Kerala Congress (Jacob) quits ruling UDF; CARTOSAT-1 placed successfully in orbit; Six Tihar jail officials suspended in bribe case; TDP to attend Parliament; Pakistani journalists observe black day against lathicharge; India Travel Times, Indian News, Tourism, Hotels, Airlines, Tour, Travel, Ayurveda, Yoga, Festival, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Kathakali, Dance,

Home Contact Us Dateline New Delhi, Thursday, May 5, 2005

Kerala Congress (Jacob) quits ruling UDF

Thruvananthapuram: In a second jolt to ruling Congress led-United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, the Kerala Congress (Jacob) decided to quit the alliance on Thursday, accusing Chief Minister Oommen Chandy of "destroying" the Front. The decision to quit UDF was taken at a high-powered committee meeting of Kerala Congress (Jacob). Briefing reporters after the meeting, Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader and former minister T M Jacob alleged that Chandy and his 'caucus' had 'hijacked' the UDF. It also said that those who had been instrumental in forming the Front had been shown the door. "We have tried our best to strengthen the UDF. But the present leadership is trying to destroy the Front", Jacob alleged. On the likelihood of the Kerala Congress (Jacob) tying up with CPI(M)-led LDF, Jacob said he had not held discussions with LDF leaders. "We have not thought of it". Kerala Congress (Jacob), which has 2 MLAs, will sit in the opposition benches, he said.

CARTOSAT-1 placed successfully in orbit (Go To Top)

Sriharikota: India's remote sensing satellite CARTOSAT-1 was today succesfully placed in orbit, 18 minutes after the PSLV-C6 carrying it lifted off from Sriharikota. Thirty seconds later, the PSLV-C6 also placed the HAMSAT in orbit. ISRO announced that the satellites have been "succesfully" placed into the orbit. President A P J Abdul Kalam, who had dedicated the launch pad to the nation yesterday, watched the launch. Besides the President, Andhra Pradesh Governor Sushil Kumar Shinde, ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair, former ISRO chief G Kasturirangan and a host of others witnessed the launch. Built for a mission life of five years, the CARTOSAT-1 is mainly intended for cartographic applications. However, HAMSAT is a microsatellite for providing satellite-based Amateur Radio Services to the national as well as the international community of Amateur Radio Operators (HAMs). Once commissioned, CARTOSAT-1 will give further fillip to remote sensing services by providing imagery with improved spatial resolution. The data from CARTOSAT-1 is expected to provide enhanced inputs for large scale mapping applications and simulate newer applications in the urban and rural development. It will also help in land and water resources management, environment impact assessment and various other geographical information system applications. The data can be used for updating topographic maps, besides generation of large scale topographic maps. HAMSAT, which will have a life span of two years, is expected to meet the long felt need of the Amateur Radio Operators in the South Asian region who possess the required equipment and operate in the UHF/VHF band based satellite radio communication.

The satellite will play a vital role to provide low cost, readily accessible reliable means of communication during emergencies and calamities like flood, earthquakes etc. Earlier, President Kalam, who had dedicated the state-of-the - art second launch pad to the nation yesterday, watched the launch. It was the first launch of a satellite vehicle from the new launch pad, which has been built at a cost of Rs.400 crore. It was a poignant moment for President Kalam as he was also present at the first three PSLV-related launches when he was the director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in 1993-94. The PSLV-C6, in its ninth flight, soared into the sky without a hitch. This is the first time ISRO is launching two satellites in one mission. CARTOSAT-1, a Rs.250 crore project of ISRO, will be used for cartographic applications and the HAMSAT for amateur radio operator services.

Six Tihar jail officials suspended in bribe case (Go To Top)

