National

Police in Bihar today said they had found the body of one of the four policemen abducted by Maoists and identified him as a Bihar Military Police (BMP) assistant sub-inspector Lukus Tete.

Mr M S Majid, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Munger Range, told a television channel that the police were making all possible efforts to locate the remaining three abducted policemen and rescue them.

He also said that there had been no communication with the Maoists and spoke about the very difficult terrain in which the police had to operate to carry out the rescue operation.

Sources said the Maoists had left a hand-written note next to the slain policeman's body, demanding the immediate release of eight of their arrested colleagues, failing which they have threatened to kill the three cops in their custody.

Tete and the three other policemen were abducted by the Maoists on Sunday after a six-hour gun battle in Lakhisarai district on Sunday. Seven policemen were killed and ten others suffered injuries in that incident.

The Maoists have claimed that the gunfight was in retaliaion for the killing of Maoist leader Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad and a journalist on the night of July 1-2 in Andhra Pradesh.

The three policemen still held by the Maoists have been identified as Abhay Yadav, Rupesh Kumar Sinha and Ehsan Khan. Their families have pleading for help from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other leaders to get them released.

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Former Gujarat Minister of State for Home Amit Shah was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today in connection with the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case after he turned up at the agency's office in response to summons issued by it earlier this week.

Before driving down to the CBI office in Gandhinagar, the state capital, Mr Shah, who had eluded the agency's investigators for the past few days, made a dramatic appearance before the media and maintained that he was innocent.

He said he would present himself before the CBI for questioning immmediately afterwards.

Mr Shah, 46, a close aide of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, resigned from his post yesterday, a day after the CBI named him as one of the accused in the case that also involves the killing of Sohrabuddin's wife, Kausar Bi.

As soon as he arrived at the CBI office, Mr Shah was placed under arrest and taken to the residence of CBI Judge A Y Dave, who will hear the agency's application for remand.

At the media interaction, Mr Shah said he had not so far seen the chargesheet filed against him by the CBI but insisted, on the basis of what he had learnt from the media, that the charges against him were fabricated and politically motivated.

He said the false charges were drawn up against him at the behest of the Congress-led Government at the Centre.

Mr Shah said he was confident that, when the chargesheet came up in court, he would be proved innocent.

According to him, the Congress had turned the so-called fake encounter case involving Sohrabuddin into a "political encounter" with the BJP and its Government in Gujarat.

He said he had full faith in the country's judiciary and in the thousands of supporters of the BJP.

He regretted that he had been portrayed by the CBI as a criminal, murderer and extortionist. He said he would fight the case legally

Hundreds of supporters of the BJP mobbed Mr Shah as he came out of the party headquarters here after the media interaction.

Mr Shah's assertions about his innocence came a day after Mr Modi had stoutly defended his colleague and accused the CBI of fabricating charges against him as aprt of the political agenda of the Congress.

Mr Shah did not appear before the agency on Thursday in response to a summons after which the agency issued a second summons asking him to appear before it by 1 pm on Friday. He did not appear before the agency on Friday, too, though he did send his legal team, requesting it for a list of the questions it intended to ask him so that he could prepare answers after consulting records.

The CBI turned down that request and went ahead and filed a chargesheet without examining him. Mr Shah, meanwhile, applied for anticipatory bail, but the court rejected his plea, raising the possibilities that he would be arrested soon. On Saturday morning, he sent in his resignation to Mr Modi's residence.

The CBI said it had filed the chargesheet against 15 accused persons in the Court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ahmedabad, under sections 120-B (conspiracy), read with sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 364 (kidnapping and abducting to murder), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person), 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement kidnapped or abducted person), 384 (extortion), 302 (murder) and 201 (cuasing disappearance of valuable evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offenders) in the fake killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and the brutal murder of his wife, Kausar bi.

Apart from Mr Shah, these accused persons include Deputy Inspector General of Police D G Vanzara, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad Crime Branch Abhay Chudasama, two superintendents of police, three police inspectors, three sub-inspectors, and the Chairman and a Director of the Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank.

The CBI said in a statement that it had not found adequate evidence against three accused who were earlier sent for trial. They are: Ajay Parmar, Police Constable, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Ahmedabad; Sant Ram Sharma, Police Constable, ATS, Ahmedabad and B.A.Rathore, Inspector, ATS, Ahmedabad. The CBI, therefore, did not include them in its charge sheet.

"The Minister of State for Home (Government of Gujarat) was issued summons for his appearance before the CBI on 22.07.2010 and 23.07.2010. He did not appear and hence charge sheet was filed without his examination," it said.

The CBI requested the court to keep investigation open for further investigation under section 173 (8) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.P.C) for probing further into the larger conspiracy.

The agency said it had filed the chargesheet within the stipulated 90 days after effecting the arrest of Chudasama.

The CBI is investigating the case at the behest of the Supreme Court, which asked it in January this year to take over the case and submit a report within six months, that is by the end of July.

The apex court had directed the agency to look into all aspects of the killing of Sohrabuddin and Kausar Bi and also to look into the larger conspiracy.

The CBI had registered a case on February 1 this year. Earlier, the CID Crime of Gujarat had filed a chargesheet against 13 accused persons. One more person was arraigned as accused on the application of a Deputy Superintendent of Police and Deputy Inspector General of Police of Gujarat.

During the course of investigation, the CBI had examined 278 witnesses, collected 191 documents and 70 material objects. The investigation was spread over five states --Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

Apart from Vanzara and Chudasama, two other Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, Rajkumar Pandian of Gujarat and Dinesh M N of Rajasthan, have been arrested by the police in the case, along with ten other policemen.

Sohrabuddin was shot dead on November 26, 2005 on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. The Gujarat police said that Sohrabuddin was a terrorist and had plotted to kill Mr Modi and that he was killed in an encounter. But various investigations since then have indicated that it was a case of a fake encounter.

According to various accounts, Sohrabuddin and his wife, Kausar Bi, were picked up from a bus and taken to a farmhouse. Some days later, Sohrabuddin was shot dead. His wife was also killed later and reports have said that her body was burnt and disposed of by members of the state Anti-Terrorist Squad.

The CBI has collected evidence suggesting that Mr Shah was in constant touch over the telephone with senior policemen involved in the case during the period before and after the fake encounter and sources said he would be questioned closely on this aspect.

Mr Shah had not attended cabinet meetings in recent days and had also been absent from his office amidst growing speculation about the possibility of his arrest by the CBI.

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All is set for the launch of India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV C-15, which will be carrying five payloads, including the 694 kg Cartosat-2B, an advanced remote sensing satellite, from the Sriharikota spaceport tomorrow morning.

Officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told NetIndian over the telephone that the nearly 51-hour countdown for the 17th flight of PSLV, which began at 0652 hours yesterday, was progressing smoothly today.

The launch is scheduled for 0922 hours on Monday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, about 100 km north of Chennai, he said.

"The countdown is progressing well," the official said, adding preparations for the launch were going on in full swing.

PSLV C-15 will place India's Cartosat-2B and four auxiliary payloads in a 630 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

These include the 116 kg Alsat-2A, a small remote sensing satellite from Algeria, one nano satellite (6.2 kg) from the University of Toronto, Canada and another (1 kg) from the University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland and a pico (very small) satellite, Studsat, weighing less than one kg, built jointly by a consortium of seven engineering colleges in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

According to official sources, PSLV was initially designed for launching 900 kg Indian Remote Sensing Satellites into a 900 km polar SSO. Since its first launch in 1993, the PSLV has been successively improved to attain its present capability of launching 1750 kg into a 630 km polar SSO.

They said the major changes made in PSLV since its first launch include increase in the propellant loading of the first stage solid propellant motor as well as the strap-ons and in the second and fourth liquid propellant stages, improvement in the performance of the third stage motor by optimising motor case and enhanced propellant loading and employing a carbon composite payload adopter.

The PSLV has also beem made a more versatile vehicle for launching multiple satellies in polar SSOs as well as for launching satellites into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

With 15 consecutive successful launches, the PSLV has emerged as a workhorse launch vehicle of ISRO and is offered for launching satellites of other space agencies also.

Besides launching 17 Indian satellites so far, PSLV has launched 22 foreign satellites as well between 1994 and 2009.

The sources said that, for the PSLV-C15 mission, the "core alone" version of PSLV has been chosen, based on the weight of the payloads and the orbit in which they are to be placed.

The 44-metre tall core alone version weights 230 tonnes at lift-off. Six solid strap-on motors, clustered around the first stage of PSLV "standard version" to enhance its thrust, are absent in the core alone version. This will be the sixth flight of the core alone version of the PSLV.

Cartosat-2B, built by ISRO, is India's 17th remote sensing satellite. It is mainly intended to augment remote sensing data serices to the users of multiple spot scene imagery with 0.8 metre spatial resolution and 9.6 km swath in the panchromatic band.

The sources said Cartosat-2B carries a panchromaic camera similar to that of its two predecessors - Cartosat 2 and Cartosat 2A. It also carries a solid state recorder with a capacity of 64 giga bits to store the images taken by its camera which can be read out later to the ground stations.

They said the imagery sent by the satellite would be useful for village level/cadastral level resources assessment and mapping, detailed urban and infrastructure planning and development, transportation system planning, preparation of large-scale cartographic maps, preparation of micro watershed development plans and monitoring of developmental works at village/cadastral level.

Besides, the imagery can also be used for the preparation of detailed forest maps, tree volume estimation, crop inventory, town/village settlement mapping, canal alignment, rural connectivity assessment, coastal landform/landuse and coral/mangrove mapping and monitoring of mining activities, the sources added.

Monday's launch will be the first mission for ISRO after the failure of the third developmental flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D3) on April 15 this year. The flight, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, was primarily aimed at flight-testing the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), but it could not accomplish the mission objectives.

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The Union Cabinet today approved the recommendations of the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted to examine all the issues related to the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, including an enhanced ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each of those killed in the world's worst industrial disaster.

The GoM has also recommended increasing the ex-gratia payment for those suffered permanent disability to Rs 5 lakh, cancer cases to Rs 2 lakh, total renal failure cases to Rs 2 lakh and temporary disability cases to Rs 1 lakh, after adjustment of the compensation amount already received by the victims.

As a result of the decision, more than 45,000 victims who were affected most severely by the tragedy would receive additional ex-gratia payment.

The disaster was caused by the leak of methyl isocyanate gas from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal on the night of December 2-3, 1984.

