"As the law exists today, no person should be tried twice in any case," Home Minister Shivraj Patil said in a statement in the Rajya Sabha after MPs cutting across party lines demanded in both houses of parliament that the controversial case be reopened.

All the accused in the case relating to Lal's murder in 1999 were acquitted last week for lack of evidence after witnesses turned hostile. The main accused, Manu Sharma, is the son of Haryana Excise Minister Vinod Sharma. "We should go to the very root and find out who is really responsible in the case," Patil said after Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MP Brinda Karat demanded a time-bound reinvestigation into the case.

"The Supreme Court has ordered reinvestigation in some cases and it has become a kind of law also for us. It can be followed," Patil said. He assured the members that "whatever is possible as per law to see that justice should be done will be done. Let there be no doubt."

The Delhi High Court has already taken suo moto cognisance of the issue and sought a detailed report on the case from Police Commissioner K.K. Paul. The Home Minister said the government was keen to incorporate provisions to protect witnesses in such cases to prevent them from turning hostile under pressure.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, Communist Party of India (CPI) MP Gurudas Dasgupta lamented that Lal had been "killed in front of so many people" but her killers had been acquitted. He noted that Paul, who was a joint commissioner at the time of the murder, had said evidence in the case had been tampered with at the direction of police officials.

"All the accused have money power and that is why investigations have been deliberately derailed," Dasg-upta said.

Several MPs joined Dasgupta in demanding that the government should file an appeal in the case.Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said he would convey the MPs' anger to the home minister.According to the prosecution, Sharma shot dead Lal April 29, 1999, as she refused to serve him a drink at a south Delhi bar functioning without a licence where she was filling in as a bartender.Additional Sessions Judge S.L. Bhayana said the prosecution had failed to prove its case. The acquittals have raised a storm with demands that the case be retried.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul was Monday summoned by the Union Home Ministry which sought a detail report on the Jessica Lall murder case.Paul, who met Home Secretary V K Duggal, was asked to submit a detail report of the case, which brought a lot of flak to Delhi Police for its alleged shoddy investigation into the case, sources said. (Agencies)

A bench of judges Ruma Pal and Dalveer Bhandari gave this direction to Solicitor General G.E. Vahanvati on a petition filed by Image India Foundation alleging inaction on the part of the authorities to prevent illegal entry of migrants and seeking their deportation. (IANS)

Mr Chidambaram in the last year's Budget gave generous sops to individual tax payers and is unlikely to negate the principle that moderate and stable tax rates make for a virtuous circle of long term planning and increased compliance. (UNI)

New Delhi: A day ahead of the Budget, the Economic Survey on Monday prescribed bold initiatives, including hastening of tax and labour reforms and measures to push infrastructure development, while projecting moderate inflation despite volatile global oil prices.Though the economy was on a roll with 8.1 per cent growth projected this year, the Survey, however, warned that there was risk of hardening interest rates, higher inflation and fiscal deficit in the face of global oil crisis. Without tackling the major problem of power, it would be difficult to move on to high 8-10 per cent growth, the report card of the government said.

Welcoming the hard reforms prescribed by the Survey, trade and industry said they would not get the requisite shot in the arm without implementing the pragmatic suggestion of debottlenecking the infrastructure and speeding up tax reforms. Simplification and digitisation of tax administration remains a pre-requisite for a transparent and hassle free tax system, the Survey said.

Warning that "the danger of an unprecedented price increase was ever-present," the Survey said given the sufficient foreign exchange reserves and government’s commitment to further trade and tariff reforms and strict fiscal prudence and monetary discipline will see the price level remaining within tolerable limits in the medium-term.

The Survey also said the worry about growing imports and burgeoning current account deficit was somewhat misplaced as it is unlikely to pose a balance of payment problem, because of high capital and other essential inputs that would only add to export momentum.As regards the labour laws, the Survey was highly critical, saying "Indian labour laws are highly protective" and suggested drastic reforms taking a cue from the Chinese.Appreciative of the pick up in agriculture, with the sector likely to end up with 2.3 per cent growth, the Survey, however, made a strong case for pushing up reforms in the sector and improving flow of credit.

The Survey laid special emphasis for speeding up agriculture and rural development, particularly in areas like horticulture, floriculture, organic farming, genetinc engineering, food processing, branding and packaging and futures trading.It also listed some of the issue that needed to be tackled in agriculture like low yield, volatility in production and wide disparities in productivity.It also favoured a shift from the existing Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Public Procurement System and developing alternative product markets.

