north east online - north east india news: Aug 28, 2009

Friday, August 28, 2009

Natalie Portman enjoys dancing on obscene X-rated rap songs

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ASHINGTON - Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman has revealed that she loves listening to dirty rap music. She revealed her choice of music during an exclusive interview with actor Jake Gyllenhaal for Interview magazine.

Gyllenhaal, 28, asked the actress what kind of music she likes listening to, and Portman, 28, replied that was into obscene hip-hop at the moment.

“I’ve mostly been listening to dirty rap lately. That’s sort of my scene,” People magazine quoted her as saying.

“Really, really obscene hip-hop. I love it so much. It makes me laugh and then it makes me want to dance,” she added, before reciting some X-rated lyrics from the Ying Yang Twins. (ANI)

Osbourne ‘winehouse Wants To Settle Down’

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ellraising singer AMY WINEHOUSE wants to settle down and have a family, according to her Hollywood pal KELLY OSBOURNE.

The Rehab hitmaker has battled an addiction to drugs and alcohol, divorced her husband earlier this year (09), and was cleared of assault in July (09).

But despite her turbulent lifestyle, close pal Osbourne insists all Winehouse wants to do is enjoy a quiet life away from the public eye.

In her autobiography, Fierce, Osbourne writes: “I met Amy at the Brit Awards in 2007.

She said, ‘Alright, Kel. You’ve got great t*ts.’ I instantly loved her.

The Amy I’m so privileged to know is not the Amy in the media. She gives the best advice.

All talented people have troubles because they can’t come to terms with it. Deep down, all Amy wants to do is have a family, settle down and be left alone. That girl is not stupid.”

Farmer couple writes to president, demands mercy killing of four sons

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EW DELHI - The farmer couple Jeetnarayan and wife of Prabhawati living in Bashi village of Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh have written to the President of India seeking permission for mercy killing of their four sons aged between 10 and 16 years.

The brothers are suffering from an affliction caused by muscular dystrophy, leaving them to lead a life in a vegetative state.

The four children, Durgesh, 16, Sarvesh, 14, Brijesh, 11, and Suresh, 10, were afflicted with the disease when they turned five.

Children cannot even stand on their feet, move their body below the neck, and have to rely on their parents’ for every daily activity.

Jeetnarayan has sold everything of financial value in his house to foot the hefty sums spent for the children’s treatment.

“Now we are very tired as we just take care of them day and night. There is no time to work even to earn our living. Then we submitted an application to the Prime Minister and also chief of the state. But there was no hearing to our plight. No one came to our door. It’s better for the entire family to die rather than live in such a miserable state,” said Jeetnarayan

“We wanted treatment to be done. But it’s not happening anywhere. We don’t have any other option, we are very poor and there is no way to go. We wanted them to be treated but that’s not happening anywhere and no treatment can be done. So it’s better that we die,” said Prabhawati.

Indian laws do no permit euthanasia or mercy killing. (ANI)

India in Nehru Cup final under AFC rules

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ew Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Defending champions India will take on Syria in the final of Nehru Cup international football tournament here irrespective of the results of their last round-robin fixture against the West Asians tomorrow and today's match between Sri Lanka and Kyrgyzstan.

India may still get more than six points if they either draw or beat Syria tomorrow but even if they lose by whatever goal margin they will make it to the final for the second consecutive time.

If Sri Lanka beat Kyrgyzstan by a huge goal margin today they will get six points -- the same as India -- but the island country cannot make it to the final as they had lost to the home team 1-3 in their last round-robin match on Wednesday.

W
ho is most likely to get swine flu? Neither the very young, nor the very old, says the government.

The initial 30 swine flu deaths have been studied by the Health Ministry. The conclusion: ''People in age group of 14 and 44 years have been the worst hit, '' according to R K Shrivastava, Director General of Health Services.

The finding provides some relief for a country worried that children were easy targets. Initially, clusters of cases were reported in Pune, Chandigarh and Delhi schools. A perception that intensified after the death of 14-year-old Reeda Sheikh -- the first swine flu casualty in India.

Experts point out that the virus is just four months old, and who is most vulnerable remains a grey area for scientists across the world.

What is common to all the deaths in India is the fact that patients reported the disease at least five days late. "Swine flu is like any other disease like malaria. They all can kill if you come too late. Also in the inception stage, if multiple-organ failure sets in, it becomes fatal," warns Khusrav Bajan, Critical Care Specialist.

So medical advice stays practical -- when in doubt, visit your doctor.

Kaziranga needs more arms to fight poachers: Unesco

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UWAHATI: After a recent poaching incident left an adult one-horned rhino dead in Kaziranga National Park, Unesco's World Heritage Committee
(WHC) has asked New Delhi to strengthen the anti-poaching mechanism by using better equipment in the park, which is 250 km from here on the southern banks of the Brahmaputra.

Though WHC expressed satisfaction over the conservation of Kaziranga, a World Heritage Site, and its adjoining reserved forest in Karbi Anglong district, the Unesco committee has categorically asked the Centre to increase efforts to prevent poaching by ensuring adequate financial and equipment support. The decision on Kaziranga, taken in June this year at the 33rd session of WHC in Seville, Spain, also emphasized on involvement of local communities to foil poaching bids. The documents of the session were made public this month.

Although WHC did not elaborate on equipment support required, wildlife conservationists and forest department officials here interpreted it as better firepower, adequate manpower and modern gadgets like night-vision tools among others. Presently, forest guards are only permitted to use .315 rifles to take on poachers. These are sports rifles an can hardly be classified as ammunition. Only home guards of Assam Police, now deployed in Kaziranga after a poaching spree in 2007, are allowed to use .303 rifles.

In the fifth Wildlife Board meeting on Wednesday, state environment and forest minister Rockybul Hussain said the government is trying hard to bring in amendments to the CrPC so that forest guards, like police, are also allowed to use fire arms against criminals. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi reiterated that his government has always given top priority to comprehensive protection of Kaziranga, including control of erosion by the Brahmaputra on the northern part of the park.

Hussain also told the meeting that the Assembly has already passed the Wildlife Protection Bill (Amendment), 2009, incorporating stringent measures, including raising the quantum of penalties against wildlife crimes. Poaching of rhinos for its horn has been a major challenge for the authorities of Kaziranga. However, despite the looming threat of poachers, this year the national park recorded 2048 rhinos in the latest population count. In 2006, Kaziranga had 1855 pachyderms.

"We can bring down the level of poaching, but cannot completely eradicate the menace. Kaziranga houses two-thirds of the world's one-horned rhino population, so the target of poachers will always be there," a senior park official said. This year, however, the level of poaching in Kaziranga has come down in comparison to last year. But, park officials warned that the present drop in poaching should be taken as only "a temporary lull before a storm" and that guards should remain alert for any eventuality.

