Parl Session set for stormy ... Gun Carriage Factory (GCF). PAK MODEL’S BROTHER CONFESSES TO...

FIVE KILLED AS HEAVYRAINS LASH U’KHANDDehradun: Five people werekilled as heavy rains lashedUttarakhand, taking the toll in thecurrent spell of showers in theState to six even as most riverswere flowing close to the dangermark and the roads to Badrinathand Kedarnath blocked.

3 COPS KILLED, SEVENHURT IN US SHOOTINGWashington: In a new gun attacktargeting US law enforcement,three cops were killed and sevenothers injured on Sunday inBaton Rouge, Louisiana, where ablack man was shot by two copsearlier this month.

THREE ‘DHANUSH’ GUNSHANDED OVER TO ARMYBhopal: Three indigenously-developed 155 mm ‘Dhanush’artillery guns have been handedover to the Indian Army by theJabalpur-based Gun CarriageFactory (GCF).

PAK MODEL’S BROTHERCONFESSES TO MURDER Lahore: The younger brother ofPakistan’s social media celebrityQandeel Baloch (26) has beenarrested in Punjab province forstrangulating to death the modelfor “dishonouring” the family’sreputation, the latest honourkilling case in the country.

CIC ISSUES NOTICES TOSIX TOP PARTY LEADERSNew Delhi: The CentralInformation Commission hasissued fresh notices naming topleaders of six national parties —Rajnath Singh, Mayawati, SoniaGandhi, Prakash Karat, SharadPawar and Sudhakar Reddy —asking them to appear before itin cases filed by activists for notresponding to RTI queries.

IN BIGGEST HAUL, `3.5 CRWORTH COCAINE SEIZEDNew Delhi: In the biggest haul,310 gm of cocaine worth `3.5crore was seized from a Nigeriannational on Sunday.

PNS n NEW DELHI

The Government may faceOpposition’s heat on the

political development inArunachal Pradesh and chainof violence in Kashmir in theParliament’s Monsoon Sessionbeginning Monday even asPrime Minister Narendra Modion Sunday reached out to theOpposition for the passage ofBills, including GST.

Speaking at a meeting ofleaders of various political par-ties convened by theGovernment ahead of the ses-sion, the Prime Minister saidthe issue was not about whichGovernment would get thecredit for introduction of theGST Bill, but what was impor-tant is the passage of the Bill.He expressed the hope thatthere would be meaningfuldiscussions and outcomes during the session, according tosources.

The Opposition parties,which are set to corner theGovernment on the develop-

ments in Arunachal Pradesh,assured “merit-based coopera-tion” on all important legisla-tions, including the GST, pend-ing in Parliament.

But the Congress has notmade any firm commitment tothe GST saying “they wantedthe Government to share withthem a written draft over thedemands made by the party.”The CPI(M) and the SP havesought an all-party meeting onthe issue accusing the govern-ment and the Congress of

“match fixing.”Responding to suggestions

from some leaders for increas-ing the sittings of Parliament,the Prime Minister said he wel-comed the suggestion and urgedthe leaders to ensure proper util-isation of the available time.

On Kashmir issues, thePrime Minister said, “We rep-resent both the people and par-ties and there is a need to keepnational interests above any-thing else.”

Briefing the mediapersons

after the two hour-long meet-ing of leaders of parties in boththe Houses of Parliament,Minister for ParliamentaryAffairs Ananth Kumar saidthat the meeting was very fruit-ful and all the parties desiredsmooth functioning ofParliament while assuring theircooperation in this regard.

He said the Congressassured support to legislativeproposals based on merits. TheMinister said the Governmentassured the leaders of an open-

minded approach to all issues.Kumar said the

Government sought the coop-eration of all parties for the pas-sage of GST Bill and made itclear that all parties would beconsulted in this regard. Hesaid that Government’s leg-islative agenda includes 16 Billsto be taken up during the ses-sion beginning, including threeBills to replace Ordinances.

A total of 45 leaders from30 parties — including HomeMinister Rajnath Singh,

Finance Minister Arun Jaitleyand Ministers of State forParliamentary Affairs MukhtarAbbas Naqvi and SS Ahluwalia— attended the meeting.

Leaders of severalOpposition parties spoke ofdevelopments in ArunachalPradesh and Uttarakhand indi-cating their intent to trainguns on the Government, withLeader of the Opposition in theRajya Sabha Ghulam NabiAzad saying the States nolonger trusted the BJP-ledGovernment at the Centre.

Congress leaderJyotiraditya Scindia playeddown the talks between hisparty and the Government tobreak the impasse over thelong-pending GST Bill andsaid they wanted theGovernment to share withthem a written draft over thedemands made by the party.

Continued on Page 4Related report on P5

RAHUL DATTA/MOHIT KANDHARIn NEW DELHI/JAMMU

Security forces in Jammu &Kashmir are bracing for a

prolonged cycle of violencewhich may extend up toIndependence Day celebra-tions as the prevailing law andorder situation remained grimin Kashmir Valley.

After Pakistan PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif lastweek announced hisGovernment’s decision toobserve July 19 as ‘black day’ toprotest the “killing of civilians”in the Valley, the State and theCentral Governments arereviewing the strategy to dealwith the precarious situation athand. They fear that incidentsof stone-pelting will increaseand Pakistan will step up infil-tration bids from the Line ofControl (LoC) to keep terror-ism “boiling”.

Keeping these develop-ments in view, the Army hasdeployed additional troopsalong the LoC in higher moun-tain reaches to strengthen itsanti-infiltration grid. At pre-sent, the Army has a three-tier

grid in place to prevent mili-tants from sneaking into theState from across the LoC.The additional troops willenhance aggressive patrollingin an arc of four-five kms insensitive zones to deny mili-tants unhindered movementand engage them in an effort toneutralise them, said officials inthe security establishment.

Moreover, security coverprovided to pilgrims under-taking Amarnath Yatra wasalso reviewed and steps weretaken to ensure that militantsdo not target the ongoing pil-grimage, which will end on thesecond fortnight of August.

Though no major incidentof violence centering aroundyatra was reported so far butsporadic incidents of stone-pelting on pilgrim vehiclestook place in some pocketsalong the yatra route. “Ensuringsafety of pilgrims undertakingyatra is of paramount impor-tance and we cannot afford totake lenient view vis-à-vis theirgenuine security concerns,” asenior police officer supervis-ing yatra arrangements toldThe Pioneer.

In the present spate of vio-lence erupted in the aftermathof killing of Hizbul Mujahideencommander Burhan Wani, atleast 40 people, including apoliceman, have lost their liveswhile over 3,000 people,including over 1,500 securitypersonnel, were injured in theclashes since July 8.

Continued on Page 4Related reports on P6

Unrest in Valley unlikely to end anytime soon

PIONEER NEWS SERVICE nNEW DELHI

The warming up of relationbetween the Congress and

the DMK has forced formerTelecom Minister A Raja toshelve the publication of hisproposed ‘tell-all book’ that wassupposed to carry his side ofthe story in the 2G scam.

Penguin India is supposedto release the book titled In MyDefence by Raja by this yearend, when the 2G Court isexpected to finish the finalarguments in the case.

Penguin had announcedthat it will release Raja’s book intheir 2015 catalogue along withcover design. In several inter-views, Raja boasted that he willcome out with an explosivebook to expose those whoturned him into a scapegoat inthe 2G scam. According to peo-ple close to Raja, the formerTelecom Minister had camedown heavily on Congress lead-ers, and his Cabinet colleagues inUPA like P Chidambaram,Pranab Mukherjee and thenPrime Minister ManmohanSingh in the book.

Raja had written the manu-script in Tamil language; it wastranslated into English by veter-an journalist Paran Balakrishnan,who was declared as co-authorin the Penguin’s catalogue.

“Now for the first time, Rajatells his side of the story —defending his decision regarding2G allotments, drawing a reve-latory picture of the corridors ofpower and the pressure he facedfrom big business, Governmentand the bureaucracy and of histime in jail. Honest, hard-hittingand with no holds barred, this isan important and utterly absorb-ing book,” said the Penguin cat-

alogue of 2015, about the 288-page book priced at `599.

Raja even informed sever-al CBI officials and lawyerswho were connected with the2G Court about his memoir.Even in the court arguments,his forthcoming memoir con-tents were discussed. Lawyerssaid Raja told them that hisplan was to release the booksoon after the Judge OP Sainideclares reserving of judgmentafter the end of FinalArguments, expected to beover in October or November.

Some CBI officials said Rajaeven told them that he would

“expose them” for “saving topCongress leadership” and forputting all the blame on him. “Ihave a chapter for you people,”a CBI officer said quoting Raja.

But Raja’s plan went for atoss when the Congress and theDMK patched up their differ-ences and entered into alliancefor Tamil Nadu Assembly elec-tions in February. According toDMK leaders, as soon as theCongress-DMK alliance wassealed, top leadership of DMKsummoned Raja to abandon hisplan to release the “tell-all” book.Raja again met DMK top lead-ership in June to impress uponthem to change their decision.

But he was told that hemust drop the book to avoidembarrassment to alliance part-ner Congress and its leaders.

This is not the first timeRaja has retreated after promis-ing to expose big guns of theCongress. In 2011, during hisFraming of Charges arguments,Raja came down heavily onManmohan Singh andChidambaram and said hewould cross examine them aswitnesses. But later he did notpursue this demand in court.

ANUP SHARMA n ITANAGAR

Congress legislator PemaKhandu was on Sunday

sworn in as the ninth ChiefMinister of Arunachal Pradesh,ending the recent politicalupheaval that the frontier Statehad been witnessing in the lastcouple of days. Khandu (37)became the youngest ChiefMinister in the country.

Along with Khandu,Chowna Mein was also swornin as the Deputy CM. Bothwere given the oath of officeand secrecy by GovernorTathagata Roy at a functionheld at the Durbar Hall of theRaj Bhavan in Itanagar.

“My father tried his best totake Arunachal on the road todevelopment. A lot of pro-jects, initiated over the past twoyears and during my father’stenure, are pending. So, my pri-ority will be to implementthem. The people have a lot ofexpectations from me as I amthe son of a former CM,” saidKhandu, the youngest son of

Continued on Page 4

Khandu sworn

in as youngest

Arunachal CM

Cong-DMK bonhomie ‘kills’ Raja’s book

Govt to face Oppheat on Arunachal,Kashmir; Congkeeps suspensealive on GST evenas PM reaches out to parties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with NCP leader DP Tripathi and CPI leader D Raja, leaves after at an all-party meeting ahead of the Monsoon Session at ParliamentHouse in New Delhi on Sunday PTI

CAPSULE

Security forces

in J&K brace for

prolonged cycle

of violence as

situation remains

grim in Kashmir

A masked Kashmiri protester throws back an exploded tear gas shell at policemenin Srinagar on Sunday AP

Parl Session set for stormy start

SETTING THE TONEo The Opp parties assured ‘merit-based cooperation’ on allimportant legislations, includingthe GST, pending in Parliament

oThe PM expressed hope thatthere would be meaningfuldiscussions and outcomes duringthe session

oOn Kashmir issues, the PMsaid, ‘We represent both thepeople and parties and there is aneed to keep national interestsabove anything else’

oThe CPI(M) and the SP havesought an all-party meeting onGST accusing the Governmentand the Congress of ‘match fixing’

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PTI n ETAH (UP)

The toll in the spuriousliquor tragedy here on

Sunday climbed to 24, even asthe main accused was arrestedand 11 officials from excisedepartment and police havebeen suspended.

While 14 persons died yes-terday, the fresh casualties werereported overnight from Etahand Farukhabad, officials said.

“Twenty one persons havedied so far in the liquor tragedyin Etah,” District MagistrateAjay Yadav said.

In Farukhabad, SubDivisional Magistrate ofKayamganj, Ajit Kumar saidthree persons, who had con-sumed liquor in Etah, died inthe district.

The main accused Sripalwas arrested from Nayagaonarea in Etah last night, SP AjayShankar Rai said.

The incident occurred lateon Friday, when several peoplefrom Luhari Darwaja and adja-

cent Laukhera village con-sumed the spurious liquor andwere taken ill.

Five government employees,including three from the excisedepartment, have been sus-pended following the incident.

Six of the victims have losttheir eyesight, locals claimed.

The DM said an ex-gratiaof `2 lakh will be given to thefamilies of each deceased andaction will be taken against theliquor mafias.

In Lucknow, ChiefSecretary Deepak Singhalapprised Chief MinisterAkhilesh Yadav of the incident.

Singhal directed PrincipalSecretary (Excise) andPrincipal Secretary (Home) totake action against officialsfound guilty of dereliction ofduty.

“Taking serious note of theincident, district excise officer,excise inspector and an excisepersonnel have been suspend-ed,” Principal Secretary (Excise)Kishan Singh Atoria said.

UP spurious liquor toll mounts to 24

UP Congress President Raj Babbar with party's CM candidate Sheila Dikshit and other party leaders at a road show on their arrival in the state capital on Sunday. PTI

3 Indian siteson UNESCO Heritage ListPTI n ISTANBUL/NEW DELHI

UNESCO on Sunday list-ed Chandigarh’s Capitol

Complex and Sikkim’snational park home to theworld’s third highest peakMount Khangchendzongaamong its World HeritageSites, approving all threenominations linked to Indiathis session. Sunday’s approvalcomes two days after the ruinsof Nalanda University in Biharmade to the elite tag at the 40thsession of The World HeritageCommittee meeting inIstanbul.

This is the first time thatany country got three sitesinscribed in the Word HeritageList at a single session of thecommittee meeting, a CultureMinistry official said.

The meeting had resumedfor a day on Sunday, afterbeing suspended a day earlierdue to a failed coup bid inTurkey which claimed over260 lives.

PNS ■ LUCKNOW

Congress staged an impres-sive roadshow in Lucknow

to mark the arrival of its newteam for the crucial UPAssembly elections in 2017.Newly-appointed stateCongress chief Raj Babbar andparty’s chief ministerial candi-date Sheila Dikshit along withmany other senior leadersarrived here on Sunday.

Congress supporters fromall over the state thronged theChaudhary Charan SinghAirport at Amausi to welcometheir leaders for the ‘UPMission 2017‘ led by RajBabbar and Sheila Dikshit.

However, senior partyleaders, including Babbar andDikshit, had a narrow escapewhen a temporary woodenplatform made on a truck forthe Congress mega roadshowcollapsed soon after it began itsjourney from the airport.Dikshit received minor bruis-es on her knee. The woodenplatform collapsed due to theexcessive load as several lead-ers had mounted the truck.

The entire stretch ofLucknow-Kanpur road fromairport to Hazratganj waschock-a-block because of theroadshow. It was after a longtime that such enthusiasm waswitnessed among theCongressmen in the state.

The spirit of the roadshowwas, however, dampened by theabsence of AICC general sec-retary and party’s in-charge forUP, Ghulam Nabi Azad, whocould not make it due to hisbusy schedule in connectionwith the monsoon session ofParliament staring fromMonday. Former Union minis-ter Salman Khurseed, who is amember of the newly-consti-tuted coordination commit-tee, was also absent as he is inKashmir.

During the roadshow, theCongress leaders garlandedthe statues of MahatmaGandhi, Dr BR Ambedkar andSardar Ballabh Bhai Patel inHazratganj before addressingthousands of supporters at theUPCC headquarters at MallAvenue in rain.

It was for the first time aftermany years that one saw sever-

al Congress leaders together onone vehicle in a show of soli-

darity, sending out a messagethat all Congressmen were

under one umbrella to ensurethe party’s return to power in

the state.“The mega roadshow has

been organised to welcomeour new state president RajBabbar, chief ministerial can-didate Sheila Dikshit, cam-paign committee chief SanjaySingh, coordination committeechief Pramod Tewari, and allother leaders nominated assenior vice-presidents or mem-bers in different committees,”said UPCC media departmentchairman Satyadeo Tripathi.

Along the route of theroadshow from airport to MallAvenue, the UP Congress haderected more than 100 wel-come gates besides hoardingsand cut-outs of leaders, who

were welcomed at more than 50places by the local leaders andaspirants of Congress ticket forthe 2017 Assembly polls.

Besides the nomination ofRaj Babbar as UPCC chief andprojection of Sheila Dikshit asparty’s chief ministerial face inUP, the Congress hasannounced several commit-tees to accommodate all seniorleaders. Outgoing state presi-dent Nirmal Khatri has beenappointed as chairman of statescreening committee forAssembly election, SanjaySingh has been made chief ofcampaign committee andPramod Tewari, the chief ofcoordination committee, which

also has former UPCC presi-dent Rita Bahuguna Joshi,Mohsina Kidwai, RajeevShukla, Salman Khursheed,Shree Prakash Jaiswal, SaleemSherwani, Pradeep Jain Aditya,Nirmal Khatri, PL Punia andPradeep Mathur.

The campaign committee,besides Sanjay Singh, has for-mer minister Jitin Prasada,Gayadeen Anuragi, VijendraSingh and Zafar Ali Naqvi.

Former minister RPNSingh has been accommodat-ed as senior vice-president ofUPCC along with ImranMasood, Bhagwati PrasadChowdhary, Rajesh Mishraand Raja Ram Pal.

city 02LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016

Printed and Published by Vijay Prakash Singh for and on behalf of CMYK Printech Ltd., 4th Floor, Sahara Shopping Centre, Faizabad Road, Lucknow-226016 and Printed at Tin Tin Printech Pvt Ltd., C-33 Amausi Industrial Area, Nadarganj, Lucknow. Tel: (0522) 2438656 / 9336266608.

Editor: Chandan Mitra. Resident Editor: Vijay Prakash Singh. RNI No. 2016/57. Lucknow Telephones: EPABX: 4036600 Fax: 2345582. Allahabad Office: (95532) 2420818, 2421018, 3290460. Kanpur Office: (95512) 2304006, 2304416. Varanasi Office: (95542) 2414294, 2414295. Delhi

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BJP demands independent inquiry Lucknow (PNS): The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded an

independent inquiry into the hooch tragedy in Etah in which 24 peo-ple have died, saying frequent death of people due to spurious liquorshows that the government has no control over bootlegging.

BJP Legislature Party leader Suresh Khanna said that a fewmonths back, over 50 people had died in Unnao after consumingillicit liquor and now 24 persons had died and over 50 were admit-ted to hospital in Etah. “The frequent recurrence of this crime showsthat the government has no political will to check bootlegging,”Khanna said in a statement issued here on Sunday.

The hooch tragedy had struck Luhari Darwaza area under Aliganjpolice station when locals consumed liquor purchased from a coun-try-made liquor shop owned by one Sri Pal. According to police,more than 100 people fell ill after consuming the spurious liquorand around 50 are still in hospital with the condition of over 20 beingcritical. Around six persons have also lost their eyesight. The BJPleader said even when the government was grappling to control dam-age caused by the Etah tragedy, reports of death of three more peo-ple in Farrukhabad had exposed the government.

Twenty-one deaths were confirmed by the district magistrateof Etah.

Meanwhile, a seven-member probe team of the BJP led by localMP Rajvir Singh will visit Etah on Monday. The other members ofthe team are BJP state general secretary Pankaj Singh, Ram ShankarKatheria, Devendra Singh Bhola, Mukesh Rajput, Ashok Dohre andJagan Prasad Garg.

Lucknow (PNS): The SamajwadiParty, alarmed at Congress attempts toreposition itself as a formidable player inUP politics ahead of the 2017 Assemblyelection, lashed out at its rival saying theleaders of the grand old party had cometo UP for “political tourism” and they hadnothing to do with the state or its people.

The SP also accused the Congress ofbeing the “mother of all problems in UP”.

“With the Assembly electionapproaching, all kinds of weird personsfrom Delhi, Gujarat, Bihar and Nagpur,well-versed in all kinds of theatrics andgimmickry, have started descending onUP. They are coming here only to confirmwhether UP is as poor and backward asthey had left it three decades back. Suchpeople have nothing to do either with thestate or its people, they have come just forthe sake of fun,” said SP spokesmanRajendra Choudhary, who is also aCabinet minister.

He alleged that such leaders only

wanted to destroy the state but the peo-ple would not be misled by their stuntsand gimmickry.

“The Congress leaders were stunnedafter they landed at Amausi and thoughtthat they had landed on a foreign location.They were surprised to see the massivechange in skyline of Lucknow — wideroads, Metro rail, information technolo-gy hub and other development projects.The Congress leaders could not reconcilewith the fact that Lucknow and UP havetransformed into a fast developing cityand state following large-scale develop-ment works initiated by the SamajwadiParty government,” Choudhary said hereon Sunday.

Accusing the Congress of being the“mother of all problems’’, the SP leadersaid the Congress had always opposed thepolitics of reconciliation and settlementof problems pursued by the SamajwadiParty.

He also accused the Congress of aid-

ing and abetting the problem of povertyand unemployment in the state. “Onlythose parties are trying to dislodge the SPfrom power that have deliberately kept UPpoor and backward,” he added.

“The opposition parties are makingfun of democracy and are creating hur-dles in the path of social justice,” he said.

Choudhary claimed that “UP hasnever before in its history witnessed sucha rainbow of development and this is theresult of the hard work done by the SPgovernment that has earned it laurelsacross the country and also at the globallevel”.

The SP leader also lashed out at theRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh forannouncing to hold ‘shakhas’ in slumareas of cities and villages. He said ear-lier only the people of the urban areaswere influenced by the RSS and now thisorganisation wanted to target the ruralmasses with its agenda of hate andspreading rumours.

PNS ■ LUCKNOW

Janata Dal (United) presidentand Bihar Chief Minister Nitish

Kumar lashed out at theSamajwadi Party government inUP for not banning productionand sale of alcohol in the state.

He said the UP governmentshould learn a lesson from theEtah hooch tragedy whichclaimed two dozen lives.

He demanded a nation-wideban on alcohol.

Kumar praised PrimeMinister Narendra Modi for totalban on alcohol in his home stateGujarat and urged him to banalcohol in all BJP-ruled states.

Kumar, however, lashed out atthe Prime Minister for failing todeliver on his pre-poll promisesmade during the campaign forthe 2014 parliamentary electionregarding bringing backblack money stashed in foreignbanks and cleaning of the riverGanga.

Addressing a regional con-

vention of his party at Phulpur inAllahabad on Sunday, Kumarsaid, “I was stunned when I readin newspapers that many peoplehave died in Etah after consum-ing spurious liquor.”

“I had asked UP ChiefMinister Akhilesh Yadav to con-sider banning alcohol in his statebut he had cited the interests of

sugarcane farmers. He is moreconcerned about the revenuegenerated from the sale of alcoholrather than the interests of thepoor and the downtrodden, whoare the worst victims of the alco-hol,” he said.

“The UP Chief Ministerargues that the sugarcane farmerswill suffer if ban is imposed on

alcohol in the state. The UP gov-ernment, instead of promoting theproduction of alcohol from sug-arcane should encourage pro-duction of ethanol, which wouldbe more beneficial for the sugar-cane farmers,” the Bihar ChiefMinister said.

Listing the achievements ofthe Bihar government, Kumarsaid it was vigorously pursuing thegoal of women empowerment.

“Women have 50 per centreservation in urban and rurallocal bodies and girl students upto class 9 have been given freebicycles and above all, the ban onalcohol has immensely servedthe cause of woman empower-ment by stabilising the economyof the families of the weaker sec-tions of society,” he said.

Earlier, addressing the meet-ing, senior JD(U) leader SharadYadav cautioned the people aboutthe designs of communal forcesand said they were out to createcommunal conflict in UP aheadof the coming Assembly elections.

Ex-pradhan, aideskill two rivalsPNS ■ LUCKNOW

Aformer gram pradhan and his men shot deadtwo his rivals in Unnao on Sunday morn-

ing.As per reports, the victims, identified as

Shani (42) of Rajepur Grant village and Kamlesh(35) of Bari village in Asiwan had a rivalry withformer gram pradhan Pappu Pandey ofMeharban Kheda in Asiwan police station area.

Around 11:30 am, both the victims werestanding at a betel shop at Nagakheda crossingin Asiwan police station area when PappyPandey along with Sanjay Pandey and four aidesreached there.

They taunted the victims and pickedup a fight when the latter opposed. They lateropened fire at the victims and escaped on theirSUV.

The victims were critically injured in theattack and they were rushed to a local hospital.Both, however, died on the way to the hospital.Police registered a case on the complaint of thevictims’ families. It surfaced that the victimsbelonged to a group which had opposed a can-didate supported by Pappu in the gram pradhanelection.

Congress roadshow launches ‘Team Uttar Pradesh’

PNS ■ LUCKNOW

Rajya Sabha member fromUttarakhand and newly-

appointed president of UPCongress Committee, RajBabbar, said on Sunday that hehad no magic wand to changethe electoral fortunes of theparty in UP.

Addressing his maidenpress conference here onSunday after taking over asUPCC president, Babbar, how-ever, said the Congress wouldthrow in some more surpris-es before the UP Assemblypolls next year.

“I have no magic wand inmy hands to change the for-tunes of the party overnight.But we will work together andwith the people’s support, wecan end the three-decade-longexile of the party from power,”Babbar said and added,“Actually, the people have themagic fingers that had votedfor the majority government inthe state in 2007 and in 2012and later enabled the BJP towin 73 seats in the 2014 LokSabha poll.”

He said that besides themega roadshow in Lucknowon Sunday, the Congress hadmany more things in store tosurprise the rival parties dur-

ing the state Assembly election.“I want to clarify that now theCongress will work as ‘hum’(we) and not as ‘mai’ (me) andtake the plunge in the 2017poll as a united force,” heasserted.

The Bollywood actor, inthe presence of Congress chiefministerial candidate SheilaDikshit and other senior partyleaders like Sanjay Singh andPramod Tiwari, said that partypresident Sonia Gandhi andvice-president Rahul Gandhihad reposed faith in him byentrusting him with such a bigresponsibility and he would dohis best to come up to theirexpectations.

Asked about the involve-ment of Priyanka Vadra in theUP polls, Babbar said, “It is thesincere desire of the rank andfile of the party that Priyankatakes an active role in the elec-tion campaign but it is up toher to decide.”

Replying to a question onShivpal Singh Yadav’s state-ment that he was a spentforce, Babbar said, “ShivpalYadav is a small weightwrestler and his statementshould not be taken seriously.”

The former SP leader was,however, very critical of hisformer party, saying “they are

only exploiting the name ofRam Manohar Lohia to getsome political legitimacy whilethe fact remains that theSamajwadi Party has nothingto do either with Lohia orsocialism”.

“Samajwadi Party is nolonger a political party, it is aprivate enterprise owned by aparticular family while thesenior leaders of the BahujanSamaj Party are themselvessaying that Mayawati hasturned the party into a realestate company where contrac-tors and land mafia rule theroost,” he said.

Babbar also denied that hehad ever said anything deroga-tory about the SP or its lead-ership.

Congress chief ministeri-al candidate Sheila Dikshit inher brief interaction with themedia denied that she had everaccused the people of UP andBihar of criminal acts in Delhiwhen she was the chief minis-ter for 15 years.

“I had said that the peopleof UP and Bihar have devel-oped Delhi but the mediatwisted it. How can the peoplefrom other states be stoppedfrom entering and settling inDelhi, the national capital ofIndia,” she said.

I have no magic wand to change Cong fortunes overnight: Babbar

Congress mother of all problems in UP: SP

Newly-appointed state Congress chief Raj Babbar and party’s chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit during a radshw in Lucknow on Sunday

PNS ■ LUCKNOW

The Bharatiya Janata Partyhopes to cash in on revival

of fertiliser factory inGorakhpur as there will be aboom in the service sector inthe area once the unit starts itsoperation.

“The fertiliser factory willbe a game changer for easternUttar Pradesh. The youth ofthis part of the state go out insearch of jobs because of lackof avenue here, but now theywill find employment at thedoorstep,” BJP MP fromGorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath,told ‘The Pioneer’ on Sunday.

Prime Minister NarendraModi will declare the revival ofthe state-run fertiliser factoryduring his visit to Gorakhpuron July 22. The same day hewill also lay the foundationstone of AIIMS in Gorakhpur.

The Yogi said that the fer-tiliser factory was expected togive direct employment toaround 1,000 people and indi-

rect employment to severalthousand others. He said oncethe factory started its operation,ancillary units would come upin its vicinity in no time and theplace would become a hub ofbusiness activities.

“Talk to residents ofGorakhpur. They are veryhappy because they know thatthis factory will open doors ofnew opportunities for them,” hesaid.

The Yogi felt that the deci-sion to revive the fertiliser fac-tory would help the BJP polit-ically. “Any party or govern-ment that works for the welfareof people is bound to stand

benefited. People will obvi-ously vote for that party, andthere is nothing wrong in it,” hesaid.

The fertiliser factory wasestablished in 1969 in collabo-ration with Tokyo EngineeringCorporation of Japan. Initiallythe factory had capacity toproduce 74,000 metric tonurea and it was raised to 85,000metric ton in 1976.

The fertiliser factory holdsimportance for this area can begauged from the fact that priorto Prime Minister NarendraModi, former Prime Ministerslike Vishwanath Pratap Singh,Chandra Shekhar, NarasimhaRao, HD Deve Gowda, AtalBihari Vajpayee andManmohan Singh had assuredrevival of this factory but hadfailed to keep their promise.

Modi has sanctioned abudget of Rs 1,600 crore forrevival of this closed factory.The Gas Authority of IndiaLimited (GAIL) will providepipeline from Jagdishpur toGorakhpur at a cost of about Rs

18,000 crore.“Modi had promised to

reopen this factory during thecampaign for the Lok Sabhaelection in 2014 and now he isfulfilling his promise” the MPfrom Gorakhpur said.

Meanwhile, the Gorakhpurdistrict administration is gear-ing up for Modi’s visit.

District Magistrate ONSingh said the Prime Ministerwould address a rally at TilakKak Grounds of the fertiliserfactory.

The ground has beendivided into 32 blocks andeach block will have a capaci-ty to accommodate 3,000 per-sons.

There will be 16 gates toenter the rally ground. Eachgate will have metal detector.VIP entrance gates will be dif-ferent.

The Prime Minister willreach Gorakhpur at 10:45 am.He will take a chopper to reachthe fertiliser factory while fromthere he will go to Gorakhnathtemple via road.

Nitish Kumar flays UP govt for not banning alcohol

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a rally in Phulpur on Sunday

BJP hopes to cash in on fertiliser factory revival


PIONEER NEWS SERVICE n LUCKNOW

With the inordinate delay inthe shifting of the

Northern Railway’s (NR) par-cel office the passengers are fac-ing untold hardships in reach-ing the cabway of the LucknowJunction railway station.

There are two entry-exitpoints for the cabway at plat-form No 6. One is from the rail-way’s circulating area and theother from the MavaiyyaCrossing. Due to the construc-tion work of the Metro from theMavaiyya side, the entry-exitpoint is almost closed and theparcel office comes in betweenfrom the circulating area side,creating hurdles for passengersin reaching the cabway.

Besides, the entry and exitfrom the circulating area side isa difficult proposition. Thecommercial vehicles are parkedjust outside the parcel office andthe maintenance of the roadleading to the cabway is alsopoor. Due to this fact most ofthe passengers and their rela-tives prefer to park their vehi-cles in the parking lots availablenear the circulating area ratherthan entering the cabway andfacing unnecessary troublewhich they could avoid.

“The facility of cabway wasthe best initiative taken by therailway authorities as one couldtake one’s vehicle near thecoach which their friends andrelatives would be boarding. Butthe problem of entry and exitdiscourages the people fromusing this facility,” said AjaySingh, who came to receive arelative who was coming by thePushpak Express here onSunday.

The cabway facility at plat-form No 6 of Lucknow Junctionrailway station was construct-ed in the year 2010 at a prodi-gious cost of Rs 11 crore. Spreadover a vast area it can accom-modate a good number of twowheelers and four wheelers.More than eight trains originateand terminate at the cabwayplatform, including the

Lucknow-Delhi SwarnaShatabdi Express, the Lucknow-Chennai Express and theLucknow-Mumbai PushpakExpress.

When contacted, publicrelations officer (PRO), NorthEastern Railway (NER),Lucknow, Alok KumarSrivastava said that a letter hadbeen written to the NorthernRailway, Lucknow division, forshifting their parcel office asonly after it the second phase ofthe cabway could be started.

The first phase was startingthe cabway itself giving entry-exit from the MavaiyyaCrossing side. During the sec-ond phase it was proposed toconnect it from the railway’s cir-culating area but for that the NRwill have to shift its parceloffice first but the process hasbeen delayed.

Senior DivisionalCommercial Manager (SrDCM), NR, Lucknow, AjitSinha, told The Pioneer that theshifting of the parcel officewould take some more monthsas the NR’s construction wingwas busy in other importanttasks in the division. “At theLucknow railway station theyard remodelling work is pro-posed to be carried out in thecoming months so we will tryto shift the parcel office duringthat period only. But as of nowany specific date or time forshifting it cannot be given,” headded.


The city experienced yetanother pleasant day with

light rains occurring through-out on Sunday. They brought adip of five degrees in the max-imum temperature with thecity recording a maximum of28.5 degrees Celsius.

In the state Najibabadrecorded the highest rainfall of168.6 mm. The Director,Meteorological Office, JPGupta, said that Najibabadreceived good rains due to theformation of clouds in thatarea. He said that the troughline of the monsoon was cur-rently passing through Meerut.

The skies remained over-cast throughout the day in thestate capital. The good news isthat the MeteorologicalDepartment has forecast rainand thundershowers inLucknow on Monday. “Therewill, however, be less rainfall inLucknow on Monday in com-parison to Sunday,” said Gupta.

In the state there is a warn-ing of heavy showers in someparts.

While Lucknow recorded arainfall of 1.7 mm, Gorakhpura good rainfall of 31.1 mm,Bahraich 34.2 mm and Meeruta rainfall of 48.4 mm.


The state government hasamended the housing pol-

icy allowing the entrepreneursto start their own businesses orset up their own offices in theresidential areas owned by theLucknow DevelopmentAuthority (LDA). A notifica-tion in this regard is expectedto be issued in the first week ofAugust.

It was illegal for traders torun their businesses from theresidential areas as no tradingactivities were allowed fromthese areas. With the intro-duction of the amended rule,

the traders would be allowed toconduct their businesses fromthese colonies only after com-pleting the necessary formali-ties. Welfare associations ofdifferent housing societies con-demned the amendment in thehousing policy and said thatthere would be confusionworse confounded in the local-ities once the shops and othercommercial establishmentscame up there in the nearfuture.

According to the newrules, only 30 per cent of thetotal space would be allowed tobe converted into a commer-cial establishment with the

condition that the main roadshould be 24 metres widewhile a 30-metre-wide road isat present required where thebig showrooms, restaurantsand hotels are expected tocome up. The DM’s circle ratewill be applied instead of theLDA’s sector rate. Rakesh

Shukla, one of the office-bear-ers of the Housing WelfareSociety of Patrakarpuram,Gomti Nagar, told this reporterthat there would be no peacein and around the area and theoccurrence of ugly incidentswould become a regular fea-ture.

LDA vice-chairmanSatyendra Singh was confi-dent that the new rules wouldnot only prove beneficial forthe people but would also helpin providing jobs to the unem-ployed and jobless youths. Hetold this reporter that a strat-egy would be chalked out foreffectively implementing the

new policy once it was notified.A source described the

initiative of the state govern-ment to amend the housingpolicy as a rational step as theLDA had failed to demolishthe existing illegal and unau-thorised structures which hadsprung up in the city. He saidthat the new rules would alsohelp in improving its financialposition. The new rules wouldalso provide a big relief to theengineers of the LucknowDevelopment Authority as theywon`t have to keep their eye onthe illegal constructions whichwere taking place in theirrespective areas, it said.


