Tuesday, 7 June 2011
CBI likely to take a call on Maran in 20 days
Sivasankaran has given list of witnesses and documents: CBI sources
A day after recording the statement of the former Aircel owner, C. Sivasankaran, in connection with the ongoing probe into the 2G spectrum allocation during 2001-2007, the Central Bureau of Investigation indicated on Tuesday that it would take a final call in about 20 days on whether a case has been made out against Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran who held the Telecom portfolio from May 2004 to May 2007.
Highly placed CBI sources said Mr. Sivasankaran had submitted a list of witnesses and documents to CBI officials in support of his allegations that mainly relate to the period when Mr. Maran was Union Telecom Minister. “We have to examine all the documents and see if this can be converted into a full fledged case,'' the sources explained.
As Mr. Maran is a Union Minister, the CBI would need to take permission from the Central government under Section 6 (A) of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act before conducting investigation against him for alleged offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The sources said the CBI would also take into account Mr. Maran's statements denying allegations of “arm twisting'' Aircel. The sources said it would take about three weeks for the process of verification to be completed and documents to be scrutinised.
The CBI had registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) in January for the 2001-2007 period, on the directions of the Supreme Court, to ascertain if there were any violations of the telecom policy or ulterior motives involved in the grant of licences during that period.
As part of the ongoing probe, Mr.Sivasankaran's detailed statement was recorded by the CBI officials at an “undisclosed location'' in New Delhi on Monday.
The sources said Mr. Sivasankaran has levelled “serious charges'' against Mr. Maran. The former Aircel owner is likely to be made a key witness in the PE and his statement could pave the way for the registration of a regular case pertaining to Mr. Maran's tenure as Telecom Minister.
The sources said the Aircel-Maxis deal would be examined by the CBI. Maxis Communications Berhad, a leading Malaysian telecom company that began operations in 1995, acquired a 74 per cent stake in Aircel on March 21, 2006. Sindya Securities and Investments Private Ltd. holds the remaining 26 per cent equity. The former owner of Aircel alleged that he was forced by the then Telecom Minister Mr. Maran to sell his stake to Maxis.
The Justice Shivraj V. Patil Committee report is also being looked into by the CBI. Submitted to the Telecom Ministry earlier this year, the report has found fault with the functioning of Mr. Maran during his tenure as Communications and IT Minister between May 2004 and May 2007.
As reported earlier in The-Hindu, the Shivraj Patil committee report had criticised Mr. Maran for not consulting the Telecom Commission, the Telecom Department's decision-making body, and ignoring the Group of Ministers (GoM) while taking crucial policy decisions.
3rd charge sheet in 2G scam by June 30
CBI Director A.P. Singh on Tuesday told the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probing the telecom policies from 1998 to 2009 that besides gearing to file the third charge sheet into the 2G spectrum scam by
June 30, the agency was looking into four specific areas of possible irregularities in grant of telecom licences from 2003.
These include a probe into the alleged delay of two years in the grant of telecom licences to Aircel between 2004 and 2006 when Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran was presiding over the Ministry of Telecommunications.
At a news conference here, JPC Chairman P.C. Chacko said that as per the CBI, though 14 licences were approved to Aircel Maxis in 2004, they were given only in 2006. “The CBI is probing why there was a delay.”
In the course of the briefing, the CBI Director did not mention the names of any former or current Ministers being probed by the agency. The other areas of possible irregularities in the implementation of telecom policies being probed by the CBI are the issue of new Unified Access Service Licences on instructions over the telephone by the then Secretary of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the continued grant of licences on a first-come, first-served basis as per the 2001 policy and allotment of spectrum beyond capacity.
The CBI chief briefed the JPC on the 2G scam probe.
When Politics Fail, Religion Comes To The Fore
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| Baba Ramdev |
Is the midnight scoop by Police on Baba Ramdev’s fast a master stroke by the Congress or a political blunder?
It might look one of the stupidest acts by a Government to use police force to evict people sitting on a fast democratically. The act of the Congress gave an opportunity of life time to the sangh parivar to raise a political bogey.
The incident completely changed the political scenario at National level and turned the tide against Congress and its allies. All of a sudden it made a Baba into a National Hero. It brought spiritual leaders to the fore to raise political bogey.