Four rhinos were killed by poachers, while 11 attempts were foiled by the armed guards of Kaziranga between January and August this year. Between 2007 and 2008, at least 24 rhinos had been killed by poachers for its horns, which fetches high prices in Chinese markets where it is used in traditional medicines.

Saudi prince tells king he’s determined to continue anti-terror campaign after bomb attack

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IYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi state television reports a Saudi prince who was slightly injured by a suicide bomber says he is more determined than ever to pursue the kingdom’s campaign against terrorism.

The comments by Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, assistant interior minister, came during a Friday meeting with King Abdullah.

The prince was targeted by a suicide bomber late Thursday during a gathering of well-wishers for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

It was the first known assassination attempt against a member of the royal family since Saudi Arabia began its crackdown on al-Qaida affiliated militants following the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

The Interior Ministry has spearheaded the kingdom’s crackdown.

Beijing urges Myanmar to end fighting in border area as refugees flee into China

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EIJING — Beijing has called on neighboring Myanmar to end combat operations in a border area that has sent 10,000 people fleeing into China in recent days.

China hopes Myanmar can “properly deal with its domestic issue to safeguard the regional stability in the China-Myanmar border area,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement posted on the ministry’s Web site.

Jiang also demanded Myanmar ensure the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens in that country, adding that Beijing has also conveyed its concerns through diplomatic channels.

The statement is rare for China and could indicate growing concern in Beijing that the fighting between Myanmar’s military and ethnic militias might spill across the border into its southwestern province of Yunnan.

Beijing maintains close ties with Myanmar’s ruling military junta and usually takes care to not entangle itself in the regime’s affairs.

Militants who have long fought for autonomy for Myanmar’s Kokang minority attacked a police post along the border with China near the town of Laogai on Thursday, according to the U.S. Campaign for Burma. The Washington-based lobbying group said several police officers were killed.

Myanmar’s military rulers and the state-controlled press made no comment on the situation at the border.

People were still crossing from Myanmar’s Kokang region late Friday, and Chinese authorities were housing them at seven separate locations along the border, the Yunnan provincial government said in a brief statement faxed to media. It said about 10,000 people had crossed the border but did not say how many had been placed at the government shelters.

Chinese authorities were providing medical services and taking measures to prevent disease, the statement said.

An aid worker and a factory manager in the Chinese town of Nansan said they could hear guns and artillery being fired over the border, some 150 feet (50 meters) away, throughout the day.

Myanmar’s central government has rarely exerted control in Kokang — a mostly ethnic Chinese region in the northern Shan state — and essentially ceded control to a local militia after signing a cease-fire with them two decades ago. The region is one of several areas along Myanmar’s borders where minority militias are seeking autonomy from the central government.

But tensions between the government and the Kokang people have been rising in recent months, as the junta tries to consolidate its control of the country and ensure stability ahead of national elections next year — the first since the opposition National League for Democracy won by a landslide in 1990, a result the military ignored.

The crisis has turned a spotlight on China’s friendly ties with Myanmar’s authoritarian rulers. Beijing has consistently offered the military regime diplomatic support based on its avowed policy of nonintervention while China’s border trade and oil and gas deals have thrown an economic lifeline to the generals.

As the refugees poured in from Myanmar, Chinese authorities in Nansan housed them in unfinished buildings, some still with no windows, said the local factory manager, who would only give his surname, Li.

A worker with an international medical charity, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals from the local government, said local authorities were caring for about 4,000 refugees. Several thousand more were staying in hotels or with friends and family on the Chinese side, he said.

Tensions in Kokang rose earlier this month after militia leaders refused to allow their guerrillas to be incorporated into a border guard force under Myanmar army command.

Soldiers raided the home of militia leader Peng Jiashen on Aug. 8, and Peng’s forces began mobilizing. Peng’s troops were forced out of Laogai on Tuesday by government soldiers and a breakaway Kokang faction seeking to overthrow Peng.

Kokang lies 1,400 miles (2,250 kilometers) southwest of Beijing and is surrounded by lush mountains in a region notorious for the production and use of heroin and methamphetamines, cross-border smuggling, gambling and prostitution.

The region’s links to China date back to the collapse of the Ming dynasty 350 years ago, when loyalists fled across the mountains into present-day Myanmar to escape Manchu invaders.

In recent years, the area has attracted a flood of businessmen from China who have opened hotels, restaurants and shops selling motorcycles, electronics and other imports that are either pricey or unavailable in other parts of the country.

Wary of the consequences of renewed conflict, many of those investors fled back across the border this month, according to Chinese reports.

10,000 refugees flood China’s Yunnan province after fleeing fighting in Myanmar

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EIJING — About 10,000 people have fled northern Myanmar for China to escape fighting between the military and ethnic minority militias, the government in China’s Yunnan province said Friday.

On Thursday, militants who have long fought for autonomy for Myanmar’s Kokang minority, attacked a police post along the border with China near the town of Laogai, according to the U.S. Campaign for Burma. The Washington-based lobbying group said several police officers were killed.

Myanmar’s military rulers and the state-controlled press made no comment on the situation at the border.

People were continuing to cross over from Kokang in Myanmar late Friday, and Chinese authorities were housing them at seven separate locations along the border, the Yunnan provincial government said in a brief statement faxed to media. It said 10,000 people had fled Myanmar into Yunnan.

Chinese authorities were providing medical services and taking measures to prevent disease, the statement said.

An aid worker and a factory manager in the Chinese town of Nansan said they could hear guns and artillery being fired over the border, some 150 feet (50 meters) away, throughout the day.

Myanmar’s central government has rarely exerted control in Kokang — a mostly ethnic Chinese region in the northern Shan state — and essentially ceded control to a local militia after signing a cease-fire with them two decades ago. The region is one of several areas along Myanmar’s borders where minority militias are seeking autonomy from the central government.

But tensions between the government and the Kokang people have been rising in recent months, as the junta tries to consolidate its control of the country and ensure stability ahead of national elections next year — the first since the opposition National League for Democracy won in a landslide in 1990, a result the military ignored.

The crisis has turned a spotlight on China’s friendly ties with Myanmar’s authoritarian rulers. Beijing has consistently offered the military regime diplomatic support based on its avowed policy of nonintervention while China’s border trade and oil and gas deals have thrown an economic lifeline to the generals.

As the refugees poured in from Myanmar, Chinese authorities in Nansan housed them in unfinished buildings, some still with no windows, said the local factory manager, who would only give his surname, Li.

A worker with an international medical charity, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals from the local government, said local authorities were caring for about 4,000 refugees. Several thousand more were staying in hotels or with friends and family on the Chinese side, he said, saying more detailed information was being gathered.

