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Astrologers to astronomers: Oct 22 auspicious day

Chennai/Bangalore: There are astrologers among the astronomers in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) too. They have declared that the day set for the country's first moon mission, October 22, will be auspicious.

Seven years ago, on October 22, 2001, ISRO had successfully launched a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C3) carrying three satellites - one of its own and two from overseas.

The Indian satellite was the 1,108 kg Technology Experiment Satellite and its co-passengers were Bird from Germany weighing 92 kg and the Belgian satellite Proba that weighed 94 kg.

That was the second time ISRO had launched three satellites in one flight. The earlier occasion was in 1999 when PSLV-C2 slung the 1,050-kg Indian Remote Sensing satellite IRS P4, DLR-Tubsat (45 kg) of Germany and South Korean satellite Kitsat weighing 110 kg.

As the countdown for the Chandrayaan-I -- India's ambitious moon mission, is set to begin Monday, ISRO scientists put in motion launch rehearsal exercises at the Sriharikota spaceport as part of preparatory drill for the blast off.

"The fully integrated launch vehicle has been moved out of the vehicle assembly building and anchored into the umbilical tower," ISRO spokesperson S Satish told PTI at Bangalore on Saturday.

A 52-hour countdown for the mission is expected to commence in the early hours of October 20.

There was slight rain in Sriharikota today but there is no cause for worry. The weather on October 22 is forecast to be fine, he said.

The lunar spacecraft is slated to be launched by PSLV-C11 at O620 hours on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, preparatory activities for the countdown have begun.

"Preparatory activities, including checking of various parameters in payloads, to start countdown are going on," Satish Dhawan Space Centre Associate Director Dr M Y S Prasad told PTI at Chennai from Sriharikota.

Dr Prasad said the spacecraft was moved to the launch pad last evening.

Prasad said all the operations were progressing satisfactorily for the launch of the spacecraft mission on October 22.

"About 42 tonnes of propellant would be filled during the countdown period," he said.

According to the specifications given by the officials, the spacecraft carrying 11 payloads (scientific instruments) weighs about 1,380 kg at the time of its launch, which was shaped like a cuboid with a solar panel projecting from one of its sides. The state-of-the-art subsystems of the spacecraft facilitates the safe and efficient functioning of its 11 payloads.

The spacecraft was powered by a single solar panel generating a maximum of 700W. A 36 Ampere-Hour (AH) Lithium ion battery supplies power when the solar panel was not illuminated by the sun. (Agencies)

Maya does U-turn on Rae Bareli land

Lucknow: Making a U-turn, the Mayawati Government in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday decided to return the land in Rae Bareli for construction of a rail coach factory, an issue on which she had a high-pitched spat with Congress President Sonia Gandhi during the week. "The Cabinet has decided to give 189.25 hectares of land, which was with the state government, to the Centre for the Rail Coach Factory.

"This was done so that they don't blame us later and the dirty political game Congress is playing over this land, gets buried in this land in Rae Bareli," she told a press conference on Saturday.

Last Saturday, the state Government had cancelled the allotment of the land for the coach factory for which Gandhi and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad had planned to go to Rae Bareli on Tuesday and lay the foundation stone.

While the function was cancelled, Gandhi went to Lalganj, where the factory is to be located in her parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli, and charged the Mayawati Government with putting hurdles in development programmes.

She made the visit defying prohibitory orders and declared she was ready to go to jail for the sake of development. The next day, Mayawati hit back at Gandhi saying she made a drama of going to jail without any reason and accused the Congress of placing roadblocks in development.

The cancellation of the allotment also went to the Allahabad High Court with the Railway Ministry petitioning it against the state government decision and the Court ordered a status quo.

Mayawati said the State Cabinet on Saturday decided to give land on lease to the Railways for 90 years as requested by it and a letter to this effect is being sent to the Railways Minister on Saturday itself.

The report of Neth Ram, the Chief Minister's Principal Secretary who was assigned to inquire into the matter after the land allotment was cancelled, was also presented to the Cabinet.

On the cancellation earlier which had stalled Sonia Gandhi's planned "bhoomi pujan" there and triggered a political storm, Mayawati said the allotment was "illegal" as proper cabinet approval was not taken for the same. "A recommendation in principle for the same had been made by me earlier after which it had to be placed before the cabinet but it was not done", she said.

In an oblique attack on Sonia Gandhi, Mayawati said the "drama" over the land allotment was enacted by the Congress chief keeping in view coming Lok Sabha polls. (PTI)

Referring to a notification published in newspapers a couple of days ago that 940 acre of land was in possession of the Railways, she asked why then bhoomi pujan was not done. A hue and cry was made over it simply to gain political mileage by Congress, she said.

