In its final report presented to Railway Board Chairman J P Batra at Rail Bhavan here this evening, the committee, which was subsequently upgraded to a Commission by the Union Cabinet, reiterated that the fire was ''accidental'' and ''not a deliberately attempted'' incident.

''I have scanned all evidences anew after presenting the interim report. Some new evidences have also come,'' Justice Banerjee told reporters.

After receiving the report, Mr Batra said he would examine it. Accusing the Gujarat Police of not cooperating with the Commission, Justice Banerjee said his final report was a reiteration of the earlier conclusion that the blaze was ''accidental'' in nature. "There is no scrap of paper to prove that there was a conspiracy and there was no evidence to prove that petrol was thrown from outside," the high-level panel, constituted by Railway Minister Lalu Yadav in September 2004, said.

The report, however, says that out of about 250 passengers in the coach, only 59 had died while the rest managed to escape.

"With the elimination of the 'petrol theory', 'miscreant activity theory' as well as the ruling out of any possibility of 'electrical fire', the fire in S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express can at this stage be ascribed as an 'accidental fire'," the Commission said in its January 17, 2005 interim report presented to the then Railway Board Chairman R K Singh. On February 26 last year, Mr Lalu Prasad had tabled the two-volume interim in Parliament immediately after he presented the Railway Budget, 2005-06.

Reactions: Congress, maenwhile, has demanded immediate resignation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of the Banerjee Committee report on the Godhra train carnage but BJP dismissed as "absurd" the findings of the probe panel that the blaze was "accidental".

AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters that Modi "stood exposed" in the wake of the report and "it required his immediate resignation". He, however, admitted that the Chief Minister, "having many layers of thick political skin" would not oblige. (Agencies)

"I have come to India as a friend," he said addressing a select gathering.

Speaking about the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal, Bush said both sides agreed on the plan to implement this "historic initiative". Beginning his address with a namaste, Bush said he was "dazzled" by the ancient land of India, which was the birthplace of many great religions.

The American President said the United States intends to open a new consulate in Hyderabad and an American Centre in Delhi. He also noted the contributions of people of Indian descent to American life and had a special mention for astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who lost her life in the Columbia Space Shuttle crash in 2003.

Bush said that for every nation divided by race, religion and culture, "India offers a hopeful path". "World benefitted from the example of India's democracy... it is a global power," he added.

The US President also praised India's efforts towards rehabilitation in Afghanistan and said both India and his country stood side by side in the fight against terror. Bush also referred to the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001 - the year terrorists flew hijacked planes into New York's World Trade Centre - and pre-Diwali bomb explosions in Delhi last year.

"Their (terrorists') goal is to impose a hateful vision. But they have misunderstood our countries."

The US President said both countries drew strength from their beliefs in "human freedom" while fighting those who were using "weapons of fear" against humanity.

Focus on ties: The American President said there was a time when US' good relations with Pakistan posed concern for India but that no longer holds good now. "India is better off because of close relations between US and Pakistan and Pakistan is better off because of close relations between US and India", he said. He also said that during his meeting with Musharraf, he would discuss the continuing need for vital cooperation in the war on terrorism.

A prosperous and democratic Pakistan was a steadfast ally of America and a peaceful neighbour for India, he said. Lauding India's vibrant democracy, the US President said the country was a "compelling example" for new democracies and its "leadership is required in a world that is hungry for freedom." (Agencies)

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Lok Sabha members, who demanded an immediate statement from the prime minister on the nuclear deal that was agreed upon Thursday, that Manmohan Singh would make a statement after Bush leaves India.

"It is a normal practice for the prime minister to make a statement on the floor of the house when he returned after a tour abroad or a foreign dignitary left the country, he said.

Raising the issue, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Basudeb Acharya alleged that the government has kept both parliament and the nation in "dark." "Bush's statement made it clear that the agreement was in their interest. It looks like the US forced us to have an agreement," Acharya said.

His party colleague Roopchand Pal said the India-US nuclear deal would, for all practical purposes, bring India under the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which the country has refused to sign. Samajwadi Party leader Ramjilal Suman asked why India should oblige to the US when the latter was not supporting New Delhi's efforts to secure a membership in the UN Security Council.(Agencies)

"Inflitration is taking place clandestinely in spite of various measures taken by the government such as round the clock surveillance of the border by patrolling both day and night, ambushes, use of night vision devices, fencing of the border, etc.," the Committee said. Observing that the number of deportees increased from 5652 in 2002 to 38005 in 2004, the Committee said while it "appreciates that more people have been deported, the facts also clearly indicate the increase in the illegal inflitration of Bangladeshi nationals taking place in the country".

