AICC team to arrive today to in Arunachal
ITANAGAR, Oct 30 – The three-member AICC team of observers is arriving here tomorrow to attend a crucial Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting to resolve the four-month old leadership crisis in Arunachal Pradesh.
The team headed by Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, former DoNER Minister B K Handique and party’s general secretary and in-charge of Arunachal Pradesh Dhaniram Shandil is likely to announce the new CLP leader to be followed by swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Minister, party sources said here.
“The team is coming to resolve the stalemate over leadership issue on the directive of party President Sonia Gandhi,” PCC chief Nabam Tuki said.
The AICC team had visited the State on October 23 last to meet the 42 party legislators to elicit their opinion on the crisis, and submitted its report to Sonia yesterday.
Majority of the Congress legislators led by dissident leader Tuki are demanding a change in leadership in the State. There are 42 Congress legislators in the State which has a 60-member Assembly.
The rift between Tuki and Gamlin had become a big issue in the State dividing the party along ethnic lines. Majority of the Congress legislators have demanded Gamlin’s resignation for his alleged “authoritarian rule.”
Gamlin was sworn in as the Chief Minister on May 5 last after the death of former Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu in a chopper crash on April 30 this year. – PTI
Source: Assam Tribune
Saif annointed 10th Nawab of Pataudi
Pataudi (Haryana), Oct 31 (IANS): Flanked by his mother Sharmila Tagore and two sisters, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was today anointed the 10th Nawab of Pataudi at a ceremony at the family’s Ibrahim Palace here.
Heads of various villages of the area tied a white turban (pagri) around the head of the 41-year-old star.
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was also present at the ceremony, apart from Sharmila Tagore and Saif’s two sisters Soha and Saba. His father, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, passed away on Sep 22 in New Delhi’s Sir Gangaram Hospital after unsuccessfully battling severe lung infection.
Mansur Ali Khan, who captained the Indian cricket team at the age of 21, was the last Nawab of Pataudi state. He held the title till 1971 when the central government abolished the princely system.
The family still has its palace in Pataudi town, 26 km from Gurgaon, much of which has been leased out to a leading heritage resort chain that runs a hotel there. A portion of the palace has been retained by the family.
Source: Assam Tribune
Strengthen border security: Mizoram, Tripura Governors
Agartala/Aizawl, Oct 31 (IANS): Security along India’s borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar must be strengthened for lasting peace in the region and to curb the smuggling of items such as arms, drugs and counterfeit currency, the governors of Tripura and Mizoram have said at a conference in New Delhi.
Tripura Governor DY Patil and his Mizoram counterpart Vakkom Purushothaman were speaking at the 43rd conference of governors in New Delhi Oct 29-30 addressed by President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram.
In the speech released on Monday, Purushothaman said Mizoram was a peaceful state “but it turns into transit zone for smuggling of drugs, counterfeit currencies and limited arms into and out of the state for insurgent groups in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland”.
“The construction of border fencing along the India-Bangladesh international boundary is progressing well and with the rapid deployment of BSF (Border Security Force) personnel, border crimes have largely tamed,” he added.
“The Assam Rifles which guards the Indo-Myanmar border alongwith other law enforcing agencies on the Indian side have been seizing weapons and drugs and that most offenders are found to be of Myanmar origin,” he stated.
The Tripura governor said it was tough for security agencies in bordering northeastern states to detain the offenders as they crossed the border immediately after carrying out different types of crimes.
“Existing systems to get the help of Bangladesh police to hold the criminals and curb crimes are time taking and complicated. Reviewing the entire system, the police and the concerned authorities of both countries must evolve a purposeful method in this regard,” Patil pointed out.
He urged the central government to complete border fencing at the earliest and stressed on further deployment of BSF troopers to check cross border movement of northeast India based militants.
“The number of Border Out Posts (BOPs) would be increased to 245 from the existing 210 BOPs to improve the vigil on the 856 km India-Bangladesh border with Tripura,” Patil added.
Four northeastern states – Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam – share a 1,880 km border with Bangladesh, while Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh share a 1,640 km unfenced border with Myanmar.
The India-Bangladesh border is manned by the BSF while the India-Myanmar border is guarded by Assam Rifles.
The dense forests, mountainous terrain and unfenced boundaries make the borders porous and vulnerable.
