‘UP govt to install CCTV’s to avoid copying in board exams’
Lucknow: With a view to effectively check copying in UP secondary education board examination in the state, Uttar Pradesh government would install CCTV cameras at all the examination centres and government colleges. The Secondary Eduation Minister Mehboob Ali, in a meeting with senior officials of his department including district inspectors of schools and others on Tuesday, instructed that copying should not be allowed at any cost in the coming examinations of the UP Board. “To put a check on copying, CCTV cameras should be installed at the examination centres and government schools”, the minister told officials. The minister also instructed the officials not to make centres in schools where copying had been reported in the past years. Ali directed an inquiry into reports of textbooks not being provided to students of government schools in time and taking action against the publishers responsible for the same. The minister directed the officials to complete within a month the process of ‘Kanya Vidhya Dhan’ scheme and laptop distribution for 2013-2014 in the districts where it has not been done yet. (PTI)
Judges differ on appeal in Tapas Pal’s case
Kolkata: Two judges of a division bench of the Calcutta High court on Wednesday differed in appeal on Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal’s case. Justice Girish Gupta set aside the order of Justice Dipankar Dutta who had directed filing of an FIR against Pal. Justice T Chakrabarty, the brother judge, however, dismissed appeals of both the West Bengal government and Tapas Pal. The matter will now go to a third judge to be nominated by the Chief justice. The interim stay on Justice Dutta’s order would however continue for three weeks, the division bench directed. On August 1, after completing the hearing, the High Court had said it would give its verdict on August 13 and extended the stay on registration of FIR against Pal for his ‘shoot and rape’ comments. It had extended the stay till August 14 on the execution of a single bench order directing registration of an FIR and CID probe against Pal for his objectionable comments against women. Justice Dipankar Dutta had earlier ordered registration of FIR and transfer of the case to CID within 72 hours. (PTI)
Security beefed up in Valley for Independence Day
Srinagar: A security blanket has been thrown around vital installations and checking intensified across Kashmir Valley ahead of Independence day to thwart any attempt by militants to disrupt the celebrations. The tightened security arrangements were made in the wake of surge in infiltration attempts and ceasefire violations from across the border and escalation in militant activities in the Valley, officials said on Wednesday. The Bakshi Stadium, the main venue of the Independence Day function in Jammu and Kashmir, was virtually sealed by a large contingent of police and CRPF personnel, while special check points have been set up at various places within the city and its outskirts, especially the entry points leading to the capital. The vehicles are being stopped for frisking of the occupants and frequent searches of pedestrians are also being undertaken to ensure that the militants do not succeed in disrupting the functions, they said. The security grid is also relying on modern gadgetry like CCTV cameras and human intelligence to ensure a peaceful Independence Day, the officials said. (PTI)
308 communal incidents till June this year
New Delhi: A total of 308 communal incidents were reported in the country in the first six months of this year of which 56 have taken place in Uttar Pradesh, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said 51 communal incidents have taken place in Maharashtra till June this year, 44 communal incidents have taken place in Karnataka, 33 incidents have taken place in Rajasthan, 32 incidents in Bihar and 26 incidents have taken place in Gujarat. Rijiju said of the 823 communal incidents in 2013, a total of 247 communal incidents have taken place in Uttar Pradesh, 88 in Maharashtra, 84 in Madhya Pradesh, 73 in Karnataka, 68 in Gujarat, 63 in Bihar and 52 in Rajasthan. The Minister said of the 668 communal incidents that took place in 2012, 118 occurred in Uttar Pradesh, 94 in Maharashtra, 92 in Madhya Pradesh, 69 in Karnataka, 60 in Andhra Pradesh, 57 in Gujarat, 56 in Kerala and 37 in Rajasthan. (PTI)