zeitgeist

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DAVIS CUP: With both Bopanna & Somdev (in photo) going down in five-setters on Day 1, India trails Brazil 0-2. PAGE | 16
D SAMPATH KUMAR

MAGAZINE SECTION

Cover: Filling emotional gaps with food

SEXUALITIES
Hoshang Merchant on accepting the man and woman in all of us PAGE | 2

The New Indian Express

THE MUSIC BOX

Sara Bareilles on being in the spotlight and pleasing her fans and herself PAGE | 8

P4-5| Gaming + Graphic Novel

CHENNAI Saturday, September 18, 2010
Published from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa and Tamil Nadu
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Mafia II is dark and gritty; Malik Sajad, a young Kashmiri cartoonist

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`1.50 | Pages 34 | Late City Edition

Nil pension for 34,000 transport dept staff after 8 yrs: report
Gangadhar S Patil | ENS Chennai, September 17 MORE than 34,000 pensioners of the States transport department covered under the pension scheme launched by DMK government in 1998 will not get a paisa eight years from now. This was the observation of a Pension Regulatory Committee set up by the DMK government two years ago. The panel submitted its report the same year, but the government has not made it public. Express has a copy of the report, according to which the pension fund account would have a negative balance of `578 crore by 2018, if were not taken over by the Tamil Nadu gover nment. Reason: the cash outflow (monthly pension and commutation of pension) is more than its inflow

BALANCE IN 2018
Minus `578 crore
Express has a copy of the report, according to which the pension fund account would have a negative balance of `578 crore by 2018, if it were not taken over by the Tamil Nadu government

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(employers contribution). And the outflow-inflow gap is a whopping `1.40 crore per month. The average shortfall of funds per month is about `1.40 crore and the estimated shortfall by 2008 is `4,589 crore, the report says. The 1998 pension scheme was intended to benefit 1.35 lakh employees who were on the State transport departments rolls in 2000. For, those who joined the

States transport department between 1972 and 1998 were not entitled to pension because the State transport undertakings were registered as companies in 1972 under the companies Act. Before 1972, they were government entities. That status ended after they became companies. Under the 1998 scheme, the government directed that a trust be floated to hold the pension funds.

After setting up the trust, the trustees wrote to the Union government seeking exemption from income tax. Smug in the belief that it would get the Centres nod, the transport department started releasing pension from its own resources. But six years after the trust sought approval for tax exemption, Central Board of Direct Taxes in 2006 responded in the negative. Dud: P 4 >

H o t

W h e e l s ,

B u r n i n g

R u b b e r ,

R a c e t r a c k

O n

F i r e

AYODHYA DISPUTE

REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM

How green was his valet

By Aditya Sinha PAGE | 10

P O L L O F T H E D AY

HC firm, says verdict wont be put off

Court finds no merit in application for deferring of judgment, slaps penalty
Anand Raj Singh & Agencies Lucknow, September 17 AT least, the date part of the suspense is over. The Allahabad High Court said it would pronounce its verdict on the RamjanmabhoomiBabri Masjid dispute on the originally-slated September 24, inviting reactions that ranged from acrimony to caution to silence. The Lucknow Bench of the court on Friday turned down a plea for deferment of judgment on the 60-year-old title suit. A threejudge special Bench rejected the petition that sought direction for an amicable out-of-court settlement of the issue centering the 1992-demolished Babri Mosque alleged to have been built in 1527 on the foundations of a Ram temple. Noting that the plea lacked merit, Justices S U Khan, D V Sharma and Sudhir Agarwal slapped costs of `50,000 on applicant Ramesh C Tripathi, an ex-bureaucrat. Undaunted, one of the main parties to the dispute filed an application seeking time till September 27 to arrive at a compromise. While moving the same court, the Nirmohi Akhara sought the appointment of a retired SC or HC judge as a mediator. Religious leaders and scholars of both Hindu and Muslim communities appealed for peace. Ram Janmabhoomi temples chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das Mahraj and Janmey Sharan, who is mahant of Janki Ghat in Ayodhya, asked the community to accept the court verdict. Ditto was the reaction from Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, besides the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband. The RSS described the defer-

Will the Court give a clear verdict on the Ayodhya title suit on September 24?
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P JAWAHAR

EAGERLY AWAITED
Three queries
On September 24, the HC will address 3 issues: if there was a temple at the disputed site prior to 1538; whether a 1961 suit by the Babri committee seeking possession of the site is barred by limitation; whether Muslims perfected their title through adverse possession

VROOM TIME: 2008 F1 champ Lewis Hamilton, after a few scorching laps in an AMG Mercedes SL63 car at the Madras Motor Sport Track in Irungattukottai on Friday, said he looked forward to the Indian GP next year and promised to return to Chennai with his girlfriend, Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger P 16, 17 >

J&K VISIT

OUR CITY MAGAZINE | 8 PAGES

HAMILTON AT HOME

All-party tour from Monday, MPs will try to meet moderates and separatists
Manan Kumar & Agencies New Delhi, September 17 THE all-party delegation on Jammu and Kashmir will leave on a two-day trip from Monday to the strife-torn state where its 40 MPs will try to meet people and leaders of varied opinions including S A S Geelani, even as his separatist APHC(G) is going ahead with its September 21 protests in the Valley which reported violence on Friday as well. Top government sources said an invitation was being sent to Geelani and many others on the visiting teams behalf. It is for them to decide whether they want to be part of a constructive dialogue, a senior official said. The delegation its a masterstroke, say analysts will have ministers P Chidambaram and P K Bansal besides BJPs Arun Jaitley. Slated to leave early on Monday for Srinagar, it will hold deliberations with all stakeholders possible. The exercise will be repeated in Jammu the next day before its return to Delhi on Wednesday, a Congress core committee meeting here decided. The Centre wants the delegation to soon submit its recommendations, also being referred to as the Sense of the House to help it announce the muchdelayed Kashmir package at the earliest by convening the CCS. The invitees, other than Geelani, would include moderates like Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yaseen Malik and Sajjad Lone. This is besides the regions political parties, the states chamber of commerce and industry, NGOs, human rights groups and student bodies. In fact, anybody wanting to come with suggestions or ideas is welcome well issue them curfew passes, an official said. In Srinagar, Geelani made a Uturn within hours of dropping plans to march to army camps on September 21 in the Valley where , two persons were killed and 16 injured in firing and stone-pelting in central Kashmir on Friday. More, P 11 >

ALL-INCLUSIVE
BJPS ARUN JAITLEY WILL BE THE PRIME DELEGATE FROM THE OPPOSITION

Other top stories

Scotland Yard submits proof
London: Scotland Yard on Friday handed evidence on the spot-fixing scandal to Crown Prosecution Service and left it to the prosecutors whether to frame charges on Pakistani cricketers alleged to have been involved in it. P 16

Pak view irks India

India ticked off Pakistan for meddling in its internal affairs, after Islamabad chose to comment on the deteriorating situation in Kashmir, and blamed Indian security forces of brutality.

No to stand-alone census
Chennai: Justice M N Rao, chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes, on Friday opposed the Centres move to hold a caste census. P 3

ment plea as unnecessary, while the Opposition BJP refrained from reacting. The Left said the verdict should be respected. The Congress is worried if the September 24 verdict would trigger a flare-up in UP, and impact the polls in neighbouring Bihar besides add to the tension in J&K. The Centre, fearing unrest after the September 24 judgment, is planning to issue a tough advisory to the electronic media, asking them not to show disturbing or provocative scenes that could create communal tension. Leading lawyers hoped none would incite passions. Harish Salve, K K Venugopal, Shanti Bhushan and Rajeev Dhavan said verdicts must not be delivered under duress. K T S Tulsi said a solution could still be attempted. More, P 7 >

Sensitively planned

Visually challenged find light and delight in Anna Library

Nalini Ravichandran | ENS Chennai, September 17 T H E n ew ly - i n a u g u r at e d Anna Centenary Library in Kottur puram is drawing large crowds of bibliophiles from all age groups. But a special group among them the visually-challenged seems particularly happy about the facilities the book room has to offer. The ramps and escalators alone dont make the library disabled-friendly, the specialty lies in the high-technology Braille system found in the visually-impaired section. The section is situated right near the entrance on the ground floor for the convenience of the visually-challenged. On day one, 900 people visited the library and the the library features an advanced version of the Braille refreshable reader, which can store up to 1,000 books. Said R Shankar, the librarian: Using this special equipment, five people can read the same book at a time. And, well, this facility is available only in this library. Visually-challenged readers were overwhelmed that the bibliotheca had in store for them storybooks and journals too, as other libraries stocked only textbooks. N Janardhanan said, I am impressed with the text to Braille conversion and not just that, Braille printouts can be taken too. Visuallychallenged kids can also have a good time here as they can listen to audio CDs for help with reading the books.

J MANOHARAN

rush continued on day two. Now one need not go to the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (at Poonamallee) to access quality books, gushed S Balakrishnan, one of the visitors. They are available here under one roof. Whats more,

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Pochampalli violence
Private schools face government ire for stir PAGE | 5

Fonseka sentenced to three years in jail Page | 6

city

Suspension of driving licence for causing fatal accidents upheld

PAGE | 4

c your saturday newspaper m y k

The New Indian Express I Saturday, September 18, 2010 I Chennai

Minister optimistic, panel was not

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trust floated by the States transport department to hold pension funds under a scheme launched in 2000, has been reduced to a dud affecting over 34,000 pensioners. The reason: The trust failed to get income tax exemption from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Had the trust parked money into its account without seeking IT exemption, it would have ended up paying an estimated Rs 300 crore as income tax, according to a report of the Pension Regulatory Committee that was set up to examine the fiasco. CBDT comes under the finance ministry that was under P Chidambarams watch at that point in time. Since the trust was dysfunctional, the pension funds were parked with three different organisations: Employees Provident Fund Organisation, STUs and the State governments Public Deposit Account. Had the trust not been a dud, it would have had a total corpus of Rs 1,400 crore now despite regular fund outflow, the panel points out. We are trying to get this money to the trust account, says Arumuga Nainar, deputy general secretary of CITU, who is one of the 12 trustees of the pension fund trust. Only after this happens, will the trust actually start functioning, Nainar adds. When the crisis figured in the State Assembly in April this year, Transport Minister K N Nehru reportedly assured the House that the problem would be sorted out if the State succeeded in getting the tax waiver. Oh, really? The committee clearly thought otherwise. The scheme is not at all viable and sustainable. Even if we get the tax exemption, it will not work, says J Lakshmanan, one of the 13 members of the panel. Besides, as early as in 2004, the State government had in a letter to the managing directors of all the seven State Transport Undertakings said it was finding it difficult to implement the pension scheme for retired employees because of non-exemption from income tax.

DUD
S
ILLUSTRATION: TUHIN CHAKRABORTY

A trust floated to hold pension funds of the State transport department has become dysfunctional due to the failure to get tax exemption from Central Board of Direct Taxes. This, along with the inability to build a big corpus, has put the scheme in jeopardy, reports Gangadhar S Patil
The pension scheme is not at all viable and sustainable. Even if we get the tax exemption, it will not work
J LAKSHMANAN, Pension Regulatory Committee member

Low corpus, fund diversion killing it

O, why does the Pension Regulatory Committee think that the 1998 pension scheme for State transport employees is unviable? The answer lies in the small corpus size: Rs 1,400 crore. Had the trust accumulated a bigger sum, say in the region of Rs 6,000 crore, the story would have been completely different. The corpus didnt swell because of various factors, including diversion of funds, non-recruitment of new employees, introduction of a new pension scheme in 2003 and a major drop in interest rates, according to State and Union government watchdogs. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its stinging indictment in March this year pointed out that the employer contribution for the pension fund, which the corporation is supposed to set aside, was being utilised by the STUs as working capital (daily expenses) because they were bleeding. In addition, the contributions to the provident fund and gratuity fund were diverted by STUs towards working capital. Sources in CAG say the STUs have not invested the money in any securities. During the audit, we demanded evidence of investment but they failed to produce it, reveals a source. Besides, when the trust was floated, STUs had decided to pool a sum of Rs 340 crore parked with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) before 1998 in the pension fund. When the EPFO was asked to release the amount, it flatly refused, saying it would do so only if the trust got IT exemption. That amount is currently out of reach. The government also perhaps naively thought that the contribution of employees recruited after 1998 would help keep the pension scheme afloat. But there was no recruitment for five years after 1998, the report points out. The final nail in the coffin, according to the report, was the State governments decision to include employees recruited after 2003 under a different pension scheme. With the fund flow shrinking the writing was on the wall for the 1998 pension scheme. You didnt need a rocket scientist to predict its demise. When the scheme was conceived in 1998, the bank interest rate on investment was 13.5 per cent. By 2008, the corresponding rate was down to 7-9 per cent, further hurting income generation, the report points out. In conclusion, the committee recommended that the government drop the idea of a trust and make a legislation by which the STUs will be mandated to contribute to the State government instead of the trust. This was the majority view of the 12-member panel. The dissenters included the one representing the governments finance department on the panel. Their logic: it would result in a huge financial burden on the government. ment, he notes. His case is better as some of his former colleagues got the amount only after 36 months. Trade unions have already insisted in a pension regulatory meeting that the government to take over the entire fund. We dont want this trust and pension scheme. We want the government to take the whole pension responsibility, says J Lakshmanan, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress. If the government fails to meet the deficit, all the retired employees will be on the road. We have been fighting for our pension for many years, but the government is not at all bothered, he adds.

Retd staff I run from pillar to post for pension

T is a long wait for K Karsan every month. His pension is his familys sole income for survival. But the transport corporations do not mind it. They disburse the money as per their convenience. We never get the pension on time, says Karsan (62), who retired in 2005 as Selection Grade Assistant after serving the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) for more than 30 years. Also the general secretary of Retired Employee Welfare Association, he says there is a government order directing the disbursal of pension on the last working day of every month. It is not only the pension that we have to fight for, even disbursal of post

retirement benefits like gratuity, enSeveral pensioners, especially cashment of leave and Provident Fund those who retired from the State Exare also delayed. press Transport Corporation, are yet Like me, several retired employees to get their commuted pension, says have not received S Gajendran, gentheir g ratuity for eral secretary of the months together, MTC wing of All Insaid S Krishanana, dia Trade Union Hard times who retired in 2005 as Congress. Several pensioners, especially Checking Inspector. Gajendran retired those who retired from the Retired employees in 2006 from MTC as SETC, are yet to get their are also agitated over Selection Grade Secommuted pension. the delay in the paynior Assistant after ment of the commutputting in a service ed value of pension. of 37 years. Sources agreed that there was a He says he received his commuted backlog in this regard as the State pension 15 months after retirement. Transport Undertakings were cash- Every retired person is supposed to strapped. get that in the first month of retire-

LONG WAIT

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The New Indian Express | Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Chennai

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City beat
DGP Letika safe
Chennai: Director-General of Police (L&O) Letika Saran, who suffered minor injuries in a car accident in Orissa, is safe. Sources said that the DGP was travelling from Bhubaneswar to Puri to attend a conference when the accident occurred. She has since then returned to Chennai ENS

CREDIT CARD RACKET BUSTED Hold caste

Cops have almost cracked the case; claim the entire network is rooted in Malaysia
Express News Service Chennai, September 17 THE Malaysian nexus to the fake credit card racket flourishing in leading metros through gangs operating from Chennai emerged in sharper contours after Central Crime Branch sleuths busted a major five-member network in the city on September 12. A Malaysian national, suspected to be the kingpin, has been exporting blank cards and particulars of genuine foreign credit cards to the arrested gang leader Manoj Kumar and his associates, who used them for cloning. Police said the South East Asian country is the hot-bed for genuine and fake credit card manufacturing. While cards issued by international banks originate in Malaysia, so do blank cards and stolen data, which make their way into the hands of racketeers in India. The Malaysian connection first came to light, with the arrest of marine engineer Umesh alias Jatti (25), a Sri Lankan Tamil settled in Canada, and three of his associates in October last year. During interrogation, Umesh revealed that he obtained blank cards and credit card data from agents in Malaysia. He engraved and embossed the details on blank cards and used them to purchase goods. data on Indian credit cards to Manoj. It was through Manoj that the CCB were able to figure out the identity of the Malaysian kingpin - Akbar alias Abdullah. Manoj, a graduate in business administration, worked in Malaysia for a few years and established contact with Abdullah, a police official said. On his return, he obtained details of foreign credit cards from Abdullah through emails and SMS and also imported blank cards through him and machines from China to make the fake cards. He distributed the cloned cards to his Bangalore-based friends, Sunil Kumar alias Ajit Kumar, Idayatullah, Nayaz Ahmed and Vishali Tahlvi in Mumbai, who used them to purchase goods. Manoj and his gang were arrested on September 16 and two laptops, two embossing machines, two encoding machines, two tipping machines, 407 fake credit cards, 868 blank credit cards and a car were seized. The police also arrested a 10-member gang headed by Gouthaman Elangovan and Kelvin in Anna Nagar on September 12. They used data supplied from accomplices working in petrol pumps to make fake credit cards. Goods purchased were also seized. These gangs were behind 80 per cent of such cases in the State, CoP Rajendran said here on Friday .

census in one go: BC panel

Says Centres move may lead to indefinite postponement of the drive; calls it wasteful expenditure
Express News Service Chennai, September 17 ON A DAY when the DMK government released a letter of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi infor ming Chief Minister M Karunanidhi that a stand-alone caste census would be held in June next, Justice MN Rao, chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes along with the chairman of the BC Commission of TN and for mer chair man of Karnataka BC Commission opposed the move. Justice Rao issued a joint statement here after participating in the birthday celebrations of Periyar EV Ramasamy, a votary of compartmental reservation for all castes. The statement was released from the office of the Viduthalai daily, run by Dravidar Kazhagam. The statement said: the Centres move may result in indefinite postponement of caste-based enumeration and that would be detrimental to the interests of OBCs who constitute 60 per cent of Indias population. We strongly urge the Centre to roll back the decision to separate caste census from the main census and hold them together. Expressing satisfaction that the Centre had recognised the need for caste-census, they expressed surprise at Centres move to earmark `2,000 crore for a separate enumeration of castes in-

SI attacked
Chennai: Activists of a Hindu outfit were picked up for questioning in connection with an attack on a subinspector at Washermenpet on Thursday. Nazeer Ahmed (55), an SI attached to the Washermenpet station, was posted for duty at Irusappa Maistry Street, where a Vinayakar idol was installed. Around midnight, he was chased and attacked by two men armed with knives. As passers-by rushed to his help, the assailants escaped in a motorbike ENS

EXPERTS VIEW
Move untenable
The joint statement expressed surprise at the Centres move to earmark `2,000 crore for a separate enumeration of castes. This move is untenable from the functional point of view and also from the point of view of incurring wasteful expenditure

Engineer ends life

Chennai: An engineer committed suicide at Puzhal on Thursday after he was allegedly scolded by his parents for being jobless. Police said Manoj Kumar (22) of Puzhal, a B Tech graduate, was in search a job for four months. On Thursday, he committed suicide by hanging with a nylon rope at his house

EXPRESS

Commissioner of Police T Rajendran looking at the equipment used for making fake credit cards in the city on Friday
However, the identity of the kingpin still eluded them. The breakthrough came when they probed into a complaint filed by a Citibank official, alleging that credit card details of customers had been stolen and were being used in other states, resulting in a loss of `8.83 lakh. Investigations led to Justin alias Sudhanandan, an employee of a petrol station in Anna Nagar. Justins modus operandi? He stole the data from customers using a skimmer machine and passed on the same to his friend Udayakumar, who relayed the particulars to Sabarisan alias Sabarirajan, a Keralite, staying in Palavakkam. Using the equipment from Mumbai, Sabarisan printed the fake cards and passsed

Doubts over womans death

Chennai: A father of a 22-year-old woman lodged a complaint with the Porur police that he suspected foul play in the death of his daughter, Sathya. A few days ago, Durairaj of Tiruchy received a call from Sathyas husband Manikandan (25) of Lakshmi Nagar, Porur, informing that his daughter had died. The couple had been married for two years ENS

Man commits suicide

Chennai: A 40-year-old man identified as Kuppuswamy committed suicide by hanging from a tree at Thilaga Nagar Ennore on Thursday. Police said that Kuppusamy of Ennore and his wife Kala often had fight. On Thursday, Kuppusamy left home after an altercation and did not return till late in the evening. Later he was found dead. Police are investigating ENS

Probe Dalit civil supplies officials death: Jaya

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa demanded a probe into the incident of suspicious death of M. Murugan (48), an Assistant Quality Control Officer, Civil Supplies godown, Milavittan, in Tuticorin. In a statement, she said the culprits should be punished and the family of the deceased be compensated. The for mer CM reiterated her demand for a probe on smuggling of the commodities from the civil

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supplies outlets. Saying that the attacks on Dalit officers were on the rise during the four-and-half years of rule by the DMK, she said the family of the deceased Dalit official suspects foul play in his death and the matter should be immediately probed. Murugan left for workplace on September 7 and his wife received a phone call saying he had been admitted at the Tuticorin government hospital after taking poison. His wife, who noticed a wound below his left shoulder made a complaint to the district Police.

Murugan died on September 11. Suspecting foul play, his wife complained to the district collector. She had mentioned that her husband had told her that he expect some problems as he made a complaint against some officers of the TN Civil Supplies Corporation and also to the police about the smuggling of commodities that were supplied through it. In her complaint, she demanded a proper enquiry to find out the reasons for her husbands death. She also claimed that a diary and a bag, which her husband used to carry, were not restored to her. The AIADMK leader said the death of Dalit official should be probed to dispense the doubts.

This move will be detrimental to the interests of OBCs who constitute 60 per cent of the population in the country
stead of giving the task to the Census department.This move is untenable both from the functional point of view to ascertain the socio-economic data and also from the point of view of the State incurring wasteful and avoidable expenditure. PMK founder S Ramadoss has been accusing the DMK of not conducting a separate caste enumeration on its own to ensure 69 per cent reservation in the light of the recent verdict of the SC while the CM is yet to react to the Centres move.

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Tamil tigers on the prowl

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 CHIEF Minister M Karunanidhi on Friday named one of the three white tiger cubs born at Arignar Anna Zoological Park, in Vandalur, on June 6, as Indira in memory of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The three cubs, a male and two females, were born to Bhishma and Anu, the white tiger couple brought here from the Delhi Zoo in 2006. The Chief Minister named the male cub as Sembian in memory of Chola Kingdom, which had tiger as a symbol on its flag. Karunanidhi named another female tiger cub as Valli after freedom fighter Valliammai, who had fought for freedom in South Africa, with Mahatma Gandhi. The three cubs, which are a major attraction in the Vandalur zoo, were recently adopted by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) under the Adopt an animal programme of the Forest department. Forest Minister N Selvaraj, SSVP Reddy, director of Vandalur Zoo, were present on the occasion at the Secretariat.

EXPRESS

TRIPLE ALLIES: Indira, Sembian and Valli, the three white tiger cubs at their habitat in Vandalur zoo

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The New Indian Express | Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Chennai

city
A UNITED FRONT
On the occasion of Periyars 132nd birth anniversary on Friday, M Karunanidhi offered floral tributes to the portrait of Periyar, kept below the Periyar statue at Anna Salai Accompanying him on the occasion were Finance Minister K Anbazhagan, Agriculture Minister Veerapandi Arumugham and Information Minister Parithi Illumvazhuthi AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa offered floral tributes to the portrait at Kodanadu AIADMK presidium chairman E Madusodanan and other office bearers, offered floral tributes to the portrait of Periyar at Periyar statue at Anna Flyover MDMK general secretary Vaiko paid respects at the party headquarters at Thayagam
A RAJA CHIDAMBARAM

Call to amend CVC Act for transparency

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 EMINENT citizens of Chennai city on Friday called for an amendment to the Chief Vigilance Commission Act to ensure more transparency in the process of appointing new CVC and that the composition of the committee for selecting new CVC does not give a steam-roller majority to the government. Besides, they suggested that the panel should include the Vice-President of India as the Chairman and a nominee of the Chief Justice of India as a member apart from the existing members. They also demanded that the proceedings of the committee for the selection of the new CVC should be published with full particulars of persons considered for the preparation of the panel and the reasons based on which the final selection was made. The statement was signed by B S Raghavan,former Policy Adviser to UN (FAO), N Gopalaswami, former Chief Election Commissioner, Era Sezhiyan, former MP and M G Devasahayam, former Principal Secretary ,Haryana government and many others. Expressing concern over the controversy surrounding this years appointment to the post of the CVC, the citizens said that the aim should be to fill the post with the best available person endowed with the essential qualities of fairness, impartiality and independence, whether from within the government or from public life. We consider it imperative that the panel of names from out of which the committee comprising the PM, Home Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha makes the selection for appointment to the post of the CVC should not only conform, but also be seen to conform, to the above fundamental criteria, it said. Although there is no statutory requirement about the selection having to be unanimous or based on consensus among the members of the committee, there is an undeniable moral obligation on the part of the representatives of the government on the committee not to proceed with the appointment in case the Opposition leader, on any reasonable ground, disagrees with the selection of any particular individual, the statement further said.