Tensions in Myanmar’s Kokang region rose earlier this month after Kokang militia leaders refused to allow their guerrillas to be incorporated into a border guard force under Myanmar army command.

After government soldiers raided the home of militia leader Peng Jiashen on Aug. 8, Peng’s forces began mobilizing. Peng’s troops were forced out of Laogai on Tuesday by government soldiers and members of a breakaway Kokang faction seeking to overthrow Peng.

Kokang lies 1,400 miles (2,250 kilometers) southwest of Beijing and is surrounded by lush mountains in a region notorious for the production and use of heroin and methamphetamines, cross-border smuggling, gambling and prostitution.

The region’s links to China date back to the collapse of the Ming dynasty 350 years ago, when loyalists fled across the mountains into present-day Myanmar to escape Manchu invaders.

In recent years, the area has attracted a flood of businessmen from China who have opened hotels, restaurants and shops selling motorcycles, electronics and other imports that are either pricey or unavailable in other parts of the country.

Wary of the consequences of renewed conflict, many of those investors fled back across the border this month, according to Chinese reports.

Why Civilian National Security Force is required ?

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hen President of the United States of America Barack Obama was a presidential candidate, he was determined to create a Civilian National Security Force which would be profoundly powerful, strong and well-funded as the Military. But his urge for a parallel army scooped up some obvious questions in the mind of others.

Others like Glenn Beck, believed that certainly there are some dangerous enemy that would justify the funding of an additional army, but who are they?

President Obama stated earlier

I don’t believe in the Constitution. We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.

Questions

Why do we need a civilian national security force that is as strong, as powerful as the military?

Is there is some possibility of some enemy?

Glenn Beck earlier question regarding the same issue:

exactly who is the enemy that requires us to establish this national security force?

Could it be the extreme right-wing potential terrorists?

We believe that our president will surely answer the questions in near future and help rescue us from the dilemma.

Rising fertility rates, immigration push Britain’s population over 61 million for 1st time

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ritain’s population tops 61 million for 1st time

LONDON — Britain’s population took its biggest jump in almost half a century last year, as a baby boom made new births rather than immigration the main contributor to growth for the first time in a decade.

Government figures show that 791,000 babies were born in the year to mid-2008 — 33,000 more than the year before — helping to bring Britain’s population to 61.4 million. The net population increase of 408,000 is the largest since 1962, the Office for National Statistics said Friday.

Britain and other European nations face a looming crisis for health care and pensions as the population ages and the number of working-age people shrinks relative to the retired. But that is being somewhat offset by rising birth rates.

Britain’s fertility rate of just under 2 children per mother is at its highest level since 1973, and the country’s population is growing by more than 0.7 per cent a year — three times the level in the 1980s.

A quarter of all births last year were to women born outside Britain, but statistician Roma Chappell said fertility rates among British-born women also are rising.

France’s birth rate has been rising steadily for years and stood at 2.07 children per woman in 2008. That is one of Europe’s highest, due both to a tradition of large families among African immigrants and to decades of pro-family government policies such as generous maternity leave and public preschools and day care centers.

Germany’s birth rate is lower but rising — 1.37 children per woman in 2007, an increase from 1.33 the previous year.

While the number of babies in Europe is rising, so is the number of old people. The British statistics show that 1.3 million people — 2 percent of the country’s population — are now over 85.

Dalia Ben-Galim, a social policy researcher at the Institute for Public Policy Research think tank, said rising fertility rates would help ease some of the economic pressure by bringing more people into the work force.

“That in itself, through taxation, will help to fund pension provision for the elderly,” she said.

But Britain, like other developed countries, will still see a growing “sandwich generation” of middle-aged people who have to look after both their children and their elderly parents.

“This will lead to more pressure for flexible working, allowances for carers and so on,” Ben-Galim said.

Immigration, meanwhile, is falling. The recession has seen many of the hundreds of thousands of immigrants from new EU member states in Eastern Europe who came to Britain in the last few years go home. In 2008, 79,000 Eastern European migrants came to Britain — down from 109,000 in 2007 — while 66,000 left.

Associated Press Writers David Rising in Berlin and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.

Delhi court rejects Abu Salem’s plea on dropping MCOCA charges

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EW DELHI - A Delhi court on Friday dismissed the plea of city police to drop charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) against underworld don Abu Salem in an extortion case lodged here in 2002.

Delhi Police had filed an application under the provisions of Criminal Procedure Code for withdrawal of the MCOCA charges against Salem on the ground that it was against the condition for his extradition agreed to between India and Portugal.

The Centre had asked Delhi police to move the court in this regard after Salem had approached the High Court at Portugal alleging that Indian authorities were acting in contravention of the extradition terms.

Salem who was arrested in India after his extradition from Portugal in November 2005, was booked under the MCOCA for allegedly making extortion calls to a Delhi-based businessman Ashok Gupta in 2002, demanding Rs five crore as protection money.

He is convicted for the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and killing of music baron Gulshan Kumar 1997.

In March 2006, a special TADA court filed eight charges against him and his alleged associate Riaz Siddiqui for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. He stands accused of ferrying and distributing weapons.

Salem is currently in high-security Arthur Jail in Mumbai. (ANI)

Battery operated vehicles for disabled at major railway stations

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EW DELHI - The Ministry of Railways has decided to allow private parties to operate free round the clock service of battery operated cars at the platforms of major railway stations for carrying disabled and old aged passengers for boarding the trains.

The policy guidelines in this connection have been sent to all the Zonal Railways.

The parties would be allowed of first cum first serve basis under certain terms and conditions.

No charge will be levied either from the passenger or from the Railway.

Railway will provide only electricity free of cost for charging the batteries of the vehicle and party will be allowed to advertise on the panel of these small four seater cars.

The vehicle will be used to cater only the disabled and old aged passengers.

An agreement with the party will be entered into for a period of maximum one year.

Repairs, maintenance and replacement, if required, will be done by the party.

The number of vehicles to be piled at a station will be decided by the Zonal Railways based on requirement.

An annual review of the performance will be undertaken to assess the revenue involved and possibility of revenue sharing. (ANI)

S M Krishna leaves for Brazil to attend India-Brazil joint commission meet

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EW DELHI - External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Friday left for Brazil to attend the India-Brazil joint commission meeting on September 1.

Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash has said Krishna would also participate in the ministerial meeting of the trilateral grouping, IBSA - India, Brazil and South Africa - on September 2.

The IBSA brings together economic powerhouses from Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The first summit was held in Brasilia in 2006, followed by the Johannesburg summit in 2007. New Delhi hosted the third IBSA summit last year.

