News, Views and Information about NRIs.

A NRI Sabha of Canada's trusted source of News & Views for NRIs around the World.



January 25, 2012

India observes 63rd Republic Day, to display military might

NEW DELHI: A strong and resurgent India is celebrating its 63rd Republic Day on Thursday. This year's parade will highlight the nation's achievements in various fields alongwith the military prowess, scintillating display of air power as also country's rich and diverse cultural heritage.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday paid a solemn tribute to soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the nation by laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate.

Prior to the start of the 63rd Republic Day parade showcasing India's military might and cultural diversity, Manmohan Singh drove to the tomb of the unknown soldier -- marked by a reversed rifle, standing on its barrel and crested by a soldier's helmet.

After the prime minister laid the floral wreath, the guard commander gave salute and buglers played the "Last Post" -- rendered at military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have died in war.

Along with everyone, Manmohan Singh observed a two-minute silence.

The highlight of this year's Parade will be the 3,000 kms range Agni-IV missile. The intermediate range surface-to-surface ballistic missile mounted on a road mobile launcher is being paraded by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

The weaponry put on display by the Indian Army includes the T-72 tank, Carrier Mortar Tracked, SMERCH Multiple Launch Rocket System, Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket System, Full Width Mine Plough, NBC Water Purification Systems and Jammer Station VHF/UHF. The Army's Mechanized Columns will conclude with a flypast by the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv of the Army Aviation Corps.

The Indian Air Force will display its latest acquisition, the C-130-J Super Hercules tactical aircaft, which makes its debut at the Republic Day Parade, with three of the six aircraft acquired from the US participating in the flypast. The Indian Navy's tableau also glosses over its newly acquired capabilities.

The parade will be commanded by Lt. General Vijay Kumar Pillai, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area. Major General Rajbir Singh, Chief of Staff, Delhi Area will be the parade Second-in-Command.

The marching contingents of Army will include the horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, Parachute Regiment, Bengal Engineer Group and Centre, Brigade of the Guards, Kumaon Regiment, Assam Regiment to name a few, along with contigents of paramilitary and other auxiliary civil forces of the Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Coast Guard, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force and National Cadet Corps.

The marching contingents of Navy comprising 144 men will be led by Lt. Commander Manikandan K. and the Air Force contingent comprising 144 men will be led by Flight Lieutenant Sneha Shekhawatthe first woman ever to lead an IAF contingent at the Parade.

Tableaux from 23 states and Central Ministries and Departments will present the varied historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the country. They will also showcase country's progress in different fields. Nineteen of the 24 children selected for the National Bravery Award - 2009 will also participate in the parade. Five children have got the award posthumously.

In the children's pageant section, 1,200 boys and girls drawn from Delhi's two schools, - KendriyaVidyalaya, Sector-2, RK Puram and Government Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Hastsal, Delhi, besides regional cultural zones, - South Zone Cultural Centre, Thajavur, East Zone Cultural Centre, Kolkata and North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Madhya Pradesh will present dances and other programmes.

Janbaz, the motorcycle display by the Border Security Force will be a major attraction of the parade consisting of 154 riders on 30 motorcycles under the leadership of Inspector Amit Kumar. They will perform breathtaking stunts in a synchronised and synergetic display of mind, body and machine coordination.

The grand finale of the parade will be a spectacular flypast by the IAF. The flypast will be led by a Vic formation of three Mi-35 helicopters, followed by the three Super Hercules again in a Vic formation. Trailing them will be one IL-78, flanked by two AN-32 and two Dornier, in a Big Boy formation.

The breathtaking Trishul formation comprising three Su-30 MKI would fly over the Rajpath.

The ceremony will culminate with the National Anthem and release of balloons.
Google doodle celebrates Republic Day

Google’s Republic day Doodle


NEW DELHI: As India celebrates its 63rdRepublic Day on Thursday, popular search engine Google dedicated its latest doodle to this theme. 

Internet users can see images of elephants and tri-coloured umbrellas decorating the word 'google' in the latest doodle. Three charming and joyful elephants denote the health of Indian culture and Indian economy. All three umbrellas contain saffron, white and green colour on them that gives the look and feel of the Indian flag. The 'O' of Google appear like the Ashoka's wheel. 

Google regularly presents to the users colourful doodles to observe birth anniversaries of important personalities and significant dates. The Republic Day of India marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India.


Republic DayThe Indian constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950, celebrated thereafter as Republic Day.

Horror in Pune: Driver goes berserk and crashes into hijacked bus killing nine people and injuring 27


Pune woke up to a morning of horror as a state transport bus driver went on a rampage from Swargate depot ramming into vehicles and mowing down pedestrians who came in his way. 
The city police finally arrested the driver, Santosh Mane, 30, after almost an hour-long chase at around 9.30 am near Neelayam theatre with help from alert citizens who surrounded the bus and pulled him out. 
By then he had killed nine persons and injured 27 who are admitted to Sassoon, Sahyadri and Harjeevan hospitals. The police said that he had rammed into at least 25 cars during his unbridled 25-km run on the Pune-Solapur road from Swargate.