LEADERS FROM ALL POLITICAL PARTIES TOOK TIME OFF TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO THE VISIONARY

Telugu version of Periyar screened

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 THE Dravidar Kazhagam celebrated its founders 132nd birthday on Friday by screening Telugu version of the film Periyar. The 2006 film, starring Sathyaraj, Kushboo and Jyotirmayi, has been dubbed in Telugu and released in select theatres in Andhra Pradesh. Periyar is a leader whose ideas transcend language. The Telugu version is being received well in AP, said DK president K Veeramani. National Commission of Backward Classes Chairman Justice MN Rao, Convenor of the Parliamentary Forum for OBC MPs Hanumantha Rao, General Secretary of the All India Federation of Backward Classes Employees Welfare Association G Karunanidhy and the films director Gnana Rajasekar were among those present at the screening.

CHAMPION OF THE DRAVIDIAN MOVEMENT: Chief Minister M Karunanidhi paying floral tributes to Periyar on his birth anniversary near the Secretariat complex in the city on Friday

Banana in noon-meal menu for students

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 CHIEF Minister M Karunanidhi on F riday ann o u n c e d t h at b a n a n a s would be served five days a week to vegetarian students along with their noon-meal. The decision to serve boiled eggs and bananas would benefit 57.75 lakh boys and girl students in the state and cost the exchequer Rs 125.35 crore. Two days ago, the Chief Minister announced that under the Nutritious Meal Scheme, boiled eggs would be served to students for five days instead of three. The new announcements would come into effect immediately, said an official release here. Apart from eggs and bananas, the students are also served boiled channa or green dhal on Tuesdays and boiled potatoes on Fridays.

IN THE HIGH COURT

Suspension of driving licence upheld for fatal accident

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 THE Madras High Court has upheld the action of the Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) in suspending the driving licences of two drivers for causing fatal accidents. A Sekar of Tiruppur, while driving a private four-wheeler caused an accident killing one person. P Ganapathy of Hosur, a government transport corporation bus driver, killed a person while driving the bus. The RTOs of Tiruppur and Hosur suspended their licences for six months from the date of the respective accidents. Contending that the RTOs could not suspend their licences before orders finding them guilty of the offences passed by the lower court concerned, the duo moved the Madras High Court with writ petitions. Rejecting their contention, Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar observed that the suspension orders were passed in public interest and to prevent danger to the public. Therefore, the provisions contained in Sec. 19(1)(f) of the Motor Vehicles Act empowered the RTOs to suspend the licences. The accidents data indicated a gradual increase of fatal and grievous injuries accidents. The percentage of accidents caused by drivers negligence was 90.13 per cent. Strict implementation of the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act was the present day requirement. Then only it would have deterrent effect on the drivers and definitely they would be careful in future, which would minimise the number of accidents. Therefore, the orders should be treated as a right decision taken by the RTOs concerned, the judge said and dismissed the writ petitions.

Self regulation for a sustainable future, says SHG collective

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 A network of NGOs has decided to take the first step towards self regulation by adopting a set of guidelines on financing, administration and ethics to be followed in running an NGO. The guidelines, proposed at a conference of NGO leaders, aim to attain sustainability through self regulation and also expected to build confidence of the NGOs with banks, thereby boosting the microfinance sector. Along with the growth and spread of microfinance organisations come concerns over quality and sustainability of the various NGOs and SHGs in question. Thats why we have come together to develop a self regulation framework, said M Kalyanasundaram, Chief Executive of the International Network of Alternative Financial Institutions (INAFI), that organised the conference on Friday. Among the guidelines adopted were maintaining transparency in book keeping, promotion of financial literacy among microfinance clientele and the facilitation of inclusive financial growth. The guidelines also insist SHGs and NGOs to campaign against usurious lending practices in the microfinance sector. Banking officials welcome the self regulating initiative with enthusiasm. SHGs need to keep in mind that banks and other institutional lenders are worried over the repayment of loans. In the absence of regulations, banks can only do so much, said N S Mishra, GM of Indian Overseas Bank. He suggested that collectives, like INAFI, that bring SHGs and NGOs under a single banner could help enforce self regulation.

Aid to Tamil scholars family

Chennai: Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Friday granted financial assistance of Rs ten lakh to the family of Tamil scholar P V Somasundaranar who died in 1972. After coming to know through media reports that the heirs of the scholar were fighting poverty, he ordered the payment to help the family, an official release here said ENS

Man files HCP seeking to produce daughter

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 A father has moved the Madras HC with a petition seeking to produce in the court his daughter, who was allegedly abducted and married by a rowdy element in UT. And a division bench comprising Justice C Nagappan and Justice PR Shivakumar, before which the habeas corpus writ petition from M Rajagopal alias Jayakannan of Palli Thennal village in Villupuram district came up for hearing, ordered notice to the inspector attached to the Kandamangalam police station, Viji alias Korangu Viji of Villiyanur, Puducherry and the inspector of the All Women Police Station (AWPS) in Periyakadai, Puducherry. According to Rajagopal, Korangu Viji, a well known rowdy, fell madly in love with his daughter Lokeswari (22), while she was working in the Venkateswara Hospital in Aiyur near Palli Thennal village, in 2009. Unable to bear the advances and torture of Vijis constant stalking and not wanting to take the risk of confronting him, Logeswari joined another hospital in Chennai and stayed in the hospital hostel. While so, Lokeswaris marriage was fixed on September 3, this year in Avadi in Chennai. Viji and his henchmen, armed with deadly weapons, barged into his house and forcibly took away Lokeswari on August 23, 2010, in petitioners presence. He lodged a complaint with the Kandamangalam police. The very next day, Viji took Lokeswari to the All Women Police Station in Periyakadai and told the cops that he had married Lokeswari with her consent. Petitioner contended that the AWPS inspector forcibly obtained a letter from Lokeswari to the effect that she had willingly married Viji. She also expressed her inability to interfere in the matter. Alleging that his daughter had been forcibly abducted and married by Viji and was being tortured, Rajagopal filed the present petition.

SPECIAL CLASS RAILWAY APPRENTICES EXAMINATION, 2010 ADDENDUM

Reference Commissions Notication dated 28th August 2010 for Special Class Railway Apprentices Examination, 2010, it is notied that the closing time limit for submission of online applications in respect of this examination has been extended upto 27th September, 2010 (till 11.59 pm). (Kuldeep Kumar Saharawat) Deputy Secretary Union Public Service Commission
davp 55101/14/0016/1011 MO/G/8221/10

14-year-old boy goes missing

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 A 14-year-old boy, who left home to play cricket with his friends at Maraimalar Nagar, has been reported missing since Wednesday. The boy identified as Vicky alias Vignesh,a VI Standard student, did not go to school on Wednesday saying that he was not well. However, he had gone to play cricket with his friends in a nearby area and did not return home. When the boys father, Sekar, approached the police to file a complaint along with a photograph of his son, the cops identified him and said that Vignesh was brought to the station by his friends after he was found sitting on top of a tree. Later the police chased them out to the playground. Police have registered a case and are investigating.

Sirpurkar received gifts from Dinakaran, alleges petition

C Shivakumar/ENS Chennai, September 17 THE demand for recusal of the chairperson of the panel that is probing into the grounds for the impeachment of former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P D Dinakaran gathered tempo on Friday with a petition by group of NGO alleging that Justice V S Sirpurkar received gifts from the latter. A petition filed by Peoples Watch executive director Henri Tiphagne and Human Rights Research and Advocacy Foundation director Ossie Fernandes said they were concerned about the composition of the committee as Dinakaran intimately knew its chairperson Sirpurkar as the former used to regularly send as gifts, baskets of mangoes from farms situated in the lands in the village of Kaverirajapuram at Tiruvallur District which are subject of enquiry by this panel. The allegations of land grabbing centre around the village lands where the farms are situated. Sirpurkar had received gifts from the very same lands. Thus Sirpurkar has had past knowledge of and affinity towards the judge whose conduct is being enquired into, the petition alleged. The Petitioners said they along with a few other social activists met several residents of Kaverirajapuram and visited the lands in question. The visit revealed shocking incidents of human rights violations and land grab by Dinakaran. The petitioners were therefore constrained to address representations dated 28.09.2009 to the SC Collegium placing on record the findings of such inquiries and were prepared to produce evidence regarding the allegations during the course of any inquiry . The composition of the panel has created a genuine apprehension in the minds of the petitioners who are lay persons. We believe that there is a real danger that the chairpersons friendship and close association with Dinakaran will influence the course and outcome of the proceedings. In these circumstances, as bodies representing the civil society, and concerned citizens, we seek recusal of the chairperson, as what is at stake is the integrity and independence of the judiciary, the petition stated.

Tele: 23793316

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA INTEGRATED HEADQUARTERS OF MOD (ARMY) DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF ORDNANCE SERVICES
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davp 10202/11/0512/1011 MO/G/8216

Vignesh alias Vicky played hookey to school and went off to play cricket with his friends and did not return home, worrying his parents

The petition alleged that the allegations of land grabbing centred around the village lands where the farms are situated. Sirpurkar had received gifts from the same lands

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The New Indian Express | Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Chennai

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State scan
Kanimozhi launches eye donation drive
Chennai: Kanimozhi, MP, said that women were the eyes of the country in a symbolic way and their active role in the eye donation campaign was indispensable.She said this while inaugurating a eye donation campaign at Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital here on Friday.About 102 persons, including DMK councillors, Anna Varsity students and cadre of the DMK womens wing, took pledge for eye donation ENS

F e l l e d

Swine flu claims 2 lives

Express News Service Coimbatore/Puducherry, September 17 SWINE flu has claimed two lives, one each in Coimbatore and Puducherry on Friday. M Ponnusamy, a cotton trader from Nallichettypalayam village near Annur, was brought from a private hospital to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital late on Thursday after he tested positive for the A(H1N1) virus. He had been undergoing treatment in the other hospital for sometime. According to the sources, when doctors at the CMCH saw that Ponnusamy was in a very critical condition, they tried to provide artificial respiration. However, he died within an hour. While 120 persons have tested positive in Coimbatore for the A(H1N1) virus this year, Ponnusamy, a father of two, is only the second person to have died of swine flu. Last year 930 persons were detected with the virus and four among them had died. Saraswathi (56) from Mudalairpet died of A(H1N1) infection at JIPMER due to respiratory failure. The woman, who was brought to JIPMER on Thursday, was suffering from excessive pneumonia, said JIPMER authorities. This is the fourth death in Puducherry due to H1N1 and second patient from Puducherry to succumb to the disease. The other two patients are from Cuddalore and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu. Another patient Dora Vandhana (20) tested positive for H1N1. She came to JIPMER OPD and after taking treatment she left. The girl is now being traced.

Enthiran release postponed

Chennai: Rajinikanth-Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer Enthiran will be released on October 1, said a release from Sun Pictures. The Tamil, Telugu and Hindi versions of the film will be released world over, including the USA, the UK, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia ENS

J MANOHARAN

A tree that was felled for widening the storm water drain on M G Road in Adyar on Friday. It held up traffic on the road for quite sometime

Train rescheduled
Chennai: Train No 5629 Chennai Egmore - Guwahati Weekly Express scheduled to leave Chennai Egmore at 22.30 hrs. on September 20 (Monday) has been rescheduled to leave Chennai Egmore at 00.05 hrs. on September 21 (Tuesday) due to operational reasons ENS

Army Major from city awarded 29 pc institutions in Tamil Nadu remained closed to Sena Medal
Express News Service Chennai, September 17 MAJOR R Senthil Velan has been conferred with Sena medal (Gallantry) for his professional excellence in an operation in Jammu and Kashmir during which he foiled the infiltration bid by terrorists. Major Velan, who completed his schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Tambaram, graduated from the Madras Christian College in 2000 and joined the Indian Military Academy He . was commissioned on June 2002. The Major and his men detected a large group of terrorists in a dense forest and eliminated a few from close quarters. He sustained serious splinter injuries during the encounter. Express News Service Chennai, September 17 STATE government issued notices to about six schools in the city and many more in Tamil Nadu, that was shut on Friday to protest ransacking of school in Pochampally in Krishnagiri district despite war ning by the gover nment against the closure. The school authorities had said they would close down to protest ransacking of a school in Pochampally after a student was run over by the school bus on September 13. Director of Matriculation Schools K Devarajan told Express that except for six schools in the Chennai the rest stayed open. Throughout Tamil Nadu, 71 per cent of schools remained open. Notices have been sent to all the school that remained closed asking them for an explanation, he added. Prince Gajendra Babu, State Platform for Common School System, condemned the action by the private schools. He said in Pochampally school, there has been no destruction to life but only the school infrastructure, which can be retrieved. The school should pay compensation to the family of the deceased boy, he pointed out. In many schools no announce-

Pvt schools shut, face govt ire

protest ransacking of a school in Krishnagiri district

ment were made, even though some schools authorities changed their decision to remain open only on Thursday night. In fact, harried authorities of a particular school in the suburban areas had sent SMSes to the parents on Thursday night that the school would be open as usual. Meanwhile in Salem over 500 persons including correspondents, teachers, office staff of private matriculation schools met the collector and gave a memorandum seeking security for schools and their students. In Madurai, 27 matriculation schools and the one in Sivaganga remained closed.

Police exam results out

Chennai: Results of the written test held for the post of Grade II constables, jail warders and firemen on August 8 will be available on the website www.tn.gov.in/tnusrb The next stage of recruitment will be held from October 4, a press release said ENS

69% kids subjected to abuse in India

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 STATISTICS point out 69 per cent of children in India have reported abuse, out of which 50 per cent were abused by people they trusted. A three-day National Conference on Child abuse for multi disciplinary professionals here comes at the right time to provide a platform to take forward the dialogue in making a world fit for the child. Doctors, social workers, activists, nurses, policy makers, lawyers all got together to share ground realities and how a convergence could be achieved in creating an environment where a child felt and was actually safe. At the conference Shantha Sinha, Chairperson of National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, narrated shocking incidents of child abuse. She said, At the Commission, we receive shocking cases. One them, a four-yearold boy sexually abused by a bus driver and conductor, who dropped him home. An eight-year-old, whose rape had made her lose her uterus, was now crying for justice. Two days ago we received two cases of gang rapes by the Railway Police. These cases are indicative of the magnitude of the issue. Dr Sinha recalled all the articles related to child rights from the Constitution as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. She also highlighted, It is high time we look a child as an equal. We need to evolve frameworks from the child perspective and move away from adult-centric views.

TAHDCO initiative: 32 underprivileged get job

Chennai: It was a proud and grateful moment for 32 underprivileged youth, as they received employment offers from one of the largest banks in the country. The youth, belonging to SC/ST categories, completed a PG Diploma course in Banking Operations, and were offered employment by ICICI on Friday ENS

S p a r e

w h e e l

Fill vacancies: Bank staff

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Chennai: Bank Employees Federation of India activists took out a march near the Chennai Collectorate on Friday demanding to to fill up existing vacancies ENS

Turn India into tech power house

V NarayanaMurthi | ENS Vellore, September 17 IQBAL SINGH, Lt Governor of Puducherry, exhorted upon students to make the country into a technology power house of innovation. Making this appeal in his inaugural address at the second edition of the threeday inter national knowledge festival, graVITas10, at VIT university here on Friday, Dr Singh said that todays young generation had the potential and knowledge to provide solutions to several deep-rooted problems and challenges that the nation was encountering. Pointing out that even though India possessed one third of the worlds scientific and technological manpower, Dr Singh regretted that only a few opted for research as a profession. Chancellor G Viswanthan in his address wanted all universities to emerge as sources of innovation that would help improving the living conditions of the people. CMD of the Indian Bank T M Bhasin also addressed the students.

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Free IAS coaching

Chennai: Sri Krishna Sweets, in associ ation with www.jeywin.com, will offer free coaching for 50 students appearing for the Civil Services examinations as part of a new campaign called India Needs You, launched here on Friday. The campaign to increase the states output of Civil Servants, will include support by Sri Krishna Sweets in the form of latest study material, coaching in reputed institutions and other support. The students will be selected through an online exam to be on October 2. Candidates can register free of cost at www.jeywin.com till October 1 ENS

EXPRESS

The wheel of a chariot that was found when the Mangaliamman Koil Street at Pallavaram was dug up for subway construction on Friday

Land grabbers linked to an MLA: Owners

Express News Service Chennai, September 17 A SECTION of residential plot owners of Morai village near Avadi on Friday alleged massive land grabbing by unscrupulous elements with the active connivance of officials and politicians. K Alagan told reporters that his three 0.75 ground plots in the village had been usurped by a group of powerful ruffians who had the blessings of an MLA. I bought the plot on installment from my hard earned life long savings. Today, the thugs do not even allow me to go near my plot. The pathway is blocked and there is a real threat to our property and lives. S Buvaneswaran, another landowner, said his plot too had been taken away by the goons. Four men including me were jailed on fabricated charges for taking up the issue with the revenue and police officials, he said. Explaining the background, P Pugalenthi, advocate for about 1,000 affected plot owners said a group of persons claiming to be power of attorney holders of the original landlord of Morai village a Zamindar had been unleashing terror. These people claim that they are the owners. They contest the ownership of the

PROBE PANEL
5-member team
Tiruvallur collector T P Rajesh in an official release issued on Friday, announced the setting up of a panel to probe charges of land grabbing in Morai village. The five-member panel would comprise of the district revenue officer, deputy director, (land survey), thasildhar (Ambattur), revenue divisional officer besides the additional assistant to the collector (land). The panel has been asked to immediately start the probe and submit the enquiry report.

plot-owners and are threatening these people to give up their claims or face consequences. Others said how government failed to provide a remedy and charged that officials acted in connivance with the land grabbers. A demonstration was held on August 31 and several representations had been made to the Tiruvallur district administration. Despite a court direction in response to a plea of plot owners, the district administration had not completed a survey of the village. We would agitate in front of Memorial Hall on September 21 seeking justice, the plot owners said.

Battle of Buffet

Finest hotels line up to enjoy joy of giving

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(From left) Sashi Kumar, general manager Hotel GRT; Karan Berry, general manager Courtyard by Marriott; Srinivas, singer; Lemuel Herbert, associate vice president and area manager, The Park Hotels; Aneesh K Deepak, manager-branding & corporate communications, NAIHAA; Latha A Kumaraswami, managing trustee, Tanker Foundation; Nina Reddy, CMD, Hotel Savera; and Mahadevan, MD, Oriental Cuisines at a function held to announce the Battle of Buffet 2010 in the city on Friday
Express News Service Chennai, September 17 REMEMBER the Battle of Buffet you participated in last year, where you had a whole array of finger-licking food on a platter? The fund raising event for NGOs is back with its second edition. This years target: `1.5 crore. It would be held at the Chennai Trade Centre on September 30. Last years event saw 65 NGOs raise `90 lakh. Around 80 organisations would participate in the Battle of Buffet 2010 that would offer finest cuisines by various participating hotels, including five-star hotels in the city Also on the agenda is . a light music entertainment extravaganza by playback singer Srinivas. For their part, to experience the Joy of Giving, both the hotels and the artistes would offer their services free of cost. City NGOs could make use of fundraising platfor m, which would be available to them at zero cost. Any donor making a contribution of `5,000 to their cause would be invited to the event and 100 per cent of what the organisation raises would go back to them. Mahadevan, MD, Oriental Cuisines and one of the organisers of the event, said: This is a unique opportunity for the NGOs to raise money through a completely sponsored event. It will be an evening of the finest cuisines by all participating five-star hotels coming together under one roof at the same time.

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NEPOTISM CHARGES

Kovai AIR tunes in late to transmission

M Rafi Ahmed | ENS Coimbatore, September 17 COIMBATORE station of All India Radio (AIR) is again in the news for wrong reasons. This time, the delay in going on air for nearly 30 minutes. However, the authorities hushed up the whole episode. It was an ardent listener Palanichamy, a handloom weaver from Annur, who brought to the notice of this paper that both primary channel and FM Rainbow commenced its transmission half an hour late on September 4. Usually, I used to switch on the radio at 5.45 am itself since I start my daily chores in the early hours. On September 4, I was unable to tune into neither primary channel nor FM Rainbow, he said and added that he was under the impression that there was some technical snag for the delay. And the transmission began behind schedule. What went wrong at Coimbatore station of All India Radio on September 4 and who was at fault for the delay? Express probed the matter threadbare to get a lead that the engineering assistant after closing of transmission on September 3 (Friday night at 11 pm) locked and took the keys since there was no security personnel to hand it over. Sources said that there was an anxious wait for both the transmission executive and announcers the next day as the entrance to the station was found closed. Frantic efforts were made to get the keys. At last, it came only to the embarrassment of the waiting staff. Admitting the delay in transmission on September 4, S Kalanchezhiyan, Assistant Station Engineer, Coimbatore AIR told Express that the engineering assistant had to take the keys as the security personnel failed to report for duty. No doubt there were some discrepancies. However, the transmission started at 6.11 am. (23 minutes late as per log book entry). When asked about the normal time for commencing the transmission, a programme executive preferring anonymity told this paper that the tone is switched on at 5.45 am and signature tune is played at 5.48 followed by opening announcement at 5.50 am. This is the usual practise. A cross section of the listeners whom this paper spoke to were of the view that its the first time in the history of public broadcasting service that transmission was delayed not due to technical problem, but due to the lethargy of the staff concerned. This only proves to show that all is not well at Kovai AIR.

Fonseka sentenced to 3 years in jail

Agence France-Presse Colombo, September 17

12 fireworks units banned for violating norms

Express News Service Sivakasi, September 17 THE Inspectorate of the Factories Department on Friday banned 12 fireworks units from functioning in Sivakasi for violating factory rules. A flying squad constituted to inspect fireworks factories, in view of the Deepavali festival, is conducting inspection in at least ten units everyday Under the . Factories Act, 12 fireworks units found to be stocking more chemicals than the authorised quantity were banned from , functioning, within the past 15 days. The owners of the factories have to appeal to the head office of the Factories Department in Chennai and prove that they stocked only the authorised quantity The Chief Inspector of Facto. ries would then visit the units and and if he is convinced that no norm had been violated, he will permit the reopening of the factories. This process would take at least 45 days during which, the factories would remain shut. Of the units in Sivakasi, 200 had licence from the district administration and the others have authorisation from the Explosives Control Department in Nagpur. Many units that had obtained licence from the district administration lease their factories to outsiders and it is said that these units violate norms. The foremen in the factories have to be appointed with permission from the Department of Explosives, which is not enforced in the case of factories with licence from the district. The control of fireworks units should be vested only with the Department of Explosives Control, social activists feel.

UN panel on Lanka begins work

United Nations: A panel of experts, that was set A COURT martial in Sri Lanka convicted up to advise UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon former army chief Sarath Fonseka on Frion alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka day of corrupt military supply deals and during the LTTE era, has started its work amidst sentenced him to three years in jail, a top Colombos refusal to allow its entry to the counmilitary official told AFP. try. This was after a meeting with the UN SecreThe military court, whose decision must tary-General. UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky now be ratified by President Mahinda Rajasaid in a statement. Despite Colombos protests, paksa, found that Fonseka favoured an arms the Secretary-General had set up the panel in company run by his son-in-law, the official June PTI said, asking not to be named. Last month, Fonseka was stripped of his rank and pension after another court found seeking revenge for his decision to stand him guilty of dabbling in politics while in against the president and to keep him from uniform. Fonseka, 59, who led the military to speaking in Parliament. The first court marvictory over LTTE in May last year, fell out tial ordered the withdrawal of the medals with the government and unsuccesshe earned during his 40-year milifully tried to unseat Rajapaksa in tary career and also stripped him of January polls. his rank and pension. The chairman of the court read The former four-star general quit out its decision and it must now be the military in November to become ratified by the President, the official an opposition politician, but has since said, adding that the closed-door been embroiled in numerous court court would make no formal ancases, which he says are orchestrated nouncement. Rajapaksa is expected by the government. He faces charges to ratify the decision - seen as a for- Sarath Fonseka of employing army deserters, as well mality - when he returns from the UN as revealing state secrets - offences general assembly session this month. that carry a 20-year jail term. Fonsekas lawyers had refused to make The victory over the LTTE boosted the final submissions in his defence after accus- popularity of Rajapakse among the ethnic ing the court of serious irregularities. He Sinhalese majority but the campaign has since , was arrested two weeks after his defeat in been dogged by war crime allegations. the presidential elections and has remained Fonseka had angered the government by in military custody since. saying he would willingly to testify before any He won a seat in parliamentary elections international war crimes tribunal. Rajapakse in April, however, allowing him to attend however, has vowed to prevent any such Parliament. He has said the government is probe.