Paper-I and II for over 800candidates at an examina-

tion centre in Chinhat werecancelled by the Uttar PradeshSubordinate Services SelectionCommission (UPSSSC) onSunday. The candidates of thiscentre will now appear for thesame examination which wasconducted for the selection ofrevenue inspectors on August14.

Chief DevelopmentOfficer Prashant Verma, whiletalking to The Pioneer, saidthat trouble at the Tiwariganjcentre of Chinhat occurred inthe morning shift of the exam-ination when the number ofquestion papers delivered wasless compared to the candi-dates appearing for it. He saidthat the examination went offsmoothly at the remaining 162centres.

“At the examination centrein Tiwariganj, Chinhat, thetotal number of candidatespresent was about 800 whilethe number of question papers

in the centre's bundle wasabout 600. This bundle wasgiven to the district authoritiesby the Commission itself. Assoon as it was brought to ournotice that about 150 candi-dates had not received thequestion papers at the centrewe contacted the Commission.By the time it could send morequestion papers to the centrethe candidates started protest-ing because of the 45-minutedelay,” he said.

The Secretary, StateSubordinate Services SelectionCommission, Mahesh Prasad,while talking to ‘The Pioneer’said, “We had received twobundles at 9 am and these weresent to this particular centre at10.20 am. The candidates weretold that they would be given20 minutes extra time but theyrefused to appear for the exam-ination. Hence the candidatesfrom this centre will nowappear for the examinationon August 14.”

The ADM, Civil Supplies,the SP (North) and theSecretary from theCommission had reached theexamination centre in themorning in order to solve theproblem.


Awoman committed sui-cide allegedly after shefailed to bear torture for

dowry in Krishna Nagar onSaturday evening.

As per reports, Mona ofMaal locality was married toDeepak of Hans Kheda local-ity of Para. Around 5.30 pm onSaturday, she was found hang-ing from the ceiling with asaree tied around her neck. Herhusband Deepak and othermembers of his family rushedher to Lok Bandhu Hospitalbut she was declared “broughtdead”.

Later, the hospital author-ities sent a memo to theKrishna Nagar police, inform-ing them about the death of thewoman.

On the information, policereached the hospital and latercontacted the family. The copssent the body for the post-mortem and started furtherinvestigations.

However, parents of thedeceased suspected foulplayand alleged that Mona wasbeing harassed for dowry eversince she got married. Policesaid investigations to verify theallegations were on and a casewould be registered if thecharges were found to be true.

Meanwhile, in anotherincident, a youth identified asManish Rawat (25) ended hislife in Thakurganj. Manishlived with his family in EktaNagar locality and worked at ashop. Around 9.30 pm onSaturday, he dined with hisbrother Kaushal Kishor andwent into his room.

When he did not wake upat around 7.30 am, his sister-in-law Kiran knocked thedoors of his room. As therewas no response from inside,she pushed the doors andfound him hanging from theceiling with a plastic rope tiedaround his neck. Police said thecause of suicide was yet to beascertained as the aggrieved

kin were not in a state to talkat the moment.

Meanwhile, a woman wasfound hanging from mangotree near Fauji Dhaba inBakshi-Ka-Talab police area onSunday morning. The victimidentified as Gudia aliasReshma was married toMahesh of Gunghter locality ofBarabanki and was said tohave gone missing from herhusband’s house on July 14.

Police sent the body for thepost-mortem and launched a

manhunt for Mahesh who isabsconding from his house.Victim’s brother Dharmendraof Akabarpur village underItaunja police station identifiedthe body on reaching the place.

He suspected foulplay andclaimed that Mahesh lied tohim saying Gudia left thehouse on her own. He allegedthat Gudia was being torturedfor dowry and Mahesh mighthave killed her and later triedto make it look like a suicidecase.


The Government RailwayPolice (GRP) arrested a

wanted thief Lucknow railwaystation on the charge of theft onSaturday midnight and recov-ered stolen articles, includingmobile phones, cash and jew-ellery.

He was identified as HayatMohammad Shaukat, a residentof Pulwama district of Jammuand Kashmir. He was in the listof criminals made by GRP for along time and was said to havebeen involved in nearly 50 theftincidents in different states.

Inspector, GRP (Charbagh),DK Upadhyay said during inter-rogation, Shaukat said he hadstolen luggage of passengersfrom railway dormitories inBhopal, Katni, Nagpur, Lucknow,Hyderabad and Aurangabadamong other states.

In the past, when theftsfrom dormitories were reportedfrequently, GRP announced acash prize of Rs 5000 onShaukat’s arrest. The cops hadbeen on the lookout for himsince then.

According to GRP, Shaukatrevealed that after he failed inhigh school exams, his fathershowed him the door, afterwhich he started selling dryfruits for a living.

However, he watched a newsreport of a bank fraud with thehelp of ‘magic pen’.It was after

that he took to crime. GRP said he used to supply

daily items in hotels and at thetime of payment, he used to askfor Rs 1,100 cheques for ‘goodluck’ first. In the process, hepassed on his magic pen tohotel accountants and wouldlater increase the amount incheques. After sometime, hewas arrested and sent to jail.

However, after he came outof jail, Shaukat started stealingluggage of passengers from dor-mitories at railway stations.

Interestingly, after pickingup valuables from the luggage, heused to return other items,including important documents,to the victims through courierservice. He had settled inAllahabad after getting marriedand has four kids. A case wasregistered against Shaukat and hewas sent to jail.

Lucknow (PNS): TheGomti Nagar police resorted tomild lathicharge on two groupsof people belonging to differ-ent religions after they assem-bled outside police station andhad a heated argument over adispute on organising a reli-gious function at a park in VinitKhand late on Sunday evening.

While one group wanted toto organise a religious functionat the park, the other wantedtheir own function.

On July 12, one of thegroups organised a functionwhile the other protested andcalled police. The policereached the scene and got the

function stopped.Protesting against police

action, the disgruntled groupreached the police station onSunday and flayed the cops.Meanwhile, the other groupalso reached the place and saidthat their rivals should not beallowed to organise their reli-gious function.

As both the groupsindulged in a brawl, it sentpolice in a tizzy. The copsresorted to mild cane-charge todisperse the mob. However,Gomti Nagar SO Dheerendrasaid police did not canechargethe warring groups.

“We just warned the pro-

testors of action after whichthey disappeared from thescene,” he claimed.

MOLESTATION BIDA lady doctor accused a

male colleague of molestationbid in Sarojini Nagar. Shelodged a complaint with asenior police official. The com-plainant is in the Medicinedepartment of a medical col-lege in Sarojini Nagar. Shealleged that a colleague madeamorous advances towards herand attempted to molest her.

Interestingly, both thecomplainant and the accusedresigned.

Tortured for dowry,

woman hangs self

Lucknow (PNS):Befriending a girl looking forjob, an employee of a privatecompany clicked her objec-tionable photos at his officeafter making her drink colddrink laced with sedativesand then uploaded the sameon a social site to blackmailher.

He, however, fell intopolice dragnet when the girlcomplained to the WomenPower Line-1090. The WPLofficials tracked him andtipped the Ghazipur cops whonabbed him from Laxmanpurilocality on Sunday.

As per reports, the girl, aresident of Alambagh, hadgone to submit her resume fora job at Tirupati ConsultancyServices in Kailash Kunj,Faizabad road, underGhazipur police station.

She had met an employee,Ravi Shanker Tiwari, whoadvised her to apply for gov-ernment jobs instead.

The girl sought his help ingetting a government job. Raviboasted of his links with topofficials at Vikas Bhawan in

Lakhimpur Kheri and askedher to give him cash for a jobthere. The girl gave him somecash and a few days later, Ravigave her an appointment let-ter which later turned to befake. The revelation made thegirl restive and she soughtreply from Ravi who called herto meet at the consultancy tosettle the dispute. When thegirl reached there, he offeredher cold drink which he hadspiked. As the girl fell uncon-scious, he clicked her objec-tionable pictures.

The miscreant then creat-ed a fake Facebook account inthe name of the girl anduploaded the pictures. Somesocial media friends of the girlalerted her and it was onlythen that the girl came toknow about it.

She lodged a complaintwith the WPL and a team wasasked to probe the case and totrack the man in question. TheWPL officials tracked himand shared the informationwith the Ghazipur police afterwhich the miscreant wasarrested.

Posting objectionable

pictures of girl lands

man in police net

Man wanted in various

theft cases arrested

Delay in shifting ofparcel office causinghardships to passengers

The entry-exitpoint is almostclosed and theparcel officecomes inbetween from thecirculating areaside, creatinghurdles forpassengers inreaching thecabway

Govt amends housing policy, notification likely in Aug

A tree uprooted in an Aliganj area caused inconvenience to commuters on Sunday Pioneer

City witnesses

pleasant dayPaper I & II ofUPSSSC cancelledShortage of question

papers causes trouble

With the amendedrule, traders wouldbe allowed to runtheir businessesfrom residentialcolonies

Police use force to disperse 2 groups


U.P. POWER TRANS-MISSION CORPORA-TION LTD. TENDERNOTICE Following

sealed Tenders are invited fromthe experienced/reputed con-tractors for the execution of fol-lowing works and Manufacturers/ suppliers for supply of follow-ing meterial on the prescribedtender forms which will beobtained on payment of TenderCost. 1. Tender No.87/AETC/2016-17: Replacementof 245KV ABCB by new G.C.B.at 220KV S/S Azamgarh underElecty. 400KV S/S, Division,Azamgarh. Earnest Money: Rs,8000.00 (Rs. Eight Thousand)only. Tender Cost: Rs.920.00(Rs. Nine HundredTwenty) only. 2. Tender No.88/AETC/2016-17: Procurementof glass fiber ladder for mainte-nance work at 220KV S/S,Azamgarh. Earnest Money: Rs,2000.00 (Rs. Two Thousand)only. Tender Cost: Rs. 230.00(Rs. Two Hundred Thirty) only.3. Tender No. 89/AETC/2016-17: Procurement of spares ofIsolators for 220/132 KV S/S,Jaunpur under ETD, Jaunpur.Earnest Money: Rs, 2000.00(Rs. Two Thousand) only.Tender Cost: Rs. 230.00 (Rs.Two Hundred Thirty) only.4. Tender No. 90/AETC/2016-17: Procurement of ChequeredRubber mat clnsulated materi-als) for 220KV S/S, Azamgarh.Earnest Money: Rs, 2000.00(Rs. Two Thousand) only.Tender Cost: Rs. 230.00 (Rs.Two Hundred Thirty) only.5. Tender No. 91/AETC/2016-17: Providing & Fixing gasket/Bidding to Electrical Cubicles toprevent entires of habitats/mak-ing vermiproof at 400KV S/S,Azamgarh. Earnest Money: Rs,2000.00 (Rs. Two Thousand)only. Tender Cost: Rs. 230.00(Rs. Two Hundred Thirty) only.Earnest money will be in shapeof FDR/CDR/DD duly pledged infavour of SuperintendingEngineer, Electy. TransmissionCircle, Azamgarh. Documents ofTender No. 87 to 91 will be pur-chased upto 17.08.2016 andcomplete Tenders will be accept-ed upto 15.00 Hrs. of19.08.2016 in the office ofundersigned and will be openedon same day at 16.00 hrs.Please visit our web sitewww.upptcl.org for details/download and for any other cor-rections/amendments/modifica-tion extension till the date of sub-mission of tender.Superintending Engineer(Trans.) Hafizpur, AzamgarhRoNo. 1677/fo0izs0ea0¼vk0½ fufonkDate16.7.2016 Save Electricityin the interest of nation.


Counselling of regular andself-financed courses for

academic session 2016-17 atMahila Vidyalaya DegreeCollege are all set to begin fromMonday.

On Sunday, director, IPR,Mahila College, Amit Puri saidthat undergraduate merit listand counselling dates of regu-lar and self-financed courseswas declared on July 15 andobjection and suggestions onmerit list were open till July 16.

The class-wise and reser-vation-wise merit list withcounselling dates and necessarydirections for fee details etc hasbeen uploaded on college web-site www.mahilavidyalya.com.

“The candidates arerequired to turn up with all thedocuments required at the timeof counselling. The list ofrequired documents is availableon website. Further informa-tion regarding availability ofseats will be made public afterfirst round of counselling,” saidPuri.

Puri said no personal com-munication would be doneregarding the admissionprocess with any applicant.The entire admission process incollege and reservation process— horizontal and vertical — isbased on Lucknow Universityadmission rules.

The admission process ofthe college is based on meritand fees will be receivedthrough bank drafts. The hos-tel allotment process will bedone simultaneously withcounselling.

Fresh forms in BA andBSc (self-finance), BA (regu-lar), BSc (ZBA and HomeScience, regular) will be avail-able from July 25 and thecounseling process will con-clude on July 26.

Meanwhile, admissionforms for 60 seats in MA(Home Science, self-financed)are available till 25 July.Candidates are required tosubmit duly filled forms till July25.

GUV LAUDS AMBEDKARGovernor Ram Naik on

Sunday praised BabasahebBhimrao Ambedkar for hisdynamic leadership and revo-lutionary thoughts. He wasspeaking at the fourth annualsession of the Ambedkar Trustof India. The Governordescribed Ambedkar as a giantintellectual and said his con-tributions in framing theIndian Constitution would beremembered by future gener-ations. He said that Ambedkarbelieved in non-violence andalways preached that changesin the society should bebrought through peacefulmeans. The Governor alsofelicitated 10 persons of theTrust and also lauded it for giv-ing scholarship to the poor stu-dents. He advised the studentsto properly utilise the money.Trust’s president J Ram pre-sented the annual report whilevice-president SharmilaShanker and Prof Kaliram alsospoke on the occasion.

FIRST MONDAY OF SAWAN

The first Monday of Sawanwhich falls on July 25 will wit-ness a Gomti abhishek of LordShiva at the MankameshwarTemple. Mahant Divya Giri,while talking to The Pioneer, onSunday said that this was beingdone to pay tributes to the riverwhich is the oldest one of thecity. “We had carried out theabhishek ceremony of LordShiva at the time of Shivratriand this we are carrying outagain this Sawan to show ourrespect for a river which hasbeen flowing in the city sincethe Puranic times,” she said.The mahant said that the por-tals of the temple would remainopen from 3 am on all the fourMondays of the auspiciousmonth. “Special care will betaken of the old devotees. Thismonth also sees several devo-tees in teenagers,” she said. Thetemple will also be carrying outplantation on the approachroad to the MankameshwarTemple. “We are calling thisproject ‘Peepal Se Sheetal’ andthe saplings of peepul will beplanted by the roadside. Thereare over 100 saplings which we

will be planting within a peri-od of four months.”

COUNSELLING The second counselling for

LUGMAT-2016 for 60 BBAseats in the Department ofBusiness Administration and 45seats in BBA, BBA (MS),BBA(IB), B Com (Hons), andMBA (5 Year) at the LucknowUniversity will be held on July25 from 9 am onwards at theInstitute of ManagementSciences (IMS), LucknowUniversity, Second Campus, inJankipuram here. Spokespersonof Lucknow University NKPandey told mediapersons thatonly applicants whose namehad appeared in the LUGMAT-2016 merit list (alreadydeclared) were eligible to appearfor the counselling along withall their original documents andprescribed fee as already noti-fied. He said that the detailedcounselling schedule was beingnotified on the University web-site www.lkouniv.ac.in. He saidthat the students who hadalready been admitted wouldnot be allowed to make anychange in their course.

LDA CAMP ON AUG 10 Lucknow Development

Authority (LDA) has decided tohold a camp from August 10 tosettle issues relating to alloca-tion of property to farmers, whohave been demanding plots inaddition to the compensation inlieu of land acquired by it. Thevenue will be finalised soon. Itwas earlier decided to hold thecamp in the first week of July

but was postponed due to someglitches. The decision to holdthe camp was taken after LDAofficials met state governmentbrass in the wake of an agitationthreat by the farmers. LDA vice-chairman Satyendra Singh saidthe plots would be allocated tothe farmers at any of its sites inLucknow. For this, LDA willprovide transport facility ytofarmers. The farmers have beenasked to bring relevant docu-ments about their identity, landownership and revenue records.The plots will be transferred inthe presence of LDA andRevenue department officials.Meanwhile, nearly 50 subordi-nate staff members of LDA areworking overtime to make thecamp a success. Thye are updat-ing the records and status of theland acquired for Basant Viharhousing scheme.

MEETINGUP Class IV State

Employees Union presidentSanjay Kumar Tewari onSunday met the office-bearersand said they would undertakea hunger strike over outsourc-ing of employees in theCommercial Tax department.

CAMPAIGNUP Sharab Bandi

Sangharsh Samiti began itscampaign for liquor ban in thestate. Secretary Sabir Khansaid that an event called ‘EidMilan’ was organised to markthe beginning of the campaign.In this event, Mahant DivyaGiri talked about the ill-effectsof liquor.


Stressing the need toincrease overall trauma

facilities, principal secretary(Medical Education) AnoopChandra Pandey on Sundaysaid that specialised facultyand paramedical staff shouldbe increased to boost traumacare.

He was speaking at a kneetrauma symposium organisedunder the aegis ofOrthopaedic Association inLucknow on Sunday.

“Lucknow is on the path ofbecoming a medical hub andmany new projects of medicalcolleges are in the offing. Theywill support existing medicalinfrastructure in the state cap-ital. The golden hours makesan important part for patientsunder trauma care. It can belife-saving for them. Only askilled and trained team ofparamedical staff and doctors

can serve the purpose of trau-ma care,” Pandey said in hisaddress.

Further, as many as 250orthopaedic surgeons dis-cussed the advances in treat-ment of knee injuries.

UP OrthopaedicAssociation president Dr SKSarraf said there would be afree medical camp where facil-ities like surgery and trans-plant would be provided topatients. The camp wouldbegin from August 4, headded. “The UP OrthopaedicAssociation has set a target oftreating at least 5,000 personswith financially deprived back-ground. This will be a newbenchmark in the world andthe World Records Academywill cover the grand event,” hesaid.

Talking about the mostcommon injuries, he said,“Knee ligament damageaccounts for up to 40% of all

knee injuries, occurring main-ly in young athletic adults.Damage can be confined to asingle ligament; however, it canalso involve multiple ligaments.The greater the number ofstructures involved, the moresignificant the functionalimpairment and the risk ofneuromuscular damage.”

A major factor at play inligament injury is the loss ofneuromuscular control arisingfrom the lack of connect withthe damaged ligament.

“Muscles are unable towork in coordination to sta-bilise the knee. The outcomeis a feeling of instability andgiving way where there is asudden loss of control over theknee injury,” he said, adding,“Effective treatments attemptto relieve pain, redress the lackof stability and imbalanceincurred by the injuries, aswell as prevent degenerativedamage.”

Lucknow (PNS): The dif-ferently-abled students are opt-ing for Masters in Law and spe-cial education courses at theShakuntala Misra NationalRehabilitation University. Its V-C, Nishith Rai, while talking to‘The Pioneer’ on Thursdaysaid that this was a new trendwhich had been observed dur-ing the admission processeswhich were currently goingon at the University.

“We had over 10 seats inthe Masters in Law course atthe University which had beenreserved for the differently-abled and all these seats havebeen filled. The students whohave opted for this course areorthopaedically handicapped,”he said.

He further pointed out,“This is a new trend and showsthat these students are optingand were interested in highereducation. Law offers immensescope for the differently-abledstudents.”


There are several schools inthe city which have planted

vegetable gardens in their cam-puses and are reaping benefitsbecause they are contributingtowards their midday meal(MDM) programme. TheSenior Project Coordinator,Centre for EnvironmentEducation (CEE), PreetiKannaujia, while talking to ThePioneer said that they wereworking with rural schools notonly to green their campus withornamental, shady, medicinaland fruit trees but were alsoencouraging vegetable gardensin their campuses.

As a part of the UP ForestDepartment’s JICA-assisted pro-ject, the UP ParticipatoryPoverty Alleviation and ForestManagement Project is imple-menting the Children’s ForestProgramme in governmentschools.

“Under the programme res-

idential schools like KasturbaGandhi Balika Vidyalaya(KGBV), PMVs and AshramPaddhati schools are setting upkitchen gardens in their cam-puses. Each school after joiningthe CFP initiative conducts anenvironmental audit of theircampus where the study of bio-diversity is one aspect. In thesurvey the schools realised thatthey had a lot of open areaswhich could be better utilised to

plant more trees and vegetables.They also realised that theycould create their own veg-etable garden and use the veg-etables in school for the middaymeals,” she said.

Each group took responsi-bility and initiatives for takingcare of water and sanitation, bio-diversity, energy conservationand managing waste in theirschools. With the support fromCEE the students planned plan-tation of local species of trees intheir school campus. The stu-dents of KGBV, Chinhat, KGBV,Sarojini Nagar, KBV, Maal, andMalihabad, Purva MadhyamikVidyalaya Bibipur, PMV, Indara,Sparsh Drishtibaadhit RajkiyaBalak Inter College, MohanRoad, Lucknow, to name a fewhave planted and maintainedtheir own kitchen gardens. Theyhave allocated an area exclu-sively for planting vegetables likebhindi, karela, lauki, torai,kaddu, tomato, beans etc,” shesaid.


Dr Ram Manohar LohiaInstitute of Medical

Sciences will soon start on-lineregistration facility to helppatients coming to its hospitalto fix appointments with spe-cialists in advance.

After registration, thepatients will get SMS from theinstitute intimating them aboutthe registration and date andtime of appointment. The SMSwill also provide informationabout follow-up appointmentand time for collecting patho-logical and other medicalreports. The RMLIMS will sooninstall the hospital manage-ment system to introduce thisfacility. It will make coming tothe institute for registration,redundant and also eliminatethe need to stand in long queuesfor registration.

Once the system is installed,registration cards will be issuedon-line to patients who haveregistered through the on-linehospital management system.

All departments of the insti-tute will be connected througha the common on-line portaland the OPD schedule of doc-tors along with total appoint-ments on a particular day willbe displayed for the patientlogging in for registration. Thepatient will have to fill in the on-line form giving personal details.Such a facility already exists inother institutes like AIIMS andSGPGI.

RMLIMS director DeepakMalviya said, “We are workingon providing better facilities atthe institute. An on-line patientregistration system will soon belaunched for the benefit ofpatients, particularly those com-ing from distant locations.”

The 200-bed Bal EvamMahila Chikitsalaya in GomtiNagar that was handed over toRMLIMS two months ago willalso be connected with the system.

Kitchen gardens in schools a

boon for MDM programme

Stress on need to

boost trauma care

Principal secretary (Medical Education) Anoop Chandra Pandey inaugurating the knee trauma symposium Pioneer

SCHOOLSCAN

CITYBRIEFS

Governor Ram Naik inaugurating the fourth annual session of the Ambedkar Trustof India on Sunday Pioneer

Counselling at

Mahila Vidyalaya

begins today

RMLIMS to

start online

patient

registration

From Page 1“We can give a response

only after we receive a writtendraft from the Government,”he said as he rejected the con-tention that the Congress wasblocking the Bill, saying GSTwas “a baby given birth” by hisparty.

Striking a hopeful note,Parliamentary AffairsMinister Ananth Kumar toldmediapersons that Parliamentwas a “mahapanchayat”where all issues could beraised.

“Our legislative business,including GST, is a priority.We want to see to that we passthe GST Bill with consensus.We are going to take everyparty on board,” he said.Kumar downplayed theattacks of Congress, the Leftand some other parties on theGovernment over theArunachal issue, saying dif-ferent issues can be debated.Talking to reporters, Azadaccused the Government of“using all tricks” to destabiliseOpposition — ruledGovernments and took pot-shots at Modi over his talk ofcooperation between theCentre and the States bypointing out that even a BJPally like Akali Dal hasattacked it over “undermin-ing” States. Though he did notrefer to GST directly, he saidthe Congress will offer sup-port to Bills on merit.

“We have not taken anydecision that we have to stopa Bill. We will support onmerit. We will support anyBill which is in support ofpeople, progress and growth,”he said. The ParliamentaryAffairs Minister said growingincidents of terror attacks indifferent parts of the worldand their implications for thecountry, foreign policy, floodsin the States — like MadhyaPradesh and Uttarakhand —were listed by him among theissues to be discussed inParliament. CPI(M) generalsecretary Sitaram Yechurysaid the BJP and the Congresswere indulging in “match-fix-ing” on the GST issue andasked the Government to fol-low the Parliamentary spirit asAtal Bihari Vajpayee dispen-sation did and consult all par-ties. He and Naresh Agrawalof the Samajwadi Partydemanded an all-party meet-ing over the GST Bill with theSP leader saying his party mayoppose the Bill if it is not con-sulted.

From Page 1former CM Dorjee Khandu,

who died in an air crash in thestate in 2011.

“There are so many seniorpersons in the party and myfocus will be to build the teamArunachal involving all of themand work for overall develop-ment. There shouldn’t be anypolitics as far as development isconcerned and instead of fight-ing with one another, we all mustwork together for Arunachal’sdevelopment,” Khandu said.

Khandu had entered thepolitics of Arunachal Pradesh in2011 after the death of hisfather. He contested the 2011elections on a Congress ticketfrom Mukto constituency inTawang district, which was rep-resented by his father. Pema wonthe elections uncontested andaccommodated in the cabinet asMinister for tourism and waterresources development. “I amready for the floor test and Isought time from the governorfor the expansion of the Cabinet.The governor left for Tripura (heis the full-time governor of that

state) as soon as the swearing-in was over. So, once he givestime, I will expand the Cabinet,”he said. Asked about the exodusof people from villages on theArunachal-China border,Khandu said the Central gov-ernment had launched a scheme“Border Area DevelopmentProgramme” for the welfare ofpeople living in villages alonginternational border. He said hisgovernment too would initiatesome schemes for them.

Asked about Arunachal’smove for a series of hydro-power

projects, Khandu said he wouldtake the people, likely to beaffected, into considerationbefore finalizing any deal.

Interestingly, the swearing inceremony of Chief MinisterPema Khandu and Deputy ChiefMinister Chowna Mein wasparticipated by all the 45Congress legislators includingformer Chief Ministers NabamTuki and Kalikho Pul. Pul, wholed a dissidence against theNabam Tuki government andtoppled him in February thisyear to become the Chief

Minister himself, was seen hug-ging Tuki in the function. Tukieven went on to tell the pho-tographers to click good pho-tographers of the duo and saidthat they have been friends andnot enemies and will be friendsforever.

After he was unanimouslyelected the Leader of CongressLegislature Party (CLP) andNabam Tuki tendered his resig-nation to the Governor, he metthe Governor on Saturday andstaked claim to form theGovernment.

From Page 1Senior operational com-

manders of the Army, CRPF andState police were holding regularmeetings to assess the evolvingsituation. These interactions weretaking place at the State-level andbetween the officials of theDefence and Home Ministries inNew Delhi, they said.

One of the key features of theparleys was to allow the Statepolice handle law and order sit-uation while the Army will con-tinue with its anti-militancy andanti-infiltration operations inthe hilly and inaccessible areas ofthe Valley, they said.

Elaborating some of themeasures taken in the last fewdays following violent protests,the entire security grid wasdirected to keep a hawk’s eye onthe nefarious design of militanthandlers as they are pushing inarmed militants in the crowd ofstone-pelters to target securityforces in order to provoke strongretaliation and more civiliankillings. On Friday last, securityforces were targeted by the mil-itants in three different locationswhile the local youth were pelt-ing stones at them. The incidentswere reported from YariporainKulgam, Natnusa inKupwara,Drugmulla in Kupwara.In Khaitangan area of Baramullaattempts were made by the vio-lent crowd to even snatch serviceweapon of security personnel.More than 200 incidents ofstone-pelting were reported from

different parts of Kashmir Valleyspread from North to SouthKashmir.

The police stations besidesArmy and CRPF camps haveborne the maximum brunt ofstreet violence in the last eightdays of mindless violence.According to senior police offi-cer of Kashmir range, “around125 security installations --including 25 police station/posts-- were targeted by the angrystone-pelters and burnt them togive vent to their ire”. Protestersalso burnt down homes of at leastnine suspected informers inWoibuindur areas of Anantnagdistrict in the last one week. Inanother development, the Centreon Sunday rushed 2,000 addi-tional Central Reserve PoliceForce (CRPF) personnel to theValley to assist the local police.This was in addition to 2,800CRPF personnel sent to assist thestate police last week, officialssaid. Some of the new CRPF unitswill exclusively render the task ofroad opening parties in order tosecure the movement of securi-ty forces convoys. About 60 bat-talions (about 1,000 in personneleach) are already deployed in theState as part of counter insurgencygrid. Around 200 KashmiriPandit employees serving in dif-ferent State Government depart-ments and camping in safe tran-sit camps also migrated tem-porarily from the Valley in thewake of volatile situation, theysaid.

Congress leader Pema Khandu is sworn in as the ninth CM of Arunachal Pradesh by Governor Tathagata Roy at a ceremony inItanagar on Sunday PTI

Khandu swornin as youngest...

Unrest in Valleyunlikely...

Parl Session...

Live musical concert by the ‘Out of the Blue’ group of Oxford University students atCMS Kanpur Road auditorium on Sunday

Disabled students

now opting for

Masters in Law,

other courses

As a part of the UPForest Department’sJICA-assistedproject, the UPParticipatory PovertyAlleviation andForest ManagementProject isimplementing theChildren’s ForestProgramme ingovernment schools

LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016 nation 05

GRAPEVINE

Call to Decide

Refusing to take a decision is not an optionopen to judges, particularly when those

sitting in power are shy of acting. This is whata judge of the Supreme Court said on theinaction of the Central Bureau ofInvestigation in Coal scam. Worried over thehounding of its former Director Ranjit Sinha over certain decisions he took in thecoal scam, when senior advocate AmarendraSaran said, “Nobody in the top ranks is willing to take any decision due to fear ofbeing victimised later,” Justice AK Sikriremarked, “This is the first lesson we teachat Judicial Academy. When others shirk, youhave to decide.”

MJ, please

Last week, the new Minister of State forExternal Affairs MJ Akbar was surround-

ed by several guests at the National Day func-tion held at French ambassador’s residence.When someone asked him, how would he likedto be addressed by those who have been call-ing him ‘MJ’ all these years, Akbar promptlyreplied “No Mantriji, please call me MJ.”

Search for CRB

After long delay in nominating Chairmanof the Railway Board, the Railway Ministry

is understood to have formed a search com-mittee to select the new CRB. In the past, seniormost member in the Railway Board used to benominated as the CRB. While several nameshave been doing the rounds from within andoutside the national transporter, the Centre islooking for options to install a head from out-side the railways.

Rawat’s Tuesday date

It may be a coincidence that UttarakhandChief Minister Harish Rawat, facing a CBI

probe in a sting video case, is always called forquestioning on Tuesdays. On two earlier occa-sions when he was questioned — May 24 andJune 7 — both happened to be Tuesdays. He hasagain been called for questioning on a Tuesdayie July 19. It remains to be seen if the agencyconverts the Preliminary Enquiry into a RegularCase on the day of his questioning.

Promotion delay

Officers of the CBI and EnforcementDirectorate are unhappy about the delays

in their promotions due to deferment of thejoint meeting of CVC, Home Secretary, CBI,and ED Chiefs. As per the Supreme CourtJudgment in Vineet Narain case, the promo-tions from SP level onward has to be ratifiedby this high-power joint meeting headed bythe CVC. For the past several months, thismeeting of top brass has always been deferreddue to engagement of the members.

Glamorising Swachchh Bharat

Swachchh Bharat Mission, the ModiGovernment’s flagship programme will soon

be both glamorous and melo-dious. Prasar Bharati is

working on a musicalcomposition to pep upthe programme for radio

jingles, and Big B AmitabhBachchan going to be the

new face for the “people’s move-ment” for television viewers. The megastar willappeal to all citizens, nursery owners and hor-ticulture agencies to use only compost in theirgardens, farm houses and public gardens, as apart of the programme.

Failed vastu

Vastu did not help Choudhary BirenderSingh in retaining the Ministry of Rural

Development. Choudhary, who was shiftedto the Steel Ministry in the recent cabinetreshuffle, had renovated his RD Ministryoffice at Krishi Bhawan as per vaastu shas-tra to ensure ‘good’ luck. In fact, while theconstruction was going on at the KrishiBhawan office, he used to officiates fromParyawaran Bhawan at CGO Complex, whichhouses Water and Sanitation Ministry amongother Ministries.

Trump’s jumla

Amar Singh’s ‘Amarkahani’ seems to

continue. The contro-versial leader whorecently retuned to theSamajwadi partyfold again was innews in the contextof the US polls withDonald Trump accus-ing him of bribing the Clintons for theIndia-US nuclear deal. And whatdoes Singh says “Like Amit Shah, Trump is alsoknown for jumlas.”

New Delhi: Top lawyers andretired judges of the SupremeCourt have come up with anarray of suggestions seeking toremove bottlenecks in the judi-ciary, including the need tostrengthen courtroom infra-stucture across the country.

The proposals came up dur-ing a panel discussion organisedby civil society and NGOsincluding Justice Seekers, CSR(Centre for Social Research)and All India Women’sConference here on Saturdaty.Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra (retd)called for constitutional amend-ments refine legal processes andformation of an active group incivil society, which she said,would regularly flag issues facedby litigants, to the judges.

Women’s rights lawyer FlaviaAgnes emphasissed on the needfor good basic infrastructure inall States and drew attention tothe “lack of courtroom ameni-ties” in smaller towns comparedto metropolitan cities. Eminentlawyer Indira Jaising said the sys-tem be simplified to an extentwhere clients can handle mostthings themselves without hav-ing to rely heavily on middlementhat inlcudes lawyers. PTI

Legal fraternityteams up to rid judiciary ofbottlenecks

MOUSHUMI BASU n NEW DELHI

As the country grapples withrising incidents of man

animal conflicts, a novel cell-phone based technology —“WildSeve” is set to show theway for minimising suchtragedies. The technology isbeing successfully used in 284villages fringing two of thecountry’s premier tiger reserves— Bandipur and Nagerhole inKarnataka, which have one ofthe densest tiger and elephantpopulation in the world.

During one year of itsapplication, (since its officiallaunch on July 1 last year),WildSeve has responded to3,420 calls, assisting as manyvictims to file their claims ofdamage, incurred in wildlifeconflicts. These include 3,261incidents of crop and proper-ty loss by elephants and otherherbivores, 148 cases of live-stock predation by big catsand wild dogs, besides 11 casesof human injury and 2 deaths.So far, nearly 1,000 familieshave either received or are inthe process of receiving com-pensation.

Brainchild of Dr KrithiKaranth, associate conservationscientist, Asia, WildlifeConservation Society, the tech-nology makes use of a mobilephone and a dedicatedresponse system. After an inci-

dent of wildlife encounter, thevictim calls up a toll-free phonenumber. He/she is thenprompted to leave a voice mes-sage with details of the incident.The message is next routed toa coordinator. Henceforth,motorcycle borne trainedresponders, located strategi-cally in the affected areas, rushand assist families in filingcompensation claims, com-pleting all due processes for

them, to ensure fair assessmentof the damage.

Wildseve team presentlycomprises 10 members. Theproject is supported by Oracle,The Rufford Foundation andthe Big Cats Initiative ofNational Geographic Society.

“Our system basically actsas an intermediary betweenlocal communities andGovernment agencies. It tracksthe progress of claims with the

forest department, therebyfacilitating the payment of ade-quate compensation to the vic-tims as early and in a trans-parent manner,” says Karanth.“Seve” in the local Kannadalanguage means in service or toserve.