Stir against influx : Meanwhile, the Meitei Development Association, Barak valley, has announced that it will launch a stir if the government does not stop influx of people and harassment of local populace by Bangladeshi immigrants and security personnel at Jiribam in the Manipur Assam Border, UNI adds from Imphal.

President of the Association Kh Gouro alleged that large numbers of Bangladesh citizens were pouring into Manipur and they were supported by army. Local populace were threatened by army personnel in the name of counter insurgency operations and many locals have fled their villages, he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had informed the assembly yesterday that the government will try to check the influx of outsiders to the state. If we do not check influx communal tension will flare up, he said. As per the latest census report 25 per cent population were found to be outsiders. (Agencies)

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said Gandhi has in a letter to him made three suggestions which, if included in the CRPC, could ensure "better justice". He said Gandhi "is suggesting that the witnesses should be given the protection, their statements should be registered, recorded by the magistrate," Patil said. (PTI)

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi Friday held a meeting with chief whips of various parties and proposed the first phase of the session which was due to be over on March 17 be extended till March 22 and the second session which was scheduled from April 3 to 28 be shortened . No final decision, however, could be arrived at. (UNI)

However, it permitted the Commission to go ahead with the election for filling the lone Rajya Sabha seat that fell vacant on the expulsion of Chhatrapal Singh Lodha. But the Bench made it clear that the election to the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Lodha’s expulsion shall be subject to the outcome of the petition.

The Court allowed the expelled MPs’ plea to let them continue in the official accommodation provided to them till the matter was finally decided. Election Commission counsel S Murlidhar told the Court that the Commission had no immediate plans to hold elections for the 10 Lok Sabha seats. However, it planned to initiate proceedings for filling up the Rajya Sabha seat soon, he said.

The Court, which has transferred to itself 10 other petitions pending in the Delhi High Court, also issued notice to Lok Sabha Secretariat after it was informed none was appearing in the case on behalf of the Lok Sabha. The Court said all the matters shall go to a Constitution Bench, which will decide if Parliament has the power to expel its members or not. (PTI)

Immediately after his arrest, Dixit was suspended from AIIMS and a designated court convicted and sentenced him to imprisonment for one year with a fine of Rs 500. The charge was also proved in the departmental inquiry of the AIIMS but the President, AIIMS was yet to impose the penalty on him.

Dixit is one of the three employees of AIIMS who has been facing bribery charges for long with others being the former medical superintendent R C Anand who was arrested allegedly while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 and continues under suspension since July 29, 1998. The prosecution sanction was received in year 2000 and the Anti-corruption branch was to prosecute the case in court.

The third case was that of Subash Chnader Jha, who received Rs 2000 from a person for arranging blood in 2004 and continues suspended since November 18, 2004. The case was awaiting sanction for prosecution.The information about the cases was given by Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss in Rajya Sabha on Friday.(PTI)

Opposition MPs in parliament Friday objected to the presence of sniffer dogs at Rajghat ahead of US President George W. Bush’s visit there Thursday, but the government justified this on security grounds. Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house, Kirpa Parmar of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the presence of sniffer dogs at a "holy place" like Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial was an "assault on the dignity of the nation".

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri recalled a murderous assault in the late 1980s on then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi by a man who had hidden on a tree at Rajghat and said the authorities could not afford to leave anything to chance.

"It was merely a security check" and the MPs were reading too much into it, he maintained.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, the lower house, before question hour, members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) that is part of the government, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) that supports the government from outside and the opposition Janata Dal-United (JD-U) said the government should apologise for the incident.

Raising the issue during the zero hour, Shailendra Yadav of the Samajwadi Party said: "The holy shrine of Bapu (as Mahatma Gandhi is reverently referred to) was defiled. The government should seek an apology from the US over this."

Ram Kirpal Yadav and Devendra Prasad Yadav of the RJD and former minister Santosh Gangwar of the BJP associated themselves with Shailendra Yadav’s sentiments. About 65 dogs have been brought along by the US Secret Service and are being lodged in a five-star hotel on the ground that they were not mere canines, but security "officials".

That issue, too, was raised in parliament by anti-US MPs some days ago.(IANS)

Concerned over the increasingly adverse sex ratio, the Government will soon launch a national campaign for saving the girl child from menace of foeticide, Minister of State for Women and Child Welfare Renuka Chaudhary said here on Friday.

