A bitter poll rivalry - all in family

By Sabyasachi Roy

Bankura (West Bengal), March 31

Relatives may be on different sides of the political divide but rarely is the rift so deep that they even refuse to speak to each other. But that is the case with a man and his nephew, who are rival candidates from the same constituency.

The Indus constituency in Bankura district will see the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) candidate Santunu Bora contest against his maternal uncle and Trinamool Congress candidate Gurupada Mete May 7.

The two, who are fighting assembly polls for the first time, have not been on talking terms for over seven years.

Santunu, 42, working as a peon in a local high school, is the son of a former CPI-M member, the late Bodan Bora. Campaigning in the area, he accuses Trinamool leaders of carrying out atrocities in the area since the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Not that he names his uncle specifically.

"He (Gurupada Mete) is my maternal uncle, but I have no links with him. He is contesting against me and I have nothing to complain about that. I will not comment on him," said Santunu, a CPI-M zonal committee member.

"Trinamool are carrying out atrocities on common people; they are hindering development. Even I was forced to flee from home twice as my house was damaged by Trinamool goons. My party has faith in me and given me the chance to uproot the Trinamool from Indus. Now, my only objective is to carry out my duty," Santunu told IANS.

Gurupada, who is block president of Trinamool, blames his nephew for the rift.

"As I contested in the 2003 panchayat election against the CPI-M candidate, I was socially boycotted in the area according to the CPI-M's diktat. I was even forbidden from fetching water from wells or taps," he said.

"That time Santunu, despite being my nephew, did nothing for me. This infuriated me and I cut off all links with him and his family," said Gurupada, who is over 47 years old and a full time political activist.

In the family, the animosity is not limited to the two.

Santunu's mother and Gurupada's elder sister Arnapurna Bora said: "I will be happy if my son defeated his maternal uncle in the poll."

The Indus constituency will go to the polls May 7 in the fifth phase of the six-phase West Bengal assembly elections. Counting will be held May 13.

--IANS

Newly discovered natural arch in Afghanistan is one of world's largest

Washington, Mar 31 

A natural stone arch spanning more than 200 feet across its base in a remote corner ofAfghanistan is said to be one of the world's largest.

Researchers from the WildlifeConservation Society stumbled upon the geological colossus, named the Hazarchishma Natural Bridge, at the central highlands of Afghanistan.

It is more than 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) above sea level, making it one of the highest large natural bridges in the world. It also ranks among the largest such structures known.

“It’s one of the most spectacular discoveries ever made in this region,” Joe Walston, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Asia Program, said.

“The arch is emblematic of the natural marvels that still await discovery in Afghanistan,” he said.

Wildlife Conservation Society staff Christopher Shank and Ayub Alavi discovered the massive arch in late 2010 in the course of surveying the northern edge of the Bamyan plateau for wildlife(the landscape is home to ibex and urial wild sheep) and visiting local communities.

After making the discovery, they returned to the Hazarchishma Natural Bridge (named after a nearby village) in February 2011 to take accurate measure of the natural wonder.

The total span of arch—the measurement by which natural bridges are ranked—is 210.6 feet in width, making it the 12th largest natural bridge in the world.

This finding pushes Utah’s Outlaw Arch in Dinosaur National Monument—smaller than Hazarchishma by more than four feet—to number 13 on the list.

Consisting of rock layers formed between the Jurassic Period (200-145 million years ago) and the more recent Eocene Epoch (55-34 million years ago), the Hazarchishma Natural Bridge was carved over millennia by the once flowing waters of the now dry Jawzari Canyon.

The world’s largest natural arch—Fairy Bridge—is located by Buliu River in Guangxi, China, and spans a staggering 400 feet in width. Several of the top 20 largest natural arches are located in the state of Utah in the U.S.

“Afghanistan has taken great strides in initiating programs to preserve the country’s most beautiful wild places as well as conserve its natural resources,” Peter Zahler, Deputy Director for the WCS Asia Program, said.