Identifying power shortage as the single most impediment to growth, the Survey said appropriate policy initiatives constituted the first and foremost challenge for speedy infrastructure development.It favoured liberalisation of FDI regime for captive mining as slowdown in mining sector was of concern, especially coal, which accounted for 60 per cent of the country's primary energy demand and 70 per cent of power generation.Laying emphasis on infrastructure development, the Survey said Rs 1,72,000 crore was required for highways by 2012, Rs 40,000 crore for airports by 2010, Rs 50,000 crore for ports by 2012. (PTI)

Immediately after the arrest, CBI carried out searches at offficial and residential premises of Jain here.The CBI alleged Jain attempted to receive gratification from representatives of fictitious firm West End International, London, to wield personal influence on the Defence Ministry in purchase of supply of HHTI to the Indian Army.

The CBI was handed over investigations in October 2004 after the UPA government scrapped the Phukan Commission of Inquiry into the expose into corruption in defence deals.The CBI has filed more than a dozen cases in connection with the alleged bunglings in the defence deals mentioned in the Tehelka news portal's sting operation catching political leaders, bureaucrats and army officials accepting money. (PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday banned the electronic and print media from displaying or publishing any unauthorized or illegally taped conversations made over the telephone.A three judge bench headed by Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal passed the order on a petition filed by Samajawadi Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh complaining about illegal tapping of his telephone and the circulation of a CD containing the conversations.

The bench made it clear the media should not air such conversations till the matter was further heard and guidelines issued by the apex court on the telephone tapping issue.Amar Singh had approached the court after CDs containing his purported conversations about bribing high court judges were sent to TV news channels.

The CD is the latest twist in the controversy over the tapping of Amar Singh’s telephone. Delhi Police has already filed a charge sheet against four people arrested in connection with the tapping of Singh’s phone. In the one-and-a-half-month long investigation, police arrested private detectives Vijay Dhawan, Bhupendra Kumar, Anurag Singh and Reliance Infocomm employee Kuldeep.

Police investigations also revealed that the four men had made CDs of the phone conversation of Amar Singh and were trying to find someone to sell the tapes when the controversy broke out and police nabbed them.(IANS)

Making it clear that the committee will not restrict itself to determining the pesticide content in softdrinks, a Bench comprising Justice Ruma Pal and Justice Dalveer Bhandari said it would go into the broader question of examining chemical contents harmful to health.

When the attention was drawn by Additional Solicitor General Amrender Sharan that a committee has already been constituted to look into the pesticide content in softdrinks, the Bench said if such a committee exists then it would also go into the issue of chemicals used in the preparation of aerated drinks. (PTI)

The bridge, to be constructed by Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC), will have a two-level platform, with two lifts for taking people to the higher level, from where they could enjoy a good view of Delhi. (PTI)

New Delhi: Checking all the contingency plans ahead of US President George W Bush’s arrival, a huge contingent of sniffer dogs, firemen, security officials and bomb squad personnel carried out drills to check efficacy of the various measures.

"We have carried out a regular fire safety drill on the request of hotel administration," A K Bhatnagar, Divisional Fire Officer, said. However, he said it was a coincidence that the drill took place ahead of President Bush’s visit.

Besides giving lessons on precautionary measures, hotel staff were also detailed about various fire fighting equipments like fire-extinguishers of water, carbon-di-oxide, foam, dry chemical powder and fire blanket in case of eventuality during the drill.

"This is essential so that they can prevent spread of fire till fire tenders arrive," he addded. Sniffer dogs checked every nook and corner of the hotel, already sanitised by US security personnel, even as security personnel went around with explosive-detection devices. (PTI)

Lucknow: Two people in Bihar were behind the leakage of question papers here for a railway recruitment examination, said an Uttar Pradesh official Monday. The state’s Special Task Force (STF) had arrested 23 people Sunday in connection with the leak. A railway ticket inspector and a local woman entrepreneur were among those behind the racket.

"The interrogation of Bedi Lal, a senior ticket inspector with the Northern Railway here led us to two people in Jaunpur who were in turn connected to two others in Patna masterminding the racket," said an official.

The four people were identified as Deen Dayal, Shiv Bahadur, Sadhu and Malik, he said. "The question papers recovered from the arrested persons contained exactly the same 150 questions that figured in the actual paper," said an STF official.

Meanwhile, the raid on ticket inspector Bedi Lal’s plush house in Lucknow’s posh Gomati Nagar led to the recovery of huge amount of cash and jewellery worth millions of rupees. "We have informed the income tax department about the wealth unearthed from the possession of Bedi Lal," said the official.

Of the 1.6 million applicants for 8,500 vacancies in the Northern Railway, as many as 87,000 candidates were to take Sunday’s written examination in Lucknow, which was cancelled. (IANS)

New Delhi: Students across the country can now scout for that dream job thanks to an employment website set up by the capital’s Kirori Mal College (KMC). Via the website - launched by Delhi University vice chancellor Deepak Pental in December - students can submit resumes and await intimation on interviews by the registered companies as and when vacancies arise.

The site has so far 450 students and 23 top-notch companies, including Taj Group of Hotels, Ernst & Young, HCL Technologies, Wipro Technologies, Indian Air Force and India Bulls, registered with it. Students are, naturally, happy at the e-initiative.