Replying to a private members' Bill on the subject of discrimination against the girl child, Mrs Chaudhary said it was a matter of concern that there were not enough members in the Rajya Sabha when an issue of such importance was being discussed. She admitted that the existing laws have failed to check the increasing tendency of foeticide more so among the education and rich society.

"Things have become so bad that parents have started choosing their children as if they are buying vegetables, tooth-paste or tooth brush from the market," the Minister said.

Mrs Chaudhary said that if the country was not able to stop this trend of choosing the sex of the children, it would lead to disastrous results in the society. Demanding reservation for women in Parliament, she said men in different political parties should not have any reason to fear displacement in the legislature, if the Bill for women reservation was brought and passed by the Parliament. (UNI)

The Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs P. R. Dasmunsi on Friday in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha said that Doordarshan earned revenue of Rs. 585 crore from serials. "DD earned revenue of Rs. 585.74 crores during 2005-06 up to January 31, 2006 as compared to Rs. 665.27 crores in 2004-05 and Rs. 530.23 crores in 2003-04," Dasmunsi said.

However, Prasar Bharati cannot be compared with other private channels as it is a public service broadcaster not motivated solely by commercial considerations, he added. He said any litigation with well-known producers, who owe outstanding dues towards Doordarshan, has not affected the quality of programmes telecast by them.

Doordarshan considers their proposals again after their repayment plan of outstanding dues is approved, he further added. (ANI)

The student, who was seriously injured, died on way to the hospital. Residents of the area caught the duo, identified as S Prabhakar and Nandakumar working at a welding shop, and handed them over to the police. An investigation is on, police added. (PTI)

The first explosion took place just outside the KSRTC bus stand around 1245 hrs in the busy Mavoor Road area and another followed within minutes inside the private bus stand, located adjacent to the state-owned bus stand, police said.

Meanwhile, police said anonymous calls claiming that bombs had been planted at several vital points in the city were received at some newspaper offices in the morning Security has been beefed up at the Railway Station and places like S M Street, the main market area in the city. City Police Commissioner H Venkatesh and District Collector Rachna Shah visited the spot and were reviewing the situation, police said.(PTI)

Lucknow: Two persons were killed and more than 10 injured as violence erupted on Friday during anti-Bush demonstrations with protestors fighting pitched battles with shopkeepers and police in several areas of the city.

The protestors went around trying to force closure of shops in Latouche Road, Aminabad, Kaiserbagh, Nazirabad, Maulviganj and Hazratganj areas and "indulged in heavy brickbatting", Inspector-General of Police (Lucknow zone) O P Tripathi said. He confirmed that one person died on the spot due to a bullet injury in Latouche Road area while another succumbed to injuries in hospital. The injured were admitted to KGMU Trauma Centre and Balrampur hospital.

The IG said 10 companies of the PAC had been deployed and claimed that the situation was now under control.

The processionists, who were protesting the visit of US President George W Bush, damaged shops and vehicles in stone-pelting and set several two-wheelers ablaze in various parts of the city, he said. Police deployed on security duty for visiting President A P J Abdul Kalam were relocated and patrolling roads and lanes of the affected areas. The trouble erupted after the protestors attended Friday prayers and marched through the streets of the city trying force closure of shops which was opposed by the locals. All the main markets in the city have closed down following the incident. (PTI)

Hyderabad: US President George W. Bush Friday announced the opening of an American consulate here to cater to the growing number of visa seekers from Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy told a news conference here that the consulate would be functional from October next year.

"As a culmination of my trip I am glad to announce opening of US Consulate which will be functional from October next year," the chief minister quoted Bush as saying at the end of his five-hour trip to the city along with his wife Laura.

Bush met farmers, scientists and women members of self-help groups at an agriculture university and met young entrepreneurs at the Indian School of Business. The opening of the consulate will fulfil a long pending demand of visa seekers from the state. A large number of IT professionals and students in the US are from this state.

About 40 percent of visa seekers at the Chennai consulate are from Andhra Pradesh. This will be the fourth US consulate in the country after Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. To begin with, it would function from Dilkusha Guest House adjoining Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the state governor. "We have decided to give them Dilksuha guest house on a nominal rent," said Reddy.(IANS)

The body of Mir Alam was recovered from the debris on March one, the sources said. They said Alam went missing soon after the earthquake struck parts of Jammu and Kashmir on October 8 last year. Police took possession the body after and after it was unearthed fulfilling all legal formalities and handed it over to the next of kin of Alam, the sources said. A pall of gloom decended Syedpora when the body reached his hometown, the sources said. (PTI)

New Delhi: Comprising 40 percent of India’s HIV infected population, women in the country are gradually becoming more susceptible to the disease, UN experts said here Friday.

