More than 46,000 solar panels have been installed at the Kochi airport to generate electricity. Switching to green energy is almost equivalent to planting three million trees or not driving 750 million miles, says VJ Kurian (right), managing director of Cochin International Airport Limited. Kurian is also the brain behind Kochi becoming the first private airport in the country in 1999
Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, December 4
Two unidentified militants and a soldier were killed in a firefight between militants and security forces in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. An Army jawan has also been injured in the gunfight.
The gun battle is ongoing.
Sources said that encounter broke in Bawan Rajwar forest area in Handwara, some 90 kms from here, after a joint team of Army and police intercepted a group of heavily armed militants in the area Friday afternoon.
“In gunfight so far two unidentified militants and an Army jawan have got killed,” a security official in Srinagar said.
The identity of the slain soldier could not be established immediately.
The security official said more militants were believed to be hiding in the area. Additional troops have been sent to the fight zone.
Howrah (WB), December 29
A local court today remanded the Army jawan arrested in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a teenager inside a compartment of the Howrah-Amritsar Express in police custody for four days.Monjiris Tripathy, who was arrested by GRP from Madhupur railway station on Monday, was produced before the Howrah chief judicial magistrate’s court during the day and sent to police custody.Tripathy, who is posted in Kolkata at the Eastern Command headquarters, had allegedly compelled the 14-year-old, who had boarded the compartment at Howrah station, to consume alcohol. She was then allegedly raped by two other Army men inside the train. The two are absconding.The Army is cooperating with the police in tracing the absconding jawans. “The police are investigating and we are cooperating with them. We are sharing the information we have so that the accused can be caught and action taken against them as per the law of the land,” an Army source said. — PTI
Syed Ali Ahmed,Tribune News Service,New Delhi, December 23
Parliament mourns victims’ death | BSF, DGCA to probe | Angry kin confront Union Home Minister
Mourning the death of 10 BSF personnel in air crash yesterday at Dwarka in Delhi, members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha stood in silence for a brief while, though a separate inquiry by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the BSF is being done to know the reason behind the crash.In the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Hamid Ansari and in the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expressed condolences over the death of the BSF personnel and prayed for the injured.Sources, who were at the homage paying ceremony of the deceased, said the BSF and the DGCA have constituted inquiry to find out the actual reason for the crash. Union Minister Rajnath Singh was also present at the ceremony.A mourning relative of one of the 10 paramilitary personnel confronted Rajnath, asking him as to “why does a soldier’s family cries every time?”“Sir, why does the soldier’s family has to cry every time?” Why sir? Why wasn’t it a VIP plane? Why were they given such an old plane? It was an old aircraft. Sir, please answer me,” the girl questioned the Home Minister.Captain Shivrain’s family alleged that despite the aircraft was very old, it was never replaced by the force.“I told Rajnath Singh that the accident probably happened because it was an old plane. Though my son-in-law is no more, the BSF is yet to induct new planes,” said Wazir Singh Panwar, father-in-law of co-pilot Rajesh Shivrain, a deceased.
Vijay Mohan,Tribune News Service,Chandigarh, December 20
Most cantonment boards have failed to fulfil their stipulated mandate of executing government schemes and providing the required civic amenities to residents in these areas.A test check of 17 cantonment boards (CBs) by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that during 2009-14, barring one board, none of the 17 CBs had prepared and implemented town planning schemes, plans for economic development and social justice in their respective areas.There are 62 cantonments located in 19 states across the country. The main functions of these are broadly the same as those of municipal bodies in towns.Section 62 of the Cantonments Act 2006 stipulates that it shall be the duty of every board to make reasonable provisions for civic amenities in their areas. The CB is headed by a chief executive officer, who is independent of the Army and is the civil executive interface of the civil population.None of the CBs provided all 24 types of civic services, mandated under the Cantonments Act, to its residents and no central government schemes applicable in the CBs for uplift of the poor and provision of infrastructure facilities were implemented in the cantonments.The CAG, in its latest report, has also pointed out that the position regarding revenue generation was also not encouraging as the CBs were unable to optimize revenue generation through taxes and non-taxes, leading to their increased dependency on grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Defence.This, CAG observed, was mainly due to non-revision of taxes every five years, recovery of property tax at a lower than the stipulated rate and non-levy of vehicle entry tax and various other factors.
