodies of only about 45 could berecovered. Elaborating how best man and machine were put to use to meet the massive devastation and trying to save those few who were still alive, they said Cheetah helicopters which could land at a maximum height of 10,000 feet were made to land at about 11,000 feet at another village of Gunji, which lay north of Malpa. As part of the ``Operation Blue Angels'', braving foul weather 14 IAF choppers, including six MI-17s called from Western Command to Bareilly, carried out about 300 sorties, flew about 79,000 kgs of load and 572 passengers besides rescuing the injured, ferrying the dead and dropping rations and medicines. Sidhu said it was difficult for the helicopter pilots who had to fly only on one side of the river Kali, dividing India and Nepal, and through the deep gorges. Even at Bareilly, which had an average rainfall of 200 mms in August, the rains last month totalled a whopping 710 mms, he said. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. Mumbai, Sept 1: Kinetic Engineering of the Firodias and Japanese automobile giant Honda Motor Corporation have decided to part ways with Pune-based Kinetic Engineering buying the entire 51 per cent stake held by Honda in the joint venture company, Kinetic Honda Motor Ltd (KHML), with effect from Tuesday. The Firodia takeover of the company is bound to trigger the SEBI's takeover code and the company will have to make an open offer to the shareholders of Kinetic Honda Motor. The SEBI has asked Nestle to make an offer to its shareholders as the Swiss firm had bought three per cent stake from one of the co-promoters, the Khaitans and did not make the offer to the small shareholders. The price of the acquisition was not made public by the Firodias in their statement though insiders say that the deal would be around Rs 32 crore. With this, the equity stake of Kinetic Engineering in the company will go up to over 76 per cent in the listed company. The Kinetic Honda Motor scrip remained static at Rs 42 ascompared to yesterday's closing while Kinetic Engineering was marginally up at Rs 97.60 (Rs 95). In a statement to the stock exchanges, both companies said with the departure of Honda, the Kinetic Honda Motor will become a KEL group company and subsequently change its name. Both companies have been working as co-promoters and partners since 1985 and producing premium segment scooters -- Kinetic Honda ZX and Marvel. As per the agreement, Honda would continue to provide technical support to the venture and the company will continue to make the current scooter models. The company will also continue to export vehicles under the Honda's network under Honda's brand name. Honda Motor Corp is having a presence in the Indian market through its other joint venture with the Munjals of New Delhi which is making motor cycles and with SIEL to make Honda City cars. Among Honda's various joint ventures, Kinetic was the only company which was not doing well. Despite 15 years of operations, the company was unable tobreach the 10 per cent market share in the scooter segment. Due to its low pricing, Bajaj Auto and LML are presently having a virtual monopoly in the Indian scooter market. The new arrangement between the two partners is subject to all necessary government approvals. KEL has already filed an application today with the RBI for its approval. KEL has said that with the departure of Honda, high overhead costs of the Japanese managers would be reduced along with communication costs and office locations in Tokyo, New Delhi, Indore and Pune. It said Honda will continue to provide technology for the current products so that they can met the year 2000 emission norms. It said the takeover of the joint venture company by the Indian promoters will reduce overheads by cutting out duplication of efforts in areas such as IT, training, selling and top management time. Further, Honda will also help the Indian company by providing it own manufacturing facilities in Japan or its authorised vendors for the critical partswhich cannot be indigenised at present. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Sep 1: Chief Minister E K Nayanar has ruled out inquiry into the alleged lapses in the implementation of People's Planning programme. He said this during the Cabinet briefing yesterday when his attention was drawn to the demand by Opposition UDF for an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in People's Planning. Nayanar said that he himself had noted that there had been lapses in the implementation of the programme. But the Government had no plan to institute an inquiry into it, he said. In yet another development, the memorandum of understanding signed with International Network on Small Hydel Power of China for setting up of 18 mini hydel projects in the State was approved by the Cabinet. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. GUWAHATI, Sept 1: The murder of three former militants by a Major of the 11 Jat regiment on the night of August 27 at Dibrugarh, has not only served a big blow to counter-insurgency operations in Assam, but has also painted a poor picture of the security force. The Dibrugarh deputy commissioner, meanwhile, has instituted a magisterial probe into the incident, while the army has begun its own investigations, after finding prima facie evidence against Major Jamir Khan of the Jat Regiment. The media, especially the vernacular press has come all out against the army in the state, more so after the army authorities tried to justify the detention of one Atanu Sarma, accusing him of being a pick-pocket, for nearly an hour after a major blast occured in the Guwahati Railway Station earlier last week. The wives of the three former ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) leaders who were gunned down by Major Khan on the other hand have filed a petition in the Guwahati High Court seeking a high-level probe intothe killings, as also praying for exemplary punishment to Major Khan and his accomplices. The issue has shot into prominence because Major Khan did not kill the three youths, Rana Gogoi, Utpal Barua and Rajiv Phukan, as part of his counter-insurgency