True to its name, the pro-gramme has been servingmany poor farmers in theregion. Take the case of NCShankarappa, from the

Naganapura village inBandipur Tiger Reserve. He hasnearly 16 acres of land wherehe grows banana, tomatoes,turmeric, onions, etc. But near-ly six acres of his banana farmsalong with his other crops fre-quently get marauded by ele-phants. He claims to be one ofthe worst affected, having madenearly 35 calls to WildSeve.“My land is just 400 metresaway from the nearest forest,leading to recurring incidentsof wildlife conflicts”, he says,adding that he has so farreceived `16,450 in 13 cases.

In the words of NMohammad Ibrahim, fromYediyala village, in Bandipur,Dholes/Wild dogs have beenregularly preying on his live-

stock including chicken andgoats for past few years. “I havelost about 100-150 chicken, butdid not know how to apply forcompensation. Logistically itwould be very tough for me toget the forest personnel, pho-tographers etc for recording thedamages, till WildSeve came toour rescue”, he says.

For Karanth, WildSeve hasemerged from nearly sevenyears of intensive research withher team conducted in 1972individual households selectedfrom 1371 villages. These werelocated within 10 km radius offive tiger reserves located in theWestern Ghats of Karnataka—Bandipur and Nagerhole beingtwo of them.

Western Ghats — one of

world’s eight biodiversity hotspots, is the home of variousendangered species includingDholes (wild dogs), tigers, ele-phants, leopards besides feralpigs etc. However, most ofthese species that enjoy highdegree of protection underWildlife Protection Act 1972,are unfortunately also behindthese conflict cases. Their habi-tats are flanked by a humanpopulation density rangingbetween 135 — 443 persons/ sqkilometers. This added to thegrowing pressures of agricul-ture and livestock, make theregion, a hot bed of man ani-mal conflicts.

The research revealed, thatout of 64% households that suf-fered crop losses, 15 % casespertaining to livestock preda-tion, only 31% of the report-ed cases actually received com-pensation from the govern-ment for their losses.

“The study enabled me tounderstand the complexities ofhuman-wildlife interactionsacross India and I found thatcompensation has a major roleto play in fostering tolerance oflocal communities towardwildlife,” says Karanth. Shenow hopes to take forward thetechnology to more number ofaffected villages and work incollaboration with interestedorganisations in other protect-ed areas of the country.

New cellphone technology to pave way for abated man-wild conflicts

PNS n NEW DELHI

The Government is expect-ed to make a strong pitch

for the passage of a host ofpending and fresh Bills in theMonsoon Session of Parliamentbeginning Monday.

The Bills pending in theLok Sabha include the IndianTrust (Amendment) Bill, 205(agreeing to amendments madeby the Rajya Sabha),theEnforcement of SecurityInterest and Recovery of DebtsLaws and MiscellaneousProvisions (Amendment) Bill,2016 (after report is presentedby the joint committee) andthose in Rajya Sabha includethe Whistle Blowers Protection(Amendment) Bill, 2015, theCompensatory AfforestationFund Bill, 2016, the RegionalCentre for Biotechnology Bill,2016 and The Enemy Property(Amendment &Validation) Bill, 2016.

Besides the pending legis-lations in RS, including theChild labour (Prohibition andRegulation) Amendment Bill,2012, the Homeopathy Central

Council (Amendment) Bill,2015 and the Constitution(One Hundred and Twentysecond Amendment) Bill, 2014that is GST bill.

Bills for Introduction are

the he High Courts (Alterationof Names) Bill, 2016,theInstitute of Technology(Amendment) Bill, 2016, andthe National Institutes ofTechnology, Science Education

and Research (Amendment)Bill, 2016 and the Use and reg-ulation of DNA based tech-nology in Civil and CriminalProceedings, Identification ofMissing Persons and Human

Remains Bill, 2016Discussion and Voting on

Supplementary Demands forGrants (General) for 2015-16 ispart of the business agenda,according to the Government.

The Parliamentary affairsMinister Ananth kumar saidthat the Government assuredthe leaders of an open mindedapproach and would facilitatediscussion on issues raised byvarious parties during Sunday’sall party meeting.

He said the Congress hasassured support to legislativeproposals based on merits. TheMinister said that theGovernment was hopeful of aproductive session.Government’s legislative agendaincludes 16 Bills to be taken upduring in the session, includingthree Bills to replace Ordinances.

On the GST, GovernmentMinisters have engagedCongress leaders in discus-sion with the former expectingthat the Constitution amend-ment bill would find its passagethrough the upper house. Thebill has already been passed bythe Lok Sabha.

Govt amasses pending, fresh Bills

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Parliamentary Affairs MinisterAnant Kumar, at an all-party meeting ahead of the monsoon session, at Parliament House in New Delhi on Sunday PTI

MONSOON SESSION

PNS n NEW DELHI

In a bid to make the medicaldevice industry competitive

at the global level and ensuresafety of the consumers, theUnion Health Ministry hasmade it mandatory for thecompanies manufacturing suchproducts to follow quality aswell as good management sys-tem. The revised draft of theMedical Devices Rules 2016was released recently.

Though presently there arejust 15 medical devices whichare notified, once the rules areenforced a large number ofmedical gadgets are likely tocome under the legal purview.

Sources in the UnionHealth Ministry said that ) inthe revised draft of the Billl,the Drug Controller Generalof India (DCGI has catego-rized the devices in four list,depending on their usage andthreat to the life.

Low and low-moderate

risk devices, which includenon-invasive devices used forcompression, would be listedas class 'A' and 'B' devices,while moderate-high andhigh-risk devices, whichinclude devices required to beinserted in the patient forlong-term use, would be cat-egorised as class 'C' and 'D'.

According to the sources,the DCGI will be the CentralLicensing Authority and shallbe the competent authority forenforcement of these rules inmatters relating to import,manufacture of Class C andClass D medical devices, clin-ical investigation and clinicalperformance evaluation ofmedical devices and other relat-ed functions.

To ensure safety, 'QualityManagement System' and'Good ManufacturingPractices' (GMP) have beenmade mandatory for notifiedmedical devices.

Some of the provisions

include educational qualifica-tions of workers involved inmaking the devices, third-partyquality consultants for manu-facturing site audits, and sur-prise inspections of these sitesto uphold quality standards.Importantly, the rules alsodefine and regulate medicaldevices separately from drugsand cosmetics.

As the Government push-es for Make in India campaign,high hopes are being madefrom the medical devices sec-tor. Industry sources say thatthe sector has a tremendouspotential to grow with a hugedemographic dividend ondemand side and India'sresearch and developmentinnovation capabilities on thesupply side.

If this happens then, med-ical device sector can domi-nate the global market as isbeing done presently by theIndian pharma industry man-ufacturing drugs.

PNS n NEW DELHI

Days after the archeologicalsite of Nalanda Mahavihara

(Nalanda University) in Biharwas added to the list of WorldHeritage Sites by UNESCO,there are more good news for theheritage lovers in the country.

Chandigarh city andSikkim’s national park, which ishome to the world’s third high-est peak Mount Khangc-hendzonga among its worldheritage sites, have bagged theprestigious UNESCO tag.

The decision was taken bythe UNESCO on Sunday. Thearchaeological site of NalandaMahavihara (Nalanda Univ-ersity) in Bihar had entered thelist at the 40th session of TheWorld Heritage Committeemeeting in Istanbul.

The Paris-based body list-ed Franco-Swiss architect LeCorbusier’s works, including

the Indian city of Chandigarhwhich he planned in the 1950s,among its World Heritage Sites.In total 17 sites spread overseven countries were listedwith the UNESCO describingthem a “testimonial to theinvention of a new architecturallanguage that made a breakwith the past”.

A World Heritage Site is aplace (such as a building, city,complex, desert, forest, island,lake, monument, or mountain)that is listed by the UnitedNations Educational, Scientificand Cultural Organisation(UNESCO) as being of ‘specialcultural or physical significance’.

“The Complexe duCapitole in Chandigarh (India),the National Museum ofWestern Art, Tokyo (Japan),the House of Dr Curutchet inLa Plata (Argentina) and theUnite d’habitation in Marseille(France) reflect the solutions

that the Modern Movementsought to apply during the20th century to the challengesof inventing new architecturaltechniques to respond to theneeds of society.

“These masterpieces of cre-ative genius also attest to theinternationalisation of archi-tectural practice across the plan-et,” it said in an official state-ment. In another major recog-nition, Sikkim’s Khangchend-zonga National Park — home tothe world’s third highest peak,Mount Khangchendzonga —made it to the list.

The KhangchendzongaNational Park includes a uniquediversity of plains, valleys, lakes,glaciers and spectacular, snow-capped mountains covered withancient forests, including theworld’s third highest peak,Mount Khangchendzonga.

“Mythological stories areassociated with this mountain

and with a great number ofnatural elements (eG Caves,rivers, lakes, etc) that are theobject of worship by the indige-nous people of Sikkim.

The sacred meanings ofthese stories and practices havebeen integrated with Buddhistbeliefs and constitute the basisfor Sikkimese identity,” the state-ment said. For Nalanda,UNESCO said, the site standsout as one of the most ancientuniversities in South Asia,UNESCO said in a release.

“Archaeological Site ofNalanda Mahavihara (NalandaUniversity) comprises thearchaeological remains of amonastic and scholastic insti-tution dating from the 3rd cen-tury BCE to the 13th centuryCE,” it said. The site includesstupas, shrines, viharas (resi-dential and educational build-ings) and important art worksin stucco, stone and metal.

PNS n NEW DELHI

External Affairs MinisterSushma Swaraj has come

forward to help the family of anIndian killed in a road accidentin New York.

A 38-year-old ChandanGavai from Maharashtra diedin a road accident along withhis parents in a drunk drivingaccident in the US on July 4.Gavai was working as an ITprofessional in New York. Hiswife Manisha is in coma andtheir 11-month old son Ibhanhas received serious injuries.

However, Gavai’s familymembers in India claim theyare struggling to get the deadbodies back home for crema-tion arguing that the last ritescosts in US is too high for themto bear. Swaraj on Sunday saidthat the Indian Governmenthas approached the Gavai fam-ily for help.

“Gavai family tragedy inUS: CG (Consul General) NewYork has proposed to the fam-ily as follows: a) Cremation ofparents in New York b) Burialof Chandan as his wifeManisha is in coma and shealone can give consent for hiscremation, c) Death certificatefor all three members of thefamily d) Help in getting insur-ance money,” Swaraj said onTwitter after media reportedthe tragic story. She furtheradded that the IndianConsulate in New York willbear the expenses for crema-tion of Gavai’s parents.

Swaraj also clarified thatthe money for cremation ofChandan Gavai and his parentscannot be handed over to hiselder brother Anand, a scien-tist in Netherlands and a Dutchnational. “Mr Anand Gavaiwants that money be given tohim which cannot be done as

Health Ministry releases rulesimperative for medical industry Chandigarh, Sikkim’s Khangchendzonga

park bag UNESCO’s world heritage tag

17 SITES

SPREAD OVER

7 COUNTRIES

WERE LISTED

Banana field raided by elephants Dr Krithi Karanth

Map showing the worst-affected villages in the area Dr Krithi Karanth

he is a Dutch national. UnderGovernment rules, moneycannot be given to a foreignnational,” Swaraj said.

Sushma to help familyof Indian killed in US

MoS for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi with Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Ghulam Nabi Azad at anall-party meeting ahead of the monsoon session, at Parliament House in New Delhi on Sunday PTI

nation 06LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016

PNS n PATNA

Bihar Governor Ram NathKovind said that despite

having a legacy of poor growthrate Bihar today is one of thefastest growing States in thecountry. “This speaks volumesabout the efficacy of policies ofthe State Government”, he said,while inaugurating the two-dayannual conference ofInternational Growth Centre(IGC)-Bihar here. “For a coun-try like India and a State likeBihar where there is inequali-ty of wealth possession and alsoof livelihood opportunities,such conferences are all themore important to give prop-er direction to Governmentpolicies,” said Kovind.

Emphasising that growthneeded to be inclusive, theGovernor said there could be“no social justice minus dis-tribution justice”. There was nodearth of resources, the needwas to allocate them equally,he added.

Speaking on the occasion,Education Minister AshokChoudhary said Bihar is on thepath of development and theconference was a celebration ofthis fact. He said the focus of his

Ministry was the developmentof human capital. As a part ofthis strategy, girls’ education isa priority area as their educationled to low fertility rate. He saidthe fact that the State hadrecorded one of the highestenrolment rates by girls at theprimary level among States is anencouraging indicator.

He added that an “opera-tion clean-up” was on in theBihar School ExaminationBoard (BSEB) and that for thepurpose expert opinion wasbeing received from the CentralBoard of Secondary Education(CBSE). A child tracking sys-tem from Class I to X is alsobeing worked out.

Earlier, Shaibal Gupta,Country Co-director, IGC

India-Bihar, said because of itstremendous growth potential,Bihar had got the onlyprovince-specific IGC centre.All other IGC centres are coun-try-specific.

The first project work dur-ing the first session on ‘EffectivePublic Services Delivery’ ispresented by Shabana Mitra ofIIM-Bangalore on the title‘Wheels of Power: Long-termeffect of targeting girls with in-kind transfers’. Speaking onthe study on bicycle schemelaunched by Chief MinisterNitish Kumar in 2006, she saidthat the girls who got cycles hadmore chances of completingClass X than those who did nothave cycles. She said the girlswho received cycles had notonly more chances to study tillClass X but also have more like-ly to delay marriage, at least ayear later than those who didnot get cycles.

This also had a positiveeffect on fertility rate. “Bicycleshave been a powerful tool ofempowerment because bettereducation meant that girlswould not go for farm jobs andwould look for better oppor-tunities commensurate withtheir education,” said Shabana.

Bihar a fastest growingState, says Governor

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi visits the railway station in Puducherry to see the facilities available to passengers and alsoservices to tourists on Sunday PTI

VR JAYARAJ n KOCHI

Kerala’s Marxist ChiefMinister Pinarayi Vijayan

is facing intense criticism fromhis own party, the CPI(M),and legal circles of the State forhis refusal — or as some callit, inability — to explain theexact role of his legal advisorMK Damodaran who, despitebeing in such a key position,has been arguing cases in thecourt as counsel for privateclients opposing theGovernment’s interests.

Pinarayi had a few days agoeven gone to the extent of jus-tifying Damodaran’s appear-ances in the court to argue forclients who were opposingGovernment interests. “He isnot taking any payment forworking as legal advisor.Therefore, nothing preventshim from taking up privatecases. It is up to him to decidewhat case he should take upand what he should not.”

Since becoming the CM’slegal advisor, Damodaran,one of the top-rankinglawyers in the State and a for-mer Advocate General, hasappeared in the High Courtthree t imes for “lotter y king” Santiago Martin who,according to former Marxistchief minister VSAchuthanandan, had plun-dered thousands of crores ofrupees from Kerala throughillegal lottery business.

The CPI(M) had tried tojustify Damodaran’s role inthat particular case by sayingthat it had nothing to do withthe State Government but

Martin’s case was against theCentre. However, no clearexplanation had come from anyquarters after he appeared inthe High Court the other dayto argue against theGovernment in a case related tostone quarries.

Not all allies of the CPI(M)in the ruling LDF it leads arehappy with Damodaran’s con-duct and how Pinarayi isdefending him but they arekeeping silent mainly becausethey think it is not proper tocreate an impression that dis-cord has cropped up within thecoalition at such an early stageof the tenure of theGovernment which had takencharge on May 25, sources say.

Similarly, dissatisfaction issaid to be brewing within theCPI(M) against how “casually”Pinarayi is taking the issue.According to party insiders,several members of theCPI(M)’s State committee wantthe issue to be discussed in thecommittee but they are not cer-tain whether the move wouldsucceed because of the hugesupport Pinarayi enjoys in it.

A senior lawyer of theKerala High Court said that theChief Minister should explainthe mission of the person occu-pying the chair of his legal advi-sor when there was already aperson in a constitutional posi-tion, the Advocate General, toadvise the Government onlegal matters. “This is the firsttime a legal advisor has beenappointed for a CM in Kerala,”he pointed out.

“I won’t be surprised ifsomebody approaches the

court pointing out that the legaladvisor to the Chief Ministerhas been appointed in violationof constitutional precedents,” hesaid, adding that many lawyerswere unhappy about what washappening in the case ofDamodaran but they were notsaying it openly because of theirfriendship with and respect forhim as a senior professional.

According to a retired offi-cial of the State LawDepartment, the biggest prob-lem arising out of the situationis about whose advice theChief Minister and theGovernment would take incrucial cases. “When there arethe Advocate General and theDirector General ofProsecution to provide advice,will the Government be goingby the advices of the legalAdvisor?” he asked.

Legal experts say that theChief Minister has not said thatthe legal advisor will be theGovernment’s counsel in thecourt. As far as legal affairsconnected to the Cabinet areconcerned, the real authority isthe Advocate General and it isthe AG who should inform theJudiciary of the Government’spolicy matters, they say.

What Pinarayi’s critics inhis own party and the legal cir-cles want to know from him iswhether he would be taking theadvice of the Advocate Generalor his advisor Damodaran inlegal matters related to him asChief Minister and his office.“But he has not shown thereadiness to give any explana-tion,” a senior CPI(M) leadercomplained.

Kerala CM draws flak overlegal advisor’s ‘unclear’ role

KUMAR CHELLAPPAN n

CHENNAI

Aday after reminding theUnion Government about

it’s obligation to protect theStates from external aggressionsand internal disturbances, JJayalalithaa, Tamil Nadu ChiefMinister, has sent a Maydaymessage to Prime MinisterNarendra Modi about the Stateof despondency among thefishermen in the State due to“frequent attacks” on them bythe Sri Lankan Navy.

In a letter addressed toPrime Minister, Jayalalithaablamed the Sri LankanGovernment for abducting fish-ermen from the State andseizure of their boats despite herprevious letters highlighting theplight of the poor fishermenwho fish in their “traditionalwaters” in the Palk Bay. The lat-est letter, excerpts of whichwere released to the media onSunday, is the fallout of the arrestof four fishermen and theirmechanised boat last Friday.

“The unabated spree ofapprehensions of Tamil Nadufishermen constrains me to writeonce again to bring to yournotice an incident in which fourTamil Nadu fishermen, alongwith their motorised fishingboat, who set out for fishing fromPamban fishing base ofRamanathapuram district, havebeen apprehended by the SriLankan Navy in the early hoursof July 15, 2016 and taken toThalaimannar, Sri Lanka,”Jayalalithaa has said in the letter.

She said with the arrest offour fishermen on Friday, thenumber of fishermen in SriLankan custody and the num-ber of fishing boats seized by theSL Navy have shot up to 77 and102 fishing boats respectively.

Jayalalithaa pointed out that theposition of the InternationalMaritime Boundary Line itselfwas sub-judice and she herselfhas challenged the constitu-tional validity of the 1974 ced-ing the Kachatheevu islet to theIsland Nation.

“The Sri Lankan strategy ofnot releasing the boats of ourfishermen is causing great frus-tration amongst the fishermenof Tamil Nadu. Without theirlivelihood base, these fisher-men are in a state of despon-dency. I urge you to take up thismatter with the highest author-ities of the Sri LankanGovernment through our HighCommission in Sri Lanka andensure the immediate release ofthe precariously berthed boatswhich continue to suffer greatdamage,” said Jayalalithaa.

Interestingly, in her addressto the Inter-State Council held atNew Delhi on Saturday,Jayalalithaa had reminded thePM and other CMs about therecommendations made by thePunchchi Commission, whichhad recommended that theCentre had an obligation toprotect the States from externalaggression and internal distur-bances. “These recommenda-tions are timely re-iterations ofthe existing Constitutionalframework, particularly in thelight of the continuing attacks onand apprehensions of poorIndian fishermen fishing in theirtraditional fishing waters in thePalk Bay by the Sri LankanNavy. This is one instance inwhich the Government needs todo more to protect the interestsof a vulnerable group of poorfishermen from Tamil Nadu,”said Jayalalithaa in her Inter StateCouncil speech which was readout by TN Minister for FinanceO Paneerselvam in her absence.

Jaya apprises PM aboutsurging apprehensionamong TN fishermen

PNS n PATNA

The occupation of two pala-tial houses by Chief

Minister Nitish Kumar andhis refusal to vacate any ofthem has angered his formerdeputy Sushil Kumar Modi.The BJP leader fired anotherletter to Nitish on Sunday ask-ing him if he is a CM or formerCM. He asked, “If you are aCM, do you have right to claimboth salary as well as pension?Similarly in your capacity as theCM how come you claim theaccommodation, PA and PS asformer CM?”

In Patna, the 1, Ane Margresidence is earmarked as theCM’s residence. But Nitish isstill staying at 7, Circular Roadwhich he had been allocatedwhen he had demitted theoffice over two years back.Even after returning to powerNitish continued to stay at 7,Circular Road. Both thesprawling houses are at a stone

throw distance.Earlier too Modi had writ-

ten to Nitish about the twohouses under his occupationbut the reply had been made bythe housing department whichhe found unsatisfactory.

Modi recalled that duringhis tenure as Deputy CM a res-olution had been passed by thelegislature amending the BiharSpecial Security Act in 2010providing free accommodationto former CMs in Patna butpointed out that there was pro-vision that a former CM in caseof becoming CM again wouldcontinue availing the housingfacilities of the former CM.

“In 2014 under your chiefministership the cabinet secre-tariat has issued a resolution say-ing that two members of a fam-ily, both former CMs would notget two houses. He was referringto the housing facility to formerCM Rabri Devi but no housewas allotted to her husbandand former CM Lalu Prasad.

Volunteers shift people to higher areas after heavy monsoon rains flooded parts of Guwahati AP

SAUGAR SENGUPTA n KOLKATA

Encouraged by the successrate of her pet schemes like

Khadya Saathi, Kanyashreethat provided rich dividends inthe recently-concluded BengalAssembly elections in whichthe ruling Trinamool Congresswon 211 out of 294 seats, theMamata Banerjee Governmenthas launched a home deliveryscheme for food essentialsunder the Sufal Bangla project.

The scheme initially targetsthe urban middle class and laterit may be extended to the rural

areas, Minister of AgriculturalMarketing Tapan Dasguptasaid on Sunday.

Accordingly theGovernment vehicles willhome-deliver vegetables, fish,meat, grocery items and evenice-cream upon order,Dasgupta said adding stallswould also be opened at vari-ous places for the purpose.

This new scheme wouldnot only help people procurefoot items without having to goto the market but also ensurethat the consumers get thematerials in government-

approved price the Ministersaid adding “for example whilethe government approved ratefor potato is `14 as against themarket rate of `20 in someplaces the consumer will beable to get the product for `14only.”

Sufal Bangla was launched“under the inspiration andguidance of the Chief Ministerand we hope it will not onlyhelp the customers get fooditems at reasonable prices butalso in the long run it will helpthe farmers in marketing theirproducts.”

The scheme is likely to beextended to the rural and semi-urban areas depending upon itssuccess in the urban regions, asenior official said adding“busy and old people are like-ly to be benefited by thescheme, more so because theywill get the products in com-petitive prices which they maynot get in the malls.”

The basic objectives of thisproject are to help the farmersget premium price and haverational share in consumers’price, to supply quality produceat less price and make fruit and

vegetable market more com-petitive, the Minister said.

Though the scheme waslaunched in September 29 ithardly got the necessary suc-cess, said sources adding theGovernment has now deviseda new E-delivery scheme sothat the items are reacheddirectly to the customers.“Only you need to make aphone call and place yourorders and provide youraddress” an official said addingthe phone numbers will beprovided in the website in aday or two.

Sufal Bangla: Bengal launches home delivery scheme

MOHIT KANDHARI n JAMMU

The death toll in the ongoingcycle of violence on Sunday

reached 44 with one more civil-ian’s death reported from thenorth Kashmir district ofBandipora. According to pre-liminary reports large number oflocal youth targeted Army campnear Ajas in Saderkote area ofBandipora late on Sundayevening where security forcesopened fire injuring at leastfour protesters. One of the youthlater succumbed to his injuriesin the hospital while three oth-ers were undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, overall situa-tion remained tense but undercontrol across different parts ofKashmir Valley.

Stray incidents of stone pelt-ing were reported from Kunzerin Baramulla, Eidgah in Srinagarand Sadarkote Bala in Bandiporaduring the day in which sever-al security personnel and localprotesters received injuries.

Newspapers published fromKashmir valley failed to hit thestands for the second consecu-tive day after the state govt des-perately tried to gag the media.Cable TV and internet servicesalso remained crippled whilenormal life has been hit harddue to strict imposition of cur-few for ninth consecutive day.

Keeping in view the pre-vailing law and order situationthe State Govt has also decid-ed to extend the summer breakof educational institutions tillJuly 24 across Kashmir valley.

Several exams and inter-view schedules have alreadybeen postponed by variousinstitutions and Public servicecommission. Students whorecently enrolled themselves

for admission in the NationalInstitute of Technology ,NITSrinagar are also nervous as theyhave been directed to report inthe campus between July 22-26.

Amarnath yatra has also

declined partially due to pre-vailing situation in the valley.On Sunday around 4,500 pil-grims performed darshan viaBaltal route. So far 1.72 lakhpilgrims have offered specialprayers inside the holy cave.

The yatra is bound to wit-ness steep decline in the com-ing days as 'ice lingam' has van-ished inside the cave shrine dueto heavy foot fall in the first twoweeks of yatra.

On the other hand twomember team of central congressleadership landed in Srinagar totake stock of the situation.

Former External AffairsMinister Salman Khurshid wasaccompanied by AICC GeneralSecretary Ambika Soni.

After holding consultationswith the local leaders SalmanKhurshid interacted with themedia where he called for hold-ing an All Party Meeting fortaking the concrete steps toensure peace in Kashmir.

Khurshid said troops inKashmir are resorting to dis-proportionate use of forceswhile dealing with the protest-ers and the “set rules for forces”seem to have disappeared.

He said that BJP-ledGovernment at the Centre is ina denial mode and doesn’twant to take the other partieswith experience of dealing withdifficult situations on board. Hesaid that it was unfortunate tohear about young people losingtheir vision due to pellets.

“Forces seem to be resort-ing to disproportionate use offorce while dealing with the pro-testors. There are set rules fordealing with crowds, such thingsseem to have disappeared inKashmir,” Khurshid said.

Paramilitary soldiersescort the Amarnathpilgrims after theyleft Yatri Niwas basecamp, in Jammu onSunday PTI

PNS n GANDHINAGAR

The 23-year-old pro-quotastir leader Hardik Patel

left for Udaipur in Rajasthanand initiated his exile for thenext six months to complywith the conditional bailgranted to him by the Gujarat High Court. TheHigh Court has directed himto leave Gujarat within 48hours of his release.

A large number of sup-porters greeted Patel atGujarat-Rajasthan border tobid him adieu. The PatidarAnamat Andolan Samiti(PAAS) convener started hisjourney for Udaipur around7.30 am from his hometownViramgam and reachedRajasthan by afternoon.

A PAAS leader said thatPatel was supposed to visit dif-ferent towns of north Gujaratand had even planned fewroad-shows there but he cut allthese events short and direct-ly drove to Rajasthan.

Hardik will stay at a farmhouse of former CongressMLA Pushkarlal Patel, whoalso belongs to the Patidarcommunity. He came out ofSurat's Lajpore jail followingconditional bai l in two different sedition cases aswell as a case related to pro-quota agitation at Gujarattown Visnagar.

After his release, Patelheld a series of road-showsand visited his home townViramgam. As he arrived nearGujarat-Rajasthan border, hetold the media that he wouldcontinuously work for theoriginal demand for reserva-tion to Patidar youths inGovernment jobs. He said thepro-quota agitation would becontinued even during hisexile from Gujarat.

Hardik leaves Guj for 6-month exile; first stop at Udaipur

One killed asprotestors try to stormArmy camp

Police detain one of the Samajwadi Party worker who shoed black flags to BiharCM Nitish Kumar at a public rally at Phoolpur in Allahabad on Sunday PTI

Paramilitary soldierswalk back towardstheir base camp onthe ninth straight dayof curfew in Srinagaron Sunday AP

Kashmir tense, death toll 44

BJP leader writes to

Nitish asking use of

his second house

ATTACKSBYLANKANNAVY

LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016world 07

Washington: An overwhelm-ing majority of Americansthink the next President shouldplace “major” focus on improv-ing US race relations, whichmost see as “generally bad.”

The Washington Post/ABCNews poll released on Saturdaywas taken shortly after themass shooting of white policeofficers by a black sniper thatfollowed two high-profileshooting deaths of black menat the hands of police.

Out of 1,003 adults sur-veyed, 83 per cent said the nextpresident, who will be chosenby voters in November, shouldplace an “especially major”focus on achieving better racerelations, with nearly half ofrespondents saying it’s an“extremely” important issue.

Only 12 per cent said theydon’t want the next President to place major emphasis on the issue.

The national concern overrace may benefit presumptiveDemocratic nominee HillaryClinton in her bid for the

White House.Some 58 per cent of

respondents said they trusther to handle the issue, versus26 per cent who have confi-dence in her Republican rivalDonald Trump, who has gaineda reputation for racially divisiverhetoric on the campaign trail.

The poll also found that 63per cent of adults say race rela-tions are generally bad, while 55per cent say they are worsening.

Just a third of respondentssaid relations are good, andonly one in 10 said they wereimproving.

In light of the recent spateof violence, President BarackObama has made repeatedcalls for racial unity.

“The deepest fault lines ofour democracy have suddenlybeen exposed, perhaps evenwidened,” the president said ata Dallas, Texas memorial forthe slain policeman.

“I’m here to say we mustreject such despair. I’m here toinsist that we are not as divid-ed as we seem.” AFP

London: Britain’s boardingschoolteachers have beenordered to address transgenderchildren as ‘zie’ rather than ‘he’ or ‘she’ to avoid offendingthem.

The official guidanceissued by the UK BoardingSchools Association calls onteachers to address transgenderpupils as “zie” to avoid offence, The Sunday Telegraphreported.

Staff have been told theyneed to learn a “new language”for a growing number of pupilswho demand not to beaddressed as ‘he’ or ‘she’.

Zie is considered a gender-neutral pronoun which hasbeen gaining ground in itsusage across Europe and Britishteachers are being advised toaddress children by their “pronoun of choice”, includingthey or ‘zie’.

Elly Barnes, founder ofcharity Educate and Celebrateand author of the new guide-lines, said that as more transpupils “come out” in boardingschools, it becomes an imper-ative to “break the binary”.

“Schools need to makesure that all students are treat-ed equally and fairly accordingto the Equality Act,” she toldthe newspaper. PTI

AFP n MIAMI (US)

SpaceX is poised to launch itsunmanned Dragon cargo

capsule to the InternationalSpace Station on Monday, car-rying a key piece of equipmentthat was lost last year in a rock-et explosion.

The international dockingadapter will function as aparking spot for space taxis,enabling commercial space-ships carrying astronauts tolatch on securely to the orbit-ing outpost.

It is the first of two dock-ing adapters needed for thecrew spaceships being built bySpaceX and Boeing, with thosepioneer commercial flightsplanned for 2017 and 2018.

For tomorrow’s launch,the gumdrop-shaped Dragonspaceship is packed with near-

ly 5,000 pounds (nearly 2,300kilograms) of gear, includingscience experiments andequipment for the astronautsliving in space.

After blasting off fromCape Canaveral, Florida at12:45 am (local time), SpaceXwill attempt to return the firststage of the Falcon 9 rocket toan upright landing on solidground at the NASA facility.

The California-basedcompany headed by Internetentrepreneur Elon Musk hasalready managed to land itsrockets on land and on abarge in the Atlantic Oceanseveral times, as part of anongoing effort to make rock-et parts as re-usable as com-ponents from commercial air-planes.

According to HansKoenigsmann, vice president

of flight reliability at SpaceX,setting the rocket back downon solid ground requires more

propellant than a water land-ing, but also affords a largerand more stable area for

touchdown.“I think it is going to be an

easier trajectory than the lastone,” he told reporters.

“I am pretty optimistic atthis point in time that we willland it, but I would alwaysknock on wood. Just by thenature of this maneuver, it ispretty challenging.”

SpaceX is still in theprocess of scheduling the firstrocket launch using one of thepieces it has recovered, per-haps in the fall, he added.

Weather is 90 per centfavorable for the launch,which will mark the ninth of20 missions to the space sta-tion for SpaceX, as part of a$1.6 billion contract withNASA.

In June 2015, SpaceX’sFalcon 9 rocket explodedabout two minutes after

launch, destroying a previousversion of the docking adapterand thousands of pounds ofgear.

The total loss amounted to$118 million, according toNASA.

The cause of the accidentwas a faulty strut that alloweda helium tank to break loosein flight, SpaceX said.

Following the accident,the US space agency negoti-ated “discounted missionprices” with SpaceX forupcoming supply tr ips,according to an Office of theInspector General auditreleased last month.

It did not specify howmuch.

If launch goes as plannedtomorrow, the Dragon isexpected to arrive at the spacestation early Wednesday.

PTI n WASHINGTON

Donald Trump is at the cen-tre of attack in a new

advertisement by the rivalHillary Clinton campaign thatinvites adults to imagine whata child might be learning fromthe Republican presumptivenominee’s provocative rhetoric.

Soft, inviting piano tonesare set against a pink sunsetand a neighbourhood at dusk,before the 70-year-old realestate tycoon’s voice interruptsthe tranquil scene.

“I love the old days. Youknow what they used to do toguys like that when they werein a place like this? They’d becarried out on a stretcher,folks,” Trump is heard telling acrowd.

More of his acidic com-ments are played, while thescreen is filled with close-upsof children gazing at televisionsets, seemingly soaking up

every R-rated remark, the NewYork Times said in a report.

“Our children are watch-ing,” a text card warns after two young children watchon television Trump appearingto mock a reporter with a disability.

At the end, Clinton isshown delivering a speech onchildren, closing with: “Weneed to make sure that they canbe proud of us.”

The ad paints Trump as“unpresidential and unfit for

office, in the eyes of both chil-dren and, the ad assumes, theirvoting parents (who, one couldargue, might not be too happywith the Clinton campaign’srebroadcasting of the messagesto children watching televi-sion),” the NYT report said.

It added that the Clintoncampaign has also made the68-year-old former secretary ofstate’s record of working forchildren and families a centralfocus, while trying to portrayTrump as a poor role model forchildren.

While the underlying mes-sage feels familiar, the timing isimportant as Trump heads intothe Republican NationalConvention and is set to enjoyseveral days of free, unabatedmedia coverage, often in primetime and perhaps when chil-dren are watching. The Clintoncampaign can counter with apaid message placed strategi-cally in the coverage, it said.

AFP n YEREVAN

An armed Armenian groupwith links to a jailed oppo-

sition leader seized a policebuilding in Yerevan on Sunday,killing one policemen and tak-ing several more hostage,including top officers.

One of the gunman saidthey were demanding the res-ignation of President SerzhSarkisian and the release ofpolitical prisoners but the coun-try’s security services dismissedrumours on social media thata coup was under way.

“A group of armed menentered the premises of a police

regiment in Yerevan and isholding hostages under thethreat of violence,” Armenia’sNational Security Service saidin a statement.

“One policeman was killedand two others wounded. Twohostages were freed,” it said.

One of the gunmen said onsocial media that the hostagesin the police station in Yerevan’sErebuni district included thecountry’s deputy police chief.

