Friday, September 14, 2007

Bangalore IT professionals cycle towards a green future

Meet Nikhil Eldurkar, a cycling enthusiast who's pedaled his passion to new heights.
A software engineer by profession Nikhil cycles 17 km from his house in Jayanagar to his office in Marathhalli, and that too in the thick of Bangalore traffic.
That's not all, Nikhil along with fellow IT professional Rohan Kini, have started a website called bumsonthesaddle.com to bring about a cycling revolution in the city.
"This is for the sake of the environment, because in the long run, if your environment is good, it's easier to keep fit. I think by starting this we can bring together people with common ideas and thoughts and promote cycling," says he.
With more than 10 persons leaving their automobiles for these cycles within three months of the website's launch, the idea seems to be catching on.
And Nikhil believes cycling is not only the best way to reduce environmental pollution but also controls traffic jams.
Bangaloreans though have mixed reactions about this initiative. Some say that cycles are too slow and hamper the movement of traffic. Others insist that they would cycle if there were separate lanes provided for them. Still others think that it is a great way to reduce traffic jams in the city.
HG Wells once said that when I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race. And when you see what Rohan and Nikhil have accomplished, one tends to agree with that.

Govt in a fix over Ram Setu, withdraws affidavit

In a damage control exercise, the Centre on Friday withdrew from the Supreme Court its two affidavits, including the controversial one filed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) claiming there was no historical or scientific evidence to establish existence of Lord Ram and Rama Setu as a man-made bridge.
The Centre's action came in the wake of controversy sparked by the ASI affidavit on Thursday that forced the Government to backtrack on the issue.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balkrishnan, which allowed the Centre to withdraw the affidavits, said that the August 31 interim order putting on hold the construction in Rama Setu area will continue.
The Court in its interim order had allowed the dredging activity.
The government said it will examine the entire issue relating to the Sethusamudram project and sought three month's time from the court.
The Court posted the matter for hearing in the first week of January 2008.
The government said it wanted to resolve the matter in a "constructive and mutually acceptable manner".
"I have taken instructions from the Government at the highest level," Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam told the Bench which included Justice R V Raveendran.
He said there was no intention to cast aspersion on religious faith or to divide the society.
Meanwhile, UPA partner DMK says ASI is right. “We fully agree with the ASI stand on Ram Setu. It is a natural structure. We are only looking at the economic point of it. It should not become a religious issue and DMK’s stand on religion is known to all,” DMK leader TKS Elangovan said.
The Opposition has been quick to seize upon the issue. BJP leader Narendra Modi fired his first salvo against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the Ram Setu issue saying, “Ram was born here. He wasn't born in Italy. We don't need any certificate from the Congress on Ram.”

League versus League: Can ICL survive?

Before 1986, the big battles of Indian football among sides like East Bengal, Mohammadan Sporting and Mohun Bagan used to be the rage. At Delhi’s Ambedkar stadium - invariably full to the brim with spectators screaming at the top of their voices - even some below par football and average set of footballers from this holy trinity always threatened to acquire the aura reserved only for international stars.
That was till the World Cup featuring iconic Maradona, and over 50 live matches, was telecast in the summer of 86.
The quality of football took the whole generation of impressionable age by the storm. The attendance at domestic matches, in most parts of India, suddenly plummeted. They had seen real football!
One can expect similar thing when the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s brainchild Indian Premier League (and Champions League) take on the Indian Cricket League.
With top international stars and club teams vying with each other to be a part of the IPL, on paper, Zee’s Indian Cricket League stands no chance.
Surely, in Glenn McGrath versus Dinesh Mongia, or Ricky Ponting versus Rohan Gavaskar, the battle for the eyeball is always going to be one-sided. It will be naïve to expect anything else. While ICL may still attract some viewership due to local interest and DTH platform, it will be more or less a loss-making venture, and Subhash Chandra is a businessman who is as much interested in profit, as in cricket.
Saving ICL
After the latest development, only one route remains for the ICL. And that is to challenge the authority of ICC, not just the BCCI. It will desperately need to launch a different set of national teams, united by an apex international body along the lines of ICC. The latest development may have left it with no other alternative.
Nothing motivates people like watching their national teams in action, and domestic cricket is simply no good. Check out the attendance at Ranji matches even involving teams like Mumbai, Punjab, Delhi and Karnataka, and compare that with an ODI between India and Kenya! So ICL simply can’t survive without spreading the movement beyond India. If they do not expand, they will perish