Source: Assam Tribune
IIT JEE 2012 Registration begins today
October 31, 2011
New Delhi: Gates to the hallowed corridors of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) now stand open for aspirants, with the Online Registration for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) 2012 starting today, i.e. October 31, 2011.
To be held on April 8, 2012, IIT JEE 2012 will have two modes of registration. The online mode will be active on the IIT JEE website from October 31, 2011 to December 10, 2011 and the offline mode, i.e.
physical sale of application forms, will be from November 11, 2011 to December 5, 2011.
The last date for receipt of completed application forms (offline or printed copy of the Online Form) is December 15, 2011.
IIT JEE 2012 will also work on a different method of qualification marks in which candidates will have to score at least 10% marks in all the three subjects and a minimum aggregate of 35% to make it to the common rank list.
A separate rank list will also be prepared for OBC and SC/ST candidates, with OBCs getting a relaxation of 10% in the minimum marks required to crack JEE 2012. Some more changes to the JEE format include allowing a candidate to circle their answers in the answer sheet using a pen instead of pencil.
The answer keys for IIT JEE 2012 will be published online at least three weeks after the examination.
NNE wishes all JEE aspirants, Best of Luck!
Read More: IndiaEduNews.Net
Tripura to encourage medicinal plant cultivation
AGARTALA, Oct 29 – The autonomous Tripura Forest Development and Plantation Corporation (TFDPC) has decided to encourage bamboo cultivation and medicinal plant and rare herb plantations, besides rubber, officials said today.
“The plan will be implemented across Tripura where tribals were given land pattas under Forest Right Act,” TFDPC officials said.
About 1.18 lakh tribal people were given pattas under the Act in Tripura.
“A draft has been chalked out for the promotion of bamboo cultivation and medicinal plant and herb plantations here,” they said. About 200 species of medicinal plants and herbs are available in Tripura.
Only recently, an expression of interest for procurement of Kalmegh (Andrigraphis Paniculata) and Shatamuli (Asparagus Recemosus Wild) was invited by the TFDPC.
“TFDPC will financially assist cultivators besides technical support through MGNREGA. The marketing of products will be done by concerned departments,” he said.
“If the work is succesfully implemented and rural people take interest it would boost the economy of the State,” the officials said. – PTI
Source: Assam Tribune
Oct 30 blasts victims remembered
Staff reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 30 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today issued a warning to all militant groups against creating mayhem, asserting that the Government was taking the necessary steps to weed out terrorism from the soil of Assam.
Remembering the terrorist– perpetrated ghastly crime against humanity on this day three years back at a Shrandhanjali function held under the Ganeshguri flyover, one of the blast sites, Gogoi said that acts of terror only brought misery for the innocent and yielded no results for the militant outfits.
Three years back, that is on October 30, 2008, Assam went through one of its worst nightmares when high intensity serial blasts rocked the State. Many of those killed belonged to the marginalised section, and many were sole bread winners in their families. Paying tribute to those who lost their lives, Gogoi said that it was time now for the people of the State to stand united against terrorism.
“Many innocent lives have been lost, many have been widowed and orphaned. No more blood should be shed. Our Government is determined to bring peace to the State,” said Gogoi, appealing to the anti-talks militant factions to come to the negotiating table.
Gogoi observed that growth and development of the State was hampered because of terrorism and he called upon the people to maintain vigil against subversive acts.
On the other hand, Gogoi assured the families of blast victims that the Government was considering to provide further help to them.
However, the assurance failed to act as balm for the families who have not forgotten the untimely demise of the sole bread winners in their families. While observing one minute’s silence for the peace of the departed souls, their pain intensified.
“My three children have not forgotten their father,” said Lalbanu Begum of Sixmile. Her husband, who was a city bus driver, had died at the Ganeshguri blast.
The horrific memories of October 30 brought together cross sections of citizens to the tribute paying function where they voiced their determination not to bow before terrorism. Children of Dispur Sarkari Nimna Buniyadi Vidyalaya offered floral tribute – they had lost Moromi Sarma who was the youngest blast victim.
Elsewhere across the capital city, different groups and organisations held memorial functions. The Dispur Barowari Puja Samity and Jyoti Kala Kendra jointly recalled those who lost their lives. A procession was taken out by school children at Ganeshguri, demanding peace and an end to terrorism.