Carnage: People gather at the scene of the accident, which killed nine people and left dozens hurt
Carnage: People gather at the scene of the accident, which killed nine people and left dozens hurt
The driver's crash damaged dozens of vehicles
The driver's crash damaged dozens of vehicles
Initial reports claim that the driver was mentally unstable, raising questions on the safety levels of the state transport buses widely used by travellers to commute across the state. 
Shortly after 8 am, Mane, a resident of Kowthale village in Solapur and an employee of the Maharashtra State Regional Transport Corporation, reported for duty much before his scheduled time at 10 am. Without
seeking permission he got into an unattended parked bus that was scheduled for Satara, started it with a common key and zoomed out of the depot. 
The bus lurched forward following the crash hitting one vehicle after another and running into pedestrians for half an hour
The bus lurched forward following the crash hitting one vehicle after another and running into pedestrians for half an hour

A few drivers and a traffic controller at the depot chased the bus to stop the driver but to no avail. 
Ajit Limaye, traffic controller, said: 'We tried entering the bus but he sped away. We chased him till the exit gate.
Bus driver Santosh Mane, who hurtled down the wrong side of several of Pune's busiest streets after his arrest
Bus driver Santosh Mane, who hurtled down the wrong side of several of Pune's busiest streets after his arrest
'Two policemen standing there too tried stopping him. 
'However, he turned right and proceeded towards Golibar Maidan on the wrong side. 
'We tried chasing him on bike but we got stuck in the traffic jam.' 
Once outside the depot, Mane turned to the right and knocked down a pedestrian; a few meters ahead he mowed down a rickshaw and a handcart before speeding away on the wrong side of the road. 
All along, he rammed into everything that came in his way. 
Within minutes, the city police started chasing him and are believed to have opened 10 rounds of fire to stop him but failed to do so. 
Only at around 9.30 am when the traffic increased and curtailed his speed, Mane was caught and arrested. 
Initial reports said that Mane was mentally unfit. 
Meeran Borwankar, Pune's commissioner of police, said: 'The driver went berserk and kept driving the bus on the wrong side of the road. 
'Policemen even opened fire on him but couldn't stop him until we nabbed him with the help of some alert pedestrians'


Edmonton city set to issue 100 new cab licences over objections of taxi commission


EDMONTON - A plan to issue 100 new taxi licences should speed ahead because it is essential to ensure cabs can drop and pick up customers at the international airport, city council’s executive committee says.
The committee, which includes Mayor Stephen Mandel, decided Wednesday to override objections from the city’s taxi commission.
The commission last week balked at the proposal, worried that the selection criteria for the new licences was being pushed through without enough public consultation.
Currently, cabs that take people from the city to the international airport, which is in Leduc County, are not allowed to pick up passengers heading to Edmonton. Similarly, cabs that bring people from the airport are not supposed to pick up passengers in the city. That situation, called dead heading in industry parlance, is a result of an exclusive 2006 contract with Leduc-based company Airport Taxis.
Coun. Amarjeet Sohi and city administrators said the airport agreed to sign its next contract with Edmonton taxis, but in return the city needs to issue 100 new plates. Officials said the meter is running on council’s time to proceed with that plan.
“I think it means improved taxi service, less deadheading and increased satisfaction,” said Sohi, who has been working to solve the problem for several years. “Hopefully, once the contract is finalized we will have enhanced taxi services.”
There are about 1,200 licensed taxis in Edmonton. The last time the city issued new licences was in 2007, when it released 35 plates specifically for vehicles to serve people with disabilities.
The council committee did tweak the criteria for the 100 licence lottery so that anyone who already owns a licence to operate a taxi anywhere in Alberta will be ineligible for one of the 100 new plates. Some drivers and cab company operators worried that the originally proposed rules prevented existing Edmonton licence holders from applying, but opened it up to licence holders from other cities. The rules also require anyone applying for a licence to have been working in the industry for the last 12 months and have a connection with an Edmonton broker.
Council still must give its final blessing to the plan at its next meeting Feb. 1.
Some drivers at Wednesday’s meeting said they still have reservations. Manjinder Punia, for example, said he was there to speak on behalf of people who already own a licence and want to be included in the lottery.
But Balraj Manhas, president of the United Cabbies Association of Edmonton, which represents about 960 members, said the committee made the right decision. “It means the airport stand will open up to Edmonton taxis,” Manhas said. “We have been bringing this issue up for the last five years. It’s not been rushed.”
Wednesday’s debate also raised questions about the future of Edmonton’s taxi commission. Manhas, for example, argued the commission should be disbanded in favour of a less powerful advisory committee.
Sohi said it was frustrating that the taxi commission refused to honour the wishes of council when it came to the 100 new licences.
“The commission in its current form is very ineffective and doesn’t represent the interests of the industry,” Sohi said, arguing it doesn’t make sense to have a group overseeing taxi that cannot have representatives from the industry.
Chris Leahey was the only member of the taxi commission to attend Wednesday’s meeting. Commission members are frustrated by council’s perceived rushing of the issue, he said.
Mandel said a report on the future of the taxi commission, as well as a range of issues related to vehicles for hire in Edmonton, will be coming before council in the next couple of months.

