VOL: 3 ISSUE 5 Chennai, July 27, 2009

All 3 accused convicted in 2003

Mumbai blasts case
Mumbai, July 27: A
special POTA court here on
Monday convicted all three
accused in the 2003
Mumbai twin blasts case
that killed 52 persons and
injured 100 others.
module of the Lashkar-e-
Toiba (LeT) outfit. .
Revealing the
details of the case,
Special Public
Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam
said that one of the co-
belonged to Hyderabad,
was absconding and later
shot dead by the police in
an encounter.
Given further
details of the plot to
terrorise India’s financial
death penalty, Nikam get either life Batterywala – were
only said that they will imprisonment of death. discharged at the fag end
ask for harsh punishment Other two of the trial following a clean
and as the accused have accused – Mohammed chit given to them by the
been convicted under Ansari Ladoowala and POTA review committee
Sec 302 of IPC they will Mohammed Hasan last year.
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T h e c o u r t c o n s p i r a t o r, w h o s e capital, Nikam said that

convicted Ashrat Shafique
Ansari (32), Mohammed
Hanif Sayed (46) and his
wife Fehmida Sayed (43)
for murder and conspiracy
under Sections 302, 307,
427 and 120B of the Indian
Penal Code besides being
found guilty under Section
three of POTA.
H o w e v e r, t h e
court will announce the
announcement of quantum
of punishment on August 4.
The trial in the
case carried on for six
years and today’s
judgment is the biggest in a
terror-related case in
Mumbai after the
conviction of 100 accused
in the 1993 serial blasts
case by a special TADA
court in 2007.
On August 25,
2003 two blasts had
rocked the Gateway of
India and the busy Zaveri
Bazaar in South Mumbai.
The blasts were
carried out by a terror
identity has been
withheld, had turned
approver and his
deposition was clinching
in the court.
The approver
had spilled the beans
about the conspiracy and
the way in which the
crime was committed.
The other key
prosecution witness was
the taxi driver whose
vehicle was used to plant
the bomb at Gateway of
India. Police had claimed
that it was the driver who
led them to the residence
of the accused.
Nikam said,
“The initial criminal
conspiracy was hatched
in Dubai by a LeT
mastermind, accused
Haneef, Nasir and the
approver.”
O f t h e
conspirators, apart from
Haneef and the approver
have been tried in the
court, while Nasir, who
the accused had first
planted a bomb in a bus
on December 2, 2002 but
it turned out to be a
failure.
Then on July 28,
2003, they planted
another bomb in a BEST
bus that exploded in
Ghatkopar killing two.
“But they were
not happy with such low
intensity explosions so
they carried out the twin
bomb blast on August 25
that left 52 dead and
more than 100 injured,”
Nikam said.
Nikam also
pointed out that this is the
first case in India in which
husband and wife and
their children were
involved and convicted
for such a crime.
However, the child was
not prosecuted under the
POTA Act as it was
underage.
On whether, the
prosecution would ask for
Page 2 Times Chennai E-Paper
Iqbal Singh sworn in as Lt
Governor of Puducherry
Puducherry , July 27:
Iqbal Singh was today
sworn in as Lt Governor of
the Union Territory of
Puducherry.
Chief Justice of
Madras High Court H L
Gokhale administered the
oath of office to him at a
function at the Raj Nivas.
Iqbal Singh (64) is the 20th
Lt Governor of Puducherry
after it became part of
Indian Union through de
jure transfer of power from
the French in 1962.
Ta m i l N a d u
Governor Surjit Singh
Barnala has been holding
additional charge of
Puducherry since April this
year after the demise of Lt
Governor Govind Singh
Gurjar on April 6.
Union Minister of
State for Planning,
Parliamentary Affairs and
Culture V Narayanasamy,
Chief Minister V
Va i t h i l i n g a m a n d h i s
cabinet colleagues,
S p e a k e r R "Puducherry, with its
Radhakrishnan, Deputy
Speaker A V Sreedharan,
leader of the opposition A
M H Nazeem and former
Speaker M D R
Youth injured after loading a gun
Tiruchirapalli, July 27: A
21-year-old youth received
bullet injuries when a
country made gun went off
accidentally, while loading
a t s u b u r b a n
Keelamangalam near here
yesterday.
Police said the
injured Sathishkumar and
his friends Karthkeyan
(24), Muthukumar (23),
Two arrested for murdering a woman
Karur, July 27: Police
arrested two persons for
allegedly murdering a 70-
year-old woman for the
sake of money at
Pasupathipalayam here
yesterday.
Police said the
accused Sathish Kumar
and his friend Praveen
Ramachandran were
among those present at
the ceremony.
Mr. Singh later
inspected a guard of
honour by the
Puducherry Police and
hosted a tea for all the
invitees.
Hailing from
Jalandhar, Mr. Singh
served as Rajya Sabha
member between 1992
and 1998. He was also
an AICC observer in
Himachal Pradesh,
Haryana, Rajasthan,
Delhi, Assam,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkand,
Bihar and Andhra
Pradesh, besides being
AICC secretary for 12
years.
In a message to
the people, Mr. Singh
said that Puducherry,
with its peaceful and
exotic location, is
emerging as a favourite
destination for domestic
and international tourists.
peaceful and exotic
location, is fast emerging
as a favourite destination
for domestic and
international tourists.
who went for hunting in
the nearby area, where
Sathishkumar started
loading the gun with
explosive materials, but
while doing so, the gun
went off accidentally and
caused bullet injuries to
him.
Based on the
information, police
rushed to the spot and
went to the grand-mother
Kunjammal of Sathish
Kumar and demanded
money from her to
purchase a two-wheeler.
Ms Kunjammal,
however, refused to give
money. The enraged
duo, strangulated her to
death and escaped from
Tamil Nadu
Tourism infrastructure
should be further
improved to make
Puducherry a most
sought after destination,"
he said.
Asserting that
Puduchery is at the
forefront in education,
health care and welfare
sectors, the new Lt
Governor said that the
union territory had
attained "a high level of
human development
indices with peaceful
civic life".
He said the
uniform floor rate of tax is
posing a challenge to
trading sector.
Mr. Singh said his priority
would be to cooperate
with the elected
representatives and
accelerate economic
growth with equitable
opportunities to women
and weaker sections.
"It will be my
endeavour to make the
U n i o n Te r r i t o r y o f
Puducherry a model of
inclusive growth," he said
in his message.
arrested Karthikeyan and
Muthukumar for
possessing an
unlicenced country made
gun and for providing
false information the
police over the incident.
The injured was
admitted to a private
hospital in the city, police
added.
the scene with as many
as five soverigns of her
gold ornaments.
Based on the
information, police
swung into the action,
nabbed the duo and
recovered jewellary from
them, police added.
Mettur dam to be opened on July 28
Chennai, July 27: The
Tamil Nadu government
as announced earlier will
be opening f the Mettur
Dam on July 28, on the
occasion of Aadi 18, the
day of Tamil month Aadi
when farmers worship
river Cauvery for its
benevolence.
W i t h t h e
monsoon rains slush in
Karnataka Mettur has
been getting copious
inflow following filling up
of Kabini and Krishnaraja
Sagar resevoirs in
Karnataka. The level has
risen to 92 ft and the
IICPT signs MoU with
Manitoba University
Thanjavur, July 27 :
Indian Institute of Crop
Processing Technology
(IICPT) here has signed
a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU)
with University of
Manitoba, Canada, for
taking up collaborative
research programmes.
