Lucknow, Oct 29 (IANS) At least 20 people suffered burns, while 10 lost their vision, when cracker shops caught fire in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj district, police said Wednesday.
'The condition of 10 people is stated to be serious.
All the injured are undergoing treatment in the district hospital,' district police chief Prakash Tripathi told IANS over phone.
The accident took place Tuesday night in Tirwa locality, a market place in Kannauj, about 170 km from Lucknow.
Even as the exact cause behind the accident is yet to be ascertained, police said prima-facie it appears that the shops caught fire from cigarettes left behind by the customers.
The police clarified that all the crackers shops were authorised and were put up only after obtaining permission from the district administration.
NCM seeks ban on Bajrang Dal, VHP NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (Agencies): Blaming Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for the July communal riots in Indore in which eight persons were killed, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) sought a ban on both the organisations.
The Commission also demanded a judicial enquiry into the violence, de-recognition of political parties inciting communal passions and formulation of a national policy to discourage communal polarisation.
In its report, submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Commission said, "Communal organisations namely, VHP, Dal and their ancillary outfits should not only be banned but also declared illegal," and advised the government to ensure that they do not reappear with a change of nomenclature.
Emphasising the need for devising a national policy to discourage the cult and communal polarisation, the Commission said, "Once any political party is found to be behind engineering riots and inciting communal passions for electoral gains directly or indirectly, through its agents, stern action should be taken against such politicians including de-recognition of such political parties by the Election Commission.
"The Commission also noted that police forces deployed to control riots are very often offered prasada and marked Tilak by BD/VHP volunteers and said, "In fact their volunteers have successfully infiltrated in police and para-military force." Terming the VHP's bandh call on the Amarnath issue the "root cause of the violence", the Commission recommended a judicial inquiry to fix responsibility on politicians, officials and other key persons behind organizing the bandh and demanded criminal cases should be lodged against people including police personnel found guilty in this matter.
Rahul Raj cremated amid tight security in Patna PATNA, Oct 29 (Agencies): A Bihar youth killed in police firing in Mumbai was cremated here amid tight security late on Diwali night.
Rahul Raj, 25, a resident of the Kadamkuan neighbourhood here was shot dead by police Monday after he attacked the conductor of a bus and fired at and injured a passenger.
He also fired in the air, Maharashtra Police officials said.
Raj's father K.P.
Singh lit the funeral pyre late Tuesday night even as people across India were winding down after the Diwali festivities.
The residents of Kadamkuan did not celebrate Diwali Tuesday to protest Raj's killing.
Instead, hundreds of them, including students, participated in the funeral procession and attended the cremation to show their sympathy for Raj.
A relative of Raj said that soon after his body arrived here Tuesday night from Mumbai, the state government persuaded his family to perform the cremation late at night instead of on Wednesday in view of increasing tension and likely protests by the local people.
Raj's father demanded justice for his slain son.
'My son was killed in a fake encounter.
It was a big conspiracy and a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe will bring out the truth,' Singh said here.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also demanded a CBI probe into Raj's killing.
Before being shot dead, Raj had dropped currency notes from the bus stating that he wanted to kill Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for inciting his party workers to attack youths from Bihar who were in Mumbai for a railway recruitment examination.
A Bihari youth was killed as MNS cadres ransacked the examination centre.
Terming Thackeray a 'mental case', Railways Minister Lalu Prasad has demanded he be arrested.
ULFA eyeing China for shelter, commander in China-Myanmar border GUWAHATI, Oct 29 (Agencies): The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is now looking to China for shelter following mounting pressure from Myanmar and Bangladesh with the outfit's top commander Paresh Baruah now believed to be somewhere near the Myanmar-China border scouting for help to relocate its bases, intelligence officials said.
Police and intelligence officials said there could be up to 50 ULFA militants now holed up in China's Yunnan Province led by its 'Lt' Partha Jyoti Gogoi.
'We also have a report that ULFA's commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah is now in a temporary base of the outfit located somewhere along the Myanmar-China border after he sneaked into the region from his permanent base in Bangladesh,' a senior intelligence official said on customary conditions of anonymity.