Surgery delayed for Calgary woman Sheila Nabb beaten at posh Mexican resort


CALGARY — As a Calgary woman hospitalized after she was badly beaten at a five-star Mexico resort suffered a surgery delay due to pneumonia, the governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa promised a sweeping probe into what happened.
Sheila Nabb, 37, was on vacation with her husband, Andrew, at the all-inclusive Hotel Riu Emerald Bay resort. She was found badly beaten inside a hotel elevator early last Friday and had suffered serious injuries to her face.
She had been expected to undergo facial reconstructive surgery Wednesday or Thursday. However, family members said she has contracted pneumonia, a condition common with a tracheotomy — a hole made in the windpipe to ease breathing. She has been sedated again and now is expected to have the surgery later this week.
Governor Mario Lopez Valdez said Mexican officials are reaching out to the Nabb family, but called such incidents "unfortunate and isolated."
Lopez Valdez released a statement Wednesday that said local officials are in "close contact" with Nabb and her family and are providing them with support.
"The government reiterates that safety and security are top priorities for tourists and citizens alike and that this was an unfortunate and isolated event," he said, noting Mexico hotels and resorts adhere to the "strictest of security standards."
He did not repeat claims made earlier to Mexican media in which he said authorities are looking into "domestic violence" in the case.
Andrew Nabb was questioned and released by local authorities early on in the investigation and is not considered a suspect, said Paul Giles, Sheila Nabb's brother, in an e-mail.
"They are the most loving couple that I know and anyone that knows them would agree," Giles said.
Giles also questioned the appropriate translation from Spanish of "domestic," suggesting it can also be translated as "within a country" rather than family related.
The governor has expressed concerns to Mexico media the incident could hamper tourism.
He said surveillance cameras at the resort could provide some clues but investigators are hoping to speak with Nabb.
The official statement released Wednesday said investigators are collaborating with Canadian authorities to keep them informed as the case advances.
The news comes as Canadians have stepped forward with reports of previous attacks at the five-star Hotel Riu Emerald Bay.
One B.C. resident who stayed at the hotel in November, 2009, said an intruder climbed on the balcony of the 12th floor room where he and his wife were sleeping.
"In the middle of the night my wife woke me up and said 'There's a guy on the balcony,'" said George, who asked his last name not be published. "I went into attack mode."
George said he "started whaling" on the intruder, who pleaded in Spanish for him to stop, then dragged the man to the hotel hallway and called security. He said he received no co-operation pursuing the incident with staff and has not returned to the resort.
An Ontario couple, meanwhile, told CBC News about an attack last spring at Hotel Riu Emerald Bay.
Scott Giddy, on holiday at the resort with his wife Sarah, was struck over the head outside a restaurant. He spent 10 days in hospital.

Parks Canada turns to social media to attract visitors


EDMONTON – National parks, such as Alberta’s Elk Island and Wood Buffalo, have been losing ground to changing demographics and a new generation of Canadians that would rather be connected electronically than to the natural world around them.
Now Parks Canada officials are using those social media tools that have been hurting them to give people a virtual tour of what they are missing and what they may never see first-hand.
“We know that this might seem to be counter-intuitive, but we think that there is potential in us exploiting those social media tools that are weakening Canadians’ connections to national parks,” said Tim Gauthier who is involved in a YouTube experiment to get more people connected to Wood Buffalo on the Alberta/Northwest Territories border.
“This is part of creating a new place for Parks Canada in the consciousness of increasingly urban Canadians. In other words, you can experience something about our national parks or historic sites online, where you and your friends spend so much time. Then you can share your impression of what you experienced with other friends through social media.”
Gauthier said the goal is to remind people that parks are important cultural icons, but it would be “icing-on-the-cake” if it brings more people to the park, he said.
Nationally, park numbers have gone up and down dramatically in recent years, but overall they are more or less the same as they were a decade ago. More than 12 million people visit each year.
Some parks, however, are struggling to get Canadians interested.
With a drop to 185,253 in 2009-10, compared with the 219,000 who visited in 2000-01, Elk Island National Park has been hard hit, but not nearly as much as some of the more remote northern parks. Several years ago, for example, not one person visited Aulavik National Park in the Northwest Territories.
Wood Buffalo, Canada’s largest national park, has been doing better in recent years because of promotions designed to attract mostly locals at particular times of the year.
But the number of visitors are still extremely small compared to what Banff and Jasper see. Fewer than 4,000 people visited Wood Buffalo last year.
The Wood Buffalo video that is now available online describes how the park is home to the last wild colony of whooping cranes, the world’s largest free roaming bison herd, the most northerly colony of garter snakes and an eclectic landscape that includes boreal forest, the remnants of a huge inland sea and one of the world’s largest freshwater deltas.
“Remote as our park is, we recognize that many Canadians may not have the time, money or the outdoor experience necessary for them to come here,” Gauthier said. “Right now, this is an experiment, but one that we expect will expand to other national parks.”
University of Alberta historian Zac Robinson is an expert on tourism and globalization and how they relate to national parks. He understands the dilemma t Parks Canada faces in trying to attract the attention of a new generation who have no desire to put on a heavy backpack and hike into the wilderness for more than a day.
He thinks the new strategy is consistent with the way Parks Canada has promoted national parks for the past century.
“The technologies of the day – whether it was railways in the late 1800s or automobiles and roads a half-century later – have always helped to make Canada’s national parks more accessible,” he said.
“Our most popular national parks in the south, for example, have towns in them, complete with shopping malls, movie theaters, and indoor ice rinks. We fool ourselves when we consider our nationally protected wilderness areas as separate from modernity’s hand, for it’s been helping shape the parks experience since the beginning. And so it’s not counterintuitive at all for Parks Canada to launch a promotional campaign through smartphone and social media. It’s a great idea.”