A IICPT release
said here today, the MOU
was signed by K
Alagusundaram,
Director of IICPT, and
Digvir Jayas, Vice
President (Research),
University of Manitoba, in
Four-cornered contest in Tamil Nadu by-polls
Chennai, July 27 : The
forthcoming by-elections
for five assembly
constituencies in Tamil
Nadu is set to be a four-
cornered fight with the
DMDK deciding to
contest on its own.
Now the state's
ruling DMK-Congress
combine will cross
swords with the DMDK,
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) and the two
Communist parties --
Communist Party of
India-Marxist (CPI-M)
and the Communist Party
of India (CPI).
Earlier the major
opposition party AIADMK
and its allies -- MDMK
and PMK -- had decided
to boycott the by-polls
next month, alleging that
the elections would not
be free and fair.
AIADMK chief J.
Jayalalithaa has asked
her party cadres to not
vote in the elections.
T h e AIADMK. But the party
constituencies for which
by-polls are to be held
Aug 18 are Bargur,
Thondamuthur,
Cumbum, Illayangudi
and Srivaikundam.
The ruling DMK
will contest in Bargur,
Illayankudi and Cumbum
and has named its
candidates while its ally
PWD authorities are
confident of opening the
New Delhi recently in the
presence of Union
Minister of Food
Processing Industries
Subodh Kant Sahai,
Secretary Ashok Sinha
and Joint Secretary Ajit
Kumar.
The tie-up would
facilitate collaborative
programmes of research,
training, curriculum,
i n s t i t u t i o n a l
d e v e l o p m e n t ,
i n f o r m a t i o n
dissemination, and
exchange of faculty,
students and staff.
Congress will field its
candidates for
Thondamuthur and
Srivaikundam seats.
The Communist
parties will contest only
four seats and support a
friendly party in the fifth
one.
While the CPI-M
will contest in
Thondamathur and
Cumbum constituencies,
CPI will test its strength in
Srivaikumdam and
Bargur.
According to a
BJP official, the party will
be going it alone in the
elections in all the five
seats unlike in the Lok
Sabha polls where it
partnered with a clutch of
small parties.
"In two days the
candidates will be
announced," he added.
According to
reports, DMDK party
officials were in favour of
boycotting the polls like
leader, actor-turned-
p o l i t i c i a n Vi j a y k a n t ,
Sunday decided to test
the party's strength.
In the 2006
assembly elections the
party went on its own and
only Vijaykant emerged
victorious.
Disagreeing with
the AIADMK's poll
July 27, 2009
dam tomorrow sources
said.
University of
Manitoba is an important
educational institution in
the Central Canada with as
many as 25,000 students
pursuing courses in arts
and science, engineering,
health and law.
IICPT is a pioneer
in research and
development.
The Institute is also
addressing post-harvest
processing and
preservation problems, the
release added.
boycott decision, political
commentator Cho
Ramaswamy told IANS:
"The boycott will enable
Vijayakanth's DMDK to
improve its vote share."
But Ramaswamy
does not think the DMDK
will gain any permanent
advantage.
"The advantage for
DMDK will be of transitory
appearance as everybody
knows that AIADMK
boycotted the polls.
Vijaykant has a good
chance of improving his
vote share," he said.
T h e D M D K
contested in all the 39 seats
in Tamil Nadu and the lone
seat in Puducherry on its
own in the recent Lok
Sabha polls.
In Tamil Nadu it secured
over over 2.9 million votes
out of around 30 million
votes polled, thereby
getting around 10 percent
of the vote share. The party
came third in 29 seats out of
the 40 it contested. Though
the DMDK has increased
its vote share marginally
over its 8.33 percent in the
2006 Tamil Nadu assembly
elections, it has fallen far
short of its initial
expectations.
Eight DMDK
candidates got over
100,000 votes and a couple
of them got over 90,000.
July 27, 2009 Times Chennai E-Paper Page 3

Plastics banned on Marina ATM near police station robbed

Chennai, July 27:
Corporation Mayor M
Subramanian on Monday
Chennai: July 27:
Labour Statue, the Mayor beautification of Robbers broke open into
said that the thinking Chennai, wall paintings an ATM near Sembium
ability of children was depicting the culture of Police Station and
decamped with cash.
The theft came to light
this morning after the
chief manager of the
bank Ramasamy visited
the ATM and found it
broken open.
He alerted
Deputy Commissioner of
Police Bhaskaran and
Assistant Commissioner
Kingsley who along with
a posse visited the scene
of the crime.
The police said
there was no security
man at the ATM centre but
there was CCTV camera.
So, they said they could
find the culprit after going
through the TV footage.
However, the amount
stolen would be known only
after the technicians open
the ATM.

Exnora, Velammal launches

campaign on global warming
Chennai, July 27: NGOs and the media A pledge to
Buoyed by the success of participated in the protect the Mother Earth
the '88888' Lights out function by joining hands and to save it was taken at
campaign last year, to fight against global the function.
ExNora International, a warming. Saluting the
NGO in the field of During the Mother Earth, people took
Environment protection, function, a list of 60 mega oath stating ''Mother Earth
in association with events to be conducted in you have been taking care

said that a ban would be
imposed on sale of
eatables, tea, coffee and
other food stuff packed in
plastic materials that are
being sold and used on the
Marina Beach. The ban
would come into effect
from Aug. 15.
At an interaction
session held near the
affected because of Tamils were being done
plastic products. on 50,000 square feet of
The use of space on Anna Salai.
plastics could cause He added that
cancer and affect the restrictions would also be
nervous system, so imposed on pasting of
people should posters and graffiti on the
completely avoid using flyovers and subways.
plastic, he said. C o r p o r a t i o n
Subramanian also said Commissioner Rajesh
that as part of the Lakhoni also spoke.

Power shut down tomorrow

Chennai, July 27: Power
supply will be suspended
in the following areas on
Tuesday July 28 from
9.00 am to 5.00 pm for
maintenance work The
Supply will be resumed
earlier if the works are
completed before 5.00 pm
says a TNEB release
Periamet Area: V
K Pillai street,
Venkatachalam Street,
Arani Muthu Street,
Maddox street, Lee
Chengalvarayan Street
and BT Mudali Street.
Cooks Road
Area: Tank Bund Road 1st
and 2nd Street, Brislin
Lane, Century Flower Mill,
A N Jothi Nagar I & II, New
Vazaima Nagar.
Otteri Area: Yemi
Sharjah-bound flight makes
emergency landing in Chennai
Chennai, July 27 : A
Sharjah-bound aircraft,
with 128 passengers on
board, made an
emergency landing at the
Anna International
Thoor dal, urad dal move down
Chennai , July 27 : Prices
of thoor dal, urad dal
moved down while gram
dal, sugar and wheat
edged up. All other
commodities remained
unchanged in the
wholesale foodgrain
market here today.
Street, Venkatathiru Toll Gate Area:
Street, New Manikkam W h o l e o f N e w
Street, Erran Street, Washermanpet, a part of
Kandasamy Kovil Street, V O C N a g a r .