“This newfound marvel adds to the country’s growing list of natural wonders and economic assets,” he stated.


---ANI

Rising unemployment due to UPA's wrong policies: Buddhadeb

Kolkata, March 31 

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Thursday blamed the wrong policies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for the rising unemployment in the country.

"The problem of unemployment in this country is because of the wrong policies of the central government. They are saying that we have achieved 8 percent growth but of what use is this growth if there are so many unemployed youths in this country," said Bhattacharjee while talking in an interactive session with students here.

"Several surveys have repeatedly said that poor people have increased in this country and what is the central government doing? They are doing nothing to control the situation. It is increasing because of wrong and faulty policies of the centre," he said.

Bhattacharjee also criticised the opposition parties of the state for calling the West Bengal government financially bankrupt.

"Each and every state government has some financial debt and that does not mean that the state is bankrupt. And if you say bankrupt, then what will call our central government which has a debt of nearly Rs.49 lakh crore," he noted.

--IANS

Emergency-like situation in Tamil Nadu: Karunanidhi

 Erode TN, March 31 :  

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M. Karunanidhi Thursday came down heavily on the Election Commission (EC), saying that an emergency-like situation was prevailing in the state andwondered whether there was any rule of law.

"I wonder whether there is rule of law in the state. The police catches even a person carrying Rs.10 and questions him whether he is carrying cash to bribe voters," he said while addressing a huge election rally in Erode, around 340 km from Chennai, without naming the poll panel. 

Karunanidhi charged that such actions are being taken mainly to break the alliance headed by the DMK.

Recalling the apology rendered by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to the people for the excesses committed on the people by government during the Emergency period (1975-77), Karunanidhi said: "It is the officials who are committing excesses now in the state. We will silently watch their activities now."

Taking a dig at the AIDMK  front, he wondered who is their chief ministerial candidate for the April 13 elections.

"In the DMK front, all the allies have said that I will be the chief minister for sixth time due to my experience," he said.

According to him, the rival camp is silent on the issue as announcing the chief ministerial candidate would result in breaking of the alliance.

Over 40 pc polling stations vulnerable in Assam

Guwahati, Mar 31 

With over 40 per cent of the pollingstations in Assam marked as sensitive or hyper-sensitive, special precautions are being taken by the administration to ensure that the polling process is conducted withoutany hindrances or violence.

Of the total 23,853 polling stations to be set for the two-phased election, 11,286 have been categorised as sensitive or hyper-sensitive.

For the first phase, 11,264 polling stations will be set up in 7,743 locations, of which 2,093 have been marked hyper-sensitive and 2,985 as sensitive.

Similarly, for the second phase, out of the 12,589 polling stations to be set up in 7,910 locations, 2,033 have been categorised as hyper-sensitive and 4,175 as sensitive.

Video or still cameras will be used by the Election Commission to monitor polling in 1,350 polling stations in the first phase and in 1,148 polling stations in the second phase.

As many as 817 vulnerable hamlets have been identified in the first phase and another 475 in the second phase.

As many as 350 companies of additional Central security forces have already arrived in the state for the polls. This is over the 96 companies of Central security forces that are already deployed in the state.

Over 100 unlicenced arms/weapons have been seized since the declaration of the poll dates (on March 1 last). Besides, 3282 cartridges, 297 detonators and 13 grenades are among other explosives seized so far.

Moreover, 6,569 licenced arms have been deposited so far.

As many as 4,562 Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) have been executed till March 28, while another 7272 remained pending.

The CEO’s office has received reports of 117 instances of violence related to campaigning or feuds between political rivals.

Of the total 126 constituencies, 62 will go to the polls on April 4 and the remaining 64 on April 11.

Counting of votes is slated on May 13.

--UNI

Forum to campaign against cash-for-vote

Madurai Mar 31 

 The Forum for Electoral Integrity, an umbrella organisation of various Non-Governmental Organisations, will be taking up a six-day intensive campaign in the politically-sensitive Madurai district to create an awareness among the people against cash-for-vote.