"The best thing about the site is that we don’t have to go knocking on doors begging for jobs as these companies will come into our campus," said Abira Bhattacharya, a first year B.Sc. student in KMC.

Irevinder Kaur, a third-year student of botany, said discussions in the site, especially post-interview feedback from other students, would be of great help.

Kirori Mal College principal Bhim Sen Singh said the idea for the site sprang from the response to an earlier site - kmcollege.com - that had processed 190,343 forms in 2004-05 in a single day during admission."As it’s the time of information technology and Internet, why not go online? This will also help build a wide network that will eventually help students of this college and other colleges settle into jobs," Singh told IANS.

Though many colleges have placement cells, only students of that particular college can apply through their varsity websites. The Kirori Mal initiative is a more expansive gesture as it is open to students of all colleges in India. "We don’t have an online placement site but we do have a placement cell. However, our college does not accept resumes from students of other colleges," said Chandrachur Singh, convener of Hindu College’s placement cell.

Though the five-decades-old Kirori Mal College located in the North Campus of Delhi University offers some of the best courses, it is more famous for the Bollywood film stars it has churned out over the years. Some of the star graduates from the college are Amitabh Bachchan, Khulbushan Kharbanda and Satish Kaushik. The latest to join the Bollywood bandwagon is southern celebrity Siddharth, who played Karan Singhania in the hit "Rang De Basanti".

Seema M. Parihar, the site’s convenor and a faculty member of the college, said: "The response to the site has been satisfying. But we need more interaction from the students as well as from staff members to make this site a huge success."(IANS)

Jodhpur: Ten days after he was sentenced to a year in prison in a Chinkara poaching case, Salman Khan along with four other Bollywood filmstars including Saif Ali Khan and Tabu was Monday charged in a local court in another case relating to hunting of black bucks.

All the seven accused in the case - actresses Sonali Bendre and Neelam, Salman, Saif and Tabu and two others - were present in the court of Judicial Magistrate Dalpat Singh Raj Purohit when the charges relating to poaching of two black bucks at Kankani village on the night of Oct 1, 1998 were read out.

The others, including two Jodhpur residents Dushyant Singh and Dinesh Ghawre, are accused of abetting the crime and they were charged under other sections of WPF and IPC. Salman also appeared before Chief Judicial Magistrate Bijender Kumar Jain in a case relating to black buck poaching at Ghora farm under Mathania police station.

The defence evidence would be produced on behalf of Pratap Singh and Tulaji Angr. Salman has already refused to produce any witness in his defence regarding this case.Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam reached this Rajasthan town Sunday while Salman Khan arrived Monday and appeared in court in the afternoon.All the accused pleaded not guilty and preferred a trial in the case. The filmtars also requested exemption from personal appearance in the court.

On February 17, Rajpurohit convicted Salman for hunting an endangered animal in Bhavad village near here in September 1998, but delivered a suspended sentence of 30 days to appeal in a higher court.The judge sentenced the actor to one year in prison and imposed a Rs 5,000 fine on him. (PTI)

The State government's move to extend the service of Mr Bazeley both as the Chief Secretary and the MeSEB chairman following Mr Bazeley's retirement on Tuesday raised a storm in the public domain, where NGOs and other likeminded people strongly opposed the move.Now an extended Cabinet meeting to deliberate on the issue has been scheduled for Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the MDA partners are meeting on March 2 to discuss the matter and the indication is that the MDA would not favour the extension of Mr Bazeley at any capacity.A Minister said the members present in the Cabinet meeting had pointed out that in the context of the opposition from the NGOs and the legislators, it was not wise to decide the extension of Mr Bazeley.

SHILLONG: The Cabinet on Monday gave nod to the enhancement of allocation for the MLA Scheme from the present Rs 37 lakh to Rs one crore.After the meeting on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy told reporters that the Cabinet suggested a hike in the funds allocated for the MLA Scheme.

The Planning department has to work out the re-allocation of the funds."We discussed it in the Cabinet as the Legislators feel that the funds available under the MLA Scheme should be raised to Rs 1 crore for both the ruling and opposition members", Dr Roy said.He said the proposal for such an increase in the funds for the MLA Scheme was pending since last year.

Dr Roy denied having any misuse of MLA Scheme as in the case of MPs Local Area Development (MPLAD) Fund. "So far in the State there was no misuse of funds", he said.

In the case of MLA Scheme, the legislators are only recommending the Schemes and the execution of projects under the scheme lies with the Deputy Commissioners and Block Development Officers (BDOs), Dr Roy said.

CM’s Rural Devp fund: The Cabinet also discussed the need for clearing the backlog of the (Contd on P-5) Chief Minister's Special Rural Development fund of Rs 10 crore pending since 2004. Dr Roy said that the backlog of Rs 5 crore each for 2004 and 2005 is yet to be sanctioned. He said the cabinet discussed the ways and means for sanctioning them.

