Cauvery authority directs Karnataka to release water

tuesday, july 3, 2018 Delhi

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The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), atits fi��rst meeting here onMonday, directed Karnatakato release water to Tamil Nadu and other States, but didnot discuss Karnataka’s decision to challenge the constitution of the CWMA in theSupreme Court.

“There is no need and nopoint in discussing Karnataka’s challenge…The Authority has nothing to do with it,”Masood Hussain, InterimChairman, CWMA, told TheHindu.

Appeal in SC The Karnataka governmenton Saturday decided to fi��lean appeal in the SupremeCourt against the setting upof the CWMA and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on thegrounds that their formationshould have been discussedin Parliament.

Mr. Hussain said theCWMA had directed Karnataka to release 34 tmcft(thousand million cubic feet)of water from the Biligundulu site. This would be overand above the water released in June, he clarifi��ed.

The CWMA, which is yetto appoint fulltime members, is scheduled to meet

every 10 days during themonsoon months. Based onwater storage in various reservoirs — Hemavathy, Harangi, Krishnarajasagar, Kabini, Mettur, Bhavanisagar,Amaravathy and Banasurasagar — it will recommendhow much water ought to bereleased, in keeping with theSupreme Court’s recent verdict, in these blocks of 10days.

The court’s February verdict said Karnataka wouldget 284.75 tmcft, Tamil Nadu404.25 tmcft and Kerala andPuducherry 30 and 7 tmcftrespectively.

The CWMA includes Tinku Biswal, S.K. Prabhakar, A.Anbarasu and Rakesh Singh,Secretaries of Kerala, Tamil

Nadu, Puducherry and Karnataka looking after the Departments of Water Resources, besides representativesof the Central Water Commission and the Union Ministries of Agriculture andWater Resources. TheCWMA will be headed by theChairman, a senior and eminent engineer or a Secretary/Additional Secretarylevelexecutive with experience inhandling interState waterdisputes. The Authority willhave two wholetime members and six parttime members, including one eachnominated from the riparianStates. There will be a Secretary from the Central WaterEngineering Services cadre,but without voting rights.

Cauvery authority directsKarnataka to release water At fi��rst meet, no discussion on the State’s decision to move SC against CWMA

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI

First fi��at: Karnataka has been asked to release 34 tmcft from the Biligundulu site, over and above the June release.

The Supreme Court onMonday granted the Nuclear Power Corporation ofIndia Ltd. (NPCIL) an extension of time till April 30,2022, to build an AwayFrom Reactor (AFR) facilityto store spent nuclear fuelfrom the Kudankulam power plant.

A threejudge Bench, ledby Chief Justice Dipak Misra, said public interestprompted the court toagree to the NPCIL’s request for an extension oftime to build the facility.

The court did not agreeto the demand by advocatePrashant Bhushan, for activist G. Sundarajan, to shutdown the plant till the facility was ready. It suggestedthat he fi��le an independentapplication and not mixthe issue with the NPCIL’scurrent plea for more time.

Mr. Bhushan said thecontinued operation of theplant without a “deep underground repository” tostore the radioactive spentfuel was an open invitationto a catastrophe. He argued that the AFR facilitywas supposed to be built infi��ve years, but this had notbeen done. In 2013, thecourt granted fi��ve years toNPCIL, till July 2018.

SC rejectsplea to shutKudankulampower plant

Krishnadas Rajagopal

NEW DELHI

CONTINUED ON A PAGE 10

Union Minister of State forHome Kiren Rijiju said onMonday that “rumours andfake news” had become abig menace, amid reportsthat around 20 people hadbeen lynched in diff��erentparts of the country in thepast one month followingchildlifting rumours spreadprimarily throughWhatsApp.

“State governments andall government agencies,along with NGOs, need tocome together and createbetter awareness,” he said.“Rumours and fake newsare posing a danger to innocent lives.”

Though the Union HomeMinistry has not issued anyadvisory, several States hadtaken initiatives to informand educate the public.

“Our social media team isactive at the State and district levels,” said O.P. Singh,Uttar Pradesh DGP. “Themoment we get such information, we immediatelyscotch the rumour... We respond and react.”

‘There is a need for better awareness’

Vijaita Singh

Jagriti Chandra

New Delhi

Rijiju tells Statesto fi��ght fake news

Ganga impact: A man helps a biker wade through a fl��ooded road at Danapur in Patna on Monday after water level in the Ganga river increased following the recent rains. * PTI

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Water ride

Vedanta Resources is set todelist from the LondonStock Exchange after thefamily trust of Anil Agarwalagreed to buy the remaining 33.47% minority stakein the company, valuingthe fi��rm at £2.325 billion.

While the companysought to portray the development as a ‘natural progression,’ the move followsevents at its group fi��rmSterlite Copper in Thoothukudi and calls from campaigners and Britain’s Labour Party for thecompany to be delisted. InMay, protests in Thoothukudi, demanding the permanent closure of Sterlitesmelter, led to police fi��ring,resulting in several deaths.

Vedanta set to delist from LSE

Vidya Ram

London

‘NO LONGER NEEDED’ A PAGE 13

The Karnataka governmentwill take stock of theoutcome of the meeting ofthe Cauvery WaterManagement Authority afterthe budget is presented onJuly 5. Sources in the ChiefMinister’s offi��ce said thegovernment was assessingthe situation. WaterResources Minister D.K.Shivakumar said thegovernment would inviteleaders from the Cauveryarea for a meeting betweenJuly 6 and 10. A PAGE 5

Karnataka toconvene meet

The ruling AIADMK and theOpposition DMK claimedcredit in the Assembly soonafter the decision taken atthe fi��rst meeting of theCauvery Water ManagementAuthority was made public.Speaker P. Dhanapalrecalled the eff��orts made bythe late Chief MinisterJayalalithaa to achieve thegoal. DMK leaderDuraimurugan said hisparty leader M. Karunanidhialso contributed immenselyto the cause.

AIADMK, DMKclaim credit

A day after fi��ve persons of anomadic community werelynched in Dhule district ofMaharashtra on suspicionof being childlifters, ChiefMinister Devendra Fadnavison Monday announced acompensation of ₹��5 lakheach for the families of thedeceased. Twentythreepersons were taken intocustody. A page 7

23 arrested forDhule lynching

A secondyear undergraduate student of the autonomous Maharaja’s College,Ernakulam, who was amember of the StudentsFederation of India (SFI),was stabbed to death, allegedly by activists of theCampus Front of India andthe Popular Front of Indiahere on Sunday night, following diff��erences overgraffi��ti welcoming newcomers.

Abhimanyu, 20, a student of B.Sc. Environmental Chemistry and a resident of Vattavada inIdukki, succumbed to injuries before he was broughtto the Government GeneralHospital.

Two other SFI workerswere stabbed by the assailants.

SFI membermurdered inErnakulam

Special Correspondent

KOCHI


The data collected duringthe 2021 Census will bestored electronically, thefi��rst time since the decennialexercise was conducted in1951 in Independent India.

According to an amendedrule notifi��ed by the RegistrarGeneral of India on June19, “The schedules and otherconnected papers shall bedisposed of totally or in partby the Director of CensusOperations, after creating anelectronic record of suchdocuments.” A Home Ministry spokesperson said tillnow the “schedules” (a tabular form containing details of

individuals), carried by enumerators to households,were being stored in a physical form at the government’sstorehouse in Delhi. It isbased on these schedulesthat the relevant statisticalinformation on population,language and occupation aresorted and published. “Therecords, running into croresof pages, were occupyingspace in government offi��ceand it has now been decidedthat they will be stored in anelectronic format. Any tampering with the data will invite punishment under theIT Act, 2000,” said the spokesperson.

2021 census data to be stored electronically Vijaita Singh

New Delhi



REPORTS ON PAGES 15 & 16

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Twelve boys and their assistant football coach havebeen found alive by rescuersinside a Thai cave complexnine days after they wentmissing, Chiang Rai province’s governor said on Monday.

The boys, aged between 11and 16, went missing withthe 25yearold after footballpractice on June 23. They setout to explore the ThamLuang cave complex in a forest park near the borderwith Myanmar.

Massive rescue A massive international rescue eff��ort has been underway since, with rescue teamsbattling through thick mudand high water to try toreach the group in the cavenetwork that stretches 10 km(6 miles) into a mountain.

“Thai Navy SEALs have

found all 13 with signs oflife,” Governor NarongsakOsottanakorn told reporterswho have been following theincreasingly desperatesearch that has gripped thecountry.

It remains unclear whether any of the group are injured or in need of medical

attention, but they havebeen given energy gels tosustain them while a plan isworked out to bring them tosafety.

As the days wore on withthe group missing, distraught family members hadplaced fruit, desserts, sugarydrinks and sweets on mats

near the cave as an off��eringto the spirits which some people believe protect the caveand the forest.

Rescuers had been working on Monday to clear aconstricted passageway fordivers deep inside the fl��ooded complex in a search operation that has been hampered by heavy rain.

Divers from Thailand’selite Navy SEAL unit hadbeen focusing on an elevatedmound, which cavers havenamed “Pattaya Beach”,which could have providedthe boys with a refuge whenrains fl��ooded the cave.

Captain Jessica Tait fromthe U.S. Air Force’s rescuesupport team said therewere “lots of challenges”throughout the search, butthe eff��ort had brought thecountry together.

Thai divers fi��nd 12 boys, coach aliveThey had gone missing in a cave in northern Thailand nine days ago

Joy unbound: Relatives of the missing boys show their photos after they were found alive in the cave. * GETTY IMAGES

Reuters

CHIANG RAI (Thailand)

RELATIVES ELATED A PAGE 12

DELHI METRO A 6 PAGES

CMYK

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A day after 11 members of afamily were found hangingat their home in Burari, thepolice on Monday said theyhave recovered two notebooks that contain a detailed account of what thefamily did prior to allegedly committing suicide.

“We have found handwritten notes detailinghow the hands and legs areto be tied... quite similar tothe manner in which thebodies of 10 of the 11 deceased were found,” saidJCP (Crime) Alok Kumar.

Burari deaths:notes revealchilling details SAURABH TRIVEDI

New Delhi

DETAILS A DELHI METRO PAGE 1

https://t.me/pdf4exams https://www.estore33.com/ https://t.me/TheHindu_Zone_officialhttps://t.me/pdf4exams https://www.estore33.com/ https://t.me/TheHindu_Zone_official

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NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU

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DELHI Timings

Tuesday, July 03

RISE 05:28 SET 19:23

RISE 22:55 SET 09:42

Wednesday, July 04

RISE 05:28 SET 19:23

RISE 23:30 SET 10:35

Thursday, July 05

RISE 05:29 SET 19:23

RISE 00:00 SET 11:29

The Supreme Court on Monday granted liberty to threewitnesses, who had allegedharassment at the hands ofspecial investigation teamprobing the Kathua gangrapeandmurder case, toapproach the Jammu andKashmir High Court withtheir grievances.

A Bench headed by ChiefJustice Dipak Misra tooknote of the submissions ofthe Jammu and Kashmir government that the three witnesses have already been reexamined and “treated aswitnesses” and the policehad never thought of “implicating them as accusedpersons”.

The three witnesses, SahilSharma, Sachin Sharma andNeeraj Sharma, who werethe classmates of one of thekey accused in college, hadalleged harassment by theSIT and had sought an independent inquiry into it.

The Bench, also comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkarand D.Y. Chandrachud, saidwhile disposing of their pleathat granting liberty to thewitnesses to move the HighCourt “should not be con

strued as an expression ofany kind of doubt with regard to the investigationprocess”.

Senior advocate GopalSubramanium and advocateShoeb Alam, appearing forthe Jammu and Kashmir government, informed thecourt that the witnesseshave already been reexamined and their statementshave been rerecorded and itwas never considered tomake them accused in thematter.

Earlier, the apex courthad allowed the three college students to be accompa

nied by their relatives duringtheir further questioning bythe Jammu and KashmirPolice.

Videography rejectedThe top court, which had rejected the plea for videography during the quizzing ofthe three witnesses by theCrime Branch, had asked thepolice to carry out the probein “fair manner”.

The students, aged between 19 and 20 years, hadalleged that they were harassed and coerced by thepolice and summoned to rerecord their statements.

SC asks Kathua rape casewitnesses to move HCThree classmates of accused had alleged harassment by SITPRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi

Monsoon is here: Locals and tourists take cover as Shimla is lashed by heavy rain on Monday. * PTI


Shimla downpour

Milk for school studentsin RajasthanJAIPUR

Rajasthan Chief Minister

Vasundhara Raje on Monday

launched a scheme in the

State to provide milk to

students of Class I to VIII. PTI

IN BRIEF

The condition of the eightyearold girl, who wasgangraped in Mandsaur inMadhya Pradesh, was improving and likely to beshifted out of the IntensiveCare Unit soon, a hospitaloffi��cial said on Monday.

“There has been a lot ofimprovement in the girl’shealth in the past 24 hours.She is having adequate semisolid food,” hospital superintendent told reporters. “She was able to walkin the ICU today with thehelp of medical personnel.She can be sent to the general ward from the ICUsoon,” he added.

The hospital is also taking the help of psychiatrists to ensure that the girlrecovers from the trauma.

‘Minor rapevictimimproving’

Press trust of india

Indore (M.P.)

The medical report of an accused in the Kathua casewho had claimed to be a juvenile was submitted beforethe district and sessionscourt here on Monday bythe police’s Crime Branch inwhich his age was stated tobe more than 20 years, special public prosecutor J.K.Chopra said.

District and SessionsJudge Tajwinder Singh hadissued directions to theCrime Branch to conduct abone ossifi��cation test to ascertain the age of ParveshKumar alias ‘Mannu’, one ofthe eight accused.

“The report has beensubmitted and fi��nal arguments on it will be concluded tomorrow ,” Mr. Choprasaid.

Accused ‘juvenile’ above20 years: medical reportPRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Pathankot

Facing severe criticism fromseveral quarters over its failure to tackle the drug menace bedevilling the State,the Punjab government onMonday decided to recommend death penalty for drugpeddlers and smugglers tothe Centre. The Oppositionparties, however, continuedto lay the blame for diredrugs scenario squarely atthe door of the Congressgovernment.

The Punjab Cabinet in itsmeeting held here, chairedby Chief Minister AmarinderSingh, resolved to send a formal recommendation ofdeath penalty for drug smugglers and peddlers to the Union government soon.

An offi��cial statement saidthat State would also constitute a special working groupunder the chairmanship ofAdditional Chief Secretary(Home) N.S. Kalsi to reviewand monitor, on a daytodaybasis, the action being takento check drug abuse.

The Cabinet also tookstock of the cases of deathsresulting from drug over

dose, which Special TaskForce chief H.S. Sidhu admitted to be a matter of concern. Mr. Sidhu suggested registration of all such cases toenable the identifi��cation andmitigation of risk factors,such as supply of spuriousdrugs and mixing of drugswith other deathcausingsubstances.

Leaders and workers ofthe Aam Aadmi Party held asitin demonstration inChandigarh on the issue of

rising drug menace in theState. AAP leaders BhagwantMann, Sukhpal Singh Khairaand Balbir Singh marched towards the residence of theChief Minister but werestopped by the police. Theprotesters then staged a“dharna” and raised slogansagainst the government.

“The Congress has failedto stop the drug menace inthe State. A few infl��uentialpolice offi��cers are part of thedrug trade,” alleged Mr.

Khaira, adding that a highcourtmonitored CBI inquiryis must in the case. He alsodemanded that the Chief Minister immediately call anallparty meeting. “Also aspecial session of the PunjabVidhan Sabha on the issue ofdrugs should be convened,”he said.

The Shiromani Akali Dalsaid that all Punjabis, risingabove political affi��liations,must fi��ght the common enemy of drugs.

Drug peddlers: Punjabwants capital punishmentState govt. to recommend death penalty for off��enders to the Centre

VIKAS VASUDEVA

CHANDIGARH

Aam Aadmi Party supporters protest in Chandigarh on Monday against alleged inaction by theState government on the drugs problem. * AKHILESH KUMAR

The 69th birth anniversaryof Kurmi leader and thefounder of the Apna Dal,Sone Lal Patel, turned into ashow of strength betweenthe two splinters of the party on Monday with the BJPas well as the Oppositionparties using the event to cement their ties with alliesahead of the 2019 Lok Sabhaelections.

While the Krishna Patelfaction of the Apna Dal helda function in Varanasi, thesplinter led by her daughterand Union Minister of Statefor Health Anupriya Patelorganised a programme inmemory of her father inLucknow. This was the fi��rsttime any of the factions ofthe Apna Dal organised aprogramme on July 2 inLucknow; the birth anniversary celebrations of SoneLal Patel have traditionallybeen held in Varanasi, theheart of Purvanchal.

Central Minister Anupriya Patelled Apna Dal (S) andthe Apna Dal led by hermother, Krishna Patel, havebeen battling each other forthe political legacy of SoneLal, who had substantialclout among Kurmis in theMirzapurVaranasiAllahabad region. He died in 2009in a road accident.

While the Krishna Patelfaction snapped ties withthe BJP before the 2017 elections, the Anupriya Patelfaction is a coalition partnerwith the BJP at the Centreand the State.

Organising a ‘Jan Swabhiman Diwas’ in the memoryof her father in Lucknow,Ms. Anupriya Patel's programme featured Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union MinisterRam Vilas Paswan as specialdignitaries.

The sharing of stage ofMr. Paswan and Ms. Anupriya Patel is seen as the BJP’sattempt to consolidate Dalitand backward votes in wakeof the increasing proximityand electoral success of theSamajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in the bypolls in Gorakhpur, Phulpurand Kairana.

Apna Dal (S) spokesperson Arvind Sharma told The

Hindu that the party decided to hold the birth anniversary in Lucknow for the fi��rsttime in its history to shedthe “tag of a Purvanchal party” and “cement” Ms. Anupriya Patel’s growing position as a panU.P. backwardface.

Apna Dal factionshold parallel eventsShow of strength on birth anniversary

Omar Rashid

LUCKNOW

Union Minister Ram VilasPaswan and U.P. CM YogiAdityanath at an Apna Dal(S) function in Lucknow onMonday. * RAJEEV BHATT


CMYK

THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI

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EAST

The Congress LegislatureParty in Odisha has soughtan appointment with PrimeMinister Narendra Modi tohand over a cheque for ₹��20lakh for upgrading the IspatGeneral Hospital, Rourkela,into a medical college andsuper speciality hospital.

Taking a dig at the PrimeMinister over his ‘unfulfi��lled’promise on IGH, Congresspresident Rahul Gandhi hadearlier announced thatfunds for the project wouldbe mobilised thoughcrowdfunding.

The State CLP now appears to be taking the campaign forward.

Letter to Modi“I write to remind you abouta promise made on April 1,2015, at Rourkela for a superspecialty hospital. We arethankful to you for your proposal to extend healthcare

facility to the tribaldominated areas. However, regretfully we do not see any progresson your promise eventhough three years havepassed and your term isnearing an end,” noted Narasingh Mishra, Leader ofthe Opposition in the StateAssembly, in a letter.

Mr. Mishra said: “Odishadesperately needs attention

to quality education andhealthcare facilities. Being apoor State, it relies a lot oncentral funding and such apromise coming from a highoffi��ce like yours had raisedOdia people’s hopes. In thisregards, the legislature partywould like to meet you onbehalf of the people to present you a cheque of fundsraised by our party in sup

port of the project and alsoto submit a memorandum.”

Taking exception to theBJP’s defence that ₹��200crore had been sanctionedfor the project, Mr. Mishratweeted: “If the Central government has providedfunds for the Rourkela hospital as claimed by them, theyshould inform when and under which head they have given the stated ₹��200 crore.”

Earlier, Muktikanta Biswal, a youth from Rourkela,had hogged headlines by undertaking a 1,350kmlongwalk to meet Mr. Modi andremind him about his ‘unfulfi��lled’ promise. The Delhipolice recently picked himup while staging a hungerstrike near Jantar Mantar.

“The police action onMuktikanta Biswal was uncalled for. The PM shouldhave shown some grace andmet the young man ratherthan using force to stifl��e hisvoice,” said Mr. Mishra.

Odisha Cong. MLAs remindPM of hospital promise Seek appointment to hand over a cheque for upgrade of Rourkela medical facility

Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR

Forgotten promise? Prime Minister Narendra Modi withOdisha Governor S.C. Jamir and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaikduring his visit to Rourkela in April 2015. * FILE PHOTO

The Supreme Court on Monday said the National HumanRights Commission shouldbe “actively involved” in theprobe into a large number ofcases of alleged extrajudicial killings and fake encounters by the Army and the police in Manipur.

A Bench of Justices MadanB. Lokur and U.U. Lalit alsoasked the CBI’s Special Investigation Team, which isprobing these cases, whether it could share the information, including the drafts offi��nal reports which it hasprepared in four cases, withthe NHRC.

“The NHRC has the powerto suo motu investigate amatter. Our last order indicates that the NHRC shouldbe active in it. Two things weare contemplating. TheNHRC should be actively involved in the investigation.

“Second is the issue of fi��ling of four fi��nal reports. You[SIT] can share the informa

tion you have with theNHRC, like your draft fi��nalreport. Let the NHRC also independently apply its mindand get back to us,” the courtobserved.

Authority issues Additional Solicitor GeneralManinder Singh, appearingfor the CBI, said he wouldtake instructions in the matter and get back to the courton these issues. “The problem is that they [NHRC]should not be like a supervisory authority over us. Secondly, whether these fourfi��nal reports, which are under scrutiny, can be sharedwith them now or at whatstage it could be shared? Iwill get back to the court onthis,” Mr. Singh told theBench, which posted thematter for hearing on July 5.

The court, which is hearing a PIL seeking a probe into 1,528 cases of extrajudicial killings in Manipur, hadon July 14 last year constituted an SIT and ordered lodg

ing of FIRs and probe intothe cases.

‘Slow progress’The Bench, meanwhile, saidthe six status reports fi��ledbefore it by the SIT be handed over the NHRC’s counsel.

At the outset, the Benchperused the sixth status report and the ASG said a lot ofprogress has been made inthe ongoing investigation.“You have progressed a lotbut still you are very slow,”the Bench observed. To this,the ASG said in some casesforensic reports were awaited and probe in four matterswas complete and the fi��nalreports sent for scrutiny.

The Bench observed thatthe Manipur governmenthad not provided the documents sought by the SIT. However, the ASG and inchargeof SIT Sharad Aggarwal toldthe Bench that they have received the documents andare getting “complete cooperation” from the authoritiesconcerned.

Court asks SIT if it could share its reports with commission

Press Trust of India

New Delhi

NHRC should actively pursueManipur encounter cases: SC

City's fi��rst ecofriendly buses, powered solely by battery, crossed 10,000 footfallslast week.

The buses, launched inMay, do not have diesel engines and run on “batterybanks” which are regularlycharged at special charging

stations, said offi��cials. As ofnow, only three airconditioned, zeroemission busesare operational in Kolkata.

“We are monitoring thefl��eets’ performance beforeexpanding it further,” saidDebasish Sen, chairman,West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation, which is incharge

of the operation of the busesin New Town area on theeastern fringes.

No toxic fumesUnlike dieselpowered buses, the batterypowered onesdo not release harmfulfumes and are pollutionfree, said Mr.Sen.

The drivers are especially

trained to operate batterypowered buses, while thevehicles are entirely “conductorfree”. The driver issues a printed ticket and aturnstile gets unlocked, allowing the passengers intothe seating area.

The offi��cials have kept aminimal fare of ₹��10 across alldestinations for now.

Kolkata’s ecofriendly buses a hit, say offi��cials Staff reporter

Kolkata

Armed men looted over₹��25 lakh from the employees of a toll plaza onNH16 in Ganjam district ofOdisha on Monday.

Three employees of theGorapalli toll plaza were ontheir way to Khallikotetown to deposit the cash ina bank when they were targeted by the miscreants.

Inspector incharge ofthe Khallikote police station Bibekananda Swainsaid the car in which thethree employees were travelling was stopped by themiscreants near the Haridamula square.

According to eyewitnesses, there were fi��ve miscreants who had come ontwo bikes. They tried tosnatch the cash bag fromthe employees and whenthey resisted, the miscreants fi��red in the air tothreaten them. Hearing thegunshot, some localsrushed to the spot, but themiscreants managed to escape with the cash.

₹��25 lakhlooted fromtoll plaza staff��

Staff Reporter

Berhampur

Commuters in Odisha's Berhampur had a harrowing time on Monday as private buses didnot ply for the second consecutive day.

The Ganjam District Private Bus Operators’Association has decided to extend its strike indefi��nitely after its talks with the district administration on Sunday remained inconclusive.The private bus operators are protestingagainst the shifting of the bus stand from theheart of the city to Haladiapadar on the outskirts. Around 628 private passenger buses registered with the Ganjam District Private BusOperators’ Association have remained off�� theroads since Sunday. This has aff��ected passenger transportation from and to Berhampurfrom diff��erent parts of the State and adjoiningAndhra Pradesh.

Limited State buses Limited number of Odisha State Road Transport Corporation buses continue to play fromBerhampur. Transportation to areas near Berhampur like Hinjli, Gopalpur and Chatrapurwas not aff��ected that badly because 28 citybuses which ply to the areas continued theiroperations. But passengers wishing to travel tointerior pockets of the district and other districts that do not have train communicationwere stranded at Berhampur bus stand.

The district administration decided to shiftthe passenger bus terminus of Berhampur to arecently constructed bus stand at Haladiapadar on the city's outskirts from July 1.

Private buses’ strikecontinues in Berhampur

Staff Reporter

Berhampur


CMYK

A ND-NDE

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SOUTH

HC notice to govt. on VSplea in sex racket caseKOCHI

The Kerala High Court on

Monday issued notice to the

State government and other

respondents on a petition

filed by CPI(M) leader and

former Chief Minister V.S.

Achuthanandan challenging

the order of the judicial first

class magistrate, Kozhikode,

accepting the closure report

of the police in the 1997 ice

cream parlour sex racket case

after rejecting his plea for a

CBI probe in the case.

IN BRIEF

Wild elephant founddead in mango orchardCHITTOOR

A wild elephant was found

dead in a mango orchard

abutting the forests of

Thumbukuppam at Setteri

village of Bangarupalem

mandal, about 35 km from

here in Andhra Pradesh, on

Monday. Ruling out the

possibility of electrocution,

Divisional Forest Officer

(Chittoor) T. Chakrapani

said the animal could have

died due to “indigestion”.

Promising humanitarianmeasures to alleviate the distress of farmers, KarnatakaGovernor Vajubhai Vala onMonday appealed to themnot to resort to suicide forany reason. He outlined theplans of the Janata Dal (S)Congress coalition government to focus on improvingfarm productivity and adoption of technology for betterreturns.

The government was keenon pioneering pilot projectsand models to ensure fair returns to cultivators and tobecome the “voice of thevoiceless farmer,” he said.

‘Adopt Israeli model’The agriculturist, he said,should move from dependence on monsoon to cultivation based on the availablewater resources. The government’s objective was toequip farmers to adopt modern agricultural technology.

“The government desiresthat farmers adopt practicesbased on the Israeli model[of agriculture]. Offi��cials will

visit the fi��elds to advise farmers on cultivation based onseasonal conditions and water availability,” Mr. Vala saidin his address to a joint session of the legislature.

However, he did not touchupon the contentious issueof farm loan waiver.