Nikol Pashinyan, a law-maker who met the hostage-takers, told journalists that thegroup had taken eight policehostage but released one whowas suffering from high blood

pressure.“The Armenian state con-

tinues to operate normally,police carry out their duties toprotect public order and secu-rity,” the security service said,dismissing the coup rumours.

Media reports said thegroup was demanding therelease of Zhirair Sefilyan, anopposition politician who wasarrested last month for allegedpossession of firearms.

“We demand the release ofZhirair Sefilyan, we will onlyobey his orders. Sarkisian mustresign,” one of the group mem-bers, Varuzhan Avetisyan,wrote on Facebook.

He said two top policeofficers, Armenia’s deputypolice chief General MajorVardan Egiazaryan andYerevan deputy police chiefColonel Valeri Osipyan, werebeing held.

One of the gunmen,named as Tatul Tamrazyan,has been seriously wounded,Avetisyan wrote.

The group later released avideo on Facebook, calling onArmenians to take to the streetsagainst the government.

The video showed severalmen in flak jackets and armedwith Kalashnikovs as well asseveral hostages being held

inside the police building.“We are doing this for you.

People, take to the streets!” oneof the gunmen, Areg Kuregyansaid in the video. “We demandthe release of all political pris-oners.”

“Join us! For now, we areholding the positions. We willstand as long as we can,” anoth-er gunman said in the videostatement.

Military and police cor-dons were blocking streetsaround the Erebuni stationtoday afternoon with vehiclesincluding an armoured per-sonnel vehicle, an AFP pho-tographer witnessed.

Dhaka: Three elderly SufiMuslims, including two women,were on Sunday attacked intheir sleep by machete- wield-ing men in western Bangladesh’sborder town with India and suf-fered critical injuries in the lat-est in a spate of deadly attackson religious minorities in theMuslim-majority nation.

Eight to 10 assailantsattacked several ‘Bauls’ (mysticsingers) around midnight withsharp weapons, iron rods andbamboo sticks at their ‘Akhra’(residing place) at Ektarpur vil-lage in Chadanga district, some240 kms from here.

“The miscreants wereequipped with bamboo sticksand machetes as they attackedthe ‘Akhra’... Three of thesingers were injured in theassault as they were asleep,” a

police officer at the scene toldPTI over phone.

Rashida Khatun, 60, AbdurRahim, 65, and his wife BuluBegum, 50, were injured andare now undergoing treatmentat a local health complex.

All the three injured are incritical state, The Daily Starquoted Dr Anisur Rahman, adoctor of Chuadanga SadarHospital, as saying.

The other Bauls, however,managed to flee the spot, saidMukul Hossein, landlord ofthe Akhra.

“It could not be knownwho or why they attacked theBauls,” Hossein said.

The Baul community ren-ders mystic songs disseminatingmessages of universal harmony,which is close to the MuslimSufi thoughts, and do not per-

form the routine Islamic rituals.No group has claimed

responsibility for the attack, butpolice suspected the hardlinerMuslims in the region to have carried out the attack asthe denounce mysticism as“un-Islamic”.

Victim Bulu Begum toldreporters that seven to eightmen barged into the Akhra andstarted beating them with ironrods. “Bauls from differentareas come to this Akhra. Wealso went there.”

She said only three of themwere there during the attack,and that they could not iden-tify the attackers. The localsheard them scream and rushedthem to the hospital.

All of them sustainedinjuries inflicted by iron rods,doctor Masud Rana was quot-

ed as saying by bdnews.Com.“We have found some slash

wounds on Rahim’s head,” hesaid, adding Rashida hasinjuries on the face and leg, andthe third victim had beenreferred to Rajshahi as her leginjuries seemed critical.

An investigation is on intothe incident, which comes overtwo months after a 65-year-oldMuslim Sufi preacher washacked to death in centralBangladesh, in an attack thatbore the hallmark of previousmurders of intellectuals, blog-gers and minorities by Islamistsin the country.

Bangladesh in the past twoyears has witnessed deadlyattacks on liberal and secularwriters and activists, religiousminorities including Hindus andmoderate Sufis and Shiites. PTI

PTI n DHAKA

Fearing fresh Islamist attacks,Bangladesh Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina on Sundaysought a nationwide social alertadvising neighbourhoods andinstitutions to develop theirown security systems to sup-plement the security agencies.

“Once they (Islamists)started, they are unlikely tokeep silent,” the premier told amedia briefing at her residencein the aftermath of the July 1terrorist attack at an upmarketDhaka cafe that killed 20 for-eigners, including an Indiangirl, and a subsequent assaulton an Eid congregation innorthern Sholakia district.

She however said theattacks resulted in a “nationalunity” against Islamists withpeople from all walks of lifeincluding Islamic leaders join-ing hands in spearheading acountrywide social campaign atthe grassroots while police andsecurity forces launched aclampdown against militants.

“However, everybodyshould develop their own secu-rity spheres, while the govern-ment will do everything possi-ble on its part,” Hasina said.

She spoke hours after sus-pected militants hacked threetraditional ‘Baul’ mystic singersin a pre-dawn attack in westernChadanga district where anumber of them rallied to join

a mystic congregation.The Baul community ren-

ders mystic songs disseminat-ing messages of universal har-mony, which is close to theMuslim Sufi thoughts, and do not perform the routineIslamic rituals.

No group has claimedresponsibility for the attack, butpolice suspect local hardlineIslamists to have carried out theattack as they denounce mys-ticism as “unIslamic”.

Bangladesh in the past twoyears has witnessed deadlyattacks on liberals, secular writ-ers and activists, religiousminorities including Hindus,Shias and Sufis.

“But the Gulshan (Dhakacafe) attack appeared with a dif-ferent dimension, a number offoreigners lost their lives in theassault affecting the country’simage. Earlier I had talkedlouder but the Gulshan attackdented country’s esteemedposition,” Hasina said.

Hillary Clinton targets

Donald Trump in new ad

Most Americans pessimisticabout race relations: Poll

Voodoo pilgrims bathe in a waterfall believed to have purifying powers during the annual celebration in Saut d’ Eau, Haiti. Afterbathing, voodoo pilgrims throw away the dresses they wore to the site, and don new clothes for good luck AP

Sheikh Hasina seeks

nationwide alert

amid Islamist attacks

3 Sufi Muslims attacked in B’desh; critical

Boarding schoolsin UK to addresstransgender kids as ‘zie’

SpaceX to launch key ‘parking spot’ to space station

Armenia opposition group takes hostages in police station raid

A colourful chariot stands in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the International Society for KrishnaConsciousness (ISKCON) during Ratha Yatra on Sunday AP

File photo

Beijing: At least 83 people havebeen killed and 19 others are stillmissing after typhoon Nepartakstruck east China's FujianProvince last week, taking thedeath toll in recent rains andfloods in the country to 309.

The worst-hit MinqingCounty in Fuzhou, capital ofFujian, has reported 73 deaths,with another 17 still missing,state-run Xinhua news agencyreported.

Typhoon Nepartak, thefirst to hit this year, madelandfall in Fujian Province onJuly 9.

With this total casualties inrecent rains and floods inChina f loods in severalprovinces rose to 309.

The total number of missingin the last few weeks stand at 112.

A dike in central China'sHubei Province breached todaycausing substantial floodingand trapping several people.

Around 200 residents fromtwo districts in Wuhan Cityhad been transferred prior toand after the breach, whichhappened at a flood detentionbasin, the local flood controloffice said.

More than 1,000 rescuershave been dispatched to thescene.

Over 70 people have beenrescued so far who weretrapped by the rising floodwaters.

The area has cut off powerand natural gas supplies whilepreparations are being made tofill the breach, according to amedia report. PTI

Death toll in typhoon

Nepartak stands at 83

Kathmandu: India has beendragged into Nepal's newpower game yet again, with asenior Maoist leader on Sundayasking Prime Minister KPSharma Oli's CPN-UML not topreach nationalism to the partythat had waged a "tunnel war"against foreign interference inthe past.

"There is no need for CPN-UML to preach lesson onnationalism to us," Barsha ManPun, senior leader of CPN-Maoist Centre, said.

Coming down heavily onthe Prime Minister, Pun said itwas his party that announceda "tunnel war" against Indiaduring the armed revolution inNepal in 2003-2004 andstepped down from the gov-ernment in 2009 to protestagainst foreign intervention.

Madhesis, ethnic commu-nities and other backwardclasses of Nepal, however, couldnot fit in Oli's idea of nation-alism, he said.

Pun, one of the main archi-tects of the emerging new

alliance between NepaliCongress and the Maoist party,made the remarks while inter-acting with reporters here.

According to him, theCPN-UML's accusation thatthe Maoist party was guided byforeign forces to topple theGovernment was ridiculous asthe former had found theMaoists 'good' when they sup-ported the CPN-UML-led gov-ernment earlier.

Prime Minister Oli hasrecently said he would not putthe national interest at stake toplease the neighbour, withoutnaming India.

However, the local mediahere reported that his remarkswere directed towards India.Meanwhile, Oli, who is reluc-tant to resign despite beingreduced to minority after CPN-Maoist Centre withdrew itssupport to the government,on Sunday consulted legalexperts after CPN-MaoistCentre withdrew its support tothe Government.

PTI

India again dragged inNepal's power politics

US Vice-President Joe Biden holds up his daily briefing of injuries and deaths forUS troops at a restored flag presentation at the Melbourne Cricket Ground inMelbourne on Sunday AP

Last Friday, while theworld was condemningthe terror attack in Nice,France, which left 84dead and over 200

injured, a farce was exposednearer home. Pakistan PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif on thatvery day announced that July 19would be observed as “blackday” to express solidarity with thepeople of Kashmir and HizbulMujahideen militant BurhanWani, who was killed by Indiansecurity forces.

Can there be a bigger contra-diction? In one part of the world,while the civil society is reiterat-ing its resolve to fight terror, on theother part, Pakistan, an ally of theUS in it’s war against terror, is glo-rifying the terrorists and hasdeclared support for their sympa-thisers and supporters.

Terrorism is a scourge, a curseand a bane for society. And it’s glo-rification makes society’s fightagainst this menace even more dif-ficult. One cannot hail terror inKashmir and hope to win a waragainst terror elsewhere.

The ideology which moti-vates militants like Wani and hissupporters in Kashmir, or a 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel who ploughed his truck inNice, is common. They both hatekafirs and are committed to cleansethe world of non-Muslims, as apart of their divine duty.

While Europe and the UShave become victims of terror onlyrecently, the Indian subcontinenthas been suffering for a longtime. From Kashmir to Kerala,from Delhi to Dhaka, the new dis-ruption plan of the Inter-ServicesIntelligence(ISI)-mullah combineis currently at play. The world willbe falling into a trap if it looks atthe current unrest in Kashmir asa localised law and order problemand ignore the larger Islamistplan behind it.

Even Bangladesh PrimeMinister Sheikh Hasina, followingthe Dhaka cafe attack, claimed thatit was Pakistan’s ISI and not somuch the Syria-based Islamic Statethat was behind the attack,although there was some doubtsabout this assertion. But over thelast few days, Hasina is increasing-ly proving to be correct.

The entire world knows thatthe civilian Government inPakistan is on the edge and gov-ernance in Islamabad is subject tothe jostling between the mili-tary’s ambition and the mullahs’aim. While the two are at logger-heads over where to draw the linewith the civilian Government, for

the international consumptionwill not let any peace with itsneighbours, especially with Indiato prevail.

Therefore, when postersappeared in Pakistan, askingPakistan’s powerful Army ChiefGeneral Raheel Sharif to takeover the Government, the truegame in the present contextbecame clearer. The posters are,perhaps, a warning to PrimeMinister Sharif to either let theArmy go ahead with its subversiontargeted at India and Bangladeshor else risk another coup.

Remember, it was this sameSharif who as a Prime Minister,was pulled out from power by theArmy in 1999, after the infamousKargil adventure of the Armybehind his back. So nobody needsto read out the posters now to thesame leader after 17 years.

Having virtually quarantinedthe elected Prime Minister, theISI’s plan is on to get the Indianstate to give up on Kashmir. Thedisplay of the secessionists man-ufactured ‘popular anger’ againstIndia in the valley is necessary forthe Pakistani military and the fun-damentalist movers within

Pakistan like the Jaish-e-Mohammed. Their often repeat-ed bluff nowithstanding, the allpowerful military in Rawalpindiknows that it can’t win a directconfrontation with India.

Since the Kargil adventure, themilitary there knows that no for-eign power is going to support it-except perhaps North Korea. Sothe larger plan is to fan discord anddisplay anti-India sentiment, causemore deaths in security forces’attempts to control the createdunrest and with each such death,get more people to cross over tothe Islamist side.

This is the classic ‘thousandcuts’ strategy to bleed India dry,and get India to genuflect toPakistan’s demands — theZulfiqar Ali Bhutto formula of the1970s. But every such attemptends up with the Indian stateshowing enough determinationnot to succumb to the military-mullah blackmail and Kashmir’sfreely elected Government stand-ing by New Delhi.

The pro-Army posters inIslamabad are also telling: Everysuch confrontation raises the threatlevel of an umpteenth take over of

the elected Government inIslamabad by the military!

We have to be firm in ourminds about what the Pakistaniand Islamist game is — not justin India and Bangladesh, but inthe global scenario. The moder-ate Muslims have themselvescome out blaming the Wahhabicult among their co-religionistsfor the spread of fundamentalismwith the idea drilled into themthat their religion is all set toconquer the world and all thatthey have to do is to keep up atdisruption of the civilised worldfor jihad to succeed. The shotdown Wani had announced hisaim as flying the Islamic flag onthe Red Fort.

Pakistan’s military-mullahcomplex is manipulating someseparatist and disgruntled ele-ments in the valley through a well-planned game of drawing oursecurity forces into a confronta-tion, leading to firing and contin-ued unrest to achieve, amongothers, revive international inter-est in Kashmir and further putpressure on India. But in the last16 years since Kargil, no onecame forward from the interna-tional community to supportPakistan despite its Prime Ministertrying to raise the Kashmir issueat the UN every year.

In Bangladesh, Wahhabismfunneled by Saudi Arabia andaided by Pakistan had estab-lished itself with the assassinationof the country’s founding leaderSheikh Mujibur Rahman. Thelong military rule promoted cler-ics who entrenched themselvesand misled the masses, andturned the latter against anyHindu minorities who were sub-sequently driven out.

It has now been revealed thatthe fundamentalists, theWahhabists and the terror mer-chants have been working togeth-er. Huge sums have been spent tolobby against Prime MinisterHasina and give her a bad namethrough whipping up internation-al anger against her trials underthe International Crimes Tribunalof the clerics who collaboratedwith Pakistan Army in the 1970s.

If the world is serious in win-ning war against terror, but it willhave to drop the phoney distinc-tion between good and bad terror-ists. There are only two sides inthis war — black and white. Thereis no room for any shade of grey.Pakistan cannot be allowed to sidewith death merchants in theIndian sub-continent and be a partof the alliance against terror in therest of the world.T

he United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s con-ferring of the coveted World Heritage tag on the ancient Nalanda Universitysite in Bihar is a moment of celebration for the country. Both the Government

of Bihar and the Union Government worked hard to make it happen. The entireprocess took more than seven years and there was a rejection in between aswell. But Team India soldiered through, and eventually presented a strong andconvincing case. It goes without saying that every bit of this honour is well-deserved, and it should go a long way in drawing public attention to this ancientseat of learning. It is expected that both the Government at the Centre and theState will now market the ruins effectively so that the area can evolve as a majortourist destination. This will not only help build awareness of our rich and diverseheritage, but also generate the revenue that will be necessary to preserve thesite in all its glory. It is, however, in this context that a cautionary note must beissued. Including Nalanda, India now has 33 heritage sites all over the country— most of them are cultural sites such as the Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta caves

in Maharashtra, the MahabodhiTemple complex in Bihar, the CholaTemples in Tamil Nadu and the HillForts of Rajasthan. There are alsoseven natural sites such as theSunderbans, the Western Ghats andthe Kaziranga wildlife sanctuary.However, conservation of these sitesas well as heritage sites in generalremains an issue of concern. For everyone monument that is well taken careof, there are several others that are for-gotten, neglected and abandoned. Forexample, the ruins of Hampi inKarnataka were on the Unesco's listof World Heritage Sites in Dangerbetween 1999 and 2006. They weretaken off the list after serious conser-vation efforts were undertaken.Similarly, Assam's Manas sanctuary

was also put on the danger list in 1992 and removed only in 2011. The point isthat while the UN tag is a great first step, it mustn't be the end of the road.

This is especially true for Nalanda which can be seen as part of a ‘living her-itage', now that the Government has revived the ancient university and studentsare once again walking through its hallowed portals. Close to the original Nalandasite, its 21st century avatar is coming up in Rajgir, Bihar. And like the ancientuniversity, this too has been envisaged as a prestigious global seat of learning.However, slice it whichever way you will, the fact remains that the project hasbeen slow to take off and mired in controversy, with Nobel Laureate AmartyaSen, who headed the project until 2015, being unable to deliver on his mandate.It is hoped that Singapore's George Yeo who succeeded Sen and has been atthe helm for just about a year now, will perform better. If this project takes off,it will undoubtedly be the most effective way to preserve and cherish this coun-try's incredibly rich civilisational history.

The unspeakable horror brought by Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhel, an IslamicState fanatic on July 14 at the Bastille Day celebrations in the French cityof Nice is highly condemnable. It can rightly be described as one of the most

horrific and brutal terror attack on revelers which shows how low the IslamicState (IS) can stoop to just for glorifying its Caliphate who is fast becoming ‘state-less'. An attack carried out on the ground by a loner, who had used a 19 tonnelorry to mow down the crowd, finally taking the lives of more than 84 people,can be called a serious security lapse for sure. The Government could have installedenough security checks to a place wherein people were celebrating the NationalDay. Further, Nice, being a city from where maximum number of Muslims havejoined the IS and is always on the security radar, the Government should haveleft no chance for such an attack. It is also strange that Nice, one of France'sheavily policed city with nearly 600 municipal officers and other intelligence agentsfor a population of 342, 000, should have been successful in averting an attackof a single terrorist who was driving his murderous truck for nearly a mile-longkilling spree. It is the third terrorist attack targeting the masses in less than eight months in Western Europe is fast generating anxiety across, fearing more

such incidents.This attack was not simply target-

ing the European continent but also israising the ugly heads of single terrorstrikers who will possibly be on therise around the world. As IS is losingits territorial assets in every passingday, its frustration is growing and nowit appeals its followers to hit thegroup's enemies beyond Syria andIraq. Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, thespokesman of the IS, said in May thatIS fights no more for territory. It canbe seen as an abrupt and remarkableshift from its earlier strategy of grab-bing territories and establishing a glob-al Islamic governance system on thelines of strict Sharia directives. Adnaniwas stressing more on carrying outthe smallest action possible in the

heartland of their enemies for enduring effect on the Muslims around the world.The IS is near certain that it is going to lose its last bastions of Raqqa and Mosulthough its soldiers are expected to defend them ferociously. Therefore many indi-viduals and groups affiliated to IS have responded to his call by resorting to mur-derous attacks in places such as Orlando, Istanbul, Baghdad, Jeddah, and Dhakahave killed hundreds recently. And the attack on the people in Nice was one suchand it was either directed by IS or merely inspired by its call for an internation-al Islamic caliphate. But for the conservative politicians of France it was noth-ing but the failure of the Socialist Government of François Hollande which seemedto be utterly careless in foiling such security threats on an important occasionlike this. Now the question is whether the Government provided adequate nation-al police forces for the fireworks at display in Nice and it will badly hunt Hollande'sparty when France is heading for presidential election next year. It is hoped thatFrance will remain stronger as ever than the infidels who killed innocent civil-ians, in this tragic moment of national grief. It is high time that the internation-al community must redouble its efforts to intensify the global war on terror.

Terror revisits France

Call for global jihad must be countered

opinion 08LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016

The fight against terrorand double standardsIf the world is serious about winning the war against terror, it must drop the distinction between good andbad terrorists. We have to see this in only two colours — black and white — and without any shade of grey

Honouring Nalanda legacy

UN tag fine; deliver on new Nalanda University

Corrupt party

Sir — This refers to the editori-al, “Congress’s last hope” (June16). The Congress has alwaysbeen a party of the corrupt.Starting with Mahatma Gandhi,who preferred Jawaharlal Nehruover Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, inspite of the overwhelming sup-port for the latter from the grass-roots. The latest illustration of thisis the party’s apporach toCongress scion Priyanka Vadraand former Delhi Chief MinisterShiela Dikshit.

Abhi Via web

Lost hope

Sir — This refers to the editorial,“Congress’s last hope” (June 16). Forhow long will the pre-occupationwith the Nehru-Gandhi familycontinue? So much so that there hasbeen a complete exclusion of a far-sighted vision to strengthen theparty, to gain the lost ground.

State after State, the Congresshas been virtually burying itsown prospects by concentratingon who will take the flak on los-ing, rather than how to win. Anyonlooker will conclude that theparty, including the recently para-

chuted experts like PrashantKishor have been tasked only withprotecting the first family’s name.

NS RajanVia web

Legal problems

Sir — This refers to the editorial,“Muddying AFSPA waters” (July15). It seems, the Supreme Courthas become somewhat anti-estab-lishment. One wonders if it is act-ing on the directions of 10Janpath. Urgent reforms in thejudiciary are required.

Parasher Via web

Finding solutions

Sir — This refers to the article, “Thechocolate-boy face of militancy inKashmir” (July 15) by KalyaniShankar. It is not at all a Kashmirproblem, but a problem that has cul-minated in the establishment ofMuslim-majority Pakistan andBangladesh. Of course, Kashmir’sproblems are compounded by thepresence of Pakistan. India’s olivebranch will never work. A strongmilitary presence and the will totake on the terrorists is the solution.

M Kapil Via web

Alienated Kashmiris

Sir — This refers to the article,“The chocolate-boy face of mili-tancy in Kashmir” (July 15) byKalyani Shankar. The writer givesno insight as to why the young-sters in Kashmir are alienated. Itis not that the Hizbul Mujahideensuddenly caught the imaginationof the young in the valley. Thealienation is mainly due to cor-ruption. It has nothing to do withthe political process.

SP Via web

Uninformed citizenry

Sir — This refers to the article,“The chocolate-boy face of mili-tancy in Kashmir” (July 15) byKalyani Shankar. Successive IndianGovernments have failed to keepthe Indian people, including thecitizens of Jammu & Kashmir,informed about the duplicity ofPakistan. The Government mustregularly spread information aboutthe true nature of Pakistan whichwill weaken the hold of separatists.

OP Gupta Via web

www.dailypioneer.com

p a p e r w i t h p a s s i o n

BALBIR PUNJ

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

There is no Kashmir prob-

lem. The only outstanding

matter is how to retrieve

the part of Jammu &

Kashmir which remains

under illegal occupation

(of Pakistan).

Union Minister

—Jitendra Singh

Unfortunately, the lessons we

learnt in 2008 and 2010 have

been forgotten by the present

Government (in Kashmir).

Former Jammu & Kashmir

Chief Minister

—Omar Abdullah

We should keep on

owning the streets no

matter at what stage (the

coup attempt is) because

a new flare-up could take

place at any moment.

Turkey’s President

—Recep Tayyip Erdogan

TERRORISM IS ACURSE. IT'S

GLORIFICATIONMAKES SOCIETY'SFIGHT AGAINST IT

EVEN MOREDIFFICULT. ONECANNOT HAIL

TERROR INKASHMIR AND HOPE

TO WIN A WARAGAINST TERROR

ELSEWHERE

SOUNDBITE

The new British Prime

Minister is here to stay

This refers to the editorial, “After Thatcher, Theresa” (July 15). That TheresaMay was seen as an unlikely choice for the Prime Minister's post but man-aged to overcome the aspirations of contenders — Boris Johnson and

Michael Gove — reveals that the lady is here to stay. May’s administrativeacumen as the Home Secretary will hold her in good stead in perhaps oneof the toughest times to assume office. Surprisingly, she has appointed Johnsonas the Foreign Secretary, indicating that the latter's expertise as a solid backerof the UK's exit from the European Union will be utilised to the hilt.

Known for her conflicting stands on various issues plaguing the UKsociety like gay rights, political analysts of the UK have little doubts in May'sability to steer the UK through troubled and turbulent times. May has thetough task to prevent the erosion of the charming city — London. Of course,it goes without saying that uniting a divided Conservative Party will alwaysbe on her mind.

Ganapathi BhatAkola

Send your feedback to: [email protected]

MANAN DWIVEDI

SHAILENDRA SINHA

Lahanti’ in the local trib-al dialect in SanthalPargana, Jharkhand, lit-

erally means ‘development’.And this is what theEvangelical Social ActionForum (ESAF), a non-Governmental organisationthat works towards the trans-formation of the poor and themarginalised communities,focuses on.

In March 2015, ESAFlaunched the Lahanti Institutefor Multiple Skills (LIMS) atDumka. Jesova, principalLIMS said, “Our programmefocuses on tribal childrenbecause due to poverty, theyare unable to go to school. Weprovide them with skills so thatthey can earn a livelihood.”

This programme is a rayof hope for a young man or awoman growing up in a poorrural family in this tribal beltof Jharkhand. It also signals anopportunity to break away

from the cycle of inter-gener-ational poverty.

Their families simply doesnot have the means to educatethem beyond a point. Andwith no avenues available toacquire skills, they are caughtup in the vortex of poverty,again. New skills mean jobopportunities and the abilityto create self-employment.

The courses have beendesigned to cater to the jobmarket and they cover wide-ranging areas such as officemanagement, financial ser-vice, electronics, electricalappliances, photography,videography, fashion designingand computer applications.

At a fee of a mere `3,700these residential courses sig-nify an opening into the widerprofessional sphere for thetribal youth.

Francis Murmu whocomes from an agriculturalfamily, joined LIMS for a

course on electrical appli-ances. It is ironical that his vil-lage in Masaliya block doesnot have electricity.

There are many youngones like Francis who despitecoming from a region that isunderdeveloped, are driven bya hope for a better future.LIMS is providing them withan opportunity to carve outthat future as professionals.

“In the beginning, I was abit nervous working on elec-trical applications, but todayI make solar panels”, said abeaming Francis.

Kavita Mumru who couldnot continue studies after clear-ing her 10 plus two, took up acourse in office managementhas been able to find a job.

Rakesh Soren who toofaced a similar situation, optedfor computer applications.Now, he is hopeful of gettinga job so as to help his family.

Baha Hembram, who

from a poor family, the eldestof four siblings too is ambi-tious. She is keen to acquireskills in banking, insuranceand finance.

Multiple skills meanswider professional openingsfor this young tribal girl.Mary Hembram has a job, butstill took time off to do acourse in office management.Today, Mary has an impres-sive profile combining skills incomputers as well as office management.

LIMS has linked up withseveral organisations such asV-Guard and Sanma, a gar-ment factory that is run byESAF, to secure placements.Ajith Sen, deputy chief man-ager, ESAF said that on com-pleting the course, students donot face a problem to getplacements.

Depending on their specif-ic skills and its demand in thejob market, young people have

found jobs at salaries rangingfrom `5,000 to `12,000. In theperiod since its launch, LIMShas turned out around 120youth and propelled themtowards sustainable livelihoods.

The initiative has demon-strated how skill developmentcan transform lives of impov-erished youth who are other-wise devoid of professionalopportunities. Yet, this is alocalised effort. It needs to betaken to a larger scale inorder to reach out to theyoung ones and make a signif-icant difference across theState of Jharkhand.

Interestingly, LIMS wasestablished at a time when thepolicy focus at the nationallevel is on skill development.This has found resonance ina number of States.

The Government ofJharkhand, under itsDepartment of Labour,Employment, Training and

Skill Development, has estab-lished the Jharkhand SkillDevelopment Mission Society.This society aims at providingskill training to the unem-ployed youth, thereby enablingthem to find employment orbecome self-employed.

The synergy between theCentral Government and theState Government was reflect-ed in a Memorandum ofUnderstanding, signed inMarch 2015, between theState’s Skill DevelopmentMission and the National SkillDevelopment Corporation.The focus of ehich is toimprove employability skillsof the youth in the State.

These developments por-tend a hope for the future; thiscan signal the opening up ofsustainable livelihoods forthousands of young men andwomen in the State. This cannbe the key to ‘Lahanti’.

(Charkha Features)

The launch of Lahanti Institute for Multiple Skills, will go a long way to provide skills training to unemployed, tribalyouth in the remotest areas like Dumka. However, this is a localised effort, it needs to be taken to a larger scale

Over-reacting to US race rage?

3rdeye 09LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016

You have to monitor the mosques. Where do

you think the primary source of

indoctrination and recruitment is?

—Former US House Speaker

NEWT GINGRICH

The US was founded on the principle that

people can worship as they please, without

Government harassment.

—White House Press Secretary

JOSH EARNEST

The non-US media

has made a

brouhaha over the

episode of cop

killing in Dallas,

and related

violence in Baton

Rouge and

Louisiana. The

larger American

nation is at

relative peace with

itself and several

headlines

pinpointing the

fact that all of

America is up

in protest and

rebellion, is

misinterpretation

POINTCOUNTERPOINT

The title of an academic work, TheFree and the Unfree: A NewHistory of the United States, res-

onates as an avid thought, as the sce-nario in the US turns out to become avitriolic vortex of social inundation.Akin to the much tom-tommed themeof miasmic martyrdom, and sketchyshahadat in the Indian firmament in theProvince of Kashmir, the US toorecently witnessed its dissensionmoments since the last few months. Itinitially began with the myriad inci-dents of gun running in different habi-tations such as South Carolina, SanBernardino, Orlando, etc.

The recent outburst amongst theBlack American youths too underlinesthe gnawing trend in some sections ofthe American populace. An Americanhistorian wrote, “Changes in econom-ic and social relations were closely inter-twined with emerging patterns of polit-ical activity. Some scholars lament thefact that the US plays god to human his-tory which is the cause of socio-polit-ical malignancy.”

Still, the cult of rebellion and thegrandiloquent American revolution waslargely inspired by the ideas of the quin-tessential localised and subaltern nom deplume of America. Richard Hofstadter inhis book, The Age of Reform, contendsthat, “the traditional hostility to educat-ed leadership was founded in the demo-cratic institutions and egalitarian senti-ments of this country.”

Also, James James Gould Cozzens’sbook, By Love Possessed, brought fortha novae American redefinition. Thenovella has Arthur Winner as the maleprotagonist, who becomes the quintes-sence of the nation’s best qualities andis described as intelligent and tolerant.Winner’s father had instilled the senti-

ment in him that it is impossible toimprove the world and it was a sign ofnational maturity and a responsibility tosustain the status quo.

All these dilemmas hold true in thelarger context of the recent race-relat-ed disturbances in the US. The non-American media has seemingly made abrouhaha over the entire episode of copkilling in Dallas, and related violence inBaton Rouge and Louisiana. The larg-er American nation is at relative peacewith itself and several headlines pin-pointing the fact that whole of Americais up in protest and rebellion, is muchof a misnomer interpretation.

Though black protesters with theirloose vests and baggy gangsta trousers,have protested with offensive articles andthere has been some damage to prop-erty, still, the entire cacophony about theUS being in a state of violent rebellionand strutting rioting, is rather amplifiedand propagandist.

The New York Times reported, “TheLiberty first wore black shirts Sundaywith the words ‘#BlackLivesMatter’ and‘#Dallas5’ on the front and a hashtag witha blank space on the back. But onWednesday, players wore plain blackAdidas shirts before a game against theAtlanta Dream, and said the decision wasdue to a compromise made by the play-ers to wear the branded warm up shirts.”

Also, the stakes have been height-ened by the American Civil LibertiesUnion suing the Baton Rouge police forblocking the Black people’s right toprotest. Still, some of the Black protes-tors, after witnessing the melee, havecommented that they no longer want tolead a life with an all pervading ‘Hashtag’but would go ahead with their regularand ‘routinised rituals’ in the light ofthese disturbances.

During the protests in Dallas, MicahXavier Johnson shot dead five Dallaspolice officers who were helping protectthe protesters while the encounter ragedon under the twilight neon’s of the DallasUrbana. It was here that the bullets ofLee Harvey Oswald found their place inNovember 22, 1963.

John McWhorter wrote in ChicagoTribune that, “What sparked the 1965Watts riots — and many of the long hotsummers that followed around thecountry in the 1960s — was actionstaken by police, not cultural appropri-ation. The Black Panthers rose in oppo-sition to the way black communitieswere policed, not celebrities comment-ing on their rear ends.”

Also, in a Pew Research Poll, it hasbeen documented that 84 per cent of theBlack Americans are of the opinion thatthe police treats them unjustly while only50 per cent of the Whites think that way.Still, the causes that concern the regu-lar colored person is not “cultural appro-priation and micro aggressions” etc, butthe way the cops approach the Blacks.

A protester, Leshia Evans, solemn-ly with one of her hands resting on herstomach and the other one in extensiondressed in a somber black and greygown with three Baton Rouge anti-riot-ers, in bedecked in superhero like blueanti-riot gear approaching, her as if insuspended animation, will remainetched in public memory for a longtime to come.

This picket fenced pic in accordance,according to news reports by the CNNand BBC will attain iconic proportionsin the US. The protests erupted in a fewplaces such as Louisiana and BatonRouge in a movement against the“killing” of Alton Sterling after the policepersonnel saw a gun’s butt in one of the

front pockets of the subject and whileattempting to subdue him he was shotat, according to a CNN report.

Race-related tensions have beenpresent in the US since the inception ofthe heady and expanding territorialambitions of the American East Coastin the days of the chenneyes and Siouxesin the Wild West’s Oregon trail, acrossthe mountains.

Another visage is worth remember-ing and reiteration. The seminal case ofBrown vs Board of Education had its ownchild perspective. The girl child lookson from outside the principal’s roomand her father with a Bowler hat argueswith the principal of the school whereshe is being denied admission on thepremise of the segregation rules of theeducation department. She witnessesher father as he bangs the door in a huffand drags away the girl child in a brightribboned pony tail to seek legal reme-dy against the segregation at school.

The schism since the days of MartinLuther King’s “I have a Dream” andMohammad Ali’s hurtling away hisOlympic Medal in the Hudson river, stillare stark reminders of the fact that inclu-sion can be better managed in the US.

The US ideationally propounds itsfoundational ethos on the premise ofliberty, freedom, fraternity, democra-cy and the pursuit of happiness. Thefoundational myth ought not to be viti-ated by these rankling incidents of theorder of Orlando, Baton Rouge andLouisiana, otherwise, the AmericanDream imbued with the pelf of freedomruns, egalitarianism and Just warstands, besmirched in the larger con-temporary context. Great nations donot go down like that.

(The writer teaches at Indian Instituteof Public Administration, New Delhi)

Skilling the remote part of India thinknowI

do not pretend to be able

to prove that there is no

God. I equally cannot

prove that Satan is a

fiction. The Christian god

may exist; so may the gods

of Olympus, or of ancient

Egypt, or of Babylon. But

no one of these hypotheses

is more probable than any

other: they lie outside the

region of even probable

knowledge, and, therefore,

there is no reason to

consider any of them.

—Bertrand Russell

The coup attempt

and its fallout

The coup attempt was a terrible mistake, for which theArmy will suffer punishment. Meanwhile, Erdogan is allset to emerge as the Sultan of a post-democratic Turkey

The narrative about the US being in a state of violent rebellion and rioting, following the violence in Dallas and Baton Rouge, is amplifiedand propagandist in nature. In fact, large sections of the black community do not want their life to be defined by an all-pervading hashtagGWYNNE DYER

FIRSTCOLUMN

Turkey's democracy is dead. It was dying anyway, as PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan took over media outlets, arrested polit-ical opponents and journalists, and even re-started a war

with the Kurds last autumn in order to win an election. But oncea part of the Army launched a coup attempt on Friday night, itwas dead no matter which way the crisis ended.