Talking to UNI here today, P Vijayakumar, District Convenor of the Forum, said they would hold campaign from April 2 to 8 in different places like PeriyarBus Stand, Mattuthavani Integrated Bus Terminus, Arapalayam Bus Stand, Vilakkuthoon and Kalavasal localities in Madurai.

The campaign would be launched at the Eastern entrance of the Railway Junction here.

The forum members would wear badges depicting 'Engal Vaakku Vilaikku Yillai' (Our vote is not for sale) during the campaign and distribute pamphlets to the public highlighting the criminal offence of giving or accepting cash or gifts for votes.

"Our main objective is to prevent corruption in the elections and as per the People's Representative Act, voters should not be bribed. While bribing the voters is an offence, receiving money for votes is also an offence and hence, the forum wants to sensitise the people to stop the unfair practice of cash-for- votes," Mr Vijaykumar said.

He further said the forum would join hands with the Election Commission for ensuring a free and fair election and called upon the public to join enmasse and strengthen the campaign.

People were intimidated by the political parties just because they were bribed and the political parties which distribute the money pressurise them, Mr Vijay Kumar added.

If they (people) accepted money, they would not be able to exercise their franchise in a free and fair manner, he said.

--UNI

Government against privatising education, says Sibal

Bangalore, March 31 : 

The government will not alloweducation to be privatised as institutions have to serve a societal purpose, but it was not against "private participation" in the education sector, union HumanResource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said Thursday.

"I think privatisationis a very dirty word. We do not believe in privatising education. Educational institutions have to serve a societal purpose," Sibal told reporters here.

Clarifying that the government was not against private participation in the education sector, Sibal said private participation was different from privatisation, which serves private goal.

"I do not mean there should be no private participation in education. It is different from privatization. Private participation must serve public goal," Sibal said on the margins of the 36th annual convocation of the state-run Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIM-B) here.

In this context, Sibal referred to the government's efforts to set right the education system to make sure stakeholders served a societal purpose.

"The ownership of educational institutions should vest in stakeholders, which includes government, private sector, faculty, youth, civil society, leaders who have achieved excellence in their fields and the student community. That is how we view education," Sibal said.

To facilitate a greater participation of the private sector in higher education, especially in professional courses, the minister said the government was changing the regulations of the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE).

GANDHIAN HUNGER PROTEST FOR THANKGABALU’S EXIT IN CHENNAI

By Shafee Ahmed Ko

Chennai: March 31

One day Gandhian hunger protest was held by  senior Congress loyalists from Chennai, and also different parts of Tamil Nadu. They all  assembled at Sathya Moorthy Bhavan, the official premises for Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, asking Mr.K.V.Thankgabalu, the State Congress President, to exit from the post for his irregularities and chaos in selecting the candidates for the poll on April 13, the party cadres spoke.

Mr.Mylai Periaswamy, Mr. America Narayanan,Srimathi Vishnu Priya, S.M.Hidayathullah, and Dr.Ameer Jan, all spoke the  great displeasure that the conduct Mr.Thankgabalu, favouring at the out set, designating his wife Mrs.Jayanthi  for Mylapore constituency , and shifting her to Krishnagiri constituency, and yet again retaining the Mylapore constituency in Chennai  for himself, they described such acts were as prejudiced, and vested interests.

They all assumed that the atonement to the chaotic situation was, that “Mr.Thankgabalu should quit himself from the seat or the party High Command should replace with a deserving person, worthy of the name”

Around 500 party stalwarts including women’s wing were sitting under a shamiana listening the speeches of senior party members.

Mr.S.M.Hidayathullah, a   party activist past forty years, dedicating right from his college days, explained, “How hard Madam Sonia  Gandhi battled for 63 seats, and this chaos and confusion created by Mr.Thankgabalu may not become active to defame the very devoutness of Congress Party”

The senior party men one after other lamented reminiscing,” This is the place where great leaders such as Kamaraj, Kakkan, and Moopanar adored with decorum; but Mr.Thangabalu has blemished the very sacraments of the party” they lamented.