Skill developmentOutlining the vision of thenew government, Mr. Valasaid education, health, andshelter were the priorities.By forging new paths with anew vision, the governmentwas committed to the welfare and development of allsections of society by devising programmes for the comprehensive development ofboth rural and urban areas,he said. He also said that effective skill developmentwould be taken up to empower unemployed youth.Data on all exservicemen ofthe State would be linked tothe Skill Development Department to provide postretirement rehabilitation.

Among other things, theGovernor announced thesetting up of cyber forensic

laboratories, enhancementof representation of womenin the Police Department inthe next fi��ve years, setting upNirbhaya Kendras in all Police Commissioner’s offi��ces,formulation of a State foddersecurity policy, and establishment of a skin processing and tanning centre.

Saying that ‘Arogya Karnataka’ would be rolled out fully, he said the focus would be

on bringing maternal mortality and infant mortality ratesdown to the lowest in thecountry over the next sevenyears.

On Bengaluru, Mr. Valasaid the government wasaware of the infrastructuregaps in the city and that itwas necessary to eff��ectivelyimplement traffi��c control,drinking water systems, andhousing programmes.

Governor silent on farm loan waiverOutlines Karnataka govt.’s plans to boost farm income, appeals to farmers not to commit suicide


Bengaluru

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala addressing legislators inVidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, on Monday. * V SREENIVASA MURTHY

As both the Congress andthe JD(S) are eyeing the vacant post of Chairman ofthe Legislative Council,another potential tusslebetween the coalitionpartners is looming. Theparties have just resolveddisagreements over loanwaiver and presenting afullfl��edged State budget.

Governor Vajubhai Valahas appointed MLC Basavaraj Horatti as the pro temChairman of the council,and he will continue till anew Chairman is elected.

Sources said the coordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah wantedthe Chairman’s post for senior member of the UpperHouse S.R. Patil. Accordingto a senior JD(S) leader, theparty was fi��ghting to getthe post for Mr. Horatti.

Tussle likelyover postof Chairman


Bengaluru

The Karnataka governmentwill take stock of the outcome of the meeting of theCauvery Water ManagementAuthority (CWMA) — whichon Monday directed theState to release 34 tmcft ofwater — after the presentation of the Budget on July 5.

While sources in theChief Minister’s Offi��ce saidthe government is at presentassessing the situation, Water Resources Minister D.K.Shivakumar said the government would invite politicalrepresentatives and farmleaders from the Cauverybasin area for a meeting todiscuss the fallout, betweenJuly 6 and July 10.

Speaking to presspersons, he said the decisionwould be based on the “problems of Tamil Nadu farmers and the needs of Karnataka farmers”. There wouldbe a discussion on the wayforward for the State andthe current availability of

water. “The Cauvery WaterRegulation Committee(CWRC) is also meeting onJuly 5 where we will presentour case. All developmentswill be assessed.” He, however, said he would off��erhis comments on the authority’s decision after holding discussions with Karnataka’s representative in theauthority, Rakesh Singh.

‘No room for panic’Incidentally, Karnataka hasdecided to take legal recourse on the constitutionof the CMA and the CWRCby approaching the Supreme Court.

According to sources inthe Chief Minister’s offi��ce,the government is expectingthe issue to come up beforethe legislature. “There is noneed to panic. More than 25tmcft of water has been released to Tamil Nadu fromKabini reservoir in the last20 days. Water is fl��owing already and will continue tofl��ow,” they noted.

Meeting to discuss Cauvery order


Bengaluru

Will present ourcase: Karnataka

The misinterpretation of anautomated SMS sent to oneof the account holders at theState Bank of India (SBI) Kottakkal branch in Malappuram district of Kerala causeda sensation on Monday, witha section of the media reporting that several crores ofrupees had been credited tothe personal accounts of twodozen employees from theKottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala.

On crosschecking the

news, which went viral onsocial media and promptedpolice investigations at various levels, it was found thatnot a single paisa had beencredited into any account.

KYC details not givenSBI Chief Manager K.V. Nandakumar told The Hindu

that a message about freezing of their account sent to agroup of account holderswho had not updated theirmandatory KYC (know yourcustomer) details had led to

the confusion. Instead ofblocking the account, whichwould make both creditingand debiting impossible, theSBI froze all accounts thathad not given KYC details.

“By freezing the accounts,we sent messages to the customers alerting that a ‘hold’for ₹��1 crore was created intheir account. This onlymeant that a ceiling of ₹��1crore had been set for the accounts while freezing them.This was done to make anytransaction below ₹��1 crore

impossible even while permitting all credits in thoseaccounts,” said Mr.Nandakumar.

One of the account holders, apparently mistakingthe ‘₹��1 crore hold’ messagefor the bank’s bounty in hisaccount, went to town claiming that the SBI made a blunder. The Hindu’s attempt totalk to the Arya Vaidya Salaemployee who had causedthe furore failed as the staff��chose to remain silent following the embarrassment.

Much ado about an SBI message ₹��1 crore ceiling for frozen account mistaken for ₹��1 crore credit

Abdul Latheef Naha

MALAPPURAM

The Kerala Crime Branch registered a case on Mondayagainst four clergymen attached to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church oncharges of sexualharassment.

The case was registeredon the basis of statements given against them by a churchmember and his wife, who isthe victim, the police said.

All the four priests — Fr.Abraham Varghese of Mun

diyappally, Fr. Job Mathew ofKarunagiri Ashram at Karukachal, Fr. Johnson V. Mathew of Thekkemala, and Fr.Jais K. George of the Delhidiocese — are accused of sexually harassing the homemaker after threatening her,the police said.

Though the woman’s husband had complainedagainst fi��ve clergymen, shenamed only four while givinga statement to the CrimeBranch team on Saturday,sources said.

The church member hadfi��led his complaint, alongwith the copy of a writtenstatement of his wife, to theChurch leadership on May 5.

The complainant then approached the media, accusing the Church of trying toprotect the priests. The newsattained national attention.

There were also reportsthat the police might registera separate case against oneof the accused, as per theProtection of Children fromSexual Off��ences (POCSO)

Act, against the backdrop ofthe woman’s allegation thathe had sexually assaultedher when she was a minor.

Church’s reactionMeanwhile, Church headCatholicos of the East Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II saidthe Church has high regardand respect for the judicialsystem of the country. TheChurch would not interfere ifthe clergymen were foundguilty and punished as perthe law of the land, he said.

Case fi��led against 4 Kerala priestsCrime Branch records victim’s statement; separate case under POCSO likely


PATHANAMTHITTA

Baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus) birds nesting on an electric wire on the outskirts of Vellore, Tamil Nadu. * C. VENKATACHALAPATHY


Unique homes

Girls in Hyderabad’sgovernmentrun schools arein for a healthy treat frommidJuly — a special laddumade of ragi, ghee, jaggery,dry fruits and nuts.

This will make Hyderabadthe fi��rst city to implementthe mandate of providingadditional nutritionalsupport under the Centre’sBeti Bachao Beti Padaoscheme.

Health check-upThe decision came after ahealth checkup of girlstudents in June this yearfound that 24% of themsuff��ered from severeanaemia, with ahaemoglobin count of less

than 8 g/dL (grams perdecilitre). Moreover, 72% ofthe approximately 26,000girls in government schoolswere found to have ahaemoglobin count of lessthan 10 g/dL, indicatingmild anaemia (the ideal

range for Indian women is1112 g/dL). The initialbudget (of three months) forthe project, to be funded bythe Telangana State MedicalServices and InfrastructureDevelopment Corporation is₹��2530 lakh. Tenders will be

fl��oated to select laddumakers.

The girls will also begiven intramuscularinjections and weekly ironfolic acid supplements toincrease their haemoglobincount faster; 7 lakh ironfolicacid tablets are beingreadied for distribution.

Hyderabad DistrictCollector Yogita Rana toldThe Hindu, “The initiativewill help menstruatingadolescent girls. Anaemiamakes their menstrual cycledangerous because theirhaemoglobin count falls to 6g/dL or lower at this time.”

Initially, 6,000 studentswith severe anaemia will betreated, leaving out girlswith milder defi��ciencies fora second phase.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

A sweet supplement for anaemic girls

Nikhila Henry

HYDERABAD

Special laddus to be given to students in Hyderabad’s government-run schools

Wholesome snack: The special laddu will be made of ragi,ghee, jaggery, dry fruits and nuts.

A herd of wild elephants entered a village at Valliyurkavu, near Mananthavady, inWayanad district of Keralaon Monday morning, creating panic among the locals.Four persons were injured inthe melee and admitted tovarious hospitals with minorinjuries.

Forest Department sources said three tuskers enteredthe village from the Payyampally section of forest in theNorth Wayanad forest division around 4 km from thevillage. The herd was sightedinside a private coff��ee plantation at Varadimoolaaround 6 a.m.

Vehicle attackedOn receiving information, ateam of forest offi��cialsrushed to the spot. Meanwhile, a tusker attacked a

Forest Department vehicleand destroyed a stone wall ofa house on its way atKannivayal.

Finally, after nine hours ofchase, the team managed topush the elephants into acoff��ee plantation near theNaduvayal tribal settlement,nearly 4 km away from forest. The operation to push

the elephants to the forestwould continue in the night,Mr. Prasad said.

“Driving away the tuskersto the forest through a human habitation during theday is risky. Hence, we areplanning to push them to theKoodal Kadavu forest in theBegur forest division in thenight,” Mr. Prasad added.

Four injured in melee astuskers enter Kerala village They came from the Payyampally section of the forest

Staff Reporter

KALPETTA

A herd of elephants entering a coff��ee plantation atVaradimoola in Wayanad district. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A techie, Gogineni Nagarjuna, hailing from Krishna district and working in the U.S.drowned at a waterfall nearCharlotte city of North Carolina State on Sunday evening.

Mr. Nagarjuna’s family inhis native Gottumukkala village of Kanchikacherla mandal received the informationfrom his friends early onMonday.

While at the waterfallsnear Charlotte, Mr. Nagarjuna slipped into the waterand was later found dead,his relatives told media.

Mr. Nagarjuna went to theU.S. for higher education in2008 and settled there afterhe got a job as a software engineer.

He was getting ready formarriage.

Campaign for helpMr. Nagarjuna’s friendsstarted a campaign for fi��nancial help on Gofundme website with a goal of $12,000.

Going by the website, inno time, more than 100

members donated 80% of it.The Telugu Association ofNorth America (TANA) hadalso endorsed the campaignon its Facebook page.

“Nagarjuna went out withfriends for a drive and visited the waterfalls two hoursfrom Charlotte where hedrowned accidentally. Hewas and would always begreatly loved. His family is inIndia and we are workingwith Indian associations especially TANA for fi��nal ritesor options to send the bodyto India (sic),” Satish M, organiser of the campaignwrote.

Nandigama MLA T. Soumya visited the family andconsoled them, besides promising them governmenthelp in bringing back the body.

Techie from A.P. drownsat waterfall in the U.S.Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA

G. Nagarjuna

It has been three monthssince the Bruhat BengaluruMahanagara Palike (BBMP)distributed iPads to all 198councillors in an eff��ort togo paperless. But till date,most councillors have either left their new gadgets athome, while some othersare sticking to the good oldpen and paper. And this isbecause they do not knowhow to use an iPad.

One councillor fromBengaluru south, who didnot wish to be named, said:“I don’t know how use itand have not switched it ontill now. They asked us toget the app installed andstart using it. But I’m morecomfortable with my mobile phone. I haven’t feltthe need to use the tabyet.”

Training soonB.S. Sathyanarayana, councillor for Basavanagudiward, said they requiredsome handholding on howto use it as not many ofthem were used to iPadsand were more comfortable taking down notes. “Isee some councillors usingit, but a lot of them don’tknow how to operate theiPad. They have told usthat they will conduct atraining. We will wait untilthen to make use of it,” hesaid.

This March, the civic body announced its intentionto go paperless, claimingthat printing reams of notifi��cations and handing outcirculars was proving to betoo expensive.

Over ₹��70 lakh was invested in procuring anddistributing iPads for allthe councillors. TheBBMP’s plan was to installan inhouse app on theseiPads, through which allcouncillors would be ableto see relevant informationpertaining to BBMP worksand could keep a tab on thecomplaints registered intheir respective wards.

Councillorsyet to warmup to iPads

Staff Reporter

Bengaluru





NATION

Weather WatchRainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday

Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: CPCB, Map: Skymet (Taken at 17.30 Hrs)

Forecast for Tuesday: Heavy to extremely heavy rain likely atisolated places over east and west Uttar Pradesh, subHimalayanWest Bengal, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, north Haryana, Jharkhand, Northeast India,Konkan coast, Rayalaseema, coastal Karnataka and Tamil Nadu

city rain max min city rain max min

Agartala................. —.... 33.6.... 26.8 Kozhikode ............... —.... 33.4.... 25.4

Ahmedabad............ —.... 37.2.... 27.5 Kurnool ................... —.... 38.2.... 27.0

Aizwal ................... —.... 29.6.... 12.0 Lucknow................1.3.... 34.0.... 28.5

Allahabad .............. —.... 37.8.... 29.9 Madurai..................29.... 35.2.... 23.9

Bengaluru .............. —.... 30.2.... 20.9 Mangaluru...........24.2.... 29.0.... 22.8

Bhopal................... —.... 35.6.... 26.2 Mumbai.................0.4.... 31.5.... 25.0

Bhubaneswar .......7.4.... 32.0.... 25.0 Mysuru.................... —.... 30.0.... 19.4

Chandigarh ..........1.5.... 34.0.... 27.2 New Delhi ............... —.... 37.8.... 29.9

Chennai ................. —.... 36.1.... 26.6 Patna .......................6.... 30.8.... 26.5

Coimbatore............ —.... 33.8.... 23.6 Port Blair ............13.9.... 29.7.... 23.2

Dehradun...........32.2.... 34.6.... 24.6 Puducherry.............15.... 33.3.... 23.2

Gangtok...............4.4.... 19.7.... 18.0 Pune ....................... —.... 28.9.... 22.9

Goa .....................8.4.... 29.8.... 24.2 Raipur ..................... —.... 34.8.... 25.3

Guwahati .............0.2.... 30.5.... 25.9 Ranchi....................34.... 31.5.... 23.3

Hubballi................. —.... 27.0.... 21.0 Shillong...............20.3.... 21.2.... 18.3

Hyderabad ............. —.... 35.7.... 24.5 Shimla...................1.1.... 23.4.... 16.0

Imphal.................0.2.... 28.7.... 22.3 Srinagar .................. —.... 28.4.... 18.7

Jaipur .................... —.... 36.0.... 28.0 Trivandrum ............. —.... 32.1.... 24.7

Kochi.................25.2.... 31.0.... 23.6 Tiruchi .................... —.... 37.4.... 25.0

Kohima.................. —.... 25.5.... 18.4 Vijayawada ...............1.... 36.9.... 26.5

Kolkata.................. —.... 34.1.... 28.2 Visakhapatnam .......0.7.... 32.0.... 27.0

(Rainfall data in mm; temperature in Celsius)

Pollutants in the air you are breathing Yesterday

CITIES SO2 NO2 CO PM2.5 PM10 CODE

In observation made at4.00 p.m., Muzaffarnagar,Uttar Pradesh recorded anoverall air quality index(AQI) score of 212indicating an unhealthylevel of pollution. Incontrast, Rohtak, Haryanarecorded ahealthy AQI score of36

Ahmedabad ...... 30 .79 68 ....60 .....— ....*

Bengaluru......... 17 110 59 ....23 .....— ....*

Chennai ............ ..8 .31 50 ..125 .....— ....*

Delhi ................ ..— .20 16 ....38 .417 ....*

Hyderabad ........ ..4 .82 18 ....18 ...34 ....*

Kolkata............. 10 .21 21 ....47 ...57 ....*

Lucknow........... 40 .15 32 ..120 .....— ....*

Mumbai ............ ..— ...— 79 ..... — .....— ....—

Pune................. 39 .53 14 ....36 ...38 ....*

Vishakhapatnam ..— ...— 37 ..... — .....— ....—

Air Quality Code: * Poor * Moderate * Good (Readings indicate average AQI)

SO2: Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system,

making breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air

particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues

and monuments.

NO2: Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by

reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters.

CO: Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to

critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause

dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death.

PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes,

nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced

lung function, irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and

premature death in people with heart or lung disease

9 lakh saplings plantedin Jharkhand green drive RANCHI

Nine lakh saplings were

planted on Monday across 24

river banks in the State as

part of the Jharkhand

government’s initiative to

protect the environment, an

official release said. Chief

Minister Raghubar Das said

the green drive would save

the river banks from erosion

and retain moisture in the

ground. PTI

IN BRIEF

Inter-State drug racketbusted, 15 arrested SRINAGAR

With the arrest of 15 people,

including eight women, the

police on Monday claimed to

have busted an interState

drug racket in Budgam district

of Jammu and Kashmir. The

police also recovered 300 kg

of poppy straw from their

possession, an official

spokesman said. The accused

were part of an interState

drug racket operating in

Punjab and Jammu and

Kashmir, he said. PTI

Rajasthan increasespension of MISA detainees JAIPUR

Rajasthan Chief Minister

Vasundhara Raje on Monday

announced to increase the

pension of persons detained

under the Maintenance of

Internal Security Act (MISA)

and the Defence of India

(DIR) rules during the 197577

national emergency. The

pension will be increased

from ₹��12,000 to ₹��20,000

per month. PTI

150 stranded tourists in Himachal rescued SHIMLA

Around 150 tourists who were

stranded at a paragliding site

in Himachal Pradesh’s

Baijnath subdivision of Kangra

district following a landslide,

have been rescued, an official

spokesperson said. The

tourist were stranded at at

BirBilling after a landslide on

Sunday night, he said. PTI

Admitting that its online connect with the people has notbeen “up to the mark”, theBengal leadership of theCommunist Party of IndiaMarxist has decided to rampup the party’s presence onsocial media. The social media presence of the CPI(M) isso low that even expelledparty MP Ritabrata Banerjeehas more followers (34,007)than the party State secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra(28,002) on microbloggingsite Twitter. The party is trying to correct it but not byspending a huge sum, partysources said.

CPI(M) sources said thatthe State leadership is planning to set up social mediateams at the area committeelevel and wants to reach outto at least 80% of the peoplein the State before the LokSabha elections using socialmedia. Area committeeshave replaced the erstwhile

local committees.“CPI(M)’s social media

presence in Bengal has notbeen up to the mark. Wehave lagged far behind theTrinamool Congress andBharatiya Janata Party in thisregard,” a CPI(M) State committee member told The

Hindu.He added that so far CPI

(M)’s eff��ort to set up socialmedia teams at the areacommittee level has been limited to mainly districttowns and Kolkata. “For instance in Kolkata out of the53 area committees, socialmedia teams have been setup only in about 13 area com

mittees,” he said.Unlike the TMC and BJP,

the CPI(M) has not been ableto rope in information technology professionals to revamp its social media activity due to paucity of fundsand is instead relying ontechsavvy young partymembers and sympathisers,the State committee member said.

‘Can’t copy others’CPI(M) Polit Bureau memberand MP Md. Salim, who oversees the party’s social mediaoperations in Bengal, saidthat the State leadership recently held detailed discussions over the issue.

“We are aiming at enrolling more volunteers and providing them with propertraining so that they canreach out to more people.However, we are facing someproblems due to lack offunds,” said Mr. Salim. He also said that the party hasbeen unable to provide any

equipment such as computers and smartphones to itssocial media volunteers whohave to depend on their ownresources.

Mr. Salim admitted that sofar the party has been unable to conduct social mediaoperations in a centralisedmanner and doesn’t evenhave a record of the numberof social media volunteersfor the CPI(M) in Bengal.

Asked why several seniorCPI(M) leaders such as PolitBureau member Biman Basuare not on social media, Mr.Salim said “we work as a party and not as an individual”.

“Why should Biman Basucopy Narendra Modi or Mamata Banerjee who onlywant publicity?” he said

Party sources said that theState leadership wants tocounter the “false propaganda” of TMC and BJP on socialmedia as well as highlightthe party’s views on signifi��cant political developmentsin the State.

CPI(M) realises late, to rampup social media presenceParty’s Bengal unit plans to reach out to at least 80% people online before 2019 polls

Soumya Das

Kolkata

Mohammad Salim

The son of a Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker andfour others were arrestedon Monday allegedly forpossessing liquor bottles.

“Vikas Kumar, who isson of BJP MLA from Siwan, Vyas Deo Prasad, hasbeen arrested along withfour others for possessingliquor bottles on the U.P.Bihar border under Mairwa police station,” said Navin Chandra Jha, Siwan Superintendent of Police. Thefour persons arrestedalong with the BJP MLA’sson are Sonu Singh, BirbalRam, Sandeep Jaiswal andRavi Prakash, said the Siwan police.

The Nitish Kumar government had declared Bihar a dry State in April2016 through a stringentState Prohibition and Excise Act. However, Mr. Kumar had recently declaredthat the government hasdecided to make someamendments in the stringent law so that offi��cialscould not misuse it.

Bihar MLA’sson held withliquor bottles


Patna

The fi��fth batch of 4,047 pilgrims, including 808 women,left on Monday from here forthe Kashmir Valley to payobeisance at the 3,880metrehigh cave shrine of Amarnath, a police offi��cer said.

Twin routesSo far, 13,816 pilgrims had visited the cave shrine from thetwin routes — traditional 36km Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and 12km shortest Baltal route in Gander

bal— since thecommencement of the annual 60day pilgrimage onJune 28.

The offi��cial said the yatrisleft in a fl��eet of 134 vehiclesunder tight security arrangements early on Monday andare expected to reach Baltaland Pahalgam base camps inthe valley later in the day.

Among the fi��fth batch,2,303 pilgrims, including 148Sadhus and 370 women, opted for the Pahalgam track,while 1,744, including 438women, are performing the

yatra through Baltal route,the offi��cer said.

Flash fl��ood threatDespite incessant rains whicheven posed a threat of fl��ashfl��oods in the valley, the yatrato the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas commenced in the valley as per schedule on June28 after several hours of delaybut faced frequent disruptions owing to continuousrainfall, slippery condition ofthe tracks and shooting ofstones and landslides.

Disruptions in Yatra due to continuous rain, landslides

Sadhus wait in a queue to get themselves registered forAmarnath Yatra at a base camp in Jammu on Monday. * PTI

Press trust of india

Jammu

Fifth batch of pilgrims leaves for Amarnath





CMYK

NATION

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh torespond to a petition for aCBI probe into 1,100 policeencounters in which 49 people were killed and 370 injured in the State last year.

A threejudge Bench, ledby Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, asked the petitioner NGO, People’s Unionof Civil Liberties (PUCL), toserve a copy of the petitionon Additional AdvocateGeneral Aishwarya Bhati.The petition called the encounters “massive administrative liquidations.” TheBench asked the State to fi��leits response in two weeksand posted the case afterthree weeks.

The PUCL, representedby advocate Sanjay Parikh,said the State endorsed police encounters in “open defi��ance” of human rights andcivil liberties. In otherwords, the government machinery chose to end livesinstead of bringing peopleto trial. “The State cannotadopt such means that areagainst the constitutionalprinciples to fi��ght terrorismor hardened criminals. Such

extrajudicial killings, in thename of encounters, areconsidered ‘statesponsoredterror’,” the petition said.

In this context, the petition referred to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s statements such as “criminalswill be jailed or killed in encounters” and “everyoneshould be guaranteed security, but those who want todisturb the peace and believe in the gun should be given the answer in the language of the gun.” It saidthat in response to the ChiefMinister’s statements, theNational Human RightsCommission had written tothe State that policemenwere misusing their powersto settle scores.

Plea seeks CBI probeinto U.P. encountersSupreme Court seeks State’s response


NEW DELHI

The petition accuses theState of extrajudicialkillings in defi��ance of humanrights and civil liberties.

A day after fi��ve persons of anomadic community werelynched in Dhule district ofMaharashtra on suspicion ofbeing childlifters, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis onMonday announced a compensation of ₹��5 lakh for thefamilies of each of thedeceased.

“I appeal to the residentsnot to believe unverifi��ed rumours circulating over socialmedia or to take the law intotheir own hands. We have taken serious cognisance ofthis unfortunate incident,”Mr. Fadnavis said, speakingalong the sidelines of a function in Nashik district.

Meanwhile, 23 personswere taken into police custody in connection with thelynching.

The deceased, identifi��edas, Bharat Shankar Bhosale,45, his brother DadaraoShankar Bhosale, Raju Bhosale and Bharat Malwe,47,(all hailing from Khave village in Solapur’s Mangalvedhe tehsil), and Anagu Ingole (from Manewadi villagein Mangalvedhe) were bludgeoned to death by a mob inSakri tehsil on suspicion ofbeing child lifters. The victims belonged to the Gosavinomadic community thatderived sustenance bybegging.

In Satara district, members of the nomadic BhatkyaVimykta community stageda protest, demanding thatthe compensation be increased to ₹��10 lakh.

Uneasy calmAn uneasy calm prevailed inRainpada hamlet, where thevigilante action occurred.According to reports, a number of villagers have fl��ed thearea after the lynchings.

Earlier, the kin of the deceased refused to accept thebodies, demanding that

stern action be taken againstthe killers.

They later relented following the announcement ofcompensation. M. Ramkumar, Superintendent of Police, Dhule said that the bodies of the victims had beensent to Mangalvedhe fortheir last rites.

“No government authority has come to meet us sincethe incident. We demandjustice for our loved ones,”said Santosh Bhosale, son ofthe deceased DadaraoBhosale.

Dhule lynching: 23 held, CMannounces compensationShoumojit Banerjee

Pune

The Union Ministry of Finance has amended Intellectual Property rules to revoke the power vested withCustoms authorities to seizeimported products basedon complaints of patentinfringement.

On June 22, the Ministrymade two amendments tothe Intellectual PropertyRights (Imported Goods)Enforcement Rules, 2007.Firstly, the Intellectual Property Rights (ImportedGoods) EnforcementAmendment Rules, 2018,omits all reference to the Patents Act, 1970.

Further conditionsAnother amendment incorporates further conditionsthat oblige the rightholderto notify the Commissionerof Customs of any amendment, cancellation, suspension or reaction that concern Intellectual Propertyrights, and require the Customs authorities to accordingly amend, suspend or

cancel the correspondingprotection provided bythem.

In the past, mobile phonecompanies have faced issues because of the earlierrules. For instance, in 2007,Maduraibased Ramkumar,who held a patent for a dualSIM, sought seizure of products imported by Samsungand Spice Mobile, which affected several importers.

“Now, the amended lawwill permit the Customsauthorities to cancel his patent from its records basedon the order passed by theIntellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB),” Subhatosh Majumdar, Patent Attorney and ManagingPartner, S. Majumdar & Co.,said.

Intellectual Propertyrules amendedSome powers with Customs revoked

Sanjay Vijayakumar

CHENNAI

In the past, mobile phonecompanies have faced issuesbecause of the earlier rules

Police officer shuntedout of gang rape probeAHMEDABAD

Joint CommissionerCrime

Branch J.K. Bhatt has been

removed from the

investigation into the alleged

gangrape of a 22yearold

woman. “Mr. Bhatt has been

asked to stay off the probe,” a

top police officer said.

A minor girl accompaniedby her physically challengedfather was abducted andgang raped allegedly by twoteenagers near Partamahain Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Sunday.

The victim has not beenable to identify her assailants. According to the complaint fi��led by the victim andher father at the Daringbadi

police station, the incidenttook place when they werereturning to their village after applying for a tribal castecertifi��cate at the Daringbaditehsil offi��ce.

