Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 27

The recent decision of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to acquire a new set of artillery guns is literally the first “baby step” towards meeting the Army’s artillery modernisation plans drawn up in 1999.The MoD okayed the letter of acceptance that would be delivered to the US supplier, BAE Systems, for 145 ultra light howitzers (ULH) of the 155 mm variety. This was the first formal okay for a 155 mm gun since March 1986 when the Bofors guns were purchased.The Army’s artillery modernisation has ambitious needs. Called the Field Artillery Rationalization Plan, and drawn up in 1999, it talks about acquiring 2,800 guns by 2027. The first step in that direction was taken on Saturday, but the follow-up steps are expected to be rapid.The plan talks about 155 mm guns of all types—that is 1,580 towed guns, 814 truck-mounted guns, 100 tracked self-propelled guns,180 wheeled self-propelled guns and 145 ultra light howitzers.The bulk will come through when mounted guns and towed guns are procured. International companies have been invited for this to join the “Make in India” initiative.To apply for the contract of the 1,580 towed guns, French company Nexter has teamed up with local partner Larsen & Toubro. Israel’s Elbit Systems has partnered with Bharat Forge.In case of the 814 truck-mounted guns, Nexter and L&T have bid, along with Ashok Leyland. TATA has South African gun-maker “The Denel” as its partner.The immediate addition to the artillery gun numbers could come from two separate tenders. First is a “tracked self-propelled” gun mounted on a tank-track type chassis. India plans to buy 100 pieces of this. The MoD is negotiating with the L&T-Samsung combine. The evaluation process is over and the price bids were opened in December 2015.The second will be the indigenous Dhanush gun, based on Bofors design and transfer of technology. The MoD yesterday laid down a stiff time line for the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), its maker, to be ready with six “production-level prototypes” for trials and bulk orders will follow. The Army want to acquire 114 pieces of this.

Says despite China’s objections, NSG process has started on a positive note

New Delhi, June 27

Having taken risky initiatives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India would have to be “alert and conscious” at all times but wondered with whom in Pakistan lines can be drawn for conducting talks—with the elected government or “other actors”.He said India would have to drive home the advantage on the fact that the world has now convinced of its views on terrorism from across the border. India will have to continue putting forth its views on this matter, Modi said.“With whom in Pakistan do we draw the ‘lakshman rekha’ on talks — with an elected government or with other actors? India will have to be alert and conscious at all times. There should not be any laxity and negligence,” he told a news channel.Modi was asked define the “lakshman rekha” for holding talks with Pakistan. In 2014, the government had said talks should be only between the two countries and not with the Hurriyat.The PM said he no longer had to convince the world about India’s stand on terrorism. He has made consistent efforts with the neighbour given his Lahore visit or inviting the Pakistan Prime Minister to India, Modi said.“The world in one voice is praising India’s role. Pakistan is finding it difficult to answer. The world is watching. Earlier, the world would not buy India’s theory on terrorism and sometimes it would even treat terrorism as a law and order problem. Now, the whole world is accepting what India says on terrorism. It is accepting the loss caused to India by terrorism, the loss caused to humanity by terrorism. I believe India will have to continue putting forth its view on this matter,” the PM said. On China objecting to India’s entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Modi exuded confidence that the country would get membership of the bloc and the process for it has begun on a “positive note”.Modi said India had a number of problems with China and efforts were on to resolve them one-by-one through talks.Asked during an interview whether he was disappointed as China blocked India’s bid for membership of the NSG and how close it was to getting it, Modi only said things would move forward as per rules.The PM said successive governments had made consistent efforts for getting membership of the UN Security Council, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and NSG.“First thing is that India has taken up such efforts consistently whichever government was in power — be it membership of UN Security Council, SCO or MTCR or NSG. All of us made efforts.”“It is not only this government which has done this. This is in continuity. It is true that in our tenure, SCO has been achieved, MTCR membership has been achieved. I am fully confident that we have begun efforts in the direction of the NSG (membership), formally.”“The process has begun on a positive note. Everything is governed by its own rules. Things will move forward as per rules,” he said.  “We do not have one problem with China, we have many problems pending with China. Slowly and steadily efforts are on to find solutions to them one-by-one,” he said. — PTIModi speaks his mind on issues facing nation, BJP