Venkatesan Street. Madipakkam Area:
Chepauk Madipakkam, Moovara-
Area: Bells Road, Velammal Educational the run-up to the of us. Now Time has come
sampet, Medavakkam
Mosque Street, OVM Trust on Sunday September 9 campaign, for us to take care of
main road, Iyyappa
Street, Krishnappa launched the 99999 was released. you...We salute you''.
nagar, Swamy Nagar,
Street, CNK Road, Lights out campaign to Speaking on Among those
West Velachery, Balaiah
Mohamed Abdullah I & II save the ''Mother Earth'' the occasion, ExNora who participated in the
garden, Keelkattalai,
lane. and create an awareness founder M B Nirmal and function, included well
Karthikeyapuram,
JJ Nagar Area: on Global Warming. Velammal Educational known advocate Ms Nalini
Puzhudivakkam.
Mugappair East and The 'Save the Trust CEO M V M Chidambaram, film actor
Perumbakkam
West, Eri Scheme, JJ Earth 99999 Lights out' Velmurugan said the aim Prashanth, actress
Area: Medavakkam,
Nagar Industrial Estate, campaign is to switch off of the ''99999 Lights out'', Swarnamalya, Radio
Perum-bakkam,
Moorthy Nagar, Krishna lights for nine minutes at was to sensitise the Jockey Dheena, Madras
J a l l a n p a t t a i ,
Nagar and a part of 2100 hrs on the ninth day people about the causes, High Court Additional
Nookampalayam, Ara-
Nolambur. of ninth month consequences and Public Prosecutor Hasan
sankeni, Sithalapakkam,
Mandaveli (September) of the ninth solutions of global Mohammed Jinnah and All
Pallikaranai, Nanman-
Area: R K Mutt Road, y e a r o f t h i s warming. India Bank Employees
galam, Kovilambakkam,
Pillaiyar Koil Thottom, millennium(2009). ''Mother Earth is Association General
Okkiyapalayam.
Vaithiyar Anna Malai People from taking its biggest blow, as Secretary and Chief
Street. different walks of life, the consequences of Coordinator of All India
including legal fraternity, global warming have 99999 Lights out
educational institutions,
Film, TV, Radio, Trade
started to unleash,
posing a major threat to
C a m p a i g n C H
Venkatachalam.
Unions, Bank, Industries, humanity,'' they added.
terminal here on Monday takeoff and made an
morning following a
technical snag.
emergency landing at
around 9.30am.
Speed up probe, appeals SAMS
Airport officials
said the pilot noticed the
All passengers
are safe and have been
college management
technical snag soon after taken to a hotel, they said. Chennai, July 27: The recently come under the Chennai, college secretary
management of the scanner of the marine M Jayaraman described
SAMS College of mercantile department the episode as fallout of an
Engineering and
Te c h n o l o g y, a s e l f -
and the AICTE after a
secretly filmed CD
internal family feud.
Ramkumar and Sidharth
financing institution in containing the are the brothers-in-law of
Thoor dal up by Rs 50 to Rs 2,900. Tiruvallur, on Sunday proceedings of an in- Jayaraman. “I urge the
moved down by Rs 100 Both sugar and wheat called for a speedy police camera inquiry cyber crime police to
per quintal to Rs 8,700 edged up by Rs 20 each inquiry into various conducted by shipping speedily investigate the
from Rs 8,800. Urad dal to Rs 2,500 and Rs 1,700 charges levelled against ministry officials with matter and probe how the
slid by Rs 50 per quintal against previous rate. it by an advocate VSS students about lack of CD was produced, who
to Rs 5,850 against the Moong dal, Ramkumar and his basic amenities on filmed the proceedings of
previous week's rate of maida and sooji prices brother Sidharth campus last year was the incamera inquiry and
Rs 5,900. unaltered from their Selvakumar. presented by Ramkumar. from whose spy camera
Gram dal went previous level. The college had At a press conference in this was filmed,” he said.
Page 4
Congress backs the Prime Minister
on Indo-Pak joint statement
New Delhi, July 27: After
over a week of diffidence,
the Congress on Monday
came out openly backing
Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on the controversial
Indo-Pak joint statement in
Egypt that has come under
a lot of criticism.
"The Congress is
confident that when the
Prime Minister speaks in
Parliament on July 29, he
will set at rest all the
q u e s t i o n s , a l l
apprehensions and
speculation relating to the
Indo-Pak joint statement at
Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt,"
AICC General Secretary
Janardan Dwivedi told PTI.
A s e n i o r
Cracks develops on pillars
of metro tracks connecting Noida
New Delhi, July 27:
Cracks have been noticed
on two piers with
cantilevers on the newly
constructed Yamuna Bank-
Noida Metro line during an
inspection of all Metro
structures, a move taken
up after the July 12 mishap
which claimed six lives.
The cracks have
been noticed at a time
when the DMRC has
begun trial runs on the
much-awaited Yamuna
Bank-Noida line, which is
set to be opened for public
by the end of August.
Shirish Patel and
Associates, a consultant
Orissa closes down another relief
camp in Kandhamal
Bhubaneswar, July 27 :
Authorities in Orissa have
closed down one more
relief camp in Kandhamal
district that saw communal
riots last year, officials said
Monday.
"The relief camp
at Tikabali village was shut
down on Sunday and about
100 people, who were in
the camp, returned to their
respective homes," District
Collector Krishan Kumar
told IANS.
Kandhamal
district, about 200 km from
state capital Bhubaneswar,
witnessed widespread
violence after the murder of
Vishwa Hindu Parishad
Rahul Gandhi's visit to
Puducherry cancelled
Puducherry , July 27:
Congress General
Secretary Rahul Gandhi's
Monday's visit to
Puducherry has been
cancelled, a party
spokesman said here on
Sunday.
Times Chennai E-Paper
Congress leader had
indicated on Saturday
that it will back Singh on
the issue clearing
reported doubts over the
party's attitude towards
the government on the
matter.
His remarks
were significant as they
came a day after a crucial
meeting of the Congress
Core Group attended
among others by Mr.
Singh and Congress
President Sonia
Ga n d h i a g a i n st th e
backdrop of reported
murmurs in the party on
the joint statement.
The party was
seen as shy of openly
appointed to check Metro
structures especially
cantilevers on all the
under construction
Phase II lines, noticed
the cracks on Saturday.
Following the
consultant's report,
DMRC Managing
Director E Sreedharan
visited the site yesterday.
The cracks
were spotted and Piers
10 and 14, which are
located near the Indian
Oil building in Sector 14
of Noida, and
Sreedharan said the
crack on Pillar 14 was
superficial, while he
(VHP) leader Swami
Laxmanananda
Saraswati and four of his
aides at his ashram Aug
23 last year.
More than
25,000 Christians were
forced to flee their homes
after their houses were
attacked by rampaging
mobs, who held
Christians responsible
for Saraswati's killing
although police blamed
Maoists for the crime. At
least 37 people were
killed, most of them
Christians.
T h e homes soon," the official
administration had
provided shelters to the
A senior police
official also confirmed
that Mr. Gandhi was not
visiting Puducherry on
Monday as scheduled
earlier.
Mr. Gandhi was
scheduled to address a
National
backing the government
in the context of inclusion
of Balochistan in the joint
statement which also
delinked terrorism from
the Composite Dialogue
Process.
The Congress
leader's statement had
also come close on the
heels of the Prime
Minister dismissing as
"media creation" the
reports of differences
between party and the
government over the
issue of the joint
statement.
The Prime
Minister is set to spell out
the government's stand
in Parliament on July 29.
order a thorough
inspection into the pier
10.
The Noida
stretch was constructed
by Gammon India, which
is also contractor of the
Central Secretariat-
Badarpur where the
mishap occurred.