They had to walk to theirremote village a few kilometres down a jungle pathfrom Partamaha. Her fatherhad fallen behind. Findingher alone, the accused abducted her, she said in herstatement.

Minor girl abducted,gang-raped in Odisha Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR

A fouryearold girl wasraped allegedly by a 23yearold man known to herfamily who abandoned herafter committing the crimeon Sunday night in Satnadistrict of Madhya Pradesh, the police said.

The accused has beenarrested, said the Uchehara police.

4yearoldgirl raped in M.P.


Satna

“Sob penalty miss hoe na(Not all penalties are missed),” tweeted Kolkata police Commissioner RajeevKumar from his offi��cial handle on June 22. An image ofLionel Messi missing a penalty against Ireland wasjuxtaposed with that of a sergeant penalising an errantbiker driving without ahelmet.

Ever since the World Cupfever gripped the city, thepolice have been drivinghome messages to motoriststhrough innovative memes.Sample this couplet: “Speedlimit maante hoe, sobai toaar Messi noe (Maintainspeed limit, not everyone isMessi).” This message is delivered with the image of Messi speeding past a defenderalongside that of a driver being penalised foroverspeeding.

These memes, shared onKolkata police’s offi��cial Twitter and Facebook handles

(their combined followingadds up to almost a million),have not only gone viral buthave also been the mosttalked about campaigns ofthe police on road safety.

“It was the idea of theCommissioner (of Kolkatapolice) to give a boost to theSafe Drive, Save Life campaign by using the WorldCup. The idea was followedup by our social media cell,which came up with theseinnovative posts,” SupratimSarkar, Additional Commissioner of Kolkata police III,in charge of the social mediacell, told The Hindu.

But this being Kolkata,there are football fans accusing the police of favouringArgentina. Mritunjoy Hazra,22, said that Christiano Ronaldo was faster than Messiand asked why the policeshould patronise Messialone. But the police did notdisappoint Ronaldo fanseither. “Kom hok reshareshi,weekend-e Ronaldo Messi,(No rivalry on the road, Ronadlo and Messi are playingthis weekend). The twoicons are shown next to twospeeding buses overtakingeach other — one of majorreasons for accidents here.

Kolkata police use footballto score on safedriving ‘Safe Drive, Save Life’ campaign gets a World Cup touch

Shiv Sahay Singh

Kolkata

One of the memes posted by the police. * SPECIAL ARRANGMENT

It was a dark night, with awaning crescent moon hiding behind a cloud. About30 km off�� the coast of Palghar, north of Mumbai, a fl��eetof seven fi��shing boats in ashallow curve roughly perpendicular to the coasttrailed their nets, each a kilometre or two away fromits neighbour. They had setout after sunset, and had

been lucky to detect fi��sh relatively close by: it’s not unusual to have to go out 140km. The high waves common on the west coast fromearly May — before the seabecomes dangerous forsmall boats during the monsoon — weren’t roughenough to consider headingback to shore.

Once at anchor with netsspread, there’s not much todo until fi��rst light, when they

Mr. Tare’s bravery wonhim the National MaritimeSearch and Rescue award,and on July 5; he will visit thenational capital, his fi��rst trip,to receive it. It’s nice to be recognised, he says, even nicerthat the Coast Guard camelooking for the person responsible for the rescue, andthat his fellow fi��shermen allpointed to him. But there’sno question that he’d do itagain.

sign of the crew.” Another boat had caught

up by then, and Mr. Tarekept going into the dark, until he heard screams andspotted Shivneri’s 12 crewmembers clinging to lifebuoys, automobile inner tubesand the polystyrene blocksused as fl��oats.

“I pulled all 12 to safety. Itwas about 4 a.m. We waitedthere until the Coast Guardarrived.”

‘Help me!’ He looked outwhere Bunty’s boat shouldbe, but its navigation lights,which he had seen a littlewhile ago, weren’t visible.He didn’t think twice. He released his nets and steeredhis boat into the eightfootwaves, while shouting outon the wireless to the rest ofthe fl��eet.

“It took me about 20 minutes to fi��nd Shivneri, whichhad capsized. There was no

would haul in their nets,hopefully full of fi��sh, andhead for home. Some menslept, leaving a few to keepwatch for large ships andsudden bad weather.

Milan Tare, 42, in his boatDharti, was awake at 3 a.m.when the wireless setsquawked: “Vachva!” Mr.Tare recognised the voice: itwas Bunty, in Shivneri, theboat furthest from the coast,yelling the Marathi word for

Palghar fi��sherman, who rescued 12 at sea, wins national award Aditya Anand

Mumbai

Milan Tare

A family of fi��ve wereassaulted by a mob onsuspicion of being childlifters in Nashik district lateon Sunday night.

The police said the mobstopped the family in theAzad Nagar locality ofMalegaon when they wereapparently asking for moneyto pay for their return backhome.

The police rushed to thescene and managed to pacifythe mob, said an offi��cer.

Family savedfrom mob in Nashik

Special correspondent

Pune

A middleaged man wasbeaten up by villagers inWest Bengal’s Bolpur townon Monday on suspicion ofhis being a childlifter, thepolice said.

The villagers alleged theman, who was driving ataxi, tried to force an 11yearold girl into his vehiclewhen she was playing in afi��eld. The man told thepolice that he had merelyasked the girl for somewater to drink.

Man beatenup in Bengal’sBolpur town


Bolpur

2 RTI activists shot dead,JD(U) leader held JAMUI

RTI activists Valmiki Yadav

and Dharmendra Yadav alias

Karu Yadav were gunned

down in Bihar’s Jamui district

on Sunday evening, the police

said on Monday. Two persons

—JD(U)’s Sikandara block

president Suresh Mahto and

Bichhuwe panchayat head

Krishndeo Ravidas — have

been arrested in this

connection. PTI

Woman kidnapped, raped in GujaratAHMEDABAD/RAJKOT

A group of seven men

allegedly kidnapped a woman

after trashing her boyfriend

and while one of them raped

her, the others filmed the act

in Rajkot district, the police

said on Monday. Another

case was reported from Patan

district in north Gujarat,

where a woman was allegedly

raped in a moving car by an

acquaintance. PTI

“Let it be made over to theCBI (the Central Bureau ofInvestigation),” is how theChief Justice of Madras HighCourt Indira Banerjee reacted on Monday after glancingthrough a counteraffi��davitfi��led on behalf of the Director General of Police in replyto a batch of public interestlitigation petitions, includingthe one that sought a CBIprobe into the Thoothukudipolice fi��ring incident whichclaimed 13 lives on May 22and 23.

However, GovernmentPleader T.N. Rajagopalanconvinced the Chief Justiceand her companion judgeJustice P.T. Asha to adjournthe hearing by a week so thathe would be in a position toplace the video clips and other materials to show what actually transpired during theprotests demanding closureof Sterlite’s copper smeltingplant in Thoothukudi. Thejudges acceded to his request and posted the casesfor hearing on July 9.

During the course of thearguments, advocate R. Sankarasubbu, representingthree of the petitioners,brought it to the notice of thecourt that the police had

fi��led numerous First Information Reports (FIRs) inconnection with the protestsagainst the copper plant.

Separate FIR“They have fi��led a separateFIR even for a damagecaused to a bicycle and oneindividual has been includedas an accused in as many as70 diff��erent FIRs,” he

complained.Another advocate urged

the court to restrain the police from harassing the residents of Thoothukudi in theguise of investigation. Butthe judges refused to passany such order.

“We can’t pass a generalorder stopping all investigations unless a specifi��c case ofpolice excess is brought to

our notice,” the Chief Justicesaid.

She also refused to ordertransfer of related casesfrom the Madurai Bench ofthe High Court to the principal seat in Chennai.

Stating that lawyers inMadurai had made a generalrequest to her, not to takeaway cases fi��led in theBench, she said: “I told them

that no more cases will be taken away from Madurai.What is here is here andwhat is there is there.”

She added that the protesters who indulged in violence during the Thoothukudi protests and the policeand government offi��cialswho violated the law must bedealt with in accordancewith law.

Why not a CBI probe into fi��ring: HC Grants time till July 9 to produce clips on anti-Sterlite violence which claimed 13 lives on May 22, 23

Mohamed Imranullah S.

CHENNAI

AntiSterlite protesters marching towards Thoothukudi District Collectorate . The protest later turned violent killing manypeople. * FILE PHOTO N. RAJESH

Mehbooba dismisses PDP,Cong tie-up reports SRINAGAR

PDP president Mehbooba

Mufti on Monday dismissed

media reports about a

possible tieup between her

party and the Congress for

government formation in

Jammu and Kashmir. “This is

utter fabrication & yet

another unfortunate example

of #FakeNews!” Mehbooba

said in a tweet. PTI

IN BRIEF

AC coaches: face towelsout, cheaper napkins in NEW DELHI

The face towels given to

passengers travelling in

airconditioned coaches will

be replaced with cheaper,

smaller, disposable, takeaway

napkins, according to an

order issued by the Railway

Board. “The new towels will

be environmentfriendly and

made of cotton to absorb

water,” an official said. PTI





CMYK

A ND-NDE

EDITORIAL

Chief Justice of India DipakMisra recently fl��agged risingpendency in appeals lying

with High Courts based on thefi��ndings of the Supreme Court’sArrears Committee. He has sincedirected High Courts to prepareaction plans for disposal of fi��veand 10yearold cases. He has alsoasked for High Court Arrears Committees to periodically review thesituation. While it is crucial that adisposal review mechanism is putin place, the manner in which judicial performance is measured andaccountability is exercised mustbe carefully revisited.

For decades, the primary measure of court effi��ciency has beencase disposal rates. Public perception of court performance and individual judges now hinges on thenumber of cases pending beforethem. Though a crucial indicator,it also puts pressure on judges todispose of as many cases as possible, a problematic situation as itdoes not consider the quality of

adjudication itself. Neither does itshed light on the exact nature ofcases that have remained pendingthe longest, or the stage at whichpendency recurs the most. Sincethese parameters are not measured, they are often disregardedin the discourse on courtperformance.

To begin with, courts themselves must start analysing historical case data and introduce focussed interventions to counterspecifi��c case types or stages atwhich the case pipeline is clogged.

Impact of listing techniquesThe discourse on case pendencyhas largely revolved around delayed appointments and vacancies. Our study of case data of aHigh Court over fi��ve years showedhow certain cases listing practicesinfl��uenced case movement andharboured pendency.

First, listing patterns were generally erratic, with the number ofmatters listed for the same courtroom ranging from 1 to 126 amonth. In some courtrooms, itwas 80120 cases for a month.

Second, a large number of caseslisted in a day meant that inevitably, matters listed towards the endof the day remained left over.Thus, cases in the fi��nal stages ofhearing most often clogged thecase pipeline.

Third, old pending matters

barely made it to court. Our casedata over three years showed that91% of them remained unhearddespite being allotted a separateday and specifi��c judges. Some experts point out that these caseswere listed for the second half ofthe day but would eventually never come up for hearing because ofthe large number of other urgentand routine matters listed. Advocates also tend to become disinterested in older cases in whichclients have given up or stoppedpaying.

Spurring case movementsOne way to accelerate case movement is by making case listingmore systematic. Here, courtsmust assess their performancebased on the actual number of cases being heard. Listing more than100 cases a day may look to be animpressive work schedule for ajudge, but we found that it is veryrare for all of them to be heard.Cause list preparation can be

made more scientifi��c if supportedby a consistent study of the variance in the number of cases listedacross courts, identifying the exact stages at which cases are clogging the pipeline for the longestduration, and the nature of casesleft over. This will also ensure thatonly as many cases as can be reasonably heard will be listed on adaily basis.

Second, the cause list shouldhave cases methodically distributed by type and stage. The courtcan decide on a minimum andmaximum number for particularmatters. A senior counsel of theSupreme Court emphasised theneed to tweak listings such that fi��nal hearings are the fi��rst matters ajudge hears in a day as it requireshis complete attention. In thecause list we studied, such hearings were listed at the end, inevitably accounting for the largestleftovers.

Third, disposing of old andpending matters must be prioritised. Despite allotting two days inweek to hearing these matters formost of the day, the High Court westudied had a massive docket ofold pending cases. Their rate ofcase movement in newer matters(taken up on all other days of theweek) was much faster than casemovement recorded on specifi��cdays where old cases were listed. Asolution would be to implement a

policy where no adjournments aregranted for frivolous reasons.

Scientifi��c listing has clear benefi��ts. It will introduce standardisation across courts and help disincentivise judges from usingdiscretionary practices in thenumber and nature of cases listedbefore them. It will promote fairness — a reasonable number of cases would be listed every day, anddistributed across the day basedon stage and case type.

Another benefi��t would be betterquality of adjudication. With aneverincreasing caseload, it is onlyfair to question the quality of decisionmaking. The Supreme Court,in April, remanded a case back to aHigh Court due to the poor qualityof judgment (there were neitherrecorded submissions of the parties nor references to the relevantlegal provisions used).

The quality and effi��ciency ofcourt functioning can be improved with simple tweaks. Therefore, it is time that the judiciary asan institution opens itself to theservices of competent externalagencies that can help them record, manage and analyse theirdata better, to build and sustain ahealthy institution.

Amrita Pillai and Sumathi

Chandrashekaran are Research Fellow

and Senior Resident Fellow, respectively,

at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Delhi

How to list cases betterThe quality and effi��ciency of court functioning can be improved with simple tweaks

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Amrita Pillai &

Sumathi Chandrashekaran

more letters online:

www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/

With the electoral victorylast month, 64yearoldPresident Recep Tayyip

Erdoğ��an created history by becoming the longest serving ruler ofTurkey. So far, that distinction belonged to Mustafa Kemal ‘Atatürk’,the founder of the Turkish republic, its fi��rst president from 1923till his death in 1938.

Mr. Erdoğ��an was Prime Ministerfrom 2003 till 2014, when he waselected President. Having successfully conducted a referendum inApril last year to convert Turkeyinto an executive presidency, headvanced the elections, whichwere not due till November 2019,to now return as an allpowerfulPresident. Under the amendedconstitution, he can have twoterms, and with another win in2023, he could remain in positiontill 2028.

Reversing Atatürk’s legacyThe collapse of the Ottoman empire with the end of World War Iwas the tectonic event that had enabled the founding of the Turkishrepublic and empowered Atatürkto transform Turkish society. Heimposed Western norms of dress,Roman script for the language anda European legal system and calendar, converting the former Islamic caliphate into a secular republic. He was a popularly electedleader but implemented many ofhis reforms, which often generated opposition, with a degree ofauthoritarianism as Atatürk (Father of the Turks).

In many ways, Mr. Erdoğ��an istaking Turkey through a change ofsimilar magnitude. He becameMayor of Istanbul in 1994 on the

strength of the proIslamist Refah(Welfare Party), which wasbanned in 1998 and he was jailedfor ‘inciting religious hatred’. Hereemerged to set up the moderateIslamic Justice and DevelopmentParty (AKP) in 2001. Under hisrule, Turkey has softened its secular image by giving greater importance to Islam. His antiWest rhetoric, sharper after anunsuccessful coup in July 2016,marks a signifi��cant shift from aWesternoriented North AtlanticTreaty Organisation (NATO) member state negotiating for EuropeanUnion (EU) membership to oneseeking to join a RussiaChinadominated Shanghai CooperationOrganisation. Traditional elites inthe judiciary, military and civil service, often described as thoseidentifi��ed with Kemalism and belonging to the urban, secular,Westernoriented intellectualclasses, are being replaced by themore religiously oriented, conservative, provincially oriented elite.These changes have already begunand with another decade ahead,Mr. Erdoğ��an is set to change thenature of the Turkish republic.

An all-powerful presidentIt is clear that Mr. Erdoğ��an’s gamble in advancing the elections andestablishing an electoral alliancebetween his proIslamic AKP andthe ultranationalist rightwing Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)has paid off��. In the presidentialelection, he ensured a fi��rst roundvictory by winning 53% of thevote. In the parliamentary elections, the AKP won 42% of thevote, giving it 295 seats in the 600member legislature. Together with48 seats of the MHP, it provides acomfortable majority though itwill be the fi��rst time in 16 yearsthat the AKP will depend on a coalition partner. Elections werepeaceful but hardly fair, havingbeen conducted under a state ofemergency, though an 87% turnout lends credibility to Mr. Erdo

ğ��an’s victory. Coming after the constitutional

referendum undertaken last April,Turkey will now have an executivepresidency. With the abolition ofthe post of the Prime Minister, Mr.Erdoğ��an is both head of state andhead of government with the power to appoint one or more vice presidents and cabinet members. ThePresident will continue to head theAKP, can rule by decree and enjoys full powers to dissolve parliament. Theoretically, the parliament is empowered to investigatewrongdoings by the President toimpeach him with twothirds majority but this requires approval bythe Supreme Court, where 12 ofthe 15 judges are presidential appointees.

Mr. Erdoğ��an had made his preference for an executive presidency clear soon after he took over in2014 after being Prime Minister for11 years. The unsuccessful coup attempt (2016) reinforced his convictions and provided the opportunity. Fethullah Gülen, a cleric inexile in the U.S. for two decades,was held responsible and a purgeof his supporters followed. Morethan 100,000 government offi��cialshave been dismissed by decreeand another 50,000 are in jailpending trials. These includemore than a thousand military offi��cers (over a hundred of rank ofgeneral) accused of complicity inthe coup. Nearly 200 media outlets suspected of Gulenist leaningshave been closed, and 120 journal

ists are in detention. During theearly years in power, Mr. Erdoğ��anhad worked closely with the Gulenists to break the stranglehold ofthe secular Kemalists, particularlyin the military and the judiciary.The relationship broke down in2013 when Mr. Erdoğ��an’s familymembers were subjected to investigations involving infl��uencepeddling and corruption, ostensiblyby Gulenist sympathisers whowere increasingly troubled by Mr.Erdoğ��an’s authoritarian tendencies.

Growing challengesEven with the domestic politicalopposition decimated and in disarray, Mr. Erdoğ��an faces tough challenges, both at home and abroad.Turkey’s economy has sloweddown in recent years. Infl��ation isin double digits and, in 2018 theTurkish lira has declined by 20%in value. This has raised foreigndebt levels even as stories aboutcronyism do the rounds negativelyimpacting the investment climate.Yet interest rates have been keptlow for political reasons and this isunlikely to change till the municipal elections in March next year.The reason is that the large citieslike Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir arethe places which opposed the referendum and also voted against theAKP.

Turkey vigorously supportedthe Arab Spring hoping to use theAKP’s ties with the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), which had becomestronger, as a lever to strengthenits role in the Arab world. Thisbackfi��red as Saudi Arabia changedtrack quickly seeing dangers of areformist MB gaining ground. InEgypt, the military made a comeback, welcomed by the Saudi regime. Turkey was critical of Mohamed Morsi’s ouster as Presidentand relations with Egypt brokedown. In the embargo coordinated by Saudi Arabia, the UnitedArab Emirates, Bahrain and Egyptagainst Qatar, Turkey has come

out strongly in support of Qatar.

The Syrian falloutThe worst fallout has been on account of Turkey’s involvement inthe Syrian confl��ict. An early vocalsupporter for the ouster of President Bashar alAssad, Turkey initially was the corridor for thestream of Islamic fi��ghters going toSyria. Nearly three million Syrianrefugees entered Turkey, creatingchallenges for the EU which iscommitted to paying Turkey billions to man the barricades amidgrowing tensions.

The environment dramaticallychanged with the growing threatof the Islamic State (IS) movingfrom Iraq into Syria and the establishment of the Caliphate by AbuBakr alBaghdadi in 2014. As theU.S. started attacking the IS inIraq, Russia intervened in 2015 tobolster Mr. Assad. Use of the NATOairbase at Incirlik made Turkey atarget with the IS mounting a series of attacks, including at Istanbul airport in 2016 which claimedover 40 lives.

Turkey cracked down hard onthe Kurdish militants (PKK) justwhen the U.S. was equipping theSyrian Kurds (YPG) to take on theIS in northern Syria, leading to aspike in Kurdish militancy in Turkey and further straining Turkey’srelations with the U.S. Mr. Erdoğ��andecided to get closer to Russia(and Iran) instead though the pricewas accepting the continuation ofMr. Assad. It is negotiating for theS400 antimissile system withRussia, raising the prospects ofU.S. sanctions on a NATO member.

Ironically, Mr. Erdoğ��an may fi��ndthat even as he has become all powerful, his polarising brand of politics makes it more diffi��cult to tackle the economic and securitychallenges facing the country.

Rakesh Sood is a former diplomat and

currently Distinguished Fellow at

Observer Research Foundation. E-mail:

[email protected]

The strongman’s dilemmaWith Erdoğ��an set to change the nature of the Turkish republic, his political style could exacerbate its problems

Rakesh Sood

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Power of the mob

Increasing reports ofpeople being lynched onsuspicion of being childlifters speaks poorly of thelaw and order situation inthe country. The rightcourse for the peoplewould be to alert the policeand let them do their job.Perhaps governments needto launch campaigns to stopthis trend of taking the lawinto one’s hands. Accordingto one estimate, there havebeen as many as 30instances of lynching orattempted lynching in thelast two months. Somethingneeds to be done (“Fivemen mistaken for childlifters, lynched”, July 2).R.J. Khurana,

Bhopal

■ Growing instances oflynching of innocent menand women on meresuspicion is a pointer thatmost of us are losing faith in

the rule of law and slippingback to primitive ways of lifewhere ‘might is right’ wasprevalent. The police need toact fast and think ofinnovative outreachprogrammes for ruralpopulations on thecriminality of taking the lawinto their hands. If Indians inthe rural hinterland arefalling prey to incorrectsocial media forwards, therecan be a way of addressingthe issue using the samemedium. B.S. Jayaraman,

Coimbatore

■ Even in Kerala, the socalled most progressive Statein India, an Adivasi youthwas lynched not so long agoon the allegation that he hadstolen something to satiatehis hunger. It seems that the currentwave of antisocial activitiesis inspired by insidiousmessages created and

forwarded by WhatsAppgroups. Kerala evenwitnessed a violent hartalinspired by some fanaticWhatsApp groups. Indiaceases to be a civilised nationwhen there are such brutalacts.Sukumaran C.V.,

Palakkad, Kerala

■ The spate of incidentsshows that imaginary fearsand impatience are gettingthe better of rationalebehaviour (Tamil Nadu,“Two youth from Odishabeaten up”, July 2). Thatsocial media has spread suchfalsity is regrettable. Thoughthe authorities cannot beblamed for such kneejerkactions of the public, there isa need to spread awarenessaround the country. NGOsand other socialorganisations have to leadthe way.K. Jayanthi,

Chennai

■ It is distressing that moblynchings are almostbecoming the new socialnormal. It is even reaching apoint where those who try tointervene face attack andabuse. The youngergeneration needs to besensitised to the values ofintegrity and compassion.Alisha Abraham,

New Delhi

Give it time

The GST is without doubt thegreatest structural change inthe Indian economy after the1991 reforms. Amidwidespread criticism a yearafter it was implemented,one must understand thatevery structural reform willneed and take time tostabilise; liberalisation wasno exception. Consideringthe diverse needs of Indianbusinesses and consumers,the diff��erent slabs in taxationare unavoidable. It is publicattitude and adherence to

will make eff��orts to improveits track record and bevigilant in sanctioning loans(Editorial, “Risky recourse”,July 2). Jayant Mukherjee,

Kolkata

FIFA results

The way the FIFA World Cupis shaping up leaves oneperplexed — one could havenever imagined Germanydropping off�� in the groupstage followed by Argentinaand Portugal’s prequarterfi��nal exits. Russia’s stunningshow that left Spain dazedonly shows that younger andgifted footballers in littlefavoured teams are settingthe pace (‘Sport’ page,“Russian Roulette sinksSpanish Armada”, July 2).This is turning out to be oneof the best World Cups ever.W. Vamshikrishna,

Bhubaneswar, Odisha

laws that will makegovernment policiessuccessful.Prathab K.,

Chennai

Downfall and rescue act

There was a time when theIndustrial Development Bankof India (IDBI) occupied aunique place amongfi��nancial institutions in thecountry that helped set upbig industries andsubsidiaries, such astechnical consultancyorganisations and the SmallIndustries DevelopmentBank of India (SIDBI).Unfortunately, negligenceand mismanagement haveled to its downfall. It is amatter of concern thatnudging LIC to acquire amajority stake in IDBI mightcause a fi��nancial setback tolakhs of LIC policy holders.Though the sinking bankmight get another chance atsurvival, one wonders if it

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

The mandate in Mexico could not have been more

predictable, as frontrunner Andrés Manuel Ló

pez Obrador won the presidential election very

comfortably on Sunday. “The rice is cooked,” he de

clared as his expected victory materialised. The over

whelming mandate is a case of thirdtime lucky, the sto

ry of a contender who picked up the pieces after a

razorthin defeat in 2006 and another blow in the 2012

elections. Mr. Lopez Obrador found electoral reso

nance with a people deeply disillusioned with rampant

corruption and crime as well as a leadership seen to be

adrift. With his Morena party looking at a majority in

both Houses of the Mexican Congress, he will have al

most unfettered legislative and executive authority. The

rout of the incumbent Institutional Revolutionary Party

(PRI), reduced to third place behind the conservatives,

speaks to the sense of general disenchantment. Outgo

ing President Enrique Peña Nieto’s rule has been

marred by allegations of poll fi��nance irregularities and

stalling of an inquiry into a separate bribery scandal.

Amid this domestic turmoil, Mexico has emerged as a

major foreign investment hub in recent years. Its mem

bership of the North American Free Trade Agreement

has integrated the country into the global supply

chains, bolstering its image as a marketfriendly desti

nation. However, an uneven distribution of the goodies

of an open economy among the regions has accentuat

ed inequality and increased unemployment.

Addressing these challenges is among the early prior

ities for the 64yearold former Mayor of Mexico City,

who will assume offi��ce in December. Awkwardly for Mr.

López Obrador, the state of limbo that NAFTA has been

in since the election of President Donald Trump to the

White House shows no sign of breaking. Once a vocal

opponent of opening Mexico’s oil sector to private and

foreign investment, he has of late toned down such rhe

toric. Mr. López Obrador has also expressed support for

free trade and a willingness to renegotiate NAFTA. Such

reassurances may or may not allay the concerns of

sceptics, who fear a repeat of the Latin American model

of populist public investment of the last decade. But

with global commodity prices gradually recovering, Mr.

López Obrador may see merit in balancing the interests

of business with his socioeconomic agenda of combat

ing crime and corruption. Mexico’s Presidentelect is by

all accounts an antiestablishment politician. Time will

tell whether he can resist the lure of populism while ad

dressing crucial challenges. The thorny issue with

Washington, of the status of Mexican migrants residing

in the U.S., will prove to be a test case. Yet, with the em

phatic mandate he has received, Mr. López Obrador has

as good a base as possible to bring coherence in Mexi

co’s internal and external aff��airs.

Mexican waveLópez Obrador must reverse domestic

disenchantment and address tension with U.S.