The Cabinet also decided that additional material in support of the request for extradition of then Union Carbide Chairman Warren Anderson from the United States would be put together by the concerned agencies. The Ministry of External Affairs will thereafter press the request for extradition with the US Government.

An official press release said a curative petition would be filed in the Supreme Court for reconsideration of its judgment dated September 13, 1996 by which the charges under the graver sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were quashed against the accused and the trial was confined to the offence under Section 304A.

It said a Revision Application will be filed in the High Court under Section 397 of Criminal Procedure Code (Cr. P.C.) against the judgement of the trial court for directing the trial court to refer the case under Section 323 of Cr.P.C. to the Sessions Court to try the case for offences under Sections 304 Part II, 324, 326 and 429 read with Section 35 IPC.

An appeal will be filed in the Sessions Court against the judgment of the trial court to correct the error in the sentences imposed on the accused under different Sections.  The errors pertain to the term of imprisonment (Section 338), the amount of fine (Section 304A), and the direction that the sentences shall run concurrently.

The Attorney General will examine whether a curative petition could be filed in the Supreme Court for reconsideration of the compensation amount earlier settled at $ 470 million.

Appropriate applications will be filed before the Courts concerned and request the Courts, especially the High Court, to expeditiously decide the question of liability of the Dow Chemicals Company and/ or any other successor to Union Carbide Corporation (UCC)/Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL).

The release said the Government of India would approach the Supreme Court to allow takeover of the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) by the Government through the Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Atomic Energy.  The Hospital should then be strengthened, upgraded and run as a super-specialty and research hospital, the GoM has recommended.

The release said the recommendations of the GoM would be implemented in a time-bound manner.

The GoM was reconstituted by the Government on May 26, with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram as its head, to examine all the issues relating to the gas leak, including remediation measures and make appropriate recommendations regarding relief and rehabilitation of the victims and their families.

 The GoM met over five sessions in four days from June 18 to 21 and discussed various issues relating to compensation, legal issues, extradition of Anderson, BMHRC, other health- related issues, environmental issues and the Plan of Action submitted by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.

As recommended by the GoM, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will establish its 31st full-fldged Research Centre in Bhopal within 90 days.

The release said ICMR would  start conducting epidemiological studies and clinical research in areas identified by them, including following areas: respiratory diseases; eye related diseases; cancer; total renal failure; genetic disorders; congenital disorders; women-related medical issues; and second-generation children-related medical issues.

It said the reports of NEERI, NGRI and IICT will be subjected to a peer review by scientists jointly appointed by the Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The Government of Madhya Pradesh will complete expeditiously the work relating to repairing/ re-erecting the compound wall around the UCIL premises to prevent entry and exit of unauthorized persons, children, and so on.

The State Government, which will have the responsibility of remediation actions, will  suitably empower the Department of Gas Tragedy, Relief and Rehabilitation, including granting enhanced financial powers and fixed tenure  for officers (at least up to 31.12.2012) so that the remediation and environmental cleanup is completed in a time-bound manner.

The release said an Oversight Committee will be established in the Ministry of Environment and Forests with representatives of the Ministries/Departments concerned of the Central and State Govrnments. The Union Minister for Environment will be the Chair and the Minister of Gas Relief, Madhya Pradesh, will be the co-chair.  Besides, NEERI, NGRI, IICT and CPCB may be associated in a suitable capacity.  The Oversight Committee will provide oversight and support to the Government of Madhya Pradesh in taking the necessary  remedial actions. Ministry of Environment and Forests will notify the Oversight Committee.

The release said the Central Government would bear the cost of remediation of approximately Rs 310 crore in the first instance. The Government will also take steps to claim restitution from the persons/companies found liable for the damage on the principle of "polluter pays".

The remediation works including disposal of the stored hazardous residues, dismantling the contaminated structure and remediation of the contamination of water and soil will be taken up and completed by 31.12.2012.  The Madhya Pradesh Government will arrange incineration of toxic wastes stored at UCIL plant site in the incinerator at Pithampur by 31.12.2010.

The release said the decision would result in the Centre providing a compensation package of Rs 650-700 crore, Rs 310 crore for environmental remediation and Rs 272.75 crore for medical, economic and social rehabilitation of the gas victims.

This will be in addition to Rs. 14.18 crore provided under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for piped water supply scheme for 14 localities in and around UCIL plant site, Rs. 8.11 crore for renewal of basic infrastructure in the scrap market, Rs 721 crore for water supply augmentation and distribution network improvement covering the entire city of Bhopal, 7 projects costing about Rs. 1031 crore under JNNURM and Rs. 443 crore provided for the poor localities of Bhopal, by Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation. Earlier, the Centre had approved an Action Plan for rehabilitation of gas victims which was implemented during 1990-99 with an outlay of Rs. 258 crore, the release added.

Last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had directed the GoM to meet immediately and submit its report to the Cabinet within 10 days as questions continued to be raised in the media and by the Opposition about the then Congress government's handling of the tragedy.

The GoM was originally set up during the first term of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government and was headed by Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh. It was meant to go into a range of issues, including the relief and rehabilitation of the victims and their families.

Apart from Mr Chidambaram, the other members of the GoM are Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja, Fertilisers and Chemicals Minister M K Alagiri, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan. Madhya Pradesh's minister in-charge of rehabilitation is a permanent invitee to the GoM.

More than 25 years after the tragedy, which claimed thousands of lives, seven of those accused in the case were convicted and sentenced to two years of imprisonmnent on June 7 in a verdict that attracted widespread criticism from social activists, political parties and survivors of the tragedy.

The seven persons convicted by Bhopal Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohan P Tiwari were then Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) Chairman Keshub Mahindra, then UCIL Managing Director Vijay Gokhale, then UCIL Vice-President Kishore Kamdar, then Works Manager J Mukund, Production Manager S P Chaudhury, Plant Superintendent K V Shetty, and Production Assistant S I Qureshi.

Apart from being sentenced to undergo two years of imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 lakh under section 304A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC); three months of imprisonment and fine of Rs. 250 under section 336 IPC; six months of imprisonment with fine of Rs. 500 under section 337 IPC; and one year of imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 1000 under section 338 IPC.

The eighth convict, UCIL, has been fined with Rs. 5 lakhs under section 304 A IPC and Rs. 250, Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 respectively under sections 336, 337 and 338 IPC.

In all, a criminal case was registered against twelve accused persons/companies in the case.

The gas leak had not only killed thousands but also affected several thousand more, many of whom are suffering the effects of the exposure to the deadly gas till today.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its chargesheet filed on December 1, 1997, said that, apart from proximate reasons, there were a number of design defects and other criminally negligent operational practices which resulted in the gas leak and that these were in the knowledge of the management and were deliberately ignored for commercial reasons.

Among those against whom the case was filed was Mr Andersen. The court had declared him as an absconder. A request for his extradition remains unexecuted and he never returned to face trial in India.

Among the questions being raised now are why Mr Anderson, who had come to Bhopal after the gas leak, had been allowed to leave Bhopal and then India by the then Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and at the Centre.

This has led to much speculation about the role of Mr Arjun Singh, who was then the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, and the late Mr Rajiv Gandhi, who had then just taken over as Prime Minister barely a month ago after the assassination of his mother, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said some days ago that Mr Arjun Singh had taken the decision to allow Mr Anderson to leave Bhopal due to law and order concerns in the aftermath of the disaster.

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India and Canada are likely to sign an agreement for cooperation in civil nuclear energy during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's two-day visit to Toronto for the G-20 Summit on June 26-27 after which he will have a substantive bilateral engagement with his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper.

The interaction between the two Prime Ministers is slated for the evening of June 27 in Toronto. The two sides have been discussing a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) which are likely to be signed during the visit.

Apart from the pact on civil nuclear energy, the other MoUs are in the areas of mining, higher education, culture and social security.

Briefing mediapersons about the visit, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said Dr Singh would reach Toronto on June 26. His delegation will include Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who is the G20 Sherpa from India, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and other senior officials.

This is the fourth summit of the G-20 in 20 months, starting with the Washington Summit in November 2008, followed by the London Summit in April 2009 and Pittsburgh Summit in September 2009.

"We believe this is indicative of the dynamism and importance of this grouping which since Pittsburgh has been designated as the premier forum for international economic cooperation," she said.

Mr Harper will preside over the Toronto Summit. Apart from the G20 countries, Canada has also invited Spain, the Netherlands, Malawi (as Chair of the African Union), Ethiopia (which holds the Chair of NEPAD) and Vietnam (the Chair of ASEAN) to the Summit.

In addition, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the World Bank, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Director General of the World Trade Organisation and the heads of the International Labour Organisation and the Financial Stability Board, among others, are likely to be present.

The G20 Summit will start with an official welcome and a reception, followed by a working dinner hosted by the Canadian Prime Minister. The first day's programme will conclude with a cultural event.

On June 27, the programme includes the Summit Opening Plenary followed by other plenary sessions, a G20 Family Photograph, a leaders’ working lunch, and finally the concluding Final Plenary in the afternoon.

Ms Rao said Dr Singh would interact with leaders of the participating countries at the Summit on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Canada has organised some side events in conjunction with the G20 Summit. These include a G20 Business Summit (B20) on June 25-26. India will be represented at the B20 by CII and FICCI. The event will be hosted by Canada's Finance Minister.

The other event is the G20 Youth Summit, called "MY Summit" for which each country will send upto seven persons. India will be represented by a youth group selected by the Department of Youth Affairs. Select participants from the Youth Summit will also interact briefly with the G20 leaders on June 27 afternoon.

The theme of the Toronto Summit is "Recovery and New Beginnings". Its main focus will be on implementation of the previous Summit decisions. Therefore, the leaders are expected to take stock of the steps taken so far and chart the future direction. They will also review the current status of the global economic recovery as well as progress of implementation of past G20 Summit decisions.

Ms Rao said the Toronto Summit would decide on the mandate and direction of the G20’s future course of action. Some of the areas the leaders are likely to address are global recovery, its prospects and challenges; the framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth; international financial institutions (IFI) reform; financial regulatory reform; protectionism; and looking ahead to Seoul the venue of the Fifth G20 Summit in November 2010.

The leaders are expected to issue a Toronto Summit Declaration or Communique. Ms Rao pointed out that the G20, in its previous Summit meetings and the meetings of the Finance Ministers, had tried to evolve a common understanding on the causes of the global financial and economic crisis, a reaffirmation of commitment to financial and economic stability and growth, to evolve common principles for reforming the financial markets, and launching of the national plans for information.

