If the home ministry has its way, a person wanting to buy a SIM card will have to provide the names of two existing mobile phone customers as guarantors — on the lines of opening a bank account — before he gets the connection. This will be in addition to other requirements like identity and residential address proof.
This is among several measures suggested by the home ministry to the department of telecommunications (DoT) in its bid to stop terrorists from using mobile phones to launch attacks in the country — by using it to trigger blasts and also to keep in touch with each other.
These and other issues were discussed at a meeting convened by the home ministry with chief secretaries and police chiefs of states here on Friday.
Mobile phones are being rampantly used by terrorists, who have not only been using phones to trigger IEDs — as they did to attack Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad in May last year — but also to pass messages to their handlers across the border.
The home ministry has also suggested that DoT come out with guidelines that make it mandatory for SIM card vendors to take instant photographs of new customers using web cameras. These should then be passed on to the service provider with reference number. Though the issue had come up before the ministry after the Mecca Masjid blast investigation, the matter has not been resolved as DoT is still in the process of consultations. Incidentally, the CBI, which is investigating the Mecca blasts case, had hit a dead end when it found that the perpetrators of the crime had not only used fake address to get the SIM cards but they had also used photographs of a Noida-based yoga teacher to procure the connection. “We wanted to have a mechanism where a common person can get a SIM card without any hassles and other security concerns are also met,” home secretary Madhukar Gupta said. To drive home his point, he cited a case where one person had been issued 50 SIM cards in a period of three months.
Besides expressing the need for strict guidelines for new mobile connections, the officials also discussed ways to strengthen the intelligence mechanism and modalities to pass on terror-related cases for investigation to central agencies like CBI at the earliest.
The meeting — chaired by the home secretary — also deliberated upon the suggestion of setting up a central committee comprising representatives from states to decided about the nature of specific cases which could be passed on to the CBI for investigation. Making it clear that the Centre had no intention of intruding into the jurisdiction of any state with a federal system in policing, Gupta said the Centre was looking for an enforcement agency which will have “power to investigate and ability to gather intelligence”. A committee could be constituted which could immediately look at a case and see whether it has any inter-state, international and other ramifications, he added.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
City receives max rainfall
The city received 20.84 cm rainfall from 8.30 am on Friday to 8.30 pm on Saturday.
The forecast by the Met department here is that heavy rainfall in the state will continue for the next 36 hours.
Met officials said heavy rain will continue with the same intensity in coastal Andhra and Telangana. The rains are caused due to a low pressure area formation in the Bay of Bengal boosting an active monsoon.
“The rain will last for the least of 36 hours if there is no change in the pressure in the Bay of Bengal. However, even with a slight variation in the pressure the active monsoon will keep up the rain pattern,” said MET director M Satyakumar.
The total rainfall recorded in the city from 8.30 am on August 8 to 8.30 pm on August 9 was 20.84 cm.
The rainfall recorded on August 8 from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm was 12.1 cm. On Saturday from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm, the rainfall recorded was 8.74 cm.
The forecast by the Met department here is that heavy rainfall in the state will continue for the next 36 hours.
Met officials said heavy rain will continue with the same intensity in coastal Andhra and Telangana. The rains are caused due to a low pressure area formation in the Bay of Bengal boosting an active monsoon.
“The rain will last for the least of 36 hours if there is no change in the pressure in the Bay of Bengal. However, even with a slight variation in the pressure the active monsoon will keep up the rain pattern,” said MET director M Satyakumar.
The total rainfall recorded in the city from 8.30 am on August 8 to 8.30 pm on August 9 was 20.84 cm.
The rainfall recorded on August 8 from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm was 12.1 cm. On Saturday from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm, the rainfall recorded was 8.74 cm.
Mayawati springs a political heir
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Saturday announced she had chosen her political heir, identifying him as a person belonging to 'chamar' subcaste of the Scheduled Castes and as someone 18 to 20 years younger to her.
The nameless announcement, which she claimed to have put in an envelope and handed over to two confidants to be opened at an opportune time, is loaded with enough political significance to set the political bazaar abuzz.