High-level panel on shifting of Kovai prison

Express News Service Coimbatore, September 17 DEPUTY Chief Minister M K Stalin ordered for setting up a high-level panel for shifting of the Central Prison paving way for developing Semmozhi Poonga (botanical garden to commemorate World Classical Tamil conference). Discussing the development activities at Coimbatore airport, he said that attempts should be made to complete work on Semmozhi Poonga as soon as possible. He ordered setting up a committee to identify suitable place for the Central Prison and directed for convening an advisory committee meeting of high-level panel for execution of shifting it. A decision should be taken at the earliest, he added. Stalin said that work on flyover at a cost of `100 crore at Gandhipuram would be taken up during the first or last week of October. District Collector P Umanath apprised him of the detailed report for the flyover project. He was also informed about the ongoing works of Samathuvapuram at Arasur. Sources said Stalin would inaugurate Samathuvapuram, laying of foundation for flyover and commencement of development work at government hospital at `50 crore next month. Rural Industries Minister Pongalur N Palanisamy, Khadhi Minister Ramachandran, Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra, CoP C Sylendra Babu were present.

A Muslim boy offers cake to a BJP supporter sporting a mask of Narendra Modi on the leaders 61st birthday

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A Metro train on a trial run between Nehru Place and Okhla in New Delhi

Terror across border

India ticks off Pak for meddling in Kashmir PAGE | 1 1

The New Indian Express I Saturday, September 18, 2010 I Chennai

RSS HAILS HC REFUSAL TO DEFER AYODHYA VERDICT

The outfit feels that a negotiated settlement is unlikely
Anita Saluja | ENS New Delhi, September 17 THE RSS has come out against any move for deferment of the judgment in Ayodhya title-suit by the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court, which is slated for September 24. Given the hard positions on both sides, the RSS seems to recognise that a negotiated settlement is unlikely. Reacting to the rejection of the deferment plea by the court on Friday, RSS spokesman Ram Madhav welcomed it. Describing the petition as an unnecessary and an unwarranted attempt to delay the verdict, Ram Madhav said the court did well to reject it. Responding to the Governments appeal to maintain peace and order after the delivery of the judgment by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, Ram Madhav said, The Government is doing its duty. As law-abiding citizens, we shall do our bit to maintain peace and calm. Signalling readiness to face the verdict, the RSS appears to realise that a settlement is not really possible. While the Muslims are insisting on the Mosque at the disputed site, the Sangh Parivar also holds the view that Ram Parivar is seeing the virtue in enacting legislation for this purpose. According to them, only if a law is enacted to hand over the entire Ram Janmasthan complex to the Hindus, will the problem be solved. Significantly, this was also the position originally taken by the BJP, when it brought the Ram Temple issue on its political agenda, way back in 1989. The BJP adopted the Ram Janmabhoomi resolution at the party conclave in Palampur in Himachal Pradesh from June 9-11, 1989, where it rejected litigation as an option and suggested possibly a negotiated settlement or else legislation in Parliament as the solution. The BJP resolution stated, The BJP calls upon the Rajiv Government to adopt the same positive approach in respect of Ayodhya that the Nehru Government did with regard to Somnath. The sentiments of the people must be respected and Ram Janmasthan handed over to the Hindus - if possible through a negotiated settlement or else by legislation. Litigation certainly is no answer. However, now that the judgment day is approaching near, the BJP and the RSS have adopted a cautious approach, keenly awaiting the verdict.

Temple must come up at the Ram Janmasthan, or the birthplace of Lord Ram. The Hindus could not yield even an inch of land and thus there was no scope for compromise, which involved give-and-take. Whatever the verdict, the Sangh Parivar would then weigh the legal options available to it. If the verdict comes in favour of the Hindus, it will be welcomed, but if they are denied the privilege of constructing the Ram Temple at the Janmasthan, they are ready to uppe the ante against the verdict and ask for legislation. Ram Madhav said. Even before the verdict, the Sangh

Sonia holds meeting with senior leaders

Santwana Bhattacharya | ENS New Delhi, September 17 WITH the Allahabad High Court rejecting the petition seeking deferment of September 24 verdict on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with senior party leaders on Friday. In the meeting, the Congress in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Digvijay Singh briefed the party chief on the current environment in the state and the efforts being made by the party to help maintain peace and order. While the Centre has deployed a large contingent of paramilitary forces in UP at the request of the Mayawati Government, the Congress is worried that any communal flare-up in the state would impact the polls in neighbouring Bihar and may lead to more tensions in J&K. The Congress, which usually side-steps controversial issues especially relating to the courts, on Friday broke the rule by stating that the dispute should be resolved amicably or the court verdict should be respected. The Congress stance is either the issue gets revolved through mutual understanding and talks or everybody should accept the courts verdict, Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said. Denying that the government move to ask to the people to maintain peace and communal harmony was alarmist, Dwivedi said, Any government will appeal to its people to maintain peace as a precautionary measure. Theres nothing wrong in that. It was the governments responsibility to see that no untoward incident happens and that is why an appeal was made, Dwivedi added. The government on Thursday appealed to the people to maintain calm after the September 24 judgment, saying any party not satisfied with the verdict can go for legal remedies available under the law. A three-judge special Bench of the Allahabad High Court is scheduled to pronounce the verdict.

SECURITY BEEFED UP IN MADHYA PRADESH

Bhopal, September 17 TO ensure that no untoward incident follows the judgment of the Ayodhya case, which is scheduled to be delivered on September 24, the ruling BJP Government has stepped up the security forces in the state. Following the riots, which took place after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, the then BJP Government in the state was dismissed along with the party governments in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. I dont think that communal situation like 1992 will occur in Madhya Pradesh post Ayodhya verdict, but we are not taking any chances and the police is maintaining a tight vigil in the state, Home Minister Uma Shankar Gupta said. We have requested for 50 companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Special Armed Force (SAF) in the state for maintaining law and order, he said. We have directed officials to deploy entire police force in the field including those who were not doing field duties at present and also called the 100 percent home guard jawans in the state for maintaining communal harmony at any cost, he said. The minister claimed that even though there are remote chances of communal disturbance, anybody found indulging in such activities will be firmly dealt with. Search operation and arrest of history-sheeters and anti-social elements is already going on for ensuring peace in the state, Gupta said PTI

Kids abducted after mother fails to repay loan

Shillong: A woman was on Friday arrested here for allegedly confiscating two children after their mother failed to repay a loan to her, police said. Rosa Mawrie had a few months ago lent `3.25 lakh to Meryline Gatpoh, a resident of the outskirts of Shillong at a rate of 20 per cent interest, according to police. Meryline paid back `1 lakh. However, after she failed to repay the remaining amount, Rosa first impounded her vehicle and later on September 8, allegedly picked up Merylines eight-year-old daughter Preeti from her school. Again on September 15, Rosa took home Merylines 12-year-old son Ismail, they said. Meryline filed a police complaint on Thursday night after which the two siblings were rescued and the vehicle recovered. The children told reporters at the police station that they were made to do household chores like sweeping and cleaning utensils and were even bashed up at times. I did this because I wanted to show her that I was serious about getting back my money, Rosa told police. Rosa was later produced in the court, DSP (Crime) Vivek Syeim said PTI

Other stories
Savarkars son passes away
Mumbai: Vishwas Savarkar, son of revolutionary freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, passed away here on Friday due to old age- related ailments. He was 83 and is survived by his wife and two daughters. Savarkar breathed his last at 11 am on Friday morning at his residence at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, family members said. Vishwas penned four books and also wrote articles and columns in magazines and newspapers PTI

Communal harmony

Rape case registered against SP MLA

Sultanpur (UP): A rape case was on Friday registered against sitting Samajwadi Party MLA Anup Sanda. Acting on a complaint filed by Samreen Khan, a case against Sanda under various Sections of the IPC has been filed and a probe is on, ASP Ajay Shankar Rai said. Khan, a resident of Gabhadiya locality here, has alleged in the FIR that she was being subjected to criminal assault since the past three years by Sanda, who had promised her a job and whenever she had objected to it he had threatened to kill her PTI

Advisory likely to e-media on airing provocative content

Express News Service New Delhi, September 17 FEARING possible flare-up in communal passions because of airing of provocative speeches and views before the court verdict on Ayodhya title-suit, the Centre is planning to issue a tough advisory to the electronic media. We have told some TV channels not to show and air views that can create communal disturbance. If they dont heed, we may have to take stronger measures against them after issuing a formal advisory, a senior government official said. The government thinks that there is no reason for any community to get agitated and react, but for the provocative news as even if the verdict goes against it as stay can always be obtained from the Supreme Court within four days. The Ayodhya verdict is expected to be pronounced on September 24 that happens to be Friday. To get a stay on the verdict, the aggrieved party may approach the apex court on Monday and get the orders on Tuesday. Apprehensive of the communal elements trying to stoke up religious sentiments if the verdict goes one way or the other, the Union Cabinet on Thursday passed a resolution asking people to remain peaceful. To keep the situation under control, the Centre has already provided about 4,500 Central Paramilitary personnel to Uttar Pradesh while several companies have been put on the standby. In anticipation of backlash from religious fanatics, the Uttar Pradesh Government has already done some spadework by constituting peace committee in villages and towns of sensitive districts.

Rice grain Ganesha seeks to enter world records

Vadodara: A painting, depicting Lord Ganesha on a grain of rice, here is all set to get into the record books for being the tiniest image of the elephant-headed deity. Installed at a pandal in Chhani Road by NGO Jaago Vadodara Jago, the Ganesha weighing 0.20 mg is 5mm long, its president Narendra Rawat said PTI

The New Indian Express | Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Chennai

nation
The four top honchos are the former Khmer Rouge head of the state Khieu Samphan, former Social Action Minister Ieng Thirith, former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary and the Brother No 2 Nuon Chea

Naidu blames Cong for backwardness of Telangana region

Hyderabad, September 17 TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday blamed the Congress for the backwardness of the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. He, however, did not utter Telangana even once during his 15-minute speech and referred to the region witnessing statehood agitation only as the erstwhile Hyderabad state. The TDP chief was addressing party workers at the NTR Bhavan here, after hoisting the national flag, in celebration of the amalgamation of the erstwhile Hyderabad state with the Indian Union in 1948. Development of the region came to a standstill because of the widespread corruption under the Congress rule. It was only under the TDP regime that the region progressed, the former chief minister said, pointing to the construction of irrigation projects, setting up of educational institutes, extension of health care facilities and creation of job opportunities during the partys rule. Since 1995, we have developed the region enor mously with Hyderabad as the hub. We have done a lot over the years but much more needs to be

Genocide: Tribunal indicts 4 regime heads in Cambodia

Srimoy Kar | ENS Siem Reap, September 17 CAMBODIANS have at last something to cheer about. The Trial Tribunal investigating into the Khmer Rouge excesses have indicted four regime heads for atrocities against humanity and genocide. The partial relief coming after 30 years may have made the impatient Cambodians happy but that is, unfortunately not the end , of the story. The indicted still have a chance to appeal and the process may even take more than two years as none of the four has admitted to his complicity and together have been vigorously contesting the charges against them. The four top honchos are; the former Khmer Rouge head of the state Khieu Samphan, former Social Action Minister Ieng Thirith, former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary and the Brother No 2 Nuon Chea. The despot Pol Pot died a natural death in 1998 without even facing any trial. So far only one of the regime heads, Kaing Guek Eav (known as Duch), has been found guilty in the 30-year-old trial history and sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment. Duch, a mathematics teacher, was the head of the infamous Prison S-21 in Phnom Penh which is now called the Genocide Museum. He was responsible for converting a high school into a prison to torture those who opposed Khmer Rouge and sent 14,000 prisoners to various killing fields in three years. All these people have been charged with collaborating in and masterminding the killing of roughly 2.2 million people which constituted one-fourth of Cambodias population between 1975 and 1979. Soon after the indictment, the French Co-Investigating Judge, Marcel Lemonde told mediapersons that the trial is a very complex issue and therefore, is time consuming. It is more complex than the Nuremberg Trials for former Nazi leaders, he said as the case file of Khmer Rouge runs into 3.5 lakh pages and evidence not forthcoming. The trial has been an inexorably slow process because Cambodia follows the French jurisprudence being a former French colony. The French judge, whose term is expiring soon, admitted that the indictment is not a definitive statement against the Khmer Rouge era but has established the fundamentals and the framework for a high-level judicial debate.

The TDP chief did not utter Telangana even once during his speech and referred to the region only as the erstwhile Hyderabad state
done. We should review the development that has happened in the region since the amalgamation and re-dedicate ourselves for progress, he said. The TDP leader paid homage to those who laid down their lives to free it from the Nizams rule PTI

INFIGHTING

M a k i n g

d i f f e r e n c e

It is high time we did some soul searching whether it is right on our part to bring in disrepute to the party, either through our actions or controversial statements before the press and media
APCC PRESIDENT D SRINIVAS

It was only under the TDP regime that the region progressed

Cong MPs in AP asked to do soul searching

Hyderabad, September 17 SEEKING to enforce discipline in the party vertically divided over the Telangana issue, the Andhra Pradesh Congress on Friday asked its MPs and other leaders to exercise utmost restraint in their actions and while talking to media. It is high time we did some soul searching whether it is right on our part to bring in disrepute to the party, either through our actions or controversial statements before the press and media, AP Congress President D Srinivas said in a letter to the MPs. As members of a most democratic political party in the country, we have all the freedom to express our viewpoint at all levels -- from the DCC, PCC to AICC and the High Command. Hence, we may need to exercise utmost restraint in such crucial moments to uphold our dignity and the honour of the Cong ress par ty. T hereby, strengthening the leadership of Sonia Gandhiji, he said. The letter comes in the wake of a war of words and a vertical divide in the Congress state unit between leaders of Telangana and non-Telangana regions.The divide is such that the Congress leaders from Telangana are seeking a separate Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) for the region.Expressing serious concerns over the ongoing war of words, Srinivas had earlier asked his party members to observe restraint. The criss-cross criticism and heated exchanges at the level of highest dignitaries like the parliamentarians and other senior party leaders and their occasional expressions in the press and media tend to sow the seeds of regionwise hatred. They do cause a real damage to the social fabric of the state, which may become difficult to patch up later, the PCC president said in the letter. The Srikrishna Committee, appointed by the Centre, to look into the Telangana issue and the UPA Government would give serious consideration once the panel submits its report, he said. Congress alone can change the prevailing scenario in the state and can bring back normalcy by providing a solution to the utmost satisfaction of the people, Srinivas added PTI

CRZ norms ignore rights of fishing community

New Delhi, September 17 A PROMINENT organisation of fishermen has criticised the draft Coastal Regulation Zone notification prepared by Ministry of Environment and forests claiming that it does not recognise the right of fishing community to live along the coastline. The notification neither protects the fishing communities nor the coastal environment, chairperson of National Fishworkers Forum Matanhy Saldanha said. The draft notification has been put up on the website of Ministry of Environment and Forest. Saldanha claimed that none of the recommendations made by the fishing communities at the 10 con-

The notification neither protects the fishing communities nor the coastal environment
MATANHY SALDANHA

sultative meetings held across the country are reflected in the notification. At each and every consultation fishing communities along with other traditional occupants of the coastline of the country had consistently and very strongly demanded that the notification enshrine their right to live along the coastline, he said PTI

PTI

A model displaying the creation of designers Pragya and Megha during the first day of Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai on Friday

Other stories
Accused can move same court more than once
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has ruled that if a petition seeking anticipatory bail has been rejected, a petitioner can move the same court again. A five-judge special Bench headed by Chief Justice J N Patel passed the order allowing an accused to move the court seeking anticipatory bail more than once on the plea by petitioners that a Bar on moving the same court curtailed their rights. So far, an accused as per a threejudge Bench order of the high court in 2001, was not allowed to move the same court for anticipatory bail if failing once PTI

NO HC RELIEF FOR GUTKA BARONS

They had helped Dawood Ibrahim in setting up gutka business in Pak
Mumbai, September 17 THE Bombay High Court on Friday reserved its order on a plea by gutka barons Rasiklal Dhariwal and Jagdish Joshi challenging issue of nonbailable warrants against them by a special court in a case of alleged nexus with the underworld. Justice Ajay Khanvilkar and Justice U D Salvi asked the CBI to file written arguments by September 24 and told Rasiklal Dhariwal of Manikchand gutka brand and Jagdish Joshi of Goa gutka label to give written submissions by October 4. The warrants were issued in June claiming it has enough evidence to show that Dhariwal and Joshi had helped underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in establishing gutka business in Pakistan. Additional Solicitor General Darius Khambata and special public prosecutor Raja Thakre submitted that the CBI has proof to show that the duo had gone to Karachi to meet Dawood to settle some business dispute. It was during this meeting that Dhariwal had agreed to part with his formula for making gutka and give it to Dawood to help him start a gutka manufacturing unit in Pakistan, CBI lawyers submitted PTI

TTD TO PROCURE MALE ELEPHANT

Express News Service Tirumala, September 17 THE Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is planning to procure a male elephant. In the past, the TTD had some male elephants and the last of them, Ganesh, was sent back to the donor in Kerala. The role of pachyderms in conducting rituals in the temple is well known. The celestial bath, abhishekam, to the main deity in the sanctum sanctorum will start after elephants bring water from the Akasa Ganga waterfall, on Fridays. Later, priests draw water from the golden well inside the temple, though, by tradition, the temple elephants bring the water in a brass pot. Besides, elephants are used in processions and other festivities at Tirupati, Tiruchanoor and Srinivasa Mangapuram and other surrounding temples.

Orissa newspaper owner being framed, say media, Oppn

Bhubaneswar, September 17 A NEWSPAPER publisher was arrested here for allegedly duping a student, but media groups and the Opposition parties are protesting the move and allege that he has been framed for writing against the government. Bikash Swain, the owner, publisher and printer of vernacular Oriya daily Suryaprava was ar rested on Thursday for allegedly duping a student of `1.5 lakh on the pretext of providing him a job in a public sector undertaking. The complainant, Mohit Panda, on Tuesday alleged that Swain gave him an appointment letter that was not genuine. When he demanded his money back, Swain allegedly threatened to kill him. Although the alleged transaction was done about eight months ago, Panda lodged the complaint only on Tuesday. Swain was arrested and remanded to judicial custody after the court rejected his bail plea. The Opposition parties, including the Congress and the BJP and journalists organisations see it as an attempt by the government to suppress the media. Suryaprava is edited by former CBI director Uma Shankar Mishra. The paper has been exposing the misdeeds of the government since its launch in 2008, its managing editor Naveen Das said. He (Swain) was arrested by a group of policemen when he was on his way to attend to his ailing father in a hospital. When he was not avoiding the police, what prompted police to treat him like a criminal? he said IANS

Apollo cardiac centre in Tirumala

Tirumala: Governor E S L Narasimhan inaugurated Apollo Hospital Emergency Cardiac Centre at Aswini Hospital on Tirumala on Thursday. Shobhana Kamineni, director of Apollo Hospital, explained to the Governor that the unit was set up in a span of 12 hours. It will be run round the clock by Apollo Hospital, with four doctors and sufficient paramedical staff. Tirupati MP Chinta Mohan, TTD executive officer IYR Krishna Rao and chief vigilance and security officer M K Singh were present. Vimala Narasimhan also spoke on the occasion ENS

2006 by a MCOCA court as Dhariwal and Joshi were reported to be in Dubai and not available to the CBI. Since then their whereabouts are not known. Oral arguments by the CBI and the two gutka manufacturers concluded on Friday with the CBI

Unique feat

As teacher, eunuch chooses a life of dignity

Fondly referred to as didi, Lata primarily teaches English and mathematics to students from Classes I to IV
Mughalsarai (UP), September 17 DRESSED in a sari and holding a book in one hand, Lata writes a question on the blackboard as her primary class students look on eagerly. There is nothing unusual in this - except that the 35-year-old is a eunuch. What is unusual is the profession she has strived to be in, instead of being limited to singing and dancing on social occasions like most other eunuchs in India. Lata teaches at the Central Public School in Mughalsarai town of Chandauli district, 300 km from state capital Lucknow. A eunuch donning the role of a teacher is highly unlikely, as in Indian society the community is subjected to mockery and ridicule, Lata said. Eunuchs are also human beings, why dont people realise that? We also have brains and can do much more than dance and sing at weddings and other social functions. Given an opportunity, eunuchs too can do various jobs, but they need to take an initiative in this regard, said Lata. Fondly referred to as didi or elder sister, Lata primarily teaches English and mathematics to students from Classes I to IV. Lata, who has shoulderlength hair, dresses in a womans attire, mostly a g rey coloured sari with a matching blouse. Lata appears more like a woman. Its not because of the physical appearance that we call her didi. The main reason is her caring and considerate nature. Lata come across as an elder sister to students and all of us, school principal Vinay Kumar said. Kumar is the person who had inducted Lata as a teacher in the school a year ago. Around a year back, there were some vacancies for teachers in our school. Lata approached me in my office and asked me whether eunuchs could apply, said Kumar. I replied in the affirmative, thinking she was not being serious. Taking a dig at Lata, I also went on to add that theres no educational qualification for eunuchs and they only need to qualify in a test, said Kumar. To my surprise, Lata not only appeared for the test but also got a good score. Then I decided to keep my word and offered Lata the job of a teacher, he added. Lata, originally a native of Bihar, lived for several years in slums there with other eunuchs. Chandauli shares a border with Bihar. My parents were, of course, aware of my natural deformities. But they still chose to keep me with them for several years. Gradually, feminine traits continued. I could not control myself and neighbours and other relatives came to know, forcing my parents to drive me out, said Lata.Fortunately, Lata had completed Class 12 by that time. My parents were influenced by relatives and neighbours who told them that my presence would adversely affect the matrimonial prospects of my older siblings. Later, some eunuchs took me away and would force me to dance and sing at weddings, said Lata. I had to face many hardships; people used me in many ways. But with gods grace, I managed to get a respectable job IANS

BJP wrests Kathlal from Cong on Modis Bday

Ahmedabad | New Delhi, September 17 THE BJP on Friday broke into the Congress bastion winning the Kathlal Assembly byelection for the first time in five decades, giving Gujarat CM Narendra Modi a victory gift on his 61st birthday. Kanu Dabhi won by over 21,000 votes, defeating his nearest Congress rival Ghelabhai Zala. Dabhi got 62,120 votes, while Zala polled 40,573 votes in the bypoll to Kathlal seat in Central Gujarats Kheda district. The constituency is represented in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Dinsha Patel. The adjacent Anand parliamentary constituency is represented by another Union Minister Bharat Solanki. With this win, the strength of the BJP in the 182-member state assembly has increased to 122 PTI

MBA admissions without CET for 15,000 seats

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government has decided to give an opportunity to graduates from any faculty to take admission in 15,000 vacant MBA seats in the state on the basis of their marks. The decision was taken recently by higher and technical education department enabling students from any faculty to take admission in the MBA course based on their marks, without appearing for the mandatory common entrance test (CET). This is a student-centric decision and they should take benefit from the educational facilities provided to them in the state, Higher and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Tope said. There are over 40,000 MBA seats in Maharashtra. Despite CET and four rounds of common admission process (CAP), about 15,000 seats remained vacant this academic year PTI

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The New Indian Express | Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Chennai

INTRUSION UPSC recommends THREATENS removal of IPS officer ASSAMS This is perhaps the first SATTRAS time that the UPSC has recommended such a
Guwahati, September 17 THE existence of several sattras or Vaishnav monasteries across Assam has been threatened by the encroachment by illegal migrants, mostly from Bangladesh. More than 7,000 bighas of land, belonging to 39 sattras are in the grip of encroachers with at least 85 percent of the encroached land being occupied by illegal migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh, the advisor of the Asom Sattra Mahasabha Bhadra Krishna Goswami alleged. He said the encroachment came to light when a survey was conducted by the Mahasabha, the apex body of about 900 Vaishnavaite sattras of the state. State Revenue Minister Bhumidhar Barman had mentioned in the last Assembly session that the government had no documents related to the encroachHistorical ment of sattra works l a n d , bu t h a d Most of the sattras constituted a possess many rare committee to and historical doclook into the isuments and works sue. of arts which must be preserved for The Gauhati posterity and the High Court had institutions should also directed the be developed as state government tourist destinations t o f re e s at t r a l a n d f ro m e n croachment and the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of the districts, under which the sattras fall, have been asked to evict the encroachers. A delegation of the Mahasabha also met Governor J B Patnaik who assured them that he would urge the government to take necessary steps soon in this direction. Among the worst-affected are Ram Rai Kuti Sattrasal sattra in Dhubri district, Rampur sattra in Nagaon, Adi Alengi sattra, Barpeta sattra, Kobaikata and Alipukhuri sattras in Morigaon district, Goswami said PTI

stringent action against an AP cadre IPS officer

Vikram Sharma | ENS Hyderabad, September 17 IN a major embarrassment to the Andhra Pradesh Government and the IPS fraternity alike, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recommended that senior IPS officer Sreeram Tiwari be dismissed from service with immediate effect following an enquiry by the Border Security Force (BSF) officials against him. This is perhaps the first time that the UPSC has recommended such a stringent action against an AP cadre IPS officer. The 11-member UPSC has sent the recommendation to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which, in all likelihood, will endorse the same. An official order is likely to reach the General Administration Department (GAD)soon. Top sources disclosed to Express that there were several allegations against Tiwari, a 1982 batch IPS officer, while he

was working as the Inspector General, BSF in North Bengal Frontier and based in Siliguri. The allegations range from misuse of office to indulging in certain acts which brought disrepute to the BSF. The allegations surfaced while Tiwari was posted in Siliguri way back in 2006. In November the same year, he was suspended from BSF with immediate effect and was asked to appear before top officials of the para-military force at its headquarters in New Delhi. A departmental investigation followed. A detailed report was submitted recently after which, as per the norms, the matter was placed before the UPSC which wrote to the MHA recommending his removal. The report proves allegations against Tiwari, the sources said. Action against any IPS officer is taken in consultation with the UPSC. Tiwari, who previously served as SP of Krishna, Chittoor and Khammam districts and held the key post of DIG, Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), is presently working as IGP, Organisation in Hyderabad. In fact, when the allegations against him surfaced and he faced suspension from BSF, the officer did not get promoted as Additional DGP while all his batch mates are presently Additional DGs.