One held under IT Act

Mohali, January 25
The cyber crime wing of Punjab state crime branch, Mohali, has arrested a person for creating a fake e-mail ID and misusing it for ulterior purposes. The accused has been identified as Sourab Tondon (29), hailing from Solan and was working as an ayurvedic doctor.
A case was registered at the cyber crime police station under Sections 66A and 66D of the Information Technology Act (IT Act) and Sections 418, 419, 500 and 509 of the IPC on the complaint of Dr Sameer Kaushal of Amar Hospital, Sector 70, Mohali.
Earlier, the complainant alleged that someone has created a fake e-mail ID and deliberately sent a number of e-mails to various persons in which he had maligned the image of his hospital in the name of making illegal money by raising fake insurance policies. So much so, it was also wrongly mentioned that the doctor (complainant) did not possess valid medical degree.
DIG (crime) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh informed that the case was investigated and it was found that this act has been done by the accused, which was authenticated by IP details and other Internet particulars. The motive behind this act was to take revenge from the complainant as his friend, Sneha Gupta, was expelled from the hospital’s job. By this act of accused, the complainant was suffering from mental agony, besides financial losses.
The accused was produced before a Mohali court and was remanded in two-day police custody.

Ghuman makes it to top 15 golf officials

Chandigarh, January 25
An 18-year-old local girl, Jaipreet Singh Ghuman, brought laurels to the city after making it to the list of top 15 golf rules officials yesterday. The examination was conducted under the aegis of Royal and Ancient, an international body, governing golf worldwide and Indian Golf Union.
The Royal and Ancient body had conducted the examination here for the first time with the aim of filling the void of qualified rules officials currently felt at golf events in the nation.
Jaipreet stood eighth in the list after scoring 84 per cent in the examination. She said, “I had never thought of getting this chance. I feel honoured to be grouped with many knowledgeable and senior officials and I am looking forward to it,” said Jaipreet.

Leno sued over ‘racist’ Golden Temple remark



US talk show host Jay Leno
US talk show host Jay Leno

New York, January 25
US talk show host Jay Leno has been sued by an Indian-American in California for his “racist” comments on the Golden Temple and ridiculing the entire Sikh community by portraying the holy shrine as a vacation home.

According to court papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Randeep Dhillon claims that Leno “hurt the sentiments of all Sikh people in addition to those of the plaintiff” with his joke that the Golden Temple could be a possible summer home of Mitt Romney, a leading Republican presidential hopeful.
The celebrity website TMZ said Dhillon has filed a libel suit and is seeking unspecified damages.
The suit adds that Leno’s joke “clearly exposes plaintiff, other Sikhs and their religion to hatred, contempt, ridicule and obloquy because it falsely portrays the holiest place in the Sikh religion as a vacation resort owned by a non-Sikh.” It said this is not the first time that Leno has ridiculed the Sikh community.
“Previously, in 2007 he called Sikhs ‘diaper heads.’ Clearly, Jay Leno’s racist comments need to be stopped right here,” the suit added.
In more trouble for the TV host, a Sikh rights group here has lodged a complaint with a federal agency demanding action be taken against Leno and NBC channel for airing the “racist and derogatory” depiction of the Golden Temple.
Sikhs for Justice has filed its complaint with regulator Federal Communications Commission (FCC) against Leno and NBC.
The FCC is tasked with regulating the broadcast of television programmes, analysing complaints and conducting investigations. 
SAD (Delhi) seeks action against Leno
New Delhi: The Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal has shot off a protest letter to US President Barack Obama, about a controversial television show which degraded the Golden Temple. “We are quite displeased and hurt with the remarks on the Golden Temple by a television show hosted by Jay Leno,” SAD’s Delhi unit President Manjit Singh GK said.