"Women are biologically more susceptible to HIV infection. Besides, gender disparities, lack of education and trafficking of women are making the situation worse," said Archana Tamang, chief of the women’s human rights and human security unit, United Nations Development Fund for Women.

India has over five million AIDS/HIV infected people, including over two million women. Tamang said: "We need to be focussed to create awareness among women between the age group of 15 and 29." She said the role of the government, peer education and others needs to be redefined. Family members also need to provide full support.

"These people never lack in skill and efficiency but what they need is emotional support."

Giving a global perspective on women infected with HIV, Tamang said out of 21 million deaths due to AIDS, nine million were accounted for by women and over four million by children. Denis Broun, country coordinator, UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS), said: "Since a lot of stigma is attached to the disease, women do not come forward to take medical help."

Out of the five million HIV/AIDS population, only an estimated 65,000 people are taking medical help. While 25,000 are getting treatment in public hospitals and 10,000 are under the guidance of NGOs. Around 30,000 are getting treatment in private healthcare facilities.

"Women’s vulnerability is due to two main reasons - one, the lack of adequate awareness among the community and second, their husbands. Last year around 80 percent of the women infected were through their husbands," Broun told IANS.

"The need of the hour is to reach out to young women living in extremely difficult and marginal circumstances."

However, he said India was doing a commendable job in controlling HIV infection through blood transfusions. "In the last three to four years, the country has really made tremendous progress transfusing quality blood," he said.(IANS)

"Three years of MDA government have passed off peacefully. For the remaining two years, the government has to complete the projects and programmes, which are already promised rather than going for new projects", the Governor told reporters Friday.

Clearly unhappy with the state of affairs, Mr Jacob wanted the State government to take a look at the Union Budget, which has the increased outlay for education and health care. "Education and health care are the two segments, which lack essential inputs both from the government and the people", he said.

The Governor asserted that the health care service in rural areas must be given top priority, while the education system needed government support for quality education at primary and secondary level, besides bringing down the high drop out rate", a concerned Governor said.

For keeping a tab on the rising number of drop outs, the Governor suggested that school education should be made more interesting so that the students remain in the school.

"Meghalaya has one of the highest school drop outs in the country. Moreover, the cases related to anaemia and infant mortality in the State is also the highest in the country. The government should concentrate on education and health care to uplift the living standard of the people", Mr Jacob emphasized.

During the police action, one cadre who was carrying arms managed to escape. Mr Sangma said the militant was, however, injured.The SP said these militants had fled from the ANVC rehabilitation camp.

Soon after assuming office, Mr Wahlang told reporters that the wide gap between the people and the government functionaries in various departments gave rise to suspicion in the minds of people about the integrity and sincerity of the State government. With better information system, the widening gap between the government functionaries and the people could be minimised, he said.

To a question on "high fee structure" for having information under the RTI Act, Mr Wahlang said if the people desired a reduced fee structure, the Commission would look into the provisions so that a reasonable price could be fixed.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation's heritage committee removed the heritage tag last month after Mr DD Lapang took it up with West Bengal counterpart .

The construction of the new building, for which the State government already had made an advance payment, was delayed following the KMC's denial of permission for demolition of the 'heritage building'. Meanwhile, construction works for the Mumbai Meghalaya House would begin soon after Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy lays the foundation stone on March 8.

SHILLONG: A meeting of the top intelligence agencies of the country held at BSF headquarters here on Friday decided to prepare a fresh list of Indian insurgents taking shelter in Bangladesh and their criminal cases pending in India. Official sources said the Northeastern states have been asked to prepare a list of militant camps on Bangladesh soil and the criminal cases of the ultras pending in Indian courts. The meeting attended by the officials of various intelligence agencies of the country also stressed the need for better intelligence gathering.

Shillong: Concerned over the production of false certificates to obtain jobs in the police, Sanbor Shullai, MDC, has urged the Home Minister H D R Lyngdoh to initiate efforts to cross check the genuineness of school certificates provided by job aspirants.

In a letter to the Home Minister, Mr Shullai said that as the recruitment to fill up vacancies in the armed branch of Meghalaya Police Department will be conducted soon, there should be proper verification of school certificates. He said that it has been found in the past that some candidates produced forged certificates to back up their candidature.

"The Government should be aware that there are many outsiders especially those coming from Bangladesh, who are ready to do anything to get a Government job, to infiltrate not only in the Police Department but also in the military and other armed forces in the country," Mr Shullai said.

