Raising of two additional Battalions for NDRF

From PIB Press Release Raising of two additional Battalions for National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)

The Union Cabinet today approved the upgradation/conversion of two additional battalions for National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).  The proposal approved by the Cabinet includes:- §  Upgradation/conversion of two standard battalions, i.e one each from Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) respectively into NDRF battalion with 1149 personnel each to be located at Patna (Bihar) and Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh). §  Procurement of disaster response equipments, vehicles, dogs, communication equipments and other essential equipments to operationalize these two NDRF battalions. §  Sanction of Rs.79.58 crore (non recurring) and Rs.72.08 crore (recurring) for this upgradation/conversion. The placement of NDRF Battalions at Patna and Vijaywada will cut short the response time for immediate intervention by NDRF battalion in a disaster situation viz. flood, cyclone, and earthquake etc. and also man made disasters in eastern U.P., Bihar and North Bengal and in the eastern coast especially in Andhra Pradesh, Southern Orissa and NorthernTamilnadu. It will also help in quick intervention during any disaster or threatening disaster and ensure prompt search, rescue and relief operation, thereby upgrading the Government’s capacity to respond effectively and promptly to citizens in distress. With these two additional battalions the strength of NDRF battalions(bns) will reach the mark of ten battalions from the present eight bns. Background: National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a multi-disciplinary, multi-skilled and high-tech Force capable of effectively responding to all types of disasters. It follows the concept of pro-active deployment during any threatening disaster situation to avoid delay in response. They also prepare the community to mitigate the suffering from disasters by imparting training during the course of their regular familiarization and community awareness programmes. **** SH/LV

CVC Recommends Major Penalty Proceedings Against 96 Officers

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions

14-September-2010 14:54 IST

CVC Recommends Major Penalty Proceedings Against 96 Officers 1387 Cases Disposed of in July 2010

The Central Vigilance Commission disposed of 1387 cases during July 2010 referred to it for advice. Of these, 1109 complaints were sent for necessary action/ATR whereas 96 complaints were sent for investigation and report. No action was required on 212 complaints.

The Commission advised imposition of major penalty against 96 officers including 15 from MCD, 6 from Ministry of Defence, 5 from Ministry of Railways, 4 from Govt. of N.C.T. of Delhi, 3 each from Central Public Works Department, Department of Education, New Delhi Municipal Corporation and Oriental Bank of Commerce, from Central Board of Excise & Customs, 2 each from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Comptroller & Auditor General of India, Delhi Development Authority, Department of Ayush, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Home Affairs, National Highway Authority of India, New India Assurance Co. Ltd. & State Bank of India. Remaining 34 cases pertained to different departments of the Government of India and PSUs.

On the Commission’s recommendations, the competent authorities issued sanctions for prosecution against 61 officers.

Recoveries to the tune of Rs.5.08 crore were effected after Commission conducted technical examination of some departments.

***

RS/SR

Pranay Sahay to be Special DG BSF !??

From


Tripura DGP Pranay Sahay is being tipped to be new Special Director of the BSF. He is 1975 batch IPS officer of Manipur-Tripura cadre.

Chhattisgarh Scheduled Tribes panel to probe charges against BSF personnel

From The Hindu

RAIPUR, September 14, 2010

AMAN SETHI


i

Responding to allegations that Border Security Force personnel tortured Adivasis in Kanker, Chhattisgarh, into confessing that they were Maoist cadres, the Chhattisgarh Commission for Scheduled Tribes has initiated an inquiry into the incident.

The allegations were published by The Hindu on September 11 and September 13 as part of an investigation into the arrest of 17 alleged Maoists at Kanker last week. Adivasis of Pachangi and Aloor villages in Kanker told this correspondent that 17 villagers were picked up by the BSF on September 5 and 6, taken to the BSF camp at Durgkondal and tortured over a period of three days.

The BSF also stands accused of assaulting 40 men, five of whom are still recuperating in a hospital in Kanker, and molesting two women, one of whom is a minor, as part of the two-day cordon and search operation.

“We have recorded the villagers' testimonies,” said Deolal Dugga, chairman of the Chhattisgarh Commission for Scheduled Tribes, who visited Durgkondal this afternoon. “We shall submit our report to the Central Commission and the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister,” he said.

Mr. Dugga is prominent Adivasi politician in the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party.

“It seems that some injustices may have occurred,” Mr. Dugga admitted, even as he cautioned that the Commission was yet to complete its probe.

Speaking off record, BSF sources said a medical examination of the five hospitalised men suggested that two of them had swollen feet and contusions on the hips and buttocks.