The trial runs on
the 13.1-km-long Noida
line have only been
started on the Yamuna
Bank-New Ashok Nagar
stretch for now and will
be extended to Noida
City Centre Sector 32
after 10 days.
riot victims, setting up 13
relief camps in the
district.
"Eleven of them
have now been closed
down," Kumar said.
He said nearly
700 victims are, however,
still taking shelter in two
relief camps -- one at
Mandakia and another in
Tiangia village, though
no violence has been
reported in the region
since October last year.
"Efforts are on
to send the remaining
people back to their
said.
youth convention and
supervise the process of
election of the
functionaries of the Youth
Congress committee
here.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti throws
microphone at J&K Speaker
Srinagar, July 27:
There was ruckus in the
Jammu and Kashmir
assembly on Monday
with legislators of the
opposition People's
Democratic Party (PDP)
stalling the proceedings
by shouting slogans
against the government
over the Shopian
murders. The PDP
legislators gathered near
the speaker's podium
Monsoon revives in Assam
after being declared drought-hit
Guwahati, July 27 : The
monsoon has finally
revived in Assam during
the past 48 hours, barely
a day after the state was
officially declared
drought-hit.
Since Saturday
most of the state has
received rainfall and
monsoon activity has
become normal after
weeks of unprecedented
dry spell.
According to
t h e R e g i o n a l
Meteorological office,
there would be more rain
the coming days.
SC declines to hear PIL
on EVM functioning
New Delhi, July 27:
The Supreme Court on
Monday declined to
entertain a PIL,
questioning the
functioning of Electronic
Voting Machines (EVMs)
and seeking a direction to
the Election Commission
to withhold using them till
the machines are made
tamper proof.
A B e n c h
headed by Chief Justice
SP's special convention at Agra from August 19
Lucknow, July 27 :
Samajwadi Party has
convened a special
three-day national
convention at Agra from
August 19 during which
the issue of withdrawal of
s u p p o r t t o U PA
government would be the
main point of discussion.
E a r l i e r, t h e
and Mehbooba Mufti
even tried to fling a
micropho
ne at the
Speaker.
T h e
incident
occurred
after PDP
leaders
started
raising
slogans
over the
Shopian
incident in
which two
women
w e r e
raped and
murdered
in May.
Led by
p a r t y
president
Mehboob
a Mufti,
PDP legislators started
shouting slogans like
"Produce the killers of
Shopian" as the
assembly session
began.
After repeated
requests by the Speaker
failed to restore order, he
ordered the dismissal of
the PDP MLAs from the
E a r l i e r, t h e
Assam government had
announced that drought-
like situation in the state
had affected over 5.87
lakh hectares of crop
land and the dry spell
could result in as much
as 50 per cent
deficit in rice production.
The affected
areas include 9,080
villages involving
12,30,771 families of
farmers. Revealing this,
Agriculture Minister,
Pramila Rani Brahma
told mediapersons a few
days ago that poor
K G Balakrishnan while
declining to hear the PIL,
directed the petitioner, V
V Rao, to make a
representation before the
Election Commission in
connection with the
matter.
Rao, in his
petition, said several
experts and election
watch groups have
claimed that EVMs could
be manipulated. They
convention was to begin
from August 25.
T h e convention.
convention, to be chaired
by SP president
Mulayam Singh Yadav,
would discuss the post-
Lok Sabha polls scenario
and the future strategy of
the party.The issue of
withdrawal of the support
July 27, 2009
floor of the House. The
MLAs, however, refused to
leave and police officials
had to forcibly escort them
out of the assembly.
Pandemonium
continued in the assembly
till the PDP legislators were
taken out of the House.
Mehbooba Mufti
said, "I took on the Speaker
as he was ordering PDP
MLAs out."
"We did nothing
wrong. Speaker was at
fault, she added.
PDP MLAs led by
Mehbooba Mufti are now
staging a sit-in dharna
outside the assembly.
Meanwhile, the
bail applications of J&K
police officers Javed Iqbal
Mattoo and Rohit Baskotra,
arrested in connection with
the sensational Shopian
murder case, will come up
for hearing on Monday at a
court in Shopian.
The pleas of the
two officers were moved on
Sunday before the
sessions court by senior
Supreme Court lawyer
Asim Mehrotra who flew
into Srinagar to argue the
case on behalf of Mattoo
and Baskotra.
irrigation coverage was
complicating the situation
but the department was
working on a war footing to
mitigate an impending
disaster to the extent
possible.
''However if
rainfall occurs within a
week, then the situation
would improve,'' she said.
The state had
witnessed a 34 per cent
rainfall deficit since June to
July 22 this year, prompting
the Government to declare
all the 27 districts of the
state as hit by a drought-
like situation.
have analysed electronics
results of several
constituencies and
indicated that there is
something drastically
wrong with the EVMs, it
said.
The existing
EVMs are vulnerable and
should not be used for any
election till the time the
machines are made
tamper proof, Rao claimed
in his petition.
to UPA would be in focus
during the party
According to
state party spokesperson
Rajendra Choudhury, the
date of the special
convention had been
changed due to the start of
Ramzan from the last week
of August.
July 27, 2009 Times Chennai E-Paper
Carbon emission: India not to
succumb to pressure, says Govt
New Delhi, July 27 : India
will not succumb to any
international pressure on
committing to a legally
binding agreement on
cutting carbon emissions
but will deal with climate
change issues as per its
own plans, Environment
and Forest Minister Jairam
Ramesh said on Monday.
"Under no
international agreement,
will we accept legally
binding mitigations," he
said, replying to questions
in Rajya Sabha.
H e s a i d
Parliament will be taken
into confidence on
measures drawn by New
Delhi.
At the recent
meeting of four of the eight
industralised nations (G-8)
in Italy, India made no
commitment to cutting
emissions, he said. The G-
8 declaration sets an
aspirational objective for
2050 and "there is no
mention of pressuring
developing countries like
India to cut emissions."
"India will not
come under any pressure,"
he said. "We will not
commit to any law or
agreement that will hinder
our progress and
development," he said.
The minister said,
"We accept our
responsibility but we will
Govt mulling higher stake in
NFDC, says minister
New Delhi, July 27 : The
Government is mulling on
raising its equity in the
N a t i o n a l F i l m
Development Corporation
(NFDC) in an attempt to
revive the premier film
making institution,
Information and
Broadcasting Minister
Ambika Soni said on
Monday.
Replying to
questions in Rajya Sabha,
she said Rs 20 crore
working capital loan was
extended to NFDC in 2005-
06 and 2006-07. Further,
Rs 6.5 crore was given in
2008-09.
"We are thinking
of increasing equity (in
NFDC)," she said.
658 pilgrims leave for
Amarnath cave shrine
Jammu, Jul 27 : A fresh
batch of 658 pilgrims,
including 382 men, 6
children and 191 sadhus,
today left for Amarnath
cave shrine in South
Kashmir Himalayas amid
tight security cover, an
official spokesman said.
A caravan of 19
not accept any
agreement which legally
binds us to cut
emissions."
M r. R a m e s h
said India has
categorically stated that
its per capita carbon
emission will at no stage
exceed the per capita
ca rb o n e m i s s i o n o f
developed nations.
India, Mr. Ramesh said,
has taken several steps
to tackle ozone depletion
and the phasing out of
ozone depleting
chemicals was on
schedule.
Carbon di-oxide
emissions are not only a
danger to India but to the
world, he said adding
most of the carbon di-
oxide emissions come
from coal-based power
plants.
