The Mumbai Grapevine
Connecting Mumbaikars with Mumbai
(Published by Mumbai-Central.com)
Please feel free to forward this message to your friends and co-workers
who might be interested in it. The instructions to join the Mumbai
Grapevine are at the end of the message.
No need for changes in kidney transplant law: Chief Justice
New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) As the Government contemplates amending the Organ Transplantation Act in the wake of the kidney racket, Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan today said the present laws were sufficient but they need to be implemented properly.
"Sufficient laws are there, they just need to be implemented properly," Balakrishnan told reporters when asked about the need for stricter laws to check illegal transplantation of organs.
He was speaking on the sidelines of a conference on 'prevention of kidney disease' at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here.
Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss had recently said the Organ Transplantation Act would be amended to simplify the procedure and make the punishment for illegal transplant more stringent to curb unlawful practices.
In his speech, the Chief Justice said, "In a conference like this, I am totally a layman. I do not know the implications of kidney diseases. When they say kidney, it reminds me of police, retention and arrest." PTI
Antony says no middleman to be allowed in defence contracts
New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) India today said no middleman would be allowed in defence contracts and companies could face action if complaints of kickbacks were found true.
"Whenever we receive any complaint of kickbacks, we take action," Defence Minister A K Antony said.
He, however, ruled out cancellation of 1.2 billion dollar deal with Israel for acquisition of three Falcon Air Control and Early Warning Control System (AWACS) with Israel.
The Minister's comments came after he inaugurated the fifth Indian Defence Expo here in which 479 companies from 30 countries are participating.
Asked about Israeli media reports that India had nearly paid three times more for AWACS than the price quoted by China and that commissions were paid in the deal, Antony said "the Defence Ministry has received no such complaints." Companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon from the US and Thales, Gican, DCNS from France are participating in the Expo. PTI
Maoists kill 14 in meticulously planned attack in Orissa
Nayagarh (Orissa), Feb 16 (PTI) Maoists killed 14 people, including 13 policemen, and took away a huge quantity of arms and ammunition in a meticulously planned attack on a police station, police training school and armoury here in Nayagarh district late last night.
A group of nearly 100 maoists, including women cadre armed with guns and bombs launched the attack at 11:00 pm last night, the first attack in coastal Orissa a mere 90 km from the state capital, and a rerun of the March 2006 attack on a sub-jail in Udaygiri in Gajapati district and looting of an armoury in Koraput town earlier in February 2004.
Nayagarh superintendent of police Rajesh Kumar said while 10 policemen were were shot dead by the maoists at the police training school, a civilian died after being caught in the crossfire at the Daspalla police station, 30 km away.
The two other police casualties occurred when the maoists, retreating after attacking the Mahipur police outpost shot them dead, the SP said. PTI
Defence procurement policies under review: Antony
New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) Policies and procedures governing defence procurement and off set are currently undergoing a review to make them more transparent and user-friendly, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.
"We have been fine-tuning and improving the Defence Procurement Procedure based on periodical reviews," he said inaugurating the 5th International Land and Naval Systems Exhibition (DefExpo India-2008) here.
"The current procurement procedure is also under review to make it more transparent and user-friendly," Antony said.
Observing that the government was the only purchaser of defence goods in India, the Minister said it was imperative that particular requirements, administrative procedures and defence policies should impact on production decisions taken by private companies.
"For our defence industry to expand and to be able to meet critical technological requirements of armed forces, there is need for far greater synergy between private players and the government," Antony said.
Regarding the Defence Offset Policy, the Minister said it was "at a nascent stage and still evolving".
Deliberations were going on with regard to some important issues like banking of offset credits, transfer of technology and licensing requirement for software industry, which were of concern to both foreign and Indian industry, he said.
"We will, in the near future, take appropriate decisions after getting inputs from all stakeholders. I am sure the discharge of offsets under the policy will give necessary fillip to private sector participation in a big way a long time to come," Antony said. PTI
Anand beats Shirov in opening round
From Our Chess Correspondent
Morelia (Mexico), Feb 16 (PTI) World Champion Viswanathan Anand scored an emphatic victory over Latvian-born Spaniard Alexei Shirov in the first round of the Morelia-Linares Chess tournament here.
