Govt to airlines: Fly or face action

Turbulent times for aviation sector is now turning into a face off between the industry and government. A day after private airlines threatened to suspend operations on August 18 the government is talking tough.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday made it clear that those airlines which cancelled flights on August 18 would have to refund passengers immediately for tickets paid for in cash.

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel issued a statement saying, "The government reiterates its advice to private airlines against suspending operations for that day. The government can't be expected to help private airlines financially. The tax on ATF has been an issue since much before many of the present airlines came into existence. If required, the DGCA will take appropriate action under its regulatory powers to protect passenger interest. Air India will stand up to its national responsibility and will mount additional flights on August 18 to minimise inconvenience to the travelling public."

Even the regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is acting tough. It has issued an ultimatum to these airlines to refund the amount for the cancelled tickets as per the rules immediately if the ticket is purchased by cash, and within seven days if its purchased through credit card.

But it is a divided house on whether airlines should be given relief by the government.

"The government under no circumstances should be giving any bailout in terms of writing off loans. It will be criminal because it is taxpayers' money," said Captain G R Gopinath, founder, Air Deccan.

Airlines insists the taxes they pay are way higher than their international counterparts.

"All that we are saying is that give us a level playing field with international airlines. Airlines in India are paying 60-70 per cent higher for aviation fuel, which is the main input cost," said Ajay Singh, Director, Spicejet.

The government says airlines are responsible for their financial mess, but the airlines say the government is taxing them to death. One thing is certain -- with losses exceeding Rs 10,000 crore this year many carriers may disappear in thin air if no help comes their way.

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Travel by Air India only, govt tells its employees

In a move that could give some comfort to the cash-strapped national carrier, the government has directed its employees to use only Air India during their official domestic and foreign tours.

The government also made it clear that this would be applicable to the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) of officials including those belonging to the Public Sector Undertakings (PSU).

"It has been decided by the Department of Expenditure that in all cases of air travel both domestic and international where the government of India bears the cost of air passage, the officials concerned may travel only by Air India," an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel said.

The Ministry said it had consulted with the Department of Expenditure on the purview of the order with regard to LTC.

"Department of Expenditure has confirmed that the order will apply in cases of LTC also," it said.

For travel to places not connected by the national carrier, the order said, the officials could travel by Air India to the point closest to that destination.

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CBI is using my son to target me: Buta Singh

Buta Singh, Chairman of National Commission for SC/ST, mired in a bribery case in which his son was arrested, is still defiant.

He said that he has spoken to Prime Minster Manmohan Singh and briefed him about the political conspiracy.

Buta Singh claims the CBI is using his son Sarobjit Singh to target him and he is ready to answer any question if the CBI interrogates him. Buta Singh categorically said that he will not resign from his post.

Meanwhile, the CBI has got more leads in the bribery case involving Buta Singh's son Sarobjit Singh.

The house of a suspected Bangalore-based hawala operator, Dhuk Singh, was searched by the CBI where some incriminating documents were seized.

He is the third hawala operator the CBI has picked up.

Earlier, the CBI joined by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate the Hawala trail behind the bribery scandal in which Buta Singh and his son have been implicated.

Meanwhile, Buta Singh, the Chairman of the National Commission for SC and ST, said there is no question of his resigning from the post.

"Why should I resign? I have served the nation for 50 years. I will not run. I will fight," he said.
Buta's son Sarabjot was arrested on charges of accepting a Rs 1 crore bribe from a Nasik-based contractor.

The CBI wants to know what role Buta may have played in the crime and how much he knew of his son's activities?

Buta Singh has been implicated by a key suspect -- Congressman Anup Beghe who has told the CBI that Singh was present at the meeting where the bribe was discussed.

However, in his defence, Sarabjot has claimed that his father knew that Ramarao Patil was trying to bribe him and that Buta Singh had in fact written to the Nashik Police Commissioner complaining about it.

His claims apart, Sarabjot will now have to deal with another case -- of illegally possessing a revolver found when the CBI raided his Delhi residence on Friday.

With the entry of the Enforcement Directorate it's clear that the CBI is following the money trail to build a strong case against Sarabjot and possibly his father as well.