The Minister
said in 2003, the first
macro assessment of
climate change on India
was done but no clear
impact was seen.
A second
comprehensive
assessment is being
carried out to find the
impact of climate change
on monsoon, glaciers,
mountains, environment,
health, irrigation and
agriculture among
others.
T h e drought.
Soni said her
ministry has written to
other ministries and chief
ministers to use NFDC
facilities for making
publicity films.
"We are trying
to source work (for
NFDC) so that NFDC's
talent can be used to its
optimum capacity," she
said and denied any
move to shift its head
office from Mumbai to
Delhi.
P o w e r :
Government is confident
of achieving the 78,000
megawatt electricity
generation capacity
target for the XIth Five
Year Plan, Minister of
State for Power
vehicles, including 15
State Road Transport
Corporation buses, one
private bus, a LMV and
one motorcycle left the
Yatri Bhawan here at
0500 hrs and 0505 hrs,
the spokesman added.
Two-month
amaranth pilgrimage
National Page 5
Woman's stripping shows bad
law and order situation in Bihar: RJD
assessment will be New Delhi, July 27 : The and in the presence of ''sushashan'' (good
completed by December Rashtriya Janata Dal hundreds of people, governance) in the state,
2010. (RJD) today strongly including some traffic he said this incident has
Based on the condemned the stripping policemen and some TV revealed their false claim
first assessment, "there of a woman in broad channel cameras, she and the serious law and
is conclusive scientific daylight in Patna recently was stripped and nothing order situation in the state.
evidence to suggest that and said the 'shameful was done to stop it even What was more
climate change was incident' indicated the though a police station shameful was that a
impacting monsoon," he serious law and order was nearby. Minister in the state
said. "After the second situation in Bihar. Pointing out government defended the
assessment, we will be Raising the that the previous RJD incident on the ground that
able to say with some issue during Zero Hour in Government was the victim was of loose
authority on how climate the Rajya Sabha, RJD criticised for ''jungle raj'' character, he said and
change is impacting leader Rajniti Prasad by the present JD(U)- wondered whether the
monsoon, glaciers and said the woman was BJP Government which Government was
mountains." dragged out of a hotel claims to have brought endorsing such incidents.
The Inter-
governmental Plan on
Climate Change in its 4th
Assessment Report Life disrupted, train movement
published in 2007,
human beings are stalled due to JDP's 12-hour bandh
exposed to climate
change through Kolkata, July 27 : Life committed on Adivasis roads. Shops and business
changing weather was affected in several and taking up steps for establishments, schools
partners and indirectly south Bengal districts their development.'' A and educational institutions
through changes in today following a 12-hour report from Purulia said in the Maoist-affected
water, air, food quality statewide bandh called life came to a standstill in areas remained closed
a n d q u a n t i t y, by the Jharkhand the Jungle Mahal areas, while attendance in
ecosystems, agriculture Dishom Party (JDP) to including Sarenga, government and private
and economy. demand immediate Bandwan, Bagmundi and offices was thin.
"However, no withdrawal of the Balarampur, in response Train movement
direct link has been combined security forces to the bandh call. The on several divisions of
established between carrying out the anti- Maoist-dominated areas Eastern Railway (ER) was
human induced climate naxal operation in of Bankura were also disrupted by JDP activists
change and mortality," he Lalgarh. disrupted due to the to enforce the bandh. Five
said adding climate JDP state bandh. However, it did short distance trains were
change projections president Abhiram Besra not have much impact on obstructed on Howrah-
indicate increased risk of told UNI, ''We have called the town and urban Bardhaman chord line
more intense, frequent the bandh to press for our areas. since 0600 hours while
and longer lasting heat 13-point charter of Several inter- three and two trains
waves, summer dryness demands, including state passenger bus respectively were
and greater risk of immediate withdrawal of services had to be obstructed on Bandel-
the flush-out operation at cancelled as the bandh Bardhaman main line and
Lalgarh, stopping the supporters raised Seoraphulli-Tarakeswar
atrocities being blockades on important section.
Bharatsinh Solanki said
to another question.
"We will be
reaching very close to the
target," he said adding
the Government was in
favour of setting up more
ultra mega power
projects.
According to the
report of the Expert
Committee the
projections for energy
requirement under
various GDP growth
rates and elasticity
scenarios range from
521 to 570 million tons of
oil equivalent for 2011-12
and 684 to 807 million
tons of oil equivalent for
2016-17.
started from shorter
Baltal route on June 15,
after a week delay from
the schedule, while the
traditional Pahalgam-
Chandanwari route was
opened for yatris on June
26.
Page 6
Musharraf advised to delay
his return to Pak: report
Islamabad, July 27: With
his tenure as President of
Suu Kyi trial enters final
phase in Myanmar
Yangon, July 27: The trial
of Myanmar democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi
entered its final phase
M o n d a y, w i t h t h e
prosecution scheduled to
deliver its closing
arguments, a government
official said.
Suu Kyi, 64, is
charged with violating the
terms of her house arrest
by harboring an uninvited
American man who swam
to her lakeside home and
stayed for two days. She
faces a possible five years
in prison.
Suu Kyi's lawyer
Nyan Win said he expected
the verdict to be delivered
in two to three weeks.
The official, who
demanded anonymity
since he was not
authorized to speak to the
press, said the lawyer for
American John W. Yettaw,
53, of Falcon, Missouri, will
also give his final
arguments. Two female
companions of Suu Kyi
were to present statements
before the court.
Diplomats from
the United States,
Singapore, Australia,
Japan, the Philippines and
Malaysia were allowed to
attend the session, one of
the diplomats told
reporters.
Washington,
which has posted no
ambassador to Myanmar,
is represented by the
deputy chief of mission,
Larry Dinger.
Ye t t a w w a s
charged with criminal
trespass, which carries a
maximum jail term of three
months. He also faces a
Times Chennai E-Paper
Pakistan coming up for
scrutiny by the country's
highest court, Pervez
Musharraf has put off his
return here from London
for the time being as
advised by his close
aides.
Mr Musharraf,
who had consulted legal
luminaries to represent
him in the Supreme Court
in his defence, has made
a sudden about turn to
d e fe r h i s r e tu r n to
Pakistan, fuelling
speculation whether he
would come back to the
country to face trial.
The Supreme
Court had last week
asked Mr Musharraf to
municipal charge for
swimming in a non-
swimming area and is
accused of immigration
violations.
Ye t t a w h a s
pleaded not guilty and
explained in court that he
had a dream that
Suu Kyi would be
assassinated and
he had gone to warn
her.
``I will try my
best to defend my
client. I will argue
that he did not
v i o l a t e t h e
restriction order and
I will try my utmost to
get him lesser
punishment,'' Khin
Maung Oo, Yettaw's
lawyer, said over the
weekend.
Tried on the
same charges as the
Nobel Peace Prize
laureate are Khin Khin
Win and her daughter
Win Ma Ma, who have
long been Suu Kyi's
companions during her
house arrest. Both are
members of Suu Kyi's
National League for
Democracy party.
The trial has
drawn condemnation
from the international
community and Suu Kyi's
local supporters, who
worry the ruling junta has
found an excuse to keep
her behind bars through
elections planned for
next year.
At an Asia-
Pacific security forum last
week, U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton
offered Myanmar the
prospect of better
relations with the United
States, but said that
depended in part on the
fate of Suu Kyi.