'ULFA is facing the heat from both Bangladesh and Myanmar in recent months and that could be the reason for the outfit to think of alternative bases,' the official said.
ULFA, a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland in Assam, has, of late, been facing heavy reverses - more than 100 rebels have been killed in anti-insurgency operations, while the outfit suffered a major setback in June after two of its potent striking units, the Alpha and the Charlie companies of the 28th battalion, declared a unilateral ceasefire with the government.
'Reports of ULFA setting up bases in China's Yunnan Province cannot be ruled out given the fact that the outfit's relation with most of the neighbouring countries is good,' Prabal Neog, pro-talk leader and former commander of ULFA's 28th battalion, told IANS.
The ULFA team in China, led by Gogoi, is apparently being patronised by the Kachin National Organization (KNO), an ethnic armed group of Myanmar now having some bases in the Yunnan Province.
Most of the 50 member ULFA rebels are from eastern Assam's Tinsukia district.
'We had bases in Bhutan and Bangladesh, we had been to Nepal before, and then the Pakistani links are well known.
In Myanmar we have our main camps and bases and so having links with China is definitely not impossible,' Neog said.
ULFA's China linkages are, however, not new, but such things were always kept very secret.
Paresh Baruah visited China in the 1980s, while ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa put out an appeal to the Chinese leadership on Dec 25, 2003 to provide safe passage to the rebels from Bhutan for temporary shelter in China.
Rajkhowa in his fax communication to the Chinese leadership said: 'We have come under massive attack of Indo-Bhutan joint forces and our combatants have been forced to retreat up to the Sino-Bhutan border due to all out air and artillery campaigns'.
Beijing, however, turned down ULFA's appeal.
'Logistically speaking it would have no impact on their military campaign by setting up bases in China as the distance would be immense from the Yunnan Province to Assam, probably about 40 to 50 days of trekking,' said Sunil Nath, a well-known writer and former publicity chief of the ULFA.
Nath surrendered before the authorities in 1991.
It is not that China or sources in China have always maintained a distance from Indian separatists.
Indian insurgents had not only visited China in the past for help, but had received assistance from sources within the country.
Leader of the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) Thuingaleng Muivah is on record having said the Naga rebels had earlier obtained arms from China.
'More than anything else, it would be a major boost to ULFA's sagging morale if they manage to set up bases in China.
They want to send a message probably that they can extend their base to as far as China,' said Wasbir Hussain, director of the Centre for Development and Peace Studies, a Guwahati-based think-tank.
Fewer crackers, less pollution this Diwali, says Delhiites NEW DELHI, Oct 29 (Agencies): Every year, the festival of lights brings with it smoke-filled skies, thanks to the large-scale burning of crackers.
But this year the pollution levels in the capital after Diwali celabrations have been much less as compared to the last few years.
'There was definitely less pollution this year as compared to the past years,' said Anshul Takshini, a resident of Patparganj area in east Delhi.
'Whether it was due to the strictness with the fireworks sellers by Delhi Police or due to the anti-cracker campaign, the change is welcome,' he added.
Delhi Police this year issued very few licences to firecracker sellers due to stricter norms in place.
While people celebrated Diwali by decorating their homes and apartments with colourful rangolis, candles and beautiful diyas, many did miss the crackers and sparklers.
'I searched for crackers in my nearby markets but could not find a single firecracker seller.
Though I finally managed to find one, he was selling them in black at very high prices,' said Rakshit Gupta, a resident of Rohini area.
Shopkeepers, on their part, said they had no choice but to sell firecrackers in the black as the police had put in place very strict rules to obtain licences.
One such shopkeeper in east Delhi, who had stocked crackers worth hundreds of thousand rupees, had to sell them in black after police denied him a licence.
'What can one do? If I had not sold it in black, I would have suffered huge losses.
Due to high prices there was a dip in sales too,' he said.
'There was a drop of almost 50 percent in sales as compared to last year.
People preferred not to buy crackers.
Probably price rise also played a role,' he added.
But senior citizens were happy because fewer crackers meant less noise and less pollution.
'My health suffers from the air pollution every year on Diwali and for a few days after.