Mayawati told a massive workers' gathering in Lucknow that she would not name the heir lest the rivals start creating roadblocks for him.
Her statement has triggered a wave of speculation within the Dalit outfit and outside, with the name of a legislator being bandied about.
Significantly, to many it signalled a change of choice. Mayawati had in August 2006, after being re-elected as the chief of BSP, publicly stated that someone belonging to the same caste sub-group 30-35 years younger than her could take over the reins in the event of a contingency.
While the BSP boss indicated that the dramatic announcement was influenced by apprehensions of her arrest and to guard against a vacuum if anything happened to her, the urgency of a barely 52-yearold political entrepreneur to name a heir is being viewed in the political context of Lok Sabha polls. It is seen as her shrewd gambit in pursuance of another audacious political bid __ prime ministership.
At the rally, the Dalit leader announced her candidature for the top job for the first time after her central offensive against UPA last month and alliance with 'third front' raised an anticipation that she had her eyes set high.
Mayawati is marshalling resources for an ambitious strike. The BSP leader, it is felt, is consolidating her 'core support base' __ Dalits and that too its most powerful sub-caste of UP and north __ to rebuff the rivals' charges that the 'sarvjan' experiment had diluted founder Kanshi Ram's agenda.
Coming amid BSP's attempt to net upper castes, the announcement that the party would remain in the hands of an SC marks a confidence that reminding the world of its intrinsically Dalit character would not hurt its outreach to Brahmins, Vaishyas and others. As BSP footsoldiers were told to kickstart the Maya-for-PM campaign, the UP chief minister appeared to be playing to the pan-Indian Dalit community via a well thought-out script.
The nameless announcement, which she claimed to have put in an envelope and handed over to two confidants to be opened at an opportune time, is loaded with enough political significance to set the political bazaar abuzz.
Mayawati told a massive workers' gathering in Lucknow that she would not name the heir lest the rivals start creating roadblocks for him.
Her statement has triggered a wave of speculation within the Dalit outfit and outside, with the name of a legislator being bandied about.
Significantly, to many it signalled a change of choice. Mayawati had in August 2006, after being re-elected as the chief of BSP, publicly stated that someone belonging to the same caste sub-group 30-35 years younger than her could take over the reins in the event of a contingency.
While the BSP boss indicated that the dramatic announcement was influenced by apprehensions of her arrest and to guard against a vacuum if anything happened to her, the urgency of a barely 52-yearold political entrepreneur to name a heir is being viewed in the political context of Lok Sabha polls. It is seen as her shrewd gambit in pursuance of another audacious political bid __ prime ministership.
At the rally, the Dalit leader announced her candidature for the top job for the first time after her central offensive against UPA last month and alliance with 'third front' raised an anticipation that she had her eyes set high.
Mayawati is marshalling resources for an ambitious strike. The BSP leader, it is felt, is consolidating her 'core support base' __ Dalits and that too its most powerful sub-caste of UP and north __ to rebuff the rivals' charges that the 'sarvjan' experiment had diluted founder Kanshi Ram's agenda.
Coming amid BSP's attempt to net upper castes, the announcement that the party would remain in the hands of an SC marks a confidence that reminding the world of its intrinsically Dalit character would not hurt its outreach to Brahmins, Vaishyas and others. As BSP footsoldiers were told to kickstart the Maya-for-PM campaign, the UP chief minister appeared to be playing to the pan-Indian Dalit community via a well thought-out script.
Rain plays havoc in AP, 29 dead
It's literally raining cats and dogs and what is worse, there will be no respite for the next 36 hours, going by the predictions of the Met department. But if you thought that this is monsoons, well it is merely the result of low pressure over the Bay of Bengal.
Not surprising, lakes, brooks and water bodies are all overflowing with many of them breaching their levels and marooning colonies and roads even as 10 people lost their lives in Hyderabad.
The city received a record 20.84 cm of rain in a downpour between 8.30 am on Friday and 8.30 pm on Saturday according to the Met office reports. The rain was non-stop from Friday evening to Saturday evening throwing life totally out of gear. But Saturday was a shade better __ with less traffic on the roads owing to a holiday for many __ compared to Friday when water-logging caused serpentine traffic jams for hours in many areas.
