Pak. Keen To Invite India To Lahore Meet

ISLAMABAD, JUNE 9

    Pakistan is planning to invite arch-rivals India for a nine-nation hockey tournament to be held in Lahore in December. "We had been asked by the ministry what would be the appropriate time for a resumption of Pakistan-India hockey series and we told them that the first opportunity would be to invite them over to Lahore for the tournament," secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation Brig. Musarratullah Khan was quoted as saying in the local daily Dawn.

       He, however, said the matter of inviting India was at a very preliminary stage but if India did participate, the tournament would gain added attraction and charm. India and Pakistan have continued to play in multi-nation events on neutral soils, their latest clash resulting in a 4-4 draw.

Chandana Sparkles In Lankan Win

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS, JUNE 9.

  All-rounder Upul Chandana hit a sizzling, career-best 89 off 71 balls to trump West Indies captain Brian Lara's fine century and lead Sri Lanka to a four-wicket victory with three balls to spare on Sunday. The slim Chandana lashed six fours and four sixes to power the visitors to their victory target of 313 for six off 49.3 overs.

  Lara's 17th one-day century, a brilliant 116 off 106 deliveries, was the backbone of the West Indies' 312 for four off 50 overs. Chris Gayle hit a composed 94 off 125 balls while Marlon Samuels (56 not out off 36 balls) powered a late charge that realized 136 runs off the last 11 overs.

Waugh, Sobers Honoured

SYDNEY, JUNE 09.

   Australia's Test captain Steve Waugh and former West Indies skipper Garfield Sobers received Order of Australia awards in the Queen's Birthday Honours list published on Monday. Both were made Officers in the General Division (AO) of the Order of Australia for services to cricket and the community.

  Waugh, who says he is "just an ordinary bloke", has guided his side to the number one spot in the Test rankings and was at the helm for a world record 16 consecutive wins which ended in March 2001 with a defeat by India in Calcutta.

 The Australian batsman has also been active in charity work for young girls from under-privileged backgrounds in Calcutta. Sobers, the finest all-rounder in cricket history, played for South Australia in the 1960s and retains Australian citizenship through marriage.

Ferrero Lifts French Open

PARIS, JUNE  09

    Spains's Juan Carlos Ferrero snatched his first Grand Slam title defeating Martin Verkerk in one the most one-sided French Open men's final. Third seed Ferrero beat the unseeded powerful serving Dutchman 6-1 6-3 6-2 in 2 hr 9 min. Standing nearly 4 metres behind the baseline, Ferrero ripped several of 6-foot-five Verkerk's 201-kph serves for return winners.

Trainer Le Roux Dumps India For SA

NEW DELHI, JUNE 9. 

  In a sudden development, Adrian le Roux, who had won high praise as the physical trainer of the Indian cricket team, was on Sunday appointed to a similar position with the South African team. Le Roux's appointment and his acceptance of the assignment with his home country's team came as a surprise to the Indian Cricket Board which had recently offered a one-year extension to the trainer who has been with the Indian team since early last year.

  However he had earlier faced an uncertain future because the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had not announced whether it would extend his contract or not.

Advani-Rumsfeld Hold Talks On Bilateral Issues

WASHINGTON, JUNE  09

     Deputy Prime Minister Shri.L K Advani held wide-ranging talks with US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in a 30-minute meeting which focussed not only on issues of mutual interest but also on the global campaign against terrorism and Iraq.

   The high-profile meeting, earlier scheduled for Monday, was pre-poned by a day with Rumsfeld slated to travel out of Washington. The meeting held ahead of schedule is seen as a rare gesture as Rumsfeld not only met Shri. Advani on a Sunday but also at his room in Willard Hotel.

    Two leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress and the pace of the Indo-US defence cooperation. The next meeting of the defence policy group has been proposed for August 6-7 this year at Washington.

     When Secretary Rumsfeld raised the question of India contributing troops for the stabilisation phase in Iraq, Shri. Advani told him that the matter was under consideration and a decision would be taken after taking all aspects into account.

    Shri. Advani is accompanied by a high-level delegation which includes Home Secretary Shri N Gopalaswamy, Intelligence Bureau Director Shri K P Singh and other senior officials of the Ministries of Home and External Affairs.