Since its midnight launch on July 1 last year, India’s

Goods and Services Tax regime has evolved signif

icantly. There have been serious implementation

issues, but also the administrative will and fl��exibility to

address most of these, with the Centre and States work

ing together in the GST Council. After its initial days

were marred by stuttering IT systems, the deadline for

fi��ling returns was pushed forward till most taxpayers

got a hang of the system and the GST Network could

augment its capacity. Industry had anxieties about the

multiple tax rates, ranging from zero to 28%, with a cess

on demerit goods. But gradually, the number of goods

under the 28% bracket has been brought down to 50

from around 200. A unique component envisaged in In

dia’s GST regime, matching of invoices for granting tax

credits, has been kept on hold for fear of adding to tax

payers’ transition pains. Despite its glitches and snarls,

the new tax has taken fi��rm root and is altering the eco

nomic landscape positively. The strongest sign of this is

the entry of over 4.5 million entities in the country’s tax

net, many of which would have so far been part of the

cashdriven, informal economy. This expansion of the

tax net will also help increase direct tax collections.

At Sunday’s GST Day celebrations, Prime Minister

Narendra Modi ruled out a single tax rate but hinted at

lower rates for more items. He was reacting to criticism

about the fl��awed implementation of the One Nation,

One Tax concept. Rhetoric aside, there is a clear bu

oyancy in revenue after a wobbly initial trend. The go

vernment was eyeing a little over ₹�90,000 crore a

month to make up for the revenues earned under the

earlier regime and to compensate States for any losses

due to the GST. Finance Minister Piyush Goyal is confi��

dent that the average monthly collections this year

could touch ₹�110,000 crore. This surge must allay the

fi��scal concerns of the Centre and the States, and nudge

policymakers towards further rationalising the GST

structure. If not a single rate, there is certainly room for

collapsing at least two of the current rates. It is also im

perative that rates not be tinkered with too often and

pricing disputes not be a default option under antipro

fi��teering norms for industry. If cement, as a critical in

frastructure input, must be taxed lower than 28%, then

decide a rate and stick to it. In its second year, the GST

Council must pursue a timebound approach to execute

plans already announced to ease taxpayers’ woes, such

as an ewallet for exporters and a simpler return form.

Besides, there must be a road map to bring excluded

products — petroleum, real estate, electricity, alcohol —

into the GST net. This reform still has miles to go, and

the government must stare down the temptation to take

populist steps ahead of general elections.

One year afterIn its second year, the GST regime

must be purposefully rationalised


CMYK

A ND-NDE

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DATA POINT

The current unprecedented fl��oods in Assam have aff��ected theState’s wild life also inasmuch as the Kaziranga wild life sanctuary is now almost bereft of its animals, most of them havingmigrated to the nearby Mikir hills. The 166square mile sanctuary — noted for its onehorned rhinoceros — presents the spectacle of a vast sheet of water with no trace of the wild animals— rhinos, tigers, Som deer, elephants and wild buff��aloes,which till last month roamed the area in hundreds. The chirpings of innumerable varieties of birds too are not heard, norare they seen on their wings. This was the impression of a PTIcorrespondent who visited the sanctuary — described by naturalists as the world’s most natural sanctuary — late last week.An order of ‘shoot at sight’ has been given to forest guards andHome Guards by sanctuary authorities to check the menace ofpoaching in the sanctuary area. The Sibsagar district policechief had rushed reinforcements to Kaziranga.

FIFTY YEARS AGO JULY 3, 1968

No trace of animals in Assam sanctuary

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FROM ARCHIVES

An offi��cial message from Kieff�� dated June 30th via Berlin [as received in Amsterdam on July 3] says when at two in the afternoon Field Marshal Von Eichhorn and his adjutant CaptainVon Vressler were returning from a Casino near Von Eichhorn’s house a man drove closely past them in a car and threwa bomb. Both were very seriously wounded and subsequentlydied. The assassin and cab driver were arrested. An enquiryhas established the fact that the crime originated with SocialRevolutionaries in Moscow. The assassination of Von Eichhornis regarded as another sign of the Russian revolution againstthe German tyranny. Von Eichhorn was the most ruthless ofall the Kaiser’s Generals and treated the Ukrainians from thebeginning as slaves whose sole use was to provide food forGermany. He forced the peasants to cultivate land under theseverest penalties and fi��xed a price to enable the Germans toobtain bread cheaper but to the ruin of Ukrainian peasantsand landowners. He overthrew the Ukrainian Government,two members of which were arrested and imprisoned.

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO JULY 3, 1918.

Von Eichhorn Murdered in Kieff��.

Gutenberg-Richter lawGeology

This refers to a seismic lawwhich states that there is aconstant empirical relationship between the frequency of earthquakes in aregion and their magnitudes. According to Danishphysicist Per Bak who explained the law in his 1996book, How Nature Works,for every 1,000 earthquakes of magnitude 4, forinstance, there are 100earthquakes of magnitude5, 10 earthquakes of magnitude 6 and so on. Thelaw has been used to arguethat seemingly unpredictable events actually follow asimple pattern. It was formulated by American seismologists Charles FrancisRichter and Beno Gutenberg in their 1956 paper,“Magnitude and energy ofearthquakes”.

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CONCEPTUAL

What does the gazette

notifi��cation on the

Cauvery scheme say?

http://bit.ly/cauveryscheme

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MORE ON

THE WEB 3

The draft Higher Education Commission of India (HECT) Bill is now in thepublic domain. The HECI will replace the main regulatory authority,the University Grants Commission(UGC), to “provide for more autonomy and facilitate holistic growth” ofthis sector and off��er “greater opportunities to Indian students at more affordable cost”. The new commissionwill cover all fi��elds of education except medical and, presumably, agriculture, and institutions set up underthe Central and State Acts, excludingthose of national importance.

Point of departureThe main point of departure in theproposed Bill is a clear separationbetween academic functions andgrantgiving ones, the former to bedischarged by the HECI and the latterby the Ministry of Human ResourceDevelopment (MHRD) directly. Theacademic functions include promoting the quality of instruction andmaintenance of academic standards,as also fostering the autonomy ofhigher education institutions for, in-ter alia, comprehensive and holisticgrowth of education and research ina competitive global environment inan inclusive manner. In other words,the HECI will be bestowed with comprehensive and overriding powers,including ordering the closure of institutions, in all academic and related matters while the purse stringswill be controlled by the MHRD.

The need for a single regulatorybody arose largely in the context ofmultiple bodies set up over the yearstrying to cope with the ever increasing complexity of the sector, both interms of rapidly expanding numberof institutions to meet the demandsof surging student enrolment, andthe uneven and perhaps deteriorating standards in the quality of student output against the requirements of the job market. AsProfessor Furqan Qamar and others

have shown, for almost a century after the fi��rst three universities wereset up in 1857 till the UGC Act becameoperational in 1956, universitiesworked reasonably well without anyoutside regulator.

Problem of plentyThe regime of multiple regulatorsstarted in the mid1980s and variousprofessional bodies also started asserting themselves as regulatorsfrom around the early 1990s whenthe country embraced the new challenges of liberalisation, privatisationand globalisation. This was also theperiod that marked a gallopinggrowth of the sector with the settingup of many private universities. Theresponse of the government, arguably, was to meet the emergingchallenges.

It can be observed that the heavyhands of multiple regulators (like theUGC and All India Council for Technical Education), together with the empowerment of professional bodies(like the Bar Council of India andCouncil of Architecture) have notyielded the desired dividends. Mushrooming of institutions and a steadydecline of standards in most of themhave not done much good to the image of the government and the architecture of regulation. While the proposed Bill seeks to empower theHECI with all academic functions, itsrole vis-à-vis professional bodies isunclear, and whether depriving theHECI completely of funding functions will aff��ect its effi��cacy and stature in discharging its onerous responsibility remains a majorquestion.

Question of fundsAs of today, the MHRD has been directly funding more than a hundredinstitutions of national importance,including the Indian Institutes ofTechnology, National Institutes ofTechnology and Indian Institutes ofScience Education and Research.Funding 47 Central universitiesshould not pose a problem for theministry. The funding scheme ofState universities, which account formore than 50% of the student enrolment, requires to be clearly workedout. If it is sought to be done throughthe Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Ab

hiyan, or RUSA, a clear and transparent mechanism should be spelt out.How eff��ective the role of the HECIwould be to regulate state institutions with less than inadequate Central funding merits serious attention.

The proposed Bill has to be situated in the context of certain new initiatives like granting near completeautonomy to the Indian Institutes ofManagement, providing graded autonomy to other institutions to freethem from the clutches of regulations to enable them to develop intoinstitutions of excellence.

On the one hand, the HECI is being conceived as an overarching regulator (albeit without the teeth offunding function), and on the other itis sought to develop mechanisms sothat more institutions are encouraged to move out of its regulatoryambit.

Of the many functions of the HECI, specifying norms and standardsfor grant of autonomy and of gradedautonomy is an important one.Linked with the issue are the recentinitiatives to encourage public institutions to raise user charges so thatthey become selfsustaining as also toallow such institutions to take loanfrom the Higher Education FundingAgency to meet developmental costs.These are bold initiatives with majorconsequences, inducing institutionsto abandon courses that have hardlyany job prospects and starting onesthat are marketfriendly. Besides, thehigh fees to be paid by students forsuch courses might compel them totake concessional student loans. Thefi��rst militates against the idea of higher education and the concept of theuniversity and the second may resultin the student loan crisis reachingalarming proportions on account ofdelay in payment and default. How

the HECI would advise the government to surmount these problemsremains to be seen.

The new setup As regards the structure of the HECI,there will be a chairperson, vicechairperson and 12 members. The secretary of the HECI will be an offi��cerof the rank of joint secretary andabove or a reputed academic and willserve as its membersecretary. Willshe have voting rights as a member,as she will be appointed by the HECI?Besides, the secretary, higher education is envisaged to don many hats,serving as a member of the searchcumselection committee of thechairperson and vicechairperson,then processing their appointmentas a key functionary of the government, and fi��nally acting as a memberof the HECI. Such multiplicity ofroles may create diffi��culties and confl��ict of interest. Also, the power ofthe government to remove the chairperson and members is rather overwhelming and should be constrained.

Despite some apparent infi��rmities, the proposed Bill shows the resolve of the government to move forward in reforming the sector. Whilemany questions remain unanswered,the proposal appears to be a plausible one, if the public expenditure inthe sector continues to hover aroundthe present level of over 1% of GDP,against the minimum requirement of2%. Major issues like making the universities the hub of scientifi��c andtechnological research, restoring thevalue of education in social sciencesand the humanities, ensuring thatpoor and meritorious students canaff��ord to be educated in subjects oftheir choice, improving the quality ofinstruction to enhance the employability of the students, addressing theconcerns of faculty shortage, etc. require a quantum jump in allocationof public resources to this sector.Tightening the screws of regulationin the absence of rapidly expandingpublic expenditure has obviouslimitations.

Amitabha Bhattacharya retired from the IASas Principal Adviser, Education and Culture,Planning Commission, Government of India.The views expressed are personal

Many questions need to be answered in designing the successor regime to the UGC

Reforming higher education

Amitabha Bhattacharya

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Recent byelection results have induced agreat sense of euphoria among those opposed to ideology of the Bharatiya JanataParty (BJP)’s and Prime Minister NarendraModi’s autocratic style, which they considerthreats to the foundations of India’s constitutional democracy. While some of this euphoria may be justifi��ed, much of it is misplacedfor several reasons.

No time for complacencyFirst, a repeat of the recent byelection results assumes Opposition unity and twowaycontests between Opposition and BJP candidates. Both these assumptions have beenproven wrong over and over again. India is avast and complex country. Its politics isequally diverse and convoluted. Much of thepolitical contestation is determined by regional factors and forces. Parties that may beallies in one part of the country can turn outto be bitter opponents in another. In thiscontext, multicornered contests are thenorm.

Second, most of the Opposition consists ofregional parties that are primarily interestedin protecting their own regional bases andare often willing to sup with the devil toachieve that end. To them, New Delhi is a remote capital and their relationship with theCentre is frequently based on what they canextract from the latter in order to bolstertheir own standing in their States. The partygoverning at the Centre, currently the BJP,has great leverage in such a situation.

Third, Opposition unity, and, more important, the persistence of such unity, canonly be assured if there is a national partythat can act as its anchor and around whichthe other parties can coalesce. Also, such anational anchor must be able to convince theregional parties that it has the capacity togive the BJP a run for its money and whenelected to offi��ce will have the capability to reward its regional allies.

Fourth, the only party that, despite itsdwindling fortunes, has some residual national reach and can act as such an anchor isthe Congress. Unfortunately, despite occasional rhetoric to the contrary, the Congressis currently not in a position to perform thisrole. How much the Congress’s standing is

depleted is evidenced by the fact that it isnow more than willing to act as a juniorpartner in antiBJP alliances and acceptcrumbs from the allies’ tables. This has beenproven true not only in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh but recently in Karnataka as well whereit off��ered unconditional support to JanataDal (Secular) that has half the number of itsseats in the State Assembly. Unless the Congress is able to rejuvenate itself and onceagain project the confi��dence and drive that itpossessed even until the 1980s, it will not beable to act as the national anchor for an Opposition coalition capable of defeating theBJP.

Fifth, there are many reasons for the Congress’s decline, including the absence of innerparty democracy, lack of a vision thatcan attract voters, a culture of sycophancythat has reached absurd limits in the pasttwo decades, and its incapacity to act as anideological alternative to the BJP (which is anideological party). However, there is one feature that lies at the basis of all its other shortcomings. This, in one word, is “dynasty”.

Unless Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhiare marginalised in the party, it will not beable to rejuvenate itself. There is no lack ofintellectual acumen and political talent inthe party but those possessing such attributes are normally sidelined for fear thatthey may challenge the dynasty. By holdingon to the dynasty the Congress is digging itself into an ever wider hole and providingMr. Modi and the BJP the space to subvert thefoundations of India’s secular democracy.

A parliamentary conventionThe Gandhis have hung on to the leadershipof the Congress despite the fact that there isa convention in mature parliamentary democracies, such as Britain and Australia,that when a party loses power in an electionits leadership promptly resigns to make wayfor fresh blood.

Ms. Gandhi should have done so immediately after the Congress debacle in 2014and refrained from imposing her son on theparty as her political heir. “Dynasty” hasnow become a dirty word in Indian politics,and most Indians fi��nd transferring powerfrom mother to son extremely distasteful. Infact, this trait has become the Achilles heelof the Congress party.

Senior members of the Congress cannotaff��ord to wait for another debacle in 2019 before addressing this issue. The time is now.

Mohammed Ayoob is University Distinguished

Professor Emeritus of International Relations,

Michigan State University

Time to hit refresh The Congress cannot be rejuvenated without addressingthe dynasty issue

Mohammed Ayoob

Since the late 19th century, whenMax Planck modelled radiation emitted by a black body, the idea thatlight has a particle nature has come along way. Albert Einstein won a Nobel prize in 1921 for his paper on thephotoelectric eff��ect, in which he developed the idea of light as quanta,or photons. For a long time after this,

scientists were mainly interested in the quantum theory ofmatter.

The development of laser science made possible the study of light as governed by quantum theory. Important contributions to statistical properties of light were made byscientists such as E.C.G. Sudarshan and Roy Glauber. Today,quantum optics powers many discoveries and its full potential can only be guessed at.

The most ambitious attempt to date to unpack this potential might come from a paper entitled: “Light, the Universeand everything – 12 Herculean tasks for quantum cowboysand black diamond skiers”. Its 32 authors from 10 countries(three of them Nobel Laureates) attempt to set benchmarksin the fi��eld of quantum optics.

The paper, a fi��rstofitskind activity, touches on recentfi��ndings such as detection of gravitational waves by the teamat LIGO, or the Laser Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory, that literally shook the world in 2015. It alsodwells on exotic subjects such as the “time crystal”, and theimportance of “nitrogenvacancy centers in diamond”,which can help in building quantum computers of thefuture.

Crystals are solids that show a repeating arrangement inspace of a basic structure known as the unit cell. Time crystals (systems that repeat their crystal structure not just inspace but also in time) were fi��rst proposed by Frank Wilczek, one of the authors of the paper, and who also sharedthe 2004 Nobel Prize in physics.

In 2017, time crystals were demonstrated in a laboratorysetting. “A beating heart is a time crystal in the broadest,purely mathematical sense,” writes Professor Wilczek in thepaper. The questions he poses for research are aroundwhether there are time liquids, glasses and quasicrystalsand whether we could imagine a world where there is atimedependent parallel to the properties of crystalline solids that we know.

Astrophysics afi��cionados may be thrilled by Nobel physicist, Rainer Weiss’s contribution to the paper as well; he explores what gravitational waves might reveal about blackholes, neutron stars and supernovae.

Climate change and global warming are addressed byProf. Goong Chen in the section, “What is the most urgentundertaking in science and technology?” He asks whether itis possible to “mimic, speedup or even improve” photosynthesis by making use of nonlinear shortcuts to the chemicalprocesses of carbon capture.

Plans for future research that the authors have outlinedcould excite not only scientists but also science enthusiastsand scifi��ction writers across the world.

The writer is a science editor at The Hindu in Chennai

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SINGLE FILE

Linked by light The scope of quantum optics is stillunknown, and plans for futureresearch are vast Shubashree Desikan

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tem in the U.S., showedthat the risk of incidentdiabetes increased withrising concentrations ofPM2.5 (fi��ne dust less than2.5 microns in diameter),even reaching signifi��cantimpact at concentrationsof 12 micrograms per cubic meter (m3).

This level is considered“safe” by Indian standardswhich sets a limit of 40 micrograms per m3) and isfar below what is experienced in cities. In Delhi,for instance, PM2.5 cantouch nearly 100 micrograms per m3.

Studies have shownthat this fi��ne dust entersthe bloodstream throughthe lungs, reducing insulinproduction and triggeringinfl��ammation. This factoradds to the diabetes burden which aff��ects morethan 420 million peopleglobally.

Statistical models developed from U.S. veteranstudy were fi��netuned tomore polluted environs bystudying those with passive smoking risks (peggedat exposures of 35 micro

Particulate matter that exists as fi��ne dust in the aircan lead to an increasedrisk of diabetes, particularly in lowincome countries such as India.

Analysis of the burdenof pollutionlinked diabetes (in the journal, Lan-cet Planetary Health) estimates that in 2016, airpollution resulted in asmany as 3.2 million newcases of diabetes. This is14% of all new diabetescases for that year, and India’s share was 20% ofnew cases. Annually, theresearchers estimated thatpollutionlinked diabetescaused more than 2 lakhdeaths in 2016.

Even though previousstudies had shown a significant impact of air pollution on diabetes, the burden of the disease had yetto be quantifi��ed. After studying over 17 lakh American veterans for aroundnine years, researchers atWashington UniversitySchool of Medicine and VASt. Louis Health Care Sys

grams per m3) and activesmoking (667 microgramsper m3 per cigarette). Researchers then undertooka global estimate extrapolating national annualPM2.5 exposure estimatesand using data pointsfrom the Global Burden ofDisease study.

India tops the list interms of ‘DisabilityAdjusted Life Years’, which measures years of healthy lifelost due to pollutionlinked diabetes. Researchers estimate that nearly8.2 million years ofhealthy life were lost globally in 2016, and Indialost 1.625 million healthyyears.

Where high economicgrowth has lead to higherpollution burdens, lowerincome countries such asIndia are aff��ected themost. After all, while theglobal PM2.5 average was42.3 micrograms per c3, inIndia, it was 72.6 per m3.The study fi��nds that amodest reduction in PM2.5

levels may lead to a reduction in diabetes cases inIndia.

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ABSTRACT

Triggered by bad airProportion of pollution-linked diabetes is high in IndiaMohit M. Rao


CMYK

A ND-NDE




NEWS

FROM PAGE ONE

“I don’t want to stop anything... but how can they storespent fuel in the plant itself?What if there is an accidentin the plant... Spent fuel isradioactive, and generatesheat. In Fukushima, thespent fuel was stored in storage ponds. Spent fuel wasdischarged into the atmosphere... Even now, aftermany years, the atmosphereremains contaminatedthere,” Mr. Bhushan said.

Mr. Bhushan said he wasnot against the NPCIL’s pleafor extension of time.

“But it is essential that thereactor is shut down for thetime being till it [the AFR facility] is built... Spent fuelcannot be stored in the

same compound.” He said the running of the

reactor largely depended onthe storage facility, and theAtomic Energy RegulatoryBoard recommended a castiron, foolproof storage facility for spent fuel.

‘Shut down 70 times’According to Mr. Bhushanthe reactor had been shutdown about 70 times for operational reasons since October 2013.

The Bench made it clearthat the extension would bethe last opportunity for theNPCIL to build the storagefacility. In February, theNPCIL fi��led an applicationfor fi��ve more years.

SC rejects plea to shutKudankulam plant

Rajasthan police have started an intensive drive onTwitter to check rumours. Amessage posted on its offi��cial Twitter handle said:“There are many types of#FakeNews. One such typeis #ClickBait — Stories thatare deliberately fabricatedto gain more website visitors& increase advertising revenue for websites.”

“One of the commonestforms of #FakeNews is people using sensational videosand distorting its context,”said another message posted on June 27. “We had exposed one such fraudster@omshantiom1231 who hadused a gory video from Brazil & claimed it to be from#Rajasthan.”

The latest incident wasreported from Dhule inMaharashtra on Sundaywhen a mob attacked fi��vemen who had come to a village begging for money.They were killed on suspicion that they were childtraffi��ckers based on WhatsApp rumours.

On June 28, a man identifi��ed as Sukanta Chakraborty, hired by the Tripura government to dispel rumoursabout childlifters on socialmedia, was lynched in Kalacherra Bazaar. The incidentcame hours after ZaheerKhan, a trader from Uttar

Pradesh, was beaten todeath in West Tripura’s Mohanpur district on suspicionof being a child kidnapper.

Long ropeCyber law expert PawanDuggal said service providers like WhatsApp havebeen given a long rope andthe government must makethem accountable. “Therehas been a lack of politicalwill in enforcing the provisions of the law againstthese service providers...Lack of deterrence and conviction in social mediarelated cyber crimes emboldenscyber criminals. It alsoerodes people’s confi��dencein the ability of the systemto deliver and, therefore,mob justice or mob rule prevails without any fear of legal ramifi��cations,” he said.

An analysis by the National Crime Records Bureau data by Child Rights and You(CRY) revealed that kidnapping and abduction accounted for almost half ofthe total crimes against children in the country. Therewere 52,253 cases of kidnapping and abduction amongthe 1,06,958 crimes againstchildren in 2016. The nextbiggest category is rape,amounting to more than 18per cent of all crimes againstchildren.

Rijiju tells States to fi��ght fake news

The condition of Arjun, 19, asecondyear student of B.A.Philosophy, who was admitted to Ernakulam MedicalTrust Hospital, remainedcritical. Vineeth, a thirdsemester student of M.A.Economics, who sustainedstab injuries in the leg, wasdischarged from the General Hospital in the evening.

The police have taken into custody two workers ofthe Campus Front of Indiaand one activist of the Popular Front of India. They areBilal of Kottayam, Farooq ofPathanamthitta and Riyas ofFort Kochi. A search was onfor the other members ofthe gang.

A row over the graffi��ti,welcoming newcomers tothe campus, escalated afterCampus Front of Indiaworkers allegedly paintedthe wall booked by SFIworkers. SFI workers painted over the writing by theCampus Front of India. Abhimanyu, Arjun and Vi

neeth were putting up posters and fi��nishing the graffi��tiwhen an armed gang attacked them around midnight. Vineeth recalled thatit was in a fl��ash before thegroup fl��ed from the scene.

Principal K.N. KrishnaKumar said regular classeswould resume on July 4. Adecision on when to startthe fi��rstyear undergraduateclasses would be taken later.Hundreds of students,teachers and nonteachingstaff�� members paid their lastrespect to Abhimanyu whenhis body was brought to thecampus in the afternoon onMonday.

The SFI alleged that professional killers were behindthe incident. CPI(M) districtsecretary C.N. Mohanan alleged that it was a plannedmurder.

The Social DemocraticParty of India condemnedthe murder and said an attempt was made to blame itfor the incident.

SFI member murdered in Ernakulam

The RGI issued the notifi��cation as the process for the2021 Census kicks in.

The spokesperson saidenumerators would start“house listing” in 2020, andthe headcount would beginin February 2021. “An individual’s household data arenot published by the RGI.They are published in theform of tables on the Censuswebsite. The data are preserved for 10 years and thendestroyed. From now on, it

can be stored forever in anelectronic format,” he said.

“Earlier everything wasbeing done manually,” saidthe spokesperson. The offi��cial said the electronic record was being given the status of a “document” underthe IT Act, 2000 so that ifthere is any infringementaction can be initiated.

The Census Organisationwas set up on an ad hoc basis for each census till the1951 Census.

2021 census data to be stored electronically

Home Minister RajnathSingh said here on Mondaythat the abusive tweets directed at External Aff��airs Minister Sushma Swaraj were“wrong”. This is the fi��rsttime a senior Minister hasspoken on the subject, aweek after Ms. Swaraj fi��rstfl��agged it on Twitter.

“In my opinion, it iswrong,” Mr. Singh told presspersons on the sidelines of afunction on Monday. He declined to elaborate if any action would be taken againstthe persons who posted themessages.

A source said that Mr.Singh had earlier in the daytold Ms. Swaraj that shecould have ignored the abusive tweets. He gave no assurance on action against theoff��enders. “The Home Minister spoke to Ms. Swarajbut also told her that sheshould not have ‘liked’ thetweets that off��ended her. Hetold her that they could haveat best be ignored and there

was no need to conduct thepoll on Twitter,” the sourcesaid.

The External Aff��airs Minister has faced abuse on social media since the story ofa HinduMuslim couple whoalleged harassment at thepassport offi��ce in Lucknowemerged on June 20. A Twitter poll started by Ms. Swaraj, asking social media us

ers whether they “approve”of the trolling she has facedfound that as much as 43% ofthe responders said they“approved”. To fl��ag the issue, Ms. Swaraj had ‘liked’over 200 tweets that contained off��ensive content.

A senior Cabinet Ministersaid he would not commentin Ms. Swaraj’s support as hedid not want to appear to betaking a stand contrary tothat of the party or that ofthe government.

“In a democracy diff��erence of opinion is but natural. Pls do criticise but not infoul language. Criticism indecent language is alwaysmore eff��ective,” Ms. Swarajsaid on Twitter on Sunday.

Rajiv Tuli, a Delhi offi��cebearer of the RSS, disapproved of Ms. Swaraj, andsaid on Twitter, “Governments may come n go, ministers @SushmaSwaraj jimay come n go but policies& procedures should not bebypassed, should remain supreme. It is really badgovernance.”

Sushma could haveignored trolls: Rajnath

While he became the fi��rst Minister to speak on the issue, Congress asked how many in the Cabinet had backed her


New Delhi

<> Rajnath spoke to

Sushma but told

her that she should

not have ‘liked’ the

tweets

Home Ministry official

The Congress on Mondayblamed the online trolling ofExternal Aff��airs MinisterSushma Swaraj and Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on a “Frankensteinmonster” that had been unleashed and a certain climate that had been createdin the country in the lastfour years.

While saying his partyhad condemned the abuse,Congress leader AbhishekManu Singhvi sought toknow how many of Ms. Swaraj’s colleagues had condemned it.

“Sushma Swaraj’s trollingmust be a week old. I havecondemned it on the fi��rstday while I was abroad. TheCongress has never supported it. I am not talking aboutSushma Swaraj. Anybodywho creates a Frankensteinmonster must rememberthat the defi��nition of a Frankenstein monster is that theyswallow you up. Anybodywho rides a tiger must know

that the tiger has to decidewhen to eat you up. Youcan’t decide when to dismount,” Mr. Singhvi said.