A doctor familiar with the first medical probe conducted on September 6 said that hairline fractures were found on Bidde Ram's feet.

Other injuries lent credence to his allegation that he was sodomised with a stick.

The doctor also warned that subsequent medical examinations would prove useless as the signs of injury would disappear within 5 days of the assault.

The BSF is also conducting a parallel inquiry into the incident. Its Director, Raman Srivastava, told this correspondent that anyone found guilty would not be spared.

BSF jawan injured in landmine blast in Poonch

14/09/2010

From MSN News

Jammu, Sept 14 (PTI) A BSF jawan was injured in a landmine blast near the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Havaldar Vijay Pal of 76th Battalion of BSF, who was patrolling the LoC, stepped on the landmine resulting in the powerful blast at Roop post in Keri sub-sector of Poonch district last night, officials said.

Pal, injured in the incident, was later hospitalised.
PTI AB

Sweet Nothings:time to bust the myth

From Outlook

ILLUSTRATION BY SORIT

MIND YOUR BODY

Sweet Nothings

It’s time to bust the myth that sweeteners help you consume less calories and lose weight.

RUJUTA DIWEKAR

It’s time to bust the myth that sweeteners help you consume less calories and lose weight. The reality is: your total calorie consumption goes up the moment you choose a sugar substitute over sugar. Try this experiment. Take a good look at what fat people put into their chai/ coffee, and what thin people add to theirs. Typically, it’s not the thin people, but the fat uncles or aunties who habitually add sweeteners. Ever wondered why they remain fat? The answer is that the chemicals in sweeteners cause changes in the pH balance (acidity levels) of the body that makes them crave more food. Also, you may fool the brain with ‘pretend sugar’, but when you don’t generate the energy it associates with the consumption of ‘real’ sugar, the brain rebels and asks you to eat more. So does your satiety centre, quite upset at being cheated. That’s why sweetener-addicts end up eating cookies loaded with transfat and sugar or oily bhajias with their tea.
It’s the same with diet colas. Gullible teenagers don’t realise what these ‘zero calorie’ drinks do to their systems. They also think ‘saving’ sugar calories makes it okay to splurge on the high-calorie pizza or burger consumed with the cola. Get real. Losing fat involves way more than the math of calories. It involves the chemistry of tiny molecules in your body; the history of your past meals and workouts; the geography of your location; the physics of the actual mass of food you consume at one time.
So put that spoon of sugar into your tea or coffee; even if calories haunt you, it’s only 20 calories; you probably burnt that much by just reading this piece. One gulabjamun or peda won’t kill you either. What will harm you is that nutrient-bereft pizza, burger, cookie or cake that you ate unthinkingly. And that sweetener you virtuously put into your tea.

---

(A fortnightly column on nutrition and fitness, by the best-selling author of Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight)

Tribal militant killed, another caught in Assam by BSF

From 

PTI | 07:09 PM,Sep 11,2010

Shillong, Sept 11 (PTI) A tribal militant was killed and another apprehended by BSF in Assam in seperate operations, security officials said today. Acting on a specific input regarding movement of three militants of Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF) in the general area of Rongbong in Karbi Anglong district today, the troops launched a special operation, a BSF statement here said. During the operation, the militants fired upon the troops and in the ensuing encounter one militant was killed. The other two militants managed to escape. During search a 7.65 mm pistol, magazine, one live round, and extortion pamphlets were recovered. An All Adivasi National Liberation Army cadre was arrested from upper Langtha are in Golaghat district.The apprehended militant has been identified as Olen Purty.One 5.56 mm pistol, one magazine, one single bore pistol and four lives rounds were found from his possession.

BSF presents sweets to Pak Rangers

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) commander Sumer Singh (3R) presents a box of sweets to Pakistan Rangers wing commander Sher Jung (2L) on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr at International India-Pakistan Wagah Border India, on September 11, 2010. Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr Festival which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, after the sighting of the new crescent moonFrF

.From The IndiaTimes

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) commander Sumer Singh (3R) presents a box of sweets to Pakistan Rangers wing commander Sher Jung (2L) on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr at International India-Pakistan Wagah Border India, on September 11, 2010. Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr Festival which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, after the sighting of the new crescent moon.