Indian doc develops enzyme that can destroy HIV

Dr Indrani Sarkar has has every reason to be excited. Her PhD thesis, which started in 2002 at the Max Planck Institute in Dresden, Germany, has thrown open the doors for developing enzymes that can destroy the dreaded Human Immuno-deficiency Virus or HIV within infected cells permanently.
Indrani and a team of scientists have developed an enzyme called Tre. Tre is a custom enzyme capable of detecting, recognising and destroying HIV, much like a pair of molecular scissors.
"In laymans terms, it's an engineered enzyme which recognises sequences in the HIV genome that is duplicated, integrated virus and by the process of recombination, it cuts out the virus from the genome," says she.
The biggest challenge with treating HIV today is that the virus becomes dormant and often develops resistance to HIV drugs.
The only way then to cure HIV is to get rid of the virus completely and Tre, the enzyme that Indrani constructed after a year and its 126 "cycles of mutation" totally deplete HIV in the human genome in three months in laboratory conditions.
It's a beautiful approach, but like any other drug, this one too will take a few years to reach clinics — anywhere between five and 20 years actually. A lot of research has to be done because since one is working with a novel enzyme, one has to engineer the enzyme," says she.
According to the latest statistics given out by UNAIDS and WHO, there are close to 39.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the world and though it will be a while before an imminent cure is likely, Dr Indrani Sarkar's findings certainly hold out hope for the millions who are battling the disease across the globe.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Face The Nation: Myth, legends and non-issues

Did Lord Ram exist and did he build a bridge to Sri Lanka or not? The Government says Lord Ram and his bridge are a myth.
Traffic was held up across several North Indian cities on Wednesday as the VHP protested against the planned Sethusamudram Shipping Canal project in Tamil Nadu.
The Sangh Parivar says this project will destroy the sacred `Ramar Setu' or mythological bridge apparently built by Lord Ram and his vanar sena. However, there were no protests in any of the southern states.
But the government said there is no historical evidence that Lord Ram existed or that he built the Ram Setu. Pure blasphemy responds the Sangh Parivar. Ram existed and he built the Ram Setu with his vanar sena.
Building the Sethusamudram shipping canal project on the Tamil Nadu coast is nothing short of an insult to the Hindu faith. Today, the VHP held protests against the Sethusamudram shipping project across north Indian cities, from Chandigarh to Indore - traffic was brought to a halt.
The Centre on Monday asserted in the Supreme Court that Adam's Bridge 'Ramar Sethu' was not man made but a natural formation comprising a chain of seven shoals between India and Sri Lanka and is approximately 30 km long.
On August 31, the court restrained the Centre from causing any damage to 'Ramar Sethu' and asked it to file its reply to Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy's petition.
The Centre said his assertion that the respondents were drilling holes at the alleged 'Ramar Sethu' for planting explosives with a view to demolishing the structure was "entirely false and completely misleading.
In a substantial part of Adam's Bridge, the activity pertaining to the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project is dredging of sand from the natural seabed to increase the depth by a few metres
The said activity cannot under any circumstance and by any stretch of imagination be construed as an act of demolishing of the entire Adam's Bridge.
Should issues like Ram Setu affect Government policy?
Senior journalist Saeed Naqvi, AR Venkatachalapathy Professor of History, Madras Institute of Development Studies and B P Singhal, Former MP, BJP debated the issue on Face The Nation with Sagarika Ghose.
The initial result of the poll suggested that 78 per cent of the people said yes issues like Ram Setu do affect Government policy while only 22 per cent people denied saying no.
In the name of religion