Tribune News Service,Jammu, December 18
The White Knight Corps today organised a seminar on human rights at Sangha Auditorium in Akhnoor subdivision of Jammu district.Centered on the theme, “Human Rights issues and their impact on the security forces — the road ahead”, the seminar was an effort by the Army to increase awareness about issues related to human rights and generate new ideas through mutual exchange of experiences and thoughts of eminent participants at the seminar, said a Defence spokesperson.In his keynote address, the GOC, 16 Corps, Lieutenant General RR Nimbhorkar, highlighted the methodology with which the Army approached counter-insurgency and how upholding of human rights fit in the paradigm.Speaking of J&K in specific, Lieutenant General RR Nimbhorkar said as the ground situation had improved, Army operations had evolved in sync with refinement in the Army’s thinking, operating procedures and rules of engagement.Speakers at the seminar were Justice Cyriac Joseph (retd), Acting Chairman of National Human Rrights Commission Nitin Gokhale, Vrinda Grover, Lt Gen SA Hasnain (retd) and Col Ranjit Singh (retd).
Tribune News Service,Dehradun, December 17
As many as five new Volvo buses will be plying between Uttarakhand and Chandigarh beginning Friday.Uttarakhand Transport Corporation general manager Deepak Jain said the Chandigarh Transport Department had given the no objection certificate (NOC) to the state transport corporation following which five new Volvo buses would start plying between Uttarakhand and Chandigarh from tomorrow.Jain said the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation had been holding a series of meetings with the Chandigarh Transport Department in the past. The latest letter was sent to the Chandigarh Transport Commissioner for the NOC, which was finally granted.While four Volvo buses would be plying between Dehradun and Chandigarh, one bus would ply between Haldwani and Chandigarh. A large number of people would be benefitted with these buses, he said. Referring to the schedule of the buses, Jain said the bus plying between Haldwani and Chandigarh would leave Dehradun for Chandigarh at 6.30 am while it would return from Chandigarh to Dehradun at 2.25 pm.The first Volvo bus from Dehradun would depart for Chandigarh at 7.30 am and would start from Chandigarh for Dehradun at 1.30 pm. The second bus would depart from Dehradun at 10 pm whereas the same bus will depart from Chandigarh at 6.50 am.The third and fourth buses would reach the final destination, Katra, from Dehradun via Chandigarh. These two buses will depart for Katra from Dehradun at 6 pm and on return would reach Chandigarh at 2 am from Katra.The Schedule
Amir Karim Tantray,Tribune News Service.Jammu, December 17
Call it a deliberate attitude of the government to remain unaware of the fallout of the Baglihar hydroelectric project reservoir or inability of officers to deal the situation, uncertainty is increasing in the twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar, where the threat of a huge disaster is becoming a major concern for the populace.This 900-MW power project is fast turning the area into a no-habitation zone with huge mountains ‘merging’ into the Chenab slowly and steadily.The stagnant water has started to show its effects with loose soil becoming its first victim. Water has entered deep inside the mountains with the area being home to different kinds of stone, including lime and gypsum, for which water is a great threat.Soil erosion had started within months of the creation of the reservoir and sinking of a portion of a 100-metre road near Assar in January 2009 was its first evidence. Since then, rock after rock and mountain after mountain started to feel the heat. Soil erosion is fast turning the area into a death zone.“This was bound to happen as the government did not pay any heed to our report in 1997 when we called for taking remedial measures before starting the project. This report is gathering dust in government offices and no action has been taken,” said GM Bhat, a geological expert.Construction on the state-owned Baglihar project near the Chanderkote area of Ramban district was started in 1999. In October 2008, the 450-MW first phase was commissioned, which was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. On November 7 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 450-MW second phase and made the project fully functional.The threat seems to be increasing with time as water can lead to localised earthquakes in the near future. The area already falls under Seismic Zone V and violating natural norms adds to the threat.