north east online - north east india news: Sep 8, 2009

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Pressure on Modi to come clean

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shrat Jahan's family on Tuesday (September 8) said that their fight to clear their daughter's name has been vindicated. After a court declared the killings of Ishrat Jahan and her colleagues as a fake encounter, the family now wants the harshest punishment to be meted out to the cops involved in the bloody encounter.

Addressing the media, Ishrat Jahan's sister -- Mussarat Jahan said, "We want the perpetrators of this crime to get the maximum penalty according to the law."

Meanwhile, Rauf Lala, Social Worker said, "Israt Jahan was an Indian just like any one of us. We knew from the beginning that Israt was innocent. Truth has prevailed in the end. The Tamang report clearly stated that Israt was killed on 14th June, 2004. The report of the 16th June encounter is fake."

An Ahmedabad Court declared on Monday that college student Ishrat Jahan and three of her friends who were killed in 2004 was a case of fake encounter. The police claimed that Ishrat and her friends were dreaded LeT terrorists who were on a mission to gun down Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. This was contended in court by Ishrat's family.

According to the Tamang Report that was responsible for the court's ruling:

The victims were not linked to LeT as claimed by the police.

The police had shot the victims in 'cold blood using their service revolvers'.

The encounter was 'planned' & executed mercilessly by shooting the victims from close range.

The accused officers had planned the 'encounter' for their selfish motives.

The motive was to get promotion, to secure their positions, to falsely show their work as the best,to impress CM Narendra Modi.

'Ill' pilots ground India airline

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ndia's second-largest private airline Jet Airways has cancelled nearly 120 flights, following a protest by hundreds of pilots who reported sick.

At least 35 flights from the financial capital Mumbai and 18 flights from Delhi have been cancelled.

Hundreds of passengers have been stranded at various airports, leading to angry confrontations.

The pilots are protesting against the dismissal of two senior pilots last month by the airline.

The pilots' union, the National Aviator's Guild, has been demanding the reinstatement of the pilots.

"Jet Airways has been in a conciliation process with the pilots. The Regional Labour Commissioner had categorically stated that any strike by pilots during this (period) would be deemed an illegal act," news agency Reuters quoted from a statement issued by the airline.

"Regrettably, a section of the pilots has resorted to a simulated strike by reporting sick," it said.

The strike would "damage the airline's operations and inconvenience the travelling public", the statement added.

A spokesman for the pilots' union said the protest would continue the until their demand was met.

"All we want is that they give us in writing that the two sacked pilots will be reinstated. Management also has some responsibility in meeting us half-way," Reuters quoted spokesman Girish Kaushik as saying.

The strike has led to the cancellation of flights from airports across India.

The airline cancelled at least six flights from the southern city of Madras and four from Calcutta in the east.

The airline has been mired in controversies in recent months. Last year, it announced plans to lay off 1,900 staff to cut costs.

But after days of protests by employees, the government persuaded the airline to take them back.

India's once-booming aviation sector has been hard hit by soaring costs, mainly due to global fuel-price rises.

Kolkata Fashion Week II: Bollywood’s Biggest names on ramp

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olkata, Sept 7 (IBNS) The city will witness the best of Nation’s glamorous personalities walking down the prestigious ramp of Emami Kolkata Fashion Week II as Showstoppers from Sept 9-13.

The list includes Neil Nitin Mukesh, Virendra Sehwag, Ustad Amzad Ali Khan, Ustad Ayan Ali Bangash, Ustad Aman Ali Bangash, Amrita Rao, Rituparna Sengupta, Rimii Sen, Sameera Reddy, Sophie Choudhury & Neetu Chandra amongst others. International model Giselle Monteiro will also set ablaze the ramp.

Today, Mindscapes Maestros also unveiled the new website for Emami Kolkata Fashion Week II. Designed by Autumn Advertising, the website will provide first hand information on this 5-day mega fashion event, which has created a stir across the nation since the announcement of the second season by the Brand Ambassador Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“The concept of Earth Couture was born out of a desire to try something new within the confines of fashion. To inspire a return to our roots, a reminder of the many forms beauty manifests itself in. The added windfall of such a concept was that it happens to be relevant and necessary in today’s context. Earth Couture is the marriage of high fashion and completely natural materials. It is homage to the wonders that nature has given us. By using it as the theme and a benchmark for what fashion should represent, we are doing our bit to shift the impetus from ‘high fashion’ to ‘conscientious high fashion”, said Yudhajit Dutta, Managing Director Mindscapes Maestros.

Emami feels that by sponsoring the event it will be able to gift the aficionados of fashion in Kolkata an enthralling and captivating glimpse on the modern trends in India’s fashion industry.

Referring to the tie-up, John Furtado, Vice President - Media, Emami Group of Companies said, “It feels great to be a part of the unique fashion event Like Kolkata Fashion Week which has consciously taken a step forward to promote natural fibre on the platform of a national event of this stature. Emami, being a leading FMCG company has always tried to revive the natural resources of ayurveda through its various products. So, this marriage between Emami & Kolkata Fashion Week is a manifestation of similar thoughts.”