After receiving complaints, Mr Shullai said that he had personally contacted the Inspector of Schools East Khasi Hills Shillong on February 28 to obtain authenticated reports of such prevailing cases. The Inspector agreed with the MDC on the matter of recruitment based on presentation of false certificates to support their application.

Mr Shullai said, "one Madhar Kumar Singh, who was working in the Army produced a false certificate stating that he was studying at Mawkhanu High School, East Khasi Hills District. His forged certificate number was 123 dated July 31, 2001 and his resident was shown as Narsing Akhara, Qualapatty, Shillong. On sending it for verification to the Inspector of Schools, East Khasi Hills Shillong, it was noticed that the school certificate was false and not genuine, the service of Kumar was terminated."

Additional District Magistrate M N Nampui has been appointed to conduct the probe into the facts and circumstances leading to the incident.

In a statement, the Federation said that earlier it had warned those involved in the trade and informed the concerned authorities but to no avail. This time with the effort of the district administration, the Federation hoped that such illegal operation would be eliminated.

Shillong: A team of international speleologists have discovered the longest cave system in the Indian subcontinent at Jaintia Hills District. The team found a cave system over 22.202.65 metres long, known as the Laitprah Cave, which surpasses the previous known record of 21.55 kms held by Krem Kotsati-Umlawan, another cave system existing in the same district. The newly discovered cave is located under the Elaka Nongkhlieh.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, research biologist from UK and team leader, Dr Terence M Whitaker informed that between February 7 and March 1, a total of 39 caves were explored, mapped and photographed to discover 15,498 metres of new cave passage in Jaintia Hills. Of the 39 caves mapped, 36 were entirely new with only three being cave systems that were partially explored in previous years, he said. 

Dr Whitaker said the linking of the Krem um im-Liat Prah cave system to Krem Labbit (Khaidong) to create a single cave system of 22,202.65 m in length, is the longest cave known to date in the Indian sub-continent. Commenting on extensive limestone and coal mining operations in the areas near the cave systems, Dr Whitaker said that these operations may lead to gradual extinction of the cave systems in the district.

"Meghalaya is the only area which has high quality caves in the country. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the Government to have a new approach with regards to extraction of limestone and coal in order to preserve the nature," Dr Whitaker.

Addressing a press conference here at Bawri Nethralaya, Dr Saikia said the main objective of organising such camps in rural areas is to fulfill the commitment of the hospital towards the under-privileged community. Dr Saikia said free eye check-ups and operations are being provided to the poor and the down-trodden.

Meanwhile, Dr Saikia said, "in order to provide quality eye-care, a dedicated blend of well-trained manpower and sophisticated state-of-the-art equipment has been placed in Bawri Nethralaya, adding that there are full time Consultant Eye Surgeons, supported by two Optometrists, dedicated OT nurses and administrative and reception staff".

He informed that more than 17,000 patients have been treated and more than 500 eye operations have been successfully performed at the hospital. He further informed that in the next few months, the hospital would organise eye camps and school screening programmes in the city. Bawri Nethralaya is a non-profit, part charitable, exclusive eye hospital located along the Butcher Road.

Shillong: Nongshken legislator K K Dkhar has urged the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) to provide fund for the development of eco-tourism in and around Mawlynnong village.

In a letter to the PCCF, Mr Dkhar said as the Centre has ear-marked funds for development and improvement of forests and environment including eco-tourism and other related activities, a portion of the fund should be doled out for the purpose of development of forest plantations, view points, medicinal plants, protection of sacred groves and heritage sites such as living roots bridges at Mawlynnong village and its surrounding areas which have a big potential for the purpose.

The East Khasi Hills Traffic Police has made arrangements for regulating vehicular traffic for the coming Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Synod Sepngi to be held at Mawpat on March 12. The Additional SP (Traffic) informed that all light vehicles will go via Polo, Golflink, Syiap towards Mawpat and exit via the same route.

All heavy vehicles coming from Ri-Bhoi and West Khasi Hills will enter via MES Junction Civil Hospital, IGP, Raj Bhavan, Camel Back Road, 4th Furlong towards Ishyrwat and exit via the same route while roads from Mawlai Petrol Pump, Mawlai Mawroh towards Golflink will be marked as No Entry points for heavy vehicles.

The Khasi Hills District Autonomous Council has condoled the death of Sanbor Swell Lyngdoh Mawphlang, ex-MDC, who passed away on February 18.