Seek equity, not concessions, Ansari advises Muslims

Aligarh: Asking Muslims to "seek equity, not concessions" from Government, Vice President Hamid Ansari today said the community should introspect as a failure to participate in India's "growth story" will lead to its marginalisation.

Addressing a gathering of over 500 Aligarh Muslim University alumni from as many as 20 countries, Ansari said the Muslim community should adapt to changing requirements of time and pointed out the need to draw every segment including women into the sphere of education.

This, he said, was the only way out if the Muslim community is to partake in India's historic growth story.

"We as a community have failed to appreciate the need for education for all sections. Our illiteracy levels continue to remain above the national level and we continue to lag behind in ensuring education at the primary level and for women," the Vice President said.

Rejecting the growing clamour for 'quotas' in educational institutions and jobs, Ansari said the community should "seek equity not concessions" as "seeking specific dispensation will not take us too far".

"Let us candidly admit that we have failed to conceptualise the demands of a changing environment and failed to understand that education cannot be sectional," Ansari told the first 'World Summit of AMU Alumni'.

He said Muslims should learn to emulate other communities in adapting to changing requirements of time and utilising the opportunities and sops provided by government.

"Our failure to participate in India's growth story will lead us to marginalisation," a candid Ansari, who is himself an alumnus of AMU and also a former Vice Chancellor, warned. (PTI)

Protect rights of Tamils: Manmohan tells Sri Lanka

New Delhi: Amid mounting pressure from ally DMK and other Tamil Nadu parties, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday asked Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to ensure that Tamils do not get "enmeshed" in the conflict with LTTE and that their rights and safety are upheld.

During a telephonic conversation initiated by Rajapaksa, Singh said there could be no military solution to the conflict in the island country and asked the President to start a political process for a peacefully negotiated settlement within the framework of a united Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister's Office said.

The Prime Minister also asked Rajapaksa to instruct the Sri Lankan Navy to desist from firing on Indian fishermen, saying their killing is "unacceptable", the PMO said in a statement.

Rajapaksa assured Singh that "all necessary measures" are being taken to ensure safety and well-being of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, it said.

"During the telephonic conversation, the Prime Minister expressed his deep concern on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the north of Sri Lanka, especially on the plight of civilians caught in the hostilities," the statement said.

Rajapakse that the "rights and welfare of the Tamil community of Sri Lanka should not get enmeshed in the ongoing hostilities against the LTTE", the PMO said.

During the conversation, the Prime Minister said continued and uninterrupted relief supplies should be ensured for the internally displaced persons in order to address the humanitarian situation, the PMO said. (PTI)

India maiden aviation show proves a big hit

Hyderabad: India's first-ever international exhibition on civil aviation, India Aviation-2008, proved a big hit with thousands of people flocking to the Begumpet Airport here Saturday to catch a glimpse of a variety of aircraft on the last day of the four-day event.

After three days for business visitors, the show was on Saturday thrown open to the public, who thronged the venue in large numbers.

So huge was the public response that the organisers had to stop sale of tickets for sometime. Over 3,000 tickets were sold in the first two hours.

The massive crowd also led to a traffic jam on Begumpet Road. The organisers expect 25,000 to 30,000 people would witness the show by the end of the day.

Men, women and children were standing in long queues since morning to witness the event, showcasing as many as 37 aircraft ranging from Boeing-777 300 ER to ultra light aircraft Sport Star Puls.

Though many were disappointed at not finding big bird Airbus A380, which flew back to France early Friday after a static display Thursday, the wide range of aircraft and helicopters in different shapes, sizes and colours wowed them all. Though the first three days were for business visitors, many enthusiasts entered the venue by purchasing Rs.500 tickets. The ticket on the last day was priced at Rs.150. Over 15,000 people visited the show in the first three days.

While big aircraft like Boeing 777 and Airbus 319, which were inducted into Air India fleet at the venue, were star attractions, the small aircraft like IL-114 from Uzbekistan, 10-feet long and four-feet wide Sport Star Plus of Czech Republic company Evektor-Aerotechnik and eight and six-seater Hawker caught everybody's attention.

CRJ900 NextGen, Learjet 60 XR, Challenger 605 and Global Express XRS, all from Bombardier, Gulfstream and Beechcraft also added glamour to the show. Then there were helicopters from world leaders including Bell Helicopters and Eurocopters.

The visitors went around the venue and took snaps posing in front of the amazing machines. "I had seen aircraft from a distance but today I am having a closer look. It is really wonderful," said Padmanabh Reddy, a 12th standard student, who was accompanied by his friends.

Selected groups were taken on a ride in choppers by a couple of companies. Others were overjoyed on being allowed to sit in a helicopter on static display. (IANS)

Trafficking ring smashed; 200 Indian illegal migrants held

Brussels: Brussels prosecutors said on Saturday they have broken up "the core" of a people trafficking gang involved in smuggling illegal immigrants and arrested 15 suspected traffickers while they were moving 200 Indians from Belgium to Britain.