The Forum for Terrorists Victims Family, Assam observed the day as Anti Terrorism Day and held an all–faith prayer meet at the Ganeshguri blast site.
The All Assam Students Union, and the All Adivasi Students Association of Assam too paid homage to the blast victims.
Candles and earthen lamps illuminated the Ganeshguri blast site and other areas including the Dighalipukhuri area in the evening as people pledged to unite against terrorism.
Source: Assam Tribune
Speedy steps needed to complete border fencing
R Dutta Choudhury
KARIMGANJ, Oct 30 – The construction of fencing and availability of modern equipment has definitely improved border management in the Barak Valley, but because of the tough terrain, complete sealing of the international border is a Herculean task and efforts should be made to complete the fencing on war footing.
This correspondent recently visited the international border and found that the erection of two layer fencing has been of great help to the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in managing the international border. Barak Valley has around 128 kilometers of border with Bangladesh, of which 37 kilometer is riverine border.
The border fencing is complete in most parts where the international boundary is properly demarcated but because of the terrain, in some parts, the fencing has to be erected well inside the Indian territory. For example, just ahead of the Madanpur border outpost of the BSF, the fencing has been erected around 800 yards inside the Indian territory instead of the norm of construction of the fencing 150 yards inside India. However, the border pillars in the area are located on top of a hillock amidst thick jungle and BSF men manning the border themselves admitted that it would not be possible to keep a close watch on the fencing if it is erected on the slope of the hillock. “Construction of the fencing within Indian territory does not mean giving up the land as the pillars demarcate the international border and not the fencing,” BSF men pointed out.
Of course, the BSF has prepared a foot track to reach the hillock and a patrolling party is sent up to the pillars every day for patrolling in the area, which is not inhabited by people.
The BSF still has a problem in the Latitila-Dumabari area as the international border is yet to be demarcated because of the disputes and only a few white flags demarcate the working boundary. As people of both sides cultivate the land right up to the international border in the plains of the area, it is difficult to ensure sealing of the international border. Moreover, some parts of the area are covered with thick jungles and it is impossible to ensure that no one crosses the international border.
The international riverine border is an area of concern. The BSF has a fleet of speed boats and local boats are also hired from time to time to man the border, while, posts of the border guarding force are located all along the banks of the river to keep to keep a close watch. The boats of both the countries plying on the river have to carry national flags for identification and the fishermen of India have also been given identification papers so that they can be checked as soon as they reach the shores. But with boats of both the countries plying on the Kuchiara river, the possibility of persons crossing over from one boat to another in the middle of the river cannot be ruled out and it was also seen that some of the Bangladeshi boats were not displaying their national flags prominently. Interestingly, the middle of the river is the international boundary and it is not possible to strictly enforce it.
Meanwhile, providing modern equipment like night vision equipment acted as force multipliers for the border guarding personnel. The SLRs are being gradually replaced by the Insas rifles, which are considered easier to maneuver. But the night vision equipment including thermal imagers are of great help as these equipment pick up movement of any living object within a radius of three kilometers. This correspondent had the opportunity to use one such equipment on a dark night at the Steamer Ghat post of the BSF and found that the equipment is really useful in picking up any movement. A very bright spark appeared on the screen when a BSF patrol boat moved on the river and with the use of this equipment, the BSF men are now being able to detect any movement along the border at night.
Interestingly, the security on the other side of the border is very lax and the distance between the BOPs of the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) are much more than those of the BSF.
This correspondent also saw the improvement of relations between both the countries. During a visit to the Lafasil area, this correspondent came across a patrol party of the BGB. Those they were a little surprised to see unknown persons, they were very friendly. One of the BGB man, Fazal, said, “pray to God that we can live as friends forever without any problem.”
Source: Assam Tribune
China coal mine gas blast kills 29 workers
Associated Press, Updated: October 30, 2011 10:19 IST
Beijing: A gas explosion at a coal mine in central China has killed 29 workers, Chinese authorities said Sunday.
Six other miners survived Saturday evening’s blast at a state-owned coal mine in Hengyang city in Hunan province, China’s State Administration of Work Safety said in a statement on its website.
Five of the workers were rescued, while one climbed out of an air shaft of the Xialiuchong Coal Mine, the statement said.
The work safety administration said rescue work was complete as no other miners were working at the time of the explosion.