Myanmar state
media rejected the
criticism, accusing
Clinton and others calling
for Suu Kyi's release of
``interference.''
The trial started
May 18. The court had
approved 23 prosecution
witnesses, of which 14
took the stand. Only two
out of four defense
witnesses were allowed.
World
appear before it and
explain his action of
imposing Emergency in
2007 and sacking of 60
judges, including Chief
Justice Iftikhar
Mohammed Chaudhary.
T h e Sens. Jon Kyl,
Newsreported on
Monday that Mr
Musharraf was advised
by his aides to delay his
return as they feel that his
adversaries may drag
him to court on various
counts and also because
some extremist groups
have become active in
the wake of speculation
regarding his coming
back to Pakistan.
Myanmar, also
known as Burma, has
been under military rule
since 1962.
Suu Kyi's
opposition party won
national elections in
1990, but Myanmar's
generals refused to
relinquish power. Suu Kyi
has been under house
arrest for 14 of the past
20 years.
Sarah Palin steps down
as Alaska governor
Fair Banks, July 27:
Sarah Palin stepped
down on Sunday as
Alaska governor to write
a book and build a right-
of-center coalition, but
she left her long-term
political plans unclear
and refused to address
speculation she would
seek a 2012 presidential
bid.
In a fiery
campaign-style speech,
Ms. Palin said she was
stepping down to take her
political battles to a larger
if unspecified stage and
avoid an unproductive,
lame duck status.
``With this
decision, now, I will be
able to fight even harder
for you, for what is right,
and for truth. And I have
never felt that you need a
title to do that,'' Palin said
to raucous applause from
about 5,000 people
Senate warns against concessions
on nuclear treaty
Washington, July 27:
The Senate is making it
clear to the Obama
administration that it will
look askance at
concessions, particularly
on missile defense, that
the United States might
make to conclude a new
nuclear arms reduction
treaty with Russia.
In several
resolutions included in a
defense budget bill
passed late Thursday, the
Senate went on record
endorsing a missile
defense system being
considered for Eastern
Europe that
Russia detests, and
warning against any arms
treaty with Russia that
puts limits on that system.
President
Barack Obama and
Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev, meeting in
Moscow earlier this
month, set a goal of
reducing strategic
warheads by about a
third, to a range of 1,500
to 1,675. The intent would
be to come up with a
nuclear arms reduction
pact to replace the
Strategic Arms Reduction
Treaty, or START, which
expires Dec. 5.
But treaties
must be ratified by 67
gathered at Pioneer Park
in Fairbanks.
Her first order of
business as a private
citizen is to speak Aug. 8
at the Ronald Reagan
Presidential Library in
California. She also
wants to campaign for
political candidates from
coast to coast, and
continue to speak her
mind on the social
networking site Twitter,
one of her favorite
venues to reach out to
supporters.
Free speech
was a theme of her
farewell speech at a
crowded picnic in
Fairbanks, as the 45-
year-old outgoing
governor scolded
``some seemingly hell-
bent on tearing down
our nation'' and
warned Americans to
``be wary of accepting
government largesse.
It doesn't come free.''
She also took
aim at the media,
s a y i n g h e r
replacement, Lt. Gov.
Sean Parnell, ``has a
very nice family too, so
leave his kids alone!''
And she told the media:
``How about, in honor of
the American soldier, you
quit makin' things up?''
She didn't
elaborate, but Ms. Palin
said when she
announced her
resignation July 3 that
she was tired of the
media focus on her family
and felt she had been
senators or two-thirds of
those present, giving the
Senate's 40 Republicans,
with their traditional
advocacy of a strong
nuclear deterrent, rare
leverage.
a Republican from
A r i z o n a , a n d J e ff
S e s s i o n s , a
Republican from
Alabama, won voice
approval Thursday of a
non-binding ``sense of
the Senate'' resolution
that the START follow-
on treaty not include
limits on ballistic
missile defense, space
capabilities or
advanced conventional
weapons.
It also called on
the president to report on
the administration's plans
to enhance the safety,
security and reliability of
U.S. nuclear weapons.
On another
voice vote, the Senate
endorsed a resolution by
Sessions and Sen. Joe
Lieberman, an
Independent from
Connecticut, expressing
support for a ground-
based midcourse missile
defense system in
Poland and the Czech
Republic. Alternative
sites should be
considered only if they
are equally capable of
protecting the United
S t a t e s a n d
Europe from future long-
range Iranian missiles, it
said.
Lieberman said
the resolutions ``are our
way of sending a
message both to the
administration and to the
Russians.'' He said he is
open to options other
than Poland and the
Czech Republic
as sites for a missile
defense system,
including missile defense
cooperation with Russia,
but ``not at the cost of in
any way diminishing our
security.''
Obama has
made no final decision on
proceeding with the
Poland-Czech plan,
proposed during the
administration of
President George W.
Bush. Russian leaders
unfairly treated by
reporters and bloggers.
L a t e r o n
Sunday, Ms. Palin posted
her final message on her
official Alaska account on
the social networking site
Twitter.
``Thank you
Alaska!'' she wrote. ``I
love you. God bless
Alaska. God bless the
U.S.A.''
Lt. Gov. Parnell, 46, of
Anchorage, was sworn in
on Sunday as the state's
new governor.
``I'm firmly
convinced that Alaska's
greatest days are
ahead,'' Lt. Gov. Parnell
said in pledging to
continue Palin's policies,
which he said ``put
Alaska first.''
July 27, 2009
say deployment of a missile
defense system in Eastern
Europe is a direct threat to
t h e i r c o u n t r y. T h e y
suggested that progress on
an arms agreement could
hinge on the U.S. giving up
its missile defense plan.
Sessions said he
was concerned that the
Obama administration was
pursuing alternatives to the
Poland-Czech proposal
``as part of a grand strategy
to reset relations with
Russia and
conclude a follow-on to the
START nuclear reduction
agreement.''
He said he was
baffled by Russian
``bluster.''
``Perhaps this is a
way they think they can
extract concessions from
the United States as a
bargaining chip,'' Sessions
said.
Conservatives
would not be overly
concerned about the
numbers in a new arms
reduction treaty if the
administration doesn't look
like it is abandoning missile
defense and other areas
such as weapons
development, said
Stephen Flanagan, an
international security
specialist at the Center for
Strategic and International
Studies.
Another factor is
that the urgency Cold War
arms talks had no longer
exists, said Gary Schmitt,
director of advanced
strategic studies at the
American Enterprise
Institute.
``The Obama
administration can
overestimate how much
momentum there is for
doing anything in this area,''
Schmitt said.
Schmitt said
senators will question any
treaty that comes to them
before the Pentagon
c o m p l e t e s a
congressionally mandated
Nuclear Posture Review.
That report on nuclear
threats and deterrent
capabilities is due by the
end of 2010.
In 1999, during
the Clinton administration,
the Senate rejected the
Comprehensive Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty after its
supporters couldn't muster
even a simple majority.
S e n a t o r s
contended the treaty, which
the United States
informally abides by, lacked
adequate means of
verification. Obama has
expressed interest in trying
to get it ratified by the
Senate.
July 27, 2009
Porsche plans to sell 50 units
of Panamera this year
Chennai, July 27 : three years ago.
German car maker
Porsche plans atleast 50
units of its premium luxury
sedan Panamera to be
driven on the Indian roads
this year.
The Panamera
range of luxury sedan cars
are set to hit the Indian
markets by October 3 and
will cost between Rs 1.4
crore to Rs 2 crore.