SHILLONG: The State Bank of India zonal officer, Shillong, Mr W Kharshandi was shot dead by a group of unidentified armed miscreants on Monday morning in between 7 and 7.30 am at Mawsynram in East Khasi Hills.The incident occurred near Thiedieng village when Kharshandi was on the way to catch a vehicle to return to Shillong. The bank officer died on the spot.

Mr Kharshandi was originally from Thiedieng village and had gone to his native village on Saturday to visit his relatives. He was gunned down while returning to Shillong. The reason behind the incident is yet to be known as investigation to establish the identity of the miscreants is still on, police said.

Sources said as of now there was no indication of any militants' organisation being involvement in the case. Police suspect that the incident could be the fallout of some personnel grudge nurtured by his enemies. After gunning down the bank officer, the assailants fled away from the scene, sources said.

Soon after receiving the information about the shootout, Shillong police rushed to the spot to arrest the culprits. There was no breakthrough so far, police said.

It may be mentioned that Das, Superintendent of Land Customs Station at Bholaganj, was abducted on the night of February 12 when he went to attend a puja ceremony with some of his colleague. The decomposed body of the senior Customs official was recovered a few days later.

Only a grammarian can give his ruling and an action on part of the CEM would confirm his seriousness.

During a debate on the motion moved by the Leader of Opposition Mr Bindo M Lanong on the controversial KHADC (Regulation and Registration of Marriage and Divorce) Bill 2005 on Monday, Mr Shylla said he would resign from his post if the wording in Section 4 (Clause 3-b) of the Bill was found wrong.

"If the wording is proved wrong then I will surely tender my resignation from the post of CEM", an angry Shylla said while reacting to the points raised by Mr Lanong.

Similarly, Executive Member (Finance) Ronnie V Lyngdoh stood up and offered to resign on the same issue. Mr Lanong asserted in the House that the word "not" was missing from the sub-clause, which, according to him, had caused confusion to the entire Section of the Bill. This led to a heated exchange with Mr Shylla, daring the Opposition leader to bring experts of English language "to determine who is right or wrong".

In a similar accident, the Headmaster of the Mawprem Modern High School was severely injured when a roofing sheet hit him in his neck on Monday afternoon.

One dies: Meanwhile, One person identified as Genevive Nongrum of Rynjah Pdeng Shnong died on Monday after receiving severe burn injuries. It may be mentioned that the deceased was injured along with her husband Binus Roy Thine at around on February 22 when their house caught fire.

TURA: The Garo Students' Union has accused the State government of violating State job reservation policy in the recent selection of ten candidates for the posts of Agricultural and Horticulture Extension Officers where only one Garo candidate made it to the final list.

The GSU has set a deadline till Thursday for the government to revoke the appointment order failing which it threatened to resort to agitation.The student body is also holding an emergency meeting of its Central Executive Committee (CEC) at Tura on Tuesday to discuss the same.

The state agriculture department issued a notification on February 22 for temporary appointment of ten persons to the department under grade three service following recommendations from the Meghalaya Public Service Commission.Among the ten selected candidates, only one figured in the list. It could not be immediately ascertained whether or not any eligible Garo candidate was denied appointment. The GSU has not said in so many words.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the MPSC tried to justify it by stating that it had become necessary to make the officiating appointment under Regulation 3 (f) immediately since direct recruitment through the Commission was likely to cause undue delay. These ten candidates have also been asked to apply to the MPSC seeking its recommendation for regularisation of the job.

Meanwhile, the GSU president Andreas T Sangma accused the State government of depriving the Garos of their legitimate due in the job reservation policy. He pointed out that several Garo candidates had successfully cleared the MPSC tests but failed to find their names in the final list. "It is a clear case of violation and we are not going to sit idle. The state government still fails to realise the gravity of the situation and thinks that it can make the Garos play second fiddle to it. We will not keep quiet. We will take up this matter along with the MBOSE issue which is still a part and parcel of our demands," he said.

Meanwhile a UANF militant was arrested from Dalu on Sunday and a country-made pistol was also recovered from himThe arrested ultra was identified as one Sanjay Chisim who was involved in the killing of a businessman in Dalu.In another incident in Ri Bhoi district, two criminals were arrested and a 9mm pistol was recovered.

SHILLONG: Opposition members in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) have demanded recall of the controversial KHADC (Regulation and Registration of Marriage and Divorce) Bill 2005 stating that the Bill was full of "inadequacies".

The Leader of Opposition Mr Bindo M Lanong who moved the motion said that the entire content of the Bill was a "carbon copy" of the Special Marriage Act 1954 and the Bill was framed without properly considering its implications on the Khasi society.

"By copying the Bill from the existing Special Marriage Act, the KHADC has failed to respect the tradition, culture and uniqueness of the Khasi community in matters related to marriage. It is useless to frame a Bill if it is nothing but a carbon copy of the Special Marriage Act which is applicable to other communities", Mr Lanong said.