India, Norway reach agreement; kids to be handed over to uncle


New Delhi, January 25
The prolonged agony of an Indian couple in Norway whose kids were taken away by the Norwegian Childcare Services on grounds of "emotional disconnect", may end soon when the children are handed over to their uncle following the finalisation of an agreement between India and the Scandinavian country today.
According to official sources, Arunabhash, the uncle, has agreed to the parents’ wish and will be the children's primary caretaker. He will spend sometime with the two kids in Norway before bringing them to India and submit a list of doctors in India whom the Norwegian authorities could contact to know about the welfare of the children. An Indian agency will also monitor whether the children were being properly looked after.
The accord between India through its mission in Norway, Municipality of Norway, Norwegian Childcare Services, the parents (Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya) and their lawyer named Anurup's brother as the primary caretaker of the two children.
Barnevarne (Norwegian Child Welfare Services) has approved and agreed to give children to the uncle.
Arunabhash, who lives in Kolkata, will soon leave for Norway and all the expenses of his travel will be borne by the government, the sources said. However, under the agreement, the parents still have parental and visitation rights.
The children Abhigyan (3) and Aishwarya (1) were taken under protective care by Barnevarne, which claimed emotional disconnect with the parents, and placed them in foster parental care according to the local Norwegian court's directive.
Following the plea by the family, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna spoke to the Norwegian authorities and requested them to find an "amicable and urgent" settlement.
India expressed its concerns to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the children were being deprived of the undoubted benefits of being brought up in their own ethnic, religious cultural and linguistic milieu.
In Kolkata, the grandparents of the two kids expressed happiness that they would be handed over to their uncle. ''This is undoubtedly a matter of great relief that Abhigyan and Aishwarya will now be returned to their parents and we are eager to see them back here'', they said.

Lawyer moves CBI against Badals

Chandigarh, January 25
A city-based lawyer has lodged a complaint with the CBI against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia for allegedly exercising power illegally.
Advocate Himmat Singh Shergill had earlier filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. However, the HC on December 15 had asked him to approach an investigating agency and thereafter, approach the court if the problem remains unsolved.
In his complaint, Shergill alleged that Badal and his son exercised their executive powers in an illegal and manipulative manner to provide monetary benefits to the companies owned by the Badal family. Most irregularities happened after they came into power in March 2007.
Calling it a well-planned and institutionalised corruption, Shergill demanded a thorough probe by the CBI.
Shergill had submitted the annual returns, director's reports and balance sheets of various companies that "established ownership of Parkash Singh Badal and his family". "They are running family businesses out of the state's exchequer", he alleged in the complaint.

ALLOTMENT OF RESIDENTIAL PLOTS TO DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES

High Court quashes PUDA’s scheme
Chandigarh, January 25
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today quashed the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority's "arbitrary" scheme for allotment of residential plots to its own staff at reserve prices.
The significant judgment came on challenge thrown by advocate HC Arora to an office order dated September 24, 2010, "which prescribed allotment of identified residential plots exclusively to the PUDA employees at reserve price".
The development is significant as Arora had alleged "the allotment of residential plots to its own employees by the PUDA was to enable them to sell these at three to four times higher price; and thus to get financial gains at the cost of tax paying public".
Arora had alleged PUDA was taking steps to allot at reserve prices residential plots from five to 14 marlas to its employees, depending upon their status, from Class-IV to Class-I. Even officers or employees with own residential plots or houses were eligible for allotment, if they have completed five years of regular service with the PUDA.
Allowing the petition, the Bench of Justice MM Kumar and Justice Rajiv Narain Raina asserted: "We are of the view that the scheme is arbitrary, which is amply highlighted by the fact that it does not distinguish an officer/official, who or his/her spouse owns a house in an urban estate."
"In fact, clause four of the scheme expressly postulates that officer/official who had purchased a plot/house/building through open sale in the market or auction is also eligible to submit application under the scheme".
In its detailed order, the Bench added: "Even otherwise, it is well settled, as rightly pointed out by advocate HC Arora, that there cannot be any reservation of plots in favour of the employees or their wards because it has no rational basis….
"The scheme appears to have been finalised only by the Chief Administrator, PUDA, and not by the State Government, which smacks of arbitrariness".
Before parting with the order, the Bench asserted: "The writ petition is allowed. The scheme/office order dated October 24, 2010, or any other similar scheme is hereby quashed".

Lawyer moves CBI against Badals

Chandigarh, January 25
A city-based lawyer has lodged a complaint with the CBI against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia for allegedly exercising power illegally.
Advocate Himmat Singh Shergill had earlier filed a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. However, the HC on December 15 had asked him to approach an investigating agency and thereafter, approach the court if the problem remains unsolved.
In his complaint, Shergill alleged that Badal and his son exercised their executive powers in an illegal and manipulative manner to provide monetary benefits to the companies owned by the Badal family. Most irregularities happened after they came into power in March 2007.
Calling it a well-planned and institutionalised corruption, Shergill demanded a thorough probe by the CBI.
Shergill had submitted the annual returns, director's reports and balance sheets of various companies that "established ownership of Parkash Singh Badal and his family". "They are running family businesses out of the state's exchequer", he alleged in the complaint.