“This is a tiger put beneath Mrs. Sushma Swarajby the party to which she belongs. She cannot say so; letme say it on her behalf. Sheis the victim of the Frankenstein monster and the tigerwhich her party and her par

ty’s thinking has created.And unfortunately it is Abhishek Singhvi who has tocondemn it on Twitter. Howmany of her party colleagues have condemned it?The Congress has condemned it.”

He added: “Worse trollinghas been done to my colleague Priyanka Chaturvedi.It does not matter if it is Priyanka Chaturvedi or SushmaSwaraj. The message you aresending is the climate youare creating. The climateyou are creating is preciselythis climate.”

Mr. Singhvi said there wasa marked climate of intolerance, with incidents oflynching on various groundsalmost each day.

“When the State gives the‘License to Kill’ with impunity and abdicates its solemnresponsibility to uphold the‘Rule of Law’, resulting in vigilantism, death and merciless killings of innocent lives,each one of us should castigate it, decry it and questionit,” he said.


NEW DELHI

Congress blames it onclimate of intolerance

<> Anybody who

rides a tiger must

know that the tiger

has to decide when

to eat you up

Abhishek Manu Singhvi

The BJP is tapping into talent outside its organisational pool to get ready for the2019 Lok Sabha polls. Theparty is forming groupscalled Lok Sabha Tolis in every State, comprising leaders of the party — who mayor may not have formal organisational posts — to helpcandidates in variousconstituencies.

This is one of the manyorganisational innovationsthat party president AmitShah has devised in hiswhirlwind tour that hastouched over 18 States in amonth and will cover therest before ending in Maharashtra on July 22. Mr. Shahhas already covered 395 LokSabha constituencies andhopes to cover the rest before July 22, with tours inKerala on Tuesday and UttarPradesh on July 4 and July 5.

Closed-door meetsSenior offi��cebearers of theparty said Mr. Shah hasbeen holding closeddoormeetings with offi��cebearers, core committee members of State units, the Scheduled Caste and ScheduledTribe morchas of the party,social media teams and LokSabha Tolis.

“These are very nutsandbolts kind of meetings, this

is adhyakshaji’s (party president’s) fourth such tour.Things like the completionof booth committees,names of the workers,whether they have appropriate vehicles and smartphones etc. is gone into. It’sa 20point check list of preparedness, and each LokSabha seat is graded interms of the party’s chancesof winning there,” said thesource.

Plans for events leadingup to the polls and methodsto propagate the party’ssymbol are some of thethings that fi��gure in thecheck list.

“For example, in Odisha,our strength mostly lies inwestern Odisha, and thecoastal areas are bare ofsupport, we need to buildup organisational strengththere... Reviews like this willhelp us be prepared organisationally,” said a source.

BJP taps into talentoutside leadershipForms Statewise groups for 2019 polls

Nistula Hebbar

New Delhi

Amit Shah

India has not donated landto Myanmar to keep theproChina neighbouringcountry in good humour,Manipur Chief Minister N.Biren Singh said onMonday.

The Congress had onSunday criticised the BJP inNew Delhi and the State for“sacrifi��cing” swathes ofland in Manipur’s borderareas to “appease” Myanmar, which is “inchingcloser to China.”

Mr. Singh said the IndiaMyanmar boundary isclearly demarcated.

‘No landdonated toMyanmar’

Special correspondent

GUWAHATI

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre andeight State governments torespond to a petition highlighting that a large numberof vacancies in the CentralInformation Commissionand the State InformationCommissions have crippledthe Right to Information Actand resulted in hugebacklog.

A Bench led by JusticeA.K. Sikri issued notice tothe Centre and Maharashtra,Kerala, Andhra Pradesh,West Bengal, Telangana,Karnataka, Odisha andGujarat.

Justice Sikri asked Additional SolicitorGeneral Pinky Anand why appointments were not madedespite the backlog.

Advocates Kamini Jaiswaland Pranav Sachdeva, appearing for petitioners Anjali Bhardwaj, Commodore(retired) Lokesh Batra andAmrita Joshi, argued that theCentre and the State governments have attempted “tostifl��e the functioning of theRTI Act by failing to do theirstatutory duty of ensuringappointment of commissioners in the Central Information Commission andState Information Commis

sions, in a timely manner”.The petition said that due

to nonappointment of information commissioners, several information commissions take many months,and in some cases evenyears, to decide on appealsand complaints due to accumulation of pending appeals/complaints, defeatingthe entire object of the RTIAct, 2005.

Currently, there are fourvacancies in the Central Information Commission,though more than 23,500appeals and complaints arepending.

The Andhra Pradesh

Commission is completelynonfunctional as not a single information commissioner has been appointed.

Big backlogThe Maharashtra Commission which has a backlog ofmore than 40,000 appealsand complaints, has four vacancies.

The Kerala Commission isfunctioning with only a single commissioner and hasmore than 14,000 pendingappeals and complaints.

Similarly, there are six vacancies in the KarnatakaCommission even thoughnearly 33,000 appeals andcomplaints are pending.

Odisha is functioning withonly three commissionersand Telangana with twocommissioners and theirbacklogs are more than10,000 and 15,000 appeals/complaints, respectively.

The West Bengal Commission is functioning with onlytwo commissioners and iscurrently hearing appeals/complaints fi��led 10 yearsago.

The eff��ective functioningof information commissioners, the fi��nal adjudicatorsunder the RTI Act, is criticalfor the health of the transparency regime in the country,the petition said.

Court notice on vacancies

in information panelsResponse sought from Centre and eight States

Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI

<> Governments had

tried to stifl��e the

functioning of the

RTI Act by failing

to appoint

commissioners

Petition

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response fromthe government on amendments made in the ForeignContribution Regulation Act(FCRA) which benefi��t theruling BJP and the Opposition Congress, both heldguilty by the Delhi HighCourt in 2014 for receivingforeign funds from two subsidiaries of Vedanta, a U.K.based company.

A threejudge Bench ledby Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra agreed to examine the petition fi��led byNGO, Association for Democratic Reforms, challengingthe amendments made inthe FCRA through the Finance Act, 2016 and Finance Act, 2018. Theamendments were passedas a Money Bill with retrospective eff��ect from the year1976.

The petition, representedby advocates PrashantBhushan and Neha Rathi,contended the amendmentswere made to counter a

March 28, 2014 decision ofthe Delhi High Court. TheHigh Court had held the twomajor national political parties — the BJP and the Congress — guilty of taking foreign funding. It haddirected the Centre and theElection Commission of India to take action against thetwo parties within sixmonths.

The Representation ofthe People Act bars politicalparties from receiving foreign funds. The petition argued that the “amendmentshave opened doors to unlimited political donationsfrom foreign companies andthereby legitimising fi��nancial contributions receivedfrom foreign sources”.

The amendments, the petition said, was also againstthe “settled principle of separation of powers since ithas overruled the DelhiHigh Court judgment”. “It isa settled law the legislaturecannot overturn any courtjudgment; it can only remove the basis of the judgment,” the petition argued.

Court seeks responseon FCRA amendmentsIt aids foreign funding to parties: plea

Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI

The Congress on Mondaysought to scotch speculationthat the party was exploringthe possibilities of forming agovernment in Jammu andKashmir with MehboobaMufti’s Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP).

Emerging from a meetingof key Congress leaders onthe Kashmir situation here,former Union Minister Ambika Soni said the partywanted fresh polls in theState that has been placedunder Governor’s rule afterthe BJP withdrew support tothe PDP.

Announcing that themeeting was held to “discussthe situation arising out ofthe imposition of Governor’srule in the State,” Ms. Sonisaid there was no possibilityof an alliance with the PDP,which had failed to fulfi��l itspromises to the people ofthe State.

Former Prime Minister

Manmohan Singh, formerFinance Minister P. Chidambaram, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya SabhaGhulam Nabi Azad,and Jammu and Kashmir CongressCommittee president Ghulam Ahmad Mir were present in the meeting.

‘Not foolish’A Congress delegation willalso be visiting Leh, Ladakhand Kargil soon to assess thesituation. On Tuesday, about100 party members willmeet in Srinagar for thesame purpose.

Later, speaking to journalists, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said in reply to a question whether theparty was looking to form agovernment in the State:“We are not as foolish as you[the BJP] think. Our demandis that elections should happen there immediately.First, you destroyed the administration of that State,made an unethical alliance,and today you want to rulethere through Governor’srule. Three years are leftthere; why don’t you announce elections? Orderpolls if you have thecourage.”

Asked about the implications of Ms. Mufti reportedlymeeting former Congresschief Sonia Gandhi, Mr.Singhvi said: “Meeting withsomebody should not to beread in terms of all otherkinds of conclusions you aredrawing. I have made itclear. I don’t think we shouldjump to conclusions.”

Congress denies plans

to form govt. with PDP Seeks fresh polls in J&K; holds meet to assess situation


NEW DELHI

Ambika Soni

The Centre on Monday saidthat no decision had beentaken yet to shift the University Grants Commission’s grantgiving powersto the Ministry of HumanResource Development. It,however, agreed that manycommittees had suggestedthe separation of regulation and grants, and addedthat the proposed new system would be purely meritbased, online andobjective.

This comes days afterthe Ministry put a draftBill, to create a Higher Education Commission of India and repeal the UGC, inthe public domain for suggestions. “The Ministry ofHRD has clarifi��ed that nosuch fi��nal decision has yetbeen taken to shift thegrant function to the Ministry, even though the recommendation about separating the Regulator andgrantgiving entity hasbeen made by many anexpert committee in thepast...,” said a release.

‘No decisionon shiftingUGC’s powers’


NEW DELHI

The Law Commission willhold a twoday consultation with major politicalparties in New Delhi thisweek on the possibility ofholding Lok Sabha and Assembly polls together.

Seeking to fi��nd a common ground on the issue,the commission has written to the seven recognisednational and 59 State parties to participate in themeeting on July 7 and 8.

Meet onsimultaneouselections


New Delhi


CMYK




NEWS

Some progress in judicialappointments, says SCNEW DELHI

The Supreme Court on

Monday observed that “some

progress” had been made in

the process of judicial

appointments. A Bench

headed by Chief Justice Dipak

Misra made the observation

while hearing a plea filed by

the Madras Bar Association

seeking a strict timeline at

every stage of judicial

appointments. The matter

will be next heard in the first

week of August.

IN BRIEF

Gujjars entitled to OBCquota too in RajasthanJAIPUR

The BJP government in

Rajasthan has clarified that

the Gujjars and four other

nomadic communities,

classified as Most Backward

Classes, were also entitled to

21% reservation in the Other

Backward Classes category.

The community had

threatened to stage protests

during Prime Minister

Narendra Modi’s rally here

later this week if the demand

was not met.

The Supreme Court on Monday extended its June 30 deadline for publication of the fi��nal draft of the NationalRegister of Citizens (NRC) forAssam by a month. The charter is being prepared to identify illegal migrants inAssam.

The leeway given by aBench led by Justice RanjanGogoi came after the government and the State NRCCoordinator agreed to adhere to the new deadline.

The coordinator, PrateekHajela, last week said itwould not be possible to release the fi��nal draft as scheduled on June 30 as the Statewas reeling under fl��oods.

The Bench asked the ChiefSecretary and the DirectorGeneral of Police to provideadequate security immediately to Mr. Hajela and hisfamily members, includinghis children, in view of thework done by him. It asked

the offi��cials to fi��le a compliance report immediatelyafter taking a decision on theissue. The court said it wouldconsider all the interlocutory applications and other related matters on July 31.

The fi��rst draft of the NRCwas published in Decemberend on the top court’s direction. The fi��rst draft, which isa list of the State’s citizens,was published on the intervening night of December 31

and January 1 where namesof 1.9 crore people out of the3.29 crore applicants wereincorporated.

Akhil Gogoi, leader of theKrishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, said: “The delay is be

cause the BJP and the RSS donot want the fi��nal draft to bepublished for loss of face.Flood was a mere excuse onthe part of [NRC Coordinator] Prateek Hajela to delaythe exercise at the bidding of

BJP and RSS. The fl��ood hadaff��ected only three districts.They could have publishedthe data for the rest of theState.” Matiur Rahman,working president of the Assam Sanmilita Mahasangh

said: “The delay is because ofa ploy to include illegal migrants. This is all the morereason why 1951 should bemade the cutoff�� year.”

(With inputs fromRahul Karmakar)

NRC breather: court pushes deadline by a monthConcession by Bench comes after government agrees to stick to new date; adequate security for state coordinator Hajela and family ordered

Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI

Question of identity: People check their names on the fi��rst NRC draft on January 1. * FILE PHOTO

Assam Chief Secretary T.Y.Das and DirectorGeneral ofPolice Kuladhar Saikia onMonday reviewed the lawand order and internalsecurity situation of fourBarak Valley districts aheadthe publication of the fi��naldraft of National Register ofCitizens (NRC) in the State.

An Assam policespokesperson said a highlevel team comprising Mr.Das, Mr. Saikia and other

senior offi��cials visitedCachar district and tookstock of the law and orderand internal securitysituation in Cachar,Karimganj, Hailakandi andDima Hasao districts.

High-level discussions“Various issues relating tointernal security and theemerging law and ordersituation were discussedthreadbare.

“This is the fi��fth meetingof the highpower team

before publication of thedraft NRC,” the offi��cial said.

The District Collectors,the Superintendents ofPolice and senior offi��cers ofthe police, the Army, theCentral police forces and theIndian Air Force engaged inthe districts took part in thediscussion, he added.

Senior offi��cials, includingSpecial DGP (SB) PallabBhattacharyya andAdditional DGP (Law andOrder) Mukesh Agrawalwere present.


Guwahati

Barak Valley situation reviewedahead of NRC draft update

also empowers enforcementagencies in the respective foreign jurisdictions to detainthe person for deportationor extradition to the requesting country.

The Interpol has issued theRed Notice against diamondmerchant Nirav Modi, hisbrother Neeshal Modi, andtheir employee Shubash Parab on the request of the Enforcement Directorate andthe CBI in connection withthe ₹��13,578crore Punjab National Bank fraud.

A request for the noticeagainst Mr. Modi’s uncle andcoaccused Mehul Choksi ispending consideration. Theagencies have invoked criminal and money launderingcharges against the accused.

The Red Notice not onlyrestricts a fugitive’s movement in the 192 membercountries of the Interpol but

The ED has launched aprobe under the Preventionof Money Laundering Actagainst the accused personson the basis of FIRs registered by the CBI.

Both the agencies havefi��led initial chargesheetsagainst Modi, who fl��ew outof the country along with hisfamily in the fi��rst week of January, and had requested

the Interpol to issue Red Notice seeking his location anddetention. His current whereabouts are not clear.

The ED has also movedthe Mumbai Special Courtseeking approval for sendinga request to extradite him.While the application is expected to be sent to the U.K.,the agency will write to othercountries requesting cooperation in his arrest.

After the CBI registeredthe cases against him, Mr.Modi has visited the U.K. atleast thrice. The CBI haswritten to the U.K., the U.S.,the UAE, Belgium and Singapore several times. In response to a diff��usion notice,the Interpol’s Manchester offi��ce had earlier informed theagency about his movementstill March 31. As told to theCBI, Mr. Modi landed at London’s Heathrow airport fromthe U.S. on February 10.

Interpol Red Notice against Nirav ModiHe can now beheld in foreignjurisdictionsSpecial Correspondent

NEW DELHI

The Indian embassy in Kathmandu has reached out tohundreds of pilgrims whoare stranded on the NepalChina border in heavydownpour on their way toKailash Mansarovar.

An offi��cial source saidthat the pilgrims are at present staying in locally arranged accommodations,and are waiting for theweather to clear.

“The embassy of India inKathmandu is in touch withthe pilgrims. They are waiting on the evacuation routesbut will have to wait tillweather improves. Reliefand medical facilities are being supplied to them,” saidthe offi��cial.

The pilgrims are strandedin Simikot in the high Hima

layas that has to be crossedbefore entering into the Tibet Autonomous Region(TAR) of China. The situation turned serious on Monday morning when a resident of Kerala LeelaNamboodiripad died due tohigh altituderelatedsickness.

The route to Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage throughSimikot is arduous due tolack of a proper road network and the pilgrims haveto depend on an air servicethat can operate only inclear weather.

India in touch withstranded pilgrims Special Correspondent

New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the government tofi��le an affi��davit in the next 10days, detailing the steps itwould take for the appointment of Lokpal, the antigraft ombudsman.

A Bench of Justices RanjanGogoi and R. Banumathischeduled the next hearingof the case for July 17.

It has been constantly urging the government to complete the process of appointment at the earliest. In May,the Lokpal selection committee, led by the Prime Mi

nister, had appointed formerAttorneyGeneral Mukul Rohatgi as eminent jurist to thepanel that will shortlist candidates.

Besides the Prime Minister, the selection committeeis composed of the Chief Justice of India and the Lok Sabha Speaker.

Passed in 2014, the Lokpaland Lokayukta Act, 2013,was not implemented allthese years because therewas no Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the 16th LokSabha. The 2013 law includes the LoP as a memberof the selection committee.

The Act intends the LoP tobe part of the selection committee, which has to fi��rst appoint an eminent juristamong their ranks.

However, on April 27 lastyear, the Supreme Court

clarifi��ed that the appointment process need not bestalled merely because of theabsence of the LoP. Thejudgment dismissed the government’s reasoning thatthe appointment processshould wait till the Act wasamended to replace the LoPwith the leader of the singlelargest Opposition party.

The hearing before JusticeGogoi’s Bench is based on acontempt petition fi��led byCommon Cause, represented by advocate PrashantBhushan, for not implementing the April, 2017 judgmentof the court.

SC seeks steps for appointing LokpalCentre told to fi��le an affi��davit in 10 days; next hearing on July 17

Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the appointments of Central VigilanceCommissioner K.V. Chowdary and Vigilance Commissioner T.M. Bhasin almostthree years after they assumed offi��ce in 2015.

In an 86page judgment, aBench of Justices Arun Mishra and Mohan M. Shantanagoudar said allegationscould be made against even“very honest persons” andsuch complaints could notbe taken at face value.

The petition, fi��led by NGOCommon Cause in 2015, alleged that the appointmentswere illegal, void and a violation of institutional integrity.

Justice Mishra, who authored the judgment for theBench, concluded that“each and every” complaintand information regardingMr. Chowdary and Mr. Bha

sin was looked into by theHighPower Committee ledby Prime Minister NarendraModi. “Those days havegone when fi��ling of the complaints was taken as seriousaspersions on integrity.Ideally, there should not beany serious complaint as thefi��ling of same raises eyebrows.,” the Supreme Courtobserved.

The court also declined aprayer by the NGO, represented by advocate Prashant

Bhushan, to prescribe a minimum number of years ofknowledge and experiencein the fi��eld of vigilance forbeing appointed as CVC orVC.

Link with SinhaThe allegations against Mr.Chowdary included his“connections” with formerCBI Director Ranjit Sinha,who came under a cloud forfrequently meeting accusedpersons in the coal and 2Gscam cases at his offi��cialresidence.

The petition had also alleged Mr. Chowdary’s involvement in the Stock Guruscam and that he made noheadway in the investigationinto the Nira Radia tapes.

No complaint was received against Mr. Bhasin.Requisite clearances were given by the IB with respect toMr. Chowdary and Mr. Bhasin,” the court observed.

SC upholds appointmentsof CVC Chowdary, BhasinSays complaints against them can’t be taken at face value


NEW DELHI

K.V. Chowdary * K_R_DEEPAK

Bilateral relations betweenIndia and the Maldives areon the brink once again asthe deadline for India towithdraw its two helicoptershas passed and the issue ofvisas for thousands of Indianjobseekers remainsunresolved.

The visas of more than 26Indian Navy personnel operating the Advanced LightHelicopter (ALH) were validtill June 30. However, Malehas refused to extend theirvisas and has already askedIndia to take back the twoALHs. “The Navy personnelare in the Maldives awaitingfurther instructions,” a Defence offi��cial said.

The two helicopters weregifted by India in 2013 andone was operated by the Indian Coast Guard and theother by the Indian Navy.The validity for the CoastGuard helicopter had expired earlier this year, but

the helicopter still remainsthere. At the end of May, thevisas of the Navy personnelwere extended by onemonth after the interventionof External Aff��airs MinisterSushma Swaraj.

Maldives Ambassador toIndia Ahmed Mohamed saidthere had been no news onwhether the issue over thehelicopters had been resolved, adding that the matter was being handled “directly in Male”.

“What I know is that thehelicopters were supposed

to be taken back by June 30[to India].” External Aff��airsMinistry offi��cials declined tocomment, and said the issuewas being dealt with by theDefence Ministry.

Employment concernsHundreds of Indians saytheir jobs may be on the lineas tensions between the twocountries continue.

The Hindu had reportedon June 14 that an estimated2,000 Indian applicants whohave been off��ered jobs in theMaldives had not received

work permits since February. According to dozens ofsuch applicants, most employers have informed themthat “Indian work visas” arenot being issued at present,and some have sent letterswith a deadline of July 1, after which they would fi��lltheir positions.

“We feel like victims of thebad relations between Indiaand the Maldives. If thesetensions weren’t there, wewould have received ourwork permits in a matter ofdays,” says a qualifi��ed naturopath, who had bagged ajob at the prestigious FourSeasons Hotel Spa. The naturopath, who asked not to beidentifi��ed, said that the human resources departmentat the hotel had last told himthat at least 20 Indians whohad been off��ered jobs sinceFebruary were still awaitingsome movement in mattersfrom the Immigrationdepartment.

After a letter from KeralaChief Minister Pinarayi Vi

jayan, the External Aff��airsMinister had contacted theMaldivian Foreign Minister,while Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had met withMr. Mohamed on June 14.“The Maldives side has beenreminded of our mutualcommitment to promote peopletopeople exchangesand contacts,” a source said.

Meanwhile, most companies in the Maldives are calling for job applicants whoare “not Indian nationals”.An opening for chefs at thesoontobeopened ‘Enchanted Island’ resort read,“Please note, vacancies areopen for all nationalities except Indians.” Another applicant, Jaidev (last name withheld on request), a dataanalyst, told The Hindu thattime is running out for all Indian job holders at hotels inthe Maldives this month.“My hotel said they can’twait any longer and will begin to hire nationals from thePhilippines, Sri Lanka andother countries,” he said.

Island trouble: two choppers, delayed visasDeadline for New Delhi to take back helicopters from Male ends; jobseekers yet to get work permits

Paradise lost: Many Indians off��ered jobs in the Maldives havenot received work permits. * GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Suhasini Haider

Dinakar Peri

New Delhi

Rajnath to visit Amarnathshrine on ThursdayNEW DELHI

Home minister Rajnath Singh

is expected to visit the

Amarnath shrine on July 5.

This will be Mr. Singh’s first

visit to J&K after the State

came under Governor's rule

last month. will be spending a

day in Srinagar on July 4.

MP puts Bihar BJP in aspot, ahead of Shah visitPATNA

Ahead of BJP president Amit

Shah’s visit to Bihar on July

12, party MP from Sasaram

Chhedi Paswan put the ruling

NDA government in a spot

when he said the law and

order situation was poor with

increasing incidence of loot,

murder and rape. “Poor

people cannot even file a case

at police stations,” the MP

told journalists in Sasaram.

Education too has suffered, as

teachers were only seen

either cooking midday meals

or taking it away, he said.

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

<> They will have to

wait till weather

improves. Relief

and medical

facilities are being

supplied to them

Jeeja Ghoshto raise voterawareness

STAFF REPORTER

Kolkata

Disability rights activistJeeja Ghosh may soon become the brand ambassador of the Election Commission in West Bengal.

“We had contacted herabout a week ago in this regard. Her work as a disability rights activists will defi��nitely encouragediff��erentlyabled personsand people in general toenrol into the voters list,”an EC offi��cial said. He saidthat the initiative is inkeeping with the EC’s “accessible election” drive.


CMYK




WORLD

Philippine Mayor shotdead in TanauanMANILA

A Philippine Mayor who

paraded suspected drug

dealers through the streets

was shot dead on Monday

while attending a weekly

fl��agraising ceremony, police

said. Mayor Antonio Cando

Halili was hit by a single

bullet to the chest as he and

civil servants sang the

national anthem in Tanauan,

a city in Batangas. Reuters

ELSEWHERE

S. Korean President tovisit India on June 8SEOUL

South Korean President

Moon Jaein will visit India

from July 8 to 11, his

presidential offi��ce said on

Monday, and hold a summit

with Prime Minister Narendra

Modi where their discussions

are expected to focus on

economic cooperation. He

will also meet with President

Ram Nath Kovind on his fi��rst

visit to the country, the

statement said. Reuters

Militant plotting July 4attack in Ohio arrestedWASHINGTON

The FBI announced on

Monday the arrest of a

professed supporter of

alQaeda who was planning

to target members of the U.S.

military and their families

with a bomb attack on a July

4 parade in Cleveland, Ohio.

The FBI said Demetrius

Nathaniel Pitts told an

undercover agent that he

wanted blow up a vehicle

during the national day event

on Wednesday. AFP

Andrés Manuel López Obrador won Mexico’s presidency in a landslide victory onSunday, setting the stage forthe most leftwing government in the country’s democratic history at a time oftense relations with the Donald Trump administration.

Pledging to eradicate corruption and subdue drugcartels with a less confrontational approach, Mr. LópezObrador will carry high expectations into offi��ce, whilehis eff��orts to reduce inequality will be watched closely bynervous investors. His government could usher ingreater scrutiny of foreign investment and a less accommodating approach to theUnited States.

‘A new project’Rivals Ricardo Anaya, aformer head of the cenreright National Action Party(PAN), and ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)candidate José AntonioMeade, conceded defeatwithin minutes of exit polls.

Tens of thousands of people packed Mexico City’s vastZocalo city square, whereMr. López Obrador spoke after midnight, fl��anked by hiswife and children. “The newproject of the nation will tryto seek an authentic democracy,” he said, in a conciliatory speech promising centralbank independence and economic prudence, along withrespect for individual freedoms. “I want to go down inhistory as a good Presidentof Mexico,” he said.

In a posting on Twitter,Mr. Trump congratulated

him on his victory. “I look very much forward to workingwith him. There is much tobe done that will benefi��tboth the United States andMexico!” he tweeted.

Mr. López Obrador’s victory is a stinging rebuke tothe PRI, which has governed

Mexico for 77 of the past 89years, and its conservativerival, the PAN, which endedoneparty rule in Mexico bybeating the PRI in 2000, butthen lost power 12 years later. Hammering home a message that he alone could enda “mafi��a of power” and root

out corruption that marredoutgoing President EnriquePeña Nieto’s government,Mr. López Obrador’s star hasrisen amid the scandals andMexico’s descent into dizzying levels of violence, whichat times draws comparisonswith war zones.

Since former President Felipe Calderón of the PAN sentthe army to fi��ght cartels in2007, some 2,30,000 peoplehave been killed. Mr. LópezObrador says he will try newapproaches, including a possible amnesty for some whowork for drug gangs.

In contrast to the highrolling ways of many PRIgrandees, Mr. López Obrador says he will live in hisown middleclass home,turn the offi��cial residence into an arts centre, sell the presidential plane and slash hissalary.

Mexico gives Obrador a historic winEx-Mexico City Mayor has pledged to eradicate corruption and subdue drug cartels with a less-confrontational approach

Reuters

Mexico City

German Chancellor AngelaMerkel made a lastditch effort to resolve a row over migrant policy with her conservative allies on Monday aftera top Minister threatened toresign, casting doubt onwhether her coalition cansurvive. Interior MinisterHorst Seehofer off��ered toquit his Cabinet post and thechairmanship of Bavaria’s

Christian Social Union (CSU)at a party meeting on Sunday. It was unclear whetherthis was highrisk brinkmanship aimed at making Ms.Merkel back down.