Suryaprabha Vahanam procession held at Tirumala

Express News Service Tirumala, September 17 LORD Venkateswara was carried atop the glittering Suryaprabha Vahanam, one of most important of the 16 sacred carriers of the incarnation of Maha Vishnu, in a procession on the seventh day of the annual Salakatla Brahmotsavams here on Friday. T he Lord was ador ned with shankhu, chakra, gada and bow and arrow, and divyabharanams such as nagabharanam, lakshmi haaram, diamond crown and the diamond armour. Showing abhaya hastam, he blessed the enthralled devotees who thronged the temple in large numbers. With a large number of devotees offering the traditional harati to the processional deity all along the four Mada streets, it took 40 minutes more than the scheduled time for the Suryaprabha Vahanam to reach the Vahana Mandapam from where it started. Devotees chanted Govinda, Govinda as they witnessed Surya Deva holding the reins of a galloping seven horses, which were pulling the chariot, carry the Lord.

SPIRITUAL BODIES SEEK OVERHAUL OF TTD ADMINISTRATION

Express News Service Tirupati, September 17 SPIRITUAL organisations situated here have resolved to submit a memorandum to the TTD specified authority seeking overhauling of the administration. At a round table on Reforms in TTD: The role of spiritual institutions organised by Tirumala Tirupati Parirakshana Samiti here on Friday, representatives of spiritual institutions resolved to lead a delegation to the specified authority to deliberate on the measures for improving pilgrim amenities in Tirumala and promoting spiritual activities in Tirupati. The memorandum will have a list of suggestions on a host of issues such as accommodation, darshan, sevas, continuous training to employees, security, protection of environment, renovation of TTD temples, and safeguarding TTD properties and ornaments. The meeting also urged the TTD to take a proactive role to check conversions through spiritual activities in remote areas and among

the vulnerable sections and also support the outfits which were striving to bring those converted to other religions, for whatever reason, back to the Hindu fold. The speakers in one voice demanded removal of all IMFL outlets, bars and mutton stalls located in pilgrim areas like choultries, bus stand and railway station in Tirupati, as they presented an unpleasant view to the pilgrims arriving from various places and marred the spiritual ambience of the town. TTPS district convener Narendra said the participants also decided to ensure effective coordination among the Tirupatibased spiritual organisations for developing the town into a spiritual centre.

Woman locked up in house for 2 yrs rescued

New Delhi, September 17 A 28-year-old mentally disturbed woman, who had been locked in her house in central Delhi by her family for the past two years, was on Friday rescued by police and an NGO. Police and representatives of the NGO, Sudinalay, went to the house in Daryaganj on Friday morning after an unidentified person made a telephone call to the latter. They found the woman locked inside a room in the fourth floor, a police official said. Police and the NGO found the room was very unhygienic and the woman was looking very frail,. The moment they opened the door, the woman asked for water and complained that she had not had food or water for the past three-four days, he said. She also told them that she has been locked in a room by her family because they did not want her condition to come in the way of her younger sisters marriage. She has two brothers and three sisters. Her family told police that the woman was not cooperating in her treatment and they had no option but to lock her up, the official said PTI

M o m s

p e t

4 students held for ragging disabled pupil

Anand Raj Singh | ENS Lucknow, September 17 FOUR students of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have been arrested for repeatedly ragging a disabled student and creating an MMS of him being beaten naked. Two other old students of the university, have also been named in the First Information Report. Though the boy was harassed continuously in spite of several complaints to authorities, action was initiated only wh e n h e t h r e a t e n e d t o c o m m i t suicide. According to Mohan Yadav, in-charge of the Lanka police station in Varanasi, the arrested have been identified as Ashish Gautam, Mohit Shukla, Grijesh Tiwari and Anuj Lal. The disabled boy, now a B.Com IInd year student, told reporters that in October 2009, six students, comprising his classmates and seniors, took him out of the varsity campus, beat and undressed him and recorded the whole incident. An MMS on the torture was distributed among varsity students.

Political parties fete Hyderabad Merger Day

Hyderabad, September 17 THE ruling Congress party in Andhra Pradesh, principal Opposition the TDP, the BJP and other parties on Friday celebrated the merger of the erstwhile Nizam state with the Indian Union. Chief Minister K Rosaiah, state congress president D Srinivas, Congress MPs and other party leaders offered homage to the countrys first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and other national leaders at Gandhi Bhavan -- the state headquarters of Congress party-on the occasion. It was Sardar Patel, who made the Nizam agree to merge the state Hyderabad with Indian Union on September 17, 1948. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu unfurled the national flag at the party headquarters, while state BJP president G Kishan Reddy led the partys celebrations. While the BJP celebrated the day as Telangana Liberation Day, which signified that it was the day Telangana was liberated from Nizams rule, other parties celebrated it as the day of merger with India as they said they did not want to hurt the sentiments of minorities PTI

PTI

An elephant feeding her baby at the Assam state zoo-cum-botanical garden in Guwahati on Friday

Modernisation

New system to monitor seismic activity in North East

Agartala, September 17 AN ambitious project to modernise the seismic monitoring system in Indias northeast -- said to be the sixth most quake-prone belt in the world -- has been taken up by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), officials said here on Friday. A VSAT-based real time seismic monitoring network (RTSMN) over the northeast consisting of two central receiving stations (CRS) -- one in Shillong and the other in New Delhi -- is under commissioning, meteorological department director Dilip Saha said. He said the RTSMN would be a satellite-based system and it would have 21 stations across eight northeastern states. Approximately `25 lakh would be spent on each station for commissioning the equipment and developing necessary infrastructure. The RTSMN stations are Guwahati, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Silchar, Jorhat and Lekhapani in Assam, Yupia, Tawang, Pashighat and Zero in Arunachal Pradesh, Tura and Shillong in Meghalaya, Mokokchung and Kohima in Nagaland, Agartala and Belonia in Tripura, Aizawl and Saiha in Mizoram, Imphal in Manipur and Tadong in Sikkim. A f t e r c o m m i s s i o n i n g o f t h e RTSMN, more accurate seismic activities relating to earthquake would be known, Saha stated. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) earlier notified that the mountainous northeast comprising eight states could experience a devastating earthquake as the region is considered by seismologists to be the sixth worst quake-prone belt in the world. Assam experienced a massive tremor measuring 8.5 on the Richter scale Aug 15, 1950, that claimed some 1,500 lives. The worst quake, measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale, was felt in the region in 1897. It killed 1,600 people IANS

BRIEF NOTICE
Union Public Service Commission will be conducting the Recruitment Test for 10 Posts of Labour Enforcement Ofcer (Central) in the Ofce of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Ministry of Labour and Employment, on 26th September, 2010 from 02.00 P.M. to 04.00 P.M. Admission Certicates for the abovementioned Recruitment Test are being dispatched. 2. The information regarding Venues of the Recruitment Test is also available on Union Public Service Commission Website at http://www.upsc.gov.in. The admitted candidates, who do not receive the Admission Certicates, may download the "Venue Information" from the above mentioned Website and use it for appearing in the Recruitment Test. Such candidates are advised to carry two identical photographs, duly attested by Gazetted Ofcer, otherwise they may not be allowed to take the Recruitment Test. They may also carry proof of their identity, such as Identity Card etc. to the Venue of the Recruitment Test. 3. For any query, the candidates may contact UPSC Facilitation Counter on Telephone Numbers: 011-23381125, 011-23385271, 011-23098543 between 10.00 A.M. and 05.00 P.M. on working days during working hours. MOBILE PHONES BANNED (a) Mobile Phones, Pagers or any other communication devices are not allowed inside the premises where the Recruitment Test is being conducted. Any infringement of these instructions shall entail disciplinary action including ban from future examination. (b) Candidates are advised in their own interest not to bring any of the banned items including mobile phones/pagers to the venue of the Recruitment Test, as arrangements for safe keeping cannot be assured. davp 55102/14/0019/1011 MO/G/8224

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Reductio ad absurdum | Aditya Sinha

TheEditPage

How green was his valet

indian
THE NEW

express
For a solution to the Kashmir problem, UPA-2 has to undertake the challenging task of holding a legitimate dialogue with all the stakeholders in the state and forge a consensus

S a t u r d a y, S e p t e m b e r 1 8 , 2 0 1 0

Need to restore governance

he National Conference-Congress government in Jammu and Kashmir will survive, for it has received a shot in the arm from the Congresss heir apparent Rahul Gandhi. A question mark on Omar Abdullahs continuance as chief minister was raised when the Congress leadership held discussions with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed, who attended the all-party meeting on J&K in New Delhi on September 15. Inspired reports appeared that with the state government clueless about the ground situation, the Congress felt it was politically expedient to restore its old ties with the PDP. For Omar Abdullah, the clincher was Rahul Gandhis statement that he was doing a tough and sensitive job and should be given time and support. Nobody can say that the chief minister is a greenhorn in politics. He belongs to a political family that has for generations provided leadership to the state. As a member of the A B Vajpayee government at the Centre earlier, and now as chief minister, he has gained considered political and administrative experience. To argue that he needs more time to prove his mettle is to provide a lame excuse. One charge against him is that he was not in Srinagar when the state celebrated Eid, resulting in unprecedented and unrestrained violence. The miscreants were able to destroy a large office building of the J&K police without any resistance whatsoever from the police. The point missed is that even when the chief minister is in Srinagar, the result is much the same. A handful of stonepelting boys are able to cause mayhem. What is lacking is leadership skill in the chief minister, whose arrival on the Srinagar scene had generated considerable hope and excitement. One decision of the all-party meeting was to send an all-party delegation to the Valley to know the mood of people there and report to the government. It is not the lack of knowledge of the ground situation that prevents the governments Central and state to take action that can, while dealing with agent provocateurs, avert death of innocent people at the hands of the security forces. The sinister game of creating an intifada-kind of situation in the Valley to coincide with the opening of the UN General Assembly and US President Barack Obamas scheduled visit to India needs to be recognised and dealt with. That is a responsibility from which Omar Abdullah cannot run away so long as he holds the reins of the administration.

dd how all the UPA-2s handwringing on Kashmir the seemingly endless series of meetings of the Congress core group, the Cabinet Committee on Security, between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, between Omar and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, between Sonia and her partys seniors, between the Centre and the rest of the political parties in Delhi has all quieted down following princeling Rahul Gandhis pronouncement that Omar should be left alone and given more time to bring calm to the Valley. Even odder is the princelings excuse for not getting involved in the Valley: that he had no time to spare from reviving the Congress party organisation. (In a sense hes right: resuscitating the Congress is as elusive as a Kashmir solution.) In one sense, Rahuls defence of his pal Omar is welcome because a lot of muttering had publicly been building up the past week about how it was time for Omar to go. (This is the famous Delhi Echo Chamber effect, in which wild rumours go around and around, their origins unknown, bouncing back and forth among the power elite that at some point such unattributed gossip somehow takes on the appearance of hard news.) There were even wild rumours that Omars father Farooq Abdullah, a former chief minister, would take over the reins of the state. This in itself is insulting to the senior Abdullah, whose lifelong dream of becoming president of India is cavalierly dismissed by the political class who snort that hes an unreliable playboy, but who turn to him as Indias saviour in Kashmir whenever the going gets tough in the Valley. As it were, he was thrown into a quandary by Rahul; though his party campaigned in the last J&K Assembly elections on the premise that he would take charge if his National Conference won, the princeling decided that Omar should be CM. Though Farooq obviously loves his son, he must have felt that Omar was being put on the hot seat way too soon. It would have been further galling for Farooq to see the way the war drum was being beaten for his sons dismissal, as if Omar had been elected not by the voters in Kashmir, but by various assorted Rajya

SHINOD AP

It is surreal that a whole population is out on the streets, not bothering about the routine and normalcy of everyday life because theyve had enough of this jackboot approach by New Delhi, and New Delhi in turn sees it as some neighbourhood cricket match thats gone out of hand
recent round of political rebellion is being reduced to a debate on tweaking AFSPA. Its like holding a cricket match between the Indian national team and the Bangladeshi Kabbadi team, and then saying that to make it a level-playing field we should use a new ball. The fact that the debate was centering on AFSPA shows that the only policy that the UPA-2 have in Kashmir is to hold it by force. (Once again this column is forced to remind readers that the NDA, dubbed communal by its detractors, was the one that sought a political solution to Kashmirs grievances.) Yet even if the State manages to retain a monopoly on violence, it does not necessarily gain legitimacy. In a democracy which the UPA-2 ought to be reminded is what we constitutionally are there is a legitimacy that a government derives from those that it governs. It is a kind of constitutional contract. That contract is signed every time we hold elections and the winners form a government. In Kashmir, it is clear that the legitimacy that Omar gained following the Assembly elections has been forfeited by a combination of poor governance and even poorer political choices. So you could say that demanding Omars removal is valid, though it would be because he forfeited his citizens confidence and not because he cant control the law and order situation. In this case the choice

Sabha members, bureaucrats and soldiers. You would not be faulted for thinking that India runs Kashmir as imperially as Pakistan runs Azad Kashmir through the Orwellian Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas. All mainstream national newspapers have lately carried reports on how the Centre was annoyed with Omar for not keeping the law and order situation under control. It is surreal that a whole population is out on the streets, not bothering about the routine and normalcy of everyday life because theyve had enough of this jackboot approach by New Delhi, and New Delhi in turn sees it as some neighbourhood cricket match thats gone out of hand. It is not a law and order situation because that would have petered out as the participants fatigued; it is a rebellion with a political grievance at its core. The Air Force chief in his role as the Chief of Staffs Committee said that the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act was necessary for the armed forces legal protection as they fight terrorists in the Valley. Frankly, you have to feel for the armed forces. Our political class has abdicated its responsibility of sorting out the Kashmir problem through a political dialogue and Constitutional amendment (if necessary), and instead dumped the whole problem on the Armys head. For the Army, its a no-win situation. The army probably feels cheated at the way the

is to either wait for the next elections which are still some years away, or hold fresh elections immediately. Neither of these are good in the long-term, the first because you dont want violence to get entrenched in the landscape, the second because it sets bad precedent. Sending an all-party delegation does not inspire much confidence; the last time such a delegation went to Kashmir it was upstaged by the grandstanding by the then Leader of Opposition, Rajiv Gandhi. If Manmohan Singh expects the BJP to hand him a solution then he is nave; the oppositions job is to oppose, and to make the governments life difficult, if not impossible. So when you come down to it, what the UPA-2 has to ultimately do is hold a legitimate political dialogue with all stakeholders in Kashmir and forge a legitimate consensus, no easy thing as the past 63 years have shown. Yet sadly, the princelings second policy pronouncement in the recent past (the first being in support of the tribes in Orissas Niyamgiri Hills) that Omar should be allowed to continue would seem to preclude the possibility of dialogue. Who would dare contradict Rahul and suggest something as heretical as political dialogue? So, one would have to conclude that however well-intentioned Rahul may have been this week, all he has done is undermined a legitimate solution to Indias Kashmir problem

editorchief@expressbuzz.com

About The Author; Aditya Sinha is the Editor-in-Chief of The New Indian Express and is based in Chennai

Putting up with police minuses

E
arlier this month, we had reported on a survey by a Bangalore-based body on the condition and work culture of their state police. After surveying 100 police stations in three zones, and three city commissionerates, it came back with a set of dispiriting findings. For instance, that 53 per cent of the force have had zero training/ retraining since their induction, that a day has between 13 and 16 duty hours for the personnel and that as much as a third of the force is unable to avail a weekly off day at any time. The survey doesnt detail that promotion is meagre, with little systematic connection to good work or initiative, but it does record that the personnel are frustrated and their quality of work, apart from their personal life, is suffering. There are allied observations, again unsurprising, that it takes three hours to file a normal complaint, often with a bribe sought, with no feedback on the investigation to the citizen who sought intervention. And so on few Indians need a formal survey to complete this picture. Among the few encouraging things about the survey was that it had been commissioned by the state police bosses. And, it turned out, they were also aware of the same broad picture; the state DGP made some encouraging noises about staff hiring and training. It needs a lot more than this and we use the occasion to reiterate our periodic warnings on the subject. It is four years since the Supreme Court ordered the Centre and each state (the Prakash Singh case) to enact laws to give the police professional autonomy and ensure their accountability, in a detailed manner. All establishments have firmly sat on the orders. They will continue doing so and the result will continue to be the sort of situation reported in the survey mentioned earlier. It is for civil society to refuse to accept this state of affairs and to harry policymakers and public representatives till there is satisfactory action. If harrying doesnt work, be prepared to step up the process. It is the public, not the rulers, who face the consequences. Law and order and justice are the basis for a functioning society and we have a mechanism we neither respect nor trust in this regard. It is a situation which will continue till there is a resolve to refuse to endure it and the pressure must come from all of us.

Pranab Mukherjee:
Union finance minister

Development is needed. Lack of development may swell their (Naxals') cadre. But they do not run charitable institutions...They are political elements and want to capture the power of the state. While the heart of RBI is in the right place, with clearly stated intention to control inflation without disrupting growth, the policy action raises concern about the likely direction of growth trajectory. We want a law to be enacted in favour of construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Even though it is certain that the verdict would come in favour of the Hindus, we want legislation, enabling construction of the Ram Temple.

Amit Mitra:
Secretary General, FICCI

Ram Madhav:
RSS spokesperson

Letters to the editor

Powerful mediator needed on Kashmir

Sir, This refers to Balbir Punj's article The withering away of Pakistan' (TNIE, September 16). Pakistan does instigate trouble in Kashmir. It has now told the US that Kashmir belongs to it. It is obvious that we can sort out the issue only through a powerful mediator or by employing the Sri Lankan strategy K P Sasidharan Nayar, Alappuzha
US imperative
Sir, Balbir Punjs article The withering away of Pakistan (TNIE, September 16) raises a question about when we expect Pakistan's end, if it is withering away The Hindu- Mus. lim divide, like the Arab-Jew divide, was a colonial dagger against the rise of nationalism in these regions and it succeeded in the creation of Israel and Pakistan. The instability of Pakistan was understood by many at the time of its creation. Yet the truncated Pakistan lasts. Ever since its creation, the US had been pampering it. Pakistan will last as long as the US feels that it will be useful in serving its interests in that region. Balakrishnan Nair, Taliparamba recent events in Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh and in Naxal-infested states such as Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal make one wonder whether we have a government at all. The government at the Centre seems busy trying to please the US rather than concentrating on law-and-order problems. It is not an UPA government at the Centre but an NPA (Not Performing At all) one. K Ashok Kumar, Bhubaneswar the proposal of constructing a mosque very near Ground Zero in America, the verdict of the Allahabad High Court on the Ayodhya title, which is expected on September 24, and the suspected terrorists plot to disrupt the Commonwealth Games are uppermost in everybody's minds. It appears that there is no escape from this worrisome scenario. M Bhaskar Rao, Mangalore tion should be given to them. Let us hope that the government takes immediate action in this matter. M V Shama Rao, Bangalore

Set moral standards

Sir, The news item Corrupt pocketed $125 bn public money in 9 yrs (TNIE, September 15) is a critical analysis of the corruption that plagues our country. Not a day passes without a financial scandal hitting the headlines. In the corrupt polity in our country no institution, not even the judiciary, remains untainted. The rich and the corrupt prosper. Our leaders ought to set moral standards to stem the rot and save our country. K V Saratchandran, Chennai

Goodwill concerns
Sir, Aditya Sinhas article Demolitions, 1528 to 9/11 (TNIE, September 11) provides a necessary corrective to Amulya Ganguli's lopsided view in the article Ground Zero in Delhi (TNIE, September 9) by putting the events of placing 1528 and 9/11 in perspective. For Americans, the 9/11 event was akin to pulling the rug from under their feet sudden, unexpected and traumatic. In comparison, the Ayodhya mosque demolition was more dramatic than traumatic. Let not our Muslim brethren insist on the construction of a mosque near the Ground Zero in New York. Let them show goodwill by agreeing to a new location for the mosque. S R Narayan Rao, Hubli

Unreasonable demand
Sir, This refers to Aditya Sinhas article Demolitions, 1528 to 9/11 (TNIE, September 11) and Amulya Gangulis write-up Ground Zero in Delhi (TNIE, September 9). The plan to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York seems to be well thought out by Muslim groups to glorify the achievement of the terrorists who bombed the World Trade Center. Why else would the Muslims insist upon building a mosque at this spot when it can be done anywhere else? P K Poovaiah, Bangalore

Emulate Nehru
Sir, This refers to the news item PM parrots peace pitch (TNIE, September 16). The situation in the Kashmir valley is worsening day by day and the government has not come up with a workable solution. As long as the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference are present in the state, the situation cannot be tackled. The government should see how our first prime minister dealt with such situations. I K Warrier, Hyderabad

The right spirit

Sir, This refers to the news item Obama tells US kids to brace for competition from India, China (TNIE, September 16). US President Barack Obama advised American school children to pay special attention to science and mathematics. His speech is really wonderful. Your success in school is not just going to determine your success, it is going to determine Americas success in the 21st century . Indian teachers also ought to create this spirit in our children. A Bright Rathinam, Chennai
Please send your letters to: letterschennai@expressbuzz.com

Impose President's rule

Sir, With reference to the news item Team to visit J&K early next week (TNIE, September 17), when the state is not able to maintain law and order, President's rule has to be imposed. While the state is under Presidents rule, the government of India should ensure that the Kashmiri Pandits who are living as refugees in India should be resettled and proper protec-

Non-performing govt
Sir, With reference to the news item PM parrots peace pitch (TNIE, September 16), the

Cause for worry

Sir, With reference to Aditya Sinhas article Demolitions, 1528 to 9/11 (TNIE, September 11), the repercussions of the controversy over

nation

The New Indian Express | Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Chennai

11

NIRUPAMA TO MEET HILLARY, TOP OFFICIALS

India time. Burns and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake would also be present at the bilateral session. While no details of her consultations were forthcoming immediately, Rao and Burns are understood to have reviewed progress on a number of heads since the inaugural round of US-India Strategic Dialogue, held in Washington in last June. Kicking off a day of hectic engagements with an off-the-record discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Rao attended a meeting of the US-India Global Issues Forum, convened by Under Secretary of State Maria Otero at the State Department. Rao was also slated to co-chair the Strategic Security Dialogue later in the day with Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Ellen Tauscher. Easing of USs high-tech exports to India by removing Indian companies from the Entity List is being viewed as a potential deliverable. During a tele-conference on Wednesday, US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said that Washington was well aware of Indias concerns over restrictions on exports of high-tech items, adding that progress was being made in talks with New Delhi over the issue. Actually, those discussions are occurring right now with high government officials of India, Locke said.

India, Pak on US list of major illicit drug-producing nations

Express News Service Washington, September 17 INDIA and Pakistan are among 20 countries identified by the United States as major illicit drug producing or transiting nations. A countrys presence on the Majors List is not necessarily an adverse reflection of its governments counternarcotics efforts or level of cooperation with the United States, President Barack Obama said in a communication. Making a presidential determination as mandated by the Foreign Relations Authorisation Act of the US, Obama said one of the reasons for listing the countries is the combination of geographic, commercial and economic f actors that allow drugs to transit or be produced despite the concerned governments most assiduous enforcement measures. Besides India and Pakistan, other countries figuring on the list are: Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

INDIA TICKS OFF PAK FOR MEDDLING IN KASHMIR

Ashwini Talwar | ENS New Delhi, September 17 INDIA has ticked off Pakistan for meddling in its internal affairs after Islamabad chose to comment on the deteriorating situation in Kashmir and blamed Indian security forces of brutality. As Islamabad spotted an opportunity to express backing for the just cause of the Kashmiris and advised India to exercise restraint, Delhi reminded that the people of Jammu and Kashmir suffered the consequences of Pakistan-abetted militancy. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement on Friday was the second this week on the situation in Kashmir. The first, on Tuesday, was largely ignored by India. But shortly after the second of the gratuitous statements from Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said they amounted to interference in the internal affairs of India. Pakistan should take credible and effective action against infiltration from across the Line of Control and dismantle the terror infrastructure that exists in the territory under its control, the Indian spokesman said.