Most of the deaths in different localities of the city, was due to collapse of house walls. Three people of one family died in Gulzar Houz when their house wall collapsed. Another died in Tallabanda due to the same reason. A mother and daughter duo died when the roof of their house collapsed in Basavataraka Nagar near Film Nagar. One more person died when he got electrocuted as he came in contact with a live electric wire in Khairatabad. A wife-and husband - migrant workers from Prakasam district - died as their house wall collapsed in Gokul Nagar in Hafeeznagar. Further, seven people were injured in different incidents in the city.
Many colonies in the city were inundated with rainwater. About 300 houses in Nadeem Colony near Toli Chowki were flooded and residents had to be evacuated using boats belonging to the Tourism department. Other submerged areas are: M S Maqta, BJR Nagar, Punjagutta-Dhobighat, Shivajinagar in Bandlaguda, Brahminwadi in Begumpet, Mahbub Mansion, Bathukammakunta, Vani Colony, Annanagar, Jahangirnagar, Sankeshwar Bazar, Vivekanandnagar, Srinivasapuram of Ramanthapur, Allwyn Colony in Kukatpally, P&T Colony near Dilsukhnagar, Arundhatinagar Ratnanagar and other areas.
The rains have caused continuous inflows into the city's reservoirs with all of them getting water close to their FTL (full tank level). Osmansagar's level touched 1,759 ft against the FTL of 1,790 ft. Similarly, Himayathsagar touched 1,732.5ft against its FTL of 1,763 ft. Singur touched 1,696 ft while its FTL is 1,717 ft. Manjira hit a level of 1,649 ft against its FTL of 1,651.75 ft. On the other hand, Hussainsagar lake in the heart of the city touched 1,696.53 ft when the FTL is 1,694.25 ft and the situation would be dangerous if it crosses the 1,698.67 ft mark.
The rains have not given a respite to the citizens from the over three-hour long scheduled power cuts that the power utility has been resorting to for the last couple of days. The only saving grace was the duration of the cuts has been reduced by an hour in many areas. However, rain-induced power cuts due to trees falling on the electricity lines, wall collapses and inundation were reported from many parts of the city. But the next 48 hours will keep the city wet with rains predicted.
RESERVOIR LEVELS Osmansagar
Full Reservoir Level
1790 ft
Level on Saturday
1759.7 ft Himayatsagar
Full Reservoir Level
1763.5 ft
Level on Saturday
1732.5 ft Singur
Full Reservoir Level
1717.85 ft
Level on Saturday
1696.28 ft Manjira
Full Reservoir Level
1651.75 ft
Level on Saturday
1649 ft
WATER WOES: Hussiansagar brims on Saturday following the incessant downpour that also inundated many low-lying areas in the city
Not surprising, lakes, brooks and water bodies are all overflowing with many of them breaching their levels and marooning colonies and roads even as 10 people lost their lives in Hyderabad.
The city received a record 20.84 cm of rain in a downpour between 8.30 am on Friday and 8.30 pm on Saturday according to the Met office reports. The rain was non-stop from Friday evening to Saturday evening throwing life totally out of gear. But Saturday was a shade better __ with less traffic on the roads owing to a holiday for many __ compared to Friday when water-logging caused serpentine traffic jams for hours in many areas.
Most of the deaths in different localities of the city, was due to collapse of house walls. Three people of one family died in Gulzar Houz when their house wall collapsed. Another died in Tallabanda due to the same reason. A mother and daughter duo died when the roof of their house collapsed in Basavataraka Nagar near Film Nagar. One more person died when he got electrocuted as he came in contact with a live electric wire in Khairatabad. A wife-and husband - migrant workers from Prakasam district - died as their house wall collapsed in Gokul Nagar in Hafeeznagar. Further, seven people were injured in different incidents in the city.