Late Swell Lyngdoh was a Member of the Council during 1984-1989 and represented the Sohryngkham constituency. During his years of membership, he had contributed much to the interest of the Council and the District as a whole. "The vacuum caused by his death is greatly felt by us," a Council statement said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement to set up another pay commission for the Central Government employees has sparked off a hot debate, highlighting the pros and cons of the decision. Unfortunately, some have criticized it merely for the sake of criticism and without going into the actual facts and figures.

Undeniably, the financial impact of the Sixth Pay Commission would be staggering, both for the Centre and the States Governments. After implementing the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations in 1998-99, the annual wage bill of the Centre crossed a whopping Rs.10,000 crore. This has, no doubt, broken the back of India’s economy with many States unable to pay even the salaries of their staff. The impact of a further upward increase in salaries – even if 15 to 21 per cent – will impose an additional wage bill of Rs.6,000 crore on the Centre alone.

It remains to be seen how the Government will square this bonanza with the commitment to eliminate revenue deficit by 2008-09 and reduce fiscal deficit to 3 per cent from the budgeted level of 4.3 per cent this year. Moreover, it would be very difficult to achieve 10 per cent growth rate as promised by the Prime Minister, with the expected additional financial burden on the national exchequer. The Union Government’s total workforce is around 38 lakh, of which 15-16 lakhs are in the Railways and an equal number is working in Defence. In other words, over 30 lakh personnel constitute the Ministers of Railways and Defence and the rest, a measly 6-7 lakh, are in about 500 Ministers and Departments of the Union Government, scattered all over the country.

The services of the employees of both Railways and Defence are indispensable and are of paramount importance. Their services cannot be dispensed with since the Railways, the biggest public sector enterprise, serves as a backbone to the national economy. It is also the biggest revenue-earner for the Government. Even one day’s strike by the Railway staff is enough to cause insurmountable financial loss to the national exchequer, besides creating chaos in the whole country. Almost all business and financial activities are rested on the shoulders of Indian Railways. Perhaps, with this view in his mind the economist Prime Minister has yielded to the long-pending demand of the unionized Railway employees. They had threatened to go on a nationwide strike if the Sixth Pay Commission was not set up early.

Similarly, the defence personnel, mostly posted in trouble-torn areas, are guarding our boundaries. National security is not negotiable and, therefore, the valuable services of our military and para-military forces cannot be weighed in terms of financial benefits extended to them. They work under immense stress and in highly trying climatic conditions that any amount of money to them would be justified. Therefore, the nation would not be losing anything while increasing pay packets of the employees. Instead, it would immensely add up to their morale efficiency and devotion to duty. Now comes the question of the remaining 6-7 lakh employees posted in various ministries and departments of the Government. The general argument that they are over-paid and under-worked is untenable. Like private sector, an average government employee is equally devoted to his duty and is always prone to hire and fire. However, unlike his counterparts in the private sector, he is very poorly paid. With the process of privatization entering the government sector, he has also lost his much-hyped job security.

Whatever appears from outside, a government employee is subjected to more stringent official rules and regulations. His earning from salary and other allowances is taxed there and then even as the government generally fails to realize huge taxes from lakhs of big wigs in the private sector. With the prices of almost all essential commodities escalating day by day, an average wage earner finds it hard to make his both ends meet. Gone are the days when government job was considered as a life with luxurious comforts. Now it is the other way round. It is like stagnated life without promotional avenues. Moreover, with the amendment in pension rules, which stopped any pensionary benefits on recruitments made after the year 2000, the Government has virtually made its service look like a private one.

It is not that the successive Governments have not curtailed certain benefits to the employees in the name of austerity measures. A blanket ban on fresh appointments, reducing interest rate on GPF from 10 to 8 per cent, increase in working hours, bringing even a petty clerk in the tax net, restricting Over Time Allowance (OTA), abolishing posts vacant for more than one year, closing down many redundant departments and merging like-natured divisions, are some of the measures taken by the Government after implementation of the 5th Pay Commission recommendations.

The recommendations of the Geeta Krishna Committee – also known as Expenditure Reforms Committee (ERC) – on reduction of 30 per cent Government staff has been implemented to a large extend and the process is still continuing with the abolition of a large number of posts in almost all ministries and departments. But the same method is not applicable to the Ministries of Railways and Defence where new recruitments are being made in view of the heavy load of work. It means to say that the axe is falling only on the 6-7 employees who have come to be seen as an eyesore.