Ms Rao said the last G20 Summit in Pittsburgh had designated the grouping as the premier forum for international economic cooperation and had noted the success achieved in tackling the international financial and economic crisis by prompt and effective measures. It had mandated a framework for strong, sustainable and balanced growth in the 21st century through sound macro-economic policies; emphasised the need for sustained strong policy responses to growth until a durable recovery was secured; and to avoid any premature withdrawal of stimulus while preparing for coordinated exit strategies. It had called for implementing regulatory measures governing banks, financial institutions, capital markets, compensation standards, risk taking, over- the- counter (OTC) derivatives, credit rating agencies, hedge funds, non-cooperative jurisdictions, as well as, reiterated the fight against protectionism and all its forms. It was also decided to hold a Summit at Toronto and thereafter at Seoul, and to have Annual Summits thereafter starting with France in 2011.

The G20 brings together Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union,  France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Mr Vivek Katju, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said Dr Singh's discussions with Mr Harper would give a fresh impetus to the bilateral relationship between India and Canada.

"The two countries have been engaged, over the past few years, in enhancing the substance of the bilateral relationship in areas that can directly contribute to the welfare of the people. Thus, there has been a focus on economic and commercial cooperation and cooperation in the field of science, technology, innovation, education, health and agriculture among others," he said.

Mr Katju said the visit of Mr Harper to India in November last year had imparted a new momentum to cooperation in these areas.

He said the agreement on cooperation in civil nuclear energy under discussion between the two countries covered the areas of research, of development of nuclear energy applications in the field of agriculture, healthcare industry and environment, in cooperation in the field of nuclear waste management, nuclear safety, radiation safety, and environmental protection, and so on.

In reply to a question, he said the two countries were cooperating in the field of counter-terrorism. He said there was a regular structured dialogue between the two countries in this area and discussions are held on a periodic basis. There is also continuing cooperation between the two sides in this regard, he added.

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The reconstituted Group of Ministers (GoM) on the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy is today understood to have recommended an enhanced compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of each of those killed in the world's worst ever industrial disaster.

The GoM, which finalised its report at a meeting this morning before submitting it to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is learnt to have recommended a Rs 1500 crore package in this regard, which also provides for Rs 5 lakh for those permanently disabled or suffering from critical ailments and Rs 3 lakh for those who have been partially debilitated.

The enhanced compensation will be paid after deducting the amounts already given to the victims earlier, official sources said.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who heads the GoM, said the Prime Minister had indicated to him yesterday that the report would be considered by a special meeting of the Union Cabinet on June 25.

He told mediapersons after today's meeting that the GoM's immediate focus now was on bringing relief to those who had suffered as a result of the "ghastly tragedy". He said there were still thousands of people who continued to suffer due to the gas leak and the Union Government was "extremely sympathetic" to their plight.

"We have dealt with all issues, compensation, legal issues, including the issue of pursuing the extradition of (then Union Carbide Chairman) Warren Anderson, the legal options available to the government of India and, most importantly, remediation matters and health and health-related matters," he said.

"We think we have made significant recommendations. The GoM is not over. It will continue to address issues as and when they come up," he said.

Mr Chidambaram said the GoM had identified about half a dozen residuary issues that will be taken up by it in its future meetings.

Sources said the GoM's report also included a recommendaiton on filing a curative petition in the Supreme Court against the dilution of charges against those accused in the case.

The GoM's report also deals with disposal of the toxic waste at the site of the disaster, the sources said.

The reconstituted GoM, set up to look into all aspects of the December 2, 1984 tragedy, held its first meeting here on Friday and met again twice on Saturday and held one session yesterday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had earlier this month reconstituted the GoM and put Mr Chidambaram in charge. Last week, he had directed the GoM to meet immediately and submit its report to the Cabinet within 10 days as questions continued to be raised in the media and by the Opposition about the then Congress government's handling of the tragedy.

The GoM was originally set up during the first term of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government and was headed by Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh. It was meant to go into a range of issues, including the relief and rehabilitation of the victims and their families.

Apart from Mr Chidambaram, the other members of the GoM are Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily, Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy, Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja, Fertilisers and Chemicals Minister M K Alagiri, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan.

Madhya Pradesh's minister in-charge of rehabilitation is a permanent invitee to the GoM.

More than 25 years after the tragedy, which claimed thousands of lives, seven of those accused in the case were convicted and sentenced to two years of imprisonmnent on June 7 in a verdict that attracted widespread criticism from social activists, political parties and survivors of the tragedy.

The seven persons convicted by Bhopal Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohan P Tiwari were then Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) Chairman Keshub Mahindra, then UCIL Managing Director Vijay Gokhale, then UCIL Vice-President Kishore Kamdar, then Works Manager J Mukund, Production Manager S P Chaudhury, Plant Superintendent K V Shetty, and Production Assistant S I Qureshi.

Apart from being sentenced to undergo two years of imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 lakh under section 304A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC); three months of imprisonment and fine of Rs. 250 under section 336 IPC; six months of imprisonment with fine of Rs. 500 under section 337 IPC; and one year of imprisonment with a fine of Rs. 1000 under section 338 IPC.

The eighth convict, UCIL, has been fined with Rs. 5 lakhs under section 304 A IPC and Rs. 250, Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 respectively under sections 336, 337 and 338 IPC.

In all, a criminal case was registered against twelve accused persons/companies in the case.

The tragedy occurred on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984 when methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the UCIL factory in Bhopal. Apart from killing thousands, the leak affected several thousand more, many of whom are suffering the effects of the exposure to the deadly gas till today.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its chargesheet filed on December 1, 1997, said that, apart from proximate reasons, there were a number of design defects and other criminally negligent operational practices which resulted in the gas leak and that these were in the knowledge of the management and were deliberately ignored for commercial reasons.

Among those against whom the case was filed was Mr Andersen. The court had declared him as an absconder. A request for his extradition remains unexecuted and he never returned to face trial in India.

Among the questions being raised now are why Mr Anderson, who had come to Bhopal after the gas leak, had been allowed to leave Bhopal and then India by the then Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and at the Centre.

This has led to much speculation about the role of Mr Arjun Singh, who was then the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, and the late Mr Rajiv Gandhi, who had then just taken over as Prime Minister barely a month ago after the assassination of his mother, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said some days ago that Mr Arjun Singh had taken the decision to allow Mr Anderson to leave Bhopal due to law and order concerns in the aftermath of the disaster.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today named three activists of the Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) as key accused in the case relating to the May 28 derailment and collision involving the Howrah-Kurla Gyaneshwari Express in West Bengal.

As many as 148 people were killed and about 150 others injured in the incident, which the authorities suspect was the handiwork of Maoists or one of their front organisations.

A press release issued by the CBI here today said the agency had declared a reward of Rs one lakh each for information leading to the arrest of the three "prominent accused" - Umakant Mahto, resident of village Banksole, Manoj alias Bapi Mahto, resident of village Rasua and Asit Mahto, resident of Krishnanagar.

Posters in English, Bengal and the local Alchiki language, with the pictures of the three suspects, were released today and will be displayed at prominent places for seeking information about them.

The press release said information about the suspects could be made available round the clock on telephone numbers 09674433351, 09051444405, 09051061000 and 033-23596119 or sent to fax number 033-23348713. The information can also be sent by e-mail to hobsckol@cbi.gov.in or by mail to Special Crime Branch, CGO Complex, A-Wing, DF Block, Salt Lake, Kolkata-64.

The release said the Director of CBI had also constituted a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to look into the professional investigation of the incident, which had also resulted in the loss of property worth crores of rupees.

The investigation involves close coordination and cooperation between several organizations, agencies and individuals, it said.
The JIT comprises three officers of CBI, three officers of State Police, two officers of Railway Protection Force, one officer of Railway Board and two forensic experts for carrying out the investigation in a time-bound manner. Mr Keshav Kumar, IGP & Joint Director, CBI, is the head of the JIT.

As many as 13 coaches of the superfast train had derailed around 1.30 am on May 28 near Kharagpur and three of them were rammed within minutes by a speeding goods train coming from the opposite direction.

Authorities said the derailment was an act of sabotage by Maoists, whose outfits had declared a "Black Week" in the region. Officials said the driver of the passenger train had reported hearing a loud noise before the Howrah-Kurla superfast train passed the spot.

Television pictures showed about 18 inches of the track missing at the spot where the derailment took place, apparently cut.

The incident occurred between the Khemasoli and Sardiya stations on the Kharagpur-Tatanagar section, about 135 km from Kolkata.

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The death toll in yesterday's derailment and collision involving the Mumbai-bound Gyaneshwari Express in West Bengal's West Midnapore district has risen to 114 and officials said the figure could climb further.

As many as 13 coaches of the superfast Howrah-Kurla train derailed around 1.30 am yesterday near Kharagpur and three of them were hit within minutes by a speeding goods train coming from the opposite direction.

Authorities have declared the derailment as an act of sabotage by Maoists, whose outfits had declared a "Black Week" in the region. Officials said the driver of the passenger train had reported hearing a loud noise before the Howrah-Kurla superfast train passed the spot.

Television pictures showed about 18 inches of the track missing at the spot where the derailment took place, apparently cut.

More than 40 hours after the incident, rescue teams continued their frantic efforts today morning to look for survivors and pull out bodies from the mangled bogies at the scene of the mishap.

The incident occurred between the Khemasoli and Sardiya stations on the Kharagpur-Tatanagar section, about 135 km from Kolkata.

At least 149 people suffered injuries in the incident and are being treated in hospitals in Kharagpur, Midnapore and Kolkata. About 38 of them have suffered grievous injuries.

The officials said efforts were being made to clear the tracks at the scene of the mishap with the help of two giant cranes which had finally managed to reach the spot.

The task of repairing the tracks and restoring normal trafic would take some more time, they said.

According to the officials, 34 of the passengers killed in the incident had been identified so far and the bodies of several of them had been handed over to their relatives.

Rescue and relief teams at the scene of the derailment of the Howrah-Kurla Gyaneshwari Express in West Bengal on May 28, 2010.

The Railways have also started making payments of the compensation amount of Rs 5 lakhs announced for the next of kin of each of those killed. Out of the amount, Rs 25,000 was paid in cash and the remainder by cheque, they said.

As a result of the accident, the Railways had rescheduled or cancelled some trains. Many others were running way behind schedule.

The trains cancelled yesterday included the 2021/2022 Howrah-Barbil Jan Shatdbdi Express, 2871/2872 Howrah-Titlagarh Ispat Express, 2813/2814 Howrah-Tata Steel Express, 315/316 Howrah- Chakradharpur Passenger. 8003/8004 Jhargram-Purulia Bi-Weekly Express, 8005/8006 Howrah-Koraput-Howrah Express, 8615/8616 Howrah-Hatia-Howrah Express, 2865/2866 Howrah-Purlia-Howrah Express and 8645 Howrah-Hyderabad Express.