Many colonies in the city were inundated with rainwater. About 300 houses in Nadeem Colony near Toli Chowki were flooded and residents had to be evacuated using boats belonging to the Tourism department. Other submerged areas are: M S Maqta, BJR Nagar, Punjagutta-Dhobighat, Shivajinagar in Bandlaguda, Brahminwadi in Begumpet, Mahbub Mansion, Bathukammakunta, Vani Colony, Annanagar, Jahangirnagar, Sankeshwar Bazar, Vivekanandnagar, Srinivasapuram of Ramanthapur, Allwyn Colony in Kukatpally, P&T Colony near Dilsukhnagar, Arundhatinagar Ratnanagar and other areas.
The rains have caused continuous inflows into the city's reservoirs with all of them getting water close to their FTL (full tank level). Osmansagar's level touched 1,759 ft against the FTL of 1,790 ft. Similarly, Himayathsagar touched 1,732.5ft against its FTL of 1,763 ft. Singur touched 1,696 ft while its FTL is 1,717 ft. Manjira hit a level of 1,649 ft against its FTL of 1,651.75 ft. On the other hand, Hussainsagar lake in the heart of the city touched 1,696.53 ft when the FTL is 1,694.25 ft and the situation would be dangerous if it crosses the 1,698.67 ft mark.
The rains have not given a respite to the citizens from the over three-hour long scheduled power cuts that the power utility has been resorting to for the last couple of days. The only saving grace was the duration of the cuts has been reduced by an hour in many areas. However, rain-induced power cuts due to trees falling on the electricity lines, wall collapses and inundation were reported from many parts of the city. But the next 48 hours will keep the city wet with rains predicted.
RESERVOIR LEVELS Osmansagar
Full Reservoir Level
1790 ft
Level on Saturday
1759.7 ft Himayatsagar
Full Reservoir Level
1763.5 ft
Level on Saturday
1732.5 ft Singur
Full Reservoir Level
1717.85 ft
Level on Saturday
1696.28 ft Manjira
Full Reservoir Level
1651.75 ft
Level on Saturday
1649 ft
WATER WOES: Hussiansagar brims on Saturday following the incessant downpour that also inundated many low-lying areas in the city
Friday, August 1, 2008
Obama, celeb like Britney
White House contender John McCain invoked gossip-page perennials Britney Spears and Paris Hilton on Wednesday to portray Democrat Barack Obama as a vapid celebrity who was unfit to lead.
The McCain campaign and Republican Party rolled out a concerted offensive to allege that Mr Obama, fresh from an overseas tour, was keener to soak in the adulation of adoring crowds than to offer real solutions for US voters. Mr Obama hit back to accuse Mr McCain of promoting no positive ideas about how he might address challenging issues.
“It’s beyond dispute that he’s become the biggest celebrity in the world,” Steve Schmidt, a senior adviser to Mr McCain, told reporters as the campaign unveiled a national television ad called “Celeb.” “The question we are posing is this, is he ready to lead yet? The answer that we will offer to the American people is, no he is not,” he said.
Karat: No vote for UPA
The CPI(M) has ruled out supporting the Congress in forming a government at the Centre, indicating that the rift between the Left and the UPA on the issue of the nuclear deal cannot be wished away.
“If you think we are going to support a Congress gov ernment, I don’t know, I think people will accuse us of opportunism,” the CPI(M) general secretary, Mr Prakash Karat, told Malayalam television channel Kairali TV on Thursday.
Mr Karat hoped the Left parties would be able to present “some third force” in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
He clarified that the Left’s idea of a third force should not necessarily mean a third alternative that is propped up to fight elections. “The third alternative has to be in terms of policies,” he said.
Mr Karat was evasive about the issue of projecting BSP supremo Mayawati as a prime ministerial candidate.
“We don’t look at it in terms of individuals being projected as Prime Minister,” the CPI(M) leader told the channel.
SI can become DSP after six years
The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday held that a police inspector (civil) who completed six years of service is eligible to be promoted as deputy police superintendent.
A division bench comprising Justice Ghulam Mohammed and Justice C.V. Ramulu on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by Mr E. Shankar Reddy and others challenging the orders of the AP Administrative Tribunal on this issue. The bench upheld the orders of the APAT saying that the tribunal was right in holding that the seniority is altogether different from the eligibility criteria as per the Rule 5 (F) of the AP Police Service Rules.
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