The fourth IBSA summit of Heads of State is likely in November. (ANI)

NATO chief says Afghanistan mission to last ‘as long as it takes’

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ATO chief: mission to last ‘as long as it takes’

ANKARA, Turkey — NATO’s mission in Afghanistan will last “as long as it takes” to ensure that the country is secure, the alliance’s new leader said Friday during a visit to the Turkish capital.

Thanks in part to an increase in the number of troops, the mission is making a difference in the war-ravaged and poverty stricken country, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.

But allies still must contribute more, Fogh Rasmussen said, adding that he had asked NATO members including Turkey to help train Afghan soldiers and police.

“The situation is not satisfactory right now, but we have made progress,” Fogh Rasmussen told a small group of reporters at the end of his two-day visit to Ankara.

“We will stay as long as it takes to secure the country. We will stay committed, we will assist the Afghan people in securing their own country, and therefore we will stay as long as it takes.”

Fogh Rasmussen, who has said NATO needs more troops in Afghanistan if the mission is to succeed, would not be drawn into any discussions on numbers or combat troops required, saying he was awaiting the results of a U.S. report.

U.S. officials are considering whether to ask for more troops as they prepare a report on the war in Afghanistan. A draft assessment called for speeding up the training of Afghan soldiers and police — a job that would require more foreign trainers.

The NATO chief said he was optimistic that the alliance would succeed in bringing stability to Afghanistan.

“We will prevail, we must prevail,” the NATO chief said. “We cannot afford Afghanistan to once again become a safe haven for terrorists. If terrorists get rooted in Afghanistan once again, terrorism will easily and quickly spread through Central Asia and further.”

Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters that Turkey would “continue its consistent contribution to Afghanistan,” and has already provided training to hundreds of Afghan soldiers.

Davutoglu said the NATO chief had not made any “military demands.”

Turkey’s military chief has said Turkish troops will likely take command of the peacekeeping operation in Kabul later this year and that the country may also deploy more soldiers.

Turkey now has 800 soldiers in Afghanistan but none are assigned to any combat mission.

Some 65,000 troops from 42 nations serve in a NATO-led force hobbled by disagreements over the need for more troops, and widely divergent national restrictions on when troops can fight.

Japan jobless rate hits new high

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apan's jobless rate hit a record 5.7% in July and consumer prices fell at a record pace, figures released days before a general election have shown.

Companies are continuing to lay off workers even though the economy has returned to growth after the most bruising recession for decades.

The state of Japan's economy is the key issue in the election campaign.

Opinion polls show that the governing Liberal Democratic Party faces defeat in the election.

It has held power for 53 of the past 54 years.

Recovery doubts

In July, 3,590,000 Japanese were out of work in July, over a million more than a year ago.

Japan's economy grew by 0.9% between April and June, but the latest figures cast doubt on the strength of the recovery.

"The recent growth was mainly due to government spending and was not a self-sustaining recovery in the Japanese economy," said Hiroshi Watanabe at Mizuho Investors Securties.

"We're unlikely to see a swift recovery for the time being," he added.

News that the unemployment rate has risen to the highest since World War II is a blow for the Prime Minister Taro Aso.

Opinion polls show his Liberal Democratic Party was already on course for defeat on Sunday for only the second time in more than 50 years.

'Deflationary pressure'

Other figures released in Tokyo show core consumer prices fell by 2.2% in July from a year earlier, the fastest pace on record.

And analysts expect prices to fall further.

"Domestic demand is pretty weak. We expect deflationary pressure to increase," said Naoko Ogata at the Japan Research Institute.

Japan is particularly sensitive to falling prices.

The country was stuck in a deflationary spiral for years after an asset price bubble burst at the start of the 1990s.

Shoppers put off purchases in the expectation of prices falling further, causing the economy to stagnate.

Oxfam warning over Nepal climate

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nternational aid agency Oxfam has warned that millions of rural poor in Nepal could face hunger as a result of climate change.

A report says that poor harvests, water shortages and extreme temperatures will put pressure on millions of Nepalis already living below the poverty line.

Nepal is only just emerging from a decade-long civil conflict.

The report comes ahead of a summit in the capital, Kathmandu, on the threat of climate change to the Himalayas.

Millions of people are dependent on the water which flows from the mountains.

It is also just 100 days until world leaders come together to discuss a new global climate change treaty in Copenhagen in December.

Nepal has experienced its driest winter in 40 years, followed by late and unpredictable monsoon rains, and this has meant the land is more susceptible to erosion.

But the prolonged drought has had a bigger impact.

Grim situation

Several million villagers living in Nepal's hills are facing water shortages which have, in turn, led to failing crop yields.

A lack of ground water has also contributed to the spread of diseases like diarrhoea, as villagers use dirty streams and rivers for drinking water.

Prabin Man Singh from the international aid agency Oxfam said the change in weather patterns is putting more pressure on the rural poor.

"The people living in the rural areas were already having lots of problems in their livelihoods. But with the climate change, the whole scenario, the whole struggle of their survival has been exaggerated," he said.

Local residents in the affected area have expressed their concerns about the nature of the problem.

In the remote village of Bhattegaun in western Nepal, the stream that provides water has dried up to a thin trickle.

Residents here have complained about water shortages in the area.

"We do not get a good production from agriculture at all. We cannot depend on farming and irrigation to make a living or educate our children," thirty-five year old Naina Shahi told the BBC.

The changes seen in Nepal's climate over the past few years - dryer winters, unreliable monsoon rains - are in line with what climate scientists are predicting will happen as the earth gets warmer.

Oxfam has called on leaders from the world's richest countries to help Nepal better adapt to the affects of climate change when they meet to discuss the issue in Copenhagen this December.

Withering away of ULFA

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olitical movements, which do not have strong ideological base, have a limited life span. These movements in the nascent stage make strong inroads in the psyche of the populance by appealing to their sentiments. However, in the absence of any strong ideology, the support base of these organisations withers away, as the true and hollow nature of these organisations becomes clear with the passage of time. This happened in Tamilnadu in the late sixties, Punjab in eighties and started happening in Assam in late nineties.

Today, ULFA is facing resistance from inside the organisation as well as from outside and it may not take too long for it to completely break down. In the second week of February 2000, some of the cadres holding vital posts deserted the organisation. The reason behind these desertions is said to be the frustration of the cadres with the way of functioning of the organisation. At present, no activity is going on except extortion in the name of the organisation. Extortions have been going on from poor village cultivators and general public. The cadres who had joined ULFA in the hope of serving the people are finding themselves engaged in looting, extortions and kidnapping their own people. The cadres are mentally upset and are increasingly getting addicted to liquor. The people, who used to support them and give them shelter, have backed out. They are no longer willing to be a party to the violent acts of ULFA terrorism.