Fifteen suspected traffickers were arrested as well as almost 200 illegal immigrants, all Indian nationals, following a series of raids in Brussels and the surrounding area.

The gang planned to smuggle the migrants into Britain for sums ranging from 1,500 euros (USD 2,019) to 5,000 euros per person, deputy public prosecutor Tim De Wolf told the Belga national news agency.

"They are mainly Indian men aged between 15 and 35 years old, and also some women and children," De Wolf said. They generally came through Moscow where and paid nearly 20,000 euros in total, he added.

The would-be immigrants arrested in the raids were being kept in very poor conditions, he said. "We found 24 people crammed inside one windowless room, measuring around 12 square metres (129 square feet)," De Wolf said.

Police also found around 50 illegal immigrants in a Sikh temple in Vilvorde, north of Brussels. (AFP)

Maoist rebels blow up RJD leader’s home

Ranchi: Maoist rebels have blown up the ancestral house of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Suresh Yadav in Jharkhand's Latehar district and assaulted his family members, police said on Saturday. Around 100 rebels belonging to the outlawed CPI(Maoist) surrounded Yadav's house in Hotwag village in Latehar, around 170 km from here, and blew it up late Friday night, a police official said.

The rebels used detonators and beat up the family members, the official said. A car parked outside the house was also set on fire. The RJD leader was not at home at the time of the attack, but four of his family members were assaulted. The injured have been admitted to hospital, police said. Maoist rebels are active in 18 of Jharkhand's 24 districts. (IANS)

Peaceniks damage Bofors weapons meant for India

Karlskoga/Stockholm: Four Swedish peace activists penetrated the fortress-like security at two facilities of ordnance company Bofors in southern Sweden and sought to sabotage the piled up supplies destined for export to India. The activists entered the Karlskoga and Eskilstuna facilities of Bofors on Thursday night and claimed to have damaged grenade launchers of the Carl Gustaf brand meant for supply to India.

"The activists got into our workshop where Carl Gustaf grenade-launchers as well as the spare parts that make up Bofors-UAE's continuous ongoing refurbishment of the Indian armed forces' requirements are manufactured," Christer Heneback, information chief for BAE Systems Bofors, told IANS in Karlskoga.

"However," continued Heneback, "I must confess that the damage done was more to our pride than our goods. That, despite the most ultra-sophisticated alarms systems that Bofors has in place, four civilians could effect entry right into our innermost work and storage places with such relative ease. But this will in no way detrimentally influence our Indian order."

"All the four activists were apprehended by the company's security guards and arrested by the police. They were charged with unlawful entry, extensive material damage and crime against the law," said Svante Melin, Criminal Commissioner in Eskilstuna. (IANS)

Trafficking ring smashed; 200 Indian illegal migrants held

Brussels: Brussels prosecutors said on Saturday they have broken up "the core" of a people trafficking gang involved in smuggling illegal immigrants and arrested 15 suspected traffickers while they were moving 200 Indians from Belgium to Britain.

Fifteen suspected traffickers were arrested as well as almost 200 illegal immigrants, all Indian nationals, following a series of raids in Brussels and the surrounding area.

The gang planned to smuggle the migrants into Britain for sums ranging from 1,500 euros (USD 2,019) to 5,000 euros per person, deputy public prosecutor Tim De Wolf told the Belga national news agency.

"They are mainly Indian men aged between 15 and 35 years old, and also some women and children," De Wolf said. They generally came through Moscow where and paid nearly 20,000 euros in total, he added.

The would-be immigrants arrested in the raids were being kept in very poor conditions, he said. "We found 24 people crammed inside one windowless room, measuring around 12 square metres (129 square feet)," De Wolf said.

Police also found around 50 illegal immigrants in a Sikh temple in Vilvorde, north of Brussels. (AFP)

Scantily dressed girl set afire

Jaipur: In a shocking incident, an 11-year-old girl was set ablaze by a relative, who was apparently enraged with her being "scantily dressed" and wearing a lipstick, police said on Saturday. The girl identified as Nazmeen suffered 90 per cent burns and was stated to be in a critical condition, Investigating Officer Shammi Khan said. Police have arrested Salim alias Azzi (55), who allegedly poured kerosene on the girl and set her afire at Dhanna Das Ki Bagachi here on Friday, he said. Khan said Salim, who runs a grocery shop from his house, took the girl into a room there and asked her younger brother to sit outside. After bolting the room from inside, he poured kerosene on the girl and set her afire. Engulfed in flames, the girl managed to unbolt the door and ran outside crying for help. The neighbours came to her rescue and one of them was also injured while trying to put out the flames, he said. Khan said Salim was a distant relative of the victim's family and the girl addressed him as 'nana' (maternal grand father). A case of attempt to murder has been registered against Salim, Khan said. The girl's father alleged in his statement that the accused set her daughter ablaze after she resisted his attempt to molest her. (PTI)

Bihar puts rat meat on the menu!