India may strike Pak terror camps post-Mumbai II

Washington: In the event of another Mumbai-type attack, India is most likely to strike back by eliminating terrorist training camps across the border which may lead to a full-blown Indo-Pak war involving possibility of a nuclear exchange, a noted US counter-terrorism expert has said. I think a very serious concern that we should all be collectively worried about is the possibility of a Mumbai -II attack, Peter Bergen, the Counter-Terrorism Strategy Initiative co-director at New America Foundation, said in his testimony before the House Homeland and Security Committee. I think the Indians showed great restraint after the last Mumbai attack. But their populations are going to demand some kind of retribution if a large-scale attack happens on Indian soil by a Pakistani militant group which I think is one of the more foreseeable foreign policy challenges we have going forward, he told the committee PTI

S Rajagopalan | ENS Washington, September 17 FOREIGN Secretary Nirupama Rao was on Friday slated to meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and hold extensive parleys with a host of other top functionaries as the two countries prepare for President Barack Obamas India visit in November. Besides focusing on deliverables during the visit, Rao was also expected to focus on the need for the US to remove some of the irritants in the relationship such as the visa fee hike targeting Indian IT firms and the Ohio ban on outsourcing of jobs. Rao was expected to meet National Security Advisor James Jones, senior officials of Commerce and Defence departments and Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry. Her meeting with Clinton was scheduled to take place well past midnight

This would be an important contribution towards safeguarding the welfare of the people of J&K, who suffer the consequences of terrorism fomented from across the LoC and the International Border. As a vibrant democracy, India has sufficient mechanisms and constitutional safeguards to address issues raised by its citizens in any part of the country, he added. Delhi said it remained commitment to resolving issues of mutual concern with Pakistan through dialogue and peaceful means. However, Pakistan must fulfil its solemn commitment of not allowing territory under its control to be used for terrorism directed against India in any manner. This would be in the interest of Pakistan and of the international community. Pakistan projected the current situation in Kashmir as a reflection of indigenous movement gaining a new momentum and urgency. The Kashmiris are unanimous in their demand for self-determination. This sentiment and its firm determination is being reflected in the peaceful protests of the youth, women and all segments of civil society, Pakistan said. Islamabad urged the international community to take steps for safeguarding the human rights of Kashmiris.

H o u s e ,

s w e e t

H o u s e

Other stories
SC chides Centre for shabby Three Indian-Americans treatment of old war widow on US advisory panel
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday chided the government for shabbily treating the 90-year old war widow of an Army officer by paying her a measly `70 monthly pension at a time when even a kg of arhar dal cost around `80. What is this? You are paying her just `70 per month. Today in the present rate of inflation even a kg of arhar dal cost around `80, a Bench of Justice Markandeya Katju and Justice T S Thakur observed while issuing notice to the Centre. The Bench passed the order on a writ petition filed by Pushpavanthi through counsel Ramesh Haritas complaining that she was getting a measly `70 family pension on behalf of her late husband Major Dharam Chand. Her counsel submitted that Dharam Chand was a decorated officer having fought for the country during both the Indo-Pak wars, and Indo-China war IANS

Cong leaders for national consensus on J&K issue

Santwana Bhattacharya | ENS New Delhi, September 17 WITH the all-party delegation set to leave for Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi called senior leaders and general secretaries to prepare the partys strategy for the visit. Sources said the Congress chief took feedback from senior leaders like Congress state unit chief Saifuddin Soz and the partys Jammu and Kashmir incharge Prithviraj Chavan to evolve the broad contours on the issues that would be raised during the expected talks with the people of the state. With the unrest in the Valley showing no signs of abetting, Congress leaders in the meeting, including senior Cabinet Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, A K Antony, P Chidambaram and Ghulam Nabi Azad, were of the view that it would be wiser to have national consensus on how to face the Jammu and Kashmir challenge. Indications are that the Congress would prefer to maintain the status quo in Jammu and Kashmir as was apparent from the statement Rahul Gandhi made in support of Omar Abdullah-for the time being and for a number of reasons. With the people in the state still risking their lives to be on a protest mode, there is not much of an alternative visible for the Centre or the Congress which is part of the Omar Abdullahs coalition government. Sources said Union Minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah declined Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs offer take over chief ministership from son Omar Abdullah. (This was before Rahul made the statement.) Even Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti PDP, are unwilling to make any move for which they could be directly held responsible for pulling down Omars Government.

Washington: US President Barack Obama has appointed three eminent Indian-Americans to key administration posts as members of his advisory panel on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, a body aimed at increasing participation of the over 16 million-strong community in federal programmes. Our nation will be well-served by the skill and dedication these men and women bring to their new roles. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead, Obama said in a statement. The three Indian-Americans appointed to the commission are Farooq Kathwari, chairman, president and CEO of Ethan Allen Interiors, Sunil Puri, president and owner of first Rockford Group Inc, and Amardeep Singh, co-founder and presently director of programmes at Sikh Coalition, the US largest Sikh civil rights organisation PTI

Chef Adelbert Bucher giving final touches to a chocolate replica of the Karnataka Assembly building, in Bangalore, on Friday

Karzai urges India to put pressure on US to strike Pak at terror spots

Express News Service New Delhi, September 17 AFGHANISTAN President Hamid Karzai has urged India to apply pressure on the US to strike at terror sanctuaries inside Pakistan and stop Pakistani mischief. Journalist Saeed Naqvi, who is a fellow with Delhi-based think-tank - Observer Research Foundation, on Friday quoted Karzai as saying, I urge New Delhi to put pressure on the US to stop Pakistani mischief. Naqvi talked about his recent meeting with Karzai at an ORF discussion on Afghanistan, the think tank said in a press statement. Karzai spoke to the Indian journalist off the record, but was willing to be quoted on some issues. The Afghanistan President felt that the US was not striking at sanctuaries of terror in Pakistan. This helps Pakistan, Karzai said. And India was not applying pressure on the US to do that. This again helps Pakistan, he said. According to the ORF note, Karzai said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should sit down with the Pakistani leadership and have a heart to heart chat so that Islamabad doesnt go to the Americans with stories of Indian plots. The reference apparently was to Pakistans charge that Indian intelligence agencies were active in Afghanistan. Karzais comment comes soon after Afghanistans National Security Adviser Rangin Dadfar Spanta wrote in The Washington Post that Pakistan was providing sanctuary to Quetta Shura, Haqqani network and al-Qaeda on its territory. Pakistan had dismissed Spantas article last month as his personal view. Karzais reported remarks now however only seem to endorse what Spanta wrote.

INDIA EYES UNSC dummmmmmm On the sidelines of UN dinner meeting SEAT AS A SPIN-OFF Krishna likely to FROM OBAMA VISIT meet Qureshi in NY
PTI

New Delhi, September 17 MORE than two months after their failed talks in Islamabad, the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan are likely to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna leaves for New York on Saturday for a 10-day visit during which he will represent India at high-segment meetings of the UNGA and other associated events. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who is currently in Washington to firm up the agenda for US President Barack Obamas maiden visit to India in November, will join Krishna in New York on Monday. Although no bilateral meeting is scheduled between Krishna

Musician Gawai passes away

Express News Service Hubli, September 17 MUSICIAN and litterateur Ganayogi Puttaraj Gawai passed away at Gadag Veereshwara Punyashrama on Friday after a prolonged illness. Gawai, 97, was suffering from breathing problems and kidney-related complications. He was brought to Gadag Punyashrama on Monday evening from Belgaum KLE Hospital after he failed to respond to treatment. He was put on ventilator at the ashram. Complications resurfaced in the wee hours of Friday and his blood pressure level decreased. By noon, district health officer Dr GM Channashetty declared him dead. He breathed his last after drinking the holy water which was used to worship at the grave of Pundit Panchakshari Gawai. His body was taken in a procession to HK Patil Stadium, where it was kept for people to pay their tributes. Thousands of people, including religious heads and political leaders, paid tribute to the departed soul. The body will remain there till 10 am on Saturday, then taken in a procession to the ashram in the afternoon, where the last rites are expected to be held at 5 pm.

and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, there are strong possibilities of at least a pull-aside meeting, wellplaced sources told reporters. There is a possibility of the two ministers meeting at the UN Secretary Generals dinner and later at the SAARC foreign ministers meeting in New York on September 28, the sources added. If the two sides decide to hold a bilateral meeting, Rao will first meet her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir to prepare the ground for the first meeting between S M Krishna and Shah Mahmood Qureshi since the July 15 talks failed over clashing perceptions about the scope of talks and Pakistans insistence on a time-line for resolving complex issues such as Kashmir IANS

Delhi is viewing his visit as yet another milestone in rapidly transforming strategic partnership
S Rajagopalan | ENS Washington, September 17 INDIAS Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar has expressed the hope that US President Barack Obamas upcoming visit would not only help consolidate the strong bilateral ties, but also give a push to India getting a permanent seat in an expanded United Nations Security Council. Broaching the issue during an address to the Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs, Shankar said, We hope that President Obamas upcoming visit would prove to be a major step forward in not only consolidating what our two democracies have jointly achieved but also for working together in areas where we are yet to see concrete progress, including genuine reform of international institutions with India given its due place. The growing support for a permanent seat for India in the UN Security Council would no doubt go a long way in enabling India to play its role to its full potential and in realising the idea of India-US relations being a key strategic partnership of the 21st century, Shankar said. Stating that Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs visit to the US in November 2009 focused on going beyond bilateral dimensions to forge a global partnership, Shankar said New Delhi was viewing the Obama visit as yet another

Plea on Chautalas hearing next week

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday posted for next week the hearing on the appeal filed by INLD MLAs Ajay and Abhay Chautala, sons of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, challenging a trial court order summoning them in a disproportionate assets case. The Chautalas in their appeal had submitted that the CBI, which filed the chargesheet, had failed to obtain the mandatory sanction from the government before launching the prosecution and complained that the entire probe against them was politically motivated PTI

milestone in our rapidly transforming strategic partnership. Focusing on Indias emergence of one of the fast growing major economies of the world in recent years, she said this transformation was also changing the way India interacts with the world. Indias stakes in a global and regional environment of peace, stability and broader prosperity have never been higher, she said, India saw the US as a key partner not only in building peace and stability, but also in fulfilling Indias development goals and aspirations. We share with the United States an interest in security and stability in a rapidly changing Asia which reduces the risk of conflict and enhances opportunities for peaceful advancement, she said. Shankar highlighted the twoway growth in economic ties, noting that while India-US trade doubled between 2004 and 2008, US exports to India trebled during this period.

26/11 attack

Victims kin struggling for life

For the last six months, I have been practically begging for money from people I know
Baby Chowdhary

Mumbai, September 17 TWO years ago, she would relax after her children left for school. But now she has to take her husband - a victim of the 26/11 attack - to hospital, run around to get compensation and look for a job. Her most immediate worry is that which friend would lend her money. Thirty-one-year-old Baby Chowdharys husband Shyamsunder, a biscuit factory worker, was grievously injured in a blast carried out by Pakistani terrorists in Vile Parle on the night of 26/11. He recovered only to fall very sick again six months ago. Every day is like a struggle for me.

For the last six months, I have been practically begging for money from people I know. Apart from the huge medical bills for my husbands treatment, I have to support a family of eight, including myself, Baby said. I am desperately looking for a job so that I will have a regular income, she added. Shyamsunder had almost recovered from his multiple injuries and he was earning from his job as a packaging worker at the factory. That was six months ago. Then he developed a brain disability that left him paralysed. The right side of his brain has stopped functioning due to some infec-

tion and doctors say the infection is spreading to the left side of the brain too. Chances of recovery or survival appear bleak, Baby said. She is thankful that the education of her two children, Varun, 10, and Shikha, 6, is being funded by the Taj Group, which provided relief to victims of the attack. Congress MLA from Vile Parle constituency Krishna Hegde has pledged to supporting her in any possible way. I am trying to find Baby a suitable job so that a regular income, whatever little, is generated. I have also written to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, asking for funds from the Chief Ministers Relief Fund, Hegde said.

On November 26, 2008, Shyamsunder had left his home from Sambhaji Nagar slum in suburban Vile Parle for work at the Parle biscuit factory close by. He was on the night shift. As soon as he reached the main road, Shyamsunder blacked out after a deafening explosion in a taxi, the roof of which hit him on his right shoulder. Residents of Sambhaji Nagar took him and other injured to the hospital. In January, Shyamsunders health started to deteriorate again. Before the attack, the family was solely dependent on his earnings. With mounting medical bills, Baby says the compensation of `50,000 is not enough IANS

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The New Indian Express | Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Chennai

markets
Nifty
Intra-day | Previous close 5828.70 | % change 0.97 | Difference 56.25 5,900 5,885 5,870 5,855 5,840 5,825 09 5828.70 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 5,884.95

Sensex
Intra-day | Previous close 19,417.49 | % change 0.91 | Difference 177.26 19,594.75

MARKETS REVIEW

19,436.71

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13

14

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Sensex bounces back, rallies 177 points

SENSEX GAINERS AND LOSERS

Company Close % Chg Diff
5.28 8.35 3.24 31.35 2.93 10.20 2.58 25.85 2.09 3.55 1.92 17.15 1.67 9.95 1.55 4.30 1.50 2.80

Company

Close % Chg Diff

1.43 10.00 1.43 27.60 1.13 3.45 -1.01 -6.95 -0.69 -2.90 -0.61 -15.00 -0.20 -6.05 -0.19 -0.40 -0.10 -1.40

GAINERS Rel Comm .................... 166.45 ACC .................................997.55 Bharti Artl.......................357.9 RIL ................................1026.75 Sterlite Inds ................173.25 TCS ................................. 912.45 Tata Steel .......................605.3 Hind Uni........................282.05 Hindalco........................ 188.95

Jindal Steel .................708.85 Larsen & Tou ............... 1961.7 Cipla ..................................... 309 LOSERS HDFC .................................684.1 Wipro................................420.3 BHEL ...........................2444.45 SBI..................................... 3094 NTPC.............................. 205.95 ONGC ............................. 1398.6

WORLD INDICES
Country (IST 6.00 pm) Exchange Last Trade Chg (Pts)
China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SSE 180 Index (Shanghai) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5991.28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . -3.76 Hong Kong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hang Seng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21970.86 . . . . . . . . . . . .279.41 Indonesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jakarta Composite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3384.65 . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.02 Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nikkei 225 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9626.09 . . . . . . . . . . . .116.59 Malaysia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KLSE Composite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1466.97 . . . . . . . . . . . . . -5.98 Singapore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Straits Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3076.37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.26 South Korea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seoul Composite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1827.35 . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.50 Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madrid General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1098.79 . . . . . . . . . . . . .-8.40 Switzerland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Swiss Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6426.91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.75 United Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FTSE 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5545.06 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.92 USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dow Jones Ind. Avg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10616.86 . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.03 USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nasdaq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2312.19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.94

QUITIES bounced back on Friday snapping earlier losses. Strong global cues, persistent foreign fund buying aided the market to close on a upbeat note. All sectoral indices traded in green with consumer durable and healthcare leading the space. The benchmark index Sensex after opening flat traded higher tracking firm Asian peers. Further, it rallied touching a high of 19,639.18 in the first half and Nifty breaching 5,900 mark. The index failed to sustain the crucial mark and finally close below the level. At the close, the benchmark 30share index, BSE Sensex gained 177.26 points or 0.9 per cent at 19,594.75 with 24 components registering rise. Meanwhile, the broad based NSE Nifty climbed by 56.25 points or 0.97 per cent at 5,884.95 with 38 components posting rise. On global front, European stock rose, led by a rally in technology and retail shares on better-than-estimated US earnings and as Carrefour SA an-

nounced a $2 billion store revamp plan. US stock-index futures and Asian shares advanced. Asian stocks gained, driving the MSCI Asia Pacific index higher for a third week, as technology shares gained after Research In Motion and Oracle reported better-than-estimated profits, and the yen weakened. Biggest gainers in the 30-share index were Reliance Communications (5.28 per cent), ACC (3.24 per cent), Bharti Airtel (2.93 per cent), Reliance Industries (2.58 per cent), Sterlite Industries (2.09 per cent), and Tata Consultancy Services (1.92 per cent). On the other hand, Housing Development Finance Cor poration (1.01 per cent), Wipro (0.69 per cent), Bharat Heavy Electricals (0.61 per cent), State Bank of India (0.20 per cent), NTPC (0.19 per cent), and Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (0.10 per cent) were the major losers in the Sensex. Market breadth was positive with 1,837 advances against 1,209 declines. Source: myiris.com

Sector-wise
Free-Float Market Capitalisation of Sensex
Healthcare 1.05 Total Mcap `1,534,530.62 cr

NIFTY GAINERS AND LOSERS

Company Close % Chg Diff
5.91 5.44 4.59 3.80 3.33 3.27 3.25 2.94 2.70 29.80 8.60 6.25 30.95 32.15 5.10 11.30 2.20 27.00

Company

Close % Chg Diff

-1.16 -8.00 -0.87 -1.70 -0.76 -3.20 -0.64 -8.95 -0.57 -13.95 -0.53 -4.05 -0.38 -0.40 -0.20 -2.55 -0.20 -0.40

Fig. in % chg. Housing Related 2.58 Telecom 3.88 Power 4.60 Transport Equipment 6.59 Metal,Metal Products & Mining 7.79 FMCG 7.89 Capital Goods 9.69 Information Technology 14.29 Oil & Gas 15.94 25.71 Finance 5 10 15 20 25

GAINERS Ranbaxy Labs .................. 534 Reliance Comm. .........166.75 Ambuja Cement ........ 142.55 ABB .................................. 845.5 ACC .................................997.85 RIL Power ..................... 160.9 Bharti Airtel ...............358.85 Idea Cell ........................... 77.15 RIL .................................1027.35

LOSERS HDFC .............................. 683.65 IDFC ................................193.45 Wipro.............................420.25 Maruti Suzuki ..........1388.35 BHEL .............................. 2443.6 Siemens ........................... 753.2 Power Grid .................. 105.25 PNB ............................. 1285.85 SAIL ............................... 201.65

MUTUAL FUND
Scheme Name (16/09/2010) NAV(`) Repur. Price Sale Price
SBI Magnum Index Fund - Dividend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.50 SBI Magnum Index Fund - Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49.80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49.80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49.80 SBI Magnum MIDCAP FUND - DIVIDEND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19.34 SBI Magnum MIDCAP FUND - GROWTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.21 SBI Magnum Multicap Fund - Dividend Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.64 SBI Magnum Multicap Fund - Growth Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19.08 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.27 SBI Magnum Multiplier Plus Scheme - 93 -Dividend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61.98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62.61 SBI Magnum Multiplier Plus Scheme - 93 -Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88.18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87.30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88.18 SBI MAGNUM NRI FLEXIASSET PLAN-DIVIDEND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.09 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30.39 SBI MAGNUM NRI FLEXIASSET PLAN-GROWTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30.28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29.98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.28 SBI MSFU CONTRA-DIVIDEND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24.60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.60 SBI MSFU CONTRA-GROWTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.69 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61.07 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61.69

Company
Curr.Cls, (Pr.Cls)

% Chg Diff
(`)
2.85 29.85 31.35 3.65 11.15 36.30 1.65 -5.70 6.40 2.30 -5.75 0.85 1.40 36.20 21.25 13.30 -5.70 2.50 13.15 27.65 2.15 8.70 10.20 -15.00 136.00 13.60 -10.90 11.75 26.50 11.55 6.05 3.75 3.45 2.10 7.65 1.30

Company
Curr.Cls, (Pr.Cls)

% Chg Diff
(`)
0.25 -1.35 3.45 5.50 5.70 37.90 0.90 14.75 0.10 -1.20 2.50 9.85 13.20 0.15 2.85 8.00 3.70 9.70 10.25 2.85 10.95 40.00 3.80 5.15 0.50 41.85 2.90 31.30 2.85 0.15 1.40 1.35 -0.45 0.40 1.05 2.65 -6.95 4.80

Company
Curr.Cls, (Pr.Cls)

% Chg Diff
(`)
14.15 4.30 1.50 0.75 -0.35 2.80 7.60 3.70 12.15 2.05 2.90 1.85 4.50 0.35 5.40 0.95 3.60 1.40 -2.85 2.10 6.30 -1.75 4.95 3.45 1.20 -0.15 4.45 15.35 0.35 4.45 10.00 0.10 59.55 4.30 4.85 0.20 3.60 0.65

Company
Curr.Cls, (Pr.Cls)

% Chg Diff
(`)
27.60 46.55 23.75 5.80 2.45 5.95 0.75 1.85 0.30 8.30 6.25 0.35 -2.35 0.40 33.95 -1.35

Company
Curr.Cls, (Pr.Cls)

% Chg Diff
(`)
4.80 48.40 -1.85 4.90 -0.40 -1.40 1.35 45.60 1.85 28.60 5.40 -3.10 -2.50 -0.35 2.05

Company
Curr.Cls, (Pr.Cls)

% Chg Diff
(`)
65.55 1.10 1.45 -2.50 30.15 0.35 1.40 1.05 8.35 7.95 -2.15 25.85 -3.50 4.20 1.15 0.60 5.00 3.25 2.00 -10.85 -3.25 6.05 -6.05 -0.20 3.95 3.55 37.90 12.50 1.15 1.00 -0.90 4.05 6.85 1.35 9.95 0.50

Company
Curr.Cls, (Pr.Cls)

% Chg Diff
(`)
0.65 17.15 1.60 5.65 86.25 -0.55 2.05 1.45 38.50 7.90 20.55 0.55 2.15 5.10 7.55 4.70 -2.90 0.30 -2.00

Company
Curr.Cls, (Pr.Cls)

% Chg Diff
(`)
2.95 3.70 10.65 2.20 -1.70 4.20 0.95 10.75 0.25 6.70 29.15 5.45 -8.95 -0.10 -2.50 -2.55 -0.40 29.80 8.60 -0.90 27.00 8.05 5.10 -0.40 -2.05 -4.05 3.75 35.50 1.25 4.70 6.70 -2.10 9.45 18.40 0.75 -3.20

BSE - A Group
Aban Offsho 831.45, (828.6) .............................0.34 ABB 842.05, (812.2) .............................................3.68 ACC 997.55, (966.2) ..............................................3.24 Akruti City 516.15, (512.5) ..................................0.71 Adani Enter 691.3, (680.15)............................... 1.64 ADI BIR Nuvo 878.55, (842.25) ..................... 4.31 Allahabad Bk 233.95, (232.3) .............................0.71 Alstom Power 771.3, (777) ............................... -0.73 Ambuja Cement 142.5, (136.1) .........................4.70 Andhra Bank 166.95, (164.65)..........................1.40 Apollo Hos 410.3, (416.05) ................................-1.38 Areva 294, (293.15)...............................................0.29 Ashok Ley 76.05, (74.65).....................................1.88 Asian Paints 2840.75, (2804.55).................... 1.29 Axis Bank 1505.65, (1484.4) ..............................1.43 Bajaj Hold 871.05, (857.75) ............................... 1.55 Bajaj Auto 1445.85, (1451.55)........................-0.39 Balram Chin 89.3, (86.8) .................................... 2.88 BEML 1162.35, (1149.2)........................................1.14 Bharat Elect 1834.2, (1806.55) ........................1.53 Bharat Forge 365.05, (362.9)............................0.59 Bharat Pet. 763.6, (754.9) ....................................1.15 Bharti Artl 357.9, (347.7) ..................................... 2.93 BHEL 2444.45, (2459.45) ..................................-0.61 Bhush Steel 2114.8, (1978.8) ............................6.87 Biocon Ltd 354.1, (340.5) ................................... 3.99 BoB 875.15, (886.05) ..........................................-1.23 BoI 498.15, (486.4) ...............................................2.42 Bosch 6203, (6176.5) ............................................0.43 Cadila Healt 637.85, (626.3) ..............................1.84 Cairn Ind 342, (335.95) .......................................1.80 Canara Bank 575.65, (571.9) .............................0.66 Castrol 521.8, (518.35).........................................0.67 Central Bk 202.6, (200.5) ................................... 1.05 Century Text 511.8, (504.15) ............................. 1.52 CESC 412.65, (411.35) ..........................................0.32

Chambal Fert 72.4, (72.15) .................................0.35 Chennai Pet. 253, (254.35) ...............................-0.53 Cipla 309, (305.55) .................................................1.13 Colgate Pal 822.35, (816.85) ............................0.67 Contain.Corp 1313.65, (1307.95).......................0.44 Corp. Bank 709.1, (671.2) ....................................5.65 Crompt.Greav 313.55, (312.65).........................0.29 Cummins (I) 745.55, (730.8) .............................2.02 Dabur (I) 109.65, (109.55) .................................0.09 Divis Lab 722.7, (723.9).......................................-0.17 DLF 352.2, (349.7)...................................................0.71 Dr. Reddys 1472.4, (1462.55) ..........................0.67 Educomp Sol 593.95, (580.75) .........................2.27 EIH 138.15, (138) .....................................................0.11 Essar Oil 131.85, (129) .......................................... 2.21 Everest Kant 121, (113) .........................................7.08 Exide Ind. 159.6, (155.9) ......................................2.37 Federal Bank 376.2, (366.5)...............................2.65 Financ Tec. 1421.25, (1411) ................................0.73 Fortis Healt 165.8, (162.95) ................................1.75 GAIL (I) 480.9, (469.95) .....................................2.33 Glaxosmith 1956.75, (1916.75) .........................2.09 Glaxosmith 1810.3, (1806.5).............................. 0.21 Glaxosmit.Ph 286.25, (281.1) ............................ 1.83 GMR Infrastr 58.75, (58.25) .............................0.86 GODREJ CONS 459.35, (417.5) .......................10.02 Godrej Inds 233.85, (230.95) ............................ 1.26 Grasim Ind. 2228.95, (2197.65) ........................ 1.42 Great Easte 303.2, (300.35) ..............................0.95 GTL Infra 46.45, (46.3) ........................................0.32 GTL 433.5, (432.1) ..................................................0.32 Guj.Petro 109.05, (107.7) ..................................... 1.25 Guj.Mineral 132.6, (133.05)...............................-0.34 Guj.NRE Coke 64.55, (64.15) .............................0.62 GVK Powerinf 48.3, (47.25) ................................2.22 HCL Tech 418.7, (416.05) ....................................0.64 HDFC 684.1, (691.05) ..........................................-1.01 HDFC Bank 2399.65, (2394.85).......................0.20