The Deputy Prime Minister is scheduled to have talks with National Security Advisor Condolezza Rice, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, Attorney General John Ashcroft as well as US Vice-President Dick Cheney.

India's peace initiative with Pakistan and its concerns on cross-border terrorism are likely to dominate his agenda for talks with various US leaders.

    On June 14 night, he will fly to London for a two-day visit during which he will have meetings with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other leaders on wide-ranging issues, including security-related, immigration, bilateral trade and exchange of prisoners.

WLL Service For Diglipur, Mayabunder By This Month

KOLKATA, JUNE 9

    The Andaman and Nicobar Telecom Circle of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd will soon be able to cover the entire stretch of populated islands covering 800 kms. The A&N Islands region has a high tele-density of 10.6 per cent against the national average of 4 per cent.

    The circle achieved a net surplus of Rs 2 crores for the financial year 2002-03 despite most of its services being subsidised as the area is considered backward.

The circle which earned a revenue of Rs 18 crores, expects to maintain the flow despite fall in tariffs. BSNL earns 60 per cent revenue from government departments and 40 per cent from retail customers.

    “We will cover the region within this month. In the extreme northern region WLL service will be introduced in areas like Diglipur and Mayabubder by end of this month. Two base terminals will be installed in this locations,” the A&N Circle Chief General Manager, Shri  G.S. Srivastava said in Kolkata. Another four BTS will be installed at other populated islands. BSNL has already laid 548.4 kms of optical fibre cable across the A&N islands.

   WLL and mobile service have been launched in Port Blair. Presently, a 4,000 lines capacity GSM mobile phone infrastructure is in place but the capacity will be increased by another 1,000 lines. The island region now has 1,202 Internet connections. The total number of fixed line connections is around 35,500.

Resolution On Making Hindi Official Language Of UN

PARAMARIBO (SURINAM), JUNE 9.

   Seeking to boost India's efforts to make Hindi an official language of the United Nations, the World Hindi Conference today passed a resolution in this regard and urged the Indian Government to take all necessary steps to expedite the process.

 The resolution passed during a session on "Hindi in United Nations" also asked the Government to coordinate with other members of the UN to muster necessary support for clearing the proposal. The resolution would now be discussed at a special session to be held tomorrow following which it would be forwarded to the Indian Government.

     Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri  Digvijay Singh has already stated during the inaugural session that the Government was "trying its level best" to get the official language status to Hindi before the UN General Assembly session to be held in September. Shri Singh had also stated that the Government was ready to bear the Rs 100-crore initial expenditure for the same.

  This would also ensure that when Prime Minister, Shri  Atal Bihari Vajpayee's address in Hindi during the session would be in the official language of the world body. The demand for granting official language status to Hindi at the UN was mooted at the first World Hindi Conference in Nagpur and every Conference since then has been passing resolutions to this effect.

Plans Afoot To Set Up Recycled Hand Paper Unit

Staff Reporter, PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

 Waste papers will be reused from now onwards with the setting up of the Re-cycled Hand Paper Unit. The machine for recycling of waste paper has been already established at Govt. Polytechnic at Dollygunj, sources from the Department of Science and Technology informed here.

 Sources further stated that Jan Seva Ashram, a Delhi based Non-Governmental Organisation has been identified by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India to provide necessary training to run the unit.

 File, file boards and envelopes will be processed from this unit for which waste papers will be collected from government departments. Training will be imparted to run the re-cycled hand paper unit in due course, DST sources added.

Awareness Prog. On Disaster Management Held

PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

         An awareness programme on “Disaster Management” was organized by the Police Training School, Port Blair for all the SHOs and Inspectors of Andaman District here yesterday in which Inspectors from Traffic, Home Guard, Communication and Fire Services also participated alongwith the Dy. SPs of A&N Police.

      Speaking at the inaugural function, Shri A.K. Singh, Superintendent of Police, Andaman, congratulated Training School for organizing the awareness course, the timing of which, he felt was most appropriate. He highlighted the role and functions, which the police is called upon to carry out whenever a disaster strikes.