The victory with black pieces helped Anand jump in early joint lead on a full bloodied day in the Category-21 event being played between eight players in double round-robin format.
Former World Champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria defeated Levon Aronian of Armenia while Peter Leko of Hungary accounted for Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan to share the lead with Anand after the first round.
The other keenly contested game of the day between Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine ended in a draw after a tough fight.
For defending champion Anand, it was a great start and especially coming with black, the victory will certainly be cherished for quite some.
The last classical game between the two, played at Corus chess tournament in 2007, had ended in a draw when Shirov played black and Anand bettered that result significantly in the opener. PTI
Off field furores have worn down Ponting: Gilchrist
Perth, Feb 16 (PTI) The pulls and pressures of captaincy have begun to take a toll on Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and his form slump was a result of having to deal with too many off-field furores in recent months, feels his deputy Adam Gilchrist.
Ponting's lean spell with the bat is just one of the miseries that he has had to endure in a stressful summer, that has seen as much drama off field as on field.
A niggling back problem has not helped his cause and Gilchrist felt Ponting needed all the support he can get in his hour of crisis.
"I am sure he, like all of us, will have been worn down by a lot of the focus and a lot of the issues that have been around," Gilchrist said.
"We seem to have jumped from one thing to nother, whether they be highly controvesial or just issues that need to be dealt with. Things like the Pakistan tour hanging around, the IPL, the Indian Test series and all the issues there in the (Harbhajan) hearing," he added, summing up his captain's woes.
Gilchrist praised Ponting for soaking up all the criticism that was directed at the world champions in the aftermath of the Sydney furore.
"He has had to take the brunt of it and I think we have got to acknowledge that he does that and stands up and wants to do it, that is his job," he said.
The stumper-batsman, who retires after the ongoing tri-series, however, allayed fears that Ponting would wilt under the pressure "He is still running the team beautifully, captaining. We have got to rally around him and keep him going but he is a class act and he will be fine," he said. PTI
Over 5 lakh security personnel deployed for Feb 18 poll
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Feb 16 (PTI) Nearly 500,000 security personnel have been fanned out across Pakistan amid fears of violence and rigging during Monday's general election.
Caretaker Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz Khan today said 81,000 soldiers and about 400,000 police personnel will provide security during the elections to the national and four provincial assemblies on February 18.
Talking to reporters after meeting a delegation from the European Union, Khan said paramilitary troops, including Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Constabulary, will also be deployed.
Police in the Northern areas and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have also been called out to deal with any untoward situation.
Military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas said the army has completed its deployment for the polls yesterday. The army will play a role only if the police and paramilitary forces are unable to deal with any untoward situation, he said.
Giving details of the deployment of forces, the Interior Minister said 49,000 personnel would be posted in the North West Frontier Province, 130,000 in Punjab, 190,000 in Sindh and 25,000 in Balochistan.
Judges and lawyers who were detained during last year's emergency will be allowed to cast their votes and nobody has been arrested in Islamabad so far, Khan said.
The authority to make preventive arrest lies with home secretaries but these powers will be transferred to the District Coordination Officers (DCOs) on the polling day. PTI
Indian doc to be extradited to UK to face patient death charge
Seema Hakhu Kachru
Houston, Feb 16 (PTI) An Indian origin anesthesiologist working in the US state of Texas will be extradited to Britain to face manslaughter charge in a patient's death a decade ago.
Dr Priya Ramnath, 39, is accused of administering a lethal dose of adrenaline to an intensive care patient in 1998 at a hospital in the UK against the advice of the hospital staff.
During a court hearing yesterday in Texas, Ramnath agreed to face trial in the case in Britain.
US District Magistrate Judge Earl S Hines ordered Ramnath to turn herself into the custody of US Marshals so that she could be extradited to the UK.
The British government filed an involuntary manslaughter charge against Ramnath five years after the death of the patient Patricia Leighton, 51.
Leighton had been diagnosed with septic shock and sent to an intensive care unit in the hospital where Ramnath was working as a junior anesthesiologist.
By the time Ramnath was charged, she was living and working as a doctor in the US.