BJP Hotheadss

“Heroes should not be made out of hotheads who make extreme comments… The media should also exercise self-restraint while dealing with such people. I see news channels airing statements made by people whose faces I have never seen and they end up hogging the limelight… I fail to understand why such people are encouraged. Don’t make them heroes, they will themselves stop”

Agusta probes

“There is no witch-hunt in the probe into the AgustaWestland chopper deal. Investigating agencies will do a professional job and whatever names come up, let’s see. A sin has been committed and those behind it have had a major protective cover. I can’t deny it and I believe that we have the right to doubt that people behind this are very experienced”

Foreign policys

“The biggest factor that has empowered this foreign policy is that for 30 years, we have had unstable governments without a clear mandate. The world measures a government by the situation it is in its own country. I am thankful to the people of this country that they elected this government with full majority and this has had an impact on world politics” 

Inflations

“You can’t view inflation as an issue of perception. Price rise should be seen as a reality. We will have to accept reality. The fast rate at which inflation was rising under the previous government has decelerated a lot. You can check the statistics, you will find it all”

Povertys

“The poor are the focus of my government’s economic agenda. The poor should be strengthened in such a way that they get the willingness to defeat poverty. By helping the poor make ends meet while they remain in poverty is also one of the ways. I am not saying right or wrong, but it’s one of the ways”

Regrets humourless public life

PM Modi regretted that humour had more or less disappeared from public life as newsmakers feared being misunderstood. He said he earlier used to pepper his speeches with anecdotes laced with humour. But he was now afraid of doing that. “Now I fear… It is a matter of concern,” he said

CHANDIGARH: Naik Saroop Singh, a 105-year-old retired soldier from Kalka, inaugurated integrated veterans’ complex at Chandimandir on Friday. Besides this, a multi-banking complex was also inaugurated by another nonagenarian soldier Hon. Subedar Maj TD Piplani on this occasion.

HT PHOTOLt Gen KJ Singh honouring Naik Saroop Singh (retd) at Chandimandir on Friday.

Later, Western Army Commander, Lt Gen KJ Singh dedicated the integrated veterans’ complex to the ex-servicemen of tri-services settled in Chandigarh, SAS Nagar and Panchkula. The complex will provide a wide range of veterans’ care and support services, and also act as a single point of contact for grievance redressal to the veterans, widows and their wards.

Integrated veterans’ complex comprises of army placement node, Directorate Regional Centre Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Veterans Sahayata Regional Centre, Directorate of Resettlement Western Zone Station, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme Cell, e-lobby and Canteen Stores Department, thereby bringing all essential services under one roof.

Lt Gen K J Singh stressed on the need to strengthen the frame work for veterans’ care and promised support to them.

CIVIL AVIATION POLICY Rules relaxed for airlines seeking to fly to foreign destinations, fares capped for regional flights

NEW DELHI: The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved a new civil aviation policy that aims to promote flights to smaller cities as well as to overseas destinations.

The first goal is to be met by capping fares on regional flights to `2,500 an hour, and giving airlines incentives to fly routes no one does at present. The second will be attained by allowing new airlines to fly overseas immediately if they have at least 20 aircraft or 20% of their seats deployed on domestic routes.

The catch is that flyers to big cities will have to shell out a little extra for a cess whose collections will compensate airlines for flying regional routes under the `2,500 fare cap. “It will be a very, very small levy,” said civil aviation secretary RN Choubey. The details will be in the regional connectivity scheme whose draft will be put up for public discussion in the next 10 days.

“The #CivilAviationPolicy approved today… will transform the sector & greatly benefit passengers… (it) gives an impetus to affordability, regional connectivity, safety, infrastructure,” tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Calling it India’s first ever integrated civil aviation policy, civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said it will be a “game-changer for the sector”.