It wasn't a very competent coup atttempt. The first rule ofcoup-making is: Arrest or kill the person you are trying to over-throw. The coup leaders should have been able to grabErdogan, who was on a holiday at the seaside resort of Marmaris,but they didn't.

They didn't shut down the Internet and the social media either,so Erdogan was able to use his cellphone to get a message outon FaceTime, calling on his supporters to defy the soldiers onthe streets of Istanbul and Ankara. They didn't even shut downthe broadcast media that sent Erdogan's call out to the public.

The second rule of coup-making is: Act as if you mean it.This usually means that you have to be willing to kill people —but the colonels behind the coup (the generals were all vettedby Erdogan's people) were largely reluctant to use lethal force.

This is laudable, in human terms, but if you are trying tooverthrow the rule of a ruthless man who aspires to absolutecontrol, it is a very bad mistake. They took control of Istanbulairport, but they were chased out again by Erdogan's support-ers because they were not willing to shoot them — and Erdoganflew back into the city.

Maybe the coup-makers were just too short of troops to grabcontrol of everything they needed to make the coup work. Maybe,also, they were afraid to order their troops to carry out a mas-sacre because Turkey's is a conscript Army, and many of its youngsoldiers — basically civilians in uniform for one year — mightsimply refuse to kill their fellow citizens.

At any rate, they didn't use massive violence in Istanbul, andso they were soon in retreat. But there can be no happy endingto this episode.

Democracy would obviously have been dead if the rebelswon. Almost exactly half of Turkey's voters backed Erdogan inthe last election, so a military regime would have had to stayin power for a long time. It would not have dared to hold a freeelection and risk Erdogan returning to power.

It would have been equally dead if the coup had partially suc-ceeded and the Army had really split, for that would have meant acivil war. Mercifully, that possibility has now disappeared, but democ-racy will be dead in Turkey even if the coup is utterly defeated.

A triumphant Erdogan will seize this opportunity to com-plete his take-over of all the major State organisations and themedia, and become (as his followers often call him) the ‘Sultan’of Turkey. That is a tragedy, because five or 10 years ago, Turkeyseemed well on the way to being the sort of democracy, withfree media and the rule of law, where a coup like this was sim-ply inconceivable.

When Erdogan won his first election in 2002, promising toremove all the restricions that pious Muslims suffered under therigidly secular Constitution, it seemed a reasonable step fowardin the democratisation process.

He kept his promises about that, but gradually he went fur-ther, trying to Islamise the country against the strong opposi-tion of the half of the population that favours a secular state.

Luckily for Erdogan, the Turkish economy was booming, sohe went on winning elections — and he worked steadily to con-centrate all power in his own office.

He removed any officials who were not his avid support-ers, attacked the freedom of the media, and committed Turkeyto unconditional support for the Islamist rebels in neighbouring Syria.

The rebel Army officers may have been trying to stop all that,but it was a terrible mistake for which they will suffer severepunishment. So will anybody, who is even suspected of havingsypathised with them, and Erdogan will emerge as the all-pow-erful ‘Sultan’ of a post-democratic Turkey.

LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016 money 10

I think everyone has respectedthe need that where they takeactions based on appropriatedue diligence, on a properapplication of mind given thesituation, they should havesome freedom to take actions

RBI GOVERNOR RAGHURAM RAJAN

It is hard (to do business) inIndia (as) there are so many

vested interest who weretrying to keep some of the

incumbents happy

AIRASIA GROUP CHIEF TONY FERNANDES

RBI & CORP

FROM

BUZZ

MUMBAI: Taking his critics head-on, RBI Governor RaghuramRajan has challenged them toshow how inflation is “very low”before accusing him of “beingbehind the curve” in his focus oncontaining price rise than ongrowth and debunked such crit-icism as mere ‘dialogues’.

Rajan, who has often beenseen as being critical of theGovernment and its policies,also said there is “lot of frustra-tion” about the pace of econom-ic recovery, but attributed it to thetwo successive droughts, weakglobal economy and externalshocks like Brexit.

Given these constraints, per-formance of Indian economy hasbeen “quite creditable” andprospects of good monsoon aswell as structural reforms andmacroeconomic stability willaccelerate the growth going for-ward, he added.

On GDP growth figures,the outgoing Governor said hehas refrained from “thumping onthe table” to put a number onGDP growth, adding peoplesometimes get “overly fixatedwith a particular growth num-ber”, though figures like 7.6 percent and 8 per cent are within thesame range.

Speaking to a select group ofjournalists here on a wide rangeof issues, Rajan said regardingfinancial inclusion, it is not pos-sible to have bank branches inevery village because that wouldbe too expensive, but RBI isexploring other options likemobile branches and mini ormicro branches.

Rajan, who has been pillo-ried by his critics for keepinginterest rates high and has alsobeen accused of stifling growth,cited consumer price index(CPI)-based inflation surging

for the fourth straight month inJune to 5.77 per cent to defend hisrecord.

“This discussion (on beingbehind the curve) keeps going onwithout any economic basis. Yousaw the CPI numbers just lastweek -- 5.8 per cent is the CPIinflation, our policy rate is 6.5 percent,” he said.

Asserting that he does not“really pay attention to this kindof dialogues”, Rajan said thosecalling him behind the curveshould explain how inflation isvery low to warrant lower inter-est rates.

One of the biggest criticismsof Rajan’s monetary policy hasbeen by BJP MP SubramanianSwamy, who accused him ofbeing “mentally not fully Indian”and had sought his dismissal.

Amid unrelenting personalattacks, Rajan last monthannounced that he would stepdown at the end of his three-yeartenure on September 4 andreturn to academia. Asked whatmessage he would like to give to

his successor,Rajan said, “Wait formonetary policy.”

RBI’s next bi-monthly mon-etary policy review meeting isdue on August 9, which would beRajan’s last.

“I am not sure where we arebehind the curve. You have to tellme that somehow inflation isvery low for us to be seen asbehind the curve,” he said.

The consumer inflation iscurrently near its two-year highand close to the upper end of thecentral bank’s inflation target of2 per cent to 6 per cent.

On challenges facing theeconomy, Rajan said, “I think thechallenges have been relativelysame for quite sometime, whichis we are in the midst of a recov-ery.”

“There is a lot of frustrationwith the pace of the recovery butwe should remember that it is inthe face of two consecutivedroughts and with a global econ-omy which has been quite weak.And of course with number ofshocks coming from the global

economy such as what we sawmost recently with Brexit,” hesaid.

The Governor said giventhese domestic and external fac-tors, “the performance of theIndian economy has been quitecreditable.”

“And I think that the hope iswith the good monsoon whichwe are seeing just now, that sen-timent gets elevated especially inrural areas, rural consumptionpicks up more strongly, the agri-cultural sector gains strength, therural industry gains strengthand overall demand starts pick-ing up more strongly. I think thatcertainly is our expectation andwe will see how that plays out,”he said.

Rajan said the challenge is tostrengthen the process by under-taking all the reforms that areneeded.

“There is a lot of talk nowa-days about GST being done inmonsoon session. That would bea good thing. I think from ourperspective at the RBI, the num-

ber of issues that we are workingon and trying to accelerate thestructural reforms process, so let’ssee what we can do,” he said.

Rajan said he has refrainedfrom “thumping on the table” toput a number on GDP growth.

“Our last projection was 7.6per cent and I think as the mon-soon develops, as the globaleconomy develops, clearly therewill be changes in that. But I thinkwe sometimes get overly fixatedwith a particular growth number-- 7.6, 8, they are all within thesame sort of range of numbers,”he said.The Governor said thefocus should be on undertakingallthe actions needed to ensurethat growth is strong and sus-tainable.

“And that means macro sta-bility, that means the kind ofstructural reforms we are doingto enhance the pace of growth. Ithink those are really what weshould be focussed on rather thanwhether it is half a percentagepoint up or down,” he said.

On financial inclusion, the

RBI Governor said there cannotbe bank branches in every villagebecause it would be too expen-sive.

“Now one possibility is amobile branch and some banksare bringing in a mobile branchwhich travels from village to vil-lage and stays at a particular fixedtime in village,” he said.

Also, RBI is exploring defi-nition of a branch to see if mini,micro and mobile branches canfit into it, he said, adding there isa need to work with new insti-tutions as well as technology.

“We have given the in-prin-ciple licence to Postal PaymentBank. When it is licensed for-mally, that would bring a lot ofPost Offices into the process andso you can put in money and takeout money,” he said.

Also, with the mobile com-panies coming in, money can beput in or taken out from amobile kiosk.

So, if a mobile company has1.5 lakh kiosks selling mobilecards, these can be used to takein money or give out money. This“could be a big game changer,” hesaid.

Rajan said by the end of thismonth, the universal paymentinterface (UPI), which allows oneto make payment from one bankaccount to another, will be inplace. “So I think, with the UPI,and I am telling you a two stageprocess... One, we have to makeit easier to take out and put inmoney, the kiosks will help, thePost offices will help.

“But also the need to take outmoney or put in money willreduce if I can do directly into thebank account, if I can make pay-ments electronically and I thinkUPI will help there. So my hopeis these things will actually reducethe problem,” he said. PTI

Manoj Sinha should focus on providing

telecom connectivity to villages

On the very first day oftaking charge as tele-

com minister, Manoj Sinhahad to face music of headinga ministry that has a longhistory of being in contro-versy. The Congress partyacc us ed t he NDAGovernment of `45,000crore-scam by not takingany action against telecomoperators for under report-ing revenues. As I explainedin my Column last Monday,it was a naive move and did-n’t give any political mileageto it.

However, it became clearthat the Communicationministr y wil l always beunder scrutiny of politicalparties. How can Congressforget that it was the 2Gscam that led to its down-fall?

As telecom minister,now the focus will be onSinha. In order to improvethe performance of the min-istry, his immediate focusshould be on three areas -Auction, Call drop andBharatNet – but in reverseorder.

The main reason whyauction should be the leastwor r i s ome i s t hat t heCommunications ministryhas got an auction expertbureaucrat JS Deepak as itsSecretary. As a joint secre-tary in the Communicationsministry in 2010, Deepakwas responsible for one ofthe most successful auctionsof 3G and 4G spectrum. Hewas also roped in for subse-quent spectrum auctions.

His help was also sought forcoal auction.

Next is the problem ofcall drops. There is no quickfix method for resolving thisissue. Basic reason for calldrops is – small quantity ofspectrum allotted to theOperators, increasing use ofdata and low investment oninfrastructure by the tele-com service providers.

This i s sue wi l l b eresolved in due course oftime as mergers and acqui-sitions take place in theindustry. Recently, Bhartiacquired sp ec t r um ofVideocon and Aircel. Thiswill give it enough band-width for providing voiceand data services seamless-ly in many places. Similarly,the proposed merger ofRCOM with MTS and Aircelis a move in this direction.New operator Reliance Jiohas entered into spectrumsharing deal with RCOM.

The most important anddifficult issue is providingOptical Fibre Cable (OFC)connect ivity to v i l lagesunder BharatNet project.This is the backbone of theDig it a l Ind ia projec t .Without connectivity, no e-governance services can beprovided to rural popula-tion. The Government wassupposed to connect 2.5 lakhVillage Panchayats underthis project. Its targets havebeen revised a couple oftimes. However, it is stillmuch behind in its schedule.The status of the project issuch that if everything goeswell even then the govern-ment will not be able to con-nect one lakh villages by theend of this financial year.

So, the first priority ofSinha should be BharatNet.If successfully implemented,it will help people in ruralareas and he will be able tomake a mark in t heGovernment.

(The writer is a SeniorJournalist)

MANOJ GAIROLA

Show me how inflation is low:

Rajan on ‘dialogues’ by critics

MUMBAI: Amid a clamouramong bankers for immunityfrom action by agencies likeCBI and CVC, Reserve BankGovernor Raghuram Rajanhas disapproved of any “blan-ket sort of relief” but wants thedecisions on loans given afterappropriate due diligence to beprotected.

“I think bankers haveexpressed some concern thatthey should not be held liablefor actions that are taken in thefull spirit of what is needed,”he said.

“I think everyone has

respected the need that wherethey take actions based onappropriate due diligence, ona proper application of mindgiven the situation, theyshould have some freedom totake actions...

“Otherwise, we will notget the kind of clean up, thekind of putting over-lever-aged projects back on trackthat the economy needs,”Rajan told a select group ofjournalists here.

At the recent meeting ofthe Bank Board Bureau (BBB),a new body constituted by the

Government to improve gov-ernance of PSU lenders, theState-owned banks soughtimmunity from “unnecessaryoversight” from agencies suchas the Central Bureau ofInvestigation (CBI) and theCentral Vigilance Commission(CVC) on decisions related toloans that are taken collec-tively.

Asked about the demandfrom the bankers, Rajan saidthere cannot be any “blanketsort of relief, saying whateveractions you take no matterwhat their character, you

should be absolved of anyresponsibility.”

“I think there has to besome responsibility, but theresponsibility has to be formaking the appropriate duediligence of taking measureddecisions.

“As long as somebody hasinvested the effort in takingthe right decision, theyshouldn’t be held responsiblebased on which way the deci-sion (goes)... Sometimes, youknow, uncertainty creates thepossibility that decision turnsout wrong,” Rajan said. PTI

‘Banks can’t get ‘blanket relief’ from CBI, CVC actions’

PTI n NEW DELHI

AirAsia group chief TonyFernandes has said it

was hard to do business inIndia due to protectionistpolicies and “vested inter-ests”, but his joint venturecarrier AirAsia India washere for a long haul.

Defending the s low-paced growth of AirAsiaIndia, he said the aviationsector here was a “doublemarathon” and not a “sprint”.

“I am not going to stormin like a bull in China shoplike Vijay Mallya did, and getcaught. Now we have a (civilaviation) policy and the pol-icy is very clear on what wehave to do. So talk to us in a

few years time,” he told thenews agency when askedabout the growth plans forhis airlines.

Observing that the BJP-led Government has “at leastdelivered 80 per cent of whatit talked about” in the draftaviation policy, the AirAsiachief said “it is hard (to dobusiness) in India (as) thereare so many vested interestwho were trying to keepsome of the incumbentshappy.”

“So at least they changedit (norm for internationalflying by domestic carriers)and we are clear what weneed to do. And I would notbe dead by the time 5 yearscome along with 20 aircraft

we had before,” the AirAsia(B erhad) Group ChiefExecutive Officer told thenews agency on the sidelinesof the Farnb oroughInternational Airshow in theUK last week.

Fernandes, who is alsoamong the pioneers of thelow-cost airline model inAsia, minced no words incr it ic i s ing the IndianGovernment for “protec-tionism in the skies” while atthe same time heaping praiseon the new civil aviationpolicy, particularly the doingaway of the 5/20 norm.

“Don’t protect airlines.Get more air traffic rights,get more tourism into Indiaand create more jobs. I think

the Modi Government has tobe brave in going all the wayand getting rid of vestedinterests and protectionism,”he said.

To questions on AirAsiaIndia’s slow progress as com-pared to its peer group, hesaid earlier there was noclarity on what the policywas going to be. “This is nota sprint this a marathon.India is a double marathon.So I think we have beensmart, we are cautious, webuilt it slowly,” Fernandessaid. “Look at how quicklywe grew. I started with twoplanes in Malaysia. But Idid not have a 5/20 rule. Iwas not sued every day. I didnot have Naresh Goyal on

my back. How long I havebeen in India? Two years.How long has theGovernment of India beenaround? You have been acountry of a long time, right?Wait, patience. Must notrush,” Fernandes said.

He said he needed toknow what the Government’saviation policy was going tobe before expanding AirAsiaIndia’s fleet and network.

AirAsia India, whichstarted operations in June2014, is co-owned by TataSons (49 per cent) andAirAsia Berhad (49 percent). The rest of two percent is held by airline’s boardmembers S Ramadorai and RVenkataramanan. The air-

line flies to 10 domestic des-tinations with a fleet of sixAirbus A320 aircraft.

“I have to congratulate(the Government). . . . It(doing away with 5/20 rule)is a good step forward forIndian aviation and hope-fully most of the measures(proposed in the policy) willbe going to be enforced,”Fernandes said.

The new aviation policy,announced last month, didaway with the 5/20 rulewhich allowed global opera-tions by an Indian carrierhaving 20 aircraft and fiveyears of domestic opera-tions. The policy now allowsoverseas operations by anyIndian airline with 20 air-

craft which keeps aside 20per cent of its fleet exclu-sively for domestic opera-tions.

The proposed regionalconnectivity scheme was alsoa good step just like theGovernment’s decision tocome up with regional air-ports which would bringdown airport charges, whichat present along with taxeson jet fuel are “too high,” hesaid.

Terming the policy as“quite impressive,” the AirAsiagroup chief said India alsoneeded to open up in terms ofinternational traffic rights.

Fernandes also said hewanted to expand Malaysiancarrier AirAsia’s operations

into India.“We (AirAsia) would

love to go to many moreIndian cities but IndianGovernment is not giving usany more route rights at themoment. So, I think that issomething the Governmenthas to look at.

“They (Government) arevery worried about MiddleEast and all it, they are tryingto protect Air India, and Ithink that comes at a cost, atthe cost tourism and jobs. Sowe will wait and see whetherIndia (Government) give usmore rights. Right now, wehave fully exploited all trafficrights and we cannot do anymore,” he added.

Hard to do business in India, but will remain here: AirAsia CEO

NEW DELHI: Tax authoritiesplan to seek details from var-ious entities against whomthere is specific information ofhaving undisclosed assets, aspart of the domestic blackmoney disclosure scheme.

Sources said such a movewould act as a deterrentagainst those holding illicitassets and nudge them tocome clean. Such entities willnow have the opportunity toparticipate in IncomeDisclosure Scheme (IDS)before it ends on September30, they added.

The Tax Department isconsidering sending e-mails tothe entities against whom ithas information of not dis-closing assets that are taxable,the sources said.

Such communications willcite some of the instances ofundisclosed assets involving

the entities concerned andthen ask them to clarify on thesame, they said, adding thatsuch entities should be gettingthe letters by early next month.

According to the sources,such an exercise would alsohelp in ensuring no panic iscreated among the tax payerswith regard to alleged undis-closed assets and “all suchcommunications would bestrictly confidential”.

As part of larger efforts tocurb the black money menace,the government has been urg-ing the entities to come for-ward and make use of the IDS.

Finance Minister ArunJaitley, on multiple occasions,has asked domestic blackmoney holders to take advan-tage of the ongoing scheme.

As part of the IDS exercise,the department last week clar-ified that black money declar-

ants using the one-time com-pliance window cannot pay taxand penalty from undisclosedincome to bring down theirliability and such acts will notget any immunity.

The clarification in theform of fourth set of fre-quently asked questions(FAQs) stated that there is nointent to “modify or alter therate of tax, surcharge and

penalty payable under theScheme which have beenclearly specified in the Schemeitself ”.

Besides, the Governmenthas extended the deadline forpayment of tax and penaltyunder IDS and allowed declar-ants to pay the amount inthree instalments bySeptember 30 next year.

The first instalment of 25per cent under the IDS 2016will have to be paid byNovember 2016 to be fol-lowed by another one of 25 percent by March 31, 2017.

The remaining amountwill have to be paid to theexchequer by September 30,2017.

Earlier the tax, surchargeand penalty under the blackmoney disclosure windowwere required to be paid byNovember 30 this year. PTI

IDS: Taxmen to seek info fromsuspected black money holders NEW DELHI: Cancelling a flight

or denying boarding to aflier is going to cost heavilyto domestic airlines as thenew guidelines by the avia-tion regulator DGCA pro-vides for massive compensa-tion in such cases.

As per the revised com-pensation norms, which areeffective from August 1, anairline will have to pay up to`10,000 to a flier in the caseof cancelling/delaying a flightbeyond two hours, while thecompensation for not allow-ing a passenger to board theflight stands at up to `20,000.

As of now airlines offer ameagre amount of up to`4,000 for both deniedboarding and cancelling aflight.

The revised compensa-tion has been arrived at afterextensive consultations withall stakeholders including theairlines.

Fl iers body, Air

Passengers Association ofIndia (APAI) founder andpresident D SudhakaraReddy, however, has said thatthe new norms leave certaingrey areas which need to beaddressed.

Airlines shall pay a com-pensat ion of `5,000 orbooked one-way basic fareplus fuel charge, whichever isless for cancelled/ delayedflights having a block time ofup to one hour in addition torefund of ticket, in case a flierhas not been informed by thecarrier as per the DGCAnorms.

In the case of an airlinecancelling/delaying its flightover one hour but up to twohours the compensationamount will be `7,500 orbooked one-way basic fareplus fuel charge, whichever isless, besides the refundamount, according to therevised norms.

An amount of `10,000 or

booked one-way basic fareplus airline fuel charge,whichever is less, will be thecompensation for flights hav-ing a block time of more thantwo hours, according to thenew compensation norms.

Block hours refer to theperiod when an aircraft push-es back from its departuregate till the moment it reach-es the arrival gate. Thesehours are used to calculate anairline’s on-time performance(OTP) besides determiningthe compensation in theeventuality of a flight gettingcancelled or delayed.

In case of denied board-ing, airline will have to pay anamount equal to 200 per centof booked one-way basic fareplus airline fuel charge, sub-ject to maximum of `20,000,in case airline arranges alter-nate flight that is scheduled todepart within 24 hours of thebooked scheduled departure,as per the revised norms. PTI

Airlines to pay huge compensation forflight cancellation or denying boarding to flier

HYDERABAD: Buoyed bystrong stock markets,Labour Minister BandaruDattatreya has said theEmployees Provident FundOrganisation may investup to 12 per cent of itsinvestable amount in equi-ties over a period of time.

According to the min-ister, as on June 30, theEPFO invested `7,468 crorein two index-linked ETFs(Exchange Traded Funds) -- one to the BSE’s Sensexand the other to NSE’s Nifty-- and as of now the marketvalue of the investmentstood at `8,024 crore with7.45 per cent yield.

“There will be a CBTmeeting before July 22. Wemay take a decision on thequantum of investments tobe made in ETF. We are indiscussions with Bombayand National StockExchanges also. The invest-ment will certainly increase(over last year). PTI

‘EPFO may invest up to

12% in equity markets’

LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016 money 11

NEW DELHI: NITI Aayog CEOAmitabh Kant has been askedby the Prime Minister’sOffice (PMO) to identify onesick PSU, a long with adetailed plan for its sell-off oreventual liquidation, beforemoving on to other suchcases.

This follows a road mapprepared by NITI Aayog andsubmitted to the PMO lastmonth on strategic sale orclosure of some sick publicsector units.

NITI Aayog, which func-tions as a think-tank for theGovernment and providespolicy-related inputs, hadsubmitted two separate listsof sick and loss-making PSUs— one comprising those thatcan be closed down and theother of those that should beprivatised.

Kant, who had made thepresentation on this roadmap before the PMO, hasbeen now asked to identifyone sick PSU that can be soldoff or liquidated in the eventof the sell-off exercise notfructifying, before movingon to other such cases, asenior Government official

said.Kant, who earlier headed

the Department of IndustrialPol ic y and Promotion(DIPP), has also been askedto chalk out a detailed planfor the sale or the eventualliquidation, which can bethen taken to the Cabinet, theofficial added.

The exercise will also helpthe Government in preparinga comprehensive blueprintto sell loss-making PSUs orclose down the entities thatcannot be revived, he said,

while adding that previoussuch attempts have not beenvery successful.

Finance Minister ArunJaitley had in his Budget 2016-17 speech said the Aayog willidentify PSUs for strategicsale and disinvestment.

“A new policy for man-agement of Governmentinvestment in public sectorenterprises, including disin-vestment and strategic sale,has been approved. We haveto leverage the assets of CPSEsfor generation of resources

for investment in new pro-jects,” Jaitley had said.

“We wil l encourageCPSEs to divest individualassets like land, manufactur-ing units etc to release theirasset value for making invest-ment in new projects. TheNITI Aayog will identify theCPSEs for strategic sale.”

The Government aims tocollect `56,500 crore throughdisinvestment in PSUs thisfiscal, as per the Union bud-get for 2016-17.

Of the total budgetedproceeds, `36,000 crore isestimated to come fromminority stake sale in PSUsand the remaining `20,500crore from strategic sale inboth profit and loss-makingcompanies.

In 2015-16, theGovernment was able to meetless than half of the disin-vestment estimates at `25,312crore against the target of`69,500 crore.

It had raised around`24,500 crore in 2014-15 byselling stake in public com-panies, about `16,000 crore in2013-14 and `23,960 crore in2012-13. PTI

PMO asks Kant to chalk out

detailed plan for one sick PSU

Amitabh Kant, who had made thepresentation on this road map before

the PMO, has been now asked toidentify one sick PSU that can be sold

off or liquidated in the event of the sell-off exercise not fructifying, before

moving on to other such cases, a seniorGovernment official said. Kant, who

earlier headed the Department ofIndustrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP),

has also been asked to chalk out adetailed plan for the sale or the

eventual liquidation, which can be thentaken to the Cabinet, the official added

PTI n SAN FRANCISCO

India’s revolutionary policyinitiatives have brought pos-

itivity among entrepreneursacross the globe, UnionMinister Nitin Gadkari hassaid as he invited Indian ITprofessionals in the SiliconValley to actively participatein India’s startup movement.

Speaking at the GlobalIndian TechnologyProfessionals Association(GITPRO), Gadkari invitedIndian professionals to bringtheir innovations and tech-nologies to India in key sec-tors of the economy, particu-larly in the infrastructure sec-tor like roads transport, high-ways and shipping as well asin the road safety pro-grammes.

Noting that the agricul-ture sector is another area ofcooperation between Indiaand the US, the Minister forRoad, Transport, Highwaysand Shipping assured theentrepreneurs from the US allpossible assistance in makingthe ease of doing business ahassle-free process.

Highlighting some of thekey achievements of his min-istry, Gadkari, who is on a

week-long official visit of theUS, said he has ordered equip-ment from Australia to con-struct a road to Manasarovarfrom Uttarakhand viaHimalaya.

He said that average roadconstruction per day had been2 km per day and it has nowreached to 20 km per day andhe promised that by nextApril it would be 41 km perday.

In a meeting with TiE(The Indus Entrepreneurs)members from its local chap-ter in Silicon Valley, Gadkarishared his ministries’ policyinnovations with a view tomotivating young creativeminds to turn up ideas intoaction in the new Indian sce-nario which he said will helpin job creation.

During his meeting,Gadkari explained at greatlength the relaxation of rulesand regulations and other pro-cedural bottlenecks in thedepartments under him whichhe emphasised have madethings simpler and easier forpotential investors in India inthe infrastructure sector.

Gadkari also visited BoomEnergy establishment andevinced keen interest in the

next generation energy gener-ation system with moderntechnologies, a media releasesaid.

In his address to a meetingorganised by the OverseasFriends of BJP, Gadkari said thepositive impact of Indian pol-icy initiatives in road transport,highways and shipping sectorshave given a boost to theIndian economy which is nowgrowing as one of the emerg-ing economies in the world.

During his interaction,Gadkari said IIT and IIMgraduates from India workingin the US were “excited aboutthe success story of India” inthe last two years and wereenthusiastic about making apositive contribution to thegrowth and progress of theircountry of origin.

Bring your innovations to India:

Gadkari to IT professionalsIANS n NEW DELHI

The fourth tranche of theGovernment’s sovereign

gold bond scheme will openon Monday, an official saidhere.

“The Ministry ofFinance has launched the4th Tranche of SovereignGold Bonds (SGB) and itwill be open for investmentby resident individuals andinstitutional investors from18th to 22nd July 2016,” arelease said on Sunday.

The bonds will beissued on August 5, 2016, anofficial said earlier this weekon the matter.

Finance Minister ArunJaitley had in last year’sUnion Budget announceddeveloping the SovereignGold Bond, as a measure tocontain demand for themetal in physical form.

In Budget 2016-17 hehas proposed that redemp-tion of sovereign gold bondsby an individual be exemptfrom capital gains tax.

The bonds will be soldthrough banks, StockHolding Corporation ofIndia Ltd (SHCIL), desig-nated post offices and recog-nised stock exchanges, thestatement said.

PTI n ULAANBAATAR

With the world witness-ing continued financial

volatility and geopoliticaluncertainty, top leaders fromAsia and Europe have agreedto use all policy tools - mon-etary, fiscal and structural - tofoster confidence and achievestrong, sustainable and bal-anced economic growth.

Leaders from 51 coun-tries, including India, methere for the 11th Asia-EuropeMeeting (ASEM) in theMongolian capital for twodays and exchanged views onthe current political andsocio-economic situation inthe world and discussed waysto address the existing andemerging challenges to peace,security, stability and sus-tainable development.

In a 13-page Chair’sStatement yesterday, the lead-ers noted the modest anduneven recovery of the glob-

al economic outlook whilethe Asian economy continuesto remain a global growthengine.

They acknowledged thatsteady progress has beenachieved in implementingsound economic policies,including structural reformsremains crucial for securingstronger potential growth.

The Indian delegation tothe ASEM Summit was led byVice President Hamid Ansari.Other world leaders whotook part in the two-daymeeting included GermanChancellor Angela Merkel,Chinese Prime Minister LiKeqiang, Russian PrimeMinister Dmitry Medvedevand European Counci lPresident Donald Tusk.

The leaders recognisedthat “downside risks to theglobal outlook persist in thecontext of economic andgeopolitical uncertainty, con-tinued financial volatility,

global excess capacity inindustrial sectors, challengesfaced by commodityexporters and persistent lowinflation.

Against such backdrops,the leaders reaffirmed thatthey stand ready to use allpolicy tools - monetary, fis-cal and structural - individ-ually and collectively, as nec-essary, to foster confidenceand achieve strong, sustain-able and balanced economicgrowth.

The leaders agreed thatincreased focus in ASEMactivities on connectivity willcontribute to the relevance ofASEM, established in 1996.

Leaders vowed toenhance inter-regional tradeand investment flows as anengine of sustainable growthand deeper economic inte-gration connectivity betweenAsia and Europe. In this con-text, they reiterated theimportance of ensuring pre-

dictable and stable businessenvironment.

During the meeting, theleaders reiterated their viewthat terrorism constitutes aserious threat to internation-al peace, security, stabilityand development, expressedtheir determination to coun-tering terrorism and pre-venting violent extremism inall their forms and manifes-tations.

They strongly con-demned the recent terroristattacks including destruc-tion of cultural heritage andstressed the need to worktogether to counter terror-ism, eliminate conditionsconducive to the growth andspread of violent extremismand radicalisation in societiesleading towards violence, aswell as the rising phenome-non of foreign terrorist fight-ers. The leaders emphasisedthe need for a comprehen-siveapproach in countering

terror ism and violentextremism, without associ-ating them with any reli-gion, nationality, civilisationor ethnic group. Leaders reaf-firmed their resolve to com-bat terrorism financing aswell as abuse of Internet byterrorist groups.

The leaders condemnedall forms of incitement tohatred and intolerance,including xenophobia, reli-gious hatred and violence.They stressed the impor-tance of respect and under-standing for cultural andreligious diversity, and ofpromoting tolerance, plural-ism, mutual respect, inter-cultural and interfaith dia-logue and cooperation.

They acknowledged thatthe practice of moderation isvital to bridging differencesand addressing the variousmanifestations of extrem-ism.

The leaders exchanged

views on the ways to promoteand strengthen cooperationon international and region-al issues of common interestand concern including in theMiddle East, Africa, Ukraine,and recent developments onthe Korean Peninsula. Theyalso condemned in thestrongest terms North Korea’snuclear, other weapons ofmass destruction and ballis-tic missile programmes.

The leaders a lsoexpressed their strong inter-est in seeing Afghanistanand its people develop andprosper peacefully and wel-comed all efforts undertakenby the international com-munity to support theGovernment of Afghanistanto this end.

They reaffirmed theircommitment to ensure peace,stability and prosperity andto promote maritime securi-ty, safety and cooperation,freedom of navigation and

overflight and unimpededcommerce and to combatpiracy and armed robbery atsea in full compliance withthe principles of interna-tional law.

They agreed on the criti-cal importance of confidencebuilding measures, of refrain-ing from the use or threat offorce, and of disputes beingresolved in accordance withprinciples of international law,the UN Charter and the UNConvention on the Law of theSea, an apparent reference tothe contentious South ChinaSea (SCS) issue.

The ASEM summit wasthe first major multilateraldiplomatic gathering since theJuly 12 ruling by a UN-backedtribunal that struck downChina’s claims of “historicalrights” in the SCS on a casebrought by the Philippines.

ASEM comprises of 53entities - 51 countries fromAsia and Europe and two

regional bodies - the EuropeanUnion and the ASEANSecretariat. It representsaround 62.3 per cent of theworld’s population, 57.2 percent of the global GDP andalmost 60 per cent of theworld’s trade.

“We are encouraged thatASEM has enlarged from 26partners to 53 over the last 20years, and it has proven bothits vitality and relevance as animportant and unique plat-form for dialogue and coop-eration between Asia andEurope.

“ASEM has been and con-tinues to be an important fac-tor in shaping the global set-ting in the 21st centurythrough making its contribu-tion to sustained peace, secu-rity, stability, economic recov-ery and to responding to glob-al and regional challenges,” aseparate UlaanbaatarDeclaration said. PTI

Will use all tools to achieve strong growth: Leaders vow at ASEM

NEW DELHI: French defencemajor Thales is keen onincreasing its over s ix-decade-old footprint inIndia and aims at roping thecountry in a much biggerway into its global supplychain.

Maintaining that Thaleshas “ambit ious p lans”involving India, which cur-rently contributes less than2.5 per cent to the company’s14 bi l l ion Euro annualturnover, a top executivesaid they are looking at morejoint ventures besides theones already in place withstate-run BEL, Samtel andL&T.

“We have ambit iousplans for the future...Webelieve that we can go muchfurther. We see our activitiesin India not only as theright approach to get somebusiness here but we also seeour activities as a way toincrease our footprint in

other countries throughexport from India,” PascaleSourisse, Thales’ SeniorExecutive Vice President(International Development)told the news agency here.

She said the company’sstrategy in India is definednot only by a regional ordomestic view but should beseen as involving the coun-try in the group’s globalstrategy.

“We believe India willplay a big role in the globalstrategy of Thales going for-ward. Our assessment is weneed to do much more.Currently what we havedone is to actually work onour purchasing policy toidentify more Indian com-panies that can be suppliers,”Sourisse said.

Talking about the com-pany’s tie-ups with educa-tional institutes like the IIT,Mumbai and Indian Instituteof Science, Bangalore, she

said India has a lot of engi-neers and the firm believesthe country needs to have astronger policy in the fieldof innovation.

Talking about the jointventures with BEL in radarte chnolog y, Samte l foravionics and L&T for soft-ware development, she saidthe aim is to use them morein the company’s supplychain.

She said they are alsolooking at involving otherIndian companies and eventhe 300-strong Thales work-force in India in programmesin other countries.

“There is a lot to do butwe are confident that withthe r ight focus we canimprove the share of India inour global supply chain verysubstantially,” Sourisse said.

Even though Thales,which is present in Indiasince 1953, is slowly spread-ing its wings in the Indian

civilian sector, like smartcity projects and railways,besides the military segment,she said defence will contin-ue to be the main focus.