The CSU had threatenedto impose new controls atthe German border thisweek if they deemed thatagreements and proposalsMs. Merkel brought backfrom a European Union (EU)summit were insuffi��cient to

ease the migrant burden.Ms. Merkel is against un

ilateral action by the authorities in Bavaria, the main entry point for migrants intoGermany, saying it goesagainst European law. Mr.Seehofer was later persuaded by party colleagues totalk to Ms. Merkel one lasttime on Monday to try to settle the dispute, declaring hewould make his fi��nal decision within three days.

Reuters

Berlin

German Interior Minister Seehoferthreatens to quit over migrant policy

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has respondedfor the fi��rst time to an allegation of sexual misconductdating back almost two decades, saying he does not recall any “negative interactions” on the day inquestion.

The avowed feminist wasasked on Sunday to comment on allegations that hehad groped a journalist during a music festival in thewestern city of Creston, Brit

ish Columbia in 2000. Hewas speaking to reporters inthe central city of Regina onCanada’s national day.

Charity event“I remember that day inCreston well, it was an Avalanche Foundation event tosupport avalanche safety,”he said. “I had a good daythat day,” he added. “I don’tremember any negative interactions that day at all.”

Mr. Trudeau became involved with the charity afterhis younger brother Michel

died during an avalanche in1998.

A few days after the festival, an unsigned editorial ap

peared in the Creston ValleyAdvance which alleged Mr.Trudeau, who was 28yearsold at the time and not involved in politics, had apologised to the reporter in question.

It also quoted him as saying “I would not have beenso forward” had he knownshe was a reporter.

The article did not namethe journalist and did notprovide further details aboutthe alleged incident. Broadcaster CBC on Monday said ithad contacted the journalist,

but she did not wish to benamed and did not want tobe associated with coverageof the story.

The allegation has resurfaced in recent times, butthis is the fi��rst time thePrime Minister has commented on it publicly.

Mr. Trudeau frequentlydescribes himself as a feminist. When he came to power he formed a Cabinet withan equal gender divide andhas adopted a zero tolerancepolicy towards sexual misconduct in his Liberal party.

Trudeau denies groping reporter 18 years ago

Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau. * AP

Agence France-Presse

Ottawa

The Kremlin on Mondaysaid that Vladimir Putin andDonald Trump can discuss“all other issues” except Crimea, at their highly anticipated fi��rst summit thismonth.

Mr. Putin has “repeatedlystated and explained thatCrimea cannot be and willnever be on the agenda because it is an inseparablepart of Russia,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov toldreporters. “All other issuesare ones of consensus, discussion and fi��nding possiblepoints of contact,” he added. On Saturday, Mr.

Trump refused to rule outaccepting Russia’s annexation of Crimea when hemeets Mr. Putin for a fi��rstoneonone summit of thetwo leaders in Helsinki onJuly 16.

Mr. Trump has reluctantly approved the dispatch ofU.S. antitank missiles tosupport Ukraine forces, andother senior U.S. offi��cialscontinue to insist sanctionswill remain until Moscowbacks down. But Mr. Trumphas long supported warmerrelations with Russia, andWestern diplomats based inWashington have begun tofear that he could make major concessions in Helsinki.

‘Putin and Trumpwon’t discuss Crimea’Agence France-Presse

Moscow

U.S. President DonaldTrump’s longtime personallawyer Michael Cohen, in atelevision interview aired onMonday, declared his loyalty to his family and the U.S.and said he would fi��ght backif the President or his legalteam tried to discredit him.

Mr. Cohen’s comments toABC News signalled that hemay abandon Mr. Trumpand cooperate with prosecutors investigating his business dealings.

“I will not be a punchingbag as part of anyone’s defence strategy,” Mr. Cohensaid in the interview, which

was taped during the weekend. “I am not a villain ofthis story and I will not allow others to try to depictme that way.” The comments to ABC were his fi��rstsignifi��cant remarks to a major media outlet since federal prosecutors in New Yorkraided his home, offi��ce andhotel room in April.

Mr. Cohen also dismissedMr. Trump’s characterisation of the investigation andsaid it was “unsustainable”to accept Russian PresidentVladimir Putin’s denial of interference. He also told ABChe would fully cooperatewith U.S. Special CounselRobert Mueller.

I am not a villain ofthis story, says CohenReuters

Washington

A Pakistani writer and activist says she fears for her lifeafter being briefl��y abductedfrom a military cantonmentin the city of Lahore on June5, an incident that triggerednational outrage and saw fi��ngers pointed at the military.

Gul Bukhari, a harsh criticof the military and its allegedmeddling in politics, saidthere was an atmosphere of“fear and intimidation” inthe media and politics in therunup to Pakistan’s July 25general election. “I feel veryinsecure. I have restrictedmy son’s movement. I worryevery time my husband or Igo out,” Ms. Bukhari said, ad

ding that she now oftensends live updates on herwhereabouts via WhatsAppto a friends and familygroup.

Since Ms. Bukhari’s abduction, there have beenmounting complaints frommedia houses and journalists about being muzzled bythreats of physical and fi��nancial retribution against thosewho cross “red lines” in reporting about the military.

Security concernsMs. Bukhari said that her abduction could be “viewedwithin that context” of intimidation ahead of thismonth’s election. She saidshe has asked the police to

off��er her security but nonehas been provided.

Other activists and mediaoutlets say they feel targetedfor criticising the military.

Dawn, the leading Englishlanguage newspaperwhich angered the army inMay by publishing an inter

view with exPrime MinisterNawaz Sharif, says its deliveries have since beenblocked in what it calls a“wideranging and seemingly coordinated” assault onthe publication.

Waqass Goraya, who alleges he was tortured when heand four other bloggers wereabducted for several weekslast year and who later fl��edthe country, accused military intelligence agents ofgoing to his family home andthreatening his parents.

Mr. Goraya and Ms. Bukhari, both active Twitter users, say they are also the targets of a coordinatedtrolling campaign on socialmedia.

‘There’s fear and intimidation in Pak.’Gul Bukhari, abducted and released in June, says insecurity prevails ahead of polls

Gul Bukhari. * REUTERS

Reuters

Islamabad

The news that the 12 Thaiboys and their relatives havebeen found alive sparkedelation after days of painstaking searching by specialist divers through muddywaters and winding tunnels.

The condition of thegroup was not immediatelyclear after days underground.

However, overjoyed relatives who had clusterednear the cave in an increasingly desperate vigil huggedand smiled as news of themiracle rescue fi��ltered back.

Tears of joy“I’m so glad... I want to himto be physically and mentally fi��t,” said Tinnakorn Boonpiem, whose 12yearold sonMongkol is among the 13.

“I found out from the television... I’m so happy Ican’t put it into words,”another relative of one ofone of the group told televi

sion reporters with tears ofjoy streaming down hischeeks.

Earlier on Monday, diverstook advantage of a briefwindow of good weather toedge further into the cave,with the water levels dropping slowly but steadily every hour thanks to roundtheclock pumping.

They had hoped to fi��ndthe “Wild Boar” team on anelevated ledge dubbed “Pattaya beach”.

But the boys had retreated 300400 metres furtheras the ledge was submerged,said Chiang Rai’s GovernorNarongsak Osottanakorn.

At 10 km long, ThamLuang cave is one of Thailand’s longest and one of thetoughest to navigate, withits snaking chambers andnarrow passageways.

A sign outside the sitewarns visitors not to enterthe cave during the rainyseason between July andNovember.

Relatives elated afterThai boys found aliveCondition of the boys is still unclear


Mae Sai

Hoping for the best: Family members of one of the 12 boysrescued in Mae Sai on Monday. * AP


CMYK

BUSINESSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE



NIFTY 50

PRICE CHANGE

Adani Ports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362.80. . . . . . -10.35

Asian Paints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1293.05. . . . . . . 28.60

Axis Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512.25. . . . . . . . . 1.45

Bajaj Auto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2835.15. . . . . . . 24.85

Bajaj Finserv. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5778.30. . . . . . -42.80

Bajaj Finance . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 2299.55. . . . . . . . . 3.20

Bharti Airtel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368.05. . . . . . -13.90

BPCL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369.20. . . . . . . . -4.10

Cipla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617.00. . . . . . . . . 0.35

Coal India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260.55. . . . . . . . -3.80

Dr Reddys Lab . . . . . . . .. . . . 2240.35. . . . . . . . . 5.30

Eicher Motors. . . . . . . . .. 28187.65. . . -402.80

GAIL (India). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341.10. . . . . . . . . 0.85

Grasim Ind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 987.30. . . . . . -19.55

HCL Tech. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 926.10. . . . . . . . -0.15

HDFC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1897.10. . . . . . -11.00

HDFC Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2073.25. . . . . . -35.20

Hero MotoCorp . . . . . .. . . . 3415.40. . . . . . -58.10

Hindalco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223.25. . . . . . . . -7.25

HPCL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259.70. . . . . . . . . 0.50

Hind Unilever . . . . . . . . .. . . . 1643.45. . . . . . . . . 2.30

Indiabulls HFL . . . . . . . .. . . . 1114.55. . . . . . -27.95

ICICI Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277.40. . . . . . . . . 2.00

IndusInd Bank . . . . . . . .. . . . 1948.80. . . . . . . 16.60

Bharti Infratel . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 298.90. . . . . . . . -1.65

Infosys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1334.70. . . . . . . 27.50

Indian OilCorp . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 153.70. . . . . . . . -2.30

ITC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263.05. . . . . . . . -3.15

Kotak Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1337.95. . . . . . . . -5.00

L&T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1255.95. . . . . . -19.15

Lupin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 889.45. . . . . . -14.35

M&M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 886.65. . . . . . -11.05

Maurti Suzuki . . . . . . . . .. . . . 8821.05. . . . . . . . -4.55

NTPC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153.55. . . . . . . . -6.10

ONGC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155.50. . . . . . . . -2.90

PowerGrid Corp . . . . .. . . . . . 185.05. . . . . . . . -1.80

Reliance Ind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 960.60. . . . . . -11.85

State Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258.85. . . . . . . . -0.50

Sun Pharma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563.15. . . . . . . . -0.85

Tata Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266.70. . . . . . . . -2.60

Tata Steel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560.50. . . . . . . . -7.25

TCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1851.35. . . . . . . . . 3.60

Tech Mahindra . . . . . . .. . . . . . 657.20. . . . . . . . . 1.75

Titan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 897.40. . . . . . . 18.90

UltraTech Cement. .. . . . 3777.30. . . . . . -41.30

UPL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624.70. . . . . . . . . 5.90

Vedanta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239.85. . . . . . . . . 3.65

Wipro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260.60. . . . . . . . -0.90

YES Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337.05. . . . . . . . -2.60

Zee Entertainment . . . . . . 539.65. . . . . . . . -4.30

EXCHANGE RATES

Indicative direct rates in rupees a unitexcept yen at 4 p.m. on July 02

CURRENCY TT BUY TT SELL

US Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 68.60. . . . . . . 68.92

Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 79.80. . . . . . . 80.20

British Pound. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 90.15. . . . . . . 90.60

Japanese Yen (100) . .. . 61.92. . . . . . . 62.22

Chinese Yuan . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 10.30. . . . . . . 10.35

Swiss Franc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 69.04. . . . . . . 69.38

Singapore Dollar . . . . . . .. . 50.13. . . . . . . 50.39

Canadian Dollar. . . . . . . . .. . 52.06. . . . . . . 52.30

Malaysian Ringitt . . . . . .. . 16.97. . . . . . . 17.06

Source:Indian Bank

BULLION RATES CHENNAI

July 02 rates in rupees with previousrates in parentheses

Retail Silver (1g) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.6. . . . . . . (42.8)

22 ct gold (1 g) . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 2903. . . . . . (2913)

market watch

02-07-2018 % CHANGE

Sensex dddddddddddddddddddddd 35,264 ddddddddddddd-0.45

US Dollardddddddddddddddddddd 68.80 ddddddddddddd-0.50

Gold ddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 31,400 ddddddddddddd-0.06

Brent oil ddddddddddddddddddddd 77.84 ddddddddddddd-2.16

A separate London listing isno longer necessary toachieve Vedanta Group’sgoals, said Anil Agarwal,chairman, Vedanta Resources, which is set to delist itsshares from the LondonStock Exchange.

“The London listing hasserved us extremely well ….however, given the subsequent growth of our underlying businesses and the maturity of the Indian capitalmarkets, together with related feedback from our shareholders and other stakeholders, we have concluded thata separate London listing isno longer necessary toachieve the Vedanta Group’sstrategic objectives,” Mr.Agarwal said in a statement.

The independent committee of Vedanta Resources’board, set up to evaluate the

proposal to delist the fi��rmfrom the London Stock Exchange, and Volcan, theholding company whollyowned by Anil Agarwal’s discretionary trust, said theyhad agreed in principle onthe key terms of a possiblecash off��er to acquire minority shares accounting for33.47% of the capital, valuingthe fi��rm at £2.325 billion.

‘28% premium’The off��er of £8.25 a share is anear 28% premium on theclosing price of Vedanta Resources on Friday. Investorswould also receive the 41 U.S.cents per share dividend forthe year ending in March.Volcan currently owns66.53% of Vedanta’s totalshare capital. Shares of Vedanta Resources had risen26% by afternoon on theexchange.

The committee is set to re

commend the off��er to independent shareholders. If themove is successful, Vedantawould make an applicationto delist its shares from theexchange and from the Financial Conduct Authority’slist. The delisting could takeplace 20 business days after

Volcan receives acceptancesof its fi��rm off��er, or acquires amajority of the shares fromindependent shareholders.

The committee added itwould be recommending thecash off��er because of the certainty it provided and the ‘attractive’ valuation. The move

would also help simplify Vedanta’s structure, in thewake of other such moves,including the merger of various Indian subsidiaries intoVedanta Limited and themerger of Cairn India Limited into Vedanta Limited.“Volcan believes that now isthe right time to take anotherimportant step in simplifyingthe structure of the VedantaGroup by removing a duplicate stock exchange listing,which it believes to be in thebest interests of allstakeholders.”

While the original rationale for the Londonlistingwas to access the deep poolof equity and debt capital inLondon, the rationale was“less compelling,” given theincreased maturity of the Indian capital markets, Vedanta said.

Pressure has built on Vedanta Resources in recent

months in London, particularly following the deaths ofsome protesters in police fi��ring in May in Thoothukudiwhere Vedanta’s SterliteCopper factory is located.Britain’s opposition Labourparty called for the companyto be delisted from the London exchange to “remove itscloak of respectability.”

The company has in thepast faced concerns from investors such as the Church ofEngland, which in 2010 soldits stake in the fi��rm, citing its“respect for human rightsand local communities.”

Zambian protestsVedanta Resources is alsofacing legal challenges in Britain. Zambian villagers lastyear won the right to sue thefi��rm in London, though thecompany is appealing thisruling. “We cannot commenton Vedanta’s intentions be

hind their plans to delistfrom the London Stock Exchange, however, delistingfrom the LSE will not removetheir liability for the allegedpollution that the claimants’say was caused by Vedanta’scopper mining operations inChingola,” said Oliver Holland, a solicitor at Londonbased Leigh Day which is representing the villagers.

“A company that is listedon the LSE and headquartered in the U.K. must adhereto strict regulations including rules on antibribery andmodern slavery and ofcourse can be sued in the English courts. Clearly if a company delists from the LSEand is no longer based inLondon, they will no longerhave to adhere to the U.K.’sregulations and taking actionagainst them in the Englishcourts would be more diffi��cult.”

Vedanta’s Agarwal bids to take U.K. company privateLondon listing not necessary, business growth and maturity of Indian capital markets enough to meet goals, says Vedanta Resources chairman

Vidya Ram

LONDON

Investor interest: Acquisition of 33.47% of shareholdingwould value the off��er at £778 million. * PTI

Manufacturing activity sawits best performance in sixmonths in June, due tostrong output levels and neworder numbers, according toa private sector survey.

The Nikkei India Purchasing Managers’ Index recorded a reading of 53.1 in June,compared to 52.2 in May. Areading over 50 indicates expansion, while one below 50denotes a contraction.

‘Staffi��ng rises’“India’s manufacturing conditions improved in June atthe strongest pace since December 2017, supported by

the sharpest gains in outputand new orders in 2018 sofar,” the report said.

“Refl��ecting greater production requirements, fi��rmswere encouraged to engagein purchasing activity andraise their staffi��ng levels.”

“Manufacturing produc

tion rose in June..., extending the period of expansionto 11 months,” it added.

“Moreover, the rate ofgrowth was sharp and themost pronounced since lastDecember. Panellists linkedgreater output to favourabledemand conditions. Outputgrowth was reported acrossall market groups.”

The report went on to saythat the expansion in outputwas bolstered by a surge innew orders, which also increased due to an increasefor the eighth consecutivemonth of overseas orders.

“The rate of expansionwas solid and accelerated tothe fastest since February.”

Manufacturing PMI at 53.1,highest since DecemberSharpest gains seen in output, new orders for 2018: Nikkei


NEW DELHI

As senior executives of TataSteel and German steel mak-er Thyssenkrupp gathered inBrussels for the formal sign-ing of the joint venture fortheir European steel opera-tions, T.V. Narendran, ma-naging director, Tata Steel,spoke about the contours ofthe deal and the logic behindthe valuation.

What does the Thyssenkrupp

deal mean for Tata Steel?

■ From a Tata Steel point ofview, we have been trying tocreate strong and sustainable businesses. In India, wehave always been structurally strong but we have nothad the size.

In Europe we’ve had thesize but not the structuralstrength. So, what we’vebeen doing in the past fewyears is grow in India to asize and scale that is important to have in India, whichis a growing market, and tohave a business in Europethat is structurally strong. Ithink the partnership and JV(joint venture) with Thyssenhelps us create that.

How satisfi��ed are you with

the terms of the agreement?

■ It was diffi��cult. Thyssenkrupp had its own pressuresand they have shareholderswho were demanding a relook. Our point of view wasthat you can’t let two quarters decide the valuation of acompany.

One of the reasons wedidn’t have great quarters inthe last two was that we werecarrying out signifi��cant investments particularly in theNetherlands, to upgrade facilities there. The operatingteam in ThyssenKrupp understood that and that thiswas a good solution whereyou keep it at 50:50 but youare given warrants which

they can encash, which aretriggered only when you doan IPO.

You have something inhand which is not goingagainst the structure or philosophy of the joint venture.

Under the pact,

Thyssenkrupp will decide

on an IPO but what criteria

would be used to determine

its timing?

■ When you do an IPO youwant the business to be on astrong footing. Thyssenkrupp has the right to decideon timing but the timing willdepend on how quickly wecan realise the synergies andget the right value from themarket.

What will be key to the

success of the JV?

■ The synergies are very signifi��cant [€400 to €500 million annually] — we have detailed plans and we are ontrack on that.

With this joint venture( JV), we have two of the bestsites in Europe — Port Talbothas structural challengeswhich are nothing to do withthe people but inherent inthe site but we are well positioned. We have a strongfranchise.

We have to make sure the

integration happens well.

How are the U.S. steel tariff��s

impacting European fi��rms ?

■ In terms of direct exportsto the U.S., the pain is not asmuch as we had feared because many of the customersin the U.S. don’t have anyother option but to buy thesteel we send to them. So,particularly for the packaging industry they have givenus the price increases thatare required to cover thecost of higher tariff��s. I feel insome sense the U.S. customers are paying a higher pricefor it than globally what customers are paying. We areless concerned about whatwe are selling into the U.S.We are more concernedabout what could come ourway because the U.S. has introduced these measures.

How will Brexit shape the

joint venture?

■ We have a strong footprintin the continent and a significant position in the U.K. sowe are well positioned. If theU.K. closes up, we have afootprint there, if it doesn’t ,it is as it is today.

It’s been a tough road since

the 2007 Corus acquisition.

■ The fi��rst year of coursewas great but the crisis wasobviously something that noone anticipated — either theseverity or intensity of thecrisis. European steel demand did not recover for 10years. It was a unique set ofcircumstances: a lot ofthings we thought would goright went wrong but to mewhat we did was we workedvery hard over the past tenyears, and we didn’t give up.

We had the restructuringof our businesses and soldsome of them and took sometough calls. Our people inEurope worked very hardand we grew in India. When

we acquired Corus, we were4 million (tonnes a year) inIndia and 18 million here somost of the capital was invested here. Over the pastten years, as we’ve goneabout restructuring Europeand reduced Tata Steel’s European footprint from 18 to10 million, in India we’vegrown from 4 to 13 million soas a consolidated companywe are in a much strongerposition today and this continues. The learnings for us inour industry is how important it is to be structurallystrong: you have to be thelast man standing.

How has the European

business benefi��tted India?

■ One of the reasons forcoming into Europe is thatthere are a lot of learningsfrom sophisticated maturemarkets that we can takeback to emerging and growing markets. It helps to giveus a preview of what to expect in Indian markets —having an insight into maturemarkets helps us plan better.Many products that are developed here have also beendeveloped or are being developed in India.

Was the 2007 acquisition

the right step for Tata Steel?

■ At the time it was the rightdecision. You must think ofwhat was happening in theindustry, it was consolidating very rapidly. Had weknown there was going to bea global fi��nancial crisis 12months down the road Idon’t know what we wouldhave done. Everyone wouldhave sat on capital at thetime rather than spend it.

In our industry, it is important to make a call. Thereis never a perfect time but Ithink we have the confi��dence to have outlasted many diffi��cult cycles and we willcontinue to deal with them.

INTERVIEW | T.V. NARENDRAN

‘You can’t let two quarters decidethe valuation of a company’Tata Steel, Thyssenkrupp synergies worth €400-€500 mn a year: Tata Steel MD

Vidya Ram

<> In terms of direct

exports to the U.S.,

the pain (of U.S.

tariff��s) is not as

much as feared

The Sunil Mehta Committee,set up to look into the fasterresolution of stressed assets,has recommended the creation of an asset managementcompany for the resolutionof stressed loans worth morethan ₹��500 crore, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Monday.

The committee had alsolaid out a plan to resolveSME loans within 90 days.

“The committee set upunder Sunil Mehta has submitted its report and recommendations,” Mr. Goyal toldthe media. “The report comprises a bankled resolution

process and a fi��veprongedstrategy to resolve stressedassets called ProjectSashakt.”

The idea is to resolve SMEloans of less than ₹��50 crorein less than 90 days.

“Banks should create a fo

cussed vertical for management of stressed assets forpriority resolution of SMEs,”according to a presentationby Mr. Goyal.

“Resolution should benondiscretionary, nondiscriminatory and completedwithin a timebound mannerwithin 90 days.”

Monitoring mechanism In addition, the committeehad recommended the setting up of a “robust monitoring and review mechanism”to track resolution with clearescalation metrics forbreached timelines.

“The key diffi��culty is in arriving at a consensus ap

proach among a large number of lenders,” the FinanceMinister said.

“And exposure in the ₹��50500 crore category is usuallyby multiple banks.”

In light of this, the committee recommended thatsuch lenders enter into an intercreditor agreement toauthorise the lead bank toimplement a resolution planin 180 days.

“The lead bank wouldthen prepare a resolutionplan including empanellingturnaround specialists andother industry experts foroperational turnaround ofthe asset,” according to thepresentation.

Mehta panel recommends settingup AMC for large, stressed loansAlso lays out plan to resolve loans of small and medium enterprises in 90 days

Piyush Goyal


NEW DELHI


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IN BRIEF

Centre names SaraswatiPrasad SAIL CMD MUMBAI

The Centre has appointed

Saraswati Prasad as CMD of

Steel Authority of India

(SAIL). “Further, in terms of

the order of the Government

of India, Saraswati Prasad,

Special Secretary and

Financial Advisor, Ministry of

Steel, Government of India

has taken over the additional

charge of the post of

chairman and managing

director of SAIL on 1 July,

2018,” said SAIL. The

appointment follows the

superannuation of P.K. Singh.

Strides gets USFDAapproval for two drugsBENGALURU

Strides Shasun announced

that its whollyowned

subsidiary Strides Pharma

Global Pte. had received the

fi��nal approval for anti

infl��ammatory, painrelieving

Ibuprofen tablets, 200 mg,

from the USFDA. It also

received a tentative approval

for its Para IV fi��ling of

Milnacipran Hydrochloride

tablets from the USFDA.

These tablets, meant to treat

fi��bromyalgia that aff��ects

tendons, ligaments and

supporting tissues.

Volkswagen Group on Monday said it will invest €1 billion (about ₹��7,900 crore) inIndia primarily between2019 and 2021 as part of itsIndia 2.0 strategy to becomea “more signifi��cant player”in the country’s auto market.

While admitting that theVolkswagen Group hadstruggled to meet its targetsin India in the recent years,group company Skoda AutoCEO Bernhard Maier said,“With ‘India 2.0’, we arenow creating the right conditions for sustainable growththere. Our objective is ambitious, but achievable: together with the Volkswagenbrand, we are aiming for a5% market share in the passenger vehicle segment by2025.”

Under the project, SkodaAuto would be leading thegroup’s campaign to streng

then presence in the Indianmarket.

Engineering centreSkoda Auto would also setup an engineering centre inIndia to bring out productssuited for the Indian market.“By the end of the year, wewill have about 250 engineers working at the centrein Pune to develop cars,”said Mr. Maier.

Going forward, all modelsdesigned and produced locally in India would be basedon Volkswagen Group’s MQBplatform that already complies with upcoming emission and safety standards inIndia. He added that the products would be highly localised in order to achieve costcompetitiveness. Thecentre, along with proposedexpansion of manufacturing

plants, is expected to create4,0005,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The group would unveil anew midsize SUV based onthe MQB platform by the second half of 2020. It plans tointroduce two models eachfrom Volkswagen and Skodabrands between 2021 and2025.

“The platform can havemany body styles, we do notrule out anything. If marketis ready, then we can be ready too,” Mr Maier said.

On exports, he said the focus would be on India. However, Skoda would assessthe possibility of exportingvehicles manufactured in India. Additionally, Skoda Auto, which plans to have aportfolio of 10 electric vehicles by 2025, said it will bringthese products to the Indianmarket as well depending onthe market preparednessand infrastructure.

VW to invest €1 bn in IndiaFunds to be used to strengthen market presence, garner 5% share in PVs by 2025


NEW DELHI

Bigger, better: VW ‘s India proposals may generate 4,0005,000 direct and indirect jobs, says Bernhard Maier. * AFP

Mobile infrastructure company Bharti Infratel has gotthe approval of watchdogCompetition Commissionof India (CCI) for mergingits operations with IndusTowers, according to a regulatory fi��ling by the Bhartigroup fi��rm.

The proposed mergervalues Indus Towers at₹��71,500 crore and willcreate a mobile tower entity with 1.63 lakh towers inall 22 telecom circles.

Bharti Infratel and Vodafone jointly own 42% eachin Indus Towers, while11.15% is held by Idea Cellular and the rest by Providence. Post the deal, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone willjointly control the combined fi��rm and the transaction is expected to close before the end of 201819,subject to approvals.

CCI okaysBharti Infra,Indus merger


MUMBAI

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Nasdaqhave signed an agreementwherein the global boursewill deliver a customisedrealtime clearing, risk management and settlementtechnology to the NSE.

Further, the exchangesalso signed a memorandumof understanding (MoU) toexplore business opportunities across listings, corporate and market servicesand data and innovations inproducts, processes andtechnology, they said.