No matter what the reason was for less crackers, I am happy that hundreds of people like me will stay healthy,' said 74-year-old Mulk Raj.
Rubber price crash hits land deals in Kerala KOZHIKODE, Oct 29 (Agencies): Rubber plantations, once the most sought after farmland in Kerala, now find no takers because of the plummeting price of natural rubber in the last two months.
The price touched an all-time high of Rs.142 per kg on Aug 28 but lost around Rs.60 a kg in 45 days to touch Rs.81.50 on Oct 13.
The price now hovers around Rs.90 per kg.
The natural rubber price has trailed the crude oil price as synthetic rubber is a crude oil derivative.
'The price for an acre of plantation here was around Rs.12 lakh (Rs 1.2 million) two months ago.
Now, there are sellers ready to dispose of the land at Rs.10 lakh (Rs.1 million).
But buyers seem to be wary, expecting a further fall in prices,' said S.
Mohan, a real estate broker at Thaliparamba in Kannur district.
He said his business had plummeted around 40 percent after the slump in rubber prices.
Real estate brokers say many people who entered into agreements to purchase plantations are now backing out, fearing a further fall in rubber prices.
'Three months ago I had brokered a deal for 80 acres of plantation in Karnataka for four US-based Keralites at Rs 600,000 per acre.
They paid half the amount and have been taking the yield under an agreement to pay the remainder in six months' time.
Now, they say they want to cancel the deal as prices of rubber have fallen.' Real estate dealers say they feel the prices of plantations will fall further.
'I think the market will dull further in the next few months.
Prospective buyers here are not ready now to commit a price.
My business is down almost by half,' said K.K.
Abdul Nasar, a real estate broker in Kozhikode.
He said the plantations which had attracted a price of Rs.500,000-Rs.700,00 per acre three years ago had found buyers who paid Rs.24 lakhs (Rs.2.4 million) as natural rubber prices were on the upswing.
'There is a 90 percent decline in buying and selling of plantations.
Almost no business has taken place in the last two to three weeks,' K.S.
Eapen, who draws up land registration papers in Kottayam and is president of the All-Kerala Document Writers' and Scribes' Association, told agencies.
'It is the real estate brokers who jacked up the prices and many unwittingly bought land at exorbitant rates.
It is not a sound financial proposition to buy a plantation at such rates,' Eapen added.
Farmers point out that it makes no sense to invest Rs.2-3 million on an acre of rubber garden as even fixed deposits provide give better returns.
'The rubber price now stands at Rs 80-90 (per kg).
This is a good price and is enough to give a decent return to farmers.
But if one had purchased the plantation at Rs.15-20 lakhs (Rs.1.5-2 million) per acre, one can't expect a profit from the investment,' Alex Kurian, a farmer in Thrissur district, said.
Higher wages make Kerala the new 'Gulf' for migrant labourers KOZHIKODE, Oct 29 (Agencies): Kerala, with its higher wages and ample opportunities is emerging as the new 'Gulf' for unskilled and semi-skilled labour from other states, even as far away as Orissa and West Bengal.
The high wages, Rs.250-300 a day, for unskilled labour in the construction sector seems to be the main attraction for migrant labourers, say officials and manpower recruitment agencies.
An estimate of the number of migrants in the state is not there.
The last study on 'Migration in India' by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) in 2001, estimated the number at one million.
'The NSSO report is now eight years old.
The number of migrant labourers at present should be much more than that,' says N.
Ajith Kumar, director of the Kochi-based Centre for Socio-Economic and Environmental Studies (CSES).
While there are around two million Keralites working in the Gulf and many in various parts of India and abroad, the state faces labour shortage in its booming construction sector and the traditional agriculture sector, say officials.
'It is this high wage rate that is attracting labourers here.
Kerala is a 'Gulf' for them.
In their native place many earn as little as Rs.50 as daily wages while it is Rs.250 or more here,' V.L.
Anil Kumar, additional labour commissioner, told agencies.
Migrant labourers from the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have been in the state for a long time.
In recent years the state has been witnessing an increased influx of workers from Orissa and West Bengal.
'Many of these workers are brought in by labour contractors for certain projects.