Battle between those for, against hydroelectric projects


Pithoragarh, January 25
Affected by frequent landslides and glacial erosion in the world famous Pindari Glacier, the remote Assembly segment of Kapkot in Bageshwar district seems to be witnessing a battle between the supporters of hydroelectric projects and its opponents in the area.
Most of the locals are not in favour of these projects under construction in the area. They fear that these projects would not only destroy the ecosystem of the three main world famous glaciers of Pindari, Sundar Dhunga and Kafni but would also deprive the locals of their right on the rivers and glaciers.
Independent candidate from Kapkot Himmat Singh Aithani, said: “I am fighting the elections to save the Pindari Glacier. My slogan is ‘Ab ki bari Him pindari’.”
“If only gharats (water mills) of the area could be saved, we can give employment to 20,000 youths of the area,” claims Aithani.
Kapkot has a total of 82,783 voters. The number of male voters is 41,153 and of female is 41,630. The number of voters in the region has increased after the Kanda seat too merged into this after the recent delimitation.
The BJP has fielded Balwant Singh Bhauriyal. He claimed that he had worked hard to develop the region in the past five years from the infrastructural point of view and also promoted local industries to give employment to the local youths.
“Today, for the first time in the history of Kapkot, local schools have teachers, ” says Bhauriyal.
Congress candidate from the seat Lalit Farswan is also a Zila Panchayat member from the Kausani area. He said his first priority would be to stop migration from the area.
“We can stop the migration of the youth from the area by developing tourist infrastructure at the glaciers of Pindari, Sundar Dhunga and Kafni,” says Farswan.
The Congress candidate claimed that the development agenda of the party was needed in the area as road connectivity to the region was very poor. “Due to the apathetic attitude of the BJP-led state government towards development, travel on 30-km road from Bageshwar to Kapkot takes two hours today as the road is full of the debris at many places,” said Farswan.
UKD (P) candidate Harish Pathak is contesting on the local issue of the rehabilitation of all villages hit by landslides. “Forty two villages of the region have been declared as landslide-prone areas by geologists, who had been sent by the state government to survey the area. But nothing has been done so far,” said Pathak.
On the other hand, locals say that they are facing a crisis that threatens their continued existence due to hydroelectric projects coming up in the area.
They said even Sumgarh village where 18 schoolchildren were buried alive under the debris 16 months ago owing to a landslide has not been shifted from the area.

BJP reversed clock on development in state: Sonia Gandhi


Roorkee, January 17
Congress president Sonia Gandhi today criticised the BJP government in Uttarakhand on the issues of corruption, ill-governance and alleged cheating of people of the state in the name of development.
Sonia, while addressing her maiden election rally at Roorkee in Haridwar district, assailed the BJP government for allegedly reversing the clock on development in the state and siphoning off public money.
In her 20-minute address, Sonia said the BJP government had only exploited the natural resources of the state in the name of development by handing them over to private parties and ministers pocketing money.
“Uttarakhand is a land of abundant natural bounty and resources, but instead of conserving them and using them for people’s welfare, the BJP government has been misusing them,” said Sonia.
The Congress president criticised the state government for having two chief ministers in five years. She said, “It was a move to befool the people. But the BJP leaders don’t know that the public understands that by changing the Chief Minister the party cannot hide its corrupt practices and nefarious designs.”
She reminded the people of the previous Congress government in the state and urged them to vote for the party candidates to ensure unhindered and corruption-free development.
Sonia said be it IIM, Kashipur, AIIMS, Rishikesh, NIIT, Pauri Garhwal, or employment to rural people under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre had been instrumental behind all these.
“Development means providing employment, improving the living standard of the people and working for all sections of society. The BJP has failed on all these counts and this is what we (Congress) promise to do,” she added. Sonia looked content with the 20,000-plus gathering and termed Roorkee as a prominent city of the country while referring to the premier Indian Institute of Technology, the Central Building Research Institute, the Bengal Engineers Group and numerous educational institutes.
Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat, Congress election in-charge for Uttarakhand Birendra Singh, state party chief Yashpal Arya, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Harak Singh Rawat and other prominent party leaders of the state were present at the rally.