The last part of 1999 saw a revolutionary change in the attitude of people of Assam towards ULFA. With the arrest of four ISI agents working for ULFA, the ULFA-ISI nexus was confirmed, which triggered the process of ULFA losing mass support. Before this revelation, the sympathisers of ULFA were not aware that in the guise of a social reformist organisation, the group had established contacts with the Pakistani intelligence agency. ISI, in fact, has been supporting majority of the militant organisations in the North-Eastern region including the dreaded NSCN-IM. After its failure in Kargil; ISI has plans of cutting the entire north-east from the rest of the country. It has intensified its operations in the narrow sector between Srirampur in Assam and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, which is also called 'chicken's neck' and is the only road link between entire north-eastern region and the rest of India. ISI has been extending training to ULFA cadres apart from helping them in procuring arms from Bangladesh.

Another factor, which counts in the eroding base of ULFA, is the discovery of mass graves at Ghogabeel, in November 1999. The reaction of the people was intense. The people of Kalitapukhri, Goghabeel have long been suspecting something foul going on at the deserted area, from where, they have been recovering unclaimed human objects and hearing human screams. The operation of uncovering of mass graves, which was joined by thousand residents of Bistupur, Dihjani, Barghopa, Sagakuchi and Katakuchi brought forth the inhuman and barbaric tendencies of ULFA and shattered the myth of ULFA as an organisation working for the people. The process has been continuos.

The murders of Sanjoy Ghosh and Ratneswar Sharma , noted scholar, expose the ideologies of ULFA, which is interested in killing people, who are opposed to its ideas. The insurgent outfit even killed its own cadres, who questioned its proximity to ISI. In January 2000,134 ULFA and BLT militants surrendered before the common people in Assam. There was nothing official about it. Neither was there any Central dignitary present nor the Governor, Chief Minister or somebody from Army top brass. The surrendered cadres said that they had realised that their path was wrong. Binoy Rava, Commander of ULFA's Western command, who was among them, admitted that he had been awarded death penalty by the ULFA because of his opposition to some of their activities. The feelings of these cadres reflect the change in attitude of these boys towards the organisation and may result in more surrenders in near future.

Ground realities in Nagaland

Although both the Naga underground factions have entered into ceasefire agreement with the Centre, the ground situation in Nagaland is far from encouraging. Reports of fratricidal killings, factional clashes, kidnappings and extortions are pouring in every day from almost all the parts of the State.

Fed up with such a rise in factional feuds by exploiting the ceasefire agreement, various Naga organisations have asked both the groups to stop killing each other and unify to find an amicable solution to the vexed Naga problem through negotiations with the Government of India.

The worst affected places due to the ongoing factional feuds in Nagaland are Tuensang and Mon. Armed cadres of both the NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) are camping in these two places to eliminate each other. Regular exchanges of fire between the two groups have made the life of the common people miserable. Moreover, the so-called 'freedom fighters' do not waste any opportunity to harass the people and the Government officials. The sense of insecurity prevailing in those areas provoked the leaders of Chanh, Yimchunger, Sangtam, Khiammiungan and Phom tribes to take a tough stand against the insurgents. These tribes have threatened non-cooperation if the ultras do not pay any heed to their sincere appeal. The Konyak Union of Nagaland has also condemned the fighting among various underground groups.The union has appealed to all the groups to shun violence.

In such a situation, the NSCN (IM) recently held the Centre responsible for tardy progress in the ongoing political negotiations between the sides. The underground outfit accused the Centre of being insincere towards solving the Naga problem. On the other hand, the NSCN (K) claimed that a meaningful dialogue to solve the Naga problem would take place only after the withdrawal of ban on the outfit and abrogation of all draconian laws such as Armed Forces Special Power Act.

There is nothing new in the allegation made by the NSCN (IM) against the Centre. Since long, this insurgent outfit is maintaining that solution to the Naga problem remained elusive because of lack of sincerity on the part of the Indian Government. But, quite interestingly, the outfit never bothered to amend its acts. Since the beginning of ceasefire between the IM group and the Centre, it has indulged in large-scale killing of felow Nagas, who did not adhere to their diktats. The NSCN (IM) went into killing spree in such a fashion that it seemed that ceasefire had given it the licence to kill.

Reeling under the fratricidal killings, the Naga society then appealed to both the factions to stop violence. Various Naga NGOs met the top leadership of both the factions with this appeal. But NSCN (IM) leaders Isac Swu and T. Muivah were unrelented. They categorically stated that the NSCN (IM) was the sole representative of the Nagas and any one who dare not to accept the fact would have to face the consequences. But the common Nagas, all along advocated that a meaningful solution to the problem could be achieved only after the unification of various Naga underground groups.

The events following the declaration of ceasefire between the NSCN (IM) and the Centre clearly proved that it was the underground outfit, which was not sincere. If it was sincere enough, it should have shown respect to the wishes of the Naga people. Instead, it went on to establish their supremacy over the Naga people through the strength of guns.

On the other hand, the NSCN (K) too had acted against the wishes of the Naga people. After entering into the ceasefire agreement with NSCN (IM), the security forces declared unilateral ceasefire to all the Naga underground factions. The NSCN (K) reciprocated the unilateral declaration of ceasefire by the couple of Armymen. Until they suffered heavy loss at the hands of the Myanmar Army, the Khaplang group of the NSCN never showed any intetions for a negotiated settlement of the Naga problem.

There is no harm in talking to both the groups of the NSCN separately to find an amicable solution of the Naga problem. But the underground organisations should be asked categorically to stop factional feuds and killings. As the popular support is with the Centre, it should not allow any factions to make a mockery of the ceasefire agreement. The ground rules of the ceasefire agreement must be adheared to strictly and any violations of the ground rules would invite action. Otherwise, the derailment of the ongoing peace process in Nagaland is inevitable.

Holy Wine gives dry Mizoram reason to drink

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etting past god in a religiously dry state is tough. Unless you raise a toast for Him.

The church prevailed to have the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition (MLTP) Act enforced in February 1997. Twelve years later, a church de rigueur – sacramental wine – has allowed some alcohol back in.

Predominantly Christian Mizoram has always been wary of rubbing the church the wrong way. The government thus had to come up with really good reasons to wash some bite out of the MLTP Act.

The opportunity came with consecutive bumper harvests of grapes – introduced in 2003-04 under National Technology Mission – in Hnahlan and Champhai areas of southeast Mizoram.

“The Bangalore Blue variety of grapes grown in landlocked Mizoram can’t be consumed as fruits. And we couldn’t let some 800 families suffer for lack of a market to offload 5,500 quintals of grapes they grow annually,” the State’s horticulture director Samuel Rosanglura told HT.

Bangalore Blue was good for making red port wine, though. And Holy Wine.