Furthermore, the Railways have decided to suspend running of trains between 2200 hours and 0500 hours till June 1 between Kharagpur and Rourkela and Kharagpur and Adra in view of the "black week" announced by some outfits.

Accordingly, many of the trains scheduled to leave from Howrah in the night will now leave in the morning hours.

An official press release here said the Railways had arranged for free travel facility for the next of kin of the victims of the mishap.

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A day after its engineers and ground staff called off a two-day-old flash strike, national carrier Air India today said that it would restore its normal schedule from tomorrow.

In a statement, the airline said it had operated more than 90 per cent of the flights scheduled for today till 1800 hours.

The two-day strike had forced the airline to cancel more than a hundred flights and had left thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the country.

The employees had resorted to the sudden action on Tuesday to protest delays in the payment of salaries and a gag order on talking to the media about last Saturday's crash of an Air India Express flight from Dubai at Mangalore, in which 158 people had been killed.

The decision to call off the strike came yesterday evening shortly after the Delhi High Court, on a plea by the National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL), the public sector company that runs Air India, directed the unions not to continue with the strike.

The court also directed the unions not to resort to strike with effect from May 31 in terms of a strike notice served by them to the Air India management on May 14.

The court further directed the members of the union not to cause any obstruction to the visitors and passengers at the airports and the Head Office / Registered Office / Booking Offices and the regional offices of the airline. The unions shall allow egress and ingress to visitors and goods, it directed.

Air India said that it would meet the leaders of all unions on June 1 at its headquarters when it will communicate the actual reasons leading to the present situation.

The statement also said wage disbursements would take place on June 1.

Meanwhile, the Air India management today withdrew the recognition granted to the All India Aircraft Engineers Association (AIAEA) and the Air Corporations Employees Union (ACEU).

The reasons for derecognition included the illegal strike resorted to by the two unions, which the airline said caused harassment to innocent passengers, caused revenue losses to the company and distrupted flights nationwide and to international destinations.

It said the AIAEA and ACEU had indulged in regular violations of the Code of Discipline and of the settlements and acted in a manner resulting in the disruption of the normal working of the company and breach of industrial peace and harmony.

It said that one of the most objectionable actions of theAIAEA was that, in breach of office order dated 27.7.2009, it approached media criticizing the systems and procedures of the company.

Air India said there were no statutory provisions for recognition of trade unions. The Trade Union Act 1926 does not provide for recognition of a trade union in respect of industry or establishment. The Industrial Dispute Act also does not provide for recognition of trade unions.

The statement said that, in fact, when the erstwhile Indian Airlines Corporation (IAC) recognised ACEU in May 1959, the terms and conditions stated that it "is clearly understood and recognised that IAC is a Public Utility Service operating round the clock everyday and has a duty of serving the traveling public."

The Code of Discipline in the industry which permits recognition of a union claiming membership of at least 15 % of workers in an establishment is also recommendatory and has no statutory force, the management said.

According to it, the recognition granted to AIAEA and ACEU by the management of erstwhile Indian Airlines, states inter alia that "they are committed to observe constitutional means and not to resort to agitational steps and/or concerted action or any other means which may have the effect of interrupting or disrupting the work of the Company and/or other normal functioning of various sections and departments and/or the operations of services of the Company which may have effect of causing the delays to the Company’s services or inconvenience to its passengers or public".

The airline said it had terminated the services of some employees in terms of Service Rule 13(a) of the applicable Service Regulations and Contract of Employment.

The strike by the employees of the loss-making airline came during the peak summer rush and the cancellation of flights had put thousands of passengers to great inconvenience. There are many domestic stations which are served only by Air India.

More importantly, the walk-out by the employees came at a time when the airline was still coping with Saturday's tragedy at Mangalore.

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asserted that India and Pakistan must first bridge the trust deficit between them before they could engage in a substantive dialogue with each other and solve various issues that have bedevilled ties between the two countries.

"Pakisan is our neighbour. It is my firm belief that India cannot realise its full development potential unless it has good relations with all its neighbours," Dr Singh said at a press conference held here this morning to mark the completion of the first year of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government's second five-year term in power.

Dr Singh pointed out that Pakistan was India's largest neighbour and said there were problems between the two countries.

"It has been my effort to reduce the gap between our two countries without surrendering or affecting our vital interests," he said.

He said he was convinced that the major problem between the two countries and the main reason why they had not made any headway in their Composite Dialogue was the lack of adequate trust between them.

"There is a trust deficit and unless we tackle it we cannot make substantive progress in the dialogue between the two countries," he said.

Dr Singh said it should be the common endeavour of both countries to reduce the trust deficit between them. He said he made this clear to Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, when they met recently in Thimphu, Bhutan, and that is why they had decided to ask their Foreign Ministers and Foreign Secretaries to meet to work out ways of reducing the trust deficit.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna is due to meet his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on July 15 in pursuance of that decision.

The Prime Minister said India was willing to discuss all oustanding issues with Pakistan. "The only condition is that Pakistani territory should not be used for terrorism against India," he said.

He said the meeting between Mr Krishna and Mr Qureshi would mark a beginning in the effort to improve the relations betweeen the two countries after India had suspended the Composite Dialogue process in the wake of the November 26, 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai. As many as 166 people were killed in the attacks.

India blamed the attacks on elements based in Pakistan and has been insisting that Pakistan should bring those responsible for the horrific crime to justice and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure on Pakistani soil that is used for attacks on this country.

"This will the first major effort to deal with the underlying cause of the problems between the two countries," he said.

To a question about whether he thought the talks would succeed, Dr Singh said it was the Government's obligation to make every effort to normalise relations with all of India's neighbours. "Whether we succeed or not, future events will tell," he remarked.

In a prepared statement on his Government's acheivements in the first year of its second term, the Prime Minister said that, in foreign policy, it was a matter of satisfaction that India had been able to improve relations with all major powers.

"As a member of the Group of Twenty (G-20), our views are increasingly sought and heard. The world looks at India with confidence," he said.

Dr Singh said the recent SAARC Summit in Bhutan had once again underlined the fact that it was not just their shared past but also their shared future that bound the sub-continent together.

"Improving relations with neighbours continues to be of great importance to us. I have often said that our real challenges are at home and in our neighbourhood," he said.

At the largely-attended press conference, his first in the capital in four years and held in Vigyan Bhavan, the Prime Minister answered questions on a variety of topics, from terrorism and Naxalism, to the economy and inflation, corruption and the 2G spectrum controversy, and on Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and his relations with Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Dr Singh said the Government was determined to squarely tackle the threat of terrorism and ideological extremism of various kinds, including Naxalism.

"We are working on systemic changes in our national security system, paying due attention to the modernization and professional development of the police and security forces, investigating agencies and the law and order machinery. Judicial reform and transparency in the functioning of government will also receive priority in our agenda," he said.

Asked if the Government had underestimated the threat posed by Naxalism, he said that, on the contrary, he had been saying for more than three years now that Naxalites posed the biggest internal security challenge to India. "To say that we underestimated the magnitude of the problem is not correct," he said.

He said it was important to control Naxalism to ensure the country's progress and was confident that all States and the Centre would work together to tackle this menace.

He said terrorism was also a major national security issue and said the Government was determined to tackle it, irrespective of its source. "Terrorism has no religion," he said, in response to a question about the so-called Hindu terror groups.

In this context, to a question about the delay in deciding on the mercy petition of Afzal Guru, the man sentenced to death in the case relating to the terrorist attack on Parliament, he said the law of the land must be allowed to run its course in such matters.

On his planned visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Singh said it was planned for reviewing the implementation of development programmes in the state. He said he would hold discussions with the State Government on ways of accelerating these programmes.

He used the opportunity to once again appeal to all groups in Jammu and Kashmir to shun violence and come forward for talks.

In reply to a question, he said the Government had a policy of "zero tolerance" in respect of human rights violations by security forces in the state and elsewhere.

About different opinions aired by his Ministers on various issues in public, Dr Singh said that, while it was health to have such debates and diverse views in a democracy of more than one billion people, it would be better if his colleagues voiced their thoughts at meetings of the Union Cabinet.

"I am pleased to tell you that the Cabinet, in the last six years, met almost every week. So, Ministers have plenty of opportunities to express their views," he said.

On the civil nuclear issue, he said India must have a comprehensive compensation arrangement if it wanted to become a major nuclear power and hoped the Bill in this regard would receive support from all political parties in Parliament.

"I am sure that all political parties interested in India's growth, interested in India's nuclear programme, will support it," he remarked.

About the proposal to include details of caste in the ongoing Census 2011, Dr Singh said he had already assured Parliament that he would take into account the views expressed by Members on the subject and place them before the Cabinet for a decision. "That process is on," he said.

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chaired the 5th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) here today when a proposal for a separate lion conservation project and the idea of a separate cadre for wildlife veterinary officers, among other topics, were discussed.

According to official sources, the meeting is also understood to have discussed population control of spotted deer, delisting of corals from schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the accidental deaths of wild elephants when they are hit by trains passing through national parks and sanctuaries.

The sources said the meeting was also due to consider convening of a park managers' congress, instituting awards for the best managed protected areas and restriction of central funding to protected areas directly under the wildlife wing and managed by trained officers.

The idea of a separate scheme for conservation of lions, on the lines of Project Tiger, has been suggested by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, whose state is home to the Asiatic lions.

The Prime Minister is the chairman of the NBWL. It has 45 members, including Minister of Environment & Forests Jairam Ramesh. There are 15 non-official members. Four of the non-official members are also part of the 12-member Standing Committee of NBWL.

Among others, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) President Karan Singh and Mr T K A Nair, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, attended the meeting.

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The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stepped in to control the damage by apologising to the public and ordering an internal inquriy after the Government was hugely embarassed by the use of a photograph of a former Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief in a government advertisement today.

The half-page advertisement was issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to mark National Girl Child Day and was carried by leading newspapers today.

The picture of PAF chief Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed in uniform appeared alongside images of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath.

Also included in the half-page advertisement were photographs of former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev, sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and star cricketer Virendra Sehwag.

"The Prime Minister's Office has noted with regret the inclusion of a foreign national's photograph in a Government of India advertisement," Mr Harish Khare, the Media Adviser to the Prime Minister, said in a statement.