She said defence sectorcontributes more than half ofthe 300 mil l ion Euroturnover the company has inIndia.

“Our strategy for India isto grow this number of 300.India should participate inprojects for other customers.We expect India to be one ofour large (contributor) coun-tries in Thales organisation,”she said.

She also hoped that themuch anticipated Rafalefighter jet deal will be inkedsoon. Thales is a major part-ner in the project.

She said the companyhopes that India will contin-ue to purchase additional air-craft. “This solution (Rafale)is very well suited for Indianneeds,” Sourisse said. PTI

Thales bets big on India, scouting for more partners

PNS n NEW DELHI

Indian industry remainedupbeat about the business

environment in the June quar-ter on account of wage hike asrecommended by the SeventhPay panel, progress of afavourable monsoon andproactive reforms agenda ofthe Government, says a report.

The CII BusinessConfidence Index (BCI) hasimproved to 57.2 in April-June2016, from 54.1 in the previ-ous quarter.

“A rise in business expec-tations sends an early signalthat industry is anticipating anupturn in demand propelledby factors such as implemen-tation of the Seventh PayCommission, progress of afavourable monsoon and pro-active reforms agenda of thegovernment,” the CII reportbased on a survey said.

It said optimism in busi-ness sentiment this quarterhas been backed by strongexpectations of economicgrowth for 2016-17. Morethan 60 per cent of the total200 firms that participated inthe exercise are expecting thereal GDP growth to rangebetween 7-8 per cent thisfinancial year.

Business conditions arealso expected to improve as 61per cent of the firms expect anincrease in sales in April-June 2016 compared with only42 per cent in January-March.

“Much of the recovery inbusiness conditions is expect-ed to be domestically drivenas a majority of the firmsexpect to maintain status quoon their export orders inApril-June 2016,” it added.

Further, it said profitexpectations have improved inApril-June,

‘India Inc’s biz confidence

climbed in June quarter’NEW DELHI: Civil AviationMinistry will weigh in stake-holders’ views on the ambitiousregional air connectivity schemebefore deciding on the quantumof levy to be charged from air-lines to create a fund for the pur-pose.

The move comes against thebackdrop of concerns in certainquarters that having a levy forfunding Regional ConnectivityScheme (RCS) could push upairfares as carriers could pass iton to the passengers.

While unveiling the draftscheme on July 1, the Ministryhad spoken of charging a levy,but did not propose any rangeor tentative quantum.

As part of the RCS, theGovernment plans to provideViability Gap Funding whichwould be financed through theRegional Connectivity Fund.

The Ministry would takea call on the quantum of levyafter receiving the commentson the draft RCS, according to

a senior official.The levy could be in the

form of per domestic depar-ture from the airlines on cer-tain profitable routes, he said.

Mooted in the new civilaviation policy, RCS -- whichwould target 90 aerodromes -- has been put up for stake-holders’ consultations includ-ing state governments, airlinesand airport operators.

The Ministry expects tofinalise the RCS by Augustafter receiving stakeholdercomments on the draft.

Under the proposedscheme, air ticket priceswould be capped at `2,500 forone-hour flights on unservedand under -served routes.

The Minist r y wouldcontribute 80 per cent ofthe VGF, while respectiveState Governments wouldchip in with the remaining20 per cent to the fundwhich will have a corpus of`500 crore each year. PTI

NEW DELHI: Rel ianceIndustries is on the verge ofstarting commercial produc-tion of natural gas from itscoal-bed methane (CBM)blocks in Madhya Pradesh.

In a presentation to ana-lysts post April-June earningsannouncement, RIL said testgas production from Phase-1 facilities of Sohagpur-Westblock has commenced whilethe pipeline that will take thefuel to the consumers isunder testing and pre-com-missioning.

Initial output is likely tobe one million standardcubic meters per day of gas.A peak production of 3.5mmscmd is envisaged fromthe two Sohagpur blocks inthe state.

RIL holds 3 CBM blocks-- 495 square kilometerSohagpur (East) and 500 sqkm Sohagpur (West) inMadhya Pradesh and Sonhat

in Chhattisgarh. “Test gasproduction from Phase Ifacilities of Sohagpur WestBlock has commenced fromGGS 11 (Gas GatheringStation) and 107 well-sites,”RIL said. “GGS 12 is alsonearing completion and islikely to be ready for start-upby 3Q FY17.”

It however did not give adate for start of commercialproduction. Phase-1 devel-opment envisages drillingand completion of 229 wellsand installation of 2 gas gath-ering stations (GGS).

RIL, through its sub-s idiar y Rel iance GasPipelines Ltd, is laying a 312-km pipeline to transport coalgas (CBM) produced fromShahdol in Madhya Pradeshto Phulpur near Allahabad inUttar Pradesh.

“Testing, pre-commis-sioning and commissioningactivities are in progress forShahdol-Phulpur pipeline,”RIL said.

The pipeline will have acapacity to transport 4.3 mil-lion standard cubic metresper day (mmscmd) of gas,including 0.875 mmscmdcapacity that will be availablefor any third party for openaccess on non-discrimina-tory basis.

The pipeline will travelfrom Shahdol to JaysingNagar- Beohari-Gurh andculminate at Phulpur.

At Phulpur, the pipelinemay be hooked into state-

owned gas utility GAIL IndiaLtd’s main Hazira-Vijaypur-Jagdishpur t runk gaspipeline. Connection withHVJ would enable gas toflow to any consumer.

RIL had won the twinSohagpur blocks in the firstround of CBM auctions in2001.

It will be the third com-pany in the country to begingas production from belowcoal-seams, called CBM.Great Eastern Energy Ltd(GEECL) and Essar Oil Ltdare already selling CBM gas.

C oal-bed methane(CBM) is natural gas storedor absorbed in coal seams.

RIL said natural gas pro-duction from its eastern off-shore KG-D6 block fell 23per cent in April-June to 8.7mmscmd.

“Continuing productiondecline due to natural declinein the fields,” it said. PTI

RIL close to starting gas production from CBM blocks in MP

NEW DELHI: In a bid to improvecustomer experience in theworld’s second largest mobilemarket, telecom regulator Traiis planning to start consultationon quality benchmark for voiceand data services in a fortnight.

According to sources, theregulator’s efforts to address theQuality of Service (QoS) normsis likely to come in the form ofa consultation paper that wouldaddress both voice and dataaspects.

The Telecom RegulatoryAuthority of India (Trai) in itsfrequent call drop test foundmost operators fail to meet ser-vice quality benchmark.

At present, the tolerancelimit for call drops is 2 per centwhich means 98 per cent callsmade on a network in a quar-ter should be completed andnot get disconnected automat-

ically.Telecom operators have

contested the tests and saidthey are compliant to bench-mark at overall circle level andthat Trai’s test does not givecorrect picture of their networkperformance.

Though the sources didnot disclose further details,Trai Chairman R S Sharma had

earlier said the regulator willlook at monitoring networkperformance at tower level forwhich a system is in the works.

With regard to data ser-vices, Trai had, earlier thismonth, launched an applica-tion to help consumers checkreal-time Internet speed ontheir handsets and report thesame to the regulator. Trai willleverage the data collectedfrom subscribers to fix newQoS norms for data services.

Trai, while launching theapplication, had said telecomoperators claim they cannotguarantee minimum speed as‘Law of Physics’ does not allowthem to do so.

In 2014, Trai had issuednorms under which it asked theoperators to indicate mini-mum download speed that canbe provided to consumers. PTI

Trai to start mobile servicequality consultation this month

NEW DELHI : TheGovernment is launching50 India International SkillCenters (IISC) across thecountry, which will supportthe youth in getting foreignplacement.

It introduced 15 centerson Sunday in Uttar Pradesh,Kerala, Jharkhand, Bihar,AndhraPradhesh/Telangana,West Bengal, Maharashtra,Punjab and R ajas t han ,Minis t r y of Sk i l lD e ve lopment andEntrepreneurship said in astatement.

The Government, whichis celebrating its anniversarythe first anniversary of SkillIndia drive, said it wouldbridge the global shortage oflabour force in the comingyears by reaping the demo-graphic dividend of youngIndian labour force. PTI

MoCA to decide RCS levy amountafter getting public comments

Sovereign Gold Bond

scheme tranche 4 to

open on Monday

Govt launches 15

India International

Skill Centers

OPEN-ENDED

(GROWTH)

AXIS MUTUAL FUND

Enhanced Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 10.7343

Enhanced Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 11.5931

Enhanced Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 10.4598

Enhanced Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 11.405

Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 15.05

Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 20.79

Equity Fund - Dividend 14.48

Equity Fund - Growth 20.01

Equity Saver Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 10.54

Equity Saver Fund - Direct Plan - Monthly Dividend 10.52

Equity Saver Fund - Direct Plan - Quarterly Dividend 10.52

Equity Saver Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 10.41

Equity Saver Fund - Regular Plan - Monthly Dividend 10.41

Equity Saver Fund - Regular Plan - Quarterly Dividend 10.41

Equity Saver Fund - Regular Plan - Regular Dividend 10.1

Focused 25 Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 19.3

Focused 25 Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 19.52

Focused 25 Fund - Dividend Option 15.72

Focused 25 Fund - Growth Option 18.7

Midcap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 24.73

Midcap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 26.54

Midcap Fund - Dividend 21.72

Midcap Fund - Growth 25.42

BARODA PIONEER MUTUAL FUND

Banking And Financial Services Fund - Plan A - Bonus Op 16.44

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Plan A - Div Payout Op 15.29

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Plan A - Growth Op 16.44

Banking And Financial Services Fund - Plan B (Direct) - Bonus Op 14.75

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Plan B (Direct) - Div Payout Op 15.74

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Plan B (Direct) - Gr Op 16.91

GROWTH FUND - Plan A - Dividend Option 32.56

GROWTH FUND - Plan A - Growth Option 79.25

GROWTH FUND - Plan B (Direct) - Dividend Option 31.88

GROWTH FUND - Plan B (Direct) - Growth Option 81.65

Infrastucture Fund - Plan A - Dividend Option 10.31

Infrastucture Fund - Plan A - Growth Option 11.2

Infrastucture Fund - Plan B (Direct) - Dividend Option 10.55

Infrastucture Fund - Plan B (Direct) - Growth Option 11.44

PSU Equity Fund- Plan A - Dividend Option 7.18

PSU Equity Fund- Plan A - Growth Option 7.18

PSU Equity Fund- Plan B (Direct) - Growth Option 7.37

PSU Equity Fund-Plan B (Direct)-Dividend Option 7.37

BIRLA SUN LIFE MUTUAL FUND

Advantage Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 108.1

Advantage Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 328.78

Advantage Fund - Regular Growth 321.96

Advantage Fund -Regular Dividend 94.51

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Direct Plan - Div 17.37

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 20.51

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Regular Plan - Div 15.65

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 20.07

Buy India Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 40.63

Buy India Fund - Dividend - Regular Plan 35.91

Buy India Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 92.57

Buy India Fund - Growth - Regular Plan 90.93

Commodity Equities Fund - Global Agri Plan - Div - Direct Plan 16.3846

Commodity Equities Fund - Global Agri Plan - Div - Regular Plan 16.1123

Commodity Equities Fund - Global Agri Plan - Growth - Direct Plan 21.2327

Commodity Equities Fund - Global Agri Plan - Growth - Regular Plan 20.9215

Dividend Yield Plus - Dividend - Direct Plan 20.61

Dividend Yield Plus - Dividend - Regular Plan 14.94

Dividend Yield Plus - Growth - Direct Plan 143.24

Dividend Yield Plus - Growth - Regular Plan 139.41

Enhanced Arbitrage Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 11.0005

Enhanced Arbitrage Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 16.4517

ENHANCED ARBITRAGE FUND - INSTL PLAN - DIV 10.1628

ENHANCED ARBITRAGE FUND - INSTL PLAN - GROWTH 0

ENHANCED ARBITRAGE FUND - REGULAR PLAN - DIV 10.8211

ENHANCED ARBITRAGE FUND - REGULAR - GROWTH 16.1804

Equity Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 104.3

Equity Fund - Dividend - Regular Plan 91.98

Equity Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 539.51

Equity Fund - Growth - Regular Plan 524.16

Equity Savings Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 11.18

Equity Savings Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 11.4

Equity Savings Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 10.98

Equity Savings Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 11.19

Frontline Equity Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 40.1

Frontline Equity Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 179.78

Frontline Equity Fund-Dividend 26.46

Frontline Equity Fund-Growth 174.28

Frontline Equity Fund-Plan B (Dividend) 12.5

Frontline Equity Fund-Plan B (Growth) 12.5

Index Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 11.9379

Index Fund - Dividend - Regular Plan 11.8326

Index Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 83.9871

Index Fund - Growth - Regular Plan 84.0681

India Gennext Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 23.88

India Gennext Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 61.13

India Gennext Fund-Dividend Option 21.36

India Gennext Fund-Growth Option 59.27

India Opportunities Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 35.08

India Opportunities Fund - Dividend - Regular Plan 25.73

India Opportunities Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 116.51

India Opportunities Fund - Growth - Regular Plan 114.07

India Reforms Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 15.21

India Reforms Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 15.21

India Reforms Fund-DIVIDEND 12.5

India Reforms Fund-GROWTH 14.92

Infrastructure Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 18.89

Infrastructure Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 27.52

Infrastructure Fund-Dividend 14.69

Infrastructure Fund-Growth 26.84

Infrastructure Fund-Plan B (Dividend) 10.97

Infrastructure Fund-Plan B (Growth) 11.43

International Equity Fund - Plan A - Dividend - Direct Plan 15.9915

International Equity Fund - Plan A - Dividend - Regular Plan 14.4302

International Equity Fund - Plan A - Growth - Direct Plan 15.98

International Equity Fund - Plan A - Growth - Regular Plan 15.6839

International Equity Fund - Plan B - Dividend - Direct Plan 14.986

International Equity Fund - Plan B - Dividend - Regular Plan 14.721

International Equity Fund - Plan B - Growth - Direct Plan 14.9934

International Equity Fund - Plan B - Growth - Regular Plan 14.721

Long Term Advantage - Dividend - Direct Plan 23.45

Long Term Advantage - Growth - Direct Plan 25.37

Long Term Fund- Growth Option 24.78

Long Term Fund-Dividend Option 18.46

Manufacturing Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 10.66

Manufacturing Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 10.63

Manufacturing Equity Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 10.49

Manufacturing Equity Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 10.49

Midcap Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 45.12

Midcap Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 240.3

MIDCAP Fund-Dividend 32.94

MIDCAP Fund-Growth 233.85

MIDCAP Fund-Plan B (Dividend) 12.51

MIDCAP Fund-Plan B (Growth) 12.51

MNC Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 211.49

MNC Fund - Dividend - Regular Plan 151.12

MNC Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 623.55

MNC Fund - Growth - Regular Plan 605.39

New Millenium Fund - Dividend - Regular Plan 18.03

New Millenium Fund - Growth - Regular Plan 35.34

New Millennium Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 18.56

New Millennium Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 36.21

Pure Value Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 37.6104

Pure Value Fund - Dividend Option 27.0385

Pure Value Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 42.9674

Pure Value Fund - Growth Option 41.8014

Small & Midcap Fund - DIVIDEND 21.7347

Small & Midcap Fund - GROWTH 28.3078

Small And Midcap Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 28.2361

Small And Midcap Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 29.1418

Special Situations Fund - Dividend 15.7652

Special Situations Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 19.224

Special Situations Fund - Growth 18.8305

Special Situations Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 19.2374

Top 100 Fund - Dividend - Direct Plan 26.8613

Top 100 Fund - Growth - Direct Plan 47.1513

Top 100 Fund -Dividend Option 17.214

Top 100 Fund -Growth Option 45.7591

BNP PARIBAS MUTUAL FUND

Equity Fund-Dividend Option 16.28

Equity Fund-Growth Option 70.34

Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 16.87

Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 72.68

Dividend Yield Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 16.329

Dividend Yield Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 38.217

Dividend Yield Fund-Dividend Option 15.479

Dividend Yield Fund-Growth Option 36.44

Mid Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 27.59

Mid Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 27.722

Mid Cap Fund-Dividend Option 26.573

Mid Cap Fund-Growth Option 26.683

BOI AXA MUTUAL FUND

Equity Fund Direct Plan- Quarterly Dividend 11.24

Equity Fund Direct Plan- Bonus 15.06

Equity Fund Direct Plan-Growth 29.04

Equity Fund Direct Plan-Regular Dividend 13.35

Equity Fund Eco Plan- Growth 28.98

Equity Fund Eco Plan-Bonus 28.98

Equity Fund Eco Plan-Quarterly Dividend 10.6

Equity Fund Eco Plan-Regular Dividend 13.24

Equity Fund Regular Plan- Growth 27.97

Equity Fund Regular Plan- Quarterly Dividend 10.92

Equity Fund Regular Plan- Regular Dividend 11.42

Equity Fund Regular Plan-Bonus 27.96

Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 12.93

Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund-Direct Plan-Qtrly Div 12.82

Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund-Direct Plan-Regular Div 12.81

Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund-Growth 12.45

Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund-Quarterly Dividend 11.86

Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund-Regular Dividend 12.45

CANARA ROBECO MUTUAL FUND

Emerging Equities - Regular Plan - GROWTH 64.42

Emerging Equities-Direct Plan-Dividend Option 45.5

Emerging Equities-Direct Plan-Growth Option 66.41

Emerging Equities-Regular Plan - DIVIDEND 36.41

Equity Diversified - Regular Plan - Dividend 31.93

Equity Diversified - Regular Plan - Growth 93.03

Equity Diversified-Direct Plan -Growth Option 94.78

Equity Diversified-Direct Plan-Dividend Option 40.99

F.O.R.C.E Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 26.1

F.O.R.C.E Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 28.08

F.O.R.C.E Fund - Institutional Plan - Growth Option 24.57

F.O.R.C.E Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend Option 21.3

F.O.R.C.E Fund - Regular Plan - Growth Option 27.33

Infrastructure - Regular Plan - DIVIDEND 25.79

Infrastructure - Regular Plan - GROWTH 38.95

Infrastructure-Direct Plan - Dividend 28.65

Infrastructure-Direct Plan - Growth 39.81

Large Cap+ Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 18.37

Large Cap+ Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 18.45

Large Cap+ Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 15.37

Large Cap+ Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 17.92

DHFL PRAMERICA MUTUAL FUND

Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Annual Dividend 10.5685

Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 11.5743

Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Monthly Dividend 10.6242

Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Quarterly Dividend 10.6219

Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Regular Dividend 11.2001

Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Annual Dividend 10.4515

Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 11.4539

Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Monthly Dividend 10.5092

Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Quarterly Dividend 10.4603

Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Regular Dividend 10.9493

Balanced Advantage Fund - BONUS OPTION 16.36

Balanced Advantage Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 22.46

Balanced Advantage Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 59.26

Balanced Advantage Fund - Dividend Option 14.5

Balanced Advantage Fund - Growth Option 57.05

Balanced Advantage Fund Wealth Plan- Dividend Option 19.53

Balanced Advantage Fund Wealth Plan- Growth Option 25.8

Diversified Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 10.54

Diversified Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 10.54

Diversified Equity Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend Option 10.47

Diversified Equity Fund - Regular Plan - Growth Option 10.47

Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund - Direct Plan-Growth Option 11.97

Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund - Dividend Option 10.88

Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund - Growth Option 11.79

Dynamic Asset Allocation Fund- Direct Plan-Dividend Option 11

Equity Income Fund - Annual Dividend option 14.163

Equity Income Fund - Direct Plan - Annual Dividend 15.5439

Equity Income Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 27.3817

Equity Income Fund - Direct Plan - Monthly Dividend 12.0616

Equity Income Fund - Direct Plan - Quarterly Dividend 11.931

Equity Income Fund - Growth Option 26.5418

Equity Income Fund - Monthly Dividend option 11.8131

Equity Income Fund - Quarterly Dividend 11.5462

Large Cap Equity Fund - Direct Plan-Dividend Option 10.6

Large Cap Equity Fund - Direct Plan-Growth Option 11.48

Large Cap Equity Fund - Dividend Option 10.44

Large Cap Equity Fund - Growth Option 11.29

Large Cap Fund - BONUS OPTION 17.85

Large Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Bonus 18.32

Large Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 20.41

Large Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 137.49

Large Cap Fund - Dividend 18.91

Large Cap Fund - Growth 132.54

Large Cap Fund Wealth Plan - Growth Option 27.61

Large Cap Fund Wealth Plan -Dividend Option 13.97

Midcap Opportunities Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend - Payout 13.93

Midcap Opportunities Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 15.98

Midcap Opportunities Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend - Payout 13.59

Midcap Opportunities Fund - Regular Plan - Growth Option 15.79

DSP BLACKROCK MUTUAL FUND

Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 65.958

Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 29.106

Equity Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 53.255

Equity Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 28.502

Equity Fund - Institutional Plan - Growth 21.907

Equity Savings Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 10.568

Equity Savings Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 10.568

Equity Savings Fund - Direct Plan - Monthly Dividend 10.568

Equity Savings Fund - Direct Plan - Quarterly Dividend 10.568

Equity Savings Fund - Regular Plan - Quarterly Dividend 10.537

Equity Savings Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 10.537

Equity Savings Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 10.537

Equity Savings Fund - Regular Plan - Monthly Dividend 10.537

Focus 25 Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 18.76

Focus 25 Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 18.76

Focus 25 Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 13.781

Focus 25 Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 18.359

India T.I.G.E.R. Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 26.34

India T.I.G.E.R. Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 73.196

India T.I.G.E.R. Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 71.902

India T.I.G.E.R. Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 16.887

Micro Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 29.976

Micro Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 49.372

Micro Cap Fund - Regular - Dividend 29.264

Micro Cap Fund - Regular - Growth 48.195

Natural Resources and New Energy Fund - Direct - Div 14.556

Natural Resources and New Energy Fund - Direct - Growth 22.005

Natural Resources And New Energy Fund - Regular - Growth 21.612

Natural Resources And New Energy Fund - Regular - Div 14.286

Opportunities Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 44.246

Opportunities Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 166.924

Opportunities Fund-Regular Plan - Dividend 25.809

Opportunities Fund-Regular Plan - Growth 163.461

Small and Mid Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 32.692

Small and Mid Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 41.96

Small and Mid Cap Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 21.143

Small and Mid Cap Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 41.013

Technology.com Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 27.4

Technology.com Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 52.773

Technology.com Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 34.638

Technology.com Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 53.795

Top 100 Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 23.133

Top 100 Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 167.161

Top 100 Equity Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 21.465

Top 100 Equity Fund - Regular Plan - Growth 163.771

Top 100 Equity Fund - Institutional Plan - Dividend 14.884

Top 100 Equity Fund - Institutional Plan - Growth 23.129

EDELWEISS MUTUAL FUND

Absolute Return Fund - Direct Plan-Dividend Option 14.27

Absolute Return Fund - Dividend Option 12.75

Absolute Return Fund - Growth Option 18.84

Absolute Return Fund -Direct Plan-Growth Option 19.19

Arbitrage Fund- Direct Plan- Dividend Option 10.4336

Arbitrage Fund- Direct Plan- Growth Option 11.7767

Arbitrage Fund- Regular Plan -Bonus Option 11.6751

Arbitrage Fund- Regular Plan- Dividend Option 10.3827

Arbitrage Fund- Regular Plan- Growth Option 11.6751

Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 - Direct Plan-Div Option 19.68

Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 - Direct Plan-Growth Op 26.88

Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 - Growth Option 26.37

Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 - Plan B - Div Option 26.82

Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 - Plan B - Growth Option 26.51

Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 - Plan C - Div Option 21.38

Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 - Plan C - Growth Option 26.16

Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 - Dividend Option 17.78

Emerging Leaders Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 20.01

Emerging Leaders Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 22.93

Emerging Leaders Fund - Dividend 18.73

Emerging Leaders Fund - Growth 22.51

Equity Savings Advantage Fund - Direct - Dividend Option 12.15

Equity Savings Advantage Fund - Dividend Option 12.11

Equity Savings Advantage Fund - Growth Option 16.7

Equity Savings Advantage Fund- Direct Plan- Growth Option 16.89

Prudent Advantage Fund - Growth Option 20.17

Prudent Advantage Fund- Plan B-Growth Option 19.91

Prudent Advantage Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend Option 17.7

Prudent Advantage Fund-Direct Plan-Growth Option 20.43

Prudent Advantage Fund-Dividend 17.43

Prudent Advantage Fund-Plan B- Dividend Option 20.29

ESCORTS MUTUAL FUND

Growth Plan-DIVIDEND OPTION 17.7824

Growth Plan-DIVIDEND OPTION-Direct Plan 17.9463

Growth Plan-GROWTH OPTION 133.1945

Growth Plan-GROWTH OPTION-Direct Plan 133.7846

High Yield Equity Plan - Bonus Option 29.401

High Yield Equity Plan - Bonus Option-Direct Plan 29.401

High Yield Equity Plan - Dividend Option 21.0767

High Yield Equity Plan - Dividend Option-Direct Plan 16.9956

High Yield Equity Plan - Growth Option 29.3602

High Yield Equity Plan - Growth Option-Direct Plan 29.6827

Infrastructure Fund - Dividend 6.7638

Infrastructure Fund - Dividend Option-Direct Plan 6.8124

Infrastructure Fund - Growth Option 6.7864

Infrastructure Fund - Growth Option-Direct Plan 6.7994

Leading Sectors Fund - Dividend Option 21.4142

Leading Sectors Fund - Dividend Option-Direct Plan 17.406

Leading Sectors Fund - Growth Option 24.3878

Leading Sectors Fund - Growth Option-Direct Plan 24.132

Opportunities Fund-Dividend 16.2905

Opportunities Fund-Dividend Option-Direct Plan 16.2907

Opportunities Fund-Growth 46.0255

Opportunities Fund-Growth Option-Direct Plan 46.2723

Power & Energy Fund - Dividend Option 13.6353

Power & Energy Fund - Dividend Option-Direct Plan 13.6449

Power & Energy Fund - Growth Option 19.0407

Power & Energy Fund - Growth Option-Direct Plan 19.3296

FRANKLIN TEMPLETON MF

Asian Equity Fund - Direct - Dividend 13.0567

Asian Equity Fund - Direct - Growth 17.2088

Asian Equity Fund - Dividend Plan 12.7742

Asian Equity Fund - Growth Plan 16.8376

Build India Fund - Direct - Dividend 22.5847

Build India Fund - Direct - Growth 33.1293

Build India Fund Dividend Plan 21.6208

Build India Fund Growth Plan 31.8848

India Bluechip Fund- Direct - Growth 394.8617

India Bluechip Fund- Direct -Dividend 42.255

India Bluechip Fund-Dividend 40.8235

India Bluechip Fund-Growth 383.6536

India FLEXI CAP FUND - Direct - Dividend 17.2867

India FLEXI CAP FUND - Direct - Growth 66.9907

India Flexi Cap Fund-Dividend Plan 16.7955

India Flexi Cap Fund-Growth Plan 65.3878

India High Growth Companies Fund - Direct - Dividend 24.7133

India High Growth Companies Fund - Direct - Growth 32.3439

India High Growth Companies Fund - Dividend Plan 23.7642

India High Growth Companies Fund - Growth Plan 31.1954

India INDEX FUND NIFTY PLAN - Direct - Dividend 68.6309

India INDEX FUND NIFTY PLAN - Direct - Growth 68.6309

India Index Fund- Nifty Plan - Dividend Plan 67.809

India Index Fund- Nifty Plan - Growth Plan 67.809

INDIA OPPORTUNITIES FUND - Direct - Dividend 20.3184

India Opportunities Fund-Dividend 19.9094

INDIA OPPORTUNITIES FUND - Direct - Growth 61.1288

India Opportunities Fund - Growth 59.9887

India PRIMA FUND - Direct - Dividend 59.9464

India PRIMA FUND - Direct - Growth 773.122

India Prima Fund-Dividend 57.2864

India Prima Fund-Growth 744.8421

India PRIMA PLUS - Direct - Dividend 38.0258

India PRIMA PLUS - Direct - Growth 493.1235

India Prima Plus-Dividend 36.7306

India Prima Plus-Growth 478.2514

India Smaller Companies Fund - Direct - Dividend 27.2012

India Smaller Companies Fund - Direct - Growth 46.2248

India Smaller Companies Fund-Dividend 26.0798

India Smaller Companies Fund-Growth 44.563

INFOTECH FUND - Direct - Dividend 23.7754

INFOTECH FUND - Direct - Growth 114.471

Infotech Fund-Dividend 23.319

Infotech Fund-Growth 112.2903

India EQUITY INCOME FUND - Direct - Dividend 15.1747

India EQUITY INCOME FUND - Direct - Growth 35.8739

India Equity Income Fund-Dividend Plan 14.8365

India Equity Income Fund-Growth Plan 35.1729

India Growth Fund - Direct - Growth 199.0817

India Growth Fund-Direct - Dividend 62.7476

India Growth Fund-Dividend Plan 61.1626

India Growth Fund-Growth Plan 194.628

GOLDMAN SACHS MUTUAL FUND

CNX 500 Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 19.1837

CNX 500 Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 30.6533

CNX 500 Fund - Dividend Option 18.7901

CNX 500 Fund - Growth Option 30.0283

India Equity Fund - Direct Plan -Dividend Option 20.52

India Equity Fund - Direct Plan -Growth Option 20.52

India Equity Fund - Dividend Plan 20.05

India Equity Fund - Growth Plan 20.05

HDFC MUTUAL FUND

Arbitrage Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 18.784

ARBITRAGE FUND RETAIL PLAN DIVIDEND OPTION 13.759

ARBITRAGE FUND RETAIL PLAN GROWTH OPTION 18.528

ARBITRAGE FUND RETAIL PLAN QTRLY DIV OPTION 13.168

ARBITRAGE FUND WHOLESALE PLAN DIV - DIRECT PLAN 10.68

ARBITRAGE FUND WHOLESALE PLAN GROWTH OPTION 18.862

ARBITRAGE FUND WHOLESALE PLAN GROWTH - DIRECT PLAN 11.848

ARBITRAGE FUND WHOLESALE PLAN MONTHLY DIV OP 10.853

ARBITRAGE FUND WHOLESALE - MONTHLY DIV - DIRECT PLAN 10.433

ARBITRAGE FUND WHOLESALE PLAN NORMAL DIV OPTION 10.484

Arbitrage Fund-Direct Plan - Dividend Quarterly Option 14.233

Capital Builder Fund - Dividend Option 26.08

Capital Builder Fund - Growth Option 214.057

Capital Builder Fund -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 26.815

Capital Builder Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 218.782

Core & Satellite Fund -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 19.427

Core & Satellite Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 64.31

Core and Satellite Fund - DIVIDEND 18.668

Core and Satellite Fund - GROWTH 62.813

Equity Fund - Dividend Option 49.491

Equity Fund - Growth Option 479.463

Equity Fund -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 51.076

Equity Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 492.227

Equity Savings Fund - DIVIDEND 11.322

Equity Savings Fund -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 11.563

Equity Savings Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 29.438

Equity Savings Fund -GROWTH 28.9

Growth Fund - Dividend Option 29.112

Growth Fund - Growth Option 142.054

Growth Fund -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 29.729

Growth Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 144.572

Index Fund Nifty Plan-Direct Plan 76.3685

Index Fund-Nifty Plan(FV Rs 10.326) 75.901

Index Fund Sensex Plus Plan-Direct Plan 373.7107

Index Fund-Sensex Plus( FV-Rs32.161) 369.6892

Index Fund Sensex Plan-Direct Plan 243.3311

Index FundSensex Plan( FV Rs 32.161) 241.4083

Infrastructure Fund -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 16.736

Infrastructure Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 16.736

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND-DIVIDEND OPTION 13.651

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND-GROWTH OPTION 16.256

Large Cap Fund - Direct Dividend Plan 23.437

Large Cap Fund - Direct Growth Plan 90.808

Large Cap Fund - Regular Dividend Plan 21.063

Large Cap Fund - Regular Growth Plan 90.152

Mid Cap Opportunities Fund -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 31.344

Mid Cap Opportunities Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 42.446

MID-CAP OPPORTUNITIES FUND - Dividend Option 27.273

MID-CAP OPPORTUNITIES FUND - Growth Option 41.345

Arbitrage Fund-Regular Plan- Growth 19.87

Arbitrage Fund-Regular Plan-Dividend 12.6638

Arbitrage Fund - Plan B - Dividend 14.7187

Arbitrage Fund - Plan B - Growth 20.5117

Arbitrage Fund-Direct Plan- Annual Dividend 11.0954

Arbitrage Fund-Regular Plan- Annual Dividend 11.0087

Arbitrage Plus Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 12.3176

Arbitrage Plus Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 17.7695

Arbitrage Plus Fund-Regular Plan-Dividend 12.0653

Arbitrage Plus Fund-Regular Plan-Growth 17.4837

Arbitrage Plus Fund -B-DIVIDEND 12.2801

Arbitrage Plus Fund -B-GROWTH 16.0114

Arbitrage Plus Fund- Regular Plan- Annual Dividend 10.2851

Arbitrage Plus Fund-Direct Plan- Annual Dividend 10.6414

Classic Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 14.7111

Classic Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 34.9005

Classic Equity Fund-Regular Plan-Dividend 13.5168

Classic Equity Fund-Regular Plan-Growth 33.6275

Classic Equity Fund-Plan B- Dividend 13.1648

Classic Equity Fund-Plan B- Growth 26.7791

DEF_Direct Plan_Dividend 10.9898

DEF_Direct Plan_Growth 11.3199

DEF_Regular Plan_Dividend 10.7445

DEF_Regular Plan_Growth 11.0488

Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 15.4626

Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 25.3813

Equity Fund-Regular Plan-Dividend 12.97

Equity Fund-Regular Plan-Growth 24.4757

Equity Fund -Plan B- Dividend 12.9107

Equity Fund -Plan B-Growth 20.1956

Imperial Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 14.2525

Imperial Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 27.8638

Imperial Equity Fund-Regular Plan-Dividend 11.8956

Imperial Equity Fund-Regular Plan-Growth 26.8589

Imperial Equity Fund-Plan B - Dividend 12.4123

Imperial Equity Fund-Plan B - Growth 23.1607

Infrastructure Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 11.8897

Infrastructure Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 11.8938

Infrastructure Fund-Regular Plan-Dividend 11.4279

Infrastructure Fund-Regular Plan-Growth 11.4231

Nifty Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 17.4392

Nifty Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 17.2917

Nifty Fund-Regular Plan-Dividend 17.3849

Nifty Fund-Regular Plan-Growth 17.2493

Premier Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 32.6207

Premier Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 77.4397

Premier Equity Fund-Regular Plan-Dividend 31.9237

Premier Equity Fund-Regular Plan-Growth 75.5571

Premier Equity Fund-Plan B - Dividend 25.37

Premier Equity Fund_Plan B - Growth 55.8591

Sterling Equity Fund -Regular Plan-Dividend 16.3389

Sterling Equity Fund -Regular Plan-Growth 36.5235

Sterling Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 16.9168

Sterling Equity Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 37.5687

IIFL MUTUAL FUND

India Growth Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 11.7097

India Growth Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend 11.4911

India Growth Fund -Regular Plan - Growth 11.4911

India Growth Fund-Direct Plan-Growth 11.7097

INDIABULLS MUTUAL FUND

Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 10.5176

Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 11.356

Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend Option 10.4044

Arbitrage Fund - Regular Plan - Growth Option 11.2381

Blue Chip Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 13.85

Blue Chip Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 16.35

Blue Chip Fund - Dividend Option 13.39

Blue Chip Fund - Growth Option 15.55

Value Discovery Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 10.6176

Value Discovery Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 10.6181

Value Discovery Fund - Regular Plan - Dividend Option 10.4141

Value Discovery Fund - Regular Plan - Growth Option 10.4141

INVESCO MUTUAL FUND

India Arbitrage Fund - Annual Bonus 19.3064

India Arbitrage Fund - Bonus Option 12.8713

India Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Annual Bonus 19.7082

India Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Bonus Option 13.1389

India Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 13.169

India Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 19.7086

India Arbitrage Fund - Dividend Option 12.7991

India Arbitrage Fund - Growth Option 19.3063

India Banking Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 22.36

India Banking Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 39.12

India Banking Fund - Retail Dividend 21.19

India Banking Fund - Retail Growth 37.25

India Business Leaders Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 16.32

