by rakesh | Sep 6, 2006 | Rajasthan
Smt. Raje was participating in Chief Ministers’ conclave convened by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on ‘Internal Security’ in New Delhi on Tuesday the Chief Secretary Shri Anil Vaish was also present in the conference, The Chief Minister said that Rajasthan, the largest state of the country with its vast geographical area, hostile climate and terrain has some specific problems related to internal and external security. The running of Thar Express in Western Rajasthan has opened up national border and has added the livelihood of the problems getting serious in the State. Hence, more stringent and a greater need for extreme caution and alertness is required in the state.
The Chief Minister told that the State Government is trying it’s best to curb activitities like intrusion, narcotics trade and smuggling of arms and drugs, in the state very effectively.
The Chief Minister said that it is a matter of great concern that religious places, iconic institutions and other soft targets like railways station, bus stands and other crowded places are reported to be on probable targets of terrorist in Rajasthan.
Smt Raje claimed that usually concern of Centre is drown towards Naxalit and sensitive states. Rajasthan has been considered a peaceful state. But the issue of Rajasthan’s 1040 km. international border adjoined with Pakisthan must not be taken lightly.
Smt Raje urged Centre to provide supplement support and allot additional assistance to state for better coordination between centre and state: Intelligence/security agencies. There is also a need to empower and strengthen police stations technically as well as manually. The special training should be organised for security forces. The tendency of developing interstate co-operation amongst neighbouring states to prevent crimes should also be promoted.
by rakesh | Sep 6, 2006 | Rajasthan
The Central Study Team led by the Registrar General (Census) Shri D.K. Sikri gave this assurance at a meeting organized under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary Shri Anil Vaish here today. The Inter-Ministerial Central Team had come to the state on the sport assessment of the situation in the wake of heavy rains and flood in Rajasthan.
The Chief Secretary said on the occasion that the state had witnessed an unprecedented situation of heavy rainfall particularly in Western Rajasthan which was totally unfamiliar and thus there was no preparedness to meet this kind of situation. He said that the normal assistance provided by the Centre was not adequate keeping in view the nature and the magnitude of this calamity.
Shri Vaish requested the team members to make a submission of extraordinary assistance for the flood affected areas of Rajasthan apart from the assistance provided under the C.R.F. and N.C.C.F. norms, since the state had witnessed an extraordinary situation. He informed that the State Government had submitted a memorandum asking for a package of assistance of Rs.3200 crores and the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh had also assured the Chief Minister, Smt. Vasundhara Raje during her meeting with him on Tuesday that Centre would provide every assistance to the flood affected people of Rajasthan.
The Chief Secretary said that public assets to the tune of crores of Rupees had been devastated by incessant rains and flood in the state and they need to be restored which requires long term assistance. He asked the members of the team to reflect this damage in the report and recommend some package provided in natural calamities like T-sunami, earth quakes for Rajasthan also so as to assist in repair and renovation of roads, restoration of drinking water supply, power line and sources of this irrigation, besides the immediate relief measures to the affected people.
Shri Anil Vaish appreciated the efforts made by all the agencies in the relief and rescuing measures specially the efforts of the Defence forces including the Army, Air force and the Indian Navy in rescuing the people in Kawas and Malwa village in Barmer district. He said that substantial damage had been caused to roads, bridges, canals, dams, ponds, power, drinking
water supply, crops, irrigation apart from huge misery to the people living in those areas including the cattle wealth. He said that though the State Government was doing everything that it should do to provide relief to the affected people but it needed support of Centre to meet this calamity.
The Leader of the team, Shri D.K. Sikri said that a lot of good work had been done both by the government and the voluntary sector in providing relief to the flood affected people. He outlined the need to have a clear policy on how assistance would be provided in regard to the housing and for replacement of animals. He said that issues like debris clearance and compensation to be paid on the damage of the ‘Kaccha and Pacca’ houses should be addressed effectively. He also emphasized that the housing needs should be assessed and it should be clearified that whether all damaged houses had to be given assistance or the one which qualifies for assistance.
Shri Sikri said that correct assessment should also be made about how people be provided help under various schemes and what criteria should be followed to provide compensation to small and marginal farmers because in Barmer and Jaisalmer the size of agriculture holdings was very large. He said that the State Government would have to come out with some support not otherwise provided under C.R.F.