After a series of meetings with church leaders, the government amended the MLTP Act last year. Accordingly, wine from grapes and guava was deleted from the definition of liquor. The excise department was subsequently authorized to issue license to wineries and vendors.

“We have issued winery license to each of the grape growers association in Hnahlan and Champhai. The wineries, each capable of processing 3000 quintals of grapes, are scheduled to make wine brand-named Zawlaidi,” said Mizoram excise commissioner Lalbiakmawia Khiangte.

Zawlaidi, incidentally, means love potion in the Mizo language. And with an alcohol content of 16 per cent – the maximum permissible limit – it could lure the liquor-thirsty youth, fears the church.

“After Zawlaidi, the government might have the excuse to allow the sale of beer, which has lesser alcohol content,” said a church elder declining to be quoted.

Possibly why Mizoram officials haven’t figured out how to go about issuing vendor licenses without annoying the church.

MPP urges Sonia Gandhi to remove Manipur CM

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nipur People's Party (MPP), the largest regional political party in the state, has urged AICC president and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to remove Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh in the wake of police commandos killing a youth in an alleged fake encounter.

MPP president Nimaichand Luwang in a statement on Monday said, "A report was sent to Gandhi on the prevailing situation arising out of July 23 incident in which Chungkham Sanjit was killed by commandos in a fake encounter and subsequent widespread agitation by various social organisations in the state."

Seeking intervention at this hour of crisis in Manipur, Luwang termed Ibobi Singh as "irresponsible Chief Minister" and urged Gandhi to remove him and appoint another Congress MLA in his place to restore normalcy and peace in the state.

MPP president also blamed Ibobi Singh for reading out a wrong statement on July 23 incident in the assembly that the youth was killed in encounter.

He said pictures published in a New Delhi-based newsmagazine showed that Sanjit was killed in a cold blooded manner.

Miscreants set ablaze Manipur govt offices

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nknown miscreants have set ablaze two government offices in separate incidents in Imphal East district of Manipur but the motive behind the arson was not yet known, official sources said on Wednesday.

Sources said unidentified persons set ablaze the office of Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) at Sawombung area, about 25 km north-east of here, early on Tuesday, destroying a portion of the building and some official files.

Fire service personnel took more than half-an-hour to control the fire, sources said.

In another incident, miscreants torched the office of fisheries department at Jiribam, about 222 km west of Imphal, on Tuesday damaging some government files and a part of the office building, sources said.

Sources said the miscreants removed three ceiling fans before torching the office. The motive behind the crime in both incidents was not yet known.

The police suspected that the intention to destroy official files by some persons appeared to be the cause of the fire in both incidents.

Meghalaya youths to oppose uranium mining

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he Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP), a partner in Congress-led state government, Khasi Students' Union (KSU) and Langrin Youth Welfare Association (LYWA) have rejected Cabinet's decision to lease land to Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) for pre-project development works in the uranium-rich areas of the state.

"Uranium mining will destroy the ecology and create health hazards. We will oppose the project since there is no proof that the effects of radiation could be contained," HSPDP president and former home minister HS Lyngdoh said in Shillong Tuesday night.

While protesting the Cabinet's decision, KSU president Samuel B Jyrwa alleged that developmental activities would not benefit the people but were aimed at serving the long-term interests of UCIL which is set to mine uranium ore here.

Meanwhile, the groups favouring uranium mining from West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts have welcomed the cabinet decision.

More than 19 pro-uranium activists in an emergency meeting in Shillong on Tuesday evening decided to form an adhoc committee - West Khasi Hills Confederation of Associations Through Uranium Mining (WKHCATUM) to look into the initiatives taken by the government to allow UCIL to start development activities.

Four hurt in petrol bomb attack in Shillong

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our people were injured when some unidentified people lobbed a petrol bomb on a truck in Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills district, police said in Shillong on Thursday.

The incident coincided with a two-day night road blockade enforced by the Jaintia Students Union in the district from Tuesday night to press for their various demands.

The bomb was hurled on the truck at Newhill on Wednesday night injuring the four persons, including the driver.

Police said the injured had been admitted to a nearby hospital where the condition of two of them was stated to be
serious.

Meanwhile, one more vehicle was attacked with a petrol bomb at Ladthadladoh as picketers burnt tyres at several places to enforce the blockade.

The blockade ended this morning.

3 wounded in Manipur grenade blast

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MPHAL: A group of unidentified men triggered a grenade blast outside a private hospital at Thangal Bazaar near the Assembly complex in the heart
of Imphal on Friday morning leaving three persons, including a girl, wounded. The attack came barely five days after a grenade was planted in the same clinic.

The injured in Friday's blast were identified as Gudu Jain (8), a native of Rajasthan, Md Leihanmuddin (18) and Thokchom Tomba (45). Leihanmuddin suffered critical injuries and was admitted to a private hospital in Imphal.

Amid heightened security, police arrested a person, but refused to divulge his identity. According to sources, the blast could be the result of conflicts over monetary demands by rebel organizations.

Elsewhere in Thoubal, about 20 miscreants tried to torch a government office at Yairipok village on Thursday night. They stormed the sub-deputy collector's office around 9 pm, sprinkled oil all over but failed to set it ablaze thanks to prompt actions by home guards deployed nearby.

Bhutan, India plan 2003-like ops against N-E rebel groups

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UWAHATI: Six years after the Royal Bhutan Army flushed out Indian rebel outfits from its soil, the Himalayan kingdom is planning a similar
operation against Ulfa and National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) militants holed up in that country.

This comes in the wake of reports of the two Assam-based outfits setting up training camps in southern Bhutan along with militants of the Communist Party of Bhutan (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist). The Bhutan outfit is by and large run by Bhutanese of Nepalese origin and was accused of carrying out a campaign against the monarchy and the newly-elected government there.

According to sources, Ulfa and NDFB are not just training their cadres in the neighbouring country, but are also giving guerrilla training to the Bhutanese Maoists for the last two years and preparing them for carrying out subversive activities in Bhutan.

Security sources said there was specific information of mobile training camps in the Sarpang area of southern Bhutan, close to the international frontier. The sources added that Indian security forces, sticking to their 2003 strategy, would stand guard on its side, while the Bhutanese army would try to close in on the militants in their territory.

"There's information that certain elements within Ulfa and NDFB are trying to spread misunderstandings and antagonism against Bhutan because of the 2003 operations," Bhutan's state-run newspaper, ***Kuensel***, reported recently quoting joint secretary (Law and Order Bureau) Karma T Namgyal.

"We can't rule out occasional, temporary incursions," the joint secretary was quoted as saying in the Bhutanese newspaper. He reportedly said that in a bid to stop this, both the countries have agreed to intensify border patrolling. There was also a proposal for joint border monitoring.