"While an internal inquiry has been instituted, the PMO apologises to the public for this lapse," the statement added.

The advertisement was part of a campaign against female foeticide and was headlined, "Where would you be if your mother was not allowed to be born?"

"Suppose your mother was killed before she ever lived...because for many others like her, a lifetime of violence and discrimination begins before birth. Millions of girl children, as evidenced in the 2001 Census, never see the light of the day because they are murdered in the womb itself. Your mother could have been one of them. A declining sex-ratio is the bane of progress. Under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Prohibition of Sex Selection) (PCPNDT) Act 2003, it is a crime to identify sex of the foetus. Female foeticide is a curse. It is time to wake up to reality. No girl means no future," the copy said.

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President Pratibha Patil has accepted the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari, who sent in his papers yesterday a day after a television channel in the state aired a tape which showed him allegedly in a compromising position with three women in the Raj Bhavan at Hyderabad.

Mr Tiwari, 84, submitted his resignation on "health grounds" to the President, who had forwarded it to the Union Government for its recommendations. He had assumed office as Governor 26 months ago.

A press communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said the President had accepted the resignation and had appointed Mr E S L Narasimha, the Governor of Chhattisgarh, to discharge the functions of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh in addition to his own duties until a successor to Mr Tiwari is appointed.

The President, who is on a visit to the Lakshadweep Islands, is due to visit Andhra Pradesh for a week from tomorrow, but indications today were that she might call off the trip.

On Friday, ABN Andhra Jyoti, a Telugu television channel, showed visuals of an old man it claimed was Mr Tiwari with two young women. The Governor's office got an order of restraint and managed to stop the telecast after about an hour.

The television channel said the tape was the result of a sting operation facilitated by a woman "broker" who claimed she had been promised a mining lease in Andhra Pradesh by the Governor. According to her, she decided to "expose" after he allegedly reneged on the promise.

Women's groups had gathered outside Raj Bhavan on that day to protest against Mr Tiwari and seek his resignation. Opposition parties in the state, led by the Telugu Desam party, had also sought his removal.

Meanwhile, Mr Tiwari's office had on Thursday issued a statement saying that the tapes were "nothing but a tissue of lies".

"Mr Tiwari is 86 years old and in the evening of his life. The office of the Governor is constantly under public scrutiny and entirely above board...It is is sad that constitutional functionaries are dragged into needless controversy with utter disregard to propriety," it said.

But the controversy and the protests refused to die and the new clip surfaced on YouTube, after its telecast was stopped on court orders, where it drew thousands of viewers.

Mr Tiwari's fate is understood to have been discussed at a meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi had yesterday with her senior party colleagues, including Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Mr A K Antony and Mr Ahmed Patel. The Centre, meanwhile, had sought a report from the Andhra Pradesh government. Ms Gandhi is also learnt to have talked to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard.

The controversy and the Governor's resignation come at a time when Andhra Pradesh is already going through a period of political turmoil because of the agitation by those who want a separate state of Telengana and those opposed to the idea.

Mr Tiwari was in the news some time ago after Rohit Shekhar, grandson of former Union Minister Sher Singh, filed a petition in the Delhi High Court claiming he was the "natural" son of the former Union Minister and sought a paternity test to prove his claim. The court did not accept the plea and said the suit was not maintainable.

Mr Shekhar had claimed that Mr Tiwari had an intimate relationship with his mother Ujjwala Sharma, a former General Secretary of the All India Young Women Congress.

Mr Tiwari has the distinction of serving as Chief Minister of two states -- Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- in a long political career. In fact, he had four stints as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

At the Centre, Mr Tiwari has served as Planning Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission in the early 1980s. He has also held the portfolios of Industry and Steel & Mines,

He has also served as External Affairs Minister in 1986-87 and as Minister for Finance and Commerce in 1987-88. In 1995-96, he left the Congress and became President of the All India Indira Congress (Tiwari) but returned to the party in early 1997. He went on to become the President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee before becoming the first elected Chief Minister of the newly created state of Uttaranchal, now known as Uttarakhand.

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At least six workers were killed and about 40 others feared trapped in the debris after a road bridge that was under construction on the Chambal river collapsed in Kota, Rajasthan yesterday evening.

District Collector T Ravikant told NetIndian over the telephone from the scene of the mishap that six bodies had been extricated from the debris by this afternoon and efforts were on to bring out those who were still trapped under the rubble.

He said rescue teams could see some of the workers under the mangled metal and concrete but the task of cutting through the rods and reaching them was taking time.

Army jawans were on hand to help the civil administration in the rescue efforts. The fact that a part of the bridge had fallen into the river, at a time when many workers were working on it, had made the task even more difficult.

A team of divers from the Indian Navy in Delhi and another from Ahmedabad had been called in to help in the rescue operations. Apart from the state and municipal officials, personnel of public sector units in and around Kota, including the Railways, were also helping the civil authorities.

The incident occurred around 1745 hours yesterday and rescue teams were rushed to the spot as soon as information was received. Three bodies were recovered yesterday and one of the seven injured succumbed to his injuries in hospital last night.

Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakhs to the next of kin of those killed in the incident and Rs 2 lakh for each of those injured.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who visited the spot today, had separately announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those killed in the accident, Rs 1 lakh for each of those seriously injured and Rs 50,000 for each of those with minor injuries. He also visited the hospitals and met the injured people.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath has been in touch with Mr Gehlot over the incident since yesterday.

Mr Gehlot said said the incident was "unfortunate" and ordered an inquiry into the reasons that led to the collapse. He said the inquiry would be conducted by experts of the National Highways Authority of India and the Transport Ministry. He also said that action had been initiated against the officials of Gammon India and Hyundai, the companies responsible for the construction of the bridge.

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At least six workers were killed and several others were trapped in the debris after a road bridge that was under construction on the Chambal river collapsed in Kota, Rajasthan yesterday evening.

District Collector T Ravikant told NetIndian over the telephone from the scene of the mishap that six bodies had been extricated from the debris by this afternoon and efforts were on to bring out those who were trapped in the debris.

He said rescue teams could see some of the workers under the mangled metal and concrete but the task of cutting through the rods and reaching them was taking time.

Army jawans were on hand to help the civil administration in the rescue efforts.

The incident occurred around 1745 hours yesterday and rescue teams were rushed to the spot as soon as information was received. Three bodies were recovered yesterday and one of the seven injured succumbed to his injuries in hospital last night.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who visited the spot today, has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those killed in the accident, Rs 1 lakh for each of those seriously injured and Rs 50,000 for each of those with minor injuries.

He said the incident was "unfortunate" and ordered an inquiry into the reasons that led to the collapse.

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Former Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Anil Kakodkar has asserted that India has credible thermo-nuclear bombs, in the "plural", with a yield of "much more" than 45 kilotonnes each.

"Why are you using singular? Make that plural," he said when asked if India had a credible thermo-nuclear bomb during an interview with journalist Karan Thapar on the Devil's Advocate show on television channel CNN-IBN.

When it was pointed out that former defence scientist K Santhanam had said recently that the thermonuclear device had not been weaponised even 11 years after the tests, Dr Kakodkar, who retired as AEC Chairman at the end of last month, asked, "How does he know? He is not involved."

About the yield, Dr Kakodkar said, "I told you we have the possibility of a deterrence of low kilotonne to 200 kilotonnes."

Referring to statements made recently by former Army Chief Gen V P Malik and others about doubts in the public arena and the neeed for an assurance to the Army on the yield and the efficacy of India's thermo-nuclear bomb, Dr Kakodkar said, "I think that is guaranteed. The Army should be fully confident and defend the country. There is no issue about the arsenal at their command."

Asked about the doubts raised by Dr Santhanam, former AEC Chairman P K Iyengar and others about India's nuclear tests of 1998, Dr Kakodkar said their was a totally erroneous conclusion.

"The yield of thermo-nuclear tests was verified, not by one method but several redundant methods based on different principles, done by different groups. These have been reviewed in detail and in fact I had described the tests in 1998 as perfect and I stand by that," he said.

Asked about the AEC claim that the yield of the tests was 45 kilotonnes and Dr Santhanam's statement that the DRDO seismic instruments had measured it as something between 20-25 kilotonnes, he said that the DRDO did dploy some instruments for measurements but they did not work.

"I myself had reviewed all the results immediately after the tests and we concluded that the instruments did not work," he said.

He assured that the AEC had proof that the yield of the test was 45 kilotonnes. "Yes. In fact we have. Within limits of what can be said and I must make it clear here that no country has given so much scientific details on their tests as we have given and this we have published with the maximum clarity which could be done," he said.

Dr Kakodkar said it was unfortunate that such doubts were stil being raised but said he was not worried by them because "facts are facts".

To another question about Dr Santhanam pointing out that the thermo-nuclear test did not create a crater when the fission device, which had produced a yield of 25 kilotonnes, had created a crater of 25 metres in diameter, Dr Kakodkar said that, in the first instance, the fission device yield was 15 kilotonnes.

He said that, although the two devices were about 1.5 km apart, the geology within that distance changed quite a bit, partly because of the layers that existed and their slopes but also because their depths were different. He said fission device was, thus, placed in one kind of medium and the thermo-nuclear device in another kind of medium.

"In fact, we have gone through detailed simulation. For example in simulation you can locate the thermo-nuclear device where the fission device was placed and you can locate the fission device where the thermo-nuclear device was placed. And you get a much bigger crater now because the yield is higher...And the fission device which is now placed in the thermo-nuclear position produces much less ground displacement," he said.

He offered similar explanations for the fact that the shaft and the a-frame were not damaged during the test.

About Dr Iyengar's views, Dr Kakodkar said his predecessor was nowhere involved in the 1998 tests, though he had been a key figure in the 1974 tests. He said information was given to many people on a "need to know" basis, and to to assume that Dr Santhanam knew everything was not true. "He knew everything within his realm of responsibility," he said.

Dr Kakodkar said there was no hiding of information and India was, perhaps, unique in that it had given out the maximum information and that, too, immediately after the tests.

"There is no hiding. There are limits to what can be revealed. These have been discussed in the Atomic Energy Commission in not one but four meetings after the 1998 tests. And there are people who are knowledgeable. Dr Ramanna was a member of the commission at that time. So where is the hiding?" he said.

He did not agree with Dr Santhanam's suggestion that a peer group of scientists should be formed to review the results of the 1998 thermo-nuclear test.