While pointing out several flaws with the Bill, Mr Lanong said a person would obtain divorce on "flimsy grounds" as per the present Bill, while he also said it would encourage "wicked husbands of wives" to take advantage of the provisions of the Bill to get divorce instead of streamlining marriage.

Mr Lanong came down heavily on the authorisation of Rangbah Shnongs to act as "Marriage Registration Officer", as according to him, most of the local headmen in rural areas were illiterate and had no proper machinery to exercise their duty.

"As it is today most of the Rangbah Shnongs in rural areas are illiterate. How can they perform such a duty, which also comes with a penalty because if the concerned headman fails to carry out the duty accordingly he would be penalised with a fine of Rs 1000", Mr Lanong said adding that most Rangbah Shnongs have opposed the Bill.

Mr Lanong termed as "illogical" the point raised by the CEM that a Rangbah Shnong from a neighbouring village could perform the duty in case of inability of the headman of a village.He said, "Under no circumstances, a Rangbah Shnong of another village would be able to determine the antecedents of a person  from another village particularly in matters related to marriage".

The Leader of Opposition along with other members like Hardinge L Massar and David Kharsati asked the Executive Committee to recall the Bill from the Governor and review the same with proper corrections. They also favoured sending it to a House Select Committee for examination.

Mr Shylla while denying existence of any flaws with the Bill, said that it would serve the interest of people "who neither belong to Christianity nor Seng Khasi" as they would be given the opportunity to get their marriages registered under the Bill. He also contested the points raised by the Opposition on divorce and custody of children.

Shillong: The KSU has sought the intervention of the Chief General Manager BSNL, NE-I Circle, Shillong to immediately take appropriate steps in stopping regularisation of labourers in BSNL.They have also threatened to take "stern action" against BSNL if the latter fails to meet their demands of recruiting indigenous tribals of the State for Grade C and D, and stop regularisation of labourers in BSNL.

In a letter addressed to the Chief General Manager BSNL here on Monday, the KSU said that if the BSNL fails to meet their demands, the Union would be "forced to take stern action" against the PSU.It has threatened not to allow BSNL vehicles and simultaneously close all BSNL offices and installations in the State as its present recruitment policy is not favourable to the local tribals, whose employment offer in the region should have been prioritised.

The KSU has demanded to immediately cancel the regularisation process of staff for Grade C and D.The Union has expressed strong resentment over the filling up of vacancies in lower divisions - regularisation of casual labourers after some years. They alleged that 95 per cent of those regularised are not indigenous tribals but are family members and relatives of officers or union members of the office.

Terming it as "back door appointment", the KSU said that transparency in this matter is intentionally deviated for selfish interest of a few officers, staff and union leaders. This has deprived the unemployed educated youth to have a minimal chance of serving in the Department of Telecom, the Union said.The inaction of the CGM encourages engagement of casual labourers who are not indigenous tribals in the Department, the Union said.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Lapang said that the exhibits, both indoor and outdoor, which are mostly interactive and demonstrative, would help the children and adults as well to learn the basic of science through fun and enjoyment besides creating scientific temper in them.

Commenting on the theme of the centre - "Water", Mr Lapang said the theme is aptly used as it would create awareness among the people about the importance of water conservation.Director General of National Council of Museums (NSCM) Ingit Mukherjee informed that the Centre was completed within the stipulated time adding that that this is the last Science Centre to be inaugurated in the northeastern etates.Shillong Science Centre has been conceived, designed and developed by the National Council of Science Museum, Ministry of Tourism and Culture with support from the Government of Meghalaya.

The facilities offered by the Shillong Science Centre are the Water Gallery, which is also the theme of the centre, the mini planetarium, the butterfly enclave, the science park and the activities for students in the form of experiments, demonstrations, quizzes and others.Others who spoke on the occasion included Minister of Science and Technology Deborah C Marak, Chief Secretary P J Bazeley, , Chairman Governing Body NSCM and Vice Chancellor Barkatullah University Prof R S Sirohi.

Shillong: Chief Minister D D Lapang on Monday informed that the State Government has the relaxed Land Transfer Act to facilitate transfer of land to industrial units in Byrnihat area adding that with the setting up of Export Promotion Industrial Park at Byrnihat, Barapani and in the District headquarters, the State Government has also identified to set up another large industrial area in Ri Bhoi District.

Inaugurating the new office building of the MIDC at Upland Road, Laitumkhrah, Mr Lapang, who is also the Chairman of Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation, said that the Central Government has also declared a belt between Byrnihat and Khanapara as a Scheme Industrial Area,

He also stated that job opportunities has to be supplemented by setting up of industrial units where the educated unemployed youth can profitably be employed adding that with the proper identification of products, it would solve the unemployment problems to a large extend.