The Additional Chief Secretary, Development, Shri A.K. Pandey urged that the norms under the C.R.F. should be revised to a more realistic pattern. He also outlined the need to have a specific policy for replacement of animals under C.R.F. norms.
The Principal Secretary, Medical and Health, Shri Sudhir Bhargava informed that keeping in view the outbreak of diseases in the affected areas due to the stagnated water, efforts have been made to ensure that the drinking water sources do not get contaminated. He said that more than 10 thousand drinking water sources had been disinfected and bleaching powder had been distributed to the people. He said that care had also been taken to prevent malaria in the affected areas by putting Gambujia fishes in the hatcheries in all the 12 districts apart from spraying DDT. He also informed that efforts were being made to increase the number of medical teams so that all villages could be covered.
The Principal Secretary Finance Shri Rajiv Maharishi, Principal Secretary Panchayati Raj Shri Ram Lubhaya, Principal Secretary UDH Shri Lalit K.Panwar, Principal Secretary PWD Shri C.S. Rajan, Principal Secretary Irrigation Shri S.N. Thanvi, Secretary Relief Shri R.K. Meena, Secretary, PHED Shri Bharat Meena, Energy Shri Yaduvendra Mathur also informed about the losses caused due to flood in the state.
by rakesh | Sep 6, 2006 | World News
Teams are evaluating data on what might have caused a voltage spike in the fuel cell’s coolant pump that cools the fuel cell system. Mission
managers will hold a meeting at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday to assess the
issue. There will be a news conference on NASA TV at the conclusion
of the meeting.
During STS-115, the astronauts will deliver and install a girder-like
structure, known as the P3/P4 truss aboard the station. The
35,000-pound piece includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries
and associated electronics. The arrays eventually will double the
station’s power capability.
Atlantis’ crew, Commander Brent Jett, Pilot Chris Ferguson and mission
specialists Dan Burbank, Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, Joe Tanner and
Steve MacLean, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, remains at Kennedy Space Center.
by rakesh | Sep 6, 2006 | Business
Tata Motors has discussed the need for urgent action with insurance companies and the All India Surveyors Association for speedy survey and repair approvals. The guidelines for repairs and the survey, including the charges allowed, have already been circulated to all company dealers and authorised service centres.
Arrangements have been made for expeditious supply of spares. The company has received support from vendors and suppliers of lubricants, anti-rust treatment, car cleaning and refurbishing, branded accessories etc for special attention to cater to large volumes and special discounts of upto 25% on most of the treatments. Dealers have also been advised to offer 25% discount on repairs, not covered by insurance companies.
Additional manpower and dedicated teams have been deployed to attend to flood-affected vehicles on all seven days of a week for the next few months.
Of the about 1000 Tata Motors vehicles affected by the floods, approximately 700 have already been brought to the company’s dealers and authorised service centres, since August 17. Of these, about 150 vehicles have already been delivered back to customers after necessary repairs.
by rakesh | Sep 6, 2006 | Env & Geography
This was informed by the Vice Chairman of Narmada Valley Development Authority, Shri Uday Kumar Verma here in a high level meeting called to review progress of the Narmada Valley projects. Shri Verma said that Mann Project would irrigate about 19 thousand hectare annually. The Member (Engg.) Shri Virendra Kumar Pareekh informed that by the year 2010 the irrigation from Narmada Valley projects is estimated as much as 5.76 lack hectare.
Shri. Verma said that upto March 2006 the ongoing NVDA projects have created irrigation potential of 89640 hectares and all efforts would be done to achieve the yearly targets. He informed that NVDA. is concentrating on catchments area treatment, soil conservation practices and educating farmers in canal irrigation and cropping patterns. Based on geographical, and climatic conditions of the Project area separate plans would be made for each project and would be implemented involving local farmers. Vice Chairman informed that besides power and irrigation benefits, other issues like fisheries, water transport, Eco-tourism etc are being taken care of to exploit every possibilities of public welfare. Shri. Uday Kumar Verma informed that NVDA is working on a plan to extend irrigation facilities to the farmers of those 121 villages which lies in the periphery of Indira Sagar Reservoir. A special power line would be laid in these villages so the farmers could take the water to their fields using pumps.