India Business Leaders Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 23.04

India Business Leaders Fund - Dividend 15.7

India Business Leaders Fund - Growth 21.97

India Contra Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 24.64

India Contra Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 34.24

India Contra Fund - Dividend 22.39

India Contra Fund - Growth 32.79

India Dynamic Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 18.54

India Dynamic Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 23.49

India Dynamic Equity Fund - Dividend 18.31

India Dynamic Equity Fund - Growth 22.36

India Growth Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 13.96

India Growth Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 25.34

India Growth Fund - Dividend 13.16

India Growth Fund - Growth 24.13

India Infrastructure Fund - Direct Pan - Dividend Option 13.7

India Infrastructure Fund - Direct Pan - Growth Option 13.72

India Infrastructure Fund - Dividend Option 13.08

India Infrastructure Fund - Growth Option 13.08

India Mid Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend Option 24.99

India Mid Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 37.79

India Mid Cap Fund - Dividend Option 23.59

India Mid Cap Fund - Growth Option 35.93

India MID N SMALL CAP Fund - Direct Plan - Div Option 35.14

India MID N SMALL CAP Fund - Direct Plan - Growth Option 38.79

India MID N SMALL CAP Fund - Dividend Option 33.58

India MID N SMALL CAP Fund - Growth Option 37.03

India PSU Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 13.58

India PSU Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 15.1

India PSU Equity Fund - Dividend 13.03

India PSU Equity Fund - Growth 14.44

JM FINANCIAL MUTUAL FUND

Arbitrage Advantage Fund (Direct) - Annual Bonus Option 10.9636

Arbitrage Advantage Fund (Direct) - Annual Div Option 11.5299

Arbitrage Advantage Fund (Direct) - Bonus Option 11.4229

Arbitrage Advantage Fund (Direct) - Dividend Option 10.774

Arbitrage Advantage Fund (Direct) - Growth Option 21.3288

Arbitrage Advantage (Direct) - Half Yrly Bonus Op - Principal Units 21.2926

Arbitrage Advantage Fund (Direct) - Half Yearly Dividend Option 11.5299

Arbitrage Advantage Fund (Direct) - Monthly Dividend Option 11.4776

Arbitrage Advantage (Direct) - Qtrly Bonus Op - Principal Units 21.2987

Arbitrage Advantage Fund (Direct) - Quarterly Dividend Option 11.5109

Arbitrage Advantage Fund - Annual Bonus Option 21.0586

Arbitrage Advantage Fund - Annual Dividend Option 11.1886

Arbitrage Advantage Fund - Bonus Option 11.3839

Arbitrage Advantage - Half Yrly Bonus Option - Principal Units 21.0942

Arbitrage Advantage Fund - Half Yearly Dividend Option 11.1677

Arbitrage Advantage Fund - Monthly Dividend Option 11.1457

Arbitrage Advantage Fund - Qtrly Bonus Option - Principal Units 21.0942

Arbitrage Advantage Fund - Quarterly Dividend Option 11.1886

ARBITRAGE ADVANTAGE FUND-Dividend 10.4361

ARBITRAGE ADVANTAGE FUND-Growth 20.9395

Basic Fund (Direct) - Dividend Option 16.674

Basic Fund (Direct) - Growth Option 24.2711

Basic Fund - Dividend Option 16.3236

Basic Fund - Growth Option 23.3767

Core 11 Fund (Direct) - Growth Option 6.6419

Core 11 Fund (Direct) - Dividend Option 6.541

Core 11 Fund - Dividend option 6.3717

Core 11 Fund - Growth option 6.3719

Equity Fund (Direct) - Annual Dividend Option 23.6904

Equity Fund (Direct) - Dividend Option 23.3028

Equity Fund (Direct) - Growth Option 57.5689

Equity Fund (Direct) - Half Yearly Dividend Option 23.6364

Equity Fund (Direct) - Monthly Dividend Option 23.6904

Equity Fund (Direct) - Quarterly Dividend Option 23.6904

Equity Fund - Annual Dividend Option 22.9778

Equity Fund - Half Yearly Dividend Option 15.969

Equity Fund - Monthly Dividend Option 22.8555

Equity Fund - Quarterly Dividend Option 22.884

Equity Fund-Dividend 22.5853

Equity Fund-Growth 55.4841

Multi Strategy Fund (Direct) - Dividend Option 21.1925

Multi Strategy Fund (Direct) - Growth Option 23.1347

Multi Strategy Fund - Dividend option 20.7215

Multi Strategy Fund - Growth option 22.2798

Premier Multi-Cap Fund-Dividend 13.495

Premier Multi-Cap Fund-Growth 43.782

Premier Multicap -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 13.828

Premier Multicap -Direct Plan - Growth Option 44.678

Retirement Savings Fund - Equity Plan - Direct Plan 12.514

Retirement Savings Fund - Equity Plan - Regular Plan 12.44

Small and Mid Cap Fund - Direct Dividend Plan 21.484

Small and Mid Cap Fund - Direct Growth Plan 29.718

Small and Mid Cap Fund - Regular Dividend Plan 20.614

Small and Mid Cap Fund - Regular Growth Plan 28.779

Top 200 Fund - Dividend Option 48.206

Top 200 Fund - Growth Option 354.301

Top 200 Fund -Direct Plan - Dividend Option 49.447

Top 200 Fund -Direct Plan - Growth Option 362.041

HSBC MUTUAL FUND

Dividend Yield Equity Fund - Dividend 17.1976

Dividend Yield Equity Fund - Growth 17.1976

Dividend Yield Equity Fund-Dividend Direct 17.6338

Dividend Yield Equity Fund-Growth Direct 17.6338

Dynamic Fund - Dividend 14.5757

Dynamic Fund - Growth 14.5757

Dynamic Fund-Dividend Direct 14.9499

Dynamic Fund-Growth Direct 14.9499

Equity Fund - Dividend 28.6248

Equity Fund - Dividend Direct 29.5207

Equity Fund - Growth 156.4441

Equity Fund - Growth Direct 160.6311

India Opportunities Fund - Dividend 23.3149

India Opportunities Fund - Dividend Direct 25.2884

India Opportunities Fund - Growth 68.9649

India Opportunities Fund - Growth Direct 70.8035

Progressive Themes Fund - Dividend Direct 14.9281

Progressive Themes Fund - Growth 17.1023

Progressive Themes Fund - Growth Direct 17.5483

Progressive Themes Fund- Dividend 14.5472

Midcap Equity Fund - Dividend 19.9524

Midcap Equity Fund - Dividend Direct 23.385

Midcap Equity Fund - Growth 42.5974

Midcap Equity Fund - Growth Direct 43.7481

ICICI PRUDENTIAL MUTUAL FUND

Balanced Advantage Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 19.2

Balanced Advantage Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 29.07

Balanced Advantage Fund - Direct Plan - Monthly Dividend 14.46

Balanced Advantage Fund - Direct Plan - Quarterly Dividend 11.62

Balanced Advantage Fund - Dividend 16.53

Balanced Advantage Fund - Growth 27.99

Balanced Advantage Fund - Monthly Dividend 13.78

Balanced Advantage Fund - Quarterly Dividend 11.29

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Dividend 30.83

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Growth 42.34

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 41.74

Banking and Financial Services Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 43.71

Blended Plan A - Dividend 13.5898

Blended Plan A - Direct Plan Bonus 10.9152

Blended Plan A - Growth 22.7587

Blended Plan A-Direct Plan - Dividend 13.6408

Blended Plan A-Direct Plan - Growth 23.0933

Child Care Plan Gift - Cumulative 111.43

Child Care Plan Gift - Direct Plan - Cumulative 114.41

Dividend Yield Equity Fund Direct Plan Dividend Option 12.28

Dividend Yield Equity Fund Direct Plan Growth Option 13.25

Dividend Yield Equity Fund Dividend Option 12.09

Dividend Yield Equity Fund Growth Option 13.05

Dynamic - Direct Plan - Dividend 23.8122

Dynamic - Direct Plan - Growth 202.0585

Dynamic - Dividend 22.1094

Dynamic - Growth 196.7517

Dynamic Plan- Institutional Growth Option 19.057

Dynamic Plan-Institutional Option - I 32.4192

Equity - Arbritrage Fund-Institutional Growth Option 21.0976

Equity Arbitrage Fund - Bonus 11.4408

Equity Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 14.2631

Equity Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 21.1955

Equity Arbitrage Fund - Direct Plan Bonus 11.5321

Equity Arbitrage Fund - Dividend 13.7921

Equity Arbitrage Fund - Growth 20.8176

Equity Income Fund - Cumulative option 11.13

Equity Income Fund - Direct Plan - Cumulative option 11.3

Equity Income Fund - Direct Plan - Half Yearly Dividend 10.79

Equity Income Fund - Direct Plan - Monthly Dividend 10.82

Equity Income Fund - Direct Plan - Quarterly Dividend 10.91

Equity Income Fund - Half Yearly Dividend 10.66

Equity Income Fund - Monthly Dividend 10.66

Equity Income Fund - Quarterly Dividend 10.83

Exports and Other Services Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 34.25

Exports and Other Services Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 47.61

Exports and Other Services Fund - Dividend 24.88

Exports and Other Services Fund - Growth 46.46

FMCG Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 88.87

FMCG Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 178.46

FMCG Fund - Dividend 68.07

FMCG Fund - Growth 174.31

Focused Bluechip Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 28.28

Focused Bluechip Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 32.18

Focused Bluechip Equity Fund - Dividend 21.63

Focused Bluechip Equity Fund - Growth 31.23

Focused Bluechip Equity Fund - Instl Option - I - Growth 33.54

Indo Asia Equity Fund - Dividend 16

Indo Asia Equity Fund - Growth 20.72

Indo Asia Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 21.13

Indo Asia Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 21.13

Indo Asia Equity Fund - Institutional Growth 20.73

Infrastructure Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 14.7

Infrastructure Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 42.03

Infrastructure Fund - Dividend 13.78

Infrastructure Fund - Growth 41.12

MidCap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 27.93

MidCap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 75.47

MidCap Fund - Dividend 24.02

MidCap Fund - Growth 73.43

Multicap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 28.83

Multicap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 223.59

Multicap Fund - Dividend 23.23

Multicap Fund - Growth 218.23

Nifty Index Fund - Cumulative Option 81.9936

Nifty Index Fund - Direct Plan Cumulative Option 83.1711

Nifty Index Fund - Direct Plan Dividend Option 11.1833

Nifty Index Fund - Dividend Option 10.9284

Nifty Next 50 Index Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 19.1508

Nifty Next 50 Index Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 19.1562

Nifty Next 50 Index Fund - Growth 18.8384

Nifty Next 50 Index Fund -Dividend 18.8384

Select Large Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 24.64

Select Large Cap Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 25.43

Select Large Cap Fund - Dividend 17.55

Select Large Cap Fund -Growth 24.64

Technology Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 40.85

Technology Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 40.87

Technology Fund - Dividend 29.45

Technology Fund - Growth 39.8

Top 100 Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 21.23

Top 100 Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 259.52

Top 100 Fund - Dividend 16.92

Top 100 Fund - Growth 252.57

US Bluechip Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 19.91

US Bluechip Equity Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 19.91

US Bluechip Equity Fund - Dividend 19.33

US Bluechip Equity Fund - Growth 19.33

Value Discovery Fund - Direct Plan - Dividend 46.38

Value Discovery Fund - Direct Plan - Growth 127.45

Value Discovery Fund - Dividend 32.13

Value Discovery Fund - Growth 123.4

IDBI MUTUAL FUND

DIVERSIFIED EQUITY FUND Dividend - Direct Plan 16.66

DIVERSIFIED EQUITY FUND Dividend - Regular Plan 16.43

DIVERSIFIED EQUITY FUND Growth Direct 17.71

DIVERSIFIED EQUITY FUND Growth Regular 17.48

India Top 100 Equity Fund Dividend 16.66

India Top 100 Equity Fund Dividend Direct 17.07

India Top 100 Equity Fund Growth 20.11

India Top 100 Equity Fund Growth Direct 20.54

Nifty Index Fund Dividend 15.2573

Nifty Index Fund Dividend Direct 15.5879

NIFTY Index Fund Growth 15.9993

NIFTY Index Fund Growth Direct 16.3399

Nifty Junior Index Fund Dividend 16.4394

Nifty Junior Index Fund Dividend Direct 16.8406

Nifty Junior Index Fund Growth 16.4394

Nifty Junior Index Fund Growth Direct 16.8406

IDFC MUTUAL FUND

Arbitrage Fund-Direct Plan- Growth 20.2237

Arbitrage Fund-Direct Plan-Dividend 13.0219

Scheme NAV

funds 12LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016

LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016 world 13

AFP n ALEXANDROUPOLI(GREECE)

Eight Turkish military offi-cers who fled to Greece by

helicopter after a failed coupwere charged on Sunday by aprosecutor with illegal entryand violating Greek airspace,their lawyer said.

The men, who have soughtasylum in Greece, arrived bymilitary helicopter yesterdayafter sending a distress signalto authorities at the airport inthe northern city ofAlexandroupolis.

They were prosecuted forillegal entry into Greece, theirlawyer, Ilia Marinaki said,adding that they will appear incourt tomorrow.

She added that theyremained under arrest and hadnot made contact with theirfamilies.

The asylum seekers insistthey took no part in the putschand fled to Greece to savetheir lives “when policemenstarted shooting against them”.

Marinaki added that thesoldiers -- all married and intheir forties -- feared for the

safety of themselves and theirfamilies.

Turkey’s Foreign MinisterMevlut Cavusoglu said Ankarahad asked Athens to send theofficers, including two majors,back following Friday night’schallenge to President RecepTayyip Erdogan’s rule by dis-contented soldiers in whichmore than 250 people died.

Erdogan spoke late yester-day by phone with the GreekPrime Minister Alexis Tsiprasand thanked him for his stanceduring the failed uprising,

according to GreekGovernment sources.

Tsipras had early yesterdayexpressed his “support for thedemocratically elected” Turkishgovernment.

According to Athens NewsAgency, the Greek PrimeMinister told Erdogan that theprocedure for the Turkish asy-lum seekers will be swift but inline with international law andhuman rights treaties.

Greek Government sourcesestimate that the procedurewill take up to two weeks.

AP n ISTANBUL

The Turkish Governmentaccelerated its crackdown

on alleged plotters of the failedcoup against President RecepTayyip Erdogan, with theJustice Minister on Sundaysaying that 6,000 people hadbeen detained in the investi-gation, including three of thecountry’s top generals and hun-dreds of soldiers.

In addition to those men-tioned by Justice Minister BekirBozdag, dozens of arrest war-rants have been issued forjudges and prosecutors deemedto be Government opponents.

The Government has alsodismissed nearly 3,000 judgesand prosecutors from theirposts, while investigators werepreparing court cases to sendthe conspirators to trial oncharges of attempting to over-throw the Government.

“The cleansing (operation)is continuing. Some 6,000detentions have taken place.The number could surpass6,000,” Bozdag said in televisedcomments.

The botched coup, whichsaw warplanes fly over keygovernment installations andtanks roll up in major cities,ended hours later when loyal

Government forces regainedcontrol of the military andcivilians took to the streets insupport of Erdogan.

Chanting, dancing andwaving flags, tens of thou-sands of Turks marchedthrough the streets into theearly hours today in half adozen cities after officials urgedthem to defend democracy

and back Erdogan, Turkey’s toppolitician for 13 years.

It was an emotional displayby Turks, who rallied in head-scarves and long dresses, T-shirts and work boots, somewalking hand-in-hand withtheir children. Rather thantoppling him, the attemptedcoup that left some 265 deadand 1,440 wounded appears to

have bolstered Erdogan’s pop-ularity and grip on power.

The Yeni Safak newspaperused the headline “Traitors ofthe country,” while the Hurriyetnewspaper declared“Democracy’s victory.”

“Just a small group fromTurkish armed forces stoodup against our Government ...But we, the Turkish nation,

stand together and repulse itback,” Gozde Kurt, a 16-year-old student at the rally inIstanbul, said on Sunday.

General Umit Dunda saidthe dead included at least 104conspirators, describing themas mainly officers from the AirForce, the military police andarmored units.

Officials claimed the con-spirators were loyal to moder-ate US-based cleric FethullahGulen, whom Erdogan hasoften accused of attempting tooverthrow the government.

Gulen, a staunch democ-racy advocate who lives inexile inPennsylvania, is a for-mer Erdogan ally turned bitterfoe who has been put on trialin absentia in Turkey. Hestrongly denies the charges.

Funeral ceremonies andprayers for those killed in thecoup were held in Ankara andIstanbul today, where relativesbeside themselves with grief.Prayers were read simultane-ously from Turkey’s 85,000mosques at noon to honorthose who died in an attempt-ed military coup.

Sela prayers are tradition-ally recited from mosques dur-ing funerals, though they arealso performed to rally people,as they were all night Friday

during tense coup hours.A Government official said

autopsies have been completedon 165 people, including 115reclaimed by their families. Hespoke on condition of anonymi-ty in line with regulations.

Forty policemen, includingtwin brothers, were killed whenthe renegade soldiers attacked aspecial forces station in Ankara.

The victims also includedErdogan campaign managerErol Olcak and his 16-year oldson Abdullah, killed when rene-gade soldiers opened fire on pro-testers at the Bosporus bridge inIstanbul on Friday night.

The elder brother of one ofErdogan’s chief advisers wasalso killed in gunfire whileprotesting the coup in front of

the Istanbul Municipality build-ing. Ilhan Varank died duringclashes that lasted five hours.

The wide reach of theGovernment crackdown raisedconcerns over the future ofdemocracy in Turkey, whichhas long prided itself on itsdemocratic traditions despitebeing in a tumultuous regionswept by conflict and extremism.

Istanbul: Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogan vowedon Sunday to purge the “virus”within state bodies, during aspeech at the funeral of victimskilled during the coup bid heblames on his enemy FethullahGulen.

“We will continue to cleanthe virus from all state bodiesbecause this virus has spread.Unfortunately like a cancer, thisvirus has enveloped the state.

“We knew this and told all

relevant authorities,” he warnedthousands of mourners at theFatih mosque in Istanbul.

During a passionatespeech, the president paid trib-ute to the “martyrs” of democ-racy, insisting that the peoplewere stronger.

“They may have tanks butwe have our faith. We will notleave the squares ... But we willcontinue defiantly.

“I said this on Saturday, thepeople’s demand for democra-cy cannot be swept aside. Thisis your right.”

During the attemptedcoup, 161 civilians and regular

troops lost their lives inIstanbul and Ankara, accordingto Government figures.

More than 100 coup plot-ters were also killed, the mili-tary said.

Despite fears in the Westand the United States thatErdogan would wreak revenge,he said, “Don’t forget this, weare not vengeful.”

The remarks appeared to bein response to US PresidentBarack Obama’s call for all par-ties to “act within the rule of law”and for leaders to “avoid actionsthat would lead to further vio-lence or instability”. AFP

PTI n LAHORE

The brother of Pakistan’ssocial media celebrity

Qandeel Baloch has been arrest-ed for drugging and strangu-lating her to death for bringing“shame” to the family by post-ing risque videos and posts onFacebook, reigniting debate ona spate of honour killings thathas plagued the Islamic nation.

26-year-old Qandeel’syounger brother MuhammadWaseem was arrested in DeraGhazi Khan district of PunjabProvince late last night. He waslater presented before mediawhere he confessed that hedrugged and strangled his sister.

Waseem, 25, said that hekilled her as she brought “dis-honour to the Baloch name” dueto risque videos and statementsthat she posted on social media.

“There were other issues aswell...Like the Maulvi issue,” hesaid, in an apparent referenceto a controversy surroundingQandeel’s selfies with MuftiAbdul Qavi, which hit theheadlines last month.

Her controversial picturesrecently led to the suspensionof Mufti Qawi’s membershipfrom the Ruet-e-Hilal com-mittee, a top religious body.

“She wasn’t aware I waskilling her. I gave her a tabletand then strangled her,” he said.

The actor-cum-model wasstrangled to death in her housein Multan’s Karimabad area inthe early hours yesterday.

Qandeel was laid to rest inDera Ghazi Khan today.

Relatives and a large num-ber of local residents attendedQandeel’s funeral prayers inShah Sadar Din village, around130 kilometers from Multan.Her body was brought to ShahSadar Din village this morning.

Earlier, Qandeel’s father,Muhammad Azeem, hadlodged the FIR and named histwo sons for killing her inMultan where she had comefrom Karachi to live with herparents on the occasion of Eid.

In his police complaint,Qandeel’s father said Waseemkilled her as he was against herworking in showbiz.

The father alleged thatWaseem had taken this extremestep at the behest of his broth-er Mohammad Aslam Shaheen.

City police chief AzharAkram said the younger broth-er fled after the crime to DeraGhazi Khan with two of hisfriends. Police was searchingfor the friends also.

Qandeel came from a hum-ble background and became asocial media sensation. Shehad received threats from herfamily to quit modelling andstop her provocative appear-ances on social media. Herbrother had been threateningher over her Facebook posts andvideos, the police said.

Three weeks ago, she hadwritten to the interior minister,the director general of the

Federal Investigation Authority(FIA) and the senior superin-tendent of Islamabad askingthem to provide security to her.

Her real name was FouziaAzeem but she chose QandeelBaloch as her pseudonym afterstepping into modelling.

Qandeel became famous

through her tireless self-pro-motion and suggestive “selfies”posted on social media and hadamassed tens of thousands of fol-lowers. Honour killing is com-mon in Pakistan and every yearhundreds of women are killed bymale relatives for allegedly dis-honouring the family.

London: Exposing the uncer-tainties unleashed by Britain’sdecision to leave the EuropeanUnion, the UK Minister incharge of negotiating thedivorce on Sunday said thatmost EU citizens in Britain,when it leaves the bloc, will beable to stay but some mighthave to leave.

Brexit Secretary DavidDavis dismissed suggestionsthat the estimated 3 million EUnationals now living in Britainmight be forced to leave, tellingSky News that “I want to see agenerous settlement for the peo-ple here already. They didn’t seekthis circumstance, we did.”

But he said if a surge of newimmigrants trying to “beat thedeadline” floods into Britainbefore it leaves the EU, theConservative Government mayhave to set a cutoff date. PTI

London: Britain’s Special AirService (SAS) sniper teamshave been trained to stop aspeeding vehicle by shootingthrough the engine block witharmour-piercing bullets in theevent of a Nice-style attack, areport said on Sunday.

British police fear that ISISsympathisers in the UK mayattempt a copycat attack on thelines of Mohamed LahouaiejBouhlel’s killing of over 80 peo-ple by driving an armed lorrythrough crowds in the Frenchbeach town last week. TheSunday Times report claims thatSAS snipers have already trainedto deal with a similar situation inthe UK.

“Every terrorist incident thatwe look at to see what the latesttactics are, and we think whetherthat could happen here,” NeilBasu, Deputy AssistantCommissioner said. PTI

London: A heroic British mil-itary dog who is said to havesaved a thousand lives by sniff-ing out hidden explosives inwarzones around the worldhas been honorned with amemorial. Buster, an arms and explosivesearch dog with the Royal AirForce, completed five tours ofduty in Afghanistan, Bosniaand Iraq and saved countlesslives by searching out impro-vised explosive devices.

The springer spaniel retiredin 2012 and died at his han-dler’s home at the age of 13 inLincolnshire in 2015. He iscredited with saving over athousand lives by detectingbombs and explosives in war-torn areas around the world.

The memorial wasunveiled in the garden at RAFWaddington during a shortservice. PTI

Miami: A gunman fatally shotan elderly patient and a hospitalemployee in an apparently ran-dom attack inside a Florida hos-pital early on Sunday, police said.

“Victims are an elderlyfemale patient, & female hospi-tal employee. Unk motive,” theTitusville Police Departmentsaid on Twitter. The shootingtook place on the third floor ofthe Parrish Medical Center inTitusville — 64 kilometres eastof Orlando — local police saidearlier via Twitter, adding thatthe victims had died.

Police arrested the gunmanat the hospital, local televisionstation WFTV reported. Theauthorities have not yet iden-tified him. Unarmed securityguards had subdued anddetained the suspect beforethe police arrived.

The suspect apparently didnot know the victims or haveany connection with the hos-pital, Brevard County SheriffWayne Ivey told local reporters.

“It appears to be extreme-ly random,” he said, local chan-nel WKMG reported. However,he cautioned that it was stillearly in the investigation.

Last month, a gunman killed49 people inside a gay nightclubin Orlando, the worst gun mas-sacre in recent US history. AFP

Turkish Govt cracks down post coup bid; 6K detained

Turkish military personnel, who were aboard a Blackhawk military helicopter, aretransferred to a prosecutor’s office in Alexandroupolis, Greece on Sunday AP

Greece charges Turkish coupasylum seekers of illegal entry Paris: France’s Foreign Minister

warned Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan on Sundayagainst using his country’s failedcoup as a “blank cheque” tosilence his opponents.

“We want the rule of law towork properly in Turkey,” Jean-Marc Ayrault told France 3 tele-vision, warning Turkey’sGovernment against “purges”.

His remarks came asTurkish authorities continueda crackdown over the coup,arresting over 6,000 peopleaccused of involvement in the

putsch or of supporting thecoup plotters.

Ayrault said the events ofthe past two days had raisedquestions about Turkey’s “reli-ability” in the fight againstIslamic State.

Turkey is a member of theUS-led coalition that has beencarrying out airstrikes againstthe group in Syria.

“There’s (the question of)reliability on the one handand, indeed, an element ofsuspicion on the other,” hetold France 3 television. AFP

Failed coup not blank cheque

for Erdogan, France warns

Washington: The US-led coali-tion against the Islamic State(ISIS) group has resumed airstrikes from a Turkish air basethat were suspended after afailed military coup d’etat, thePentagon said on Sunday.

“After close coordinationwith our Turkish allies, theyhave reopened their airspace tomilitary aircraft,” Pentagonspokesman Peter Cook said ina statement.

“As a result, counter-ISILcoalition air operations at all airbases in Turkey have resumed,”he added, using an acronym forthe ISIS group.

“US facilities at Incirlikare still operating on internalpower sources, but we hope torestore commercial powersoon. Base operations havenot been affected.”

The Turkish authorities onSaturday imposed a security

lockdown at the Incirlik air basein the southern province ofAdana used by US and othercoalition forces in the fightagainst jehadists in Syria andIraq. The Government ofPresident Recep Tayyip Erdoganyesterday put down the bloodycoup attempt, but it raised con-cerns in the West about the sta-bility of the country and itscontinued role in the anti-ISIScoalition. AFP

Erdogan vows purge of ‘virus’from state bodies after coup bid

PAK SOCIAL MEDIA CELEB QANDEEL BALOCH’S MURDER

Brother held, confesses to killing

US-led coalition resumes strikes

against ISIS from Turkey base

Brexit Min: SomeEU migrants mayhave to leave UK

UK snipers trainedagainst Nice-styleterror attack: Report

Heroic RAF sniffer

dog honoured for

saving thousands

Mourners attend the funeral of Mehmet Yilmaz, 45, killed on Friday while protesting against the attempted coup against theTurkey Government on Sunday AP A newly-married couple poses for photos in front of the Bosporous bridge in Central Istanbul on Sunday AP

Pakistani police officers present Waseem Azeem, the brother of slain model Qandeel Baloch (Right), before the media followinghis arrest at a police station in Multan, Pakistan on Sunday AP

Lahore: A Pakistani cleric, who got suspended from the membershipof a top religious body after selfies with Qandeel Baloch, the Internetsensation murdered by her brother in a case of honour killing, on

Sunday said the incident is a lesson for others.“Those who intend to or humiliate clerics

must learn from Qandeel Baloch’s fate,” MuftiAbdul Qawi said. Qawi was last month embroiledin a scandal with Qandeel after she uploaded herpictures with him during a meeting.

Qandeel, 26, was killed yesterday by her broth-er for what he said was “dishonouring” the family by posting risquevideos and posts on Facebook. Reacting on the killing of socialmedia celebrity, Qawi, who was suspended from government’s Ruet-e-Hilal Committee membership following the selfie controversywith Qandeel, said, “Those who have humiliated clerics must seekrepentance and should ask forgiveness from clerics as well as Allah.

“I had forgiven Qandeel for what she had done against me.I have never had any hatred for her,” he told the Express Tribunenewspaper. PTI

Baloch’s murder lesson forothers: Mufti Abdul Qawi

Kristy Villasenor, partner of Dallas police officer Patrick Zamarripa, shares a moment with her son, Dylan Hoover, after a funeralservice for Zamarripa on Saturday AP

Gunman killstwo in Floridahospital: Reports

Washington: A gunman killed atleast two police officers andinjured at least five more in BatonRouge, Louisiana on Sunday, localmedia reported. Several of thoseinjured were reported to be incritical condition.“The scene seems to be containedright now,” Baton Rouge police spokesman Don Coppola toldtelevision station WAFB. AFP

2 US COPS DEAD, FIVEHURT IN BATON ROUGE

sport 14LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016

PTI n BASSETERRE

Indian bowlers, with theexception of off-spinnerRavichandran Ashwin, were

far from impressive as theystruggled for wickets on thethird and final day of the sec-ond tour match against theWest Indies Board President’sXI which ended in a draw hereon Sunday.

The home side ended theirsecond innings at 223/6 from 86overs after resuming their sec-ond innings at 26/1, when playwas called off in the final session.

The visitors had finishedtheir first innings on day twoat 364 all out, after bowling outthe hosts for 180 on the open-ing day.

Ravichandran Ashwin(3/59) impressed with his off-spin as he grabbed two morewickets today after scalping onehome side batsman onSaturday. Other Indian bowlersstruggled to get the wickets.

Indian pacers were alsofar from impressive in the firsttour match against West IndiesBoard President’s XI earlierthis week. Action now shifts tothe four-match series with thefirst Test beginning in Antiguaon July 21.

Shardul Thakur (0/26) andRavindra Jadeja (1/42) startedthe day’s proceedings, and theMumbai pacer got some move-ment immediately. He was onthe mark with his line andlength, just as in the first inningsand troubled the batsmen.However, unlike day one, he wasnot able to garner any success.

Jadeja, meanwhile, bowledfrom the end opposite to theone from where he had sentdown 13 overs in the firstinnings and had finished with3/16. As such, he struggled withthe cross wind across the sta-

dium, and was taken for runsby the two batsmen.

Opener John Campbellstepped out and smacked himfor two sixes, and thereafterAshwin was re-introduced intothe attack.

Jadeja did not get any restthough, as skipper Virat Kohlideployed him from the sameend as in the first innings. Andit paid immediate dividends asJadeja got his man, withCampbell caught at mid-on byLokesh Rahul.

At the other end, Ashwincontinued to trouble the bats-men with his bounce and turn

while bowling to an attackingfield. But Shai Hope (17) andJermaine Blackwood (51)defied him for nearly five overs.

In the end, the wicket didcome off a brilliant turning ball,with Hope caught by Kohli atleg slip in the 26th over of theinnings.

Mohammed Shami (1/22)returned thereafter to bowl afour-over spell, while AmitMishra (0/17) was deployed aswell. But Blackwood, in com-pany of Vishaul Singh (39),managed to bat on for nearly 17overs and put on 34 runs forthe fourth wicket going into the

lunch break.Post lunch, the visitors

retained only a little interest inthe proceedings to try and seeif they could force some quickwickets. But the batsmen wererelentless, taking their stand to62 and showed their intent asJadeja was smacked for a thirdsix as well.

Soon after that, the matchlost all steam as Stuart Binny(0/11) and Murali Vijay (0/34)were brought on to bowl.

The drab proceedings hadlittle by way of cheer, except theodd wickets that fell. Singh wasrun-out, as Shikhar Dhawan’s

throw from the deep beat himto the striker’s end. Rahul waskeeping wickets then and had nohesitation in removing the bails.

Ashwin returned foranother spell and engagedBlackwood in an interestingduel. He finally got the betteroff him, as the batsman edgeda sweep shot onto his stumps.

Rahkem Cornwall (21)then continued his hard-hittingways from the first innings andsmacked one four and twosixes as Shami got anotherspell. The Bengal pacer hadbeen toiling without rewardsince day one, and finally got

a wicket to show for, asCornwall edged down leg-sideto Wriddhiman Saha, whoreturned for keeping duties inthe final session.

The game meandered for awhile as West Indies BoardPresident’s XI finally got pastthe Indian lead and went aheadfor once, thanks in part to Vijayand Cheteshwar Pujara (0/10)bowling a spell in tandem.Montcin Hodge was unbeatenon 39.

Brief ScoresWICB President’s XI: 180 &223/6 (Vishaul 39, Hodge 39*;R Ashwin 3/59) vs India: 364.

PTI n BASSETERRE

He may have only got a lit-tle taste of the Caribbean

conditions, but young pacerShardul Thakur (in pic) sayshe expects slower wickets in theTest series against the WestIndies beginning on July 21,much like the ones laid out forthe two practice games here.

“I have sat down with theseniors and as a bowling unit,we have discussed all thesethings about pitches and condi-tions. The pitches here for bothpractice matches were slow andsimilarly we are also expectingslow wickets in the Test seriestoo,” said Shardul after the endof the practice match.

“So the bowlers know wehave to keep making effort. Theslower the wicket, the effort ismore. Making an effort is mywork and needed in all match-es. It does not matter how thepitch is. A fast bowler has togive effort on each delivery,” hefurther added.

The youngster was includ-ed in this 17-man squad afterhis impressive performancesfor Mumbai in the recentlyconcluded Ranji season.

And he made an impres-sion here in St. Kitts too, trou-bling the batsmen in bothinnings with his line andlength, using the bouncer as asurprise weapon and picking1/50 in the 22 overs he bowledin the match.

“It was always my dream tobe part of the Test team, andbeing with the Indian teamwhere other players havegained certain experience, youget to learn a lot from them. Iam trying to learn as much asI can, because it will only begood for my progress in thefuture,” said the youngster.

“I did bowl a few bouncersand almost got a wicket withone in the second innings.Even in the first innings, the

wicket I got was off a bouncer.I use it as a surprise weaponand it is more of a variation inmy bowling,” he said, talkingabout his match experience.

Talking about the influenceof Anil Kumble and IshantSharma, Shardul said, “Theyhave made me feel very com-fortable and a player performsbetter when he is feeling good.

“There should not be anypressure in the dressing roomand the more freedom youhave, the better you will be ableto perform out on the field. Thesenior guys and Anil bhai havegiven me enough confidence,so now it is up to me to goahead and perform.”

The first Test starts inAntigua on July 21 and Sharduldoes not expect to make the cutfor the playing eleven.

Even so this is a long sea-son, spanning as many as 17Tests, and his chance is likelyto come sooner or later.

“Everyone is a differentbowler and it is important toidentify you own strengths, andkeep improving on them. Wehave shared different ideas aboutbowling in the Test series andhopefully our ideas will work.

“As for selection, well, wehave a long season ahead of us.I am used to playing thedomestic season that starts inSeptember and goes on untilMarch-April. So I just hope myfitness shapes up and I hope toget a look-in at some point,”Shardul signed off.