आउटसोर्सिग पर फिर बरसे ओबामा


वाशिंगटन-दोबारा अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति निर्वाचित होने की ख्वाहिश रखने वाले बराक ओबामा ने एक बार फिर आउटसोर्सिग पर हमला बोला है। छह नवंबर को होने वाले राष्ट्रपति चुनाव के मद्देनजर उन्होंने आउटसोर्सिग को अपना हथियार बनाते हुए कहा है कि विदेशियों को नौकरी देने वाली अमेरिकी कंपनियों को मिलने वाली कर रियायतें समाप्त कर दी जाएंगी। इस कदम से भारत में भी कंपनियां प्रभावित होंगी। उन्होंने इस बात पर भी जोर दिया है कि अपने देश में विदेश से रोजगार लाने तथा निवेश करने वाली कंपनियों को पुरस्कृत करने के लिए सरकार जल्द ही नई नीतियां लाएगी।
अमेरिकी कांग्रेस को संबोधित करते हुए उन्होंने देश की अर्थव्यवस्था का एक ऐसा खाका पेश किया, जिसके तहत अमेरिका को आउटसोर्सिग, कर्ज के बोझ और दिखावे के वित्ताीय लाभ से दूर ले जाया जाएगा। राष्ट्रपति ने कहा कि सरकारी धन का इस्तेमाल उन कंपनियों के खर्चो को पूरा करने में किया जाना चाहिए, जो देश में नौकरियां लाने का प्रयास करती हैं।
उन्होंने कहा, 'अब हमारी अर्थव्यवस्था जैसे-तैसे सुधर रही है तो आउटसोर्सिग इसे कमजोर कर रही है।' हालांकि उन्होंने कहा कि अमेरिका अति कुशल पेशेवरों और निवेशकों का अपने देश में स्वागत करता है। इसके लिए उन्होंने आव्रजन नियमों में भी सुधार किए जाने की बात कही। ओबामा का कहना है कि हम ऐसे सभी लोगों का समर्थन करते हैं जो एपल के दिवंगत सह संस्थापक की तरह यहां नए-नए उत्पाद लांच करें और रोजगार के नए अवसर मुहैया कराएं। ऐसे लोगों को अति शीघ्र यहां की नागरिकता दिए जाने के संबंध में कानून को भी लचीला बनाया जाएगा।
वैश्रि्वक मुद्दों पर अमेरिका रहेगा सबका बॉस
ओबामा ने कहा है कि वैश्रि्वक मामलों के संदर्भ में अमेरिका एक अपरिहार्य देश बना रहेगा। एक ऐसा देश जिसकी रजामंदी के बिना किसी भी वैश्रि्वक मुद्दे पर फैसला नहीं लिया जा सकता है। जो लोग इसकी शक्ति घटने की बात कहते हैं वह नहीं जानते कि वह क्या कह रहे हैं। हमने यह स्पष्ट कर दिया है कि अमेरिका प्रशांत क्षेत्र की ताकत है।
भाषण की अहम बातें
-देश के आव्रजन नियमों में व्यापक सुधार की वकालत।
-आउटसोर्सिग जारी रखने वाली कंपनियों पर कर छूट समाप्त करने का आह्वान।
-व्यापार के अनुचित तौर-तरीकों से निपटने और घरेलू कंपनियों को मदद देने के उद्देश्य से नवीन व्यापार प्रवर्तन इकाई का गठन। यह इकाई चीन जैसे देशों द्वारा व्यापार के अनुचित तौर तरीकों की जांच करके उनसे दंड शुल्क वसूल करेगी।
-ईरान को परमाणु हथियार हासिल करने से रोकने के लिए प्रतिबद्धता जताई। -कहा, तालिबान की रीढ़ टूट गई है और अलकायदा के शेष आतंकी अमेरिका से बचने के लिए छिपते फिर रहे हैं।
बराक के नए तेवर खतरनाक!
नई दिल्ली [जागरण ब्यूरो]। आउटसोर्सिग पर रोक लगाने की अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति बराक ओबामा की नई घोषणा से इंडिया इंक परेशान है। भारतीय उद्योग जगत मान रहा है कि ऐसे समय जब वैश्विक अर्थव्यवस्था मंदी की ओर जा रही है। देश की आइटी कंपनियों के समक्ष चुनौती बढ़ रही है, ओबामा का 'नया आर्थिक ब्लूप्रिंट' कई तरह की परेशानी पैदा कर सकता है।
वैसे, भारतीय उद्योग जगत यह भी उम्मीद कर रहा है कि पहले की तरह इस बार भी ओबामा आउटसोर्सिग पर सिर्फ राजनीतिक बयान देकर रह जाएंगे। साथ ही यह आशा है कि बराक की नई आर्थिक नीति से अमेरिकी अर्थंव्यवस्था जल्दी से पटरी पर आएगी। इसका फायदा भारतीय कंपनियों को भी मिलेगा। देश की आइटी कंपनियों के शीर्ष संगठन नास्कॉम ने अमेरिकी अर्थव्यवस्था को बेहतर बनाने के लिए ओबामा की घोषणाओं का स्वागत किया है। संगठन ने कहा है कि ओबामा ने अमेरिका में बौद्धिक कुशलता की कमी का उल्लेख किया है। इससे कॉरपोरेट जगत के समक्ष नई तरह की संभावनाएं पैदा होंगी। नास्कॉम ने वीजा नियमों में बदलाव करने के ओबामा के एलान पर सतर्कता से बयान जारी किया है। उद्योग चैंबर फिक्की के शीर्ष अधिकारियों का कहना है कि अमेरिका चाहता है कि बेहतर कौशल वाले लोग ही उनके यहां आएं। लिहाजा भारतीय कंपनियों को डरने की जरूरत नहीं है। देश की कंपनियां विश्वस्तर की हैं और भारतीय प्रोफेशनल भी दुनिया में बेहतरीन हैं।
उद्योग जगत के सूत्रों का कहना है कि चार वर्षो में दूसरी बार मंदी का शिकार होने के बाद अमेरिका में आर्थिक नीतियों को लेकर नए सिरे से विचार-विमर्श हो रहा है। ओबामा का 'नया आर्थिक ब्लूप्रिंट' इसका संकेत है। ओबामा ने यह भी कहा है कि अमेरिका में मैन्यूफैक्चरिंग गतिविधियों को एक बार फिर प्रोत्साहित किया जाएगा। यह भारत जैसे विकासशील देशों के लिए सही संकेत नहीं है, क्योंकि पिछले एक दशक से यह माना जा रहा था कि भारत, चीन में मैन्यूफैक्चरिंग उद्योग लगाना सही है।
पाबंदी से क्यों घबरा रहा इंडिया इंक
-88 अरब डॉलर का है भारत का आइटी-बीपीओ उद्योग
-25 लाख लोगों को सीधे तौर पर मिली है नौकरी
-प्रत्यक्ष व परोक्ष तौर पर 83 लाख लोगों को दे रहा है रोजगार
-कुल आइटी निर्यात का 60 फीसदी अमेरिका को
-लगभग 500 अमेरिकी कंपनियों के भारत में आइटी-बीपीओ केंद्र
-सकल घरेलू उत्पाद [जीडीपी] में है 6.4 फीसदी का योगदान
-देश के कुल निर्यात में 26 फीसदी का हिस्सा

