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CNG crisis to be defused soon: Ram Naik
New Delhi, Apr 9 (ANI): Petroleum Minister Ram Naik on Tuesday
said it will take some time before the CNG crisis in Delhi is
defused.
Delhi has been facing transport chaos since Saturday, after the
Supreme Court ordered half the city's public bus fleet off the
road for failing to switch to cleaner fuel.
Schools were shut and long queues snaked from bus stops in the
city of 13 million after the court rejected a last-ditch plea by
bus operators for more time to allow them to change their fume-
belching diesel buses to compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel.
After a high level meeting with Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani
and other cabinet ministers, Naik told reporters that the
government planned to petition Supreme Court again detailing the
problems regarding the shortage of CNG and filling stations.
"The availability of CNG is one issue, but dispensation is a more
complex issue. It cannot be transported just like that. So, from
that point of view -- to increase any infrastructural CNG
dispensing stations and also to build up different required
pipeline would take time --- maybe one and a half years. We will
formulate that. We will ask Indraprastha Gas (a private CNG
supplier) to work on it. Then, they will submit to the court and
we will also take it (CNG) from them," said Naik.
Meanwhile, Madan Lal Khurana, a senior BJP leader, accused the
Delhi government led by Congress party of not cooperating with
the federal government.
"We thought it to be a non-political issue and believed she
(Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit) would support us. But now,
we think, after her talks with the media and some other leaders,
that they (Delhi government) will make the central government's
Ordinance sound odd. We are trying to find a solution to their
problems. But she is playing politics and shifting the blame on
the central government whereas the issue of transport comes under
the jurisdiction of the Delhi government," Khurana, a former
Delhi chief minister, said.
Newspaper reports said the federal government was planning to
promulgate an ordinance regarding the use of alternative option
of fuel.
But the proposed ordinance will have to wait till May 15 when the
budget session of parliament ends. The constitution prohibits
promulgation of ordinance when parliament is in session.
The issue is likely to figure in Parliament when it reconvenes on
April 15 after the recess.
Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit said she hoped the situation
will improve after Wednesday after her government decides to
relocate some routes.
"It's a tribute to the people of Delhi who have co-operated
extremely well and patiently borne what was expected of them.
They have understood the situation and the constraints as well.
So, we have decided that the schools which were closed on Monday
and Tuesday will open tomorrow. The strategy is that we will do
some relocation of routes again, so that the 900 buses which are
required for the schools also are able to drop the school
children," said Dixit.
The Supreme Court has been spearheading a drive to end choking
pollution in Delhi, rated one of the world's dirtiest cities
where doctors report a mounting toll of people with breathing
ailments.
In a toughly worded judgement, the court last week said "the
priority must be public health as opposed to the balance sheet of
a private company", and quoted estimates that the health cost of
air pollution in Delhi was 10 billion rupees.(ANI)
SC seeks contingency plan for Taj security Go to
top New Delhi, Apr 9 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the
Central government to submit a comprehensive security plan for
the Taj Mahal, which has been under constant threat from
militants.
A three-judge bench directed the government to submit the plan
within 15 days to the court. The bench also directed it to
intimate the government in Uttar Pradesh, where the monument is
located, within two days.
Recently, a Pakistan-based Kashmiri militant group, who New Delhi
blamed for an attack on Parliament last year, has threatened to
blow up the Taj.
Security around the 17th century marble monument had been
tightened following an e-mail threat from the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Ajay Aggarwal, counsel for the Uttar Pradesh government, said the
verdict followed the submission of an affidavit by the state
government stating that existing security at the Taj was not up
to the mark.
"There is a major threat to the Taj. Reports are also found in
newspapers and it was intimated to the court also. The court has
accepted this and directed the federal government to provide
their security plan to the state counsel within two days. The
court will hold its next hearing within 15 days," said Aggarwal.
Aggarwal said that the Archaeological Survey of India wants the
internal security of the monument be handed over to a central
security agency.
At present the internal security of the monument is manned by
private security personnel who are not fully equipped to use
anti-sabotage, bomb disposal, crowd control devices and automatic
weaponry.
Taj Mahal in Agra is a huge draw for tourists from across the
world.
Although the most famous symbol of Hindu-dominated India, the Taj
Mahal was built in the 17th century by Emperor Shahjahan at the
height of Muslim rule over the subcontinent.