Project like Sethusamudram and Ship Canal project will be an innumerous economic and industrial boost to Tamil Nadu, why should BJP hold that up in the name of religion? Does it bother the party that no one in Tamil Nadu is supporting the struggle?
Strongly arguing the fact that the project will boost economic growth, Singhal said, “Who said that it is going to have innumerous economic benefit? It’s only from the west coast to east coast. And it does not bother us if anybody supporting us or not in Tamil Nadu because Tamil Nadu is headed by a chief minister who does not believe in any God or religious faith.”
What was the need of the Government to go to the court and declare that Ram is a myth or Ram Setu is a myth? Ram, whatever the historical prove may be, is also a focus of public faith.
Advocating the Government’s move, Natarajan said, “The fact of the matter is it was the NDA the BJP prime minister and government that first cleared this project with the same alignment. I think it’s the height of political hypocrisy for Singhal’s party to now question it just because the UPA Government is in power.”
When there is a shrine, which is accepted as a sacred monument by some sections of the community, should development efforts protect those monuments?
Naqvi said, “In a country like India we should not hurt any body’s faith. If somebody’s faith is involved I don’t think we should but between faith and blind belief there is a difference.”
Faith, blind belief or reality
Strongly reacting to Naqvi’s statement, Singhal said, “What is andhaviswas (blind belief). A viswas is viswas. We believe that there was Ram and there is Ram even today in everybody’s heart. The first chief of the ASI named this Ram Setu as Ramar Setu in 1788. In 1804 it was named as Adam's Bridge.”
Is it time that historians actually establish whether this is in fact something built by a character Ram of Ramayan or whether it is in fact the natural formation which is not man made.
“There is a fundamental confusion about faith in a God and in believing that certain structures have been built by a God. It’s impossible to argue with faith. There was no such response from the south during this VHP action and it shows that the faith is not shared across this country. So this is a new tradition that this Hinduvta forces are trying to create,” Venkatachalapathy said.
Ram Setu another Babri Masjid?
BJP is trying to gain milestone out of this issue. It is trying to divide South in the name of Ram. Is Ram Setu becoming another Babri Masjid?
“I hope the BJP know what they are playing with. In south India the entire Dravida movement came an unfortunate anti-Rama platform. BJP is creating divide in the South,” Naqvi answered.
There is national security at risk with this project, there is economic risk, there is environmental risk, why doesn’t BJP make these arguments why it is making religious argument?
Singhal replied, “Apart from scientific and security angle it has religious angle too.”
When the Government comes out and says this is a myth, there is no archeological evidence and there is no scientific proof, don’t you think that a Government must be little more sensitive to the faith and worship of people.
Clarifying what the Government is trying to say about the Setu, Naqvi said, “The Government has not said that the Ram does not exist, they didn’t say that Ram is not part of mythology or they did not say that Ram is not part of our culture but they said there is no archeological evidence to say that there was any Setu.”
Is Ram still a potent force in South?
In Tamil Nadu Ram has great importance as a literary figure because of the great Tamil epic. But there is hardly any temple for Ram in Tamil Nadu. There is a general belief that worshiping Ram will only bring sorrow and bad luck, Venkatachalapathy said.
When development works are embarked upon is it not part of the government to take in to consideration the feelings of the people and re-assure them that whatever they hold sacred will not be damaged or the Government will try to preserve.
Natarajan said, ”I have absolutely no doubt at all that the Government will take into consideration the genuine feelings of the people who are genuinely affected. Certainly that does not apply to the BJP or demonstrations, which was a flop show.”