H o w e v e r ,
bookings for 13 cars has
been completed in India,
Precision Cars India MD
Rod Wallace told PTI here.
Precision Cars
India, which is the official
importer of the Porsche
range of cars and sells the
popular SUV Cayenne in
the country has sold
around 650 cars since it
entered the Indian market
Bank of Baroda Q1 net zooms
85 pc at Rs 685 cr
Mumbai, July 27 : Public
sector lender Bank of
Baroda on Monday
reported a jump of 85 per
cent in its net profit for the
first quarter ended June 30
to Rs 685.38 crore, over
the same period a year
ago.
The bank had a
net profit of Rs 370.86
SC refuses relief to Lodha;
directs Calcutta HC to hear matter
New Delhi, July 27: The
Supreme Court on Monday
refused to offer relief to
Harsh Vardhan Lodha,
who had sought a stay on a
Company Law Board
interim order that barred
him from chairing the Birla
Corp annual general
meeting (AGM).
The AGM was
slated for today.
The Supreme
Court also directed the
Calcutta High Court to hear
petition by Lodha and Birla
Times Chennai E-Paper
However, 65 per cent of
the sales came from the
'Cayenne', he said.
"In 2007, we
sold around 168 units
while in 2008 it was 150.
However with the
Panamera we hope to
reach 225 over the next
12 month period", he
said.
He said the
company had set up a
new plant in Germany
exclusively to
manufacture about
20,000 units of the
Panamera range of cars.
The total
production at its German
plant has declined from
98,000 units (in 2008) to
80,000 units this year
due to recession, he said.
The Indian
crore during the June
quarter last financial year
(2008-09), the bank said
in a filing to the Bombay
Stock Exchange (BSE).
Total income
also rose to Rs 4,735.15
crore during the April-
June quarter of current
fiscal (2009-10) from Rs
3,806.37 crore of the
camps tomorrow.
Lodha had
moved to the Calcutta
High Court challenging
the CLB interim order on
the AGM of the Birla
Corp, to which Harsh's
father R S Lodha had
staked claim to citing the
To advertise in
this paper mail to:
adsales@timeschennai.com
Business Page 7
Talks on to resolve strike
in Hyundai Motors
operations contribute a Chennai, July 27 : communications head union chief said they will
small percentage to the Discussion are on Rajiv Mitra told IANS. meet Tamil Nadu labour
global sales while the b e t w e e n t h e W o r k e r s minister.
US, Europe, China and management and belonging to Hyundai " T h e
the Middle East are the workers of Hyundai Motor India Employees management is in
'big' markets, he said. Motor India Limited, who Union (HMIEU), struck d i s c u s s i o n s w i th th e
went on strike Thursday, work Thursday evening officials of labour
and company officials are protesting against a department. Once that
hopeful of a amicable wage agreement signed gets over we may meet the
solution Monday. b e t w e e n t h e state labour minister and
"Discussions management and a rival the department officials,"
are on between the workers' committee. A. Soundararajan,
management and the Ta l k s b e t w e e n t h e honorary president of
union and we hope an management and the HMIEU and general
amicable solution is union ended in a secretary of Centre for
arrived by the end of the stalemate Saturday Trade Unions (CITU), told
d a y, " H y u n d a i ' s night. IANS.
c o r p o r a t e The employees
HCL partners with eBaoTech Corp for
insurance management solutions
New Delhi, Jul 27 : As per the deal, outsourcing, and program
Software services firm HCL will work with management. Together, we
HCL Technologies Ltd eBaoTech to identify will help insurance carriers
today said it has formed fitment of eBaoTech and intermediaries adopt
To a q u e r y, an alliance with products in select innovative IT solutions that
Wallace said Mumbai eBaoTech Corporation, geographies. would allow them to gain
was the biggest market software services ' ' W e a r e better process efficiencies
for the company which provider for the pleased to collaborate in a cost effective manner,''
contributes 60 per cent to insurance industry, to with HCL to leverage e B a o T e c h
the company's sales in jointly provide web- HCL's strong capabilities Corporation CEO Woody
India, followed by Delhi based insurance process i n b u s i n e s s Mo said in a statement.
with 30 per cent, while management solutions. management, IT
the remaining 10 per cent
comes from the rest of
the country.
The company
currently has two dealers Chinese chocolates banned
each in New Delhi and
Mumbai. It would be in India: Anand Sharma
opening three more
dealerships each in New Delhi, July 27: international standards imposed a ban on Chinese
Chennai, Hyderabad and India has banned import are being allowed to be toys on grounds of health
Cochin. of chocolates and imported to India," he and safety of children.
chocolate products from said. On concerns
China, Commerce raised by
Minister Anand members on
Sharma told the Lok
Sabha on Monday.
Chinese mobile
phones flooding
India had
banned import of
Indian markets,
Sharma said
corresponding period a milk and milk there is a ban on
year earlier. products from China sale of handsets
During the in September last that do not have
quarter, it earned an year and the ban has the International
interest of Rs 4,032.11 been extended to M o b i l e
crore, up over 22 per cent chocolate and Equipment
compared to Rs 3,293.82 chocolate products, Identification
c r o r e o f t h e he said during (IMEI) number.
corresponding quarter Question Hour. "Already
last year. Sharma , imports of
said the ban was mobile phones
imposed after it was that do not have
found that some
dairy products
IMEI number
have been
imported from China banned," he
contained melamine, said.
consumption of Sharma
which is harmful for Sharma said
purported 1999 will of said the ban on mobiles
humans. China had raised the
Priyamvada Birla. that do not have the IMEI
He sought to issue of Indian
Some Birla number was imposed on
assure the House that restrictions on import of
family members have July 16 this year.
international food Chinese toys at the WTO
contested the Lodha Technical Barriers to
standards were being
family claim on Rs 5,000 Trade Committee in
"rigidly" adhered to while
crore M P Birla estate.
importing food products
from all countries,
March and June this
year.
Read
including China.
Similar action
China had
mentioned that these Times Chennai
was taken on import of
toys, which contained
restrictions on import of
Chinese toys were E-Paper
discriminatory and in
high lead content, he
said. breach of the WTO rules, Today and
"Only those
toys that meet
he said.
India had
clarified that it had
every day
Page 8 Times Chennai E-Paper
Gavaskar returns to MCA fold
after a decade; to head CIC
Mumbai, Jul 27 : Former head the Mumbai Cricket
captain master Sunil Association's Cricket
I m p r o v e m e n t
Committee.
Gavaskar was
named as the chairman
of the CIC, dealing with
all cricket matters
i n c l u d i n g t h e
appointment of coaches
and various selection
panels, at the MCA's
Managing Committee
sitting here last evening.
''Gavaskar had
been sounded out (on the
issue of including him on
the committee) by
Sharad Pawar (MCA
President),'' said MCA
sources who added that
Gavaskar has returned 20 sub-committees were
back to his cricketing alma also chosen at the
mater after being named to meeting.
Sania wins Challenger title in USA,
rises in WTA rankings
New Delhi, July 27 : Indian tennis ace Sania
Competing in only her Mirza clinched the USD
50,000 ITF title
in Lexington,
USA after an
upset win over
top seed Julie
Coin.
The Indian, who
was seeded
second in the
event, defeated
France's Coin 7-
6 (5) 6-4
yesterday. The
last time Sania
competed in a
Challenger
second Challenger event,
Phelps off to winning start at worlds
Rome, July 27: Michael surged into contention.