PTI n BASSETERRE

Former West Indies captainCourtney Walsh hailed the

BCCI decision of appointingAnil Kumble as coach termingthe leg-spinner as someone whohas “his heart in right place”.

“I think it is a very goodmove. He is a very well respect-ed person, and someone whois involved with the ICC aswell,” Walsh said.

Walsh, who is also anational selector, was present inSt Kitts to watch the warm-upgames and was seen enjoyingdinner with the Indian coach.

“He (Kumble) has alwayswanted to contribute and givesomething back to cricket andhis heart is in the right place. Iam sure he will do everythingin his power to ensure thatIndian cricket stays at the topor even gets better,” said Walsh.

“At the same time, I thinkhe will help build the game fur-ther, and to me that is the big-ger picture. Sure he wants theIndian team to be numberone, but he will not look afterthem alone. Having someonelike him giving an input at theinternational level will be great,”he added.

What makes Kumble spe-cial according to Walsh, is hisability to command respect.

“They will have immenserespect for him because theywill have seen him play all thoseyears. Plus, Kumble has beeninvolved with cricket quite a lotsince he stopped playing and he

knows the ins and outs of thecurrent-day game.

“His passion is second tonone, and it reflects in the waythey are led by captain ViratKohli. I like to read body lan-guage and you can tell they wantto play good cricket, and thatthis series will be a good one,”said the West Indies’ selector.

Talking about the prospec-tive relationship between cap-tain and coach, Walshsaid,”Well, I think Kumble willsucceed in keeping him calm.But at the same time, I don’tthink Kohli is a player whowants to go out there and notexpress himself.

“He leaves everything on thefield and as a leader is passion-ate about the game and his per-formances. Kohli is like Kumblein that respect, and as coach, hewill be able to guide and helphim to achieve success.”

Walsh rated Virat Kohli asone of the top three batsman inworld cricket.

“I do believe that Virat

Kohli is one of the top threebatsmen in the world. They alsohave other exciting batting tal-ents, Murali Vijay, AjinkyaRahane, Cheteshwar Pujara andRohit Sharma. All of them willbe looking to make a mark inthis series. I am excited to seethem play here, but at the sametime, I also don’t want them toget too many runs against myteam,” he added, with a smile.

The former pacer was thefirst one to go past Kapil Dev’sworld record Test tally of 434wickets, setting the mark forothers at 519 Test wickets. Amajority of his wickets came inthe Caribbean of course, onpitches that were once fiery innature, but has slowed downconsiderably since.

“I am certain they are hop-ing to make better pitches forthe Test series. I am not hold-ing a lot of hope though,because the wickets have defi-nitely slowed down, perhaps alittle too much. If we can some-how get more life in them,maybe leave a little more grassand get some good bounce, itwould be reasonable,” said thelegendary bowler.

Walsh said that he can’trecollect an Indian team comingwith 3-4 genuine quick bowlers.“And Indian pacers will likebowling here. I don’t rememberseeing an Indian team that had3-4 fast bowlers who couldbowl at that pace, and this teamhas that. Ishant looks like theleader of attack, and knowswhat he is doing.” he added.

PTI n NEW DELHI

Indian boxing’s administra-tive logjam is likely to end

only after next month’sOlympics with the stakeholderspushing back the much-await-ed elections for the BoxingFederation of India toSeptember, a move that hasbeen cleared by the world bodyas well.

“It has been decided that itwould be better to for the elec-tions after the Olympics andthis has been intimated to theInternational BoxingAssociation (AIBA), which is

fine with the decision,” AsitBanerjee, who will now headthe proposed BoxingFederation of India’s ExecutiveBoard assigned the task ofconducting the elections, said.

Headed by Banerjee, theBoard has Jay Kowli as vice-President and 23 representa-tives from various state units.

“We are targetting electionsin the third week of Septemberand the AIBA has said it is finewith any date after the secondweek of September. The venuecould be any big city like Delhi,Mumbai or even Kolkata andthe election would be followed

by the National YouthChampionships in,” he added.

India have been without anational federation for morethan a year now after BoxingIndia was terminated followinga rebellion by the state units.

The crisis, however, datesback to 2012 when the erstwhileIndian Amateur BoxingFederation was dissolved owingto manipulation in elections.The biggest sufferers amid thecontinuing deadlock have beenthe boxers, who have beendeprived of international expo-sure and technical representa-tion in big tournaments.

AGENCIES n TROON

India’s Anirban Lahiri fin-ished one of his most disap-

pointing weeks at a Major withan eight-over-par 79 to con-clude his campaign at the RoyalTroon gold tournament, hereon Sunday.

Lahiri, who was tied 22ndand was looking at a possible top10 finish at the midway stage,had a rough weekend, as he shot76-79 for the final two rounds.

It saw the reigning AsianTour number one finish at 12-over 296, his highest score inthe world’s oldest Major. Hewas tied 68th, a drop of 25places from his third round.

The 29-year-old Lahiri didnot make a single birdie in hisfinal round and had just one inthe third round.

Lahiri now heads back to theUnited States to prepare for thePGA Championship in Baltusrol,the year’s final Major. He will becarrying happy memories fromhis top five finish from last year,the best finish ever by an Indiangolfer in a Major.

Thereafter Lahiri will headto Rio de Janeiro for theOlympic Games where he willbe amongst 16 Asian golferswho have qualified for themen’s competition.

Barring Thongchai Jaidee,who was even par for the finalday and ended at one-over285, all other Asian Tour play-ers had a tough time this week.Thongchai was tied 22nd at thetime of writing.

Korea’s Soomin Lee, who is

fifth on the Asian Tour’s Orderof Merit, shot an 82 as hisMajor debut also ended on achallenging note. He totaled302 and was tied 79th.

Scott Hend of Australia, anine-time winner on the AsianTour, closed out with a 76 fora 297 total to be tied 72nd whileKorea’s K T Kim shot a 73 fora 291 total and was tied 53rd.

This was supposed to be aBritish Open farewell for ColinMontgomerie. Now the 53-year-old says he hopes to qual-ify again for golf ’s oldest majorchampionship.

Montgomerie accom-plished his major goal at RoyalTroon, which was making thecut on his home course.

AFP n LONDON

Yasir Shah grabbed two wickets inquick succession as Pakistan moved

closer to victory in the first Test againstEngland at Lord's on Sunday's fourthday.

At tea England were 155 for sixneeding a further 128 runs to reachtheir victory target of 283.

Jonny Bairstow (28 not out) and all-rounder Chris Woakes (five not out) -- who had already taken 11 wickets inthis match -- were still at the crease butwith just the tail to come. The mostEngland had ever made before to winin the fourth innings of a Lord's Test was282 for three against New Zealand in2004.

If England achieve their target inthis match, it would be the second-highest such chase in a Lord's Test

behind the West Indies' 344 for one backin 1984.

England were making steadyprogress at 135 for four when leg-spin-ner Shah, who took six for 72 in the firstinnings, struck Sunday. A ball after GaryBallance had pulled him for four, Shahbowled the recalled left-hander behindhis legs for 43 with a delivery that spunout of the rough.

Moeen Ali (two) then chargeddown the pitch in an attempt to driveShah, only to be bowled between batand pad by a well-flighted delivery.Shah had taken two wickets for tworuns in six balls and England were 139for six.

Earlier, Pakistan's Rahat Aliremoved England's top three batsmenin a breathless pre-lunch session thatsaw the hosts score 90 runs in 22 overs.

England captain Alastair Cook

launched the chase with a four off thevery first ball of the innings when he cuta loose Mohammad Amir delivery tothe boundary.

All the pre-match focus had beenon Amir, making his return to Testcricket at the scene of his 2010 spot- fix-ing crime. But it was fellow left-armquick Rahat who stunned England.

His back-off-a-length ball had left-hander Cook (eight) edging through towicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed. Cook'sopening partner Alex Hales made abrisk 16 before carelessly chasing a wideball from Rahat outside off stump, withMohammad Hafeez holding a goodcatch at first slip.

Joe Root, England's new numberthree, struck two superb cover-drivenfours off Rahat -- one of the back footand the other the front.

But the star batsman fell into a

hooking trap on nine when he paddleda Rahat short ball to Shah, set back atdeep square leg. James Vince too got offthe mark with a cover-driven four offRahat.

Vince was on nine when his edgeddrive off Rahat flew to Younis Khanonly for the second slip to drop both theinitial low catch and the rebound.Vince struck nine fours, mainlythrough the offside, on his way to a Test-best 41 not out at lunch without look-ing assured.

It seemed he might give a catch inthe slips at any moment and he did soagain early in the second session. Vinceadded just one run to his lunch scorewhen, not moving his feet, he edged abooming drive of a Wahab Riaz deliv-ery that moved away to second slipYounis, who this time clung on at thesecond attempt.

ASHWIN: THE LONE RANGER

With bowlers far from impressive, off-spinner’s performance the only positive on final day of match

‘Expecting slow

wickets in Tests’

BFI ELECTIONS ONLY AFTEROLY, SEPT DATE LIKELY

Appointing Kumble ascoach is great move: Walsh

Rahat, Yasir put Pakistan on top

Lahiri ends ondisappointing note

PNS n BENGALURU

Captain Jasvir Singh andRajesh Narwal scored

seven points each to lead JaipurPink Panthers to a 33-27 victo-ry over Puneri Paltan.

Jaipur Raiders forcedPuneri Paltan defence to maketoo many errors as they maderaids at crucial moments to givethem a comfortable win.

Jaipur Pink Panthers wenttop of the league with 37 pointsfrom 11 games and are lookinggood to seal a semi final spot.Puneri Paltan missed a chanceto go second and remain thirdwith 30 points from 10 games.

Puneri Paltan began swift-ly as they led 3-1 after the firstfive minutes. But RajeshNarwal scored two raid pointsin two minutes as Jaipur PinkPanthers tied the game at 3-3in the seventh minute. Jasvir

Singh scored his first point inninth minute as Jaipur PinkPanthers led 5-3.

Ajay Thakur leveled thegame at 5-5 after 10 minuteswith a two-point raid.

There were as many as 11empty raids in the first 11 min-utes from both teams as it was6-6 after 12 minutes.

Jasvir Singh scored tworaid points in the 13 th minuteas Jaipur Pink Panthers led 9-6 and Pune reduced to just oneman. Jaipur duly inflicted an allout in the next minute to lead12-7 after 14 minutes. PuneriPaltan struggled in the first halfas their raiders failed to findconsistency. Ajay Kumar scoreda two-point raid in the 20 thminute as Jaipur Pink Panthersled 17-9 after the end of thefirst half.

Rajesh Narwal capitalizedon yet another by Pune defence

to score two points as JaipurPink Panthers led 20-10 after24 minutes. Jaipur inflictedthe second all out in 26 thminute as they led 25-14 andPuneri Paltan looking all overthe place.

Puneri Paltan scored threestraight points but Ajay Kumardashed hopes of a comebackwith a two-point raid to giveJaipur 27-17 lead.

With nine minutes leftPune scored with a two-pointraid to cut the deficit to sevenpoints. With less than fiveminutes left on the clock,Puneri Paltan trailed by eightpoints and continued to makeerrors.

Deepak Niwas Hoodascored with an important raidfor Pune in the dying secondsof the match to cut the lead toless than seven points as JaipurPink Panthers prevailed 33-27.

Panthers beat Paltan 33-27

Indian players leave the field after the final dayagainst West Indies Board’s President XI

SALMAN LAUNCHES SANIA'S BOOKMUMBAI: Bollywood superstar SalmanKhan on Sunday launched well-knowntennis player Sania Mirza's autobiography'Ace against Odds' in the city at a functionhere. Sania, who will partner PrarthanaThombare from Maharashtra at theprestigious Olympics Games in Rio heapedpraise on the latter, describing her as a verygood tennis player.

RICKY DONISON WINS 3RD ROUNDCOIMBATORE: Defending champion, RickyDonisor reasserted his domination in theSenior Max Category, winning the 3rd roundof the 13th JK Tyre FMSCI National RotaxMac KartingChampionshiphere onSunday. TheBengaluru-ladwas confidentof winning theN a t i o n a lChampionshiptwo years in arow going by his form. There are two moreraces to go at Kolhapur and the grand finaleat Hyderabad. Ricky of BPC Racing had tostave off a stiff challenge from NayanChatterjee (Meco Racing), Dhuv Mohite(Mohite's Racing) and Vishnu Prasad (MecoRacing) in an intense race that saw dramatictwists and turns. The victory has takenRicky's championship tally to 252, a slender

five points ahead of the second-placeVishnuprasad, who came second.

RONALDINHO SCORES FIVECHENNAI: Brazilian legend Ronaldinhosizzled by scoringfive goals toguide his sideGoa 5s to athumping 7-2 winover Bengaulru5s in a PremierFutsal match,here on Sunday.The Braziliandisappointed inthe first game,struggling to keep pace, but looked muchbetter right from the start, setting upteammate Rafael as he struck the post inthe opening minute, as Goa started on abrighter note. Paul Scholes struggled toinfluence the game in the third quarter, buthis counterpart for Goa continued toyingwith the Bengaluru defence, first with aseries of keepy-ups and then a mazingdribbling run.

MARATHON FLAGGED OFFNEW DELHI: The Great India Run, India's first

multi city marathon, was on Sunday flagged

off after a ceremony at the Amar Jawan Jyoti

here on Sunday. The event kicked off with a

warm up session of the participating 15 ultra

runners followed by flagging off the ultra run

and 5k fun run. Sports Minister Vijay Goel,

Khel Ratna Anju Bobby George, and actor

Gul Panag were present at the event.

Arun Bhardwaj led the team of 14 ultra

runners at India Gate while three of the

runners simultaneously flagged off 1480km

run from Ghaziabad. At around 10:30 am all

runners culminated at Kingdom of Dreams,

Gurgaon to kick start the Haryana leg of run.

The 5k fun run were also organised at each

of these venues.

Singles

sport 15LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016

PTI n CHANDIGARH

Not used to playing singlesanymore, India's RohanBopanna found rhythm in

nick of time to edge past HongChung before Yong-Kyu Lim prevent-ed a Korean whitewash with a grittywin over Ramkumar Ramanathan inthe Davis Cup Asia\Oceania GroupI tie here on Sunday.

Asked to take court in place ofSaketh Myneni, who is still recoveringfrom his gruelling match on Friday,Bopanna laboured to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4win against Chung, who is ranked aslow as 655 in the ATP rankings.

Bopanna last played a singlesmatch in the Davis Cup in 2012 whenhe won the dead fifth rubber againstUzbekistan's Sarvar Ikramov.

It was 10th singles win forBopanna in Davis Cup on Sunday andthankfully it was a dead rubber sinceIndia had sealed tie on Saturday itselfby wining the doubles.

Playing the dead fifth rubber, 217-ranked Ramkumar lost the close con-

test 3-6, 6-4, 6-7(2) in little over twohours to Lim, who is placed 409 rungsbelow the Indian.

All Indian players performed apopular Bollywood number 'BayeeWah', immediately after Lim closedthe tie, much to the surprise anddelight of the fans.

India will now make its thirdattempt to qualify for the elite 16-nation World Group. They await theresults of the World Group matches toknow the rival in the play-offs to beheld in September.

India last played in World Groupin 2011 when it lost the first roundagainst Serbia. After that, they havelost play-offs twice - against Serbia (in2014, Bangalore) and Czech Republic(in 2015, New Delhi).

Army man Lim, who lost toMyneni, recovered remarkably fromthe spasm he suffered on Friday, andplayed clean tennis to beat Ramkumar.

Lim broke Ramkumar in thefourth game and served out the open-ing set in the ninth game in which healso saved a break chance after the

Indian had saved three set points.In the second set, Lim again had a

chance to go up but the Indian saved abreak chance in the seventh game tohold. The 21-year-old lad from Chennaikept fighting and finally broke Lim inthe 12th to make it one-all.

Ramkumar grew in confidenceand started to play much better. Hebroke Lim in the sixth game for a 4-2 lead but was broken while servingfor the match in the ninth as he served

a double fault. That proved costly asLim stretched it to tie-breaker inwhich he prevailed.

Earlier, lack of singles matchpractice was evident in Bopanna'smatch as he heavily relied on hisbooming serve but Chung refused tobe intimidated and posed a good chal-lenge before the Indian.

Bopanna peppered Chung withaces, firing 27 in all in the one-hour23-minute match. It was his big servethat rescued him as he struggled withprecision in his ground strokes as hewas covering the entire court in amatch after a long time.

Bopanna initially lost all points onhis serve on double faults. His fifthdouble fault, followed by a backhandinto the net meant that the Korean hadthe chance to draw first blood. Thecrafty left-hander sent down a fore-hand winner to take the offer, muchto the shock of the Indian camp andhome fans.

Bopanna again failed to put acrossa volley that crashed on to the net tohand Chung his first set point. Under

pressure, Bopanna made a forehanderror and the Koreans had smiles ontheir faces.

The Indian, struggling with hisground strokes, was broken early inthe second set that put Chung ahead3-0. However, a break in the seventhgame brought Bopanna back in thematch.

Chung sent a forehand to net tobe down 30-40 but managed to savetwo breakpoints. Bopanna smashed acrosscourt backhand winner to earnhis third chance and converted it witha forehand volley winner.

At 4-4, he again broke Chung inthe ninth game and served out the setin the next game.

The tall Indian had a chance to goup early in the third set as he hadChung down at 0-40 but could con-vert none of the three chances.

Chung took a medical timeout totreat his left shoulder after the thirdgame in the final set. Bopanna brokehim in the fifth game and retainedthe lead to serve out the match withan ace.

PTI n CHANDIGARH

Rohan Bopanna on Sundayadvised the Indian young-

sters to get fitter to negotiate thechallenging conditions after hehad to play the fourth rubber ofAsia/Oceania Group I DavisCup tie against South Koreainstead of Saketh Myneni whoskipped due to fitness issues.

Myneni suffered crampsand spasms in his entire bodyduring the energy-sapping sec-ond singles match on Fridayunder hot and humid condi-tions. Bopanna was forced toplay a singles match in DavisCup after four years but deliv-ered a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over left-hander Chung Hong to giveIndia a 4-0 lead.

Not only Myneni butKoreans Yong-Kyu Lim andSeong Chan Hong also strug-gled to negotiate the conditions.They also suffered cramps.

"The youngsters have to befitter to play five setters, ifrequired. They have to be com-pletely ready. Luckily we were 2-0 on first day and we could wrapit up yesterday. If we had lost onematch, then one of these guyshad to come and play today,"Bopanna said after the match.

"We are learning. It's a tac-tical call. The captain and coachwill have to sit and understandand decide which players arerequired (for conditions). We

need to focus on all thesethings," he said.

Speaking about his struggleon the court against Chung ashe was down by a set and abreak, Bopanna said he's so usedto planning points according tothe doubles that it took himsome time to re-adjust hisstrokes and find rhythm.

"It took a while to get usedto, not just the movement butalso courts. I don't rememberwhen was the last time I madebackhand slice returns. I had tochange my style. While return-ing I was hitting it in alleys, myinstincts automatically droveme to hit in those alleys," heexplained.

AP n PORTLAND

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overcame anearly scare to win the opening

reverse singles Sunday to give Francea 3-1 victory over the Czech Republicin the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

Amid increased security followingthe deadly attack in the French city ofNice, Tsonga rallied to beat Jiri Vesely4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 7-5 and earn a spotin the Davis Cup semifinals for Francefor the second time in three years.

France face the United States orCroatia in the semifinals in September.

The 10th-ranked Frenchman hita big passing forehand to gain twobreak points in the 11th game of thefourth set and closed out the best-of-five series on his first match point onthe indoor hard court in the easternCzech city of Trinec.

The final singles was not played.France has nine Davis Cup titles,

but it last won in 2001. The Frenchhave played three finals since, mostrecently in 2014 when they lost toSwitzerland after knocking out theCzechs in the semis.

Tsonga double faulted to giveVesely a break point in the fifth gameof the opening set and the 50th-ranked

Czech converted it. Tsonga wasted histwo break points in the eighth gameand hit the net on Vesely's second setpoint.

Tsonga earned a set point at 5-4in the second set with a backhand vol-ley but wasted it before prevailing inthe tiebreaker when Vesely served twostraight double faults.

Vesely dropped his serve for thefirst time to trail 3-4 in the third setwith Tsonga serving it out with one ofhis 45 winners.

Wimbledon doubles championsNicolas Mahut and Pierre-HuguesHerbert fought past Lukas Rosol andRadek Stepanek 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 on Saturday to give France a 2-1 lead.

On Friday, Rosol beat Tsonga ina five-setter, and Lucas Pouille madea victorious Davis Cup debut by beat-ing Vesely in straight sets.

CROATIA CUT US LEADPORTLAND: Ivan Dodig and Marin Cilickept Croatia alive in the Davis Cupquarterfinal match with the UnitedStates, beating twins Bob and MikeBryan 6-2, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday.

Dodig and Cilic cut Croatia'sdeficit to 2-1 heading into the reversesingle Sunday on the Tualatin Hills

hard court. The United States took a2-0 lead Friday when Jack Sock andJohn Isner won the opening singlesmatches.

The Croatians made a last-minutesubstitution, inserting Cilic, ranked No12 in the world, in place of MarinDraganja in doubles.

Meanwhile, Visiting teams Britain,Argentina, and France all won hard-fought doubles matches to take 2-1leads in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

Jamie Murray and Dom Inglot putBritain in position to move its cup

defense into the semifinals after beat-ing Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and FilipKrajinovic 6-1, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4 inBelgrade. Dusan Lajovic won the sec-ond singles suspended overnight whenhe beat Jamie Ward in straight sets inthe morning to level the tie, butSerbia captain Bogdan Obradovicdecided to rest Janko Tipsarevic fromthe doubles and save him for thereverse singles on Sunday.

If Britain win, it could playArgentina, which was on the cusp ofan 11th semifinal in 14 years after Juan

Martin del Potro and Guido Pella wontheir first doubles match together.

Del Potro and Pella outlastedFabio Fognini and Paolo Lorenzi 6-1,7-6 (4), 3-6, 3-6, 6-4 over nearly fourhours in Pesaro, Italy.

Fognini began the day by playingthe second singles that never startedon Friday because of bad light andweather. He bounced Juan Monaco,playing in his first tie in 2 1/2 years,6-1, 6-1, 7-5, and was so fresh that Italyput him in the doubles and pulledMarco Cecchinato.

HALEP WINS BUCHAREST OPENBUCHAREST: Top-seeded Simona Halepdidn't lose a game en route to her sec-ond Bucharest Open title on Sunday,smashing seventh-seeded AnastasijaSevastova of Latvia 6-0, 6-0.

Romania's top player needed just46 minutes to put away her opponent.She dominated the games, winningclose to 70 percent of points on herserve. Halep also saved both breakpoints she faced.

Halep had struggled in the semi-final against Vania King of theUnited States, needing more thantwo hours to dispatch the American6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3.

AP n PRAGUE

Another top-10 tennis play-er, Tomas Berdych, with-

drew from the Rio de JaneiroOlympics over concerns aboutthe Zika virus on Saturday.

Hours later, another Czech,16th-ranked Karolina Pliskovasaid she was withdrawing aswell because of Zika.

Berdych, the Wimbledonsemifinalist, said "it was a harddecision for me to take after along and painstaking discus-sion" with family.

On Twitter, he said "to limithealth risks towards my dear-est is the utmost priority."

The eighth-ranked Berdychapologized to those disappoint-ed by his decision.

Pliskova revealed her deci-sion to the local CTK newsagency.

Besides playing the singles,Berdych was expected to teamwith Radek Stepanek for thedoubles at the Olympic tourna-ment, while Pliskova wasexpected to form a pair withLucie Safarova.

India complete Korean formality‘Youngsters need to

focus on fitness’

Berdych, Pliskova withdrawfrom Rio over Zika concerns

France enter SF; Britain, Arg lead

IT WAS 10THSINGLES WIN FORBOPANNA IN DAVISCUP ON SUNDAY

AND THANKFULLY ITWAS A DEAD

RUBBER SINCEINDIA HAD SEALEDTIE ON SATURDAY

Indian tennis Team after beat Korea's in Asia/ Oceania Group I 2nd Round of Davis Cup in Chandigarh on Sunday; Indian tennis team celebrates after beating Korea in Chandigarh on Sunday PTI

Tomas Berdych in action during Wimbledon AP

With tie already in bag, Bopanna wins, Ramkumar loses dead rubber as hosts win 4-1

French players celebrate their Davis Cup win over Czech Republic on Sunday AP

PTI ■ NEW DELHI

Elated and exhausted in equalmeasure after being crowned

the WBO Asia Pacific champion,Indian boxing star Vijender Singhsays he will savour the triumph fora while before looking at the pos-sibility of a showdown withPakistan-origin British star AmirKhan, who is keen for a face-offwith him.

The 30-year-old dasherclinched his seventh straight winand the Super Middleweight titleby outlasting former WBCEuropean champion Kerry Hopein a 10-round contest, cheeredvociferously by delirious homefans last night. The victory pro-pelled him to the 15th spot in theWBO rankings and he will have todefend his title in the next twomonths.

Dedicating the triumph tothe late Muhammad Ali, Vijendergot just a few moments to celebratewith his team before being asked“what next”?

“I want to take some rest, maybe for a month or so and we willsee after that,” was his initialresponse.

But with no stopping thequestions on his future in the post-bout press conference, the starfinally listed his options.

“My world ranking will be inthe top 15. I will get harder fightsnow but I am ready for it. I willwork with my coaches and myteam and we will go for it.

“Mine and Amir’s weight cat-

egories are different. So, in case heincreases his weight or I decreasemine then we can work it out. Weare thinking about it, so let’s see.I hope that when that big fighthappens, it happens in India only,”said Vijender, thanking the fansseveral times during the presser forpacking the 5,000-capacityThyagaraj Stadium last night.

Amir, a former WBA worldchampion, is primarily a light-weight boxer, who recently triedhimself in the middleweight bytaking on world champion SaulCanelo Alvarez. However, it endedin disaster for him when he wasknocked out in the sixth round.

Amir had expressed a desire totake on Vijender in India beforethe showdown with Alvarez but itremains to be seen whether hewould give it a shot now aftermoving back to his original weightcategory.]

“In the long term, we will keepan eye on Amir Khan as well. Thatfight over here will be phenome-nal, it will be a massive fight. Wehave tentatively talked with Amir’steam, I know they want it, I knowVijender wants it,” said Vijender’sBritish promoter Francis Warrenof the Queensberry Promotions.

In the immediate future, how-ever, Vijender could be in for aface-off with the reigningCommonwealth champion LukeBlackledge, who turned down theoffer to fight in last night’s event.

“There are a lot of options forVijender. After this fight, he willhave a world ranking of top 15 in

the WBO and it is a questionwhether he will keep climbing theranking by fighting guys in the top15 or keep hold of that belt, he hasto defend that belt within 120 daysor we go after Luke, who is theCommonwealth champion,”Warren said.

“I think that’s a great story anda great fight and I am confidentVijender will win that fight. Lukewas supposed to fight here, but hedid not fancy coming here somaybe he will fancy it even lessnow after this great fight,” he

quipped. Vijender, on his part, issavouring the ‘Singh is King’moment on the first anniversaryof his pro career.

“Singh is King, finally I havedone it. I have won the title. I amvery happy and everybody cheeredfor me. Thank you all. This beltmeans a lot of things. It is all abouthard work, dedication and it is allabout my country. It is just thebeginning,” said the affable six-footer from Haryana, who contin-ues to be the biggest name inIndian boxing even after bidding

adieu to his amateur career.“This was the longest fight of

my career, finally I completed 10rounds. I did not expect it but theknockout was not happening so Ithought of going for 10 rounds. Iwant to take good rest. We will seeafter that,” he added.

Despite the huge significanceof last night’s win, Vijender refusedto club it alongside or put it abovethe historic Olympic bronze medalwhich made him a householdname in India.

“It is because of the Olympicmedal that I am here. Peopleknow Vijender Singh because ofthe medal, before that no oneknew me. That Olympic medal isvery special for me, even this beltis special for me but this is differ-ent,” he said.

Also in his moment of glory,Vijender did not forget to laud hisgritty opponent, Kerry Hope, whodid manage to impress the packedstadium by holding his own for 10rounds.

“He (Hope) is an experiencedguy. I respect him. He is a goodfighter,” he said.

Vijender’s Indian promotersInfinity Optimal Solutions (IOS)head Neerav Tomar said the phe-nomenal response to the bout hadleft him stunned to an extent.

“This is still sinking in, whathappened today, it is still giving megoosebumps. We all compare it tocricket but I don’t think cricket cancome anywhere close to theatmosphere we had today,” Tomarsaid.

Vijender hints at showdown with Khan in India

Katrina Kaif rung in her 33rdbirthday with a rather cool party ather house over the weekend. Theguest list included her family andclose industry friends.The actresschose to wear a red-hot outfit towelcome Kabir Khan and his wifeMini Mathur, Sidharth Malhotra, AliaBhatt, Karan Johar, Aditya Roy Kapurand Arjun Kapoor. But the girl partied only after a day ofhard work. Everyone who hasworked with Kaif has always praisedher dedication and hence it comes asno surprise that the starchose to spend her birthdayweek doing what she lovesbest — working ! Theactress will spend the nextcouple of days dubbingfor Baar Baar Dekho andis also busy rehearsingfor her upcoming DreamTour, which flags off inthe second half ofAugust. Working forover 18 hours a day,she will take a shorttrip.

Katrina reachesout on birthday

LUCKNOW | MONDAY | JULY 18, 2016vivacity 16

If you have had your fill of cookery shows on TV, waittill you have watched three-year-old cook show host

Daria, telling you what really taste is all about and why youneed to junk the fancy counter.

Qyuki, a multi-platform media company and SeherBedi, one of the pioneers of millennial entertainment,recently announced Timeout Daria, an online food showaimed at the six to 18-year-old age group.

Sagar Gokhale, Network Head of Qyuki, said, “Theinternet is starved of good wholesome entertainment thatkids and parents can enjoy together. This infotainment for-mat is also a global first. Daria, along with her mother Tina,will take viewers on a mouth-watering culinary journey.While the mother takes care of the cooking, little Daria willguide her how simplicity and basics work for kids from herperspective.”

The adorable mother-daughter duo will provide arefreshing twist to the series with their quirky and fun ban-ter while they cook up and share scrumptious recipes. Eachepisode will also have a beautifully designed photo post-card of the recipe that can be saved on the phone to tryout later.

The first promo of the series was launched on Daria’sbirthday, July 14. “All the recipes are her grandmother’srecipes and Daria loves them. When I am actually cook-

ing any of the dishes, she tries to get fully involved,” saidTina. But this early fame does not mean that Daria will com-promise school hours. This is just a pre-school fun activ-ity, insists her mother.

Series creator Seher Bedi said, “The show is a cele-bration of a mother-daughter bond, sprinkled with choco-late mousse and mango smoothies and everything else inbetween the yummy spectrum, catering to a wide array ofaudience of six years and above. The recipes that will beshowcased are Daria’s favourites and hence the audiencecan expect some utterly delicious treats that every kid onthe block will devour in a minute.”

With a total of 24 episodes already shot and ready, thefirst episode is scheduled for launch this Wednesday.

At a time when our B-Townactors are desperate for tele-vision celebrityhood in

Hollywood, it is heartening to notethat our web series are being court-ed avidly all over the world. Veryrecently, TVF Pitchers was ranked25 with a rating of nine on IMDb’slist of top global shows.

“We are more than happy thatpeople keep folders of ThePermanent Roommates and Pitchersalongside the folders of House ofCards and Game of Thrones (hav-ing just topped Emmy nomina-tions). This generation has finallygot something indigenous to relateto,” exclaimed TVF founderArunabh Kumar.

The reason why Pitchers is asbig a hit as any other smart

humour Western fiction showsis best articulated by loyalist

Abhishek, who said, “This isunlike anything in India, online or

offline. It is faster, funnier and morerelatable. Good acting and oh,drunken talks have never beenmore accurate.”

Web series like All AboutSection 377 and The PermanentRoommates are already enhancingthat contemporary resonance.However, the popularity is notenough to prop up a throbbingbusiness just yet. “Making a webseries is not as easy as it looks.There are too many struggles onehas to face, from budgets to time-lines to content to resources, every-thing is challenging. But then wejust believed in the motto of ‘lights,camera and experiment’ and justwent ahead with it,” reasonedArunabh.

Asked why TVF neverapproached established channelsfor their shows, he explained, “Theyouth or rather the millennials havebeen able to relate to our contentbut unfortunately they are notglued to the TV anymore. In termsof viewership, our shows can sur-pass the popularity of a TV show

running at a TVT rating of 4 or 5.”The Permanent Roommates hascrossed over 1 million views. “Ourviewers do not relate to the TVanymore. The only content theywatch are shows and movies from

the West, mostly downloaded fromTorrent. So that is the space thatworks for us.”

Though an entire generationhas been hungry for contemporarycontent for a decade, Arunabh isyet to get ambitious with the num-bers game. The budget of a webseries produced by TVF usuallyranges from Rs 50,000 to a fewlakhs per episode. They use shoot-ing equipment used in a low-bud-get Bollywood film. “But being aquality-focussed content company,our ambition is not to make a lotof shows or high budget presenta-tions but rather the best contentthat can become a global represen-tation of India,” he added.

A brand new web series,Shaadi Boys is all set to launch onVOOT this month. It is aboutthree boys who accidentally get intothe wedding planning businessand make big bucks in the process.Yet it doesn’t qualify for mainlinetelevision. “That medium is regres-sive in terms of ideas. They stillbelieve that sisters-in-law arescheming whereas the youth havemoved away from these jadedideas. It’s easy to blame the audi-ence and difficult to break pathsand create fresh content. With theinternet invasion in the Indianhousehold, the market is set to getfurther segmented. TV serials vsweb series is the same as family

dinner vs partying with friends,”said Garima and Siddharth, writ-ers of Shaadi Boys, best known forscripting Karan Johar’s Brothers andSanjay Leela Bhansali’s Goliyon kiRaasleela. Having seen the compet-itive world of Bollywood, they stillfeel that the biggest challenge forthe new web series writer is to cre-ate absolutely different content forthe most unconventional medium.“Still we did manage to create thisand we feel Viacom/Voot havedone a tremendous job of execut-ing this show,” said Garima. “Watchthe show for our lead charactersNeil, Nitin and Mukesh, and youwon’t even realise when they willmake you one of their own,” addedSiddharth.

Meanwhile, TVF is coming upwith Season 2 of Pitchers, whichwill release in 2017. Meanwhile,they are working on the second sea-son of Biswa, the most watchedtalked show online, where Biswa,the creative director at TVF, playsthe character of Arunab, a parodyon TV anchor Arnab Goswami.“We are extremely grateful that theaudience is embracing the contentin the right spirit of humour andsatire,” said Arunabh.

And if you thought web seriesare just for the youth, think againas Techcon with Dad has foundfollowers among our senior citi-zens.

It wasdishearteningto see that afew peopledon't value theefforts and paintaken to makea movie. I wish

I could make them gothrough the process ofmaking a film and thehardships we face todeliver the finalproduct, for them toknow how big a crimethey are doing

—Taapsee Pannu

Spin a web

As Pitchers pushes its way up IMDb rankings, ANANYASHARMA talks to creators of web series to sense the next level of online entertainment content

3-year-old hosts an online food show

AGE IS JUST

A NUMBER

‘The youth or ratherthe millennials have

been able to relate toour content but

unfortunately they arenot glued to the TV

anymore. In terms of

viewership, our showscan surpass the

popularity of a TVshow running at a

TVT rating of 4 or 5’

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