There was no doubt that behind the moves of Ramdev to sit on the fast, there is a meticulously planned political conspiracy. Ramdev did not keep his political ambitions a secret. His Fast was a competitive politics with that of undertaken by Anna Hazare.
He challenged a perplexed government with a threat of indefinite fast forcing powerful Union ministers run like servitors around him to buy peace and no doubt he caused humiliation to the ruling political class.
A few years ago, hardly anyone knew about Ramdev and Yogic antics. Now, there are very few who don’t. Thanks to Media and sudden Indian penchant for Yoga, Ram Dev has a disciple base whose core is the adolescent, emotionally psychic and sentimentally swayed lower middle class masses of rural India, and they run into their mystic millions. They believe that Yoga like spiritual practices can cure their mental disorders.
People like Ramdev began to aspire or conspire to make such blind spiritual following as an alternative to present political system which is no doubt lost its credibility due to corruption.
The political moves by apolitical leaders like Ramdev, is an effort place a political movement in a spiritual-wellness context. It is nothing to do with the black money or the corruption etc. it is a battle between two apolitical groups one led by Intellectuals of civil society with more left leanings and other by spiritual gurus supported by right wing ideologues to become alternate to present set discredited political class.
The UPA is on a challenge of a confrontation with Ram Dev for a simple reason: he is backed by people who don’t think. They will fast with him, and they will, if given a chance, die with him like a misguided Jihadist. What you have with Ram Dev is the stuff of riot and revolt without the least restraint of reason. They don’t care for rationale behind things except blindly following the Yoga Guru aspiring to contest elections in 2014.
We have come to this, a point in politics where parties and leaders have lost credibility in the wake of a series of scams in recent years and over six decades of democratic establishment built on the aspirations of the poor, who see world getting connected with mobile phones and satellite TVs, while their hands grope empty pots.
Certainly, there is not much trust any longer between the elected and those who elect. If a survey is now taken on people’s trust in key public institutions like parliament, judiciary or the police, the results are not likely to surprise anyone.
The fact is that trust deficit has battered the idea of parties themselves, without whom democracy will not work. It is into this vacuum of political leadership that well intentioned megalomaniacs like Ramdev with little or no concept of politics, science or economy assume spiritual captaincy.
When politics fails, religion comes to the fore. This country certainly needs to fight corruption. But that war is best fought by the generals of democracy, not by mystic masseurs. ..
How Do I Gain Weight?
To gain weight, you need to consume more calories every day than you burn with physical activity. You can also gain weight by increasing the size of your muscles.
Who Might Want to Gain Weight?
The high rate of obesity and overweight problems in our culture means there is much more emphasis on losing weight rather than gaining weight. It is easy to forget about people who are too thin.Some people are naturally thin and want to be bigger, but being underweight can result from eating disorders or appetite loss due to certain medical conditions. Aging also affects appetite, as we gradually lose some of our ability to smell and taste foods. If you've recently lost weight without trying, you should see your health care provider.
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| Every day One Apple |
How To Gain Weight
Start with a calorie calculator to determine how many calories you are consuming now and how many you'll need to consume every day to gain weight. You'll probably need to increase your calorie intake, and you can do that by eating a larger volume of food or by choosing foods that are energy-dense (high in calories).Either way, you should choose foods that are nutrient-dense instead of settling for high-calorie junk foods. Nutrient-dense foods include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Foods that are both energy- and nutrient-dense include legumes, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados. You may also want to increase your consumption of dairy products, meats, seafood and poultry. Use seasoning blends, herbs and spices to add flavor and aroma.
The main goal is to increase your overall intake of calories every day; it doesn't really matter if you eat more meals or increase the size of the meals you eat right now. If you're not used to eating much at any one time, you may prefer to eat several small meals or snacks throughout the day. If you'd rather eat three meals each day, increase your portion sizes or add more foods to each meal.
Your meals should be balanced with the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat. Choose a portion of a protein source such as meat, poultry, fish, seafood, legumes or tofu and serve with a side of green and colorful vegetables. Add a serving of starchy foods such as potatoes, sweet corn, rice or pasta as energy-dense carbohydrate sources. You can add a few extra calories to your vegetables and starches by topping them with butter, olive oil, sauces or cheese.