Her attorney Al Charanza Jr initially said he would fight Ramnath's extradition to England but after the extradition hearing yesterday, Charanza said he and his client decided to forgo the opportunity.
"We hope that it will bring closure for this case, not only for herself, but for the victim's family," he said.
The US Marshals Service arrested Ramnath on Nov 30 last year at Woodland Heights Medical Center in Lufkin, Texus.
During Ramnath's detention hearing in December, Charanza called the British government's accusations an attempt to "criminalise" the practice of medicine. PTI
Malaysian police break up Hindraf rally, detain its supporters
Jaishree Balasubramanian
Kuala Lumpur, Feb 16 (PTI) Defying a ban, at least 200 ethnic Indian supporters of a Hindu rights group today held a rally near Malaysia's Parliament demanding more rights for the minority community, prompting police to fire tear gas and chemical-laced water to disperse the demonstrators.
Police said it detained at least 20 supporters of the non-governmental Hindu Rights Force (Hindraf) which organised the "illegal" rally, days after announcing plans that its members would march to the Parliament house along with a group of children led by the organisation's chief Wayathamoorthy's five-year-old daughter Vvaishnnavi.
Hindraf member and lawyer N Surendran, however, claimed that at least 60 people, including two leaders of the organisation, have been detained in a police crackdown since late last night.
Police had denied a permit to Hindraf to hold the rally outside Parliament and had set up barricades along main roads leading to the building.
Notwithstanding the ban, some 200 people managed to gather at a nearby building shouting "Long Live Hindraf" and "We want our rights." Police sprayed chemical-laced water and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Vvaishnnavi wanted to present roses to Premier Abdullah Badawi and had last month written a letter to him urging him to be present at the Parliament house to receive the Valentine flowers from her and other children. PTI
All India Motor Transport Cong condemns petro price hike
Ludhinana, Feb 16 (PTI) The All India Motor Transport Congress has strongly condemned the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel.
"The increase in fuel prices is a blow to the common man and if the government does not rollback it within a few days, we will launch an agitation," All India Motor transport Congress president Charanjit Singh Lohara said. PTI
Market snaps losing streak, Sensex up 650 pts
Mumbai, Feb 16 (PTI) Stocks: The markets recovered from initial weakness as a strong global turnaround after midweek powered the BSE index Sensex to move up by 650.36 points during the week, despite fears about the US recession.
The relief followed billionaire investor Warren Buffett's offer to reinsure US Municipal bond risk on Wednesday and a surprise rise in January US retail sales. These helped to inject some confidence in investors and sooth fears of global slowdown.
The crisis-ridden global financial markets breathed easier after Buffett offered to reinsure 800 billion dollars to US municipal bond risk from top three bond insurers on Wednesday.
Bouncing from a low of 16,565.48 on Tuesday, the Bombay Stock Exchange 30-share index, surged over 1,500 points in the last three days as investors heavily covered their short positions.
The Sensex ended the week at 18,115.25, a net rise of 650.36 points over last weekend's close 17,464.89.
The broader S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange closed the week at 5,302.90, a net gain of 182.55 points or 3.57 per cent over previous weekend's close of 5,120.35.
The markets had suffered an initial setback due to a dismal debut by the country's biggest ever public offer, Reliance Power.
It turned positive on the Prime Minister's somewhat reassuring remarks on the issues of global slowdown and rupee appreciation.
Addressing the annual meeting of industry chamber FICCI here on Friday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "There are global concerns of a slowdown. We need to be aware of these concerns and we will take steps to limit their impact on us." PTI
No new taxes in AP budget, subsidised rice scheme revived
Hyderabad, Feb 16 (PTI) With an eye on the next elections, the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh today presented a tax-free, welfare-oriented budget for 2008-09, with Rs 120 crore surplus and announced revival of the Rs 2 per kg rice scheme.
For the first time, the budget size crossed the Rs one lakh crore mark, including Rs 48,551 crore plan expenditure which is highest for any state in the country.
Presenting the annual budget in the Assembly amidst noisy interruptions by the opposition, state Finance Minister K Rosaiah said irrigation, housing, agriculture, rural development and social welfare sectors would continue to be the thrust areas for the government.