New Delhi: Following the sting operation telecast in the TV Channel Aaj Tak yesterday, in which some jail staff were shown taking bribes and illegal gratification, six Tihar Jail officials including two Deputy Superintendents and three Assistant Superintendents, have been suspendend. Talking to mediaperson here on Thursday Director General of Prisons R.P.Singh said, "prima facie it seems that these officials have committed serious misconduct by either taking illegal gratification for illegal work in violation of Delhi Jail Manual or were found negligent in performance of their duties under inducement of illegal gratification." An FIR under relevant provisons of Prevention of Corruption Act has been lodged against the officials with SHO Police Station Hari Nagar. DCP, Anti- Corruption Branch of Government of National Capital Terrotory of Delhi has also been asked to initiate legal action in the matter against the delinquent officers, added Singh. Two Deputy Superintendents R.D. Bohet, and Ashwini Kumari, and three Assistant Superintendents Raj Kumar, Daya Ram and Vinod Kashyap and Warden Digamber Singh have been suspendend. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. A.K.Bhachawat has been repatriated to Health and Family Welfare Department with recommendation to initiate disciplinary proceedings. Admitting that there exist loopholes in the system, the Director General said that " nobody can ensure full proof security either in jail or outside it." He requested the TV Channel to provide unedited footage of the programme so that all the delinquent officials found involved in malpractices may be identified and proper action can be taken. Lauding the media's role in exposing corruption, Singh said, "we welcome such effort and request the mediapersons to help in uprooting corruption." He extended his full support to such operation.

TDP to attend Parliament (Go To Top)

New Delhi: Ending the much awaited suspense,The Telegu Desam broke ties with the BJP led National Democratic Alliance and decided to attend the Parliamentary proceedings. TDDP leader K Yerran Naidu told reporters that the decision to attend Parliament was taken at the meeting of Telegu Desam Parliamentary Party.However, he added that the Party would continue its protest in both Houses against the "negligent" attitude of the UPA Government towards the opposition. "The government has to give Opposition the chance to put forth their views in a democracy," the TDP leader said adding some of the Congress leaders were making objectionable statements on the boycott issue rather than resolving the issue Significantly,this is the first major occasion when TDP has taken a different stand from the BJP in its more than seven years of association after its differances over the post-Godhra riots.TDP had extended outside support to the Vajpayee-led NDA Government till the last LokSabha elections. Naidu said that the TDP was extending only issue based support to NDA.However,he also added that the attitude of the Government to end the issue, continuing boycott would not send a good signal.

Pakistani journalists observe black day against lathicharge (Go To Top)

Lahore: Pakistani journalists are observing a black day today across the country, as a mark of protest against the police action on journalists rallies at Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and other important cities in the country on World Freedom Day. Pakistan's Federal Union of Journalists has said that the protest will be carried out in protest against the baton charge on a journalists rally in Lahore and the arrest of media men in Islamabad on that day, reports The News. Condemning the incident, the body asked the government to take action against the errant police officers involved in the act, namely DSP Amjad Qureshi and ASP Farid within a few days, failing which the Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) would move court and observe a hunger strike in front of Punjab Assembly. The body has also asked all journalists to perform their duties while wearing black ribbons, adding that a black flag would be hoisted at the PUJ secretariat. The federation further said that a protest rally would also be held at the Lahore Press Club at 4:00 pm. The South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) had also earlier condemned the baton charge on the rally taken out by journalists in Lahore, on the occasion of the World Press Freedom day, and criticised the government for arresting the more than 50 media people in Lahore on the occasion. Earlier on World Freedom Day, Pakistani journalists had taken out a rally to express their solidarity with Nepalese journalists who have been fighting for press freedom in the Himalayan kingdom ever since Nepal's monarch King Gyanendra imposed emergency there.

References: Parliament approves finance bill, UPA NDA MP's allowances, UPA Musharraf- Vajpayee, anti-corruption raids Chhattisgarh officials, Delhi bacterial meningitis deaths, Congress Air-India-Airbus controversy. Kerala Congress (Jacob) quits UDF, Cartostat orbit, six Tihar jail officials suspended, TDP Parliament, Pakistani journalists black day against lathicharge, India, India News, Newspaper, Indian, News, Travel News, India Travel Times, Travel,Tourism, Tour, Tourist, India, Times, News, Hotels, Airlines, Ayurveda, Yoga, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Cuisine, Festival, Temple, Trekking, Hindu, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Odissi, Dance, Shimla,Varanasi, Kullu, Manali, Dehra Dun, Mussourie, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Hardwar, Rishikesh, Nainital, Delhi, Goa, Kovalam, Darjeeling, Bodh Gaya, Kancheepuram, Kanchipuram, Thekkady, Badrinath, Amar Nath,Vaishno Devi, Tirupati, Sabarimala, Guruvayoor, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Chennai,

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