The changes, to begin with, were visible in the way airlines responded. Tony Fernandes, the head of AirAsia, part-owner of AirAsia India, appeared ecstatic on Twitter, saying: “Almost an end to vested interests. Power to the people. Well done @narendramodi. You kept your word.” Fernandes thinks 20 aircraft is too many for flying international, but that it is still a “big day for Indian aviation”.

In contrast, the older airlines were subdued. Jet Airways’ spokesperson Ragini Chopra said, “We have not got the details. Let us study it and then we will react.” The public relations agency for IndiGo said there will not be a reaction.

That is understandable. The so-called 5/20 policy, requiring airlines to fly for at least five years in the country and have 20 aircraft before they could fly abroad, had been a subject of intense lobbying.

Flying abroad sharply increases the utilisation of airplanes since those that fly only domestic routes lie idle at night. Planes flying abroad can fill their tanks in other countries, most of which have cheaper aviation fuel. And they earn money in precious foreign exchange.

Naturally, all new airlines — such as the two Tata Group joint ventures, AirAsia India (with AirAsia) and Air Vistara (with Singapore Airlines) — have been keen to fly abroad. But older ones such as IndiGo, Jet Airways and SpiceJet, which already had the rights to fly international, opposed a relaxation of the eligibility.

About the decision to scrap the 5/20 rule, communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “A questionable legacy has been thrown into the dustbin.” The rule is a legacy of the United Progressive Alliance government.

Kin of war heroes during a press conference in Mohali on Monday. Tribune photo: Vicky Gharu

Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 13

About 20 war widows today accused the government of neglecting the families of war heroes of the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars.“The government made several promises, including allotment of a minimum 10 acres, rehabilitation and other facilities, to the families but did not keep any of these,” they lamented.The families of the soldiers, who had laid their lives in the wars, has given a 10-day ultimatum to the government to pay heed to their demands. “Otherwise, we would start an agitation,” they said, adding that there were as many as 161 families of martyrs living in Mohali district.http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/community/war-widows-in-mohali-accuse-govt-of-neglect/251328.html

Relatives of the Indian prisoners of war missing since 1971 holding their older pictures in Amritsar on Monday.

Kin of 1971 PoWs to hold candle march on June 17

THEY ALSO PLAN TO BLOCK THE WAGAH BORDER ON JULY 23 TO DEMAND RETURN OF THOSE LODGED AT LAHORE CENTRAL JAIL

AMRITSAR: With a hope to bring back their loved ones captivated in Lahore central jail back, the kin of 1971 war prisoners will be holding a candle march on June 17 here. They are also likely to block the Attari-Wagah border on July 23.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the United Ex-servicemen Front here on Monday for the release of the prisoners of the war (PoW) languishing in Pakistan jails, the kin of the prisoners addressed their concerns and expressed their displeasure over the sequence of events.

Baljinder Kaur, whose father Sepoy Balwinder Singh of the 10 Sikh Regiment had gone missing in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, said, “This is not the right way. We have written various letters, but we did not receive a satisfactory answer.”

The front had written to defence minister Manohar Parrikar, seeking release of Balwinder, who according to Surjeet, one of the released PoW is lodged in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail.

Besides Baljinder, relatives of other PoW Havildar Dharampal Singh of the ‘4 Sikh Regiment’ from Bathinda district and Nayak Bir Singh from the 15 Sikh Regiment from a village in Mansa, along with Seepoy Jograj Singh from Bathinda were present.

Paramjit Kaur, daughter Jograj Singh said, “We came to known about him in 2012 from Surjeet Singh. Since then, I am fighting the battle to get my father back.

I have a hope and would keep putting efforts till he is back.” Chairman of the front Captain CS Sidhu (retd) said: “The government should step and speed up efforts to ensure release of prisoners of war.

There is a need to go international court of justice. I will take this matter to Supreme Court. But we are blocking the Wagah border if we don’t get any response from the central government.”