Even though the contractors take a share off the daily wages, labourers still find it attractive to work here,' say labour department officials.
Also many migrants from Tamil Nadu are going back because of schemes like the 'One rupee a kg rice' there, the officials said.
On Kerala attracting migrant labourers when the unemployment rate remains high, recruiters say the migrant labourers cost less than the locals.
'The migrant workers are ready to work for longer hours; are sincere and are less demanding,' says Joseph Thomas, a building contractor in Kozhikode.
'Only 50 percent of my workers are Keralites.
While the natives leave worksites at around 4.30 p.m., the migrant workers stay back for almost one hour more.
Their output is more, even if the quality of work is not up to the mark,' Thomas says, adding most of the migrant workers are unskilled or semi-skilled and are paid Rs.50 less compared to native workers.
Selvaraj from Thiruchirappally district in Tamil Nadu is one such migrant worker.
His neighbours who migrated to Kerala told him of job opportunities and the better wages.
Selvaraj has been working in Kozhikode for the last 12 years now but has no intention to settle down in Kerala and will return to his village after a few years.
'I came when I was 18.
Now I have taken a house on rent and brought my family also over here,' Selvaraj said.
Selvaraj earns Rs.300 a day as a construction worker.
'My village is 60 km from Thiruchirappally city where the only livelihood available is seasonal agriculture labour and the wages are only Rs.150 for six hours.' Kalu Charan Sahoo is a labourer from Orissa and he came here along with his friends four years ago looking for jobs.
'We have only limited job opportunities back home.
We do all kinds of work; be it construction or agricultural work here,' said Sahoo.
In Kerala he earns between Rs.200 and Rs.250 as daily wages, while it is around Rs.100 in his village.
Sahoo said they are around 100 people staying near each other in three-four rented buildings in one neighbourhood in Kozhikode.
'We organize get-togethers every Saturday evening and conduct puja and sing songs.' According to the labour department, the average wage fixed for construction workers in Kerala is Rs 232.63.
'There are different norms for different items of work in the construction sector,' Anil Kumar said.
The officials say it is extremely difficult to maintain a close surveillance on the employment of migrant labourers.
'The labour contractors are required to take a license to deploy migrant labour.
They also have to make a refundable deposit of Rs.1,000 - Rs.2,000 per labourer with the department.
This would help us keep track of labour migration.
But when migrant labourers come on their own, it is near impossible to know how many are employed here,' said an official.
Christie's fall sale to highlight European Belle Epoque jewels NEW DELHI, Oct 28 (Agencies): Over 300 extraordinary jewels from masterpieces of the Belle Epoque or the Beautiful Era to contemporary creations, the rarest white diamonds to coloured gemstones, will be the chief attraction of the fall of sale of jewellery by auction house Christie's Dec 2.
The sale will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, said a release issued in Hong Kong Tuesday.
Officials said they were expecting buyers from across Asia, including India, which was growing as a market for antique and royal jewelleries.
Two D-colour diamonds weighing 16.11 and 16.08 carats and are estimated at HK$40,000,000-HK$60,000,000 (US$5,000,000-8,000,000) respectively will lead the auction.
Classified as Type II a, these diamonds are the most the chemically pure with no traces of the colorant nitrogen, which gives it the name - white diamond.
Another highlight of the sale is a rare a 1.70 carat fancy purplish red diamond.
Saturated diamonds in red to purple hues are considered to be the rarest of all fancy coloured diamonds.
Only three fancy red diamonds larger than the one to be auctioned in December have been sold in an auction before.
The sale also features rare and elegant jewels from the Belle Epoque (1895-1914).
Leading the selection is a Belle Epoque sapphire and diamond ring estimated at US$1,500,000-2,500,000 set with a 9.23-carat Kashmir sapphire and an internally flawless type IIa diamond weighing 5.25 carats.
Another star attraction in this sale is a jadeite hoop pendant of exceptional quality estimated at US$880,000-1,100,000.
The Belle Epoque was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted till World War I.
It was considered a 'golden age' for the upper classes as peace prevailed among the major powers of Europe, new technologies improved the lives of the people and the commercial arts improvised the Renaissance art to suit modern styles.