"This means that the patrol groups will coordinate with each other to ensure that when the Indian forces patrol the East, we can guard the south and vice-versa," Kuensel quoted him as saying.

When Union home minister P Chidambaram visited the Himalayan country on Tuesday last, Bhutanese officials assured him that they would not allow Ulfa and NFB to re-establish bases there.

In 2003, the Royal Bhutan Army had launched a full-scale operation against Ulfa, NDFB and Kamatapur Liberation Organization, which had their set-ups in various areas. Ulfa had its central and general headquarters in eastern Bhutan.

During the 7th Border Coordination Development meeting between Bhutan and Assam on August 4, the Tarun Gogoi government had warned that Ulfa and NDFB were regrouping and might try to enter the neighbouring country to set up camps in collaboration with outfits like the Bhutan Communist Party (MLM), Bhutan Tiger Force (BTF) and Revolutionary Youth of Bhutan (RYOB).

According to state home department sources here, 30 Ulfa and NDFB cadres entered Bhutan in July from Arunachal Pradesh, north of Bhairabkunda in Assam's Sonitpur district.

Last year, Maoist guerrillas, along with Indian militants, had killed four Bhutanese forest rangers at Phibsoo near Sarpang in a landmine blast.

CBI to set up national mission against corruption

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ew Delhi, Aug 27(ANI): Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday said that it has decided to set up a national mission against corruption.

This decision was taken and a resolution was adopted at the two-day conference of the agency that concluded here on Thursday evening.

While addressing media after the conference, Minister of State for Personnel and Parliamentary Affairs Prithivi Raj Chavan said that CBI will be provided with all help to expedite the process in dealing with the corruption cases in the country.

The mission would focus on taking preventive, as well as punitive actions against corruption and would also modernise anti-corruption bureaus at state levels.

The conference also took other resolutions, which call for approving legislation by Parliament for whistle blower law as recommended by the UN Convention against corruption. (ANI)

Tirumala temple: Who will guard the god's jewels?

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he worst fears of Tirumala-Tirupati devotees seem to be coming true. After a temple priest admitted to pawning the Lord's jewellery for the last nine years, everyone is now waiting for the complete inventory of the Lord's jewels to be presented before the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Corruption at the world's richest temple is Tirumala's worst kept secret. The TTD says everyday ornaments worth 50 crore rupees are kept in the treasury of Tirumala temple for daily use. Ornaments worth another 27 crore rupees are kept at two other temples near Tirumala.

A public interest litigation that alleged irregularities in the inventory of the Lord's ornaments set the cat among the pigeons. The High court has asked for an exhaustive list of the jewellery by September-end.

"We have records and no irregularities have been done in this temple,'' says D K Adikesavulu Naidu, Chairman, TTD.

This priest, popularly called Dollar Seshadri, is an officer on special duty (OSD), in charge of the Lord's jewellery.

Seshadri says, "There is no problem with the Lord's ornaments. They are safe. We are following the same system as earlier, they are more safe now.''

The Tirumala temple has an annual budget of 1400 crore rupees and a daily earning of two crore rupees and two kg gold from Hundi collection.

The issue of crop insurance in Andhra

T
he Andhra Pradesh government is taking pride that it has been proactive in ensuring loans
and crop insurance cover for farmers but the situation on the ground is far from reassuring.

NDTV's Uma Sudhir reports that farmers let down by the rains have nothing to fall back on.

The agricultural loss due to drought may be much more than being anticipated. The state government has said sowing has happened in less than 50 per cent of the net area. But NDTV finds that the crops have either dried up or are drying up.

Raja Reddy explains that the maize crop by this time should have been much taller than us. It should have flowered and corns should have made an appearance. But it's all over. The rains now are no help at all.

In the adjacent field is tomato, Mahender tells us by this time, the tomato harvest should have been flooding the market, but there was no water, and hence no tomatoes.

Crop insurance has been spoken about for years now. But nothing has happened on the ground. In this horticultural field, the farmer has grown chillies but it has dried up and the farmer has lost the investment of Rs one lakh on the crop in the form of fertilisers and pesticides and the crop itself.

Villagers say the only crop covered under insurance in this area is maize. But even on that no one has so far got any compensation.

"Even last year we paid insurance premium. But we got no compensation. We were asked to pay again this year," said Raja Reddy.

The government claims that the crop insurance scheme in the state with village as a unit has been far more a success than anywhere else.

"Just in Anantpur district, last year we paid Rs 600 crore under crop insurance. It's so impressive that others are finding it difficult to believe," said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

Experience has inspired cynicism not confidence.

Assam battles encephalitis; 40 dead in 60 days

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s the country battles swine flu, Assam has more to fight on the health front. Close to 40 people have died in Upper Assam in the last two months due to Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). But unlike swine flu there seems to be lesser panic for a disease that has a higher mortality rate than HINI virus.

Jorabai's husband, a tea garden labourer was admitted in the Sibsagar Hospital after complaining of symptoms like fever and convulsion. "He had loose motion and fever for three days. He had a convulsion and I brought him here," she said.

This is a case of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, which may or may not be fatal but another variety of encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, has a low rate of recovery or results in neurological disorder.

Like every year, stagnant rainwater becomes the breeding ground for the culex mosquito, causing Japanese encephalitis deaths in the districts of Upper Assam, which has a high ratio of pig population, a vital carrier of the disease.

"The number of people affected with Japanese Encephalitis is 125. Out of that, 41 expired...things are under control," Sibsagar's Additional District Commissioner Yogesh Barua said.

Forty people have died since July in this district alone, but there seems to be less panic, which is probably good but even lesser concern, which may be reason for worry.

"When we hear we get worried to an extent but how will it help, isn't it?" says an old lady.

Incidentally, this was one of the first districts to vaccinate children in the age group of 1-15,
But the people affected this year are adults.

The state government has now decided to cover the entire population under its vaccination programme, an ambitious effort but probably the only means of combating this deadly disease.

Team Vajpaee''s final assault on Team Advani

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ew Delhi, Aug 27 (ANI): It has always been Team Advani vs Team Vajpayee. And now as former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is too ill to intervene in the bloodletting in his party, watches, his former team has got together once again to wage that final assault on their perpetual enemy, Lal Krishna Advani.

Jaswant Singh, Arun Shourie, Brajesh Mishra and Yashwant Sinha have a common cause. To oust Advani. And their ''Brahmastra'' is the Kandhar hijacking episode. Did Advani know or not that Jaswant Singh was accompanying the released terrorists to Afghanistan and bringing back the hostages with him? Advani had said on several occasions that he was unaware of the details. Team Vajpayee says he knew everything. Isn''t there any note taking that happens at these meetings?