Alokesh Banerjee, Senior General Manager, United Spirits Limited said, “Signature stands for impeccable style, discernment and potency. The brand is pitched as the choice of the bold and beautiful. We believe high profile fashion events provide the perfect synergy with these values. Association with the Emami Kolkata Fashion Week is therefore a natural outcome of this synergy.

“Emami Kolkata Fashion Week is the premier fashion destination in the East for the biggest labels in the fashion industry in India. With last year’s edition’s as its benchmark, we expect that Emami KFW II will attract the whos who from the fashion fraternity and emerge as the signature event of the bold and beautiful. The Signature Lounge at Emami KFW II will be the most happening retreat for designers, models, socialites and celebrities. In addition, Signature will sponsor the after parties - one of the most sought after and glamorous events at KFW.”

Kingfisher is associated with the Kolkata Fashion week as a “Good Times Partner”. To add to the style and elegance that the fashion event is all about, Kingfisher Bohemia a South African wine from the UB family is also on board s a “Lifestyle partner”.

Speaking about this initiative, United Breweries Deputy President Shekhar Ramamurthy, commented, “At Kingfisher our constant endeavor is to provide Good Times! Kingfisher has always been associated with high profile lifestyle events such as KF Calendar, Wills Lifestyle India Fashion week, Karaoke nights etc to deliver its brand promise. With “The Kingfisher Good Times Lounge”, at the Kolkata Fashion Week, we promise to provide a Good Times to all associated with an event of this stature.”

The second season of Emami KFW will kickstart with a Ritu Kumar show and conclude with Manish Malhotra’s ensemble. Apart from Narendra Kumar, Rocky S, Anita Dongre, Wendell Rodricks, MonaPali, Dev R Nil, Zubair Kirmani, Kallol Dutta, Abhishek Dutta, Satya Paul, Mandira Wirk, Soumitra Mondal & Satya Paul, Emami Kolkata Fashion Week will witness the unique creations of Neeta Lulla and Kiran Uttam Ghosh.

The emerging designers who will be participating at KFW II are Leena Taneja, Tejas Gandhi, Kaushik & Pallob, Abhishek Vyas, Indira – Vedaant, Amita Chittora, Soma Nath, Kritika & Prayrana, Shweta Chhawchariya, Vinit Agarwal, Nimirta Lalwani, Souvik & Aditi, Pankaj Kumar & Ajeet Parihar, Jaya Mishra, Debarun Mukherjee, S S Surya, Aditi Jaggi, Aarti Vijaygupta, Pallavi Singhi, Swati Srivastava, Radhika & Sayantan and Arjun Agarwal.

Top models of the country including Indrani Dasgupta, Sapna Kumar, Joey Matthews, Lakshmi Rana, Noyanika, Sonalika Sahai, Neha Kapur, Bhawana, Candice Pinto along with others will be sashaying down the ramp showcasing the exclusive creations of these designers.

Conceptualized and designed by Mindscapes Maestros Events & Sports Management Private Limited, a part of Mindscapes Group Of Companies, Kolkata Fashion Week (KFW) Season II will be a five – day fashion extravaganza focusing on the theme ‘Earth Couture’ as the year 2009 has been declared as “The International Year of Natural Fibre” by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. Emami KFW II will be held between 9th – 13th September, 2009 at ITC The Sonar Kolkata.

Jet Airways pilots defiant, flights cancelled

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ew Delhi, Sep 8 (ANI): At least ten Jet Airways flights and its subsidiary out of Delhi were cancelled on Tuesday after a large number of pilots did not report to work in protest against the sacking of two of their colleagues.

According to airport sources, at least 10 early morning flights of Jet Airways and JetLite were cancelled, as the pilots failed to report for duty.

In a press statement Jet Airways said some pilots have resorted to a simulated strike by reporting sick.

Jet Airways had last month terminated the services of two of its senior most pilots, saying their services were not required after both formed a trade union body within the company.

A conciliatory meeting was called on August 31 between the Jet Airways management and the union, which claims to have a representation of over 650 pilots. Jet Airways has 1000 pilots on its rolls.

While the National Aviators Guild (NAG) has decided not to go on the proposed strike, its members have decided on an alternate course of protest like going on mass casual leave to hamper operations of the private carrier. (ANI)

Kolkata authorities send detained UAE plane report to Centre

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olkata, Sep.8 (ANI): Kolkata officials have sent a detailed report to New Delhi on the detained UAE military aircraft, two days after it landed and was found to be carrying a huge consignment of undeclared arms and explosives.

The plane is still grounded while its crew has been released but asked not leave Kolkata.

The UAE government meanwhile said on Tuesday that it was in "constant contact" with the Indian officials over its Air Force plane.

UAE Foreign Ministry''s Director-General Juma Al Junaibi confirmed in a statement in which he stressed the deep-rooted relations between the UAE and India and also reiterated UAE''s respect for India''s sovereignty.

The China-bound cargo plane of the United Arab Emirates Air Force was detained and its ten crew members including the pilot questioned when customs officials found arms and ammunition on board the aircraft after it made a scheduled transit landing at the Kolkata airport.