"There are methods through which one has assessed the test results. Each one of them is a specialisation in itself and there are different groups - not just individuals but groups - which have looked at these. The fact is that this is also on a need-to-know basis. Now, if all of them come to conclusions which are by-and-large similar, what other things can you do in terms of forming a peer group of scientists?" he asked.

He said the AEC had gone through the records once more recently after the controversy had cropped up again and later come out with an authoritative statement on the issue.

He said the important point to note was that the thermo-nuclear test, the fission test and the sub-kilottine test had all worked as designed.

"They are diverse. In terms of detailed design, their content is quite different. And so we think that the design which has been done is validated and within this configuration which has been tested one can build devices ranging from low kilotonne all the way to 200 kilotonnes. And that kind of fully assures the deterrence," he said.

Asked if India was right in maintaining that it did not need more thermo-nuclear tests when all the established nuclear powers had needed more than one test, he said, "Well if you go by 'Dil Maange More', that's another story.

"But we are talking about a time where the knowledge base has expanded, the capability has expanded and you carry out a design and prove you are confident that on the basis of that design and that test, one can build a range of systems right up to 200 kilotonnes," he added.

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is today understood to have assured a delegation of Congress Members of Parliament (MPs) from Andhra Pradesh that the Centre would not act in haste in the matter of creating the new state of Telengana out of Andhra Pradesh.

The assurance came even as there were growing protests in the coastal and the Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh against the plan to split the state and more legislators, including many from the Congress, handed in their resignation letters to express their anger over the move.

Protests were staged in places like Tirupati and Kurnool, where markets were shut down, trains stopped and buses set on fire by angry mobs.

The MPs, who included Union Ministers M M Pallam Raju, D Purandeswari and Panabaka Lakshmi, are learnt to have told Dr Singh that the Government's announcement on Wednesday night that the process of forming the new state would be initiated, had led to a backlash.

Mr Pallam Raju told reporters that the delegation had conveyed to Dr Singh during the 40-minute meeting that the time was not congenial for the creation of a new state. He said the mood in the state was for it to remain united. He pointed out that most people in other parts of Andhra Pradesh had relatives in Hyderabad and many people from other regions came to the city to study.

The MPs told journalists that Dr Singh had taken note of their sentiments and told them that nothing would be done in haste.

Official sources, when contacted, did not give any details about the meeting, except to say that the Prime Minister gave the MPs a patient hearing. Union Law and Justice Minister M Veerappa Moily was amongst those present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Centre's announcement on Telengana has sparked off similar demands from those campaigning for Gorkhaland in West Bengal, Bundelkhand and Harit Pradesh in Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha in Maharashtra and Maru Pradesh in Rajasthan.

Leaders of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha, led by former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, now the MP from Darjeeling, met Mr Chidambaram and demanded an early decision on the creation of Gorkhaland. "We do not want to stay with West Bengal," they said. Mr Jaswant Sigh said the demand for Gorkhaland was the "oldest" such demand in the country. He also spoke out in favour of Maru Pradesh in Rajasthan, his home state.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati held a press conference in Lucknow to come out in support of the demands for separate states of Bundelkhand and Harit Pradesh, saying that she and her party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, had always been in favour of smaller states.

Many of the protests in Andhra Pradesh have got to do with the status of Hyderabad, which falls in the Telengana region. While those demanding the creation of Telengana assume it will be the capital of the new state, people in other parts of Andhra Pradesh are not willing to let go of the city. And then there are those who have suggested that Hyderabad should be made a Union Territory.

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai waded into the controversy today by telling reporters in Jammu, "Hyderabad, I think will always be the capital of Telengana." Later in the day, Mr Pillai retracted his statement, saying that he did not state that Hyderabad would be the capital of Telengana.

The Centre had announced late in the night on December 9 that the process of forming the new state of Telengana, out of the present state of Andhra Pradesh, would be initiated.

The announcement came as an agitation launched by the Telengana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) for a separate state threatened to spin out of control. TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, 55, had been on a fast unto death in Hyderabad and his health was deteriorating, forcing the Centre to speed up its efforts to defuse the crisis.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram told journalists on Wednesday night that an appropriate resolution on the formation of the new state would be moved in the Andhra Pradesh state legislative assembly.

Mr Chidambaram had said the decision had come after extensive consultations at the highest level in the Government earlier on Wednesday

He pointed out that the consultations were held after the return of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday night from his three-day visit to Russia. He said consultations were also held with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah, who was in the capital on Wednesday.

That same night, Mr Chandrasekhara Rao had called off his fast and the former Union Minister was discharged from hospital in Hyderabad today.

Telengana is that part of Andhra Pradesh which corresponds to the Telugu-speaking part of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad, which lies on the Deccan plateau to the west of the Eastern Ghats.

It includes the districts of Warangal, Adilabad, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Rangareddy, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak and Hyderabad, the capital.

Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956 and in the years that followed there were growing complaints in the Telengana region that the promises made to them had not been kept. These finally led to a students' agitation in 1969 that was marked by widespread violence and the deaths of scores of people.

The demand for a separate state was kept alive in one form or the other and in 1971 some leaders left the Congress to form the Telengana Praja Samiti, but they later returned to the party. In the 1990s, the National Democratic Alliance government at the centre could not take a decision on the issue because of the stand taken by its coalition partner Telugu Desam Party.

The TRS was formed with the single point agenda of creating a separate Telengana state with Hyderabad as its capital. In the 2004 elections to the Lok Sabha as well as the State Legislative Assembly, the Congress struck an alliance with the TRS with the promise of a separate state.

The Congress came to power in Andhra Pradesh and the party led the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Centre, with the TRS as one of the coalition partners. Mr Chandrasekhara Rao also joined the Union Government as a minister, but the UPA remained indecisive on the issue, forcing the TRS leader to withdraw his party's support to the Government in September, 2006.

Telengana was an issue ahead of the General Elections this year and all the major parties in Andhra Pradesh came out in support of the cause.

The Congress returned to power both at the Centre and in Andhra Pradesh and the alliance of which TRS was a part lost badly in the state. On September 2, then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who had returned to power with a convincing mandate, died in a helicopter crash.

Mr Rosaiah, who took over as Chief Minister, is not considered to be politically tough the way the late Mr Reddy was and this, many believe, encouraged Mr Chandrasekhara Rao to start his indefinite fast demanding the formation of a separate Telengana state.

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Stressing that terrorism is not a limited threat but a worldwide operation, President Pratibha Patil today said every country must fulfill its repsonsibility to deal firmly with the evil.

"The sustenance lines of terrorists must be completely dried up," Ms Patil said in her inaugural address at the Global Conference on Security Knowledge and Employability organised by the Central Association of Private Security Industry and the Association of Private Detectives and Investigators.

"Every State has a responsibility, and it must fulfill it, to deal firmly and immediately with any person, individual or group in its territory, involved in any manner with terrorism, be it training, financing, operating, indoctrinating, facilitating or masterminding acts of terror anywhere in the world," she said.

Ms Patil said the security environment in the world was complex, with threats to security and stability arising out of many factors, especially terrorism, apart from crime and other law and order situations.

She said the exposure of innocent civilian population to random incidents of violence had increased as terrorists had adopted more audacious and more insidious methods.

"While it is true that such factors have raised concerns about security and safety issues, it is also remarkable to note the determination of the people, not to be deterred by or to allow their lives to be disrupted by acts of terrorism. Any path to address security concerns requires measures that instill confidence in the minds of the public without creating alarm," she said.

The President pointed out that many countries in all parts of the world had been the targets of terrorists and it was a fallacy to think that any country or society could be immune to terror attacks.

"It is an ideology born out of hatred and its adherents belong to no religion, culture or civilization. An effective response to it would require a concerted, coordinated and cooperative effort by all Governments and by all citizens of the world who seek peace and development. The global compact against terrorism needs to be strengthened. In this context, the early conclusion of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, which is currently being negotiated in the United Nations, will be important," she said.

Ms Patil said that, at the operational level, improved intelligence gathering, surveillance systems and intelligence sharing were essential steps.

The objective should be to work together in such a collective and unified manner, that the terrorists can get no leeway or support or encouragement from any quarter, she emphasised.

She said nations should strengthen their own structures to deal with terrorism. India, which has been a victim of terrorism for more than two decades, has taken steps to strengthen laws and institutions to respond to such attacks, she said, adding that it would . ontinue to keep this issue under constant review and take appropriate measures.

She also spoke about the implications terrorism had for the law and order situatio and othr crimes.

"The nexus between drug running, gun running and counterfeit currency and terrorists has deep security implications. The net is cast wide and it means that security issues would require each citizen to be vigilant and to adhere to security measures. There have been instances where due to the alertness of citizens, many incidents have been averted. It is, therefore important, that all citizens are given some basic training on security norms and they remain alert about any untoward happenings in their neighborhood," she suggested.

She said the security apparatus of the States, including the Armed Forces, the paramilitary forces, the border security forces and the police forces, were working to ensure security and law and order. According to her, private security agencies can contribute to their efforts.

The President said all private security agencies must function within the ambit of the Private Security Agencies Regulation Act of 2005. She noted that while many State Governments had passed the required rules in respect of this legislation, action was pending in some others.

"It is necessary that these States also complete the requisite procedures," she pointed out.

Apart from augmenting the efforts of Governmet agencies, private security agencies could also counsel and guide individuals and business organizations, regarding the installation of security features in their premises, which as precautionary measures can add to a sense of security, she said.

Ms Patil said that, on all these issues, a process of dialogue between the representatives of private security agencies and the Government must be maintained.

She also stressed the need for private security agencies to enhance their performance and accountability. In this context, she mentioned training and skills improvement as areas which need attention. She also spoke about ensuring better working conditions and welfare for the 55 lakh people working in this sector.

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United States President Barack Obama called Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the telephone this morning and discussed with him the situation in Afghanistan and the further steps that could be taken to bring peace and stability in the strife-torn country.

During their brief conversation, the two leaders also discussed the coming summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen.

Dr Singh told Mr Obama that India would play a constructive role in the negotiations and looked forward to a successful outcome, an official statement added.

The telephone call came just days after Dr Singh had met Mr Obama in the White House in Washington on November 24 during his state visit to the US.

The call was part of Mr Obama's effort to brief key US allies and friends about the new strategy for Afghanistan that he is slated to outline in an address to the American people on Tuesday.

Among other things, there is expectation that Mr Obama will announce the deployment of about 30,000 additional US troops to strengthen security in the population centres in Afghanistan, push back the Taliban and provide training to Afghan security forces.

Mr Obama had discussed with Dr Singh, during their meeting in Washington, the review of his Afghanistan policy.