But now when almost every government office has been computerized and the Right to Information Act is in force, its working has become more transparent and accountable. Still there is always a room for administrative reforms from top echelons of the bureaucracy otherwise the people will continue to believe that their money is being squandered on the babus. No doubt the prevailing work culture in government offices needs to be drastically reformed and the Government must be in a position to extract work commensurate with the pay packet. Government staff will have to be more responsive and accountable in view of the changed national scenario. Corruption in government offices must be dealt with sternly as it would bring efficiency in their work.

Lastly, if the Union Government was so serious in reducing its workforce, one wonders why the retirement age was increased from 58 to 60 years? Had it been 58, over 30 per cent of the staff would have gone much earlier. It is still not too late, as it would ceremoniously show the door to several lakh employees on the verge of retirement.

Secondly, why does the Government not come out with an attractive Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), like the one once offered by banks and public sector undertakings which facilitated exit of a large number of employees to cut down the size of its staff. If a positive and attractive VRS is offered, undoubtedly a large number of employees, especially the youths who feel stagnated and virtually killing their talent in the government sector, will opt out on their own to start their new ventures.

The need of the hour is to generate additional funds from sources hitherto unexploited and untapped and by checking wasteful expenditure on pompous shows, luxurious foreign trips and by making sure that every penny earmarked for development is properly utilized and not squandered by unscrupulous elements both in government and private sector. –INFA.

Amar Singh's contribution to Indian politics may or may not be worth noting when history is written, but his ability to use words ingeniously will definitely be recorded with interest by language experts. Till a few days ago the word aarti, for most of us, meant the invocation of the divine. But the word on the by now famous Amar Singh Ki Amar Kahani CDs now seems to mean an altogether different kind of invocation of the God of Corruption or Credit depending on whose explanation you are willing to believe. Singh was at great pains on national television to explain aarti meant that he would be given a pat on the back for a job well done.

But the credit of giving words entirely new meanings far removed from the original cannot be taken by Singh alone. The underworld too has used equally innocuous words to deadly effect. The word supari isn't just the hard but much loved chewing substance with purported digestive properties, favoured equally by old aunties and young men in many parts of this country, but denotes a price for contractual killing in underworld parlance.

Though we have gotten used to the distortion of the word supari, maybe the extreme right should take umbrage at this new meaning of aarti. But there is also another lesson in this little aarti episode. All those who use code to escape detection by authorities would do well to remember this real-life incident. A rich Kolkata-based businessman was raided for income-tax violations. His family was perplexed as they had always used code language when they mentioned black money.

One lakh was referred in all the communication as a pyjama. The relevant authorities that had been snooping on the businessman's mail caught on due to a slip. Wondered the businessman's daughter, "How did they ever catch on?" Elementary, dear Watson. In one of the many letters that went back and forth it was mentioned that the businessman would send one and a half pyjamas. The sleuths for once were quick to catch on to the half pyjama. Like promises, codes are meant to be broken be it half a pyjama, a full supari or an aarti. (By arranegement with The Times of India)

Sir,

To talk of killings, rape cases, extortion etc., these are what our land has become famous for. There is no newspaper without a single crime story everyday, and these stories make hot news and increase the sale of a paper, and these same stories create fear in the minds of the people and remind us how unsafe this place is. The increased rate of crime has and will further deteriorate the development of the state from different perspective.

The recent story about the brutal killing of Biplab Das (a student of St. Anthony's college) has put us into a state of shock and fear, but sad to say that this is not the first of its kind here, there are cases worst than this that had taken place in the past. To remember a pregnant girl was mercilessly murdered by her own lover, and uncountable rape cases of minors has automatically turned Shillong from 'peaceful' to 'fearful'.

What I want to highlight here is that so far, so many crime cases have been reported and the criminals were apprehended but the sad and the worst thing is that none of these criminals have been duly punished for the crime they committed, these criminals commit the most heinous crime and get the least punishment. What law is this? Do we have to remind the authority that killing means Capital punishment or Life Imprisonment?

Had those in power taken these matters seriously, I doubt whether there would there be any increase in crime. The irresponsible attitude of the Government to punish, put the criminals behind bars and the lack of courage to announce 'Capital Punishment' to murderers have immensely encouraged and contributed to the increase of crime and criminals in the state.

If murderers, rapists and extortionists are still moving about freely on the streets,then where is rule of law?

Yours etc.,
O. Mawlong
Shillong-4

Sir,

Most conscientious citizens have hailed the landmark judgement passed by the Supreme Court a few days ago in scrapping the status of SC/ST to the offspring of non-SC/ST father, as a justifiable judgement, which could not have come at a better time.