Phelps and the Americans Matt Grevers did his part
got the best of France on the third leg, and
again in the relay. And just Nathan Adrian pulled it
like Beijing, the world's out for the U.S. with a
greatest swimmer owed a blistering down and back,
big hand to his teammates overtaking the Russians
and holding off the
heavily favored French to
win in 3 minutes, 9.21
seconds.
Phelps pumped
his fists on the pool deck,
then leaned over to
congratulate Adrian --
whose closing act was
reminiscent of Jason
Lezak's amazing final leg
at the Olympics, when he
somehow chased down
Bernard to keep Phelps
on course to win a record
eight golds.
``When we
come into a meet we have
a goal to win all three
relays, and I think this is a
on Sunday.
perfect way to end day
Phelps led off the one,'' Phelps said.
400-meter freestyle relay,
``Relays are raced as a
his first event of the world
team, and I think all four
swimming championships, guys swam a great race.''
but he was only third when ``Coming in to
he turned it over to Ryan
this relay, to be honest, I
Lochte.
felt like a child among
Lochte hung
men,'' Adrian said. ``All of
tough against France's
these guys have made a
hulking Alain Bernard while great name for
surprising Russia also
themselves, they've won
Owned Edited and Published by S. Raghunathan Editorial and Advertisement
Office: F 5 and 6 1st Floor, Leo Complex, New No: 41, Madley Road, T.Nagar, Chennai 600 017. Ph: 42867771, Fax: 42867772
SPORTS
The only time
the former India skipper
had been associated
officially with MCA after
his playing days was a
decade ago in 1998
when he was co-opted as
a vice president to fill in
the spot vacated by ex-
Te s t f a s t b o w l e r
Ramakant Desai after
the latter's death.
Among other
members of the CIC, that
also deals with plans for
Mumbai cricket for the
season, picked
yesterday were former
Mumbai Ranji Trophy
skipper Milind Rege,
Balwinder Singh Sandhu
and Sanjay Manjrekar,
b o t h f o r m e r Te s t
cricketers.
event was way back in
2003.
There was more
good news for Sania,
who recently got
engaged. The 22-year-
old rose three places to
80th in this week's WTA
singles rankings.
However, she
dropped 10 spots to 49th
in the WTA doubles list.
In the ATP rankings,
Leander Paes and
Mahesh Bhupathi held
on to their sixth and
eighth spot respectively
in the doubles list.
individual medals at the
Olympics, and they threw
me on the last leg, so I
had a little bit of pressure
on myself.''
He handled it
just fine. Call him Lezak
Jr.
This time,
France didn't even get the
silver. The Russians
touched second in
3:09.52, while the French
-- who sent out four of the
world's fastest sprinters,
at least on paper -- were
relegated to the bronze at
3:09.89.
N o n e t o o
pleased, they blew off a
news conference for the
three medal-winning
teams.
` ` T h e
Americans have a real
culture of swimming the
relay. That makes the
difference. They've got
the relay in their blood,''
French men's coach
Lionel Horter said. ``Even
when they have a little
problem, like for example,
Phelps didn't swim really
well tonight, they still
swam better than us.''
Indeed, Phelps had the
slowest split among the
Americans, 47.78. Lochte
PCB to seek ICC assurance on govt.
permission to play in World Cup Home
Mumbai, July 27 :
Pakistan Cricket Board
(PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt
will meet ICC president
David Morgan on
Tuesday to discuss the
possible solutions to a
scenario in which the
Pakistan cricket team is
not allowed to play its
2011 World Cup home
matches in India or if the
Pakistan Government
does not allow its team to
play in India.
According to
sources, the visa issue
for Pakistani fans wishing
to travel to India to see
the World Cup matches is
also likely to come up for
discussion.
More players could quit Test
for cash-rich T20 league: Kirsten
New Delhi, Jul 27 : India
coach Gary Kirsten feels
that more players could
follow England all-
rounder Andrew Flintoff
and would quit the Test
cricket to play ODI and
Twenty20 internationals
to fetch more money.
''It's a natural
I can intimidate England with bounce: Clark
Melbourne, Jul 27 :
Right-arm pacer Stuart
Clark feels that he also
has the potential to do for
Australia what Andrew
Flintoff had done for
England in the second
Test of the ongoing Ashes
series.
''I get the ball to
bounce a little bit more
being a little bit taller.
That's probably my
biggest weapon. If you
can get the ball to bounce,
sped through the water in
47.03, Grevers put up
a time of 47.61 and
Adrian _ who won the
100 free at the U.S.
national championships
this month _ closed it out
with the best time of
anyone in the pool,
46.69.
``The best thing
about this relay was they
carried Michael,'' said
Bob Bowman, Phelps'
coach and also in charge
of the U.S. men's team.
``That's what we need.
We need the other
people to step up. It was
great.''
Butt may also
press for a review of
security assessment in
all nations, which are
hosting the 2011 World
Cup matches, said PCB
lawyer Taffazul Rizvi.
Speaking from
Lahore on Sunday, he
said, "As per the host
agreement signed by all
nations hosting World
Cup matches, the PCB
chairman will brief again
(to David Morgan) all
points before deciding
the fate of the hosting
rights."
PCB''s London-
based lawyer Mark Gay
in his first letter to the ICC
also highlighted the
progression that the guys
are then going to say 'I'm
not interested in bowling
25 overs in a day when I
can bowl four overs in a
six-week period and earn
three times as much',''
Kirtsen was quoted as
saying by the 'Cricinfo'.
''The worrying
side that I'm seeing is that
a guy like Andrew Flintoff,
a high profile cricketer,
has now made the
decision to leave Test
cricket, because he feels
that he can get more out
of his body and earn
much more money by
moving away from Test
cricket and playing ODIs
as we saw with Freddie
(Flintoff in the second
Test at Lord's) you can be
a handful,'' Clark
was quoted as
saying by 'The
Australian'.
T h e
right-arm pacer
also believes that
he is closer to a
Test recall after
being Australia's
best bowler
during the
second day of a
three-day tour
match against
English county
s i d e
Northampton.
Clark
claimed two
Northampton
wickets as he
bowled with great control
and consistent
movement in his 14
overs.
''It's always nice
to get a few wickets,''
Clark said after play. ''I
was probably a little bit
rusty to start, but it was a
pretty good day.
July 27, 2009
necessity of re-assessment
of security in all nations,
The Nation reports.
The general
perception in Pakistan is
that the last edition of the
IPL matches were shifted to
South Africa for security
reasons and not due to
elections in India.
Busy with the
PCB''s legal issues (Shoaib
Akhtar and Gadaffi
Stadium property tax),
which are to come up for
hearing on this week,
lawyer Taffazul Rizvi is
unlikely to accompany the
PCB chairman on the
Dubai trip.
and Twenty20 cricket.
He's perfectly
right in his decision. Why
not?'' Flintoff will quit Test
cricket after the ongoing
Ashes series and the
English all-rounder blamed
the decision on his injury-
ravaged body.
Former South
Africa opener Kirsten
further said if countries
wanted Test cricket to
remain as the number one
format then priorities had to
be sorted.
''India plays six
Tests this year. Is that
sufficient or are there other
priorities? I don't know.''
''I probably
bowled better in Worcester
(during a tour match before
the first Test) after playing
two games in a row, but
this wicket was a little bit
more conducive.
''Sometimes your
results get based on how
many wickets you get and
whether you bowled well or
not is irrelevant,'' he
added.