Ahead of his visit to Washington, the Prime Minister had said in an interview to Newsweek that it was very important, both for providing security and for providing sustained development, that the US and the global community should stay engaged with Afghanistan.

At their meeting, the two leaders had reiterated their shared interest in the stability, development and independence of Afghanistan and in the defeat of terrorist safe havens in Pakistan and Afghanistan. President Obama appreciated India’s role in reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan. The two leaders agreed to enhance their respective efforts in this direction.

From Washington, Dr Singh had travelled to Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, where he told the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2009) that India was willing to sign on to an ambitious global target for emissions reductions or limiting temperature increase but made it clear that this must be accompanied by an equitable burden sharing paradigm.

He had emphasised the need for the outcome at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Copenhagen later this month to be comprehensive, balanced and, above all, equitable.

He had said it must be comprehensive in the sense that it must cover all the inter-related components of mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology.

He had said that this meant that a partial outcome must be resisted and that there must be balance and equal priority given to each of the four components.

"Mitigation is important but cannot take precedence over adaptation which, for many countries represented here, poses a greater challenge. And most important from our perspective, is the need to ensure an equitable outcome corresponding to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities," he had said.

The Prime Minister had said that if the outcome at Copenhagen diminished rather than enhanced the implementation of the UNFCCC in respect of the specific components of mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology, it would represent a serious setback, no matter how the result was characterised.

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India today expressed its desire to expand and strengthen its relations with Cape Verde in various fields and has offered the sub-Saharan African country its continued support through technical cooperation and official development assistance in its quest for speedier development.

At a meeting with visiting Cape Verdean Foreign Minister Jose Brito here, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna suggested that the two sides identify specific areas of cooperation in this regard.

Mr Brito is on an official four-day visit to India from November. This is the first official bilateral visit at the level of Foreign Minister from either country.

During their meeting, the two ministers reviewed bilateral relations between their countries and exchanged views on various international and regional issues of mutual interest.

Earlier, Mr Brito held talks with Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor during which the two sides outlined ways and means of expanding and strengthening the bilateral economic relations between the two countries.

Mr Brito and Dr Tharoor signed a protocol on Foreign Office Consultations to promote regular interaction between senior officials of the Foreign Ministries of the two countries, a joint statement issued after the talks said.

The former Portuguese colony offered its support for India's candidature for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council for the term 2011-12, for which elections will be held next October. The two sides also agreed to cooperate and synchronise their efforts within the UN framework for adopting effective measures to combat the scourge of international terrorism.

Mr Brito and Dr Tharoor also co-chaired a business meeting organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Mr Brito invited Indian entrepreneurs and business leaders to invest in Cape Verde in different sectors, especially infrastructure, information technology, health, education and tourism.

India has offered a concessional Line of Credit of $ 5 million to Cape Verde for setting up of a Technological Park and a grant of Rs 10 million in the education sector. India also offered to set up an Information and Communication Technology Centre of Excellence in Cape Verde on grant basis, the statement added.

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The winter session of Parliament beginning tomorrow is expected to see the Opposition take the Government to task on a variety of issues, including rising prices, the increase in Maoist violence, the plight of farmers in the wake of the drought in many parts of the country this year and India's relations with Pakistan and China.

The session, that is scheduled to end of December 21, will have 23 sittings over 33 days, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal told reporters.

He said the session would be devoted mainly to essential Government legislative and other business, including financial business.

The financial business will include Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2009-10 in respect of the Railway and the General Budgets as well as the State Budget of Jharkhand, which is under President's Rule at present.

Mr Bansal had held a meeting with Secretaries and other senior offices of various ministries and departments yesterday to finalise the Government business for the session.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had met leaders of various parties last week and got an assurance from them about their support for the smooth functioning of the House.

The Opposition is also likely to raise the question of the multi-crore scam allegedly involving former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, given that the issue will come in handy at a time when the state is due to go for elections in five phases from November 25.

Similarly, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) can be expected to raise the issue of the alleged scam in spectrum allocation involving Communications Minister A Raja of its rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Several parties can also be expected to raise the recent Hindi-Marathi controversy involving the Mahrashtra Navnirman Sena in Maharashtra.

The ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) will be facing the session with a fair amount of confidence after its impressive performance in the recent assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh. The main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left parties have, on the other hand, fared rather badly in the recent elections, including the bye-elections in West Bengal, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and some other states.

Ahead of the session, Congress President Sonia Gandhi had a meeting here yesterday with some of her senior colleagues on the party's strategy to face the Opposition onslaught.

Those who attended the meeting included Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony and her Political Secretary Ahmed Patel.

The legislative and financial items identified by the Government for being taken up during the session--the third of the 15th Lok Sabha and the 218th session of the Rajya Sabha--include the Rubber (Amendment) Bill, the National Green Tribunal Bill, the National Commission for Minorities Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, the Workmen's Compensation (Amendment) Bill and the Land Ports Authority of India Bill, allof which are pending in the Lok Sabha.

Bills pending in the Rajya Sabha include the Seeds Bill, the Pesticides Management Bill, the Legal Metrology Bill, the National Commission for Heritage Sites Bill, the Labour Laws (Exemption from Furnishing Returns and Maintaining Registers by Certain Establishments) Amendments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, the Representation of the People (Second Amendment) Bill, the Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill and the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill.

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India and Canada today signed two agreements aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in the areas of energy, trade and investment and reaffirmed their commitment to deepen their cooperation to counter international terrorism and extremist ideologies.

The agreements were signed at the end of official talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper here.

The first agreement was a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to launch a Joint Study Group to formulate the parameters of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which is expected to deliver commercial benefits across a variety of sectors.

The second is an MoU on Energy Cooperation that will foster increased cooperation on clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency, power generation, oil and gas exploration, research and development, energy policy and other areas.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Dr Singh said the two sides also looked forward to cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy.

He said relations between India and Canada were of a long standing nature and derived their strength from their shared values of democracy, respect for fundamental human rights and multi-culturalism. He noted that Canada was host to a large Indian origin community of over one million, which reflected the strong people-to-people links that existed between the two countries and which had enriched their relationship.

Dr Singh said the bilateral relations had greatly strengthened since Mr Harper assumed office as Prime Minister. He said this was particularly true in the areas of trade and investment. He pointed out that a large number of Indian corporate entities had invested in Canada and several Canadian companies had entered the Indian market. There were, however, vast opportunities for doing much more, he said.

"There is significant scope for greater investments by Canadian companies in areas of high technology and infrastructure development, and enhancing cooperation in the areas of science and technology, agriculture, mining, natural resources, education, and energy. The Memorandum of Understanding we have signed on Energy will facilitate greater cooperation in this very wide area. We look forward to cooperation in the field of civil nuclear energy," he said.

He said the decision to set up the Joint Study Group to examine the possibility of a bilateral CEPA was aimed at further boosting trade between the two countries, currently below $ 5 billion.

"We are also working to further strengthen the institutional mechanisms for cooperation such as a Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement and a Social Security Agreement," he said.

The Prime Minister said India would organise a year-long Festival of India in Canada in 2011 to showcase India's culture and economic progress. India has invited Canada to organise a similar festival in India.

The two leaders reviewed the process of global economic recovery and how they could prepare for the next G-20 Summit which Canada will host.

Dr Singh said he and Mr Harper had a useful exchange of views on climate change, energy security, nuclear disarmament and regional issues.

"I conveyed to Prime Minister Harper India's grave concern over the scourge of international terrorism and the threat posed to pluralistic societies like India from extremist ideologies. We reaffirmed our commitment to deepen our cooperation to counter these threats," he said.

"Prime Minister Harper's visit has imparted a fresh momentum to India-Canada relationship. We will take all the necessary steps to further intensify our interaction in all areas," he added.

Mr Harper said India's rapidly growing economy and its commitment to expand its investment regime would provide significant opportunities for investors in a variety of sectors, including infrastructure, education, life sciences, science and technology and natural resources, among others.

"In making India a priority market, our government’s commitment is translating into collaboration and progress in a number of important areas," he said.

Mr Harper said Canadian companies had an array of products and services to offer India's growing market of nearly 1.2 billion people.

"Economic partnership agreements in key sectors of interest will help expand trade, open doors for Canadian exporters, encourage economic growth and create jobs in both our countries," he said.

During their meeting, Dr Singh raised the issue of suspected Canadian-born LeT operative Tahawwur Rana, who is said to be the accomplice of American citizen David Headley, who has been arrested by the US authorities for alleged terror links. Both are said to be part of the conspiracy behind the November 26, 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai. Mr Harper, on his part, assured full cooperation to India in tracing the links of Rana.

Mr Harper called on President Pratibha Patil and Vice-President M Hamid Ansari during the day and also had meetings with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition Lal Krishna Advani.

The Canadian Prime Minister will visit the Akshardham Temple in East Delhi and the Golden Temple in Amritsar before flying back home. He had visited Mumbai yesterday.

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India and Australia have decided to create a comprehensive framework for the enhancement of security cooperation between the two countries in a wide range of areas, including counter-terrorism, defence and disarmament and non-proliferation.

A Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation issued by the two countries after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd said the framework would also include information exchange and policy coordination on regional affairs in the Asia region and on long-term strategic and global issues.

It would also cover bilateral cooperation within multilateral frameworks in Asia, in particular the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum.

The two sides will under defence dialogue and cooperation within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation signed by them in March, 2006.

Other areas covered by the declaration include disaster management, maritime and aviation security and police and law enforcement.

The mechanisms of cooperation will include exchange of visits at high levels including by Foreign Ministers and defence cooperation, which will include defence policy talks at the level of senior officials and staff talks and service-to-service exchanges and joint exercises.

According to the declaration, there will be consultations between the National Security Advisers of the two countries, bilateral consultation to promote counter-terrorism cooperation through such means as the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and sharing of knowledge and experience in disaster prevention and preparedness and capacity-building.

It said the two countries would work towards developing an action plan with specific measures to advance security cooperation.

According to the declaration, the strategic partnership between the two countries is based on a shared desire to promote, regional and global security, as well as their common commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law.

It also affirmed their deep respect for each other's contribution to promoting peace, stability and development in Asia and beyond.

The declaration affirmed their common purpose in working together, and with other countries including through such regional fora as the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum to achieve the objective of a prosperous, open and secure Asia, and recognising that strengthened bilateral security cooperation will make a significant contribution in this context.

It recognised that India and Australia are partners with a mutual stake in each other's progress and prosperity and that they shared a common interest in maritime security.