“Soniajee longed for 63 seats for Tamil Nadu.Mr.Thankgabalu has not decided the right candidates for the right place. Since he played a gimmick, and political gambit, perhaps may become set back if Mr.Thankgabalu continues” they felt.

There was a heavy post of Khaki clad police men.

The crowded media both print, electronic, and too many lensemen were active in and around the premises. 

Police shave three Kuwaiti teenagers' heads for reciting love poems

Dubai, Mar 31 :

Three Kuwaiti teenagers had their heads shaved by police after they recited love poems to girls leaving their high school.

The teenagers were caught using a loudspeaker to recite love verses and give their mobile numbers out, Gulf News reported.

According to Al Anba daily, the three youngsters parked their car near the school and sought the attention of the girls by using a loudspeaker to shower them with expressions of love and flirtatious messages.

In the process, they gave their phone numbers in the hope that some of the girls would call them.

However, a two-man patrol heard the shouting and apprehended the youngsters after they discovered their trick and found that the driver was underage and did not have a driving license.

The head of the police station in Al Jahra, 32 kilometres northwest of Kuwait City, ordered that their heads be shaved off before further action is taken, according to the report.

--ANI

School Education To Cost Rs. 94,000/- Annually For Single Child (Parents to face high school education cost)

Parent spending on a single child at primary/secondary education has gone up from Rs. 35,000/- in 2005 to over Rs. 94,000/- in 2011 on such items and activities as integral to the school curriculum, such as fees, transport books, uniform, stationery, building fund, educational trips, extra tuitions and extracurricular activities, reveals an ASSOCHAM assessment. 

These findings are arrived at a random survey done under aegis of the Associated Chamber of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) on“Parents wary of rising education cost of kids” of young parents for their children education.

The survey highlights that the rising cost of education, has become a major cause of worry for parents. Majority of Parents nearly spend on average more than 18Lakh – 20 Lakh in raising a child by the time their teen graduates from high school.

In a random survey, nearly 2000 working parents were interviewed in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Dehradun, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai Chandigarh etc by the ASSOCHAM research team in months of Jan-March 2011 in which it came to limelight that parents find difficult in meeting their ward’s education cost.

The survey showed that parents invest an average 40 percent of their income in their children’s education. The cost of education is increasing every year, parallel to the inflation, said Mr. D S Rawat, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM.

56% of the Parents said that they are interested in their children futures; complain that they are forced to make their children quit extra-curricular activities such as dancing, music or art lessons, sports or foreign language tutoring due to cost factor and time constraint.

The school expenses excluding tution fees have risen from Rs. 35,000 in 2005 to Rs.65,000 per annum in 2011 that too on a single child. While the annual income on an average well off parents have not risen by more than 28% to 32% during the corresponding period.

The other expenses include uniforms, books, stationery, transport, sports activities, school trips, contributions to schools funds, school aids, tuitions, extra co-curricular expenses for learning, highlight the survey.

65% of parents spend more than half their take-home pay on their children’s education, extra co-curricular activities placing significant burden on their family budget.

An estimated over 40 million children are now educated in private schools, with fees usually rising well above inflation. Parents have to spend sleepness nights worrying about how they are going to pay for what their child needs simply to go to school. It is hurting their budget, said Mr. Rawat.78% of the parents said that an average family, where only one member works, it’s impossible to pay even one child’s education.

Transport is one of the most expensive components of a child’s schooling. This costs parents an average of 12,000 per child per year. Parents spend 9,600 per child per year on lunches. Packed lunches cost more than school lunches on an average.

Footwear works out as being more expensive than textbooks. Shoes cost parents 3,000 -5,000 per child per year. The schools forces to buy uniform, text book, stationery, shoes etc. from school shops which is three times higher than the normal price so that they can charge whatever price they choose in the absence of competition.