However, turning to our state of Meghalaya, the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes who are the followers of matrilineal society, may be left high and dry where the father of the family has no perceptible role whatsoever on the issue of assuming surname in cases of children being born out of conjugal relationship and thus the end result would be back to a square one.

That being so, the euphoria expressed by some NGO's of the state may therefore, sound hollow in the practical terms. And for the burgeoning tribal womenfolk of Meghalaya who are going to enter into wedlock with the non-tribal, this latest judgement of the Supreme Court may unfold as nothing noble, but an old wine in a new bottle.

Yours etc.,
P.U. Diengdoh,
Shillong-14

Maibam Naobi (22), who was released through the court on Thursday night alleged that commando personnel molested and subjected her to inhuman treatment after she was picked up from the house of Khundrakpam Vikash on February 21. Vikash, a PLA cadre died during an exchange of fire with a police commando team in Thoubal district last month and she went to his home to attend the funeral. Naobi is a friend of the PLA cadre.

Naobi said that the police commandos took her at different places and molested her for several hours on the first day of the arrest. She was also severely tortured. The commandos also allegedly forced her to take off all the clothes at gunpoint. The torture continued the next day, she said. The allegations that she was molested by the commando personnel kicked up an angry protest from several organisations on Friday.

The Joint Action Committee formed against Naobi's arrest strongly condemned the police brutality in a meeting held in Imphal on Friday and demanded for immediate resignation of the O. Ibobi Singh led Secular Progressive Front ministry and punishment of those involved. (NNN)

Guwahati: Over two hours drive from this bustling state capital, part of it through a stretch of bumpy, dusty village road, when you are moving closer to blue hills of neighbouring Bhutan, a sprawling neat campus with an imposing bamboo made entrance just crops up to draw all your attention at Udalguri in Northern Assam.

Coloured flags atop bamboo poles around the place fluttering away in the seasonal March wind. The huge arch at the entrance is guarded by four men in olive green, who politely let you in giving the impression that you were being expected.

As the vehicle comes to a halt on the sprawling camp courtyard surrounded by few small houses with tin roofs and walls made of bamboo, you encounter piercing glances of a group of steel-faced young soldiers in olive green even as one of their courteous leaders welcomes you. The ambience gives you ample reason to believe that you are inside a small, neat Army base.

Yes, you are in a base of an army, but nothing is official about it. It is one of the three truce-time designated camps of rebel National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), housing some 50-odd hardcore cadres. They are right now whiling away their time constantly haunted by the uncertain future of the armed revolution that was launched about 19 years ago to press for their demand for sovereignty for Bodo tribal community in the region.

The militant outfit has been in a ceasefire with the Government of India (GOI) forces since June 1 last when the latter responded to the unilateral ceasefire declared by the NDFB in October, 2004. They signed a ceasefire pact with the Government and as per the agreement all the cadres of the outfit are supposed to stay in three designated camps in different locations. They are not expected to move around outside the camp with arms while in truce with Central Government.

The undercurrent of restiveness among the cadres living in Udalguri camp over that fact that the actual negotiation with the Centre is yet to take off, is well reflected in a comment of the deputy chief of NDFB army, B Ologbar: "We sincerely hope that Government of India will respect the aspiration of Bodo masses for a peaceful solution to the problem. If the Government is not sincere, the armed revolution is bound to get renewed again."

The calm, cosy atmosphere in the camp and its serene surrounding is a manifestation of sense of uncertainty haunting the young rebels aged between 18 to 35 years. "Somewhat it feels good to be out here after a tough life in jungle bases and not to worry much about being targeted by the Indian Army all the time. But it can't go on like this for long if there is not a permanent solution to the problem we are fighting for," said G Songsar, the camp commander.

The Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) operation in December, 2003 destroyed all the NDFB camps inside jungles of that Himalayan kingdom. The outfit sets its goal on achieving an "independent Bodo homeland" citing historical reasons for it. A spokesman of the outfit said, "Bodos were the rulers of this region centuries back and we have the right to ask for our land back. If Government of India understands, it is good, otherwise the Bodos are ready to fight for it through generations to come."

For the time being, for the cadres in the camp are engaged in cultivating vegetables, constructing fences around the camps, preparing meals for themselves, undertaking daily dose of physical and military exercise besides feasting their eyes and ears on romantic Bodo music videos in the camp like the one with title - "dao dao" meaning Ocean of Love - lying on the table at camp commander's room. Yet they haven't gone overboard to enjoy their chained freedom, the cadres in the camp skip their dinner to remain on guard in turns throughout the night.