“The fault line passes through the area and water entering the mountains can lead to earthquakes. Though the process has not started yet, it cannot be ignored. It can start any moment in the future, but we cannot tell the exact time for want of instruments and technology,” Bhat cautioned.He said a major disaster like an earthquake of magnitude of above 7 on the Richter scale could break the dam wall and the area downstream would be nowhere.The Baglihar power project authorities and the Power Development Department are not willing to accept this fact. They feel that the soil erosion occurring in the area is not due to the reservoir.“The Baglihar project reservoir has nothing to do with soil erosion and sinking of land in the upper reaches. Even if it is due to the reservoir, the impact cannot be more than 50 metres. The widespread road network which is coming up in the area has led to the sinking of the road,” said Abdul Wahid, Chief Engineer, Baglihar project.“If these experts have anything to say about the project and its fallout, they should share it us and the higher authorities. I am not buying the argument that the Baglihar reservoir is responsible for the damage,” he said.Elected representatives of the erstwhile Doda district have failed to take up the issue at the highest level and take it to its logical end. Despite being a part of the government, several elected members failed to convince the high-ups that the Baglihar project was becoming a threat to the area. Local residents have expressed concern over the impending disaster, but there is nobody to listen to them.“The Baglihar project may have given a boost to the state’s economy, but it has surely added to the misery of people of the erstwhile Doda district. We are living on a potential time bomb which can explode anytime, causing extensive damage to the region,” said Syed Asim Hashmi, president, Bar Association, Doda.“If any such thing happens, it will not only have an impact in our area, but the area downstream will be affected as well. The state has behaved like a chronic capitalist which has failed to address the issues and pay back royalty to people and the region,” he said.
PANCHKULA: As part of the Vijay Diwas celebrations, a wreathlaying ceremony was held at the Veer Smriti at the Western Command headquarters here on Wednesday.
Lieutenant General KJ Singh, General Officer Commanding-inChief, and all ranks of Western Command, General VP Malik, ex-chief of armystaff andalarge number of veterans and serving soldiers laid wreaths in honour of valiant martyrs.
A befitting tribute was also paid to the renowned war hero of 1971 War, 2nd Lt Arun Khetrapal, by Lt Gen KJ Singh, Army Commander, Western Command, Lt Gen SR Ghosh (retd), former-Army Commander and the senior veterans and officers, JCOs and jawans of 17 Poona Horse, at Khetrapal Memorial in Chandimandir Military Station.
MARTYRS’ KIN HONOURED
Kin of tricity martyrs were also felicitated by Anita Singh, regional president, Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA).
The day is celebrated to commemorate the spectacular victory achieved by the Indian Armed Forces on both the Eastern as well as Western fronts in 1971. It was on this day 43 years ago that over 90,000 Pakistani troops surrendered to Indian armed forces, which resulted in creation of Bangladesh.
SERVING, RETIRED DEFENCE PERSONNEL FELICITATED
Senior citizens marked Vijay Divas in a novel way by felicitating the serving and retired defence personnel during a function organised at Manekshaw Auditorium, Chandimandir, to recognise their selfless services in protecting the integrity, honour and dignity of the nation.
President of the Chandigarh Senior Citizens’ Association Daljit Singh Grewal, in his welcome speech, lauded the role played by defence services in protecting integrity of the nation through round-the-clock vigil and preparedness for any eventuality – be it against external aggression, internal disorder or to provide succor during natural calamities..
A special feature of the programme was honouring of 10 veterans and serving soldiers under various categories. Lt Gen KJ Singh, in his address, praised the association for its activities in looking after interests of elderly and ensuring that senior citizens continue to play an active part in the society. He particularly appreciated its role in the field of healthcare, women empowerment and adult literacy.