Built as a tribute to the emperor's beloved second wife, Mumtaz
Mahal, who died in childbirth, the Taj Mahal has the distinction
of being among the seven wonders of the world.(ANI) New Supreme Court judge sworn in Go to
top New Delhi, Apr. 9 (ANI): Justice Hotoi Khetoho Sema was on
Tuesday sworn in as the new judge of Supreme Court. Chief
Justice of India S P Bharucha administered the oath of office and
secrecy to him.
Justice Sema was Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court
before being elevated to the Supreme Court. With his appointment,
the number of judges in the apex court goes up to 25. (ANI)
School exams begin in Gujarat
Go to
top Ahmedabad, Apr 9 (ANI): In the first signs of life returning to
normalcy in the riot-torn Gujarat, various schools have started
holding annual examinations, which had been delayed by more than
a month due to communal violence.
With no incidence of violence reported from anywhere in the state
during the last 72 hours, the year-end exams finally began on
Monday.
Although there was a lot of excitement in the air, both the
students and parents said that an element of fear had affected
preparations.
"Because of the ongoing tension, we thought that there would be
no exams. Therefore we couldn't prepare as well as we could have
in normal circumstances," said Harsh Shah, a student.
"From the time these riots started, we were unable to give proper
attention to our children's study. The children have done their
best under the given circumstances, though they aren't fully
prepared," said Hasmukh Joshi, a worried parent. (ANI) Musharraf kicks off campaign Go to
top Lahore, Apr 9 (ANI): Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on
Tuesday kicked off his campaign to remain in power by addressing
a public rally in Lahore.
Thousands gathered to watch Musharraf speak at his first public
rally since taking over in a coup two and a half years ago.
Security was tight around the venue in Lahore with thousands of
police officers on duty.
As preparations were underway for the rally, the Election
Commission announced that the referendum will be held on 30
April.
The president's announcement of the referendum last week met
with criticism from opposition parties, who have called for a
boycott of the poll.
Human rights groups also condemned the referendum as
undemocratic and unconstitutional.
There have been advertisements in newspapers and posters round
the city calling for the people to show up.
Residents of Lahore have complained that minibuses were taken by
the local authorities to bring people to the rally, leaving many
workers and school children who rely on the transport stranded.
Observers believe that during the rally and over the next few
weeks, Musharraf will be emphasizing the economic and political
reforms his government has carried out.
About 70 million people are eligible to vote and the government
will also make arrangements to ensure participation by those
residing overseas through postal ballot.
The voters will be asked whether they want to elect General
Pervez Musharraf as President for the next five years for the
sake of survival of the local government system, establishment of
democracy, continuation of reforms, end to sectarianism and
fundametalism and fulfilment of Quaid-i-Azam's concept of
Pakistan.
Meanwhile, talking about the October elections, CEC Irshad
Hasan said the process of delimitation of the constituencies and
other preparations were going on according to plan. The
Commission's staff has been working overtime to complete the
delimitation process, finalise electoral rolls and acquire
materials required for holding the polls, according to him.
The CEC added that under the Supreme Court judgment it was
mandatory for the government to return the country to civilian
rule before October 12, 2002.
Asked if it was the duty of the Election Commission to hold
referendum when the Constitution was silent on the issue, the CEC
said it was true that under Article 218-3 of the Constitution,
there was no mention that the CEC would hold referendum.
Article 218-3 of the Constitution does not mention that the
Election Commission would hold referendum. But Hasan justified
holding of the referendum, saying the CEC was required to perform
such functions as required by the Constitution or by "law."(ANI)
Israeli forces pull out of two West Bank cities
Go to
top Nicosia, Apr 9 (ANI): In a significant development, Israeli
forces have pulled out of two cities in central West Bank.
The withdrawals from Qalqilya and Tulkarm early on Tuesday
coincide with the start of a Middle East mission by US Secretary
of State Colin Powell.
Although Israel has given no further indications when its troops
would quit other cities, the United States welcomed the first
pullback and said it hoped the move would be the beginning of a
wider withdrawal process.
"It's a start," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said in
the first US reaction.
Powell also welcomed the Israeli move but added, "Let us hope
that this is not a little bit of this and a little bit of that,
but the beginning of a pullback."
According to eyewitnesses, Israeli tanks and armoured personnel
carriers moved out of Qalqilya and Tulkarm under the cover of
darkness. The Israeli Defence Ministry said a blockade around the
two cities would be tightened after the pullback.
The withdrawal is widely believed to be a result of tough remarks
by US President George W Bush to reporters on Monday, in which he
expressed his impatience with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon's continuous defiance of his calls for an end to Israeli
intrusions into Palestinian-dominated areas. (ANI) |