पुणे में सिरफिरे बस चालक ने ली नौ की जान


मुंबई/पुणे में बुधवार सुबह एक सिरफिरे बस चालक ने करीब एक घंटे तक व्यस्त पुणे-सोलापुर रोड पर कोहराम मचाया। महाराष्ट्र राज्य परिवहन निगम का अस्थायी चालक डिपो में खड़ी बस लेकर नो एंट्री वाले छोर से रोड पर चला गया और सामने आए हर वाहन को रौंदता चला गया। इस घटना में नौ लोगों की मौके पर ही मौत हो गई। 27 लोग जख्मी हैं जिनमें से कई की हालत गंभीर है।
घटना सुबह 8:15 की है। 30 वर्षीय चालक संतोष माने स्वारगेट बस डिपो में खड़ी एक बस को कब्जे में लेकर डिपो के प्रवेश द्वार से निकला और नो एंट्री दिशा में बस दौड़ाने लगा। गुलाबी सर्दी में उस समय कुछ लोग टहलने के लिए अपने घरों से बाहर निकले थे, तो बच्चे स्कूल जा रहे थे। विपरीत दिशा में पूरी गति से दौड़ रही बस को देख सभी हैरान और भयभीत थे। पैदल चल रहे लोगों ने भागकर फुटपाथ का सहारा लिया। लेकिन, सामने से आ रहे कई वाहन बस की चपेट में आ गए। माने ने करीब 25 किलोमीटर तक बस दौड़ाई और इस दौरान बीस वाहनों को टक्कर मारी।
राज्य परिवहन के क्षेत्रीय प्रबंधक [पुणे] राजेंद्र पाटिल ने बताया कि माने पिछले दस साल से राज्य परिवहन में नौकरी कर रहा था। वह मंगलवार शाम 7:30 बजे औरंगाबाद से बस लेकर लौटा था। बुधवार सुबह 11 बजे से उसकी ड्यूटी थी। लेकिन, ड्यूटी शुरू होने से चार घंटे पहले ही वह डिपो पहुंच गया और कुछ ही देर पहले खाली हुई सतारा-पुणे सेवन स्टार बस को लेकर बाहर निकल गया। सूत्रों का कहना है कि माने राज्य परिवहन के रेस्टहाउस में ही रहता है और पिछले छह माह से उसकी मानसिक अवस्था ठीक नहीं थी। लेकिन, अपने कामकाज में उसने कभी इसका एहसास नहीं होने दिया।
पुणे ट्रैफिक पुलिस के अनुसार माने करीब एक घंटे तक अंधाधुंध बस दौड़ाता रहा। इस दौरान उसे रोकने के लिए पुलिस ने तमाम प्रयास किए, लेकिन उसने किसी भी संकेत पर ध्यान नहीं दिया। पुलिस द्वारा लगाए गए अवरोधक भी उसे रोक नहीं पाए। मजबूर होकर पुलिस ने गोली चलाकर बस के टायर पंक्चर कर दिए। बीएचईएल परिसर के पास बस के रुकते ही स्थानीय लोगों और पुलिस ने माने को धर दबोचा।