The Team Advani vs Team Vajpayee war has been on for more than 15 years. This city was divided into two camps. Not just the BJP. There were journalists who were loyal to one or the other, bureaucrats too. They just had to make the choice, there was no option.

If you were a beat journalist during the years Mr Vajpayee was Prime Minister, it was an unstated rule that you either got your story from Team Advani or Team Vajpayee. The families and team members saw to it that journalists and bureaucrats who visited the office or home of Advani had no access to Vajpayee''s. There were just two or three editors who were received graciously in both camps; otherwise mutual suspicion was so great that loyalty had to be proved.

Team Vajpayee had that master craftsman and the Chanakya of Indian politics, Brajesh Mishra, as the Brigade Commander. It was an open secret in the capital that in the latter years of Vajpayee''s tenure, Mishra acted as defacto Prime Minister. A more shrewd, credible and efficient deputy is unimaginable. He had no personal agenda. Vajpayee trusted him and had great respect for his skills. And then there was Jaswant Singh, who wasn''t very popular with journalists, but was loyal to the king. A true Rajput. Then the word master Arun Shourie. Another person who wasn''t really in the core team but Vajpayee trusted him implicitly simply because he knew Shourie had no personal agenda.

Yashwant Sinha and Vasundhara went back and forth from camp to camp, but today they are firmly in camp Vajpai. There is no Commander-in-Chief, but they have the Sena on their side.

During the years that Vajpayee was Prime Minister, his team always looked upon Advani with suspicion. Never quite sure when he would try to pull the rug from under the carpet of their poet prime minister. A man who they thought was too soft to ever wage an all out war, but shrewd enough to know that Advani was never comfortable being No 2. He was supposed to the Prime Minister candidate in 1995 but then the Jain Hawala scandal erupted and hey presto it catapulted Vajpai onto the scene. Team Advani, always on the look out for conspiracy theories hinted at a pact between Rao and Vajpayee, which might have been the reason why Advani was out of the reckoning. Another of those unsolved mysteries of Indian politics.

Team Vajpayee held together even when out of power. But team Advani which seemed like a well oiled machine during the election campaign of 2009 came apart. Advani as prime ministerial candidate was unacceptable to the people of India and that was something most BJP leaders knew even during the campaign but so many of them in private conversations would express their helplessness.

Nobody had the courage to tell Advani to step down. The constant refrain was "if only Vajpayee was there". Without Vajpayee, his team loosely hung around in the periphery of the BJP maharathis like Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, Ananth Kumar who it seemed had no option but to be in team Advani as there was nobody else.

But when Advani refused to step down despite the electoral defeat in 2009, and stayed on as Leader of the Opposition and then a month ago said he would stay beyond December 30th, it really was too much to bear. If many thought Advani''s announcement was a blow to the BJP, think again. It was that one rallying point for Team Vajpayee to make that final assault on the man, they had wanted to do for so long but hadn''t because their boss wouldn''t let them. They want his scalp and will not rest till they have it. And they can smell victory. There is no team Advani. The bureaucrats fled from the scene the day the government fell in May 2004. The journalists who hung around were only the "bite reporters". There was no story worth chasing here. Not one BJP leader, nay worker, is speaking out in defense of Advani. Not even "Master Anant Kumar" as Arun Shourie referred to him in that scathing interview he gave to Shekhar Gupta.

PM to give away National Awards to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises today

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ew Delhi, Aug 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will give away the National Awards to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises here today.

The function is being organized by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

Dinsha Patel, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for MSME will preside over the function.

National Awards were instituted in 1983 for outstanding entrepreneurship in Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs).

The Awards are given to MSMEs for outstanding performance in Entrepreneurship, Research and Development and Quality; to banks for lending to the micro and small sector; to honour one outstanding woman entrepreneur; and one outstanding entrepreneur from SC/ST community.

Special recognition awards are also given in all categories for performance above a certain cut-off level.

The awards are given for various categories in research and development efforts, entrepreneurship and quality products.

The first, second and third National Awards carry a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000/-, Rs. 75,000/- and Rs. 50,000/- respectively, a certificate and a trophy.

A Special Recognition to those MSMEs scoring marks above 80 per cent and 50 per cent (in case of North-Eastern Region including Sikkim) is given a cash prize of Rs. 20,000/-, a certificate and a trophy.

These awards are given at State level functions organized by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises-Development Institutes of respective states.

The category of Outstanding Entrepreneurship includes (First, Second and Third), Special Awards, at par with the First National Award, to honour an outstanding women entrepreneur, an outstanding entrepreneur from SC/ST and an entrepreneur from North Eastern Region, two (First and Second) awards for Medium Enterprises engaged in manufacturing and two (First and Second) awards for MSEs rendering services.

The First, Second and Third National Awards for Micro and Small Enterprises for 2008 will be awarded to entrepreneurs from Maharashtra, West Bengal and Gujarat respectively.

A woman entrepreneur from Andhra Pradesh has won the Special Award under the category of women entrepreneurs and special award for SC/ST entrepreneur has gone to Gujarat. A women entrepreneur from Sikkim has won the Special Award from NER.

The first and second National Awards for Medium Enterprise has been won by entrepreneurs from Karnataka and Rajasthan respectively. An entrepreneur from Haryana won first National Award and entrepreneur from Kerala won the second award for the Micro & Small Enterprises rendering Services. Special Recognition Awards will also be given to entrepreneurs/enterprises.

The category of Research and Development in MSMEs include two awards (First and Second) for Micro and Small Enterprises.

The next category includes certain Quality Product groups selected each year. One National Award is given for each category of the selected products.

The National Awards for Quality Products 2008 will be given to eligible entrepreneurs for nine products i.e. (1) Woolen Blankets and Shawls and Stoles (2) Electric Wires and Cables (3) Fasteners (Nuts, Bolts and Screws) (4) Auto Parts -Metallic (Non-electrical) (5) Dairy Products (6) Ceramic Table ware (7) Plastic Extruded Products (8) Paints & Varnishes (9) Non-Leather Footwear (all types). Special Recognition awards will be given to 14 entrepreneurs/enterprises.

The National Awards Scheme has had a positive impact on the MSMEs. The awardees have benefited by way of larger orders booked, higher credibility with bankers and improvement in brand image. (ANI)

Delhi govt likely to implement Child Protection Scheme

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ew Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) In order to provide a safe and secure environment for the children in the city, Delhi government may soon implement the Centrally-sponsored Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS).

The Planning Commission had recently suggested to the state government to implement the scheme in the city which has a large number of child beggars as well as street children, mostly runaways from the neighbouring states.

The Central government has already provided an outlay of Rs 1,073 crore during the XI Plan period towards implementation of this scheme which aims to improve the well being of such children who are vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

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