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Didi's rakhi gift: Ladies special train to Palwal

A a Rakhi gift for women, Railway Ministry Mamata Banerjee will launch a 'Ladies Special' train from the city to Palwal in Haryana on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan on August 5.

"An EMU train with nine coaches will run on weekdays from Delhi to Palwal and return exclusively for women," a senior Railway Ministry official said.

The train will leave New Delhi in the morning and return in the evening. The special train will take about an hour to reach the destination.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to flag off the ladies special train on August 5, sources said.

The train will be escorted by women RPF squad for the safety purpose, the official said, adding "the squad will strictly monitor any unauthorised entry into the train during its journey".

There was a longstanding demand for a ladies special train in the region seeing the considerable number of working women travelling in suburban trains.

To cater to the needs of women employees during office hours, Banerjee had announced to launch ladies special trains in Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata suburbans in her budget speech.

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Lichen smuggling destroy Assam forests

After wildlife it's now smuggling of plant life that is destroying large tracts of forest area in Assam's North Cachar Hills.

Semi evergreen forests in Assam's NC Hills are slowly disappearing, but it is not timber smuggling that's destroying the trees, it is the lichen trade.

Lichens are algae-like natural formations that look like moss on trees. They can be scraped off but villagers actually chop off massive trees. And the statistics we got was shocking.

Four to five trees produce only one kg of lichen. And one kg fetches the villagers Rs 50 to Rs 70 only. The lichen trade has become so popular that almost 25 villages depend on this moss for their livelihood.

"In our village we get around Rs 60 for a kg and you need around five trees for a kilogram," said a villager.

Lichens are used for dyes, perfume and traditional medicines and has a demand in south east Asian countries. They are used for anti-biotics and anti-fungal drugs.

In Japan it is used for soup and salads. Villagers also told us that it's smuggled to neighbouring countries.

"This is used for drugs and sent to foreign countries," said a villager.

Unlike other countries, Lichens in India are not protected under the Biodiversity Act but its study is very important for the ecology.

In this case though the worry is that trade of lichen is destroying precious forest cover.

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Delhi to witness high security for I-Day

As the country prepares to observe its 63rd Independence Day, the national capital is being put under an impregnable security cover to pre-empt any terrorist attack ahead of the celebrations.

Thousands of security personnel, including sharpshooters of the elite National Security Guards, will keep a hawk-eyed vigil in the city in the run up to the August 15 celebrations at the historic Red Fort where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will unfurl the tricolour and address the nation.

Forty CCTVs will be installed in and around Red Fort to ensure incident-free celebrations while NSG sharpshooters will be deployed on high-rises near the 17th century Mughal monument, a senior police official said. Last year, 34 CCTVs were installed near Red Fort.

While 10 CCTVs will be installed in and around the monument covering up to three km, 30 more will be installed to cover a four-km stretch from Shanti Van to the Red Fort police post.

Though the police were not taking any unprecedented step, security measures will be "tighter" in the wake of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the official said.

Agencies are constantly reviewing arrangements at the Red Fort and are in the process of zeroing in on the 'safe houses' where the Prime Minister and other leaders should be taken to in case of a terrorist strike, he said.

Besides Red Fort and its surrounding areas, intense vigil will be maintained on key installations like Parliament complex, international airport, railway stations, inter-state bus terminals and metro stations.

Meetings will also be held between Delhi Police and their counterparts in adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh
and Haryana to ensure a strict vigil against suspicious elements and prevent their entry into the capital.

According to the official, a ground-to-air security apparatus will be put in place for the Independence Day celebrations besides making the Red Fort area a no-fly zone.

Besides patrolling of the skies by helicopters with security officials, an air defence mechanism will also be put in place around the venue to thwart any terror attack.

Delhi police is also intensifying checking at all the border points, the official said adding, they may also deploy spotters from other states to identify suspicious elements.

Police is asking operators of guest houses, cyber cafes, telephone booths and taxi services to keep a watch on their customers and report about suspicious people.

Instructions will be issued to the operators to keep a register of their customers and not to allow them to use their facilities without proper identification.

While owners of guest houses and cyber cafes will be asked to install CCTVs, telephone booth operators will be instructed to keep a separate register of those making local, STD and ISD calls, the official said.

Owners of guest houses and hotels will also be asked not to allow their guests to use hotel address for getting a mobile connection, the official said.

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