The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Donkupar Roy meanwhile suggested that more land has to be acquired by the Government in different districts of the State for establishing industrial units, particularly in the East Khasi Hills District. He also suggested that the MIDC should prepare ready made projects for the aspiring entrepreneurs who face difficulties in preparing such projects for acquiring financial assistance in settingup of any industry or trade.

Others who spoke on the occasion included MEDC Chairman R G Lyngdoh, Commissioner and Secretary Industries S S Gupta, Managing Director Jaintia Cements Ltd S K Lato and Director Industries S B Gurung.

The joint meeting of these three NGOs held here on Monday squarely blamed police for the "firing" at Kyrkuh under Khliehriat in Jaintia Hills that led to the injury of one Shaktiman truck driver Shorly Rymbai.

The meeting demanded the State government to pay full compensation to the injured person who is undergoing treatment at Woodland Nursing Home and punish the erring policemen responsible for the shoot out. It wanted the government to instruct police that from now on no innocent civilian should suffer during any operation.

The members of these organisations decided to meet State Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh either on Tuesday or Wednesday to submit a memorandum, said KSU president Samuel B Jyrwa. Mr Jyrwa said that the NGOs strongly condemned police for denying their involvement in the shoot out and blamed the militants instead. "It is not acceptable to the people", he said.

According to a statement placed before the House, the KHADC had received Rs 2,95,16,675 as share for royalty on major minerals like coal and limestone from the Directorate of Mineral Resources while an amount of Rs 4,11,78,448 was released to the Council by the State Government's Transport department during the same period.

The statement also said that KHADC received a total amount of Rs 42,40,627 as share on Motor Vehicle Tax during the period which a collection for 2002-2003. Delay in clearance of payment of shares by the State Government had caused resentment to House members who felt that it was hampering the functioning of the Council.

Shillong: The Confederation of Ri Bhoi People (CORP) has come down heavily on the Acting Syiem of Hima Mylliem Mr Latho Manik Syiem for stating that Durbar Raids particularly those in Ri-Bhoi district have no customary right or authority to collect tolls.

In a letter to the KHADC Executive Member (Elaka Administration) recently, the CORP said that the Syiem had "blatantly shown his ignorance of the prevailing customary laws of traditional institutions such as Syiem Raid, Lyngdoh Raid and others".

"The ill-informed and ignorant Syiem had proved beyond doubt that he is not fit to hold the administration of the Hima as he is not aware or conscious of the agreement arrived at between the Late Sati Raja, who was the then Syiem of Mylliem and traditional heads of Ri-Bhoi in 1935," the CORP said.

While charging the Syiem of trampling upon the sanctity and magnimity of the customs and practice of local traditional heads as empowered to them since time immemorial, the CORP asked the KHADC to treat the letter sent by the Acting Syiem to the Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi district on the issue "as null and void".

Moreover, in another letter to the KHADC Chief Executive Member Mr H S Shylla, the CORP demanded shifting of financial transaction belonging to the Council to the State Bank of India (SBI) Lumdiengjri Branch.

The organisation said that current arrangement for payment of taxes, withdrawal of bills and other financial transaction from SBI Laitumkhrah Branch had caused immense hardship to people in terms of time and monetary expenditure. It also said that shifting of such transaction to SBI Lumdiengjri Branch which was closer to the KHADC headquarter would serve the interest of everyone concerned.

Addressing the inaugural function of the tourist guest house at Nongeitniang, near Pynursla, Mr Dkhar said, "Mawlynnong started a few months a go and now they have a hand full of guests. I hope Nongeitniang will also experience the same way," Mr Dkhar added.

R G Lyngdoh, in his speech, stressed the need to work together with all the surrounding villages. "Besides employment and revenue, eco tourism creates an alternative livelihood option in rural area and at the same time preserves the fragile eco system."

D D Laloo stressed on the need for further training to manage the "bed and breakfast guest" and hospitality. In order to bring the cluster of villages under one roof, the MLA, Mr Dkhar will organise a public meeting at Mawlynnong on March 16.

US President George W. Bush's reference to the need for patience in the negotiations with India on the nuclear deal between the two countries suggests that America is waking up to the prerequisites of dealing with a vibrant democracy -- an unusual experience for Washington. Till now, the US has dealt either with adversaries challenging its suspected hegemonic ambitions - the former Soviet Union, Red China and Iran - or with two types of allies.

The first type - or the one Washington may have preferred - comprised virtual client states like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq during its war with Iran, and other countries mainly in the Middle East. There were also Chile, Argentina and other military dictatorships in South America as also South Africa under the apartheid regime. The phrase 'banana republics' evolved from the American practice of propping up petty tyrants in Latin America.

Heavily dependent on American military and economic aid and undemocratic at home, these countries served as America's front paws during the Cold War. Even after the demise of the Soviet Union, many of them remained essentially autocratic and under America's tutelage, mainly in the Middle East.There were changes elsewhere, mainly the gradual restoration of democracy in South America and the end of the white supremacist government in South Africa. But the impact of these regions on international affairs has been minimal.