Latest architectureThe technology would provide a stateoftheart architecture utilising the NasdaqFinancial Framework,which would enable all assetclasses to be cleared and settled in one system, it added.

“We have heavily customised Nasdaq’s global platform to suit Indian requirements,” NSE CEO VikramLimaye told the media.

Adena Friedman, president and CEO, Nasdaq, saidthe strategic part of the partnership could allow Indiancompanies to benefi��t fromNasdaq’s tools in the fi��eldsof corporate governance,and market surveillanceapart from the area of duallisting.

NSE, Nasdaq enterinto technology pact‘One system to cater to all settlements’


MUMBAI

Adena Friedman

Shares of governmentowned RITES Ltd. and FineOrganic Industries gainedground on debut on Mondayeven as the benchmark indices ended the day in thered.

Stateowned RITES Ltdmade it debut at ₹��190 on BSEbefore touching a high of₹��224.40. It fi��nally closed at₹��212.70, a premium of almost 15% compared with itsissue price of ₹��185. At Monday’s close, the market capitalisation of the companywas pegged at ₹��4,254 crore

On the National Stock Ex

change (NSE), shares ofRITES Ltd., which providestransport consultancy andengineering services, closedat ₹��211.30 after touching anintraday high of ₹��224.50.

Meanwhile, shares of Fine

Organic Industries closed at₹��822.80 on BSE after touching a high of ₹��834. The company had fi��xed the issueprice at ₹��783.

Sensex drops 159 pointsIncidentally, both the companies gained ground on aday when the benchmark indices traded in the red formost part of the trading session before closing in negative territory.

The 30share Sensex lost159.07 points or 0.45% toclose at 35,264.41. Thebroader Nifty closed at10,657.30, down 57 points or0.53%.

Shares buck the trend as benchmark indices end in red


MUMBAI

* GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

RITES, Fine Organic gain ground on debut

The growth in eight infrastructure industries droppedto a 10month low of 3.6% inMay due to a decline in production of crude oil and natural gas.

The eight sectors, whichalso include coal, refi��neryproducts, fertilizers, steeland cement, had expandedby 3.9% in May 2017, according to the data released bythe Ministry of Commerceand Industry on Monday.

This is the lowest growthrate since July 2017 when infrastructure industries hadexpanded by 2.9%. The

growth rate recorded inApril 2018 stood higher at4.6%. Crude oil and naturalgas registered a contraction

of 2.9% and 1.4% respectivelyin May compared with thesame period a year earlier.

The growth rate for refi��n

ery products declined to4.9% in May this year compared from 5.4% in May 2017,while growth rates for steeland electricity also fell to0.5% and 3.5% respectivelyin May, compared with 3.8%and 8.2% in the same periodof the previous year.

Coal, fertilizer riseHowever, the output forboth coal and fertilizer grewby 12.1% and 8.4% respectively, in May over the yearearlier period.

In April and May this year,the eight industries recorded4.1% growth compared with3.3% a year earlier

Infrastructure sector growth dips to 10-month low of 3.6% in May Crude oil, natural gas record contraction; steel, electricity lag behindPress Trust of India

New Delhi

Insolvency action onParamount promoterMUMBAI

Kotak India Growth Fund has

initiated insolvency

proceedings against Lakshmi

Murugesan, promoter of the

nowdefunct Paramount

Airways. A person familiar

with the development said

the proceedings had been

initiated after Ms. Murugesan

failed to comply with an

arbitration award that

directed all the promoters to

pay ₹��200 crore to the India

Growth Fund.


CMYK

A ND-NDE




SPORT

More than 74 percent possession, an astonishing 1,137passes and utter territorialdomination, yet the only statistic that counted in the endfor Spain was the two penalties it missed after it strangled itself out of the WorldCup on Sunday.

Igor Akinfeev assumed instant Yuri Gagarin status bysaving two of Spain’s spotkicks. However, in truth itwas just about the only timethe Russia goalkeeper wasseriously tested as, despitepinning the host deep in itsown half for most of the 120minutes, the 2010 championmanaged only nine shots ontarget.

Spain reached the pinna

cle of the sport on the backof a game built on relentlesspassing aligned with bottomless patience and faith that itwould always, eventually,fi��nd a way through.

On Sunday, that patienceproved its undoing against adesperately tired and wiltinglast 16 opponent who shouldhave been ripe to be slicedapart.

Instead, Spain seemed entirely incapable of increasing the pace as, minute byminute, home hopes grewfrom a longshot dream,through a gradual realisation that its highly rankedrival was not actually thatdangerous, to eventual delirious celebration.

With 35 minutes on theclock, Spain had made 300

passes to the 63 of Russia buthad not mustered a single effort on target and led onlythrough Sergei Ignashevich’scomical own goal.

Russia’s approach was tosit deep and allow the ball tobe caressed around in frontof it at little more than walking pace.

It looked a sensible approach as, with Andres Iniesta surprisingly droppedto the bench, none of theSpaniards seemed willing orcapable to inject that gamechanging moment of acceleration or inspiration thathas been their trademark fora decade. So a stalemate ensued until after a rare attackRussia found its way back level via Artem Dzyuba’s 41stminute penalty.

Spain falls victim to own patienceand Russian resistance The host’s tactic to sit deep and allow the ball to be caressedaround in front of it worked

Gone terribly wrong: The Spaniards cut a sorry fi��gure after failing to inject the gamechangingmoment of acceleration or inspiration that has been their trademark for a decade. * REUTERS

Reuters

Moscow

Goalkeeper Danijel Subasicwas the hero as Croatiasqueezed into the World Cupquarterfi��nals with a penaltyshootout victory over Denmark here Sunday.

On a night of late, late drama Ivan Rakitic strokedhome the decisive spotkickto ensure the Croats advanced to a last eight meeting with Russia after the twosides fi��nished locked at 11following extratime.

The dramatic ending followed early excitement — butlittle in between.

In an astonishing start tothe match, both teams

scored within four minutesvia their fi��rst attacks.

First, Mathias Jorgensenturned home in the secondminute after Croatia failed toclear a long throwin from Jonas Knudsen, the defender’sshot creeping under Subasicto give Denmark the perfectstart. But any hopes it couldhold onto its lead vanishedwithin 90 seconds.

With the Stadium stillrocking from the frantic

start, Croatia went upfi��eldand promptly equalised.

Again, the goal owedmore than a little to bad defending when a Sime Vrsaljko cross was hammered byHenrik Dalsgaard into fellowDane Andreas Christensenand the ball fell obligingly inthe penalty area to MarioMandzukic who scored.

The explosive start — bothsides hit the back of the netwithin three minutes and

thirty seven seconds — wasoffi��cially the quickest twoteams have ever scored in aWorld Cup fi��nals match.

Subasic triumphs in shot-stopper stakes

Croat thwarts three penalties to set up a quarterfi��nal date with Russia


Nizhniy Novgorod <> I lost my voice a little

bit last night from

the screaming, the

ups and the downs.

It was defi��nitely a

tough loss

Caroline Wozniacki

Wimbledon second seed while watchingher country Denmark against Croatia

Spain midfi��elder AndresIniesta said on Sunday thathis international careerhad ended on a bitter noteafter his side was knockedout of the World Cup byRussia on penalties.

“It was not a good way tosay goodbye, but footballand life are like that,” saidIniesta, after his 131st andlast appearance for hiscountry.

“I am leaving with a nasty taste in the mouth. Wescrewed ourselves becausewe didn’t manage to makethat extra step.”

“The important thing isto get back to successfulways, which isn’t always aneasy thing to do. It’s harderthat it might appear. Butthere is a new generation,we have highlevelplayers.”

“On a personal level, it’sthe end of a wonderfulphase. Sometimes the endings are not how youdreamed them.”

Iniesta was surprisinglybenched to start the gameagainst Russia, but cameon in the second half withthe score level at 11. Hispresence helped Spain improve, giving it more depthin midfi��eld, but it wasn’tenough for the team tobreak the deadlock.

“It’s the coach whomakes the decisions,” Iniesta said. “He thought itwas the best thing to do. Inthe end it was cruel to losein penalties like that.”

Saddest dayof my career,says Iniesta


Moscow

Mexico coach Juan CarlosOsorio hit out at Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi’s handling of the quarterfi��nal lossto Brazil, claiming Neymarplayacted.

Tensions fl��ared followinga tussle with midfi��elder Miguel Layun as Mexico battledto stay in the tournament.

Brazil coach Tite said Layun had “stepped” onNeymar.

But Neymar’s exaggeratedreaction — the player dramatically writhed on the turfafter Layun approached him— suggested a repeat of theplayacting that marred hisplay in the group phase.

The 56yearold Osorio refused to identify Neymar byname following the defeatbut claimed the playacting,and the ensuing delays inplay, had been badly handedby Rocchi.

“I think it’s a shame for

football,” said Osorio.“We wasted a lot of time

because of one singleplayer... we lost our style inthe second half, because ofthe referee.

“There were too manystoppages and my playersgot more and more tired ofthat situation. At one pointthere was a fourminutestoppage.

“I think this is a very bad

example for the world andthe world of football.”

Neymar, voted ManoftheMatch, was stopped byTite afterwards as he wasabout to reply to reporters’demands to clarify theincident.

Tite was adamant: “Theystepped on him. I saw it onthe screen.”

Neymar attempted to playdown the incident.

Osorio lashes out at refereeSays offi��cial was duped by Neymar’s playacting


Samara

Touch me not! Neymar’s exaggerated reaction didn’t go downwell with the Mexicans. * HECTOR VIVAS/GETTY IMAGES

Rocking: Brazil’s fans celebrate their team’s victory in Rio deJaneiro on Monday. * AP

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Samba time

Belgium failed to make themost of the possession andnumerous goalscoringchances it had, to score inthe fi��rst half that surprisingly fi��nished goalless. Japan might consider itselffortunate to be level, albeitit had chances of its own totake the lead.

Such was Belgium’s dominance that it could potentially have even got outof Japan’s sight by halftime. As it stood, however,Japan had as much of achance as Belgium to progress to the quarterfi��nals.

The chance of the halffell to Romelu Lukaku on25 minutes, when, fromjust yards out, the Manchester United strikerfailed to get his right bootto a quality cross from theright from Dries Mertens.

The pressure from MayaYoshida probably impededLukaku, who, however,will have expected to scorefrom that distance and given the quality of the ballin.

With Japan defendingdeep in its own box, Belgium’s attackers were oftenforced to shoot from outside the area.

Goalless athalf-time

Sports Bureau

Rostov-on-don

Neymar barged his way intothe World Cup limelight witha goal, an assist and anotherhelping of histrionics as Brazil roared into the quarterfi��nals with a 20 victory overMexico on Monday that infl��icted a seventh straightlast16 exit on the centralAmericans.

The PSG forward was botharchitect and executioner for

Brazil,slidinghomein thesecondhalfandthenteeingup RobertoFirmi

no late on, but he alsowrithed on the fl��oor, seemingly in agony, after Mexico’sMiguel Layun had madeslight contact with his ankle.

That should not overshadow his generally positivedisplay however, as the fi��vetimes champion beat an otherwise stubborn Mexico,whose World Cup beganwith such promise with a vic

tory over champion Germany, but ended in familiarfashion in the fi��rst knockoutround.

Mexico’s jinx continuesIt was the seventh World Cuprunning that Brazil hasreached the last eight, whereit will now face Belgium orJapan, while Mexico has notmade it to that stage since ithosted the tournament in1986.

Mexico, which enjoyed anenviable recent recordagainst Brazil having won seven of their previous 15, wasa threat on the counter in thefi��rst half but then faded without ever really being put tothe sword.

For all its quasimythological attacking traditions, thisBrazilian side has a pragmatism that keeps it in check insuch a way that you cannotsee it ever truly cutting looseat this tournament.

Having kept clean sheetsin seven of its previous eightgames, it was never going tocommit men forward and allow Mexico to pick it on thecounter in the same way thatGermany did in the groupstage.

That is not to say that itwas not under the cosh inthe early stages as Mexicosought to isolate the Brazilian fullbacks Fagner and Filipe Luis, who both lookedvulnerable as Carlos Vela

and Hirving Lozano boredown on them.

Lozano had an eff��ortblocked after two minutes asdid Hector Herrera, but asthe fi��rst half wore on Brazilgot on top in the stifl��ing Samara heat.

A glaring spotlight hadbeen on Neymar after hisopening three performancessaw him miss a litany ofchances, frequently squander possession and spend fartoo long on the turf. Yet heanswered a number of questions with his performanceand a decisive fi��nish early inthe second half from a movethat he had started himself.

Minutes after the restartBrazil took the lead in exquisite fashion with Neymarstarting and ending themove.

First strikeHe darted across the edge ofthe area before a perfectbackheel released Willian,whose low cross fi��zzed intothe danger area where Neymar slid in to turn the ballhome.

It was a choking blow forMexico, which had been thebetter side for the openinghalf an hour, pegging Brazil

back and creating severalhalf chances.

Brazil had to wait until the88th minute to put the matchto bed when Neymar was thearchitect, crossing for Firmino to tap the ball home.

It will have to do withoutdefensive midfi��elder Casemiro in the quarters, however,after he picked up his secondbooking.

Neymar fashions Brazil’s win The talismanic star fi��res in the opening goal and helps Firmino slot in the other

Opening salvo: Neymar, left, connects a cross from Willian to put fi��vetime champion Brazil ahead. * DAN MULLAN/GETTY IMAGES

Reuters

SAMARA





SPORT

SUDOKU

Solution to puzzle 12358 Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Deciding to do kill Krishna, Kamsa asks Akrura to fetchKrishna. Akrura agrees readily. Why does he do so, when heknows Kamsa’s intention? Akrura knows that Kamsa willnever be able to kill Krishna, said Kidambi Narayanan in adiscourse. This is Akrura’s opportunity to meet Krishna,and also to unite Him with His parents Vasudeva and Devaki. So, he goes to Gokula. He meets Balarama and Krishnaand informs them of the purpose of his visit.

The brothers board the chariot that Akrura has brought.When they reach the banks of the Yamuna, Akrura stops todo his daily rituals. Akrura steps into the water, and sees Balarama and Krishna in the water! Surprised, Akrura steps outand looks at the chariot, and he fi��nds that Balarama andKrishna are inside. How then had he seen the brothers in thewater? He steps into the water a second time, and he seesthe thousand headed Adisesha and the Lord reclining on thesnake. He sees His long hands, His conch like shoulders, andfi��nds Gandharvas worshipping Him. Akrura then praises theLord.

In the Akrura stuthi, Akrura says that the clouds are theLord’s tresses; trees are the hairs on His body. Hills are Hisbones and teeth. The batting of His eyelids constitutes dayand night. Agni is His face. The Earth constitutes His feet.The sun and moon are His eyes. The sky is His navel, the directions are His ears. The celestial worlds make up His head.Celestials are His hands. Vaayu is the prana sakti say His devotees. Just as there are many creatures in water, and manyworms in fi��gs, so do all living things of the world fi��nd a placein His body. Akrura says that He shows His greatnessthrough His avataras. He lists the avataras, including the Kalki avatara, which the Lord is yet to take.

FAITH

Akrura stuthi4 ... is boring; awfully dense

having long opening and

closing statements (7)

5 Perhaps, setter went up to

fetch a fl��ower (3,4)

6 Nurse had a female lineage (5)

7 Bachelor will always be on

time for a drink (8)

8 Change the reverse trend (4)

14 Newcomer seen in gallery,

touring India (8)

16 Paint creates viral disease and

soreness (9)

17 Condition to procure bulb

through fund transfer is

atrocious to start with (9)

19 Eager to run across a street

after a sip of tequila at hotel

(7)

20 Taking a chance, pet climbs

over the bar (7)

22 Ritual begins with head

priest's prayer containing a

mantra (4)

23 Do away with date in Rio and

get another female (3,2)

25 A religious discipline seen on

Indian road (5)

12 Work in group for running

away... (9)

13 ... with Thai cook seen on

island state (5)

15 Son, man and lady frequently

hunt bird (9)

18 Multitasking rafters saved in

operation (4,5)

21 School's good but exclusive

(5)

22 Small joint taken earlier in

front of office (9)

24 A chip from Stonehenge

prominently displayed (5)

26 Spanish killer hiding in a room

at a dorm (7)

27 Returns bribe after work,

collects 50% fees in checks

(7)

28 Making anagram of At is a kind

of mirage (4,7)

■ DOWN

1 Overthrows on 2 balls to reach

51 in the trophy (9)

2 A woman's fat, almost ugly (5)

3 Following presentation about a

department... (9)

(set by Afterdark)

■ ACROSS

1 Plant has a stem with half a

leaf, bearing seed around end

of autumn (5,6)

9 Casual worker comes after

leave (7)

10 Approval from Lord to restrain

a man holding arms primarily

(25)

11 Restroom is behind a garage

door at a house, say (5)

THE HINDU CROSSWORD 12359

For all the talk about England’s progress under Gareth Southgate, his youthfulside has yet to be truly examined in this World Cup butTuesday’s last 16 opponentColombia will certainly askthe right questions.

With or without its talented No. 10 James Rodriguez,the South American teampossesses plenty of talentand its run to the quarterfi��nals in Brazil four years agoshowed it is capable of so

mething Englandhasn’tmanaged in12years —winning in

the knockout stage.Rodriguez, whose involve

ment is in doubt as he has aswelling in his leg, was theGolden Boot winner in 2014with six goals and before hisfi��tness problems was showing signs of that form again.

Radamel Falcao’s failureto make a strong impact in

the Premier League duringspells with Manchester United and Chelsea, should notdisguise the fact that he is aprolifi��c fi��nisher and a realthreat.

Likewise winger Juan Cuadrado’s disappointment atChelsea needs to be setagainst his impressive performances in Serie A for Juventus and his importance to

Jose Pekerman’s Colombianside.

England rightback KieranTrippier, who impressed somuch in the opening twogames, says the players arewell aware of the challengefacing them.

“We have done a lot ofwork on them. When youlook at the players they’vegot in the team and the way

they qualifi��ed in their groupas well, they have got somequality players and we needto be aware of that,” he said.

At St. Petersburg, Switzerland goes into its last16World Cup match againstSweden with a much moreexciting squad, but only victory will secure a lasting legacy for its socalled ‘goldengeneration’.

With players such as Ricardo Rodriguez, Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka, whoply their trade in Europe’stop leagues, the Swiss stillhave a decent chance ofreaching the quarterfi��nalsfor the fi��rst time since theyhosted the World Cup in

1954. Both teams escapedthe group stages with a minimum of fuss, scoring fi��vegoals each.

The group stages haveshown that Sweden may becontent to block the spacesin midfi��eld without pressingtoo high and try to pinch a

goal on the counter as it lookto match or better its run tothe semifi��nals in 1994.

The plan will be to usherthe Swiss down the wingsand rely on its imposingcentrebacks Granqvist andVictor Lindelof to deal withany crosses into the box.

Sweden coach Janne Andersson’s admission that hehas a list of penaltytakerssorted in his mind before thematch tells its own story, andgiven each team’s welldrilled defence, a penaltyshootout is not beyond therealms of possibility.

The Colombia challenge — England’s fi��rst major test With or without Rodriguez, the South American team possesses plenty of talent

Reuters

REPINO

Talented bunch: Colombia has enough fi��repower to upstage England. * AFP

Eighttime champion RogerFederer and seventime winner Serena Williamsshrugged off�� the heat tobreeze into the Wimbledonsecond round on Monday.

Federer, the defendingchampion and seeking a 21stMajor, marked the start ofhis 20th successive Wimbledon with a new look and a

comfortable 61, 63,64 win over Serbia’sDusanLajovic.

Serena,like Feder

er, 36yearsold but chasing a24th Slam title, enjoyed ahardfought 75, 63 victoryover Holland’s Arantxa Rus.

Top seed Federermarched out on CentreCourt dressed for the fi��rsttime in gear designed by Japanese giant Uniqlo in a dealreported to be worth $300million after a twodecadeassociation with Nike.

But everything else was

familiar for the Swiss starwho cruised past World No.57 Lajovic in just 79 minutes.

Yuki ousted

Yuki Bhambri failed to capitalise on a bright start andcrashed out, yet again fallingprey to Thomas Fabbiano ofItaly 26, 63, 63, 62.

Third seed and 2017 runnerup Marin Cilic enjoyed a

61, 64, 64 win over Japan’sYoshihito Nishioka.

Threetime major winnerStan Wawrinka stunned Bulgarian sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov 16, 76(3), 76(5), 64in the fi��rst round.

Reversing the trend

The Swiss had lost his lastfour matches against Dimitrov, a semifi��nalist in 2014.

Serena, seeded 25 thisyear despite a ranking of 181,had too much power for Rus,the World No. 107 who madethe third round in 2012 butfailed to get out of qualifyingon her last three visits.

US Open champion andfourth seed Sloane Stephensbecame the fi��rst big casualtywhen she lost 61, 63 toWorld No. 55 Donna Vekic.

Newlook Federer off�� to a fl��uent start Serena stretched; Vekic dumps Stephens; Wawrinka outmanoeuvres Dimitrov


LONDON

Taking off��: Serena Williams marked her return with a straightset victory. * AP

First round: Men: 1Roger Federer (Sui) bt Dusan Lajovic(Srb) 61, 63, 64; JanLennardStruff (Ger) bt 32LeonardoMayer (Arg) 36, 67(5), 76(5),76(5), 61.

11Sam Querrey (USA) btJordan Thompson (Aus) 62,64, 63; 25Philipp Kohlschreiber (Ger) bt Evgeny Donskoy (Rus) 62, 64, 75; 3Marin Cilic (Cro) bt YoshihitoNishioka (Jpn) 61, 64, 64; 17

Lucas Pouille (Fra) bt DenisKudla (USA) 63, 63, 26, 63;Daniil Medvedev (Rus) bt 16Borna Coric (Cro) 76(6), 62,62.

13Milos Raonic (Can) btLiam Broady (GBr) 75, 60, 61;9John Isner (USA) bt YannickMaden (Ger) 62, 76(4), 75;Stan Wawrinka (Sui) bt 6GrigorDimitrov (Bul) 16, 76(3), 76(5), 64.Women: 7Karolina Pliskova

(Cze) bt Harriet Dart (GBr) 76(2), 26, 61; Sorana Cirstea(Rou) bt 19Magdalena Rybarikova (Svk) 75, 63.

9Venus Williams (USA) btJohanna Larsson (Swe) 67(3),62, 61; Donna Vekic (Cro) bt4Sloane Stephens (USA) 61,63.

10Madison Keys (USA) btAjla Tomljanovic (Aus) 64, 62;Camila Giorgi (Ita) bt 21Anastasija Sevastova (Lat) 61, 26,

64; 20Kiki Bertens (Ned) btBarbora Stefkova (Cze) 63,62; Andrea Petkovic (Ger) bt31Zhang Shuai (Chn) 64, 46,62.

Camila Giorgi (Ita) bt 21Anastasija Sevastova (Lat) 61,26, 64.

2Caroline Wozniacki (Den)bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA)60, 63; 25Serena Williams(USA) bt Arantxa Rus (Ned) 75,63.

IMPORTANT RESULTS

With less than a year to gofor the 2019 ICC World Cupin England and Wales, skipper Virat Kohli on Mondayindicated that India wouldtry out a few combinationsin the series against England, starting with the fi��rstof three T20Is here onTuesday.

“With that major tournament coming, it gives you anopportunity to test yourbench strength, try outfringe players and test theircharacter,” said Kohli on theeve of the opening game.

Praise for EnglandHeaping praise on England’scurrent form, which saw thehosts outclass a hapless Australia 60 in a recent limitedover series, Kohli felt the English players’ participationin various domestic T20leagues, like the Indian Premier League, have contributed a lot in their growth.

Kohli also felt the participation of English players in

the IPL had increased the“warmth” among rivalplayers.

On the personal front,Kohli did not have a greattime in England four yearsago but he is unperturbed.

“What I want is the teamto play well and the team towin. Obviously you want toperform as an individual.”

India also plays threeODIs and fi��ve Tests duringthe series.The teams (from):

India: Virat Kohli (Capt.), Shik

Skipper feels this is a good chance to test bench strength


Manchester

Battle begins: Morgan and Kohli with the series trophy. * AP

India will experiment: Kohli

har Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, K.L.Rahul, Suresh Raina, ManishPandey, M.S. Dhoni (wk), DineshKarthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Krunal Pandya,Bhuvneshwar Kumar, DeepakChahar, Hardik Pandya, SiddarthKaul and Umesh Yadav.England: Eoin Morgan (Capt.),Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, JakeBall, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Alex Hales,Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, AdilRashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey and Dawid Malan.

Match starts at 10 p.m. IST.

ENGLAND VS COLOMBIA, KICK-OFF: 11.30 P.M. SWEDEN VS SWITZERLAND, KICK-OFF: 7.30 P.M.

IndiaA rode on RishabhPant’s unbeaten 64 (62b,8x4, 1x6) to register a fi��vewicket win over EnglandLions in the fi��nal of the triseries here on Monday.

Chasing a target of 265,IndiaA opener MayankAgarwal scored 40 (41b,7x4), while skipper ShreyasIyer contributed a runaball 44 with two fours anda six and Hanuma Vihari 37(58b, 3x4).

Pant and Krunal Pandya(34 n.o., 37b, 4x4, 1x6) tookthe team home.The scores: England Lions264 for nine in 50 overs (SamHain 108, Liam Livingstone83, Deepak Chahar three for58, Khaleel Ahmed three for48) lost to IndiaA 267 forfi��ve in 48.2 overs (MayankAgarwal 40, Shreyas Iyer 44,Hanuma Vihari 37, RishabhPant 64 n.o., Krunal Pandya34 n.o.).

IndiaA tamesLions in fi��nal

SPORTS BUREAU

LONDON

CMYK

A ND-NDE




SPORT


CMYK

SPORTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE



Para athlete Kathuniyasets discus world recordNEW DELHI

India’s para athlete YogeshKathuniya smashed the worldrecord in the men’s discusF36 while winning gold in thepara-athletics Grand Prix inBerlin on Sunday. He threw45.18m, which is two metresmore than than the earlierrecord of 42.96m set byChina’s Cuiqing Li last year. PTI

IN BRIEF

T20I triseries: Sony Six (SD& HD), 1.30 p.m.Wimbledon: SS Select 2 (SD& HD), 4 p.m.; SS Select 1 (SD& HD), 5.30 p.m.FIFA World Cup: Sony Ten 2,Sony ESPN (SD & HD), 7.30p.m.England vs India: 1st T20I,Sony Six (SD & HD), 10 p.m.

TV PICKS

Stanlake’s spell sets upbig win for AustraliaHARARE

Australia fast bowler BillyStanlake demolishedPakistan’s top order with fourquick wickets to set up anine-wicket win on Monday inthe second match of theZimbabwe Twenty20 tri-series. The scores: Pakistan 116 in19.5 overs (Shadab Khan 29,Billy Stanlake four for eight)lost to Australia 117 for one in10.5 overs (Aaron Finch 68n.o.).