Sources say Kolkata Customs Officials have sent the information to the Defence, Finance and External Affairs Ministries at the centre.

On Sunday, the plane was on its way to China and had requested permission for landing. The ATC asked it to identify its cargo. When the pilot said it was arms, the plane was detained in the hangar at Kolkata airport. Customs was asked to inspect the cargo, and the captain refused saying he had no permission.

The Indian authorities soon discovered a large amount of arms and explosives on board, and the crew of the plane was questioned for several hours.

According to TIMES NOW, the report sent to the three ministries contains information about the cargo on the aircraft listing all the arms and ammunition found on board. The ministries have also been sent a copy of a document from the UAE embassy before the plane landed clearly stating that the plane was not carrying any ammunition.

Details have also been submitted of how the Delhi Regional Command gave the plane the go ahead to land in Kolkata when it had not declared the true nature of its cargo.

The concerned ministries could seek further clarifications from the UAE embassy over why the plane''s crew said there were no arms or ammunition on board.

The Centre could also demand answers from the Delhi Regional Command on why it gave the plane permission to land.

If satisfied with the explanations, the plane may be permitted to fly out of the country. (ANI)

After 20-year wait, Meghalaya villagers make their own road

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t doesn’t pay to be patient with an “indifferent” government. So the people of seven villages in Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills district decided to end their wait for a road project undertaken 20 years ago.

Some 750 men and women of these villages – Mookhon Iung, Mookabeng, Nongkharai, Nonglatem, Iongshiwiat, Moorathut and Nongdhar – did not block traffic or storm the office of the Public Works (Roads). They picked up their spades and pickaxes, scraped earth and chiseled boulders from the hills nearby and started making their own road.

This cluster of seven villagers, sited 105 km southeast of state capital Shillong, lies on 85 km Nongpoh-Nartiang road ends. The PWD (Roads) began work on this road in 1989-90, but left out a 15 km stretch connecting these villages.

“Last month, we decided we had enough of waiting. All the villagers got together and decided to begin work from September 4. We hope to complete the work by the end of this month, and then see if the government still remains shameless not to come and blacktop it,” said Tyllilang Mukhim, rangbah shnong or headman of Nonglatem village.

Officials, however, are far from moved. “We cannot do anything unless we have adequate funds to complete the project,” said a PWD officer.

According to Mukhim, the villagers want to make the road good enough for commercial vehicles to carry their agricultural produce from their doorstep. “Almost all of us grow a variety of vegetables, rice, ginger and broomstick, and it is not always possible to take them to the markets before they rot,” he told HT from Nonglatem.

The headman added at least eight persons died in these villages over the past couple of years for delay in carrying them to the nearest primary health centre.

Access to healthcare has been an issue raging in other parts of Meghalaya as well. The Ri-Bhoi Youth Federation on Monday launched a two-night road blockade in Ri-Bhoi district to make the DD Lapang government ensure doctors and nurses are available in the CHCs and PHCs.

The announcement of the blockade almost coincided with the headmen of 13 villages in West Khasi Hills district lodging a complaint with the authorities concerned demanding better roads and healthcare facilities.

North-East petrol pump workers to go on 72-hour strike

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etrol pump workers in the North-East have decided to go on a 72-hour strike from Tuesday to protest the non-settlement of their six-point charter of demands.

Informing this, Hynniewtrep Petroleum Workers Union president Alester N Diengdoh in Shillong said the strike would start from 5 am on Tuesday throughout the North-East.

Their charter of demands includes minimum monthly wage of Rs 10,000 to all workers, payment of bonus and other benefits like provident fund, gratuity and ESI, among others.

"We had submitted our demands to the Petroleum Minister in December 2007, but till date the companies have failed to comply with the demands," he said.

Chaos at airports as Jet pilots go on mass sick leave

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UMBAI - Chaos prevailed at Mumbai, Delhi and other airports across the country as over 400 pilots of Jet Airways stayed away from work on ’sick leave’ since early Tuesday.

Nearly 20 domestic flights, including several early morning flights on trunk routes like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and other major sectors like Jaipur, Bhopal, Ahmedabad were cancelled. Jet Airways management attempted to club flights or accommodate passengers on alternate flights to minimise inconvenience to fliers.

A section of pilots, who were rostered for flying duties Tuesday have gone on mass sick leave since midnight in protest against the termination of two senior pilots.

Terming the pilots action “as an organised and planned sabotage of operations that would damage the airlines’ operations”, a Jet Airways spokesperson said that it contravened the ongoing conciliation process with the pilots before the Regional Labour Commissioner.

“The Regional Labour Commissioner had categorically stated that any strike by the pilots during this pendency of conciliation, would be deemed an illegal act, as per the Industrial Disputes Act,” the spokesperson told IANS Tuesday morning.

According to an airport official, by 7 a.m. as many as seven flights from Mumbai and nine from New Delhi to various destinations had been cancelled. However, the situation could become worse as the day progresses with the likelihood of flights to more sectors getting hit.

Jet Airways has said that passengers can get either a full refund or re-book themselves on any other flight even as it made efforts to operate the maximum number of flights.

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