      Shri A.K. Lall, Vice Principal threw light on the disaster profile and the factors which make India one of the world’s most vulnerable countries prone to natural hazards such as cyclones, earthquakes, floods and droughts. The impact of natural hazards can be reduced. Its worst effects can be prevented he said adding that action to save lives must be taken before the disaster strikes.

     Several personalities from various Departments of A&N Administration shared their views, knowledge and experience with participants on disaster management and related areas such as disaster profile of A&N Islands, role players in disaster management and overall command, present level of preparedness and existing response plan, public health and sanitation, search, rescue and relief operations, community participation and restoration of community services.

    The speakers included Shri K. Mahesh, Secy, PBMC, Comdt. A.P Badola from Coast Guard, Dr. M.A. Rasheed from DHS, Shri Vishwa Mohan, ADM, Cdr. James Paul HM/PMB, Shri Bhagat Singh, Superintending Engineer from APWD besides Shri A.K. Singh, SP/Andaman and Shri K.R.R. Nair, Chief of Fire Services, a press releases here said.

Solar Power Plant For Havelock Soon

Staff Reporter, PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

 In a bid to propagate and promote the use of solar energy amongst the islanders, the NRSE Division of Electricity Department will be establishing a 50 KWP Solar Power Plant at Havelock soon. The plant is being jointly built by the NRSE here and the Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources, New Delhi.

 All the major equipments for establishing the Power Plant have already arrived and the site development work is under progress. This power plant is expected to be completed by the end of this year. In the first stage, the Solar Power Plant will have capacity to generate 50 KWP. However with the approval of the Ministry of Non Conventional Energy Sources its capacity will be enhanced upto 100 KWP.

 The NRSE has already installed 50 KWP Solar Power Plant at Neil Island. The Division has so far established over 35 Solar Power Plant of various capacity in various parts of the islands.

 In addition to this, the Division has also installed a number of solar power pumps, solar community lights, solar driers, solar PV domestic lights, solar PV street lights, solar lanterns, solar cookers, solar de-salination plants, solar water heaters, NRSE sources informed. 

Water In The Earth’s Upper Mantle Found

NEW DELHI, JUNE 9.

       Geophysicists in Switzerland have found the first evidence of water deep inside the earth’s upper mantle. Mark Van Der Meijde and his colleagues at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology analysed seismic waves from below the Mediterranean Sea and believe that parts of the upper mantle could contain as much as 700 parts per million of water by weight.

Earth Grown Greener Over Past 20 Years

WASHINGTON, JUNE 9.

  The planet has become greener over the past 20 years owing to changes in the global climate, a study funded by NASA and the U.S. Energy Department has found. Plants have flourished in many areas - especially in the tropics and the far northern forests - because they variously received more sun, water, heat or carbon dioxide, said the study.

 ''Our study proposes climatic changes as the leading cause for the increases in plant growth over the last two decades,'' said lead author Ramakrishna Nemani from Montana University.

Indian Elected V-P Of Newsagents’ Fed.

LONDON, JUNE 09.

  A leading London-based NRI newsagent has been elected as the Vice President of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents in the UK. Mahendra Jadeja, who won by 61 per cent votes will be the Federation's first Asian National President in two years time. In the elections held at the Federation's annual conference in Torquay.

     Commenting on his victory, Jadeja said last night, "It is a great honour to be elected to the NFRN. Over the next few days I will work harder than ever before for the members."

SKTS Reconstituted

Port blair, June 9

the State Transport Karmachari Sangh (STKS) has been reconstituted with S/Shri Shiv Chander, Sanjay and S. Dharam Raj as its President, Vice President and General Secretary respectively besides four other office bearers and ten executive members, a communication said here today.

North Korea Declares Nuclear Arms Drive

SEOUL, JUNE 9.

  North Korea has admitted publicly for the first time that it was seeking nuclear weapons and blamed hostile US policy for forcing it to develop a deterrent.

  Since the nuclear crisis erupted eight months ago, North Korea has often referred to its possession of a powerful physical deterrent.   But Pyongyang has carefully avoided admitting in public to either seeking or possessing nuclear weapons.

 "We have no other option but to have nuclear deterrence if the United States keeps its hostile policy and continues its nuclear threat towards the DPRK (North Korea)," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said today.