Dipsan Tirkey to leadu23 teamNEW DELHI

Defender Dipsan Tirkey willlead an 18-member Indiaunder-23 men’s hockey teamfor a six-nation tournament inBelgium from July 14 to 21.Apart from India andBelgium, the otherparticipating nations areGreat Britain, Ireland,Malaysia and theNetherlands. PTI

LeBron James set tojoin LA LakersLOS ANGELES

LeBron James is to join theLos Angeles Lakers in afour-year $154 million deal,his agents said on Sunday,ending months of frenziedspeculation about the NBAsuperstar’s next career move.The blockbuster contractsends the 33-year-old four-time NBA Most ValuablePlayer to one of the league’smost iconic clubs. AFP

Jaipur not to host PVLCHENNAI

Jaipur will not host the ProVolleyball League (PVL) asscheduled, Ramavtar SinghJakhar, secretary, VolleyballFederation of India (VFI) saidon Monday. The league willbe held from Sept. 15 to Oct.10. Jakhar said as the SawaiMan Singh Stadium in Jaipuris under renovation, it will beout of bounds for at least fourmonths. Chennai andBhubaneswar have emergedas the frontrunners forhosting the second leg. Thefirst leg will be held in Kochi.

Lahiri fi��nishes tied13th,maiden title for MolinariPOTOMAC

Anirban Lahiri carded 67 tofinish tied-13th at seven-under 273 at the QuickenLoans National on Sunday.The effort was worth$133,125. Francesco Molinariwon his maiden PGA Tour titlewith a 259 while Tiger Woodsfinished joint-fourth. PTI

India’s Karman Kaur Thandiand Gozal Ainitdinova of Kazakhstan survived twomatchpoints to defeat thepair of China’s Meiling Wangand Mei Xu Wu 61, 06, [1513] in the doubles prequarterfi��nals of the $25,000 ITFwomen’s tennis tournamenthere on on Monday.

The pair of Rutuja Bhosale and Shilin Xu of Chinaalso made the quarterfi��nals.

The results:

$25,000 ITF men, Hong Kong:Doubles (prequarterfi��nals):Maverick Banes & Blake Ellis(Aus) bt Wei-de Lin (Tpe) &Sidharth Rawat 6-2, 6-4.

$25,000 ITF women, Naiman,China:

Singles (fi��rst round): Yanni Liu(Chn) bt Snehal Mane 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles (prequarterfi��nals):Gozal Ainitdinova (Kaz) & Kar-man Kaur Thandi bt MeilingWang & Mei Xu Wu (Chn) 6-1,0-6, [15-13].

Nika Kukharchuk (Rus) &Fang Ying Xun (Chn) bt SnehalMane & Saumya Vig 6-2, 6-1.

Shilin Xu (Chn) & RutujaBhosale bt Xu Liu Sun & Qian-qian Zhao (Chn) 6-1, 6-4.

Karman,Rutuja makequarterfi��nals

Sports Bureau

NAIMAN (China)

With overnight leaders Vaibhav Suri and S. Nitin suff��ering defeats and 16 out of thetop 17 boards producing decisive verdicts in the penultimate round, the Commonwealth Chess championshipis set for an exciting fi��nish.

After a day of exciting battles in the eighth round, thevictorious quartet of Debashis Das, P. Karthikeyan,National champion M.R. Lalit Babu and G. Akashemerged as the new leadersat 6.5 points, followed bynine players at six points.

Even the titlerace in thewomen section promised aclose fi��nish with Nisha Mohota and P.V. Nandhidhaaahead at 5.5 points, with Tania Sachdev, Vantika Agarwal, M. Mahalakshmi, ArpitaMukherjee and Kiran Man

isha Mohanty hopeful at fi��vepoints.

The day’s biggest upsetcame on the top boardwhere second seed VaibhavSuri lost to Debashis in 70moves after Nitin was handed out a 37move defeat by P.Karthikeyan.

Lalit joined the leaders bystopping Sankalp Gupta in55 moves while former National champion Akash gotthe better of MohammadNubairshah Shaikh in 47moves.

The results:

Eighth round: Vaibhav Suri (6)lost to Debashis Das (6.5); P.Karthikeyan (6.5) bt S. Nitin(6); Sankalp Gupta (5.5) lost toM.R. Lalit Babu (6.5); Moham-mad Nubairshah Shaikh (5.5)lost to G. Akash (6.5).

Tania Sachdev (5) lost toDeep Sengupta (6); KoustavChatterjee (5) lost to DeepanChakkravarthy (6); V. Prasanna(6) bt Pravin Thipsay (5); SuyogWagh (5.5) drew with SwapnilDhopade (5.5).

Abhijit Kunte (6) bt Siva Ma-hadevan (5); Kushagra Mohan(5) lost to V. Karthik (6); N. R.Visakh (6) bt Niranjan Naval-gund (5); S. Kidambi (6) bt M.Mahalakshmi (5).

Four players share top spot on a day of exciting battles

Rakesh Rao

NEW DELHI

Suri, Nitin suff��er losses

Debashis Das.* SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has not givenup on the National team’sparticipation in the JakartaAsian Games. Even as the Indian Olympic Association(IOA) made its intent not toclear the team, the AIFFplaced its hopes on intervention from the SportsMinistry.

No communicationAIFF generalsecretaryKushal Das confi��rmed onMonday that there was nocommunication from theIOA in this regard.

“A senior offi��cial (not IOApresident N.K. Batra) hadconveyed the message thatthe football team would notbe cleared. But the AIFF isyet to receive anything inwriting. We are hopeful,”said Das.

‘Disheartening’Das termed the IOA decision“sad and disheartening”and off��ered to bear theteam’s expenses.

“We have expressed ourdisappointment to IOA offi��cially wherein we have even

mentioned that we are willing to bear the expenses oftravel and stay on our own.

“The IOA had asked foran explanation on June 4,2018 and after that there hasbeen no communication asto whether the IOA wants toengage further. Even theAIFF president, Mr. PrafulPatel, spoke to Mr. Batra andhe was told the same thing —‘draft an explanation forreconsideration”.

National team directorAbhishek Yadav said, “Wewere considering calling up

U17 World Cup players forthe preparatory Camp forthe Asian Games.The AsianGames would have been ahuge experience for themwhich would have served Indian football in the longrun.”

Why go public?A senior IOA offi��cial, however, questioned the wisdomof AIFF going public whenno offi��cial communicationhad been sent rejecting theteam's participation at theAsian Games.

Banks on Sports Ministry intervention


NEW DELHI

AIFF general-secretary Kushal Das and National team director Abhishek Yadav. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

AIFF still hopeful

Commonwealth Games goldmedal winning weightlifterK. Sanjita Chanu’s familyand eight organisationsfrom Manipur have urgedPrime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi to set up a mechanism to conduct a highlevel enquiry into her doping case.

The memorandum froma Joint Action Committee tothe Prime Minister, routedthrough the Manipur ChiefMinister’s offi��ce, has demanded ‘justice’ for Sanjita,who has been provisionallysuspended for testing positive for an anabolic steroidin an outofcompetitionprior to the World championship in the USA inNovember.

The memorandum alleged that the IndianWeightlifting Federation(IWLF) “tries to silence hervoice, refuses to cooperateand threatens her, includingthreats to terminate her jobwith the Indian Railways.”

It said, “IWLF offi��cialsforged Sanjita’ signature, illegally extracts her gmailpassword from her and

communicates with International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) without her priorconsent, including requesting a retest of urine SampleB.”

“She’s an unfortunate victim of either the incompetency or, worst, a larger conspiracy concocted by theIndian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF).”

The memorandum alsorequested the Prime Minister to “put pressure on IWF/United States of AmericaAntiDoping Agency (USADA) to conduct a DNA test toconfi��rm those two samplesare not Sanjita’s.”

IWLF Secretary SahdevYadav said the allegationsagainst the National federation were “baseless.”

“Whenever an athletefails a dope test, he/she hasto go through a certain procedure laid down by theWADA Code,” said Yadav.

“All these allegationsagainst IWLF are baseless.”

Interestingly, IWLF hadstrongly backed Sanjitawhen the news about herpositive test hit the headlines about a month ago.

Sanjita’s familyseeks justice Asks PM to set up a mechanism toconduct enquiry into her doping case

Y.B. Sarangi

KOLKATA

Acting BCCI president C.K.Khanna suff��ered a major setback when the panel backedby him and led by former India cricketer Madan Lal wasswept away in the Delhi andDistricts Cricket Association(DDCA) elections onMonday.

The results of the fourdayelections held last week sawjournalist Rajat Sharmaelected as the new president, winning with 1531votes against 1004 for Lal.Advocate Vikas Singh came adistant third with 232 votes.

The Rajat Sharmapanelswept the elections 120amidst noisy scenes and jubilation from the winnerseven as Lal and his supporters alleged discrepancies invoting and counting but accepted the decision.

Khanna’s wife Shashi,contesting for the vicepresident’s post, lost to RakeshBansal, younger brother offormer DDCA presidentSneh Bansal by 278 votes inan election that was the fi��rstby a State association sincethe Justice Lodha committeesuggested reforms. It was al

so the fi��rst time that themuchabused proxy systemof voting was abolished during the DDCA elections withnearly 3000 members turning up for voting.

Sharma’s panel was alsosupported by IOA presidentNarinder Batra, a formerDDCA treasurer.

Transparency assured“I see it as a victory of the democratic system and that ofdirect voting. We want togive better facilities and respect to the DDCA membersand Delhi cricketers. Toplayers, I want to assure thatthere will be absolute transparency in selections onmerit and no favouritism,”

Sharma said after takingcharge from the courtappointed administrator Justice (retd) Vikramjit Sen.

However, the last decisionby Justice Sen — bringingDDCA under the purview ofRTI, the fi��rst cricket body inthe country to do so — maywell be the fi��rst to be doneaway with by the new bodyeven though Sharma remained evasive on the topic.

“We are an open book andopen to all questions fromany quarters,” he insistedbut when asked categoricallyabout RTI, he made it a collective decision. “Let me discuss it with the other members. We will have our fi��rstmeeting of the executive

committee and then take a fi��nal decision,” he said.

Asked about implementing Lodha reforms in toto,Sharma was equally noncommittal. “There are a lotof good suggestions thereand we will try and implement as much as possible. Ifsomething doesn’t feel right,we will discuss it,” he said. The offi��cebearers: President:Rajat Sharma; vicepresident:Rakesh Kumar Bansal; secretary: Vinod Tihara; joint secretary: Rajan Manchanda; treasurer: Om Prakash Sharma;cricket director: Sanjay Bhard-waj; woman director: RenuKhanna; directors: Apurv Jain,Alok Mittal, Nitin Gupta, ShivNandan Sharma and Nitin Agar-wal.

Rajat Sharma elected presidentMadan Lal and his supporters allege discrepancies in voting and counting

New leaders: Rajat Sharma (hands folded in greeting) and his team express their thanks.

DDCA ELECTIONS

Uthra Ganesan

NEW DELHI

RP Academy insemifinalsThree wickets each by SurajKumar and Sukrit Bhatiasaw RP Academy beat AjmalKhan Club by six wickets toenter the semifi��nals of the13th Peacock Under16cricket tournament.

The scores: AKC 137 in 32.5overs (Ayush Kumar 40; SurajKumar three for 23, SukritBhatia three for 18) lost to RPA141 for four in 29.1 overs(Namar Gosain 55; MihirBabbar three for 28).

Ayush, Deepanshuscore half-centuriesManoftheMatch AyushDosuja topscored with 68runs and took three wickets

as Ravi Brothers beatDharam Academy by 31 runsin the 3rd Sports Sun crickettournament.The scores: Ravi Brothers 192in 37.5 overs (Ayush Dosuja 68,Deepanshu Kochar 50; VijayKumar three for 32) bt DharamAcademy 161 in 37.3 overs(Madhav Rawal 49, Rohit Rana36; Ayush Dosuja three for 29).

Rupali, Akash shineRupali Sati’s 79 not out andAkash Kumar’s threewickets for just 16 runs sawCPS Academy beatMukharjee MemorialAcademy by three wickets inthe Indian Sports StarPremier League.The scores: MMA 162 in 29.5overs (Himanshu Kumar 49,

Subodh Chaturvedi 41; AkashKumar three for 16) lost toCPSA 165 for seven in 30 overs(Rupali Sati 79 not out; AryanKumar three for 25).

All-roundperformance by SahilSahil Tanda struck 50 andpicked up four wickets asTitiksha Academy edgedpast SP Warriors by onewicket in the SwastikUnder16 crickettournament.

The scores: SPW 202 in 40overs (Sahil Khan 68,SauravKumar 47; Sahil Tanda four for23, Kunj Kumar three for 27)lost to Titiksha Academy 203for nine in 36 overs (AkashKumar 57 not out, Sahil Tanda50; Kishan Kumar three for 14).

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\ DELHI ROUND-UP \

Former India captain RahulDravid and Australian legend Ricky Ponting havebeen inducted into the ICCCricket Hall of Fame for theirstupendous achievements ininternational cricket.

Along with Dravid andPonting, retired England woman wicketkeeperbatswoman Claire Taylor was alsonamed in the Hall of Fameduring a ceremony in Dublinon Sunday.

Dravid became the fi��fth

player from India to benamed in the elite list. Theothers are Bishan Singh Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Devand Anil Kumble. Ponting is

the 25th Australian to receive the honour.

“It is a matter of great honour to be named by the ICCin the Cricket Hall of Fame.To fi��nd your name in a list ofalltime greats across generations is something one onlydreams of while setting outon a cricket career and thekind of recognition thatwould delight any player,”Dravid was quoted as sayingin an ICC media release.

Ponting said: “I feel deeply honoured to be recognised by the ICC in this way.”

Dravid joins Elite listPress Trust of India

Dubai

Rahul Dravid.* ASHLEY ALLEN/ GETTY IMAGES


A video of a blacktip sharkbeing kept in an aquarium ata Malaysian restaurant hassparked online anger, withmany calling for the animal’srelease from its confi��ninghome.

The eightsecond videoposted on Facebook by a diver who went to the restaurant outside the capital Kuala Lumpur, showed theanimal swimming back andforth in the fi��sh tank described in the post to be“barely 6 ft long, 3ft deepand 3ft high”.

It had 17,000 views and283 shares as of Monday,with many commenters expressing outrage at the animal’s cramped living condi

tions. “Release the pooranimal, this is absurd and soprimitive,” Nicky Coopercommented on the Facebook post. “How can anyoneenter that place and eat ordrink there?”

Blacktip sharks can grow

up to eight feet long andweigh up to 100 kg, according to the National Geographic website. Targeted bycommercial fi��sheries, theblacktip is classifi��ed as nearthreatened by protectiongroup the International Un

ion for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Malaysian Nature Societypresident Henry Goh saidsharks belong in the wildand cannot be treated likedomestic animals for commercial use.

The person who postedthe video on June 29 said hehad gone for dinner at therestaurant, which had murals of sea creatures, including sharks, on the walls.

“As a diver this got me allexcited. As I walked into thecafe admiring the place andthe underwater themed decor... 5 steps into the shop...to my horror I saw a Blacktipshark in an aquarium insidethe cafe,” he wrote. “Sittingin the cafe made me feel really sick,” he added.

Video of blacktip shark kept ineatery aquarium sparks outrage Targeted by commercial fi��sheries, the species is classifi��ed as near threatened

A Facebook video showed the shark swimming back and forthin the fi��sh tank. Picture for representation. * REUTERS


Kuala Lumpur

British choreographer Gillian Lynne, who was bestknown for her work on thelongrunning musicals Catsand Phantom of the Opera,has died aged 92, her husband said.

Lynne died on Sunday atthe Princess Grace Hospitalin London.

“She leaves behind ahuge legacy & is adored bymany,” her husband, actorPeter Land, said on Twitter,paying tribute to his “dearest wife & friend & love for40 years”.

Composer Andrew LloydWebber wrote: “Farewelldearest Gillie, three generations of the British musicalowe so much to you.”

Lynne trained as a ballerina, working at the Sadler’sWells Ballet and the Royal

Ballet, before starting hercareer in musicals.

Lynne choreographedmore than 50 productionson the West End and Broadway and was the recipient oftwo Olivier Awards.

She was made a Dame byQueen Elizabeth II for herservices to dance and musical theatre in 2014.

Choreographer GillianLynne dead at 92Best known for her musical Cats


London

Gillian Lynne

A low budget comedy set in theworking class suburbs of Nigeria’scapital, Ema Edosio’s debut fi��lmKasala! is a world away from theusual style and glamour ofNollywood.

Instead it almost oozes sweat,dust and marijuana with thesmell of rotting meat and engineoil in what is eff��ectively a love letter to Lagos that refl��ects a growing interest in social realism.

The fi��lm, whose title means“problems” in local street slang,is set in the streets of Ojuelegba, aworking class suburb in Lagos’sdensely populated “mainland”.

Wandering through the neighbourhood, residents greet this 34yearold director like a local.

Even though Ms. Edosio herselflives on the “islands” — the morewelltodo area of this megacity of20 million people — it is a realityshe knows well after growing up

in a similar area with her eightsiblings.

“Eighty percent of Lagos is likethis but it’s... underrepresentedin the cultural scene,” she said. “Iwant to be the voice that putstheir life to the screen.”

The plot, which unfurls over 24hours, involves four youngfriends who are out for a goodtime and steal a car belonging toone of their uncles. But they endup having to fi��nd 20,000 naira tofi��x it when they have an accident.

TJ, the lead character, and hisfriends are typical teenagers buteven a youthful error of judgmentcan have serious consequences ina poor neighbourhood of Lagos.

The uncle is up to his eyes indebt and risks being killed if hedoesn’t sell the car.

The fi��lm shows young Africansstuck in poverty, debt and secondhand clothes, dreaming of abetter life just like their idol, Afropop superstar Davido.

Above all, it is a fi��lm aboutfriendship in which the resourcefulness of Africa’s big cities iseverpresent.

Social cinemaGritty realism is exactly what attracted Abiodun Kassim, whoplays the poor, indebted uncle

who is trying to make ends meetat his fi��lthy meat stall in the localmarket. “My character representsthe backbone people of Nigeria.It’s the daily life story of all thesepeople who force their waythrough life,” he said.

“These... are the majority, butpeople don’t talk about them.”

It was one of the fi��rst examplesof a small but growing movementof social realism to hit the culturalscene in Africa’s most populousnation.

The fi��lm has been shown atabout 20 festivals across theworld, including in Toronto, andis available on Netfl��ix. But again,it has never been shown on thebig screen in Nigeria, despite itshuge success.

“In the 2000s, there were onlyabout 20 cinemas in the wholecountry,” said Mr. Makama.“Now, we have multiple portals,Africa Magic, YouTube, more cinemas... However the movies arepretty much the same. We doneed an alternative cinema distribution platform.”

Ms. Edosio agrees, confi��dentthere is an audience for her fi��lmsand those of others who are alsoswimming against the tide: it justrequires success to prove it to distributors.

cial cinema is struggling toemerge,” said Serge Noukoue, theorganiser of the annual Nollywood Week fi��lm festival in Paris.

“It’s not in the DNA of Nollywood, which aims to entertain.“We’re still in the ‘high life’ waveof Nigerian cinema — very sophisticated, in fashionable areas, women wearing lots of makeup... ”

At the festival, however, Kasa-la! was singled out as one of thisyear’s “must watch” fi��lms. “It’s arefreshing, authentic fi��lm,” saidMr. Noukoue.

“Ema Edosio is a ‘new voice’ inthe universe of Nollywood. That’sa good and very positive thing.”

Abba Makama, director ofGreen White Green (2016), said hewas “sick and tired” of “glossyand shiny” productions using actors with British or U.S. accents.

He describes his fi��lm, whosetitle refers to the colours of the Nigerian fl��ag, as his “mosaic ofmadness”.

Since its release, Kasala! haswon critical acclaim in the Nigerian press. “2018 has not been avery good year for Nollywood,”wrote Oris Aigbokhaevbolo onthe Bella Naija website.

“But Kasala! might yet save theyear.”

Writing on the Lagos Film Society website, Dare Dan hailedEdosio’s “razorsharp sensitivityto what life is like in these neighbourhoods from the very fi��rstshot”.

“Comedy, rooted in realism, isnot something we often comeacross on Nigerian screens,” hesaid.

‘Refreshing, authentic’ Yet no local cinema has agreed toshow Kasala!

“Everywhere I am told that people want to see inspiring movies,” said Mr. Edosio, which formost Nigerians means showingwealthy people. “This kind of so

Social realism emerges as a ‘new voice’ in Nigerian cinema Although ‘refreshing and authentic’ and shown at about 20 fi��lm festivals across the world, no local cinema agreed to show Kasala!

New wave: Kasala! director Ema Edosio, left, and Nigerian actorAbiodun Kassim, in the Oju Elegba neighbourhood. * AFP


Lagos

CMYK

A ND-NDE




LIFE

SpaceX delivers AI robot,ice cream and mice to ISS CAPE CANAVERAL

The International SpaceStation (ISS) got its firstrobot with artificialintelligence on Monday,along with some berries, icecream and identical brownmice. SpaceX’s capsulereached the ISS three daysafter launching from CapeCanaveral. The package alsoincludes genetically identicalmice for a study of gutbacteria. AP

IN BRIEF

Man pays 44-year-oldparking ticket over guiltMINERSVILLE

A man has cleared hisconscience by paying a 44yearold parking ticket.Pennsylvania police receiveda letter last week with $5 anda note inside. The note said,“Dear PD, I’ve been carryingthis ticket around for 40 plusyears. Always intending topay. Forgive me if I don’t giveyou my info. With respect,Dave.” AP

Kaley Cuoco and KarlCook are married LOS ANGELES

Big Bang Theory star KaleyCuoco has tied the knot withprofessional equestrian KarlCook at an intimate weddingat a horse stable near SanDiego. According to People

magazine, the ceremony wasattended by close friends andfamily on Saturday. PTI

Having the last laugh: Donkeys taking part in the 14th Regional Donkey Contest at Moniquirain Colombia. Blondehaired Amasijos outdid 59 other contestants. * AFP

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Beauty spot

A South African woman,who was declared dead after a horrifi��c car accident,was later found alive in amortuary fridge, emergency services said onMonday.

Offi��cials said that the unnamed woman had beencertifi��ed dead by paramedics at the scene of the pileup near Carletonville onJune 24. Mortuary technicians then found her alivein a morgue fridge severalhours after the crash. “Wefollowed our procedures.We’ve got no idea how ithappened,” Distress Alertoperations manager GerritBradnick said.

‘Dead’ womanfound alive inmortuary


Johannesburg

China is working on a superpowerful rocket that wouldbe capable of delivering heavier payloads into low orbitthan NASA, a leading Chinese space expert was quoted as saying on Monday.

By 2030, the LongMarch9 rocket under development will be able to carry140 tonnes into lowEarth orbit — where TV and earth observation satellites currentlyfl��y — said Long Lehao, a senior offi��cial from the ChineseAcademy of Engineering, according to the offi��cial Xinhuanews agency.

This compares to the 20tonnes deliverable by Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket or the64 tonnes by Elon Musk’sFalcon Heavy, which in Fe

bruary catapulted one of theU.S. entrepreneur’s red TeslaRoadster cars towards Mars.

It would also outstrip the130 tonnes of NASA’s SpaceLaunch System, which is dueto become operational in2020.

China’s Long March9would have a core stage mea

suring 10 metres in diameterand boast four powerfulboosters, each with a diameter of fi��ve metres.

Xinhua quoted Mr. Longas saying the rocket could beused in manned lunar landings, deep space explorationor constructing a spacebased solar power plant.

In addition, China is working on a reusable space rocket, which is expected tomake its maiden fl��ight in2021. The fi��rst stage and theboosters will be retrieved after a vertical landing, Mr.Long said in a speech inBeijing.

China is pouring billionsinto its militaryrun spaceprogramme, with hopes ofhaving a crewed space station by 2022, and of sendinghumans to the Moon in thenear future.

The Asian superpower islooking to fi��nally catch upwith the U.S. and Russia afteryears of belatedly matchingtheir space milestones.

China is also planning tobuild a base on the moon,the staterun Global Timessaid in early March.

China aims to outstrip NASAwith super-powerful rocketThe Long March9 is projected to carry 140 tonnes into lowEarth orbit


Beijing

Aiming high: A Long March4C rocket lifting off�� from thesouthwestern Xichang launch centre on May 21. * AFP

Astronomers say they’vecaptured the fi��rst confi��rmedimage of a planet forming inthe dust swirling around ayoung star. They said theplanet appears as a brightspot in the snapshot takenusing the European Southern Observatory’s VeryLarge Telescope in Chile.

Miriam Kepler of the MaxPlanck Institute for Astronomy in Germany said hints ofbaby planets have been detected before, but astronomers weren’t sure whetherthose observations mightsimply be features in theswirling dust.

In a paper to be publishedin Astronomy & Astrophys-ics, scientists describe theplanet, located about threebillion km from the star PDS

70, as a gas giant bigger thanJupiter. It has a cloudy atmosphere and a surfacetemperature of 1,000 degrees Celsius.

Associated Press

Berlin

Rare catch: Image of a planet in the very act of formationaround the dwarf star PDS 70. * AP/ESO

Astronomers capture image of a planet’s birth Perched high in the Hima

layas, near India’s borderwith China, the tiny town ofLeh sometimes seems as if ithas been left behind by modern technology. Internet andcellphone service is spottyand the two roads to the outside world are snowed in every winter.

But early each morning,the convenience of the digital age arrives, by way of aplane carrying 15 to 20 bagsof packages from Amazon.com. At an elevation of11,562 feet, Leh is the highestspot in the world whereAmazon off��ers speedydelivery.

When the plane arrivesfrom New Delhi, it is met byemployees from Amazon’slocal delivery partner, Incredible Himalaya, who then

shuttle the packages by vanto a modest warehouse nearby. Eshay Rangdol, 26, thenephew of the owner, helpsoversee the sorting of thepackages and delivers manyof them himself.

The couriers must followexacting standards set byAmazon, from wearingclosedtoe shoes and being

neatly groomed to displaying their ID cards and carrying a fully chargedcellphone.

Amazon began off��eringdoorstep delivery in this region last fall, as part of an effort to better serve the remotest corners of India.Sales volume in Leh is uptwelvefold since IncredibleHimalaya took over deliveries from the postal service,which was much slower andrequired customers to pickup packages at the postoffi��ce.

Orders typically arrive infi��ve to seven days, slowerthan the twoday deliverythat Amazon’s bigcity customers receive but quickerthan the monthlong journeythey often took with the postoffi��ce.

Fortunately for Amazon,local soldiers and monks arebig customers. NY TIMES

Leh is the highest spot where the fi��rm off��ers speedy delivery

Vinda Goel

Atul Loke

LEH

Orders typically arrive in fi��veto seven days in Leh.

* GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Amazon delivering packages to the top of the world

The Cincinnati Zoo’s famouspremature baby hippo doesmore than delight social media fans and help sell a widerange of merchandise. She’salso an educational and literary force; heroine of ahalfdozen books so far anda popular subject for libraryand classroom activities.

The latest book is SavingFiona (Houghton Miffl��inHarcourt) written by thezoo’s director, Thane Maynard. “She has taught us alot,” Mr. Maynard said. It’sbelieved Fiona is the smallest hippo ever to survive.

Born nearly two monthsearly, she was 13 kg, a thirdthe size of a typical fulltermNile hippo and unable tostand or nurse.

“Part of the zoo’s missionis public education,” Mr.

Maynard said. “(The book)is reaching kids and familieswith a message of hope ...never giving up.”

The combined Fiona library of books by variousauthors and illustrators hassold tens of thousands sofar. Educators say studentsare attracted to lessonsthemed around animals.

Famed baby hippo an educational force A heroine of a halfdozen books so far

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

Fiona swimming in herenclosure at the CincinnatiZoo. * AP


Cauvery authority directs Karnataka to release water

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