BSF man shoots senior, self near Krishnagar

From The Times Of India

TNN, Sep 12, 2010, 06.43am IST

KOLKATA: A constable of the 92 Battalion of the BSF shot dead an inspector of the 126 Battalion before killing himself at Tenpur near Krishnagar on Saturday afternoon. According to senior officials, the officers and personnel of the 92 Bn have been deputed to Delhi for the Commonwealth Games. The dead constable was the only one who have been left behind as custodian of the camp. The 126 Bn, which is primarily a training battalion have been sent to the camp till 92 Bn returns from Delhi. 
"It seems that the constable had an altercation with the inspector. It is possible that there was lack of understanding between the two as they belonged to different battalions. It seems that the constable, in a fit of rage first shot the inspector then turned the weapon on himself. We have ordered an inquiry but it will be very difficult to ascertain the actual reason as both have died," an officer said. 

Sources also said the constable may have felt left out after being asked to stay back. This may have been a cause behind his actions. 

SPEECH OF SWAMI VIVEKANAND (IN CHICAGO 1893)

11 Sept
Do we remember the day?
Apart from 9/11, the day has its own importance. It was on this day in 1893 that Swami Vivekanand delivered that famous speech at The World Parliament of Religions, Chicago.
A lady named Mrs SK Blodgett wrote of the speech:"When that young man got up and said, 'Sisters and Brothers of America', seven thousand people rose to their feet as a tribute to something they knew not what. When it was over I saw scores of women walking over the benches to get near him, and I said to myself,'Well, my lad, if you can resist that onslaught you are indeed a God!'"

Our tributes to the great son of India.

Here is the transcript of the speech:

WELCOME ADDRESS - 

at The World Parliament of Religions, Chicago, Sept 11, 1893

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: "As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee."

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: "Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me." Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

By Swami Vivekananda

BSF orders internal inquiry into Kanker incident

From The Times of India

Press Trust Of India

New Delhi, September 11, 2010

First Published: 14:06 IST(11/9/2010)
Last Updated: 14:08 IST(11/9/2010)

In the wake of allegations that its personnel had misbehaved and beaten up villagers in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district following a search operation, the BSF has launched an internal inquiry into it. The local administration has already launched a magisterial inquiry after people from Panchangi village in the district filed a written complaint with the district collector.

"I have asked my officers and men to fully cooperate with the magisterial inquiry. We have also started our own internal inquiry which is being conducted by DIG (Special Operations) Ram Avtar," BSF Director General Raman Srivastava told PTI.

Srivastava said, "My force is a very disciplined force. We never indulge in such acts. But if the inquiry finds someone guilty, he will not be spared.

I will never be part of any cover-up." Official sources said the BSF and the local police had conducted a cordon and search operation in the village recently. While BSF was in charge of the cordon, sources said local police had conducted the search operation.

Panchangi village is close to the site where a Maoist attack left three BSF jawans and two policemen dead on August 29. Two days backs, BSF jawans had arrested seven Naxalites from Pakhanjur and Alor forests. Six of the seven arrested were women including one who had allegedly opened fire on security forces on August 29.

Interestingly, most of the arrested Naxals hailed from the same village whose residents have complained about police atrocity. Sources said the cordon and search operation was conducted in the village following inputs that Naxals were present there and Maoists, who were injured in the firing on August 29, were being treated there.

While not completely ruling out any high-handedness on the part of security forces, sources said the complaint could be a ploy by the Naxals to put to halt any police operation in that particular village and those nearby it.

BDR-BSF meeting concludes in Shilong

From
 Bangladesh

The 4-day conference between BDR and BSF concluded in Shilong, in the Indian State of Meghalaya Thursday, according to despatch received in the city, reports UNB.

The conference was held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere. Both sides agreed to actively cooperate with each other to curb all kinds of border crimes.

After discussion, the meeting decided that Sector and Battalion Commanders of the two sides would take steps to solve existing problems in their respective areas.

The conference also decided to inform each other whenever any trouble occurs in border areas.

BDR raised various issues, including killing or injuring of Bangladeshi unarmed nationals in firing by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Indian nationals, kidnapping of Bangladeshi nationals by Indians, smuggling of illegal firearms, explosives and various kinds of drugs, including phensidyle and heroin, from India and trespassing of Indian nationals and BSF into Bangladesh territory.

BSF raised various issues like cross-border crimes committed by Bangladeshi nationals in Indian territory, trespassing by Bangladeshi citizens and BDR into Indian territory, extraction of natural resources from Indian territory by Bangladeshis and alleged Indian insurgency camps in Bangladesh territory.

BDR DDG Brigadier General M A Bari led an 11-member Bangladesh delegation to the conference. A 17-member Indian team was led by BSF Tripura frontier IG PK Mishra.