The total budget size stood at Rs 1,00,436 crore, an increase of 24 per cent over the current year. This includes non-plan expenditure of Rs 51,885 crore and Rs 48,551 crore under plan.
The revival of the Rs 2 per kg rice scheme after a gap of 25 years, with an allocation of Rs 1,980 crore, was the highlight of the budget, the third surplus one in a row.
In tune with the Congress government's priorities, irrigation and housing got lion's share of the allocations, accounting for Rs 16,500 crore and Rs 5,850 crore respectively.
This is the last full-fledged budget of the Congress government before going for the Assembly elections, which are just 14 months away.
Terming the budget as "growth-oriented and well-balanced", the CM Rajasekhar Reddy said the total budget size was higher than the budgets of "some of the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh". PTI
My films are not being promoted properly: Jimmy
Amit Das
New Delhi, Feb 14 (PTI) Bollywood actor Jimmy Shergill is disappointed with the way his films are promoted and to make things right, the actor is planning to open his own production company.
"It is really disappointing specially after you have put up so much hard work for 30-40 days and then your film don't do well because it has not been promoted or released properly. So I want to open my own production house, I feel I will be a happier man then," says Jimmy, who had as many as seven films hit the box-office last year but with most failing to set the cash register ringing.
However, Jimmy, who received critical acclaims for his role in 'Stranger' and 'Das Kahaniya', is unfazed and is ready with four of his films to be released this year, the newest being 'Wednesday'.
"My film, 'Wednesday' will be released in March-April. It has some great actors like Naseruddin Shah, Anupam Kher and Rajpal Yadav. I am playing a KDS officer in the film. Next, I have 'Haste Haste', 'Bachelor Party', 'Mumbai Katin' and 'Flag', which I just completed," says Jimmy, who was in the capital recently for endorsing a lifestyle clothing company as a brand ambassador.
Jimmy, who ever since his debut in Gulzar's 'Maachis' has done a variety of roles, says he is not scared of experimenting and does not care about image. PTI
Manipur government to intensify fight against insurgents
Imphal, Feb 13 (PTI) Manipur government has taken up various steps including strengthening of police stations and planning to set up women police stations and a "woman commando" force to combat the increasing activities of insurgent outfits in the state.
Authorities are also concerned over the reports of support of some people on the general strike called by insurgents on the Republic Day this year.
The Governor SS Sidhu has said that the government would recruit 3,138 additional manpower in police as a part of the government's action plan to control violence in the state.
The Governor, addressing the legislature said the government planned to set up women police stations, a women commando force and modernise communication equipment and weapons.
Hardly a day passed without the report of killing of a person in insurgency-related crime in the past few years, a senior police official on condition of anonymity said.
He said 28 people--16 civilians, 11 militants and one security man--were killed in January alone this year.
Official sources said about 160 persons including 121 extremists were killed between April 2007 and January 2008 in separate insurgency-connected crimes.
Expressing concern over the increasing incidents of grenade attacks on houses of officials, legislators or businessmen, abduction of officials for ransom and disruption of government projects by militants, police had also appealed to the people to report to the police if there was any monetary demand from them by the militants, officials say. PTI
___________________________________________________________
This is the Mumbai Grapevine
___________________________________________________________
______Market_______
To get regularly updated NIFTY (NSE) quotes by email, join the NSEData
mailing list by sending an email to NSEData-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To get regularly updated BSE quotes by email, join the BSEData mailing
list by sending an email to BSEData-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Sensex: 18115.25, +348.62
The sensex closed at 18115.25, up 348.62
___________________________________________________________
This is the Mumbai Grapevine
___________________________________________________________
______Forex_______
1 U.S. $ = 39.675 INR
1 Japanese Yen = 0.3683 INR
1 British Pound = 77.814 INR
1 Canadian $ = 39.380 INR
1 Singapore $ = 28.083 INR
1 UAE Dirham = 10.803 INR
1 Saudi Arabian Riyal = 10.580 INR
1 Euro = 58.265 INR
1 Qatar Rial = 10.910 INR
___________________________________________________________
This is the Mumbai Grapevine
___________________________________________________________