Song Yuanming, the chief of the provincial coal mine safety bureau, told state broadcaster CCTV that there was a large outburst of gas in the mine 250 meters (820 feet) underground that was ignited by sparks produced by machines.
CCTV said that the mine’s operating license had been revoked in the first half of this year because it did not adopt measures to pump out dangerous gases from underground, but that the mine continued production without permission.
China’s coal mines are the most dangerous in the world. Demand for coal induces many producers to sidestep safety regulations, although conditions have improved and a number of small, illegal mines have been shut. Annual fatalities are now about one-third of the high of nearly 7,000 in 2002.
Read more at: NDTV
Won’t tolerate corruption in BJP-ruled states: Advani
Press Trust of India, Updated: October 30, 2011 23:21 IST
Bangalore: With land and mining scams dogging the BJP government in Karnataka, party’s veteran leader L K Advani, today, said the BJP will not make any compromise with corruption in the states ruled by it.
Mr Advani, whose anti-graft yatra entered Karnataka, also continued his attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing him of leading independent India’s “most corrupt government.”
“Good governance cannot co-exist with corruption…I am not saying this only to the Congress. I am telling this to me (my party) also…If there is corruption in us (party-ruled governments), we will not compromise.
I have said this earlier also in Karnataka that I will never defend corruption. There is no doubt in this,” he told a public meeting, organised as part of his ‘Jan Chetna Yatra’, at the National College Ground in Bangalore.
“If I talk about wrongs in the government, wrongs in the Congress, then I will not accept it within our governments too,” he said in his 45-minute address at the rain-hit rally.
Faced with fresh allegations of corruption against two Karnataka ministers, the BJP leader, however, said graft allegations will have to be proved first.
He was highly critical of the Prime Minister over the manner in which his government secured the majority in the vote of confidence in 2006 after the Left withdrew support on the issue of Indo-US nuclear agreement.
In this context, Mr Advani termed the “cash-for-vote” scam as the biggest scam ever, saying that such a scam would not have happened anywhere else in the world.
“The 2G scam may be a very big scam but the cash-for-vote scam is the biggest scam ever,” he said.
Mr Advani said he never wanted to do another yatra like this, but this cash-for-vote scam “made me angry and forced me to undergo this yatra” to awaken the people of the country.
Without naming former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, Mr Advani said the BJP took action without delay once the Lokayukta gave its report (indicting him in the illegal mining case).
Complimenting the present Chief Minister of the state D V Sadananda Gowda, Mr Advani said, “whatever discussions, I had with the new Chief Minister, I am satisfed that he is moving in the right direction and will give a good government in Karnataka.”
Mr Advani said he had respect for Manmohan Singh as a good and efficient administrator before he became the Prime Minister, but today he feels sad that he is leading “such a corrupt government”.
On the issue of black money, Mr Advani said that with the passing of the Distribution of Illicit Assets Act by the Swiss Parliament, the Indian black money stashed in Swiss banks should come back to India. He pegged the “dirty (black) money” stashed away in Swiss banks at Rs. 25 lakh crore.
Mr Advani also expressed hope that all this money will be spent in the six lakh villages in the country to make them prosperous.
He also pledged that “wherever we rule, we will give good and honest governance. If there is any shortcoming, we will remove them also.”
Read more at: NDTV
Tom Cruise was “inspiring” on sets of M:I 4
BANG Showbiz
Saturday, October 29, 2011 (Los Angeles)
Tom Cruise was “inspiring” to work with on set for Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.
The 49-year-old actor – who plays American agent Ethan Hunt in the popular sequel – left co-star Paula Patton “paralysed” when she first met him.
Paula – who plays Jane Carter – said: “When you first meet him, if you think about meeting him then you’ll just get paralysed. So I didn’t think about him, and we had this really good connection.
“Then I went home and was like ‘Oh my god! I just met Tom Cruise!’ He’s very compassionate; he can read a room and see who needs something. Because of that working with him is inspiring.”
And Paula wasn’t the only co-star Tom impressed as Jeremy was also in awe of Tom’s talent. He added to Empire magazine: “I was hanging out of that building [The Burj Khalifa] with Tom, I said to him, ‘Tom, you do realise you don’t have to do this, don’t you?’ He just smiled at me. This massive grin. And then he did it. I guess that’s why he’s the biggest movie star in the world.”
Read more at: NDTV