The declaration affirmed their common commitment to fight terrorism and recognised that counter-terrorism efforts by India and Australia constitute an important part of the international community's effort to eradicate terrorism.

It affirmed their common commitment to fight trans-national and organised crime and reiterated their common commitment to global, complete and universal disarmament and non-proliferation and seeking a peaceful world free of nuclear weapons.

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said that a system of education built on the premises of quality and equity was central to India's rapid progress as a modern and dynamic society.

He said his Government was committed to the cause of education. "But in the mammoth task that lies ahead, we will need the contribution of all our citizens and all actors in the civil society," he said at the National Education Day celebrations here to mark the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India's first Union Education Minister.

Dr Singh said improving access to education was not enough and it had to be accompanied by efforts to ensure equity and improve quality.

"Our Government stands committed to provide good and quality education to each and every child in our country, especially those who belong to the underprivileged sections of our society," he said.

He said that it was with this end in view that the Government had launched several scholarship schemes for those who could not afford to study on their own, including the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities and other disadvantaged groups.

He said the Government especially recognised the importance of educating women and they were being special attention in the "Saakshar Bharat" mission.

The Prime Minister said improvement in the quality of education at all levels was also receiving increasing emphasis. He said this would be achieved in higher education through structural reforms on the basis of the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission and the Yashpal Committee.

He said the realisation of the the Right to Education did not depend merely on expansion of educational infrastructure but, equally importantly, on availability of trained and qualified teachers with commitment to their profession.

Dr Singh said that UNESCO, in its Oslo Declaration 2008 relating to Education for All, had projected a requirement of 18 million new primary school teachers throughout the world in the next seven years to achieve universal primary education at the global level.

In India too, an extra one million teachers would be needed to implement the Right to Education Act. For this purpose, apart from the need of augmenting teacher’s training institutes and use of information and communications technology (ICT) for mass learning, it is necessary to restore the prestige and status of the teaching profession, he said.

"The importance of good teachers cannot be over-emphasized. Good teachers not only educate- they also inspire. Good teachers make good students. Good teachers make good citizens. We must therefore find ways and means of improving the quality of our teachers. We must find ways of attracting the best talent as faculty in our premier institutions," he said.

He said the country today faced difficulties in finding top level professors and lecturers in the newly created Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) and other such institutions.

"This state of affairs cannot be allowed to persist and I urge all of you to work to address these problems of deficiency in the quality of teaching in our schools, in our colleges, and in our universities," he said.

The Prime Minister described Maulana Azad as a great visionary, freedom fighter, scholar and educationist.

"Throughout his life, Maulana Azad served the twin causes of freedom and justice. He was a champion of liberal and secular values. He worked for the unity and integrity of India both during the freedom movement and after independence. It was he who laid the foundation of India's educational policy and planning," he said.

Dr Singh said Maulana Azad was also a great institution builder. He created the University Grants Commission (UGC), the National Academies-the Sangeet Natak Akademy, Sahitya Akademy, Lalit Kala Akademy, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. He strengthened the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and oversaw the establishment of a chain of top class technical institutions that now represent the best in the Indian Education System. Under his distinguished leadership, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur was established in 1951, which was followed by a chain of IITs at Mumbai, Chennai, Kanpur and Delhi, he recalled.

He pointed out that education had received the highest priority from the Central Govt. in the last five years or so, during which the education system at all levels--primary, secondary, higher, professional and technical education--had been strengthened and expanded.

He spoke about the Government's flagship programme Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for primary education and said the initiatives had now been extended the the secondary level. The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) is aimed at achieving an enrolment ratio of 75 per cent for classes IX-X within five years and to provide universal secondary education by the year 2017.

He said the recently-passed Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 created a legal entitlement for compulsory and free education for all children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. He also mentioned Saakshar Bharat, a new literacy initiative, with special focus on female literacy.

The Prime Minister said that the outlay for higher education had been increased by 10 times in the Eleventh Five Year Plan as compared to the Tenth Five Year Plan. A number of new institutions - Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management, Indian Institutes for Science Education & Research, Indian Institutes of Information Technology and others - are being established.

He said a National Mission on Education through ICT had been launched in February 2009 with an outlay of about Rs. 5000 crore to provide internet connectivity to about 20,000 colleges and educational institutions.

He said the proejct would be a major harbinger of use of modern technology in the field of education.

Noting that UNESCO played a very important role as a global clearing house of ideas and knowledge and creation of knowledge based societies, he offer India's willingness to share with the organisation the e-learning material prepared under this technical mission by the IITs.

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said there had been a systemic failure in giving tribals in India a stake in the modern economic processes that inexorably intruded into their living spaces.

"The alienation built over decades is now taking a dangerous turn in some parts of our country," he said in his inaugural address at the Conference of Chief Ministers on the Implementation of the Forests Right Act, 2006 here.

The conference, organised by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, is also being attended by State Ministers of Tribal Affairs, Social Welfare and Forests and will review the implementation of the major tribal development and welfare programmes.

"The systematic exploitation and social and economic abuse of our tribal communities can no longer be tolerated," Dr Singh observed.

He said the fact was that no sustained activity was possible under the shadow of the gun and nor had those who claim to speak for the tribals offered an alternative economic or social path that is viable.

"The cult of violence will only bring greater misery to the common people. We have to counter this threat with determination. While violence cannot be tolerated, the tribals must be the primary beneficiaries of the development process. We have to win the battle for their hearts and their minds," he said.

The Prime Minister said the development of tribal areas and improvement in the economic and social condition of the tribal populations was fundamentally linked to our concept of inclusive growth.

He said there could not be equitable growth without guaranteeing the legitimate rights of these eventually marginalized and isolated sections of society.

"In a broader sense we need to empower our tribal communities with the means to determine their own destinies, their livelihood, their security and above all their dignity and self-respect as equal citizens of our country, as equal participants in the processes of social and economic development," he remarked.

According to Dr Singh, the Scheduled Tribe and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights) Act, 2006, has provided for a legally enforceable way of guaranteeing rights to forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and others who have lived in the forests for centuries, but whose contribution to their protection was not acknowledged or recognized earlier. It also lays down duties for conservation and protection of biodiversity, ecological balance and wildlife resource.

He recalled that President Pratibha Patil had, in her address to Parliament on June 4, had called for the completion of the process of distribution of title deeds under the Forest Rights Act by the end of this year.

He said he had written to all Chief Ministers on two occasions on this subject urging them to speed up the process so that it could be completed in time. While some States have achieved remarkable progress in the distribution of titles, others are lagging behind. In a few States, even the process of receiving claims is yet to commence. This cannot be considered as an acceptable situation, he said.

Dr Singh, therefore, urged all the Chief Ministers and their colleagues to spare no effort to ensure effective implementation of the Act and expeditious distribution of titles well within the given timeframe.

"The distribution of titles is but an important and necessary first step. The Act recognizes the symbiotic relationship between the forest and the forest dweller. It attempts to deal holistically with the issue in terms not only of the recognition of rights but of livelihood opportunities and environmental protection and conservation. If implemented in its true spirit this Act will provide significant multipliers in the processes of economic development in some of our critical habitats," he emphasised.

The Prime Minister said those whose lives were dependent on the forests should be made essential partners in the processes of natural resource planning, conservation and protection.

In this context, he emphasised the importance of implementing in letter and in spirit the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act.

He said the livelihood concerns of the forest dwellers should be central to the development agenda in these areas.

According to him, the Government had to work on many fronts simultaneously and it was important to dovetail all development and welfare programmes in tribal areas so that the strategy was coherent, all embracing and there was a coordinated approach involving all departments.

"Education and health need priority attention. It is equally important to pay adequate attention to improve agricultural productivity of tribal lands," he said.

Dr Singh said the lack of quality education and vocational opportunities for tribals needed immediate attention.

He said the infrastructure in the residential schools for tribal children and in hostels was mostly inadequate. Scholarships were also given piecemeal and did not enable a student to complete his or her education in time, he said, urging the Tribal Affairs Ministry to come forward with concrete proposals that addressed these concerns.

He felt the the Skill Development Mission needed to take a special look at how skill development training could be enhanced in all tribal areas.

"Resources will have to be found and it is indeed small recompense for the neglect of the past. We must change our ways of dealing with the tribal affairs," he said.

He said there were a host of issues related to the losses suffered by tribals displaced as a result of acquisition of land for various purposes.

"It cannot be said that we have dealt sensitively and with concern with these issues in the past. It is not just the displacement and disorientation caused by separation from the land that is at issue. One can only imagine the psychological impact of seeing the cutting down of the vast very forests that have nurtured the existence of these communities for centuries," he pointed out.

Dr Singh said there was need to reflect on how to improve the laws and mechanisms through which compensation was provided to displaced tribal persons.

"More could be done, more should be done. The tribals must benefit from the projects for which they have been displaced," he observed.

He said resettlement and rehabilitation raised serious issues not just of monetary compensation. He said issues relating to creating sustainable livelihoods, preserving the traditional sense of community and helping the tribals cope with the trauma of dislocation and alienation needed to be addressed.

He noted that the Mungekar Committee on Inter-Sectoral Issues relating to Tribal Development had made several important recommendations pertaining to standards of public administration and governance in Scheduled tribal areas. He urged the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to examine these recommendations with speed.

The Prime Minister said the administrative machinery in some of the tribal areas was either very weak or virtually non-existent.

"Creating the right infrastructure is a key issue. But I would like to emphasise the importance of posting committed and competent officers in tribal areas. The States should consider offering strong incentives like hardship allowances, special housing and educational facilities or grants for officers who stay in tribal areas," he suggested.

Dr Singh also mentioned the fact that, over the years, a large number of cases had been registered against the tribals, giving rise to a good deal of harassment to those whose traditional rights were not recognised by earlier forest laws.

"The heavy hand of the criminal justice system has become a source of harassment and exploitation. Therefore, we need to take a more enlightened approach in line with current thinking on how to deal with such issues," he said.

He noted that the Jharkhand Government had recently withdrawn over one lakh such cases. The Government of Madhya Pradesh had also done something similar in the past. He said States needed to review such cases urgently and take similar action as appropriate, emphasising the need for a fresh start in this area.

He said he was happy that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was evolving a consensus on a National Tribal Policy.

"The problems faced by our tribal communities are complex and they require sympathetic and systematic understanding. The policy should factor in the different nuances of tribal life as they exist in several parts of our great country. I would suggest that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs engage in wide public consultation so that the document that emerges after a meaningful debate on the many issues involved would be broadly acceptable to the people at large," he added.

NNN