Hero Honda 1750.45, (1736.3) ..........................0.81 Hind Uni 282.05, (277.75) ................................... 1.55 Hind Const 63.7, (62.2) ......................................... 2.41 Hind.Copper 441.35, (440.6) ..............................0.17 Hind.Petro 533.5, (533.85)................................ -0.07 Hindalco 188.95, (186.15) ...................................1.50 Hindus.Zi 1074.25, (1066.65) .............................0.71 Housing Dev 277, (273.3) ......................................1.35 ICICI Bank 1115.6, (1103.45)..............................1.10 IDBI 141.9, (139.85)................................................1.47 Idea Cell 77.8, (74.9) ..............................................3.87 IFCI 61.05, (59.2) ....................................................3.12 India Infoline 104.5, (100) ................................ 4.50 Ind Bul Real 179.1, (178.75)................................0.20 India Cem. 114.15, (108.75) ...............................4.97 India Bull 149.3, (148.35) ....................................0.64 Indian Bank 265.35, (261.75)............................ 1.38 Indian Hotel 104.7, (103.3) ................................. 1.36 Indian Oil 427.6, (430.45)..................................-0.66 Indian Over. 140.7, (138.6) .................................. 1.52 Infosys Tech 2974.1, (2967.8) ........................... 0.21 Infra Devn 193.35, (195.1) ..............................-0.90 IRB Infra 278.85, (273.9) ....................................1.81 Ispat Inds. 23.75, (20.3) .................................... 17.00 ITC 168.3, (167.1).....................................................0.72 IVRCL Infra 158.3, (158.45) ............................-0.09 Jai Corp 266.4, (261.95) ...................................... 1.70 Jain Irrg 1255.35, (1240).................................... 1.24 JP Asso 122.65, (122.3) .......................................0.29 Jetairways 759.4, (754.95).................................0.59 Jindal Stain 708.85, (698.85) ...........................1.43 JP Hydropower 65.15, (65.05).......................... 0.15 Jswsl 1256.95, (1197.4) ........................................4.97 Jub. Org 345.3, (341)............................................. 1.26 Kotak Mah.Bk 473.55, (468.7)...........................1.03 Koutons Ret 298.1, (297.9) .................................0.07 KSK Ene 172.85, (169.25) ....................................2.13 Lanco Infra 69.1, (68.45) ....................................0.95

Larsen & Tou 1961.7, (1934.1) ............................1.43 LIC Hous.Fin 1317.95, (1271.4)...........................3.66 Lupin 387.6, (363.85) ............................................6.53 M & M Fina 672.75, (666.95) ............................0.87 Madras Cem 115.05, (112.6) ..............................2.18 Mah & Mah 679, (673.05).................................. 0.88 Maha.Tele 63.85, (63.1)..........................................1.19 Marico 124.9, (123.05) ..........................................1.50 Maruti Suz 1387.05, (1386.75) .........................0.02 Max India 170.4, (162.1) .......................................5.12 Mineral & Met 1369.3, (1363.05) .....................0.46 Moser Bear 65.15, (64.8) ....................................0.54 Mphasis 639.55, (641.9) .................................... -0.37 MRPL 78.25, (77.85).............................................. 0.51 Mundra Port 822, (788.05) ............................... 4.31 Nagar.Const 157.85, (159.2) .............................-0.85

Nat.Alum 411.35, (406.55) ..................................1.18 Nestle (I) 3230.05, (3181.65)............................ 1.52 Neyveli Lign 157.6, (159.45) ...............................-1.16 NMDC 265.2, (260.3) ............................................1.88 NTPC 205.95, (206.35) .......................................-0.19 ONGC 1398.6, (1400).......................................... -0.10 Opto Cir 323.85, (322.5)......................................0.42 i-Flex 2236, (2190.4) .............................................2.08 Orintal Bank 458.25, (456.4) ............................ 0.41 Pantaloon Re 494.3, (465.7) .............................. 6.14 Petronet LNG 111.15, (105.75) ...........................5.11 Nicholas Pir 508, (511.1).....................................-0.61 Power Fin 355.3, (357.8) ....................................-0.70 Power Grid 105.2, (105.55) .............................. -0.33 Praj Inds 77.4, (75.35) ...........................................2.72

P & G 2214.2, (2148.65) ......................................3.05 PTC India 120.15, (119.05)..................................0.92 Punj Lloyd 117.8, (116.35) .................................... 1.25 PNB 1286.4, (1288.9) ..........................................-0.19 Ranbaxy Lab. 534.05, (503.9) ...........................5.98 Rashtr.Chem. 83.9, (83.55)..................................0.42 REC 350.8, (349.4) .................................................0.40 Rel Agro 21.7, (20.65) ...........................................5.08 Rel Comm 166.45, (158.1) ...................................5.28 Rel Infra 1061, (1053.05)....................................0.75 Rel. Cap 808.55, (810.7).................................... -0.27 RIL 1026.75, (1000.9) ..........................................2.58 Religare Ent 476.4, (479.9) ............................... -0.73 Renuka Sugar 80.9, (76.7)...................................5.48 RIL Nat Res 39.85, (38.7) ................................... 2.97 Rolta (I) 168.15, (167.55).....................................0.36 Reliance Power 160.55, (155.55) ......................3.21 Sesa Goa 325.25, (322) ........................................1.01 Shipp.Corpn 169.25, (167.25).............................1.20 Shriram Tran 775.15, (786) ...............................-1.38 Siemens 753.15, (756.4)..................................... -0.43 Sintex Ind 363.85, (357.8) .................................. 1.69 SBI 3094, (3100.05) ...........................................-0.20 Steel Auth. 201.65, (201.85) ........................... -0.10 Sterl. Bio 114.5, (110.55) ..................................... 3.57 Sterlite Inds 173.25, (169.7) ..............................2.09 Sun Pharma. 1874.3, (1836.4) ...........................2.06 Sun Tvnet 508.1, (495.6) .....................................2.52 Suzlonenergy 54.35, (53.2) ................................ 2.16 Syndicate Bank 116.4, (115.4) ...........................0.87 Tata Chem. 411.8, (412.7)..................................-0.22 Tata Comm 333, (328.95) ....................................1.23 Tata Motors 1035.65, (1028.8) ........................0.67 Tata Power 1264.35, (1263) ...............................0.11 Tata Steel 605.3, (595.35) ...................................1.67 Tata Teleser 23.35, (22.85)................................. 2.19

Tata Tea 122.65, (122) ..........................................0.53 TCS 912.45, (895.3)................................................1.92 Tech Mah 720.45, (718.85).................................0.22 Thermax 781.3, (775.65)......................................0.73 Titan Inds 3198.55, (3112.3)..............................2.77 Torrent Phar 333.4, (333.95).............................-0.16 Tulip Tele 174.95, (172.9).......................................1.19 UCO Bank 118, (116.55) ....................................... 1.24 Ultratech Chem 1049.5, (1011)..........................3.81 Union Bank 376.6, (368.7) .................................. 2.14 United Spr 1620.1, (1599.55) ............................1.28 Unitech 87.8, (87.25)..............................................0.63 United Phosh 187.1, (184.95) ..............................1.16 Videocon Inds 263.4, (258.3) .............................1.97 Voltas 226.8, (219.25) ..........................................3.44 Welsp Guj Sr 257.95, (253.25) ..........................1.86 Wipro 420.3, (423.2) ...........................................-0.69 Yes Bank 329.8, (329.5) .......................................0.09 Zee Enter 286.4, (288.4)...................................-0.69

NIFTY
ABB 845.5, (814.55) .............................................3.80 ACC 997.85, (965.7) .............................................. 3.33 Ambuja Cement 142.55, (136.3) ......................4.59 Axis Bank 1506.5, (1484.8) ............................... 1.46 Bharti Airtel 358.85, (347.55) ..........................3.25 BHEL 2443.6, (2457.55) ..................................... -0.57 BPCL 765.9, (755.25) .............................................1.41 Cairn India 342.1, (335.95)................................. 1.83 Cipla 308.9, (305.5) .................................................1.11 DLF 352.5, (349.7)................................................. 0.80 Gail (I) 480.35, (470.35) ......................................2.13 HCL Tech 419.25, (417.5) .....................................0.42 HDFC 683.65, (691.65)........................................-1.16 HDFC Bank 2400.6, (2395.3) ............................0.22 Hero Honda 1745.15, (1733.3)............................0.68 30.95 32.15 6.25 21.70 11.30 -13.95 10.65 6.15 3.40 2.80 10.00 1.75 -8.00 5.30 11.85

Hindalco Inds 189.05, (186.1) .......................... 1.59 Hindustan Unilever 281.8, (278.1) ....................1.33 ICICI Bank 1114.2, (1103.55) ............................ 0.97 Idea Cell 77.15, (74.95)..........................................2.94 IDFC 193.45, (195.15)..........................................-0.87 Infosys Tech 2970.15, (2965.95) ..................... 0.14 ITC 168.35, (167.4) .................................................0.57 Jindal Steel 708.4, (697.65) ...............................1.54 JP Asso 122.3, (122.05) .......................................0.20 Kotak Mah Bank 473.25, (466.55) ................. 1.44 L&T 1963.15, (1934)................................................1.51 Mah&Mah 680, (674.55) ....................................0.81 Maruti Suzuki 1388.35, (1397.3) ....................-0.64 NTPC 206.35, (206.45)......................................-0.05 ONGC 1397.25, (1399.75) .................................. -0.18 PNB 1285.85, (1288.4) ......................................-0.20 Power Grid 105.25, (105.65) ...........................-0.38 Ranbaxy Labs 534, (504.2).................................5.91 Reliance Comm. 166.75, (158.15) ....................5.44 Rel. Cap 809.9, (810.8) ........................................-0.11 RIL 1027.35, (1000.35) ........................................2.70 Rel Infra 1061.55, (1053.5) ................................0.76 RIL Power 160.9, (155.8) ................................... 3.27 SAIL 201.65, (202.05) .......................................-0.20 SBI 3092.75, (3094.8)....................................... -0.07 Siemens 753.2, (757.25) .....................................-0.53 Sterlite Inds(I) 173.6, (169.85)......................... 2.21 Sun Pharma 1874.1, (1838.6) .............................1.93 Suzlon Energy 54.45, (53.2)...............................2.35 Tata Comm 334.1, (329.4)....................................1.43 Tata Motors 1035.5, (1028.8) ...........................0.65 Tata Power 1264.6, (1266.7) ............................-0.17 Tata Steel 604.8, (595.35) ................................. 1.59 TCS 913.8, (895.4) .................................................2.05 Unitech 87.95, (87.2) ..............................................0.86 Wipro 420.25, (423.45) ..................................... -0.76

Consensus on the draft mining Bill, which seeks that miners share 26% of profits with local people affected by their projects
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business

State Bank of India not to hike interest rates immediately: O P Bhatt

The new Cos Bill, which seeks to modernise corporate laws, will be taken up for consideration in the winter session of Parliament in Nov, says Corporate Affairs Secretary

13

h t t p : // f i n a n c e . e x p r e s s b u z z . c o m

The New Indian Express I Saturday, September 18, 2010 I Chennai

In brief
FM to attend Fund-Bank meet in US next month
New Delhi: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will visit the US next month to take part in the annual IMFWorld Bank meet, which may among other things discuss giving greater say to emerging economies. Mukherjee, who will be accompanied by Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla and Chief Economic Advisor Kaushik Basu, is also expected to take part in the meeting of the Commonwealth Finance Ministers in Washington on October 8, official sources on Friday said here PTI

U.S. PROTECTIONISM

New Delhi to voice concern at G-20 meet

ENS Economic Bureau New Delhi, September 17 INDIA will raise its concern over the increasing protectionist policies in the US at the upcoming G-20 meeting in November. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said this on Friday at at a conference on G-20 issues organised by a ICRIER, a policy thinktank. The immediate spheres of such coordination (between G20 member countries) are macroeconomic policies and exit strategies, pace of regulatory reforms to ensure financial stability without affecting prospects of growth, keep international trade open and avoiding protectionism, Mukherjee said. The fifth summit of G-20 is scheduled to be held in South Korea on November 11 and 12. Finance ministers of the group of 20 countries will meet next month to outline the agenda for India would the meeting. Mukherjee said India would lobby with G-20 lobby with G-20 members to members to raise the issue of increasing tendencies of protectinism in raise the issue some countries, especially in of increasing the US. tendencies of He said the global economic protectinism in crisis was turning out to be some countries, more broader and deeper than especially in expected. As clearly indicated by the the US Pranab Mukherjee current global crisis, no country is insulated from global economy and the crisis is turning out to be much deeper and broader than expected, said Mukherjee. The US recently announced a series of measures to curb outsourcing of business and boost demand for local products. The state of Ohio in the US early this month said it would forbid outsourcing of IT services by government departments. The US has also increased visa fee by $2,000 for certain H-1B and $2,250 for L1 categories. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma had said the move by Ohio to ban outsourcing has come as a disappointment and is not welcome at all. Last fortnight, Union Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar had met deputy US Trade Representative Michael Punke and Florida senator George Lemieux when the latter visited the Capital and discussed the matter.

India to produce bumper crop this year, says Pawar

Agencies New Delhi, September 17 INDIA is likely to harvest a bumper foodgrain crop in the current year, despite the drought in Bihar, Jharkhand and some parts of West Bengal, Food and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said on Friday. This (2010) will be one of the best years, which will provide a bumper crop to the country, Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of a national conference here on the rabi crop season. Foodgrain output is expected at 220-230 million tonnes in 2010-11. Monsoon this year has been good. The conditions for rice have been very favourable. I expect the overall foodgrain production to reach between 220-230 million tonnes because of the good monsoon, Pawar said. The area under pulses, oilseeds, cotton, sugarcane and paddy is much

`500/hectare di l subsidy 500/h diesel b id

The Government will give a diesel subsidy of `500 per hectare to farmers in the drought-hit Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal to meet their extra cost of irrigating their crops, a decision that will cost the exchequer `500 crore. Every farmer will get `500 per more than last year and even more than in 2008, he said. Todays Bakra dam position... we have not seen in the last 30 years, he said, adding that a similar situation exists in most of the countrys reservoirs and that is why the possibility of bumper rabi crop production is very bright. Despite a bad monsoon last year, total foodgrains production for 200910 is likely to be 218 million tonnes, against the target of 239 million tonnes, the Minister said.

hectare as diesel subsidy, Pawar said, adding that the decision was taken by the Government on Thursday at a high-level meeting.

Sugar decontrol
Asked when the Government plans to decontrol the sugar industry, Pawar said, If we have to take any decision, we will definitely consult with the sugarcane-producing states and will start the process after assessing the total crop situation. I think it will take another 3-4 weeks maximum.

CMIE sees `22,00,000-cr fresh investments in 3 yrs

Mumbai: Fresh investment projects worth `22-lakh crore are expected to be commissioned in the country over the next three years with companies across sectors going in for capacityaddition during this period, an economic think-tank said has said. Projects worth `22-lakh crore are expected to be commissioned by March 2013, the Centre for Monitoring Indian (CMIE) said PTI

STORAGE WORRIES
Canada extends help
Canada on Friday offered its expertise in building granaries to India in order to help it reduce foodgrain wastage due to poor storage facility. Canadian companies... have been looking for Indian partners for building grain storage houses here, Canada Minister for Agriculture & AgriFood Gerry Ritz said.

Wheat export curb

Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry on Friday said curb on wheat exports should be lifted so as to gain from the global scarcity that has been created due to production loss in major producing nations like Russia and Ukraine.

Advance tax payments by SAIL, Bharti dip in Q2

New Delhi: Advance tax payments by a few big corporates like SAIL, Bharti Airtel and Tata Motors dropped substantially in the July-September quarter, although realisation from top 100 companies rose nearly 13 per cent during the period. According to sources, top 100 companies paid `23,780.24 crore advance tax during July-September 2010-11 against `21,059.04 crore in the year-ago period. Advance tax collections are a measure of corporate earnings PTI

MANUFACTURING TO PUSH GROWTH: KAUSHIK

Press Trust of India New Delhi, September 17 AMID the Reserve Bank expressing doubts over the efficacy of industrial data, a top adviser to the Finance Ministry on Friday said manufacturing is on buoyant path that will keep Indian growth story going in the medium to long run. ... I get the sense that the manufacturing sector growth of the last months is not just a one time correction but the start of a new trajectory for Indian manufacturing, Chief Economic Adviser Kaushik Basu said here. He said if serv i c e s and farm sectors, which are performing below capacity, also return to their full capacity, Indias growth will be quite robust for some years to come. The comment assumes importance, since RBI had expressed doubts over the efficacy of industrial growth data in mirroring the ground reality. He further said fiscal deficit will be below the budgeted 5.5 per cent of GDP mark this fiscal. Fiscal deficit, I expect will be below 5.5 per cent. The Budget for 2010-11 estimates the fiscal deficit at `3,81,408 crore, or 5.5 per cent of the GDP. Towards the end of the first quarter, the Government had collected over `1.06 lakh crore through the sale of spectrum (radio waves) for both 3G and Broadband Wireless Access against the Budget target of `35,000 crore.

India to anchor study on BRIC economies

ENS Economic Bureau New Delhi, September 17 INDIA is anchoring a study on how best practices in different sectors of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) economic bloc can take these countries to higher path of economic growth. The first meeting took place in Delhi and India was represented by officials in the Union Finance Ministry. India is going to anchor the study. We will produce a document on best practices in all the four countries, explore synergies among the four economies so that BRIC could move to higher growth path, Chief Economic Advsior Dr Kaushik Basu told reporters here. The document will also look at how BRIC could play a central role in the global economy besides looking at opportunity to encourage cooperation among themselves and also with the G-20 and the rest of the world, Basu added ENS

SC issues notices to telecos on no No. calls

New Delhi: Seeking `55 crore from Airtel and Vodafone for routing unidentified calls on its network, public sector BSNL has moved the Supreme Court which asked the private operators file their replies. A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia on Friday issued notice to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar Gujarat directing them to file their replies. The apex court further said that it would hear BSNLs plea later, along with a similar case where the state-owned firm is in dispute with Reliance Communications PTI

CNG-electric hybrid bus

ENS Economic Bureu Chennai, September 17 TATA Motors on Friday launched CNGelectric hybrid low-floor starbuses, Indias first such vehicle. This is the first time in the country that hybrid buses will be used for public transportation. The four hybrid buses, presented to the Delhi Transport Corporation, will run in the city of Delhi during the Commonwealth Games period. The company will maintain the buses, as it does for the fleet of Tata low-floor CNG buses running in the city.

Tata Motors rolls out Gold scales new peak on inflation fears
Meant for intra-city transportation, the Hybrid Tata Starbus is powered with a parallel hybrid engine comprising an internal combustion CNG engine and an electric motor using regenerative energy storage system. The low-floor (floor height: 400 mm) air-conditioned bus can seat 32 passengers and rund at a maximum speed of 70 kms per hour. The Hybrid Starbus offers substantial improvement in fuel economy compared to a conventional bus. As a result, the usage of this technology leads to lower emissions, thereby contributing to cleaner air and a greener, more environment-friendly commercial passenger transportation application. exporters of gold jewellery in the world. Though he said that the prices GOLD prices are at a record high. were in unchartered territory, The question everybody seems to be terming the record prices as prices asking is-- will the rally perwhich the human kind has sist? While some analysts never seen, he said, There say that the upward rally is is a chance that the prices likely to continue on the will come down a bit about back of fears of inflation 7-8 per cent in shor term (in leading to buying of the the next three months) besafe haven asset, the picture cause it looks like it has is not very clear yet. been overdone. it has been Global gold prices are moving up right from $600 likely to come down in the onwards and today it is at short term (in a span of $1,275 and its been moving Rajesh Mehta three months) and then rein one way direction. I sume its upward journey in think there is a chance that the long term, says Rajesh Mehta, it will come down now and then after Chairman and Managing Director of sideways movement it will resume Rajesh Exports, one of the largest its movement again. In the long term, Jayadevan PK | ENS Bangalore, September 17 Im bullish about it, he told Express. Closely following cues from the global markets, gold prices have been on a record rally as fears of inflation once again triggered buying of the safehaven asset. When asked if the upcoming festivities in India would further affect the prices, he said that festivities influencing gold prices is a myth and the prices are more dependent on global political and economic scene. During festivities we consume about 40- 50 tonnes of gold which really does not effect the global prices. Global prices are more driven by geopolitical situations around the world and Indian prices are dictated by the global prices. It i s more dictated by the economic situations based on US and the Japanese data and what happens in the currency movements and all those... Festive season is a sor t of myth, he said. According to agency reports, gold prices rose by 0.11 per cent to hit new high of `19,372 per 10 grams in futures trading on Friday as speculators engaged in expanding their positions, tracking a firm trend overseas.

Thai explores biz opportunities

ENS Economic Bureau Chennai, September 17 THE Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has announced that it will aggressively promote business opportunities in the ASEAN region through the platform of exhibitions and trade shows in Thailand. In this connection, TCEB has also introduced a privilege promotion in India - the Extra Night, Extra Smile campaign, aiming at maximising the visitors stay while attending international exhibitions in Thailand. TCEB will target Indian associations and organizations from sectors such as electronics, industrial machinery, petroleum, automotives, steel, gems and jewellery. Strong bilateral trade links between Thailand and India are already there in these industries. Krit Kraichitti, Thai Ambassador to India, said, Thailand eyes India as an important emerging market. Thailand and India have been good trade partners as the result of the Thailand-India Free Trade Agreement. During January-June 2010, bilateral trade value between Thailand and India is worth around BT 105 billion ($ 3.18 billion). Chen Namchaisiri, Vice Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and President of ASEAN Free Trade Agreement Committee, said, After the successful establishment of Thailand-India FTA, ASEAN-India FTA and BIMSTEC, India and Thailand have continually enjoyed reaping fruitful benefits incurred from bilateral trade relations. This is a good opportunity for businesses from India to participate at international exhibitions in Thailand to extend their reach in Southeast Asia.

DCGI MULLS MOBILE DRUG TESTING VANS

ENS Economic Bureau Hyderabad, September 17 THE Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) is in discussions with the Government to introduce mobile drug testing vans as part of its rapid drug testing methodologies. DCGI said it was seeking information from the US FDA and would initiate a pilot shortly. Countries like China and the US have mobile vans that have all DCGI is planning to initiate the wherewithal to test overseas inspection of drugs drugs. These are hi- in countries including China tech vans, each one and Europe early next year. costing about `4 crore DCGI said it was awaiting apand would screen large proval from the Government number of drugs, said that would allow it to conduct Surinder Singh, DCGI. audits and certify certify the He added that drugs manufacturing quality of the that were sold in phar- pharmaceutical products. macies and manufac- We would send our drug inturing sites would be spectors abroad to conduct considered as part of audits of the manufacturing the random testing pro- plants from where drugs will cedures. be imported. This norm is folC u r r e n t l y, a b o u t lowed by all other countries 40,000 drug samples including Nigeria, said from 35 states are col- Surinder Singh, DCGI. lected and tested across the country. DCGI is targeting to increase this to about two lakh by next year. DCGI also said, it would issue guidelines for regulation of clinical trials ethics committee and lay down norms for sites where clinical trials would be conducted. Currently, only 1-2 per cent of the global clinical trials are done in India as opposed to the US, which takes up more than 50 per cent trials.

Overseas inspection

Biz Bytes
CHENNAI | ICICI, KINGFISHER
Launch MasterCard
ICICI Bank and Kingfisher Airlines have announced the launch of the ICICI Bank Kingfisher Airlines MasterCard Credit Card. The card is powered by rewarding miles programme coupled with exclusive travel and lifestyle privileges for discerning customers. Some key benefits of the card include accelerated miles earning for all card spends, bonus miles on joining and renewal, complimentary upgrade vouchers, complimentary membership of King Club, Kingfisher Airlines frequent flyer programme, special offers on shopping, golfing, dining and more. The miles earned can be redeemed for free flight tickets and upgrade vouchers with Kingfisher Airlines.