Seminar By ISM Held

PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

  A seminar on ‘Dweep Bachaao-Desh Bachaao’ (Save the islands-save the nation) was organized by the Islanders Sangathan Manch (ISM) in the Conference Hall of Ambedkar Bhawan here, in which Dr. Madhu Krishan, Executive Chairman LASWEB, was the chief guest.

  Addressing the seminar, Dr. Krishan emphasized the need to check the population influx which, he observed, has been caused by migrating population from the mainland. He also expressed his view for strict compliance on the Sekhar Commission’s Recommendation and the directions of the Supreme Court.

  Among others, who spoke on the occasion included Dr. Prem Kishan, Chairman, Trustee LBA, Shri John Lobo, President LBA and Smti Shanta Singh, President Mahila Congress, a press release here said.

WB Minister To Visit

PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

 The Minister-in-Charge, School Education, Shri Kanti Biswas and the ex-Minister, Govt. of West Bengal, Shri Prasanta Sur will be on a tour to these islands from June 12 to 16, 2003.

 During their stay here, the dignitaries are scheduled to visit Billiground, Mayabunder and Diglipur on June 13, 2003. They will hold a meeting at Billiground. They will also visit other places like Baratang, Hut Bay etc during their stay here. On completion of the tour, the dignitaries are scheduled to depart for mainland on June 16, 2003, an official communication said here today.

 Harsha Arriving Today

PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

 MV Harshavardhana is expected to arrive from Kolkata at 6.00 am on June 10, 2003. She has on board 709 passengers and 104 MTs of cargo. On arrival, the ship will be berthed at Haddo wharf and passengers will be disembarked immediately thereafter. No visitor will be allowed on board the vessel, a SCI communiqué said here.

Addl. IA Flight For Chennai

PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

 The Indian Airlines will be operating an additional flight for the sector Chennai-Port Blair-Chennai on June 22. Accordingly, the flight will leave from Chennai at 0430 hours to arrive here at 0635 hours and will depart from here at 0705 hours to reach Chennai at 0910 hours the same day.

 Meanwhile, IAL has revised the timing for the scheduled flight of the same day (June 22, 2003). The flight will now depart from Chennai at 0945 hours to arrive here at 1150 hours and will take off from here at 1220 hours to reach Chennai at 1425 hours, a communication from the Station Manager, IAL here said.

Skill Demonstration Training

PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

    A skill demonstration-cum-training was organized by the Department of Agriculture at the Seed Multiplication Farm, Bloomsdale recently in which farmers from different villages of Chouldari participated.

   During the programme, different methods of seedling treatment for control of bacterial diseases, were demonstrated to the farmers. Besides the farmers were also advised to minimize the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides so as to avoid destruction of plants friendly pests, a press release here said.

 Trng. On Quail Farming Concludes

PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

 A training programme on ‘backyard poultry and quail farming’ for the benefit of farmers, farm women and rural youths was organized by KVK, a Division of CARI in collaboration with AH&VS of A&N Administration at Mayabunder recently, in which Shri Shibhananda Bairagi, Pradhan, Tugapur Panchayat was the chief guest.

 Speaking on the occasion, the Pradhan stressed on the need of taking up quail and backyard poultry farming which is a profitable venture, while the Pradhan, Basantipur, Shri Akasib lauded the efforts of the team for making the farming community aware of the profitability of the quail and backyard farming.

 Altogether 54 trainees attended the programme and 200 Nos adult quail was distributed among the trainees in the presence of both the Gram Pradhans, a CARI press release here said.

MoU Signed For Developing Tourism Between Pondicherry & A&N Islands

PORT BLAIR, JUNE 9.

           A Memorandum of understanding was signed between Pondicherry Tourism & Transport Development Corporation and ANIIDCO on 6.6.03 at 4.30 P.M at Raj Niwas Pondicherry. The ceremony was held in the august presence of the Lt. Governors of both the Union Territories and was attended by Tourism Minister of Pondicherry, Chief Secretary and Secretary (Tourism), Govt. of Pondicherry and the Chairman and Managing Director of Pondicherry Tourism and Transport Development Corporation as also the Director (IP&T), A&N Admn.