Among the other allies of America, which were not as subservient as the Arab countries, were the Europeans nations. Of them, only France has tried to maintain a certain distance in policy matters from Washington from Charles de Gaulle's time, an attitude most in evidence at the start of the Iraq war, which made then US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice speak of the need for punishing France.Her other comments in this context underlined America's arrogant attitude towards 'friends': Russia should be ignored, and Germany forgiven, for having opposed the Iraq war along with France. The long, post-World War II occupation of Germany by the Allied Powers had virtually reduced it to the state of a vassal, which was expected to do America's bidding. And Russia no longer posed any major threat in strategic terms.

Although democratic, unlike the Middle Eastern countries, the European allies of the US were not expected by Washington to follow a line directly opposed to that of America if only because of the 'special relationship' of the kind which was supposed to exist with Britain. A similar relationship was also there with Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Turkey.Yet, the hauteur of the American attitude towards them could be seen from the fact that when the Turkish parliament and government refused to let the US use its territory for the invasion of Iraq, then US deputy defence secretary Paul Wolfowitz wondered why the Turkish army, long nurtured by America, did not intervene.

India is an oddity in this respect. It's never been in the American camp, having openly shunned alliance like NATO, SEATO and CENTO. All through the Cold War, it was on the wrong side of then US Secretary of State John Foster Dulles's categorisation: 'If you are not with us, you are against us!'

India's enthusiastic espousal of the concept of non-alignment made it an automatic adversary of the US because it ran counter to the American efforts to build up an anti-communist military bloc. For all practical purposes, therefore, the US considered India to be a part of the Soviet camp. Although perceptions have changed after the end of the Cold War, America's attitude towards its allies - and would-be allies - apparently hasn't. It still expects an ally to follow either the subservient model (Pakistan, Egypt) or the quiescent model (Britain, Japan).Its latest experience with India, therefore, is perhaps making it aware of a third model, where a boisterous and 'noisy', as an American newspaper called it, democracy allows intense and persistent criticism of its own government's and America's policies.

The US is apparently unaccustomed to such attacks, as the responses of the US ambassador in New Delhi, David Mulford, show. As anyone acquainted with the Middle Eastern countries is aware, the American ambassador's status is way ahead that of other envoys. So, Washington's man in New Delhi may have presumed that it is within his rights to tell his country's new ally how to vote on the Iran issue or to tick off the chief minister of a state for calling Bush the leader of an 'organised gang of killers'.The American establishment may be theoretically aware of the liveliness and even unruliness of an open society. But after long years of having its way with other democracies (except France), it must have been taken aback by the vociferous resistance to the India-US nuclear deal by a section of Indian nuclear scientists and the media, apart from, of course, the opposition parties.

Yet, Washington cannot afford to be too pushy because it probably needs India more than India needs the US. It is not only that India's harmonious multicultural democracy provides an ideal example of what America is trying to establish in the Middle Eastern countries but the Indian system is also diametrically opposed to the Chinese model, with its continuing emphasis on mind control, as Beijing's line on the Internet search engines shows.What is more, the US also probably sees India as a military counter to China, which may be the reason why it acquiesced in New Delhi's nuclear capability. The US knows, therefore, that it cannot allow its relations with India to languish, let alone deteriorate.

On the other hand, India may be in no hurry as its long experience during the non-aligned period has shown that it could survive and even prosper in semi-isolation. So, it is not averse to marking out areas of nuclear technology where it will be 'no go' for the IAEA, a position America has accepted.But it also has to accept what Pakistani dictator Ayub Khan once said - that relations between two allies have to be one between friends, not masters. (Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. He can be reached at aganguli@mail.com)

Don't be surprised if you read in an American rag that aliens have abducted President Bush when he comes visiting India next week. A large number of Americans have an abiding belief in UFOs and extraterrestrials. In one of his books, astronomer Carl Sagan cites an opinion poll, which says that 2 per cent of all Americans believe they've been abducted by aliens at some point of their lives. Those who have had some contact with aliens apparently include a few former American presidents. Jimmy Carter claimed to have seen a UFO in 1969.

Ronald Reagan reported seeing not one but two UFOs around 1974 when he was governor of California. He also spoke publicly about the world uniting against an alien threat on different occasions, most notably during a speech at the United Nations. This might have something to do with findings of a recent study by Duke University, which discovered that about 50 per cent of American presidents between 1789 and 1974 suffered from a mental illness. But what this most definitely goes to show is that the dichotomy between the irrational Orient and rational West a theory perpetrated over centuries is a myth.