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 10

Think twice before reaching out to luscious fruits including mangoes, litchis, watermelon and muskmelon as these might be artificially coloured and ripened.Concern has been raised over the artificially ripening and colouring of fruits as carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents are being used to ripen fruits quickly for higher volume of sales.Fruits are artificially ripened with calcium carbide popularly known as “potash” and can cause headache, dizziness, mouth ulcer, diarrhoea, allergic reactions and even severe food poisoning.Despite ban, calcium carbide is easily available in the market and authorities have failed to check its sale. The chemical releases acetylene gas that results in overnight ripening of unripened fruits such as mango, banana and papaya.The casual approach adopted by the Health Department is the main reason why these fruit traders openly indulge in artificial ripening and colouring of fruits.District Health Officer Dr Abnash Kumar said: “The department conducts regular raids at the fruit market and destroys over ripened fruits. We collect samples and take action only after the report arrives. The case is then decided by the court.”Mangoes are plucked before reaching physiological maturity just for making profit. As it is premature, it can’’t ripen naturally. The natural method is simply letting the fruit ripen by itself. Fruits produce ethylene, which hastens ripening. But mangoes being sold now can’’t produce ethylene and vendors use chemicals to ripen it.A majority of the traders ripen fruits artificially with the help of banned chemicals. The fruit market is flooded with varieties of mangoes that are artificially ripened.The chemical is commonly called “masala” and a sachet is available for mere Rs 3-5. It is placed over mangoes which helps in ripening the fruits quickly.“We have been doing this for years. Customers do not buy green mangoes and this ‘masala’ helps in ripening the fruits in a day,” said a worker at the fruit market.Do not let the sugary juicy watermelons and muskmelons and brightly colour litchis allure you. The brighter these are, the more there are chances that they have been artificially coloured.Injecting red food colour and sugar syrup in watermelons with a syringe to give them an inviting red colour and sweet taste is an open secret now. Litchi that looks red from outside is dipped or sprayed with red colour.Wholesalers at the fruit market claimed that all fruits, reach the mandi without chemicals. “We never use any chemical in fruits. However, some roadside vendors use colours and chemicals to make them look attractive and to earn more profits,” said a fruit wholesaler. It may be difficult to resist the temptation, but experts warn that people should be careful about eating them. Dr Deepak Singla, a city-based gastroenterologist, said mangoes are premature and are usually ripened with the help of calcium carbide and can invite a host of ailments. Fruits have fibre and are an essential element in our daily diet. But people should be careful while eating fruits and buy these from reliable sources. 

Awareness the key

• Go for seasonal fruits and vegetables
• Wash fruits thoroughly before consuming
• Always cut fruit into pieces rather than consuming directly
• Fruits that have a uniform colour are more likely to have been artificially ripened

Fact file

• The colours used in artificial ripening of fruits and vegetables include sudan red, methanol yellow and lead chromate
• Carbide, which is used to ripen the fruit, is harmful for the liver and kidney, while methanol yellow can cause cancer, stomach ailments and degeneration of the male reproductive organs
• Lead chromate can cause anaemia, brain damage and blindness
• Sudan red is also harmful for stomach and digestion

INS Vikramaditya. File photo

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 10

A sailor and a civilian worker were killed on Friday in a toxic gas leak on board the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier.

The warship was undergoing maintenance work at the Karwar naval base, located just south of Goa, when the incident occurred at 5 pm today.

The maintenance work was being undertaken in the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) compartment. Due to the inhalation of toxic fumes, four personnel — two sailors and two civilian workers — were evacuated to Naval Hospital at Karwar.

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Later, Rakesh Kumar, Shipwright Artificer Class 4 of the Indian Navy, and Mohandas Kolambkar, an employee of Messers Royal Marine, died in the hospital. The next of kin of the deceased have been informed.

The condition of the other two personnel is stable. The Navy has ordered an inquiry into the incident. Action has been taken to render the compartment and area on the ship safe.

The Vikramaditya built by Russia had joined the Indian fleet in November 2013.