Patna: Soon, if you stop by a restaurant or even a roadside eatery in Bihar, you might find an interesting addition to the menu - rat meat. A controversial pilot project to popularise rat meat in Bihar, thereby helping uplift the impoverished Dalit community that cultivates it, has been approved by the State Government. "It is a well calculated move to promote and popularise rat meat in the State," Jeetan Ram Manjhi, Bihar's social welfare minister for Scheduled Castes and Tribes, told IANS. Manjhi said the Government would publish research-based reports that establish that rat meat is healthy. A few months ago when Manjhi came out with the idea to popularise rat meat in the state, it created a controversy. Several people questioned his proposal to serve rat meat in restaurants, 'dhabas' or roadside eateries and other places. Rat farming, akin to rearing poultry, would be encouraged among the impoverished Musahar community of the state as a means of socio-economic upliftment as well as to promote a new kind of food item in urban pockets. Musahars, known as the traditional rat eating community, usually hunt rats in paddy fields. (IANS)

Mob beats dacoit to death, injures five

Burdwan (WB): A mob chased down a group of alleged dacoits, who used to don women outfits to lure and loot unsuspecting truck drivers, and beaten to death one of them on Saturday morning in Burdwan district, police said. Villagers were guarding a stretch of Goda by-pass, about 2 km from this district headquarter town, where dacoits rob truck drivers frequently, Superintendent of Police R Rajsekharan said. The dacoits used to come in disguise as women and lure truck drivers. When they stop their vehicles, the gang then robs the "surprised" victims, he said. At about 5 am today, villagers chased eight such dacoits and caught six of them, Rajsekharan said. They beat them up severely killing one of them, identified as Ranjit, and seriously injuring five others who were hospitalised, he said. However, the gang leader Sheikh Nashir and another member managed to flee, he said. (PTI)

Cong leader arrested in idol theft case

Gaya (Bihar): Former Gaya district general secretary of Congress Manglesh Kumar Singh was today arrested by the CBI in a case relating to theft of idols from Patna museum in 2002. Superintendent of Police R Mallar Vizzi said Singh was held from a hotel here in connection with the theft of idols from Patna museuum six years ago. The idols were stolen from the museum on September 26, 2002. (PTI)

Diarrhoea claims five, 1,584 affected

Bokaro: At least five people died and 1,584 people have been hit by diarrhoea caused by impure drinking water at Gomia block in this district of Jharkhand over the past few months. Chief Medical Officer Dr Pramod Kumar told UNI here on Saturday that adequate measures were taken by the department concerned to tackle the health hazard. Dr Kumar attributed the spread of the disease in the district to unhygienic environment and impure drinking water. He said the authorities were put on alert to prevent spread of the disease and expressed concern over the death of five diarrhoea patients. Places like Chaas, Chandankiwari, Jaridih, Kasma, Petarwar and Nawadih were still under the grip of the disease and the affected people were admitted to different Governement and private hospitals. Health camps were held at Nora, Surhi, Kudpania and Bhendra, he informed. (UNI)

Woman arrested for killing 4 toddlers

Gurgaon: In an apparent case of a family property dispute taking an ungly turn, a 27-year-old woman was on Saturday arrested for allegedly killing four of her nieces and nephews during the past one year in suburban Gurgaon. According to police, Babita was arrested from Tigra village near here after her brother-in-law Ajit complained to police that she had murdered his five-year-old son Sunny on October 10. Police said the other victims are Gaurav, 2, Meher, two-and-half, and Priti, 5. They were victims of Babita's "whim and jealousy", according to her relatives. Police and Babita's relatives recovered blood stained clothes and slippers from her house. "The woman has already confessed to killing Sunny. We are interrogating her to get further details," said Jagdish Nagar, deputy commissioner of police, Gurgaon . (IANS)

Fate of kidnapped officials unknown

Ranchi: The fate of the four kidnaped railway officials of McCluskieganj railway station is not yet known even as three days elapsed since their abduction by unknown gunmen. The police have launched raids on underground outfits in and around McCluskieganj, about fifty km from here. "We cannot say anything till we trace them," the Superintendent of Police (Railways), S N Jha, told PTI. Raids were on, he added. Assistant Station Master Kamal Kishore, Deputy Managers S D Ekka and S K Kesri and Guard Munsi Prasad were kidnapped by unknown gunmen on October 15. (PTI)