operations. The officer is stated to have gone to the house of one of the youths, took part in a drinking session, and then accused them of lodging a complaint against him with the higher-ups in the army, and then shot them dead. There are at least a dozen witnesses to the gruesome murders, with some even from the regiment to which Major Khan belonged. Reports have said that Major Khan snatched an AK-47 rifle from one of his jawans to shoot down the three youths. Other witnesses include some Assam Police constables deployed as personal security officers to some of the former ULFA leaders, and also five or six other former ULFA cadres. The former militants had apparently complained to the General Officer Commanding of 2 Mountain Division at Dinjan that MajorKhan had embezzled about Rs three crore, which was part of about Rs 4.4 crore which Khan's unit had recovered during a recent operation against the ULFA in a nearby village. The killing has embarrassed the army and the various organisations have once again demanded withdrawal of the army from operations against militants in Assam. Prominent organisations which have pleaded for withdrawal of the army and vesting of responsibility of tackling the situation on the state police, include the Assam Sahitya Sabha, the All Assam Students' Union, Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti and Asom Jatiyabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad. Some groups have also accused the army of having a hand in the killing of several family members of top ULFA leaders like chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, commander-in-chief Paresh Barua and publicity secretary Mithinga Daimari. Last week's triple murder is not the only instance of the armymen crossing limits. Armed with the Armed Forces (special powers) Act, the army had in 1994, killed five innocentyouths in Tinsukia district in a fake encounter, while in several other instances, the high court has pulled up the army for various crimes inflicted upon the common people. It was only a few weeks ago that two jawans of the army were found guilty of raping a married woman in Nalbari district, with an army court awarding both of them ten years rigorous imprisonment. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW YORK, Aug 31: Wimbledon runner-up Goran Ivanisevic avoided his usual US Open first-round jinx and Thomas Muster registered the first knock-out of a seed today as the last Grand Slam tournament of the year got under way at the National Tennis Centre. Ivanisevic, a first-round loser at the US Open in three of the last four years, ripped past Australian doubles specialist Mark Woodforde 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 with the sun pouring down on Centre Court at Arthur Ashe stadium. ``The last time I won the first round I made the semis,'' said Ivanisevic, recalling his 1996 Open campaign that ended with a defeat against eventual champion Pete Sampras. ``Maybe this is a good sign.'' Ivanisevic, who also fell to Sampras in this summer's Wimbledon final, crashed 23 aces past Woodforde during the one hour, 27-minute match. While the lanky, goateed Croat was dismissing Woodforde, former world number one Muster, of Austria, mustered his ground-stroking arsenal to oust 15th-seeded clay courter Alberto Berasategui of Spain,the 1994 French Open runner-up, 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 6-3. Muster, three times a quarter-finalist at the Open, improved to 4-1 lifetime against the Spaniard as he avenged a defeat in the final of this year's clay event in Estoril. World No 1 and top seed Pete Sampras was following the 14th-seeded Ivanisevic onto Centre Court, beginning his quest for a record-tying 12th Grand Slam title against Marc Goellner of Germany. On the women's side, top-seeded Martina Hingis of Switzerland was due to follow Sampras and begin defence of her Open crown with a Centre Court test against Aleksandra Olsza of Poland. Early women's winners included 11th-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who beat Japan's Yuka Yoshida 7-6 (7-5), 7-5, Poland's Magdalena Grzybowska, Americans Kimberly Po and Laura Granville. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. World No 1 American Pete Sampras began his campaign in style, getting past German Mark Kevin Goellner in straight sets while the Wimbledon runner-up Goran Ivanisevic avoided his usual US Open first-round jinx and Thomas Muster registered the first knock-out of a seed today as the last Grand Slam tournament of the year got under way at the National Tennis Centre. Sampras, who recently lost to the Indian ace Leander Paes in the Pilot Pen International tourney, was in total command in his 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win. Ivanisevic, who also fell to Sampras in this summer's Wimbledon final, crashed 23 aces past Woodforde during the one hour, 27-minute match. While the lanky, goateed Croat was dismissing Woodforde, former world number one Muster, of Austria, mustered his ground-stroking arsenal to oust 15th-seeded clay courter Alberto Berasategui of Spain, the 1994 French Open runner-up, 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 6-3. On the women's side, top-seeded Martina Hingis of Switzerland was due to follow Sampras and begin defence of herOpen crown with a Centre Court test against Aleksandra Olsza of Poland. Early women's winners included 11th-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who beat Japan's Yuka Yoshida 7-6 (7-5) 7-5, Poland's Magdalena Grzybowska, Americans Kimberly Po and Laura Granville. Results Women's singles: (Ist round) Magdalena Grzybowska bt Katarina Studenikova 6-0 6-1; Kimberly Po bt Kerry-Anne Guse 6-4 6-1; Laura Granville bt Paola Suarez 6-4 6-4; 11-Patty Schnyder bt Yuka Yoshida 7-6 (7-5) 7-5; Miho Saeki bt Jill Craybas 6-1, 2-6, 6-3; Sung-hee Park bt Lenka Nemeckova 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; Amelie Mauresmo bt Ludmila Richterova 6-2,6-1; Sandrine Testud bt Shi-ting Wang 6-0, 6-2; Evegenia Koulikovskaya bt Sandra Kleinova 4-6, 6-1, 6-3. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. MUMBAI: The Indian Olympic Association and the Union Sports Ministry's pressure tactics seem to have worked as the cricket Board is veering around to the fact that the ``best team'' should be sent to Commonwealth Games. The turnaround came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Raj Singh Dungarpur met Union Sports Minister Uma Bharati who is said to have expressed concern that India could lose face if it sent a weak team to Kuala Lumpur. The selectors have made it known that some players are automatic choices for the `Top 14'. If the `strongest' team is chosen for Toronto, the automatic choices would figure in that team. But with a compromise being worked out, it is learnt that the Board will ask the selectors to include some of the automatic choices in the side for Kuala Lumpur. According to sources, the list could even include Sachin Tendulkar, who has apparently said that while he has no objection to playing on either side, he would not want to be made captain for KL. In sucha situation, Ajay Jadeja is likely to lead. Mohammed Azharuddin, who will lead the side to Toronto, is believed to have been informed of this. After some discussion Azhar is also said to have agreed to this compromise, even though the absence of Tendulkar would be a big blow for him. Meanwhile, at least one selector is opposed to the idea of having two equally `strong' teams but the other selectors say that they can only select teams from the pool of players the Board has made available to them for a specific event. In this case, the Board will mark some of the ``automatic choices'' for Toronto and some for Kuala Lumpur. The selectors will then work out the remaining slots on either side in an attempt to find the right balance. The controversy over the team has been raging for the past three weeks and both the IOA and the Government have been demanding that the Board send the strongest team to KL so that India could make a bid for a gold medal. At the same time, the Board has contractual obligations withInternational Management Group, the promoters of Sahara Cup. The Board stands to make upwards of a million dollars as its share from Sahara Cup, but there is no money guarantee for Commonwealth Games. Some members of the Board feel that this compromise could mean India losing at both Toronto and KL. In Toronto, Pakistan is fielding its best 14 and in KL, Australia who are in India's group, have their best one-day side led by Steve Waugh. Since only team from each group goes to semis, India could well be out before the medal stage in Malaysia. But the Board, which has known about this possible clash of dates for the last two years, would have satisfied both the IOA and the organisers of Sahara Cup. The coffers would be full alright, but at the same time it could mean India losing at both places. But then, that's what happens when you try to kill the `Goose that lays the Golden Eggs.' Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Sept 1: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for a report from the Bihar Chief Secretary on the police firing on a demonstration of flood victims at Dumra in Sitamarhi district on August 11. The Commission called for the report on a memorandum submitted by the Nagrik Sewa Morcha (NSM) demanding a probe into the unprovoked police firing on flood victims who were peacefully demonstrating for relief. Five persons died and 15 people sustained serious injuries in the firing. The report is to be submitted within six weeks. The memorandum said the police did not resort to lathi charge, water cannons, tear gas, or firing in the air, but directly opened fire on the demonstrators. The police also arbitrarily arrested 52 people and seized 350 bicycles, nine tractors, 25 motorcycles, two tents and loudspeakers and microphones, the memorandum said. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. NEW DELHI, Sept 1: SHIV Sena chief Bal Thackeray today contended before the Election Commission that there was no justification for him being disqualifed from contesting or voting in elections for having appealed to the electorate on ground of religion during a Maharashtra assembly bye-election in 1987. This was stated by Sena chief's counsel Raju Ramachandran during the hearing of a reference sent to the commission to decide the quantum of punishment after the Supreme Court dismissed in 1995 a special leave petition filed by Thackeray and former Maharashtra MLA Yashwant Prabhu against a 1991 Mumbai High Court verdict. Thackeray was not present at the hearing and was represented through his counsel. The apex court had found them guilty of electoral malpractice under section 8-A of the Representation of People Act for having appealed to the electorate on ground of religion while campaigning for a Vile Parle assembly bye-election in 1987. Prabhu was disqualified from contesting election for six yearsfollowing the Supreme Court order. Former Maharashtra minister and defeated Congress candidate Prabhakar Kunte had filed the election petition against Thackeray and Prabhu in the high court soon after the bye-election. Ramachandran told Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill and Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh that there was ``no justification'' for initiating action to disqualify Thackeray ``at this late stage''. Besides, Ramachandran contended that no action to disqualify Thackeray was called for as the Sena chief, who has never contested polls, has declared that he would never enter any electoral fray in his life. Though the hearing in the case concluded today, the Election Commission did not give any indication as to the time by which it would send its recommendation to the President in the matter. Gill declined to comment on the proceedings as it was a judicial matter. Besides Thackeray's counsel, senior Sena leader, Subhash Desai attended the hearing. Under the Representation of PeopleAct, the commission could recommend that Thackeray be disqualified from contesting or voting in elections up to a period of six years. Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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