NEW DELHI | BHARTI AIRTEL

Picks IBM to manage African IT ops
Bharti Airtel has selected global technology giant IBM to manage computing technology and services for its African business under a 10-year planned agreement. The strategic partnership will enable the telecom operator to scale up its network and systems to cater to more than 100 million African customers by 2012, according to a company statement on Friday. There are huge opportunities throughout Africa to transform how people communicate and how communities interact. Delivering on that opportunity through affordable mobile communications for everyone is our focus, Bharti Airtel Chairman and MD Sunil Bharti Mittal said.

CHENNAI | INDIA MAX FUND

Buys 4.4% stake in Essar Shipping
Fund house India Max Investment Fund on Friday picked up a 4.44 per cent stake in Essar Shipping Ports & Logistics for `306.79 crore through an open market deal. As per the bulk deal data available with the NSE, India Max Investment Fund bought 2,73,92,130 shares (representing 4.44 per cent stake) at a price of `112 per piece, aggregating `306.79 crore. Meanwhile, Essar Steel Minnesota, the US based-arm of Essar Group, has tied-up $1 billion to fund its expansion plans. The financial closure for the $1 billion investment proposed till August 2012 had been achieved recently, Essar Steel CEO Malay Mukherjee said in Kolkata on Friday.

IndianOils Director (Refineries) B N Bankapur (2nd from right) receiving the national award for prevention of pollution from Minister of Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh at a function held on the occasion of the International Day for Preservation of Ozone Layer in New Delhi on Thursday. IndianOils Bongaigaon Refinery is the countrys first oil refinery to get this award

14

Parking ticket
Nicholas Rappold, 21, who had died in his car was issued a parking ticket

An alleged threat to Pope Benedict XVI led to the arrests of five men in London on Friday on day 2 of the pontiffs trip to UK. The men were detained under the Terrorism Act

world

Churchills estate said that it has launched its own iPhone app and will use social media to bring Churchills wit and wisdom to a wider audience. Churchillisms will charge its users 1.19
your saturday newspaper

The New Indian Express I Saturday, September 18, 2010 I Chennai

PARROT HELPS DRUG DEALERS FLEE, HELD

New York: In a bizarre incident, a parrot has been arrested by the Columbian police for allegedly helping drug dealers escape during a raid. According to Columbian newspaper El Heraldo, the incident took place when 300 police officers raided a hideout used by alleged drug dealers in the city of Barranquilla. However, everyone managed to escape from the house as the parrot, named Lorenzo, raised an alert by saying, Run, run or the cat will get you! Lorenzo, who had been trained to alert residents upon the arrival of the police, was taken into custody and handed over to an animal rights organisation. While the bird was being taken away, it kept saying, Run, run! PTI

ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION
DYNAMITES WHICH WENT OFF WERE STORED NEAR A POLICE STATION THE BLAST REDUCED THE POLICE STATION TO RUBBLE THE EXPLOSIVES WERE MEANT FOR A ROAD PROJECT BY A CHINESE FIRM THE BLAST SITE WAS EARLIER A STRONGHOLD OF THE LTTE

COMMERCIAL SPACECRAFT IN 10 YEARS

Payload Bay Hydregon Tank

27 killed in Lanka blast

It was unclear what triggered the explosion of containers filled with explosives; govt officials ruled out any possibility of sabotage
Associated Press Colombo, September 17 THREE containers filled with explosives meant for road construction detonated on Friday outside a police station in eastern Sri Lanka, killing 25 people, most of them police officers, in a blast government officials called an accident. Military spokesman Maj Gen Ubaya Medawala said he initially feared, incorrectly, that the death toll was as high as 60, in light of the enormity of the damage caused by the blast. Images of the blast on Maharaja Television showed the police station reduced to rubble. A nearby agriculture office crowded with farmers who had come to buy fertilizer was also completely destroyed and power to the area was cut off. There was a big blast and smoke all over, thats all. I didnt know what was happening, said S Vathany, 42, a farmer. Medawala said it was unclear what triggered the explosion of the containers, which were stored by the police station in the Batticaloa district for safety reasons. The explosives, probably dynamite, were intended for blasting out rocks for a road construction project being carried out by a Chinese company, he said. From time to time, workers came to the police premises remove small amounts of explosives from the containers. The blast occurred when the workers were taking out some of the explosives, Medawala said. The blast killed 16 policemen and nine civilians including two Chinese citizens and wounded 52 others, he said. Among the civilian casualties were farmers visiting the agriculture office and passers by. Thyagendra Senthuran, a doctor at Chenkalady hospital near the blast site, said he has received 15 dead bodies and 20 wounded people, many with severe head wounds. Lakshman Hulugalla, a government spokesman, ruled out any possibility of Canard Foreplans

Auxiliary Propellant Tankage Oxygen Tank Payload Container Sabre Engine

52 WOUNDED
16 policemen, two Chinese among victims
The blast killed 16 policemen and nine civilians including two Chinese citizens and wounded 52 others. Among the civilian casualties were farmers visiting the agriculture office and passers by. The site of the blast, Karadiyanaru, is a small town in the former conflict zone in the east. The area was once controlled by the now-defeated LTTE rebels, who carried out hundreds of bombings against govt and civilian targets
sabotage, saying, It is an accidental explosion. The site of the blast, Karadiyanaru, is a small town in the former conflict zone in the east. The government has initiated a major construction drive there to build roads, reservoirs and other infrastructure following the end of the war with the Tamil Tigers.

Around the world

REACTION ENGINES

Mark Chapman and John Lennon

Chapman explains why he murdered Lenon

New York: John Lennons killer, Mark David Chapman, has said that he shot the musician because he wanted to be somebody. He told the parole board that his motivation was instant notoriety but that he now realises he made a horrible decision to end another human beings life for reasons of selfishness.He also said that he had considered shooting Johnny Carson or Elizabeth Taylor TELEGRAPH

Skylon, a pilotless plane will be able to carry tourists from the Earth to space The spaceplane conceptualised by British engineers at Reaction Engines will cost a whopping 700 million The craft will be able to take off from an ordinary airport runway

The plane has no external rockets

Its two engines use hydrogen and oxygen to propel it more than 18 miles into space

Length

270

Seating Cost for one capacity 24 trip - 6.3 feet passengers million

AFGHAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Voters uneasy as poll violence fears loom

Due to security threats, the EC shut down 938 polling stations in sensitive areas
Shawan Sen Kabul, September 17 COME Saturday Afghanistan goes to vote for the 249 seats in the lower house of the Parliament (Wolesi Jirga) with more than 2,000 candidates contesting from 34 provinces. In the countrys second parliamentary election since the Taliban regime was overthrown in 2001, around 10.5 million voters are expected to vote at almost 6,000 polling centres. Despite the Afghanistan Independent Election Commissions assurance, security still remains a major concern among the voters and the election observers. The Taliban and the other insurgent groups like Hizb-i-Islami have already warned the people to stay away from the elections. Following the security mapping, the election commission decided to shut down 938 polling centres in sensitive provinces. With increasing pressure from the international community, President Hamid Karzais office in a statement said, Afghan security forces are completely prepared to secure the election and the polling centres. In this election, NATO and US troops will have a backseat role but will have quick relation forces on standby. Facing the brunt of deteriorating security conditions are the candidates who were forced to clamp down on their campaigning. According to Free and Fair Election Foundation of Af-

Manabu Oshio

Japanese former actor jailed over womans death

Tokyo: A Japanese court on Friday sentenced former actor Manabu Oshio to 30 months in prison for failing to get immediate medical help for a woman who fell ill and died after they took illegal drugs together TELEGRAPH

US Senate panel approves nuclear treaty with Russia

Washington: A US Senate panel approved a landmark nuclear arms control treaty with Russia on Thursday. The panel voted 14-4 to approve the new Start treaty, to reduce deployed nuclear warheads by about 30 per cent TELEGRAPH

AP

Sri Lankan police officers inspect the site of an explosion at a police station in Karadiyanaru, a small town in the former conflict zone in eastern Sri Lanka on Friday

A TV grab of the fake voter registeration cards printed in Pakistan

ghanistan, the majority of threats against individual candidates reported to them were against women, including at least 40 incidents of threatening letters or phone calls in 10 provinces. Many of these incidents include threats of violence if the woman does not withdraw her candidacy. Apart from security, the other major concern has been the possibilities of fraud. After the fraud-marred Presidential elections in 2009, this election is being considered as a test of whether President Karzais government can conduct a free and fair election. AlJazeera has reported that fake cards were being sold across the country for just over 300 Pak rupees and were being printed in Peshawar.

Gas stations, schools and markets in Karachi closed as news of Farooqs death spread

ENCOURAGED BY MOTHER, 2-YR-OLD SMOKES JOINT

Prachanda withdraws from PM race in Nepal

Kathmandu: The head of Nepals opposition Maoists, Pushpa Kamal Dahal or Prachanda, withdrew Friday from the race to become PM to pave the way for fresh talks on forming a national consensus government AFP

MQM leader killed in London, Pak tense

Associated Press Karachi, September 17 GANGS torched vehicles and a shop in Pakistans largest city on Friday after a senior politician from the local ruling party was stabbed to death in London. Gas stations, schools and markets in Karachi were closed and no public transport was running as news of the stabbing of Imran Farooq spread. Farooq was a member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, one of Pakistans major parties and the largest in the coalition governing Karachi. The slaying could have implications for national political stability, especially if the MQM accuses its rivals of being involved. On Friday, an MQM leader said the party thought Farooq, 50, was killed in response to controversial statements made by the party leader, who himself lives in selfimposed exile in London. Londons Metropolitan Police said no arrests had been made and did not speculate on the motive. Farooqs body was found in north London on Thursday with multiple stab wounds and head wounds. In a statement, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the killing. We have suspended all party activities for 10 days to mourn Imran Farooqs tragic death, said its deputy chief, Farooq Sattar. On Friday, more than a dozen people broke into a plastics shop and set it on fire near the MQM headquarters, witnesses said. Elsewhere, youths blocked the main road and torched two buses, said Asif Khan, an area resident

Seattle cartoonist goes into hiding on FBI advice

Seattle: A Seattle cartoonist, Molly Norris, who became the target of a death threat with a satirical piece called Everybody Draw Mohammed Day has gone into hiding on the advice of the FBI AP

The 2-yr-olds face was blurred to protect her identity

Los Angeles: Police have released a video of a two-year-old girl smoking what appears to be cannabis. The video was allegedly recorded by the girls own mother on a mobile phone in a living room in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jessica Gamble, 21, is accused of giving the drug to her daughter while they were watching television at home in June. Miss Gamble can allegedly be heard in the background giving instructions to the child and laughing. The American mother has been charged with child endangerment, corrupting another person with drugs, and tampering with evidence. She faces up to 11 years in jail if convicted. She is said to have recorded her daughter then sent it to someone else who alerted authorities.Prosecutor Joseph Deters said, It is unbelievable to watch on video a mother teaching her two-year-old child how to smoke a joint. TELEGRAPH

TALIBAN KIDNAP CANDIDATE

Agence France-Presse Kabul, September 17 THE Taliban kidnapped an Afghan parliamentary candidate on Friday and were blamed for snatching another 18 election workers, as President Hamid Karzai warned of irregularities in the weekend poll. The Taliban claimed responsibility for abducting Abdul Rahman Hayat, a candidate from eastern Lagman province, and an electoral official also blamed the other kidnappings on the Taliban, who have already killed three candidates. We have kidnapped Hayatullah Hayat, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. The insurgents were also blamed for the kidnapping Thursday of 18 electoral officials and campaign workers in northwestern Baghdis province. In Afghanistan under the circumstances we must expect that therell be irregularities, therell be problems and therell be allegations as well, Hamid Karzai told reporters at his palace in Kabul. Karzai, re-elected to a second term last year amid massive fraud that was mostly in his favour, urged all Afghans to vote, including those Taliban who are the sons of this country. We should try to do our best under the circumstances and make the elections a success as things are today. Therefore, its important that the Afghan people come out and vote and have trust in their vote.

Pentagon to funnel arms to Yemen to fight al-Qaeda

Washington: The Pentagon has proposed a $1.2 billion (778m) military aid package to Yemen for its battle against al-Qaeda, sparking a warning that the extra resources would be used in the countrys civil wars AP

Book claims plot to oust Bruni from Elysee Palace

Paris: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was the target of a plot by Rachida Dati, a rival and former minister, to oust the Bruni from the Elyse Palace and to bring back President Sarkozys second wife, an official biography, Carla and the Ambitious has claimed TELEGRAPH

We have suspended all party activities for 10 days to mourn Imran Farooqs tragic death
FAROOQ SATTAR Deputy Chief

Vignettes
WATER WAR KILLS 100 IN PAK TRIBAL AREAS
Peshawar: At least 48 people were killed and 22 others injured today in armed clashes between two rival groups over the distribution of water in Pakistans restive tribal belt, taking the death toll in three weeks of fighting to more than 100. Fresh clashes erupted between members of the Shalozan and Shalozan Tangi tribes in Kurram Agency, local sources said. The rival groups used heavy and sophisticated weapons to target each others positions and burnt dozens of houses in four villages. The clashes over the allocation of irrigation water began three weeks ago PTI

Volunteers attempt to break the Guinness World Record for human-mattress dominoes on the deck of the USS Intrepid, during the production of the morning show, Live! with Regis and Kelly in New York on Thursday
-AP

YOUNG KILLER Peruvian teen admits he murdered 10 people

A 15-year-old boy in Peru has confessed to killing 10 people, including a pregnant woman, in the past three years, local media reported. The boy, nicknamed Gringacho, surrendered before the authorities and said he was recruited by a criminal network in the city of Trujillo, 570 km north of Lima, when he was just 12. He told police officials that over the past three years he had killed a total of 10 people, including a young woman who was eight months pregnant. Gringacho asked authorities to place him in a youth prison in Trujillo. Trujillo is home to Perus most dangerous and violent criminal groups indulging in extortion and targeted killings.

BABY BOOMERS Malaysia opens first school for pregnant teens

Malaysias first school for pregnant teenagers opened on Friday but the controversial facility, aimed at curbing an epidemic of baby dumping, has yet to sign up a single student. Conservative commentators in Malaysia have complained that Sekolah Harapan or School of Hope will only encourage premarital sex. But its chairman Rahaman Karim defended it as a practical strategy to combat the rising numbers of abandoned infants, often dumped dead or dying in the streets or on rubbish dumps. Islam and other religions offer a chance for people to repent. We give them a chance and we hope they will turn over a new leaf, he said.

ROGUE HEALTHCARE South African hospital charged with organ trafficking

A major S African hospital chain and its chief executive have been charged after years of investigation into a human organ trafficking case that stretched from Israel to S Africa to Brazil. Police spokesman Vish Naidoo said 11 suspects were ordered to appear in court in November. He refused to name them, but the board of directors of the Netcare hospital said in a statement that the parent company, its CEO, Dr Richard Friedland, and subsidiary in the province of KwaZulu-Natal received subpoenas. The board has been advised that the allegations made are unjustified and that neither Netcare nor Dr Friedland are guilty of any wrongdoing, the statement said.

The New Indian Express | Saturday, September 18, 2010 | Chennai

15

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ADVT. No. DST / 02 / 2010-Rectt
Applications are invited for lling up of two posts of Hardware Engineer [Rs 37,400-67,400 (PB-4) (Grade Pay Rs. 8,700)] and two posts of System Analyst [Rs. 9300-34800/- (PB-2) (Grade Pay Rs. 4800/-)] on deputation basis in National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), Department of Science and Technology. For the application format and details of qualications, experience, age limit & other requirements etc. visit our website www.dst.gov.in. (LATHA GOPAKUMAR) UNDER SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA
davp 36101/11/0009/1011 MO/G/8210

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ADVT. NO. DST / 01 / 2010 - Rectt.
Applications are invited from Indian citizens for lling up of one post of Scientist 'D' (Rs. 15600-39100 (Grade Pay- Rs. 7600/-) by direct recruitment on contract and co-terminus basis (till March 31, 2012) in the Innovative Cluster Scheme in National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Board (NSTEB), Department of Science & Technology. For application format and details of qualications, experience, age limit & other requirements etc. visit our website www.dst.gov.in. (LATHA GOPAKUMAR) UNDER SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA
davp 36101/11/0011/1011 MO/G/8209

Tele: 23793316

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA INTEGRATED HEADQUARTERS OF MOD (ARMY) DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF ORDNANCE SERVICES
(PROCUREMENT DIVISION), ROOM NO.175, 'B' BLOCK NEW DELHI-110011.

A/94654/DGOS/DDG(PROC)/2010-11/(22) Date: 06-09-2010 By separate Tender Enquiry for each item, Sealed Tenders are invited by Directorate General of Ordnance Services for and on behalf of the President of India for supply of the following stores: S.No., Tender Enquiry No., Description of store, Qty., Cost of Tender Set, Date of Tender Opening: 1. 40011/TPC/OS/CV/TE-21(RTE), LV1/R-72 229-03-01 Sb Air Cylinder (Applicable to KMT-6), Available with CQA(EE) Aundh Camp, Pune, 68 Nos, Rs 100/-, 06-10-10. 2. 40011/TPC/OS/CV/TE-27(RTE), LV3/ ICVs Sb-20-12-01-13 Oil Pump (Applicable to ICV BMP I&II UTD-20), Available with CQA (HV) Avadi, 459 Nos, Rs 500/-, 06-10-10. 3. 40011/TPC/OS/CV/TE-64, LV1/R72 172-50-003 Sb-B Disc with Hub (Applicable to T-72 VT-72B WZT-3), Available with CQA (HV) Avadi, 737 Nos, Rs 1,000/-, 06-10-10. Tender Notice No. A/94654/DGOS/DDG(PROC)/2010-ll/(21) dated 01-09-2010 for item (Integrated Test Equipment) appearing at Sr No. 3 which is due on 20 Sep 2010 is rescheduled and will now open on 12 Oct 2010. Intending tenderers may obtain the Tender Set either from the Procurement Division, MGOs Branch, Room No. 175, B' Block, DHQ P New Delhi-11 (Opposite South Block) or from COD, Kandivilli, .O., Mumbai./ OD, Alipore, Kolkata./ OD, Chennai./ 223 ABOD Suranassi, Jalandhar and COD, Kanpur on all working days between 1000 Hrs & 1300 Hrs, against crossed demand draft/IPO for the amount mentioned against respective tenders. If requisitioned by post, cost of DD/IPO should include Rs. 15/-(Rupees Fifteen only) extra towards postal charges. DD/IPO should be payable to CDA HQRS, NEW DELHI. If tenders are purchased from Depots, DD /IPO should be payable to the CDA of the area concerned. DD should be valid for minimum 6 months period. FURTHER DETAILS OF EACH TENDER ENQUIRY, SPECIFICATIONS ETC. VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.tenders.gov.in Sd/- DIR OS (Proc) for Director General of Ordnance Services
davp 10202/11/0151/1011 MO/G/8215

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS | SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 | 2010 | CHENNAI |

16

REDBACKS ENTER SEMIFINALS

Klinger, Harris star in victory vs Bangalore
SCOREBOARD
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE R B 4s 6s
Pandey c Harris b Tait 4 5 1 0 Dravid c Manou b OBrien 4 27 11 0 Uthappa c Ferguson b Putland 0 2 0 0 Taylor c Manou b Tait 46 28 8 1 White c Putland b Christian 25 29 1 0 Kohli c Tait b Bailey 3 7 0 0 D du Preez c Harris b Christian 46 25 1 4 Praveen b Putland 6 3 0 1 Vinay c Borgas b Christian 6 7 0 0 Steyn b Christian 0 1 0 0 Kumble (not out) 1 1 0 0 Extras (lb-2, w-11) 13 Total (all out; 19.5 overs) 154 Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-7, 3-53, 4-69, 5-76, 6-134, 7-140, 8-152, 9-153. Bowling: Tait 4-0-23-2; Putland 4-0-37-2, OBrien 4-028-1,Christian 3.5-0-23-4, Bailey 3-0-29-1, Harris 1-012-0.

Upbeat CSK take on Victoria

Port Elizabeth: On a roll after two consecutive wins, IPL champions Chennai Super Kings face their toughest test yet when they take on Australian side Victoria Bushrangers in their third Group A match of the Champions League Twenty20 here on Saturday . Chennai have been on a roll so far in the tournament with big wins over Central Districts and Wayamba Elevens but repeating the dominating performance against David Husseys Victoria would not be all that easy for Mahendra Singh Dhonis men. Batting is Chennais strength and this was evident in the way they attacked Wayambas bowling to pile up 200 runs in their previous match. Murali Vijay Matth, ew Hayden and Suresh Raina were indestructive form against Wayamba and would be looking to continue from where they left.

FIXING UPDATE
SCOTLAND YARD SUBMITS EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTORS
London: Scotland Yard on Friday handed evidence on the spot-fixing scandal to Crown Prosecution Service and left it to the prosecutors whether to frame charges on Pakistani cricketers alleged to have been involved in it. Scotland Yard said evidence that there was a conspiracy to defraud bookmakers will now be considered by the CPS. The Metropolitan Police Service has delivered an initial file of evidence relating to conspiracy to defraud bookmakers to the CPS, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said. The file will now be subject to CPS consideration. This is an initial file and the Met investigation continues.

Michael Klinger

Bookie sent me expensive gifts, informed BCCI: Irfan

New Delhi: The corruption scandal that has rocked international cricket is finding an echo in India as well with out-of-favour pacer Irfan Pathan on Friday claiming that he was sent expensive gifts by a stranger, suspected to be a bookie, during a series. Although he did not disclose when exactly the incident happened and which team he was playing against at that time, Pathan said expensive gifts were sent to his hotel room during the series and he reported the matter to the team manager. I was in a team hotel when a stranger approached me. He sent three expensive gifts to my room. He later sent me two more expensive gifts, things I couldnt afford, the 25-year-old, whose last Test appearance for India was in April 2008 against South Africa, said. I thought it was wrong as I didnt know this person. I reported to the team manager who then alerted the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit Officer, he recalled.The pacer, whose career has been hit by injuries and a slump in form, was last seen in an ODI for India in 2009 against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Pathan said he never saw the stranger again and is proud to have reported the matter to the concerned authorities promptly .

ICC SLAMS UMPIRE HILL OVER NO-BALL COMMENT

Wellington: The ICC has rebuked New Zealand umpire Tony Hill for publicly airing his belief that Pakistan players deliberately bowled no-balls, a report said on Friday. Hill told Wellingtons Dominion Post this week that he suspected Pakistan bowlers sent down noballs on purpose against England last month but did not link the tactic to corruption.

Durban, September 17 MICHAEL Klingers unbeaten 69 (9x4, 1x6) and a gritty knock of 57 by Daniel Harris (7x4, 2x6) helped South Australia Redbacks to post a convincing 8-wkt victory over Royal Challenger Bangalore in a Group B match of the Champions League Twenty20 cricket tournament on Friday Chasing a target . of 154, the Aussie outfit got home with nine balls to spare. The team entered the semifinals. Earlier, Dillon du Preez and Ross Taylor scored an identical 46 to help Royal Challengers Bangalore overcome a mid-innings slump and post 154. Taylor, who cracked eight fours and a huge six during his 28-

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
DJ Harris run out (Kohli) 57 38 7 2 M Klinger* not out 69 57 9 1 GA Manou b Kumble 0 3 0 0 CJ Ferguson not out 21 14 2 0 Extras (lb-5, w-2, nb-1) 8 Total (2 wickets; 18.3 overs) 155 Fall of wickets: 1-124, 2-125 Bowling: P Kumar 4-0-28-0; Steyn 4-0-38-0; D du Preez 3-0-26-0; Kumble 4-0-25-1; Vinay Kumar 3.3-033-0

ball stay steadied the RCB innings , in middle overs while Preez capitalised on his home condition when the team was struggling at 76 for five in 10.5 overs. Preez struck one four and four sixes during his 25ball innings and with Cameron White (25) produced a crucial 58run partnership to pull the team out of the pit. RCB was folded for 154 in 19.5 overs, with Daniel Christian scalping four late wickets for 23 runs. Earlier, South Australia had made the Bangalore batsmens life miserable on a slightly slow Kingsmead pitch. Opting to bat, the Bangalore team were off to a wobbly start as they lost two wickets in the first

couple of overs. Paceman Shaun Tait struck in the fifth ball of the match by removing Manish Pandey (4) cheaply . Pandey cracked a four off the fifth delivery off Tait but the fast bowler took revenge in the next ball when the batsman failed to tackle a rising delivery and Daniel Harris pouched a well-judged catch. Medium pacer Gary Putland then inflicted the second lossby dismissing Robin Uthappa, who could not contribute anything, in the second delivery of the next over. Uthappa chased a ball outside off stump and cracked a slightly uppish drive but Callum Ferguson dived at cover-point region to lay hand on the fence-bound ball.

ALL PAKISTAN-ENG TESTS WERE FIXED, SAYS BOOKIE

Karachi: An unidentified bookmaker, who appeared on a television show and claimed that all the Tests between Pakistan and England last month were fixed. The bookmaker, whose face was hidden, appeared in a talk show and claimed that there are two yet-tobe-caught players present in the Pakistan team who had been involved in match-fixing in the past.