America, in particular, is fertile ground for superstitions and what Sagan calls pseudoscience. The debate on creationism versus evolution reflects the prevalence of pseudoscience in America. There have been efforts by US schools, the latest being the Ohio Board of Education, to introduce intelligent design which questions evolutionary theory in teaching biology.These moves have usually been stymied by courts, which have consistently struck down attempts to make creationism or intelligent design mandatory in school curricula.It is one thing, however, for courts to declare creationism unconstitutional; it is entirely another to eradicate these thoughts from minds of Americans.

Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of well-entrenched superstitions in America, the fear of number 13 being a prominent one. Several hotels in US don't have a thirteenth floor and at least one major American airline omits row 13 in its aircraft.Of course, there are superstitions, such as a black cat crossing one's path or walking under a ladder bringing bad luck, or keeping one's fingers crossed to avert misfortune, that are universal.Belief in the supernatural has no borders it is as rampant in Kansas City as in Kanpur. (By arranegement with The Times of India)

Sir,

Education in Meghalaya was something we always felt proud of and any student going outside the state was respected because of being educated in Meghalaya. Such was the standard of education in our state, it was at par with the standard of education in any state of India if not better. But can we say with conviction that our standard of education is the same now. I say that the standard of education in Meghalaya is in its lowest ebb and it couldn't be any worse. We sneer at the condition of education in certain states like Bihar etc., but is it any better in our state? I would like to bring to the notice of all, particularly the concerned authorities about the practice of allowing the higher secondary students to indulge in mass copying and cheating which is very unabashedly going on in a particular school in Garikhana. The said school was earlier once reprimanded for doing the same with their class X students in tacit understanding with another school in Lower Mawprem. The students of the said school do very well in their class XII examinations (thanks to mass copying) even with mediocre results in their class X standard. But they later falter very badly when they go to the reputed colleges of the city for degree course.

This is neither an allegation nor an attempt to malign any institution, rather an attempt to save education in Meghalaya. The concerned authorities needs to take necessary action to prevent the further downslide of education in our state.

Yours etc.
Roop Sharma,
Shillong-4

Sir,

There has been a lot of speculation regarding the service extension of Mr P J Bazeley, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Meghalaya. People of Jaintia Hills especially those from Sutnga Constituency wish that Mr Bazeley gets an extension for a further period of one year. The People Jaintia Hills are truly indebted to him for his contributions to the development of the district right from the time he was the Deputy Commissioner upto now.

People hope that one day he would represent the Constituency as an MLA/ MP and put our state too in the national map as one of the most developed states in India.

All the negative writings in the press and rumblings by the NGOs are nothing but the outcome of dirty politics. The Khasis brothers must realise the politics being played by these 'friends' who want to thwart the growth of our own people and also the contributions of Mr Bazeley for the development of the state of Meghalaya.

Yours etc,
Name withheld on request
Via e-mail

Official sources said here that a team of experts visited Upper Assam soon after the case of poultry death appeared in a section of the Press and it was found the birds died due to Ranikhet disease. "The samples have been sent to Bhopal for further investigation," sources added.

"People in the N-E and other parts of the country can eat chicken and eggs provided cooked properly," sources further said.

From now onward the state will be known as Asom.The state Cabinet on Monday took the landmark resolution to change the name of the state. "It is now Asom" announced Assam minister for Planning and Development and government spokesman Mr Himanta Biswa Sharma.

Aizawl: When love blossoms, even mountains melt into monuments. It happened in Mizoram when K Chhawnthuama converted Durtlong Hill top into his wife's tomb as a memorial to his love, a veritable Taj Mahal of love. It took the sweat and toil of a thousand hands to turn the ambitious project into reality and now 'K V Paradise' stands with hands outstretched to heaven.

The most skilled inlay craftsmen, calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons were hired from all parts of the country, who took the construction of this monument, which began in 2003 and took over three years to find shape.Durtlang, overlooking the capital city, was a simple place to come to until tragedy visited K V Multipurpose School, when Rosangpuii Varte, the beloved mistress of the school and wife to K Chhawnthuama, died in a car accident on November 27, 2001.

And five years hence her husband made sure nobody forgot her. "My wife was an enthused traveller. Two years prior to the tragedy, she suggested that we should save money for travelling abroad. In two years we saved Rs 31 lakh. So I decided on building a memorial monument in her memory," K Chhawnthuama told UNI.

The 53-year old widower added, "I wanted to be sure that I had given everything to her. In life I gave her my heart, my love and even after life, I wanted to give her the best."

The lightings alone cost more than Rs six lakh. The granite and marble floorings came all the way from Rajasthan, not to talk of specially designed, tinted glass of 12 mm thick from Chennai and the fountain near the tomb was installed by experts from Kolkata.

The ground floor of the tomb which presently housed the tomb of his late wife has another empty 15 graves for other members of the family. There is a museum on the first floor, which houses the clothes, shoes and other personal belongings of late Rosangpuii. The three crosses of the roof of the tomb, according to K Chhawnthuama, were epitome of the Holy Trinity.