keralamonitor February 10, 2003

Russia offers to India to partner for 5th generation fighter

Bangalore,Monday, February 10, 2003: Russia has proposed to India to become its partner in the ambitious fifth generation combat aircraft project, but New Delhi is yet to make up its mind and has sought a detailed report on the proposal. "They have given a proposal but we have asked them to give more details. We will then examine. We have not made up anything in our mind", Chairman and Managing Director the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited N R Mohanty said here. Such a project requires a lot of funds, Mohanty said, adding, Russians have proposed to India to jointly design, develop and eventually produce by sharing costs. He said he has also spoken to Defence Minister George Fernandes in this regard, but clarified that no decision has been taken regarding Indian participation in the project.From the Russian side, project initiators are Aviation Military Industrial Complex Sukhoi, whose officials say the mid-sized aircraft is proposed to be built in single and two-seater versions. The aircraft would have stealth and supersonic flight features, according to Mikhail Pogosyan, Director of Sukhoi Design Bureau, who was here to attend the five-day Aero India 2003 aerospace exposition, that conclucded on Sunday.

30 injured in stone pelting at Bhiwandi, police fire in air

Mumbai,Monday, February 10, 2003: Paramilitary forces were deployed in the communally sensitive powerloom township of Bhiwandi after a crowd indluged in heavy stone throwing causing injuries to 30 people late Sunday night.Police opened fire in the air and burst teargas shells to disperse the crowd protesting detention of a few persons who were taking animals to an abbatoir in view of the approaching Bakri-Eid on February 12 in the neighbouring Thane district, officials said.

Hearing of the police action following a complaint by Bajrang Dal activists, a mob of minority community from Patel Mohalla rushed to Nijampura police station demanding immediate release of the detained persons and animals, they said. When police refused to accept their demand and attempts were on to pacify the agitators, some of them started throwing stones causing injuries to 30 people, including some policemen, the officials said. At least eight persons have been arrested for rioting. The situation is "tense but under control", they said, adding a platoon of CRPF and RAF each have been deployed in the area. Senior police officials including Thane police commissioner S M Shangari were monitoring the situation, they said. Some of the injured have been admitted to nearby Indira Gandhi government hospital, while others were rushed to private hospitals.

Bangla Foreign minister to visit India for talks

New Delhi,Monday, February 10, 2003: In the backdrop of the stand- off between the two countries on the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Mohammad Morshed Khan will pay a three-day visit to India from February 13 to hold talks on bilateral ties.

Khan is expected to meet Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and will hold discussions with his Indian counterpart Yashwant Sinha during his stay here. "While bilateral discussions will be held with the External Affairs Minister on February 14, other meetings are scheduled for the next day," an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said. He would visit Ajmer Sharif on February 13. Asked about the agenda of the talks, he said all important bilateral issues including that of illegal immigrants would come up during the parleys.

The week-long Indo-Bangla stand off had ended last Thursday after Dhaka quitely accepted 213 of its nationals stranded in no-man's land on the border with West Bengal. Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani has stated that the problem of an estimated 1.5 crore Bangladeshi illegal immigrants remains and has to be sorted out. The return of the Bangladeshis took place hours after Sinha spoke to the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister over phone and invited him to visit India.

Karna directed to release 4500 cusecs of water to TN

New Delhi,Monday, February 10, 2003: In a setback to Karnataka, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today directed it to release 4500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for three days after that ensure inflows as per the interim order of the Cauvery Tribunal. While Tamil Nadu termed the outcome as "terribly disappointing, Karnataka was "unhappy" with it. This ad hoc formula of distress water sharing was ordered by Vajpayee after a two hour long meeting of the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) held at the directions of Supreme Court. All the Chief Ministers of the Cauvery basin states including Karnataka and Tamil Nadu which have been at loggerheads on the sharing of the waters attended the meeting which was twice postponed earlier due to lack of quorum.

Armed with Supreme Court's order that his decision would have the status of a court order, the Prime Minister gave the direction which made Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna "unhappy". But he said that he has "no alternative other than submitting ourselves to the directions" Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa told reporters later that "we are terribly disapppointed" with the outcome. "The only positive point in the whole meeting was that the Prime Minister has accepted that the deficit level at Mettur is 16.5 tmcft. That is the solace to us in the end". Union Water Resources Minister Arjun Charan Sethi and Water Resources Secretary A K Goswami said that the unhappiness of both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu showed that the Centre had acted fairly.