Private Tuitions have also witnessed a increase of about 45%-60% in the last 10 years as during this period majority of middle class parents have been spending of their monthly incomes on them.

It also estimates that 68% of parents nearly spend Rs. 3,000-5,000 monthly on education for each primary-level child. Secondary-level tuition set parents back by about Rs.6, 000-10,000/- monthly. Parents said that they are willing to fork out such sums because tuition and extra co-curricular activities is increasingly seen as a necessity as well as child wants to engage. Many school conveniently push the ball back to parents, to tell them to engage private tutors for their kids.

Tutoring services have become increasingly fashionable in recent years. However, the pressure to do well in exams is not the only reason parents are seeking out private tutors. The survey reveals that the rush for private tuition is more a consequence of the “exam phobia” that has gripped the country in the past ten years.

56% of the children said that their parents have time but they can’t afford the extracurricular activities like boxing, music, swimming etc. The family with two children calculated that if one child goes to dance and music school, to tutors of English and mathematics, as well as sport e.g. swimming, which is very good for a child’s health, the monthly fees would be 4,000-6,000 Rs per child. And the same activities cost for younger children also.

AVERAGE EXPENSES FOR SINGLE PARENT IN THE YEAR 2011

Cost	Annual Cost- For One Child	Annual Cost- For Two Children
School Expenses
Shirt/ Trousers/ Skirts	3000	6,000
Shoes	3500	7,000
Bag / Bottles	1800	3500
Sports Kit	3500	7000
Text books	4500	8500
School trips	3800	7000
School Clubs	2500	4000
Computer	2500	3800
Pack lunches + Transport + Tution	36000	75000
Building Fund	15,000-25,000	30,000
Fairs	3500	5500
Stationery/ Newspaper	3000	5600
Tuition/ coaching Expenses
Primary Level	3,000	6,000
Secondary Level	8,000/-	10,000
Extra Co-curricular Expense
Primary Level	2,000	4,000
Secondary Level	4,000	8,000

Indian population 1.21 billion

UPDATED  31/3/2011 11:46:09 AM

New Delhi:

We are growing and growing fast as Indian population reached 1.21 billion according to the latest Census figures released by the Home Secretary and the Registrar General of India on Thursday.

This is an increase of 181 million people since the last Census. One has to note down that India’s population is now bigger than the combined population of USA, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan and Bangladesh, says the Census report. Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state and the combined population of UP and Maharashtra is bigger than USA.The density of population is highest in Delhi, followed by Chandigarh.The cost of the counting exercise is 22,000 million.

Of the total population, 623.7 million are males and 586.5 million are females. However, the population grew at a rate of 17.64 percent which is the sharpest reduction in growth rate ever.
While Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Puducherry have the highest population growth rate of about 55 percent, Nagaland has the lowest.

The 2011 Census report also shows that India now has a child sex ratio of 914 female against 1,000 male - the lowest since Independence.This is the 15th Census conducted since 1872. It was carried out in two phases, covering 640 districts and 5924 sub-districts.

The population has increased by more than 181 million during the decade 2001-2011, the report said. The growth rate in 2011 is 17.64 per cent in comparison to 21.15 per cent in 2001.

The 2001-2011 period is the first decade – with exception of 1911-1921 -- which has actually added lesser population compared to the previous decade, Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner of India C Chandramauli said in presence of Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai.
Among the states and Union territories, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state with 199 million people and Lakshadweep the least populated at 64,429.

The combined population of UP, and Maharashtra is bigger than that of the US.

The highest population density is in Delhi’s north-east district (37,346 per sq km) while the lowest is in Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh (just one per sq km). Child sex ratio in 2011 is 914 female against 1,000 male--the lowest since Independence.

According to the data, literates constitute 74 per cent of the total population aged seven, and above and illiterates form 26 per cent.

The literacy rate has gone up from 64.83 per cent in 2001 to 74.04 per cent in 2011 showing an increase of 9.21 per
cent.