If you prefer to snack on smaller meals throughout the day, choose energy-dense foods, such as trail mix made with dried fruit, nuts and seeds. You can eat sandwiches made with peanut or other nut butters, or use meats and add calories with slices of cheese or avocado. Creamed soups are generally higher in calories than clear broths. Add more calories to creamed soups by adding a spoonful of dry milk powder.
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| Dont take fast food |
Dietary Supplements for Gaining Weight
You might be tempted to buy dietary supplements for bodybuilding that promise weight gain and bigger muscles. Some of these products may contain hidden ingredients that can be harmful or compounds that haven't been studied for efficacy or safety. The United States Food and Drug Administration maintains a list of tainted bodybuilding products that should be avoided.If you feel you can't gain weight by simply increasing your calorie intake, you should see your health care provider before taking any protein or weight-ok, gaining supplements.
What About Exercise?
Resistance training exercises like weight lifting may help to increase your muscle size, which will increase your body weight. Aerobic exercises, such as running and stationary bicycling, are better for fat loss and excessive aerobic training may cause you to lose more weight. Resistance training can be done at a health club, gym, or at home with the proper equipment.
Tips to Help You Gain Weight
Don't add calories to your meals by choosing unhealthy fried foods such as french fries, chicken nuggets and fish sticks. Choose foods that are prepared with healthy cooking methods like baking, poaching, and stir-frying. Remember that it can take a while to gain the weight you need, but be patient and continue to choose healthy foods until you reach your goal weight. Here are a few tips to get you started:- Have an extra slice of whole-grain toast with peanut butter at breakfast.
- Add extra cheese to an omelet.
- Slice an apple and serve with almond butter.
- Stir chopped nuts into plain yogurt and top with honey.
- Carry a bag of trail mix for a convenient snack.
- Serve yourself larger portions of starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet corn.
- Add calories with a healthy beverage such as milk, 100% fruit juices, or vegetable juice.
Team Anna to hold protest at Rajghat tomorrow
Asserting that they will go ahead with a "very peaceful" protest, RTI crusader Arvind Kejriwal, a key figure in Hazare''s campaign against corruption, said: "No one can stop Anna Hazare from protesting tomorrow. We will hold fast at Rajghat tomorrow."
"Anna has never provoked anyone. He never had a violent history. Now he says, he wants to assemble peacefully, what is the need of Section 144. If police tries to stop us we will not resist, but just offer ourselves for being arrested," he added.
Alleging that government has arbitrarily imposed Section 144, Kejriwal further said there have been Supreme Court orders stating that the section should not be misused.
Former Supreme Court Judge N. Santosh Hegde commenting on the matter said: "This government is misusing police power and suppressing people''s rights. The actions of the government against Baba Ramdev show they are scared of him."
Meanwhile, Baba Ramdev also extended his full support to Hazare, saying all his supporters will join the Gandhian in his fast scheduled tomorrow.
"The denial of permission shows the government''s intent. My supporters will be part of Anna''s fast scheduled tomorrow," said Ramdev.
According to reports, Delhi Police Commissioner B. K Gupta is meeting Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram over the issue and a decision may be taken of allowing the fast to take place at a different place and not at Jantar Mantar.
Hazare had earlier said that he would defy prohibitory orders if police deny permission for the protest, saying it was the right of public to raise voice against injustice.
Delhi Police had issued prohibitory orders for a week in a bid to pre-empt any protest by Ramdev supporters.
Monday, 6 June 2011
14 killed, 35 missing in China floods
China’s official news service says rain-triggered floods have killed 14 people and left 35 missing in the country’s southwest.
Xinhua News Agency said on Tuesday that the floods destroyed roads and bridges, toppled 100 homes and washed away more than 500 vehicles.
Xinhua quotes authorities in Guizhou province as saying the flooding has forced 45,000 residents to evacuate and left 3,000 others stranded.
The office says flood waters inundated the province’s Wangmo County on Monday, disrupting power and water supplies and telecommunication services in several towns.
The provincial civil affairs says rain-triggered floods have hit 11 cities and counties in Guizhou province since June 3, affecting 270,000 people.
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