Brazil win opening day singles matches, take 2-0 lead vs India in World Group playoff

PHOTOS: P JAWAHAR

Ashok Venugopal | ENS Chennai, September 17

Brazil

Advantage

INDIAS No 1 singles player Somdev Devvarman on whom the Indian camp had pinned there hopes to open account lost 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 4-6 to the higher ranked Ricardo Mello of Brazil in the second singles match of the Davis Cup that went late into the night at the Nungambakkam tennis stadium. Earlier, Thomaz Bellucci had defeated Rohan Bopanna 6-7 (2), 7-6 (7), 7-5, 4-6, 10-8, that lasted four and half hours, to give Brazil a 1-0 lead. The fifth set began interestingly after both Mello and Somdev had taken two sets each. Somdev started off well sending down winners and overall his aggro

TWO 5-SETTERS, TWO LOSSES: Mello beats Somdev after Bopanna goes down fighting to Bellucci

was intact. Both matched each other and so was the score that read three games each. When it looked like this set too would go to the tie-breaker, Mello tightened his grip and played aggressively At times his pulsating serves and . angled returns put Somdev in trouble. After trading breaks Mello broke Somdev in the ninth game to come within

sight of a win. Somdev after holding on to his serve well for a while fumbled in the later part. His returns were off target and he failed to put pressure on Mello. In fact in the 10th game Mello went all out to take a 40-0 lead and victory was only a matter of time. In the first singles match, Bopanna muffed a golden chance to put India in the lead. From a position of strength he committed errors when it mattered most and lost to Bellucci. A cool Bellucci capitalised on Bopannas faulty returns and poor serve to earn a hard fought win. In fact in the fifth set, he saved three match points to help Brazil take a 1-0 lead. Bopanna did show that he had the better staying power by winning the fourth set after losing two in a row to make it 2-sets all. In fact, this excellent rally to even scores gave him the much needed confidence and start the final set with a bang but he paid the price for not tightening his game. It was a see-saw battle for most part of the match as both committed identical errors in turns. Full marks to Bopanna for keeping the world no 27 on his toes, but Bellucci showcased t r e -

mendous resilience and proved that there was no substitute for experience by playing the big points better. In the first set, Bopanna began with control. He served well and played some attractive shots as none could get a break point. In the tie-breaker Bellucci double faulted twice and this served Bopannas cause. The second set saw both trading breaks early, then in the tie-breaker, both served well until Bellucci deft placing made him go up 9-7 and it was one set each. Bellucci confidence went up as he won the third without being stretched. Egged on by the fans and the entire Indian team Bopanna won the fourth set effortlessly as his returns had improved by then. He broke Bellucci in the 10th game to draw parity . India will look to Paes and Bhupathi to open account as they take on Soares and Marcello in the doubles.

HOT STUFF
After setting the Irungattukottai racetrack on fire, 2008 F1 champion Lewis Hamilton says he is looking forward to driving in the 2011 Indian Grand Prix
Sandip G | ENS Chennai, September 17 LEWIS Hamilton knows he cannot afford another DNF against his name if he is to be crowned the world champion this season. More alarming is that the 2008 champions first-lap crash in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza was the second occasion in the last three races he had failed to see the chequered flag, sandwiching his victory in Belgium on tricky conditions. The McLaren driver now heads into the final five Grand Prix of a five-way battle for the title trailing the championship leader Mark Webber by five points. But composed as he always had been, on and off, the track is buoyed to go the full stretch. Excerpts from his interaction with the media at Irungattukottai on Friday ... On the current F1 season It has been a fantastic and close season with no racer managing a sizeable lead. Any one of the first five can actually win the championship. It could have been better for me no doubt. I should have been leading by a healthy margin. But then I love challenges and Im geared up for the next five races. On F1s hectic schedule It has been an incredibly long season. Our training started last December and we started racing in February Not it . is September, and there are another five races to go. And then after a short break we would start training all over again. On his collision with Massa I would have averted the incident nine out of ten times. But sometimes it happens. You are driving your car well over 300 km per hour, and you have to make split second decisions. So a slight error of judgement could prove costly Thats what hap. pened in Monza, but Ive put that behind and Im looking ahead to the next five races. You absorb that information, put the bad experience to one side, and use the benefits and just move on. But Im happy Jenson did a good job, and we are in good spot on the championship table. On his chemistry with Button We are very supportive of each other and are good friends. But obviously on the track, he wants to beat me and I want beat him. Having a driver of his quality as your teammate helps a lot. Winning a Formula One championship is not just about good machines but also good teamwork. It is not necessary that the best driver wins the race. On racing with Schumacher Its great for the sport to have a legend like him back on the track. Its been tough for him, having stayed out of the circuit for a few years to make a comeback. But still hes done a good job. Whenever I see him on the track, I exclaim with a hint of disbelief, Oh Im racing alongside Michael Schumacher, the legend. On Karun Chandhok He is talented and young, and would get better as the season progresses. If you are at the top its hard to stay there. So somewhere down the line he should get a better car, and he would finish better. Him making into the top grid is a great spurt for racing in the country There . will be more and more youngsters who would aspire to be a Karun Chandhok or a Narain Karthikeyan. On the Indian GP It would be an interesting addition to our calendar and we are looking forward to it. Im sure it would be a spectacular event, and Ive heard that the track is ahead of time. With the support it is getting from the public, India is ready for hosting it. The sport is catching up in India with an Indian owning a Formula One team (Vijay Mallya) and another one driving a Formula One car (Karun Chandhok).

Brazils Thomaz Bellucci during his match against Rohan Bopanna

PHOTOS: D SAMPATH KUMAR

QURESHI GAME FOR MATCH AGAINST PARTNER BOPANNA

Karachi: Pakistani tennis player Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, whose partnership with Indian Rohan Bopanna has become a global talking point after the duos runners-up finish at the US Open, said he would not mind playing against his good friend in exhibition matches to raise funds for the flood victims here. Pakistani people have seen so much misery and problems in recent times. If these matches are on I am definitely game for it, he said.

Bopanna rues lack of singles practice

Sandip G I ENS Chennai, September 17 FINALLY, only the verdict matters. Not the scoreline. So despite having stretched a player 452 rungs above him to five sets, Bopannas loss would go down as a loss. The intensity that marked the game eventually goes unnoticed. Nonetheless, it was a phenomenal effort from Bopanna, ranked 479, pitted against world number 27, Thomaz Belluci. Among the many ifs and buts that would continue to torment would be a regret that he couldnt get enough singles matches under his belt ahead of the tie. The lack of playing singles matches made the differend passes to win it. Perhaps it could have changed the match if I had won. But he came up with some big shots, Bopanna said. A silver-lining though was the courage and endurance he exhibited throughout the match, even when his opponent was venturing for the kill. The good part is that I was servi ng and kept the momentum going. I came back in the fifth set by breaking him back in the second game. But close to the fifth set, I was getting physically tired. I guess I wasnt ready to play for fourand-a-half hours. So, it was not as if I wasted the chances in the fifth set when I was leading 5-2. he said. So sapping was the four-hour-eight-minute duel that Bellucci admitted his mind was blank in the fifth set. I was very tired and the mind was not responding. It was a tough match. He was serving well and hitting his forehand hard. I am playing him for the first time and he was at his best. Rohan was way down on rankings but in Davis Cup rankings do not matter much, said the Brazilian.

PAK GOVT TO HONOUR BOPANNA WITH AWARD

Lahore: After cricket, now its Tennis that omits some distances between the countries. Pakistan government announced that the country will honour Indian tennis player, Rohan Bopanna along with his Pakistani partner Aisam-ulHaq Qureshi for their performance in US Open. Governor Salmaan Taseer informed, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari have consented to my proposal and both players will soon be rewarded for their feat.

nce. There was definitely a chance but lack of singles for past years made the difference. I made him play as much as I could but he came up with some big shots at crucial stages, he said. Bopanna rues conceding the second set, which he was leading 5-2 in tie-breaker. In the second set tie-break I won three winners. But at 6-4, Bellucci had tremendous backha-

C d B t e 2 t s s c h a u m

I am obviously disappointed, but both matches could have gone the other way. I led 2-1 after three highly physical sets, but had a shocking fourth set that I lost. This is something I need to work on. I guess it comes with experience to press on when you are ahead. Somdev Devvarman

 THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 | 2010 | CHENNAI | 17

CommonwealthGamescountdown 2010
OCT 3-14

GO 15 DAYS TO

INDIAN CYCLISTS RETURN TO CWG AFTER 32-YEAR HIATUS IN PURSUIT OF 1ST EVER MEDAL
Sandip G | ENS Chennai, September 17 A cycle is perhaps the most commonplace means of transportation you can find in India. But cycling as a sport has hardly taken off in India and 78 years after the countrys first cyclist rode in a CWG, India still struggle to unearth a world-class cyclist. But this is an opportunity for the sport to pave its way back. In fact, India make their return to cycling after a 32-year hiatus, the last cyclist to feature in CWG being Avtar Singh Dogra in the 1978 Edmonton edition. India would field its biggest-ever contingent27in an international event, but their medal hopes are bleak, competing against the likes of Australia, England, New Zealand and Canada, who have bagged 129 of the possible 139 medals so far in the Games. England have a formidable squad with the likes of world-class cyclists such as Lizzie Armitstead, Alex Dowsett and Ben Swift, apart from experienced riders Jeremy Hunt, Russell Downing and Olympic medallist Emma Pooley Like. wise, arch-rivals Australias squad comprise reigning Commonwealth Games champion Anna Meares, defending mens road race champion Mathew Hayman, world junior 3000m record holder Dale Parker, besides world champions Ashlee Ankudinoff, Kaarle McCulloch (team sprint), Josephine Tomic, Jack Bobridge, Michael Hepburn (teams pursuit), and Cameron Meyer (teams pursuit, points race and madison). Add to that a torrid build-up. Indian cyclists waited for months on end to import their cycles from England. The Ministry gave sanction as early as July 2009. But it was not until this August they could lay their hands on it. Cyclists also didnt get other basic equipments like

PEDAL
to medal
tubulars, helmets and one- piece suits on time. Meanwhile, two top cyclistsSomvir and Vinod Malik contracted dengue. But as there wasnt any doctor in the squad, they took more the usual time to recover. The Manipuri duo of Bikram Singh and Rameshwari Devi would lead the charge and CFI is even expecting a medal from Bikram, who clinched a bronze in an Asianlevel championship in Japan three months ago. Bikram is now in good form, he has done well in Japan and I think we can expect a medal from him. Besides, we have practised intensely in Australia for a month, said CFI sports manager Dipender Singh Rathore. The Indian cyclists have been sweating out with their Australia coach Australian coach Graham Seers and head coach Chayan Chowdhury for nearly a fortnight. So Rathore opined that the delay in procuring foreign equipments hasnt hampered their preparations. Surprisingly Maniton Singh, the fastest Indian in last , months Delhi Cyclothon international race with a timing of 2:08.02 seconds, was overlooked. But Rathore maintains that the selection has been purely on basis of their performance in camp. We have picked the best cyclists in the country he said. But is the best enough?

VENUE

EXTRAS
BHULLAR, ASHOK SHARE LEAD IN DLF MASTERS Gurgaon: Caddie-turned-pro Ashok Kumar fired his best card of the year, a seven-under 65 to share the lead with defending champ Gaganjeet Bhullar, who turned in a five-under 67, in the DLF Masters golf tournament on Friday. INDIA START WITH WIN IN VOLLEYBALL CSHIP Kolkata: Title holders India overcame a late challenge from Kazakhstan before pulling off a 3-0 win in their opening match of the third Asian Senior Mens Volleyball Championship (Central Zone) here on Friday. India took 82 minutes to prevail over Kazakhstan 25-18, 25-12, 25-22. SANIA CRASHES OUT OF GUANGZHOU OPEN Guangzhou: Indias Sania Mirza went down fighting to local favourite Zhang Shuai 4-6, 6-1, 4-6 in the quarterfinals to crash out of the Guangzhou International Womens Open. The unseeded Indian had shocked third seed Akgul Amanmuradova 6-4 6-3 in her previous encounter. AICF PUTS 12-YEAR CAP ON PRESIDENTS TENURE Chennai: The All India Chess Federation amended its constitution at the Special General Body held to be in tune with government guidelines. The AICF passed the resolution that the president shall hold office for a maximum period of 12 years with or without break. ANDERSON, BRESNAN PUT BRAKES ON PAK London: James Anderson produced figures of 3-26 from ten overs as Pakistan were bowled out for 241 in the first innings of the third ODI at the Oval on Friday. Anderson conceded just one boundary in his stint dismissing Mohammad Hafeez in his first over before adding the wickets of Mohammad Yousuf and Saeed Ajmal. Tim Bresnan also took three wickets. BRIEF SCORES: Pakistan 241 all out in 49.4 overs (Fawad Alam 64, Asad Shafiq 40, James Anderson 3/26, Bresnan 3/51)

Indira Gandhi Sports Complex

Cycling was first included in the CWG Programme in 1934 in London with seven countries participating. Delhi 2010 will feature 14 track events, [eight for men and six for women, between Oct 5-8] and two road events [mass start (on Oct 10) and time trial (on Oct 13)] for men & women. MEDALS AT STAKE
Men 30, Women 24

Gold medals

54 18
ENTRY 3 competitors from each country per event, except for 6 competitors in the mass start road race, 4 competitors in team pursuit and 3 competitors in the road time trial. Men: Bikram Singh, Sombir, HS Prince, Amrit Singh, Gurbaj Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Rajender Bisnoi, C Rajesh, Atul Kumar, Amandeep Singh, Harpreet Singh, Sarpreet Singh, Sandeep Malik, Dayala Ram Saran, Vinod Malik, Satbir Singh, Paramjit Singh, Hetraj Singh. Women: Mahita Mohan, Rameshwari Devi, Rejini V, Y Sunita Devi, Pana Chaudhary, Sayona, Suchitra Devi, Helen, Renu Bala Devi. Coaches: Graham Seers (foreign coach), Kiran Bala and Amandeep Singh.

Cyclists allege bias in selection: A group of

Indian cyclists has alleged that selection trials were not transparent and worthy riders were ignored. Earlier, there were allegations that there was no criteria for the CWG.

We have put in intense practice in Australia for a month. Bikram is in good Chayan Chowdhury (head coach), Narender form, he has done well in Japan and I think we can expect a medal from him. Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Ruma Chattopadhyay,
DIPENDER SINGH RATHORE, sports manager, Cycling Federation of India

Hell be back for more

Sandip G | ENS Chennai, September 17 WHO says its all about the cars? The eagerness with which the citys motorsport aficionados awaited and welcomed, and celebrated Lewis Hamiltons arrival has nothing to do with double diffusers, longer wheelbases, transverse gearboxes or front-wing end plates. It was all about a young phenomenon, a distinctively cherubic boy from Stevenage. We no longer see their faces as they go about their work enveloped in fantastically complex machines, which bear a greater resemblance to fighter jets than to the average family car. Only when they take off their helmets at the end of a race do we glimpse emotion. And yet it is still the human dimension that stirs the blood, which draws spectators to the great traditional arenas of the sport and persuades millions around the world to tune in to the telecasts. There werent millions assembled at the Madras Motor Sports Track in Irungattukottai, but the half a thousand jumble of peoplefrom outright fans to organisers and journalistshad their eyes transfixed on Lewis Hamilton from the moment his chopper made its sighting, far amidst the grey sky to the moment he , bade the farewellnot more than a gentle wave of his right hand. Here was a former world championpurveying the elitist of sportscatering unassumingly to the merry crowd. First there was a shudder, as if you are experiencing the surreal. Followed a gentle eruption of joy . But no chaos. No panic. The crowd was living the moment, half awake, half dreamy . But they enlivened once Hamilton straddled into a convertible, a metallic black SL 63 AMG Mercedes, swanky one at that, and took the ten lucky winners of the Vodafone SMS contestwho had come as far as from Delhiaround the track for a lap. By his standards, at a modest speed of 130 kmph! The growl of the engine was sonorous. Such was the impact on tyres that he changed his vehicle to an off-white non-convertible. He literally burned the rubber. The tyres are still intact, er? he hollered. As if he was tired of routine laps, he gave went to antics, spinning the car at 360 degrees, often side-flipping, shrouding his vehicle in a cloud of smoke, and shredding the grass that embroidered the track. I think the grass looks better now, he joked. Having performed quite a few stunts himself in reel life, actor Vikram had the petrified look of a rabbit in flashlights when Hamilton took him around. It was scary at times, but I enjoyed it. It was fun, beamed Vikram. Hamilton was impressed by the track, and promises to come back. The track is well maintained, and I will visit the city with my girlfriend (Nicole Scherzinger). She has conveyed her regards to you, he played to the crowd. And whats complete on a

Hamilton promises to return to Chennai and when he does, it will be with girlfriend Nicole
racetrack without the popping of champagne? He did it in his customary fashion, hoping maybe to uncork another bottle in Singapore next weekend.

Chennai Police defeat Loyola College in style

Chennai: Chennai Suburban Police beat Loyola College 25-15, 25-20 in the Fresh Water Chennai District B Division League volleyballChampionship. In other matches RPF bt Agarsen College 25-8, 25-12, Times Volleyball Club got the better of Ashok Leyland 25-15, 26-24, Choolai Friends Club by Lucas TVS 25-15, 25-12, Tamil Nadu Police B made short work of Spickers Volleyball Club 25-13, 25-07 and Alpha Arts College beat Panimalar B2325, 26-24, 25-20. WI Davaram, president, Tamil Nadu Athletics Assn, inaugurated the tournament.

CITY SCAN

City karate team leaves for Japan

Krishna Sai, Krishnakumar (Velammal main) and Rajaneesh will take part in the international tournaments to be held in Okinawa (Japan) from Sept 16 to 24 and in Mankato (USA) from Sep 25 to Oct 4. The team will be led by Kodudo A S Krishnamurthy .

Hamilton with actor Vikram

DAILY STARSCOPE PETER VIDAL

18th September 2010: THE DAY TODAY - My key sign today is Cancer. What does that mean? That we can all enjoy being at home. Or, at least, we can appreciate the company of the friends and family to whom we are closest. Really, what its all about is emotional security, that feeling that we are loved. But what can we do for others? Well, we can offer them affection, kindness and protection, in turn.

LOCKHORNS

THE PHANTOM

CROSSWORD

ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr. 20) Now that Mercury is hovering on the brink of two completely different sectors of the zodiac, you may feel quite free to change your mind at will. Lively and light-hearted conditions are approaching, favouring those of you who have planned a weekend break. TAURUS (Apr. 21 - May 21) In spite of everything youve seen and heard, what occurs over the next few days is not likely to take you off guard or alter your opinions and outlook. Your steadfast and loyal qualities will come into their own as other people begin to recognise just how you have stuck by them. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Mercury is taking up a totally new relationship with your sign, so it is worth remembering that more often than not, criticisms of others may be inaccurate. You must be fair-minded: if you see the other persons point of view, then theyll be more prepared to back you in the future. CANCER (June 22 - July 23) Although partnerships are under pressure, there does not have to be a parting of the ways. You may, if you wish, maintain old friendships even while you are looking to the future and building new associations. Youre about to hit a prosperous cycle, so I hope youre happy to hear that! LEO (July 24 - Aug. 23) You may have every reason to feel undermined or betrayed after recent events. Thats quite natural. However, the moment has not yet arrived when you should gear up for a final confrontation. There is still far too much information waiting to come to light.

LIBRA (Sept. 24 - Oct. 23) Make the most of the weekend and try not to anticipate how situations at home will develop. Instead you should take life as you find it and allow family members to make their own plans. Also, if you are anxious to set the lead, do so by example. Its a matter of do as I do, not do as I say. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Mars, your special, personal ruling planet is still blessing you with its energising influence, even if it is encouraging you to be even more secretive than usual. Yet even those who thought they knew you well will soon see just how much of a go-getter and an achiever you really are. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 - Dec. 22) Planetary changes today make a firm move away from recent intense, disturbing and even distressing conditions. Very soon you will be back to your old self, bouncing along in a typically friendly mood. I blame Venus, personally! Your travel stars are also set to benefit, as it happens. CAPRICORN (Dec. 23 - Jan. 20) The situation is easing, but you know that you simply cannot let up now, just when you have made so much progress. However, you can afford to take a breather, look around and see where to go then. But what happens next is very much up to you, and there is no need to rush.

HI AND LOIS

BEETLE BAILEY

YESTERDAYS SOLUTIONS
ACROSS: 1 Cowls, 4 Library, 8 Met, 9 Inventory, 10 Address, 11 Hopes, 13 Spades, 15 Feline, 18 Ounce, 19 Clement, 21 Inanimate, 23 Etc, 24 Elapses, 25 Tasks. DOWN: 1 Compass, 2 Withdrawn, 3 Snipe, 4 Lavish, 5 Banshee, 6 Ago, 7 Yo-yos, 12 Priceless, 14 Eyelids, 16 Entices, 17 Scraps, 18 Olive, 20 Erect, 22 Ava.

ACROSS Prudence West is taking Benedictine (6) 4 Cant be fired at bosses order (8) 9 Strong ringleader and ring smashed (6) 10 Outcome of the grain harvest (6,2) 12 Even well-done steaks may be nowadays (4) 13 Trail used by a tank (5) 14 A row about it is put back (4) 17 Advance from bank to bank? (8,4) 20 Theyre the last to go to the wall (6,6) 23 A long time and a bad one (4) 24 A rather attractive sort of accent (5) 25 Hes got to go inside (4) 28 Indian rain-makers (8) 29 Work hard to complete the last part (3,3) 30 They may wilt and droop in the centres (8) 31 Leaves the broken plates (6) DOWN 1 Possibly wore drab clothes (8) 2 Out of town - and out of the country (8) 3 Deal exclusively with someone in a furious temper (4) 5 Beaming they take the cash girls change (12) 6 A nymph in the chorus (4) 7 Its very hot when its clear on the hill (6) 8 Watch for a second coming (6) 11 An original Christmas gift (12) 15 Silver down at melting point? (5) 16 Quiet Bohemian celebration (5) 18 A song about a subject one cant stand (8) 19 Practically of an equally high standard (2,4,2) 21 Sailor joins a Scotsman on the roads (6) 22 Carpenter likely to become a union member? (6) 26 Chemical gives rise to difficulties (4) 27 New deal for a depressed area (4) 1

HENRY
Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3X3 box accommodates the digits 1 to 9, without repeating any. Each sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 - Feb. 19) Deep inside you know the full score, and what action must be taken. However, even though there are people who are not yet ready to know your plans, there is now less to be gained from going it alone. Consider what is to be achieved by teaming up with like-minded VIRGO (Aug. 24 - Sept. 23) You friends. may be put on the spot. On the other hand, you are in an ideal PISCES (Feb. 20 - Mar 20) Some of position to get out of any fix that is you will spend the weekend caused either by other people or dwelling on professional ambitions, your own rather hilarious perhaps not something you mismanagement. The planetary expected to be involved in. pressure is now relaxing at work, However, emotional and romantic and youll be looking for social pressures are still too strong to distractions; Ive no doubt youll allow you to be sucked into a dull and uneventful rut. find them!

HARD SUDOKU

Solutions to Yesterdays puzzle

ALMANAC TODAY

WEATHER
INDIA Max, Min (0C) 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m Friday Max, Min, (0C) Ahmedabad 34, 26 Bangalore 27, 20 Bhopal 30, 22 Bhubaneshwar 32, 26 Chennai 33, 26 Dehra Dun 28, 20 Gangtok 20, 17 Guwahati 29, 26 Hyderabad 31, 22 Indore 31, 22 Jaipur 32, 22 Kolkata 33, 26 Lucknow 30, 24 Mumbai 31, 26 Nagpur 31, 22 New Delhi 33, 25 Patna 31, 26 Pune 30, 22 Ranchi 28, 22 Shillong 21, 15 Shimla 23, 13 Srinagar 26, 11 Thirupuram 32, 25 Vishpatnam 33, 24 Dubai 36, 30 CLR Hong Kong 32, 26 CLR Islamabad 33, 22 CLR London 18, 09 PC Melbourne 13, 06 RN Moscow 23, 10 RN New York 22, 13 CLR Paris 20, 13 RN Singapore 31, 23 PC Tokyo 23, 20 RN Washington 30, 16 CLR

SATURDAY: 18.9.2010; Year: Vikruthi Valar Pirai/ Sukla Paksham; Puratasi 2; Thithi: Egadasi till 5.03 am later Dwadasi; Nakshatram: Uthiradam till 9.05 pm later Thriuvonam; Rahukaalam: 9 am. to 10.30 am; Yamagantam: 1.30 pm. to 3 pm; Soolam: East; Siddhayogam; Auspicious Time: 7.00 to 8.00 a.m. & 5.00 to 6.00 p.m. Sunrise on Sunday: 5.58 am Sunset on Saturday: 6.08 pm

WORLD
Beijing 26, 19 RN Colombo 30, 27 PC Dhaka 31, 26 CDY

If you want to know the weather in any other city anywhere in the world, just click on world weather at www.accuweather.com. You will even get the forecast for up to seven days. Related websites are www.worldclimate.com and www.weather.com.

Postal Reg. No. TN/ARD/16/09-11

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