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CPI (ML) demands CBI inquiry into Bihar flood relief scam

     Patna: Activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) took to the streets here on Thursday to demand a CBI enquiry into the multi-crore flood relief scam in Bihar. Both men and women marched through the streets, carrying banners and posters and shouting slogans like "We demand a CBI scam" and "The guilty should be punished". Ramjee Rai, a member of the Central committee, CPI-ML said that such a scam was impossible without the help of former chief minister Rabri Devi. The scandal acquired a larger dimension after fingers were pointed to the role of politicians and bureaucrats like Sadhu Yadav and former Patna district magistrate Gautam Goswami. "It started with the fodder scam and now has landed up in flood relief scam. We demand a CBI enquiry. It has strings attached to big people like Sadhu Yadav," said Ramjee Rai. The Bihar government had ordered a vigilance probe earlier this month after complaints about diversion of funds surfaced. The scandal involves an amount of Rs 17.18 crore which was reportedly paid to the Bihar Small Scale Industries Corporation (BSSIC) for supplying relief material. The amount never reached the BSSIC and instead landed in a mysterious account of one Baba Satya Sai Industries (BSSI), represented by one Sanjeev Kumar.

Govt forms high-level committee to probe tiger deaths (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The government on Thursday formed a high-level committee of lawmakers to probe the declining numbers of tigers and other species. The move follows a probe into the investigation ordered by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who even formed a taskforce to stem the rapid fall in the number of endangered species at the Sariska forest reserve in Rajasthan. The committee, which has 11 members, is headed by foreign minister Natwar Singh and was formed as a part of initiative taken by Congress party lawmaker Jyotiraditya Scindia. "In Sariska no tigers are left. This is very unfortunate. We don't want this to be repeated again. The whole world knows about it. Even Bharatpur sanctuary is under threat. We want Rajasthan government should do something about it. These places are on the world map," said Singh. The committee, which includes lawmakers from all political parties, will present its report in the parliament in two months. "If the environment is not saved, the tigers will also be wiped out. They are dependent on each other. So the confliction on man and the wildlife has to be curbed. We have to create awareness to save them," said Scindia. Wildlife activists say tigers may have been wiped out entirely in the Sariska sanctuary where the Project Tiger conservation programme began in 1973 and where there were as many as 16-18 big cats a year ago. They fear the story may be the same in sanctuaries across India, which has almost half the world's surviving tigers. Killing of tigers, although banned in India, has been going on under cover as a single one can fetch up to 50,000 dollars in the international market. A century ago, there were an estimated 40,000 tigers in India. Now, some wildlife experts say there are barely 2,000 left despite the official government census of about 3,700. Exact figures are almost impossible because of the shy nature of the big cats. The government keeps no detailed records on poaching, most of which goes unreported anyway.

Deuba grilled again, placed in judicial custody (Go To Top)

     Kathmandu: Nepal's Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) questioned deposed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba again on Thursday and later decided to remand him to judicial custody till Monday (May 2) after he refused to testify. Deuba was reportedly questioned over his alleged role in permitting irregularities in awarding a multi-million dollar contract of ADB-funded Melamchi Drinking Water Project as also the misuse of PM's fund. The questioning took place even as the government ordered the arrest of 12 more political activists, including a former minister, for their protest against the commission. The arrested include ex-Assistant Tourism Minister Bhim Kumari Budha; Vice-President of the Nepal Women's Association affiliated to the NC (Democratic) Ishwori Neupane and its central committee members Sita Gurung and Shanta Sharma. Eight student activists belonging to NC (D)-affiliated Nepal Students Union were also arrested, Deuba was arrested on Wednesday and detained at the Police Training Centre at Maharajgunj. He was brought to the RCCC's office at Nayabaneshwor today, but declined to give any answers to the questions posed to him.

Baglihar Dam: World Bank suggests 3 neutral experts (Go To Top)

     Islamabad: Pakistan has said that it will not backtrack on its stand on the controversial Baglihar Dam in Kashmir nor withdraw its complaint to the World Bank until India suspends work on the controversial project. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani was quoted by the Voice of America (VOA) as saying that Islamabad would seriously consider withdrawing its appeal for international arbitration of the project if New Delhi stopped construction work at the site. Jilani made his government's views known even as the World Bank formally conveyed to Pakistan the names of three internationally renowned experts on water issues as a first step towards appointing a neutral expert for arbitration on the Baglihar dam dispute with India.

     The list of experts was communicated simultaneously to Pakistan and India on Tuesday evening, it is learnt. The World Bank has already dispatched the procedure of appointing a neutral expert to the two governments. Informed sources were quoted as saying that the bank has asked both Islamabad and New Delhi to choose their nominee from the three-member panel of experts within 14 days. Indian Foreign Office spokesman Navtej Sarna, however, told Voice of America, that he could not confirm or deny reports that an understanding had been reached between India and Pakistan to settle the dispute bilaterally during President Musharrafs visit to New Delhi. In case Pakistan and India differ in their choice of expert, then the bank would first ask them to select a consensus candidate by themselves. If the two countries fail to do so, the bank would use its discretion to appoint the expert. An inter-ministerial meeting will be convened in Islamabad soon to select Pakistan's nominee, Pakistan government sources said. The bank's move comes three months after Pakistan formally requested it to appoint a neutral expert under the 1960 bilateral Indus Waters Treaty to resolve the dispute. Pakistan maintains that the design of the Baglihar dam being built by India on the Chenab River in Kashmir violates the treaty as it would block large quantities of water meant for it. India claims the project is within the parameters of the treaty. India has been dragging its feet on the issue since 1999 when the project was launched. It has ignored Pakistans repeated demands for suspension of work till the issue is settled. The 450- megawatt hydro-power project is expected to begin generation by 2006.

Bankers forecast upward interest rates: FM says no (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Amid the bankers apprehension that hike in reverse repo rate will lead to higher lending rate, Finance Minister, P Chidamabaram said here on Thrusday that the assumption is not correct. Reacting to the Reserve Bank of India monetary and credit polity released today, Chidambaram said, "the assumption that you are making that increase in reverse repo by 25 basis points will have an immediate impact on bank lending rate is not correct." "There is enough liquidity in the market and therefore lending rate will be benign. There are many cases where lending takes place at sub PLR rates", he added. Finance Minister said, "there cannot be knee-jerk reaction on inflation. The recent movement in inflation is because of base effect. Inflation is under control but oil continues to be a concern. We will take every step to maintain price stability". Earlier bankers have reacted sharply on the increase in the reverse repo rate by 25 basis points announced by the RBI in its annual policy statement for 05-06. They feel that it will have an immediate impact on lending rates of banks, if not immediately, at least in the medium and long term. Most of the bankers after their meeting with the RBI Governor Dr Y V Reddy, said that they foresee an upward bias in the interest rate environment even though the RBI policy statement left the bank rate unchanged at 6 per cent.

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