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

'ISI agent' arrested in Hyderabad

A suspected ISI agent was arrested on Tuesday by SIT probing the August 25 twin blasts. Police arrested Mohd Sohail, 21, a resident of Saleem Nagar in Malakpet, at RTC crossroads. He was reportedly found in possession of 'jehadi' literature. Sohail was reportedly in contact with HuJI leader Shahed alias 'Bilal', the prime accused in the several blast cases in the city. Sohail also reportedly went to Mumbai a week ago to discuss future operations in the city, sources said. "Sohail was planning to execute some more blasts in the city," a senior police officer said. Sohail reportedly confessed to police that they were planning to extend their operations outside India, particularly in Asia. Police officials claimed that Sohail confessed that he was having links with ISI activists. He was produced before court and sent to judicial remand. Police also filed a petition for his custody.

'Cracks' appear in flyover panel

The seriousness of the government in probing into the collapse of the scaffoldings at the under-construction flyover at Punjagutta last Sunday is evidenced by the fact that the officer named to head the probe is yet to submit his report on an incident that took place in June this year. K Siva Reddy, engineer-in-chief, roads and buildings department, is the officer heading the five-member experts' committee that was asked to submit its report on the Punjagutta collapse by the coming Friday. However, till Tuesday night, none of the members had visited the mishap site. Siva Reddy, who is away in New Delhi, told TOI that he and his team would visit the flyover site on Wednesday. In fact, Siva Reddy was named as the inquiry officer to examine the Muslim Jung parallel bridge in Old City in which some cracks had developed in the third week of June. Inauguration of the bridge which was to be opened for public in July was put on hold because of the cracks. According to sources, Siva Reddy was directed to investigate the matter in August this year. "However, till date, no report is forthcoming. On the contrary, seven engineers who had been suspended for the cracks that appeared in the Muslim Jung Bridge have since been reinstated," an official told TOI. Interestingly, Mahesh Tandon, who is one of the consultants for the Punjagutta flyover and is alleged to have failed to conduct checks at the flyover site, was a member of the technical committee that was appointed before Siva Reddy to probe the cracks in the Muslim Jung Bridge. Sources said the seven engineers were reinstated in their jobs due to pressure from some quarters. Of these, five belong to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation while two are on deputation. After the Punjagutta collapse, the government had suspended three GHMC engineers. If the Muslim Jung bridge incident is any indication, then both the appointment of experts' committee as well as suspension of the engineers will also end up as a mere eyewash.

Will consider India's request for Dawood's extradition: Bhutto

Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto has said she will certainly look into India's request for extradition of Mumbai serial blasts accused Dawood Ibrahim, who is believed to be in Karachi. "We will certainly look into the request by the Indian government," she said in an interview. Bhutto was asked whether she would grant the extradition of Dawood if she is elected to power. "If he is living in Karachi, it is very wrong ... I do not want Pakistan should get a bad name and be seen as a country that harbours criminals from all parts of the world, including India," she said. Bhutto, who has been living in self-imposed exile in London, said that the militants Pakistan "nurtured" during the Afghan war against the Soviet Union had returned to haunt them. "Groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba have unleashed suicide bombings in Pakistan," she said adding that it was time "Pakistan put its internal house into order". Backing the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan, Bhutto said the process "is setting a new pace, setting a new agenda and a new goal." The two-time premier said Kashmir was a core issue between the two countries but not the one that should be allowed to derail the Indo-Pak relationship or the dialogue.

Thailand denies top LTTE rebel's arrest

Thai police said on Wednesday that there was no truth to reports triggered by an allegation on a Sri Lankan government website that a top Tamil Tiger leader had been arrested in Bangkok. "I've checked with related police bureaux -- the Immigration Police, the Metropolitan Police and the Special Branch. There has been no report of a Tiger rebel arrested in Bangkok," national police spokesman Lieutenant-General Ronnarong Youngyuen said. "If we'd arrested him, we would have made good publicity out of it," Ronnarong told reporters. The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry site said: "Reliable sources from Thailand reveal that LTTE's chief for cross border terrorist activities, Kumaran Padmanadan, alias "KP" has been arrested in Bangkok". KP was described as finance chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels. Ronnarong said Thai police did hand over three Tamil Tigers to Sri Lanka last month after the rebels served jail terms for arms smuggling following their arrest dour years ago.
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Govt says Ram Setu a myth; BJP up in arms


The BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress-led UPA government of "blasphemy" by telling the Supreme Court that there was no historical evidence to establish the existence of Ram Setu in the epic Ramayana.
"This is sheer blasphemy," senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra said reacting to an affidavit filed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) rejecting the claim of the existence of the Ram Setu or Adam's bridge in the area where the Sethusamudram project was under construction.
"It's an insult to the Hindu faith. We also wonder why Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi have been going for the Dussehra festival if their government does not believe in Lord Ram's existence," he said.
The BJP and other constituents of the Sangh Parivar are opposing the Sethusamudram project saying it would damage an undersea bridge believed to be built by Lord Ram.
“Today, the government in its affidavit says there is no evidence to prove the bridge was built by Lord Rama or that Lord Ram ever existed. This is an attack on Hindu sentiments, a ferocious one,” Malhotra said.

Ram Setu, a historical monument?
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists blocked rail and road traffic and clashed with police in many parts of the country on Wednesday morning, protesting the proposal for a navigational sea route between India and Sri Lanka that could damage Ram Setu.
The three-hour road blockade to protest the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal project threw traffic off gear in many parts of Mumbai, Delhi, north and north-west India. Schools were also closed in Indore in anticipation of violence.
But barring the arrest of 46 VHP supporters in Puducherry, there was hardly any protest across South India. However, BJP Leader ID Swami warned the UPA of dire consequences if they ignored these protests.
“This agitation is a warning to the UPA, if the Government doesn’t listen the results will be dangerous,” Swami said.
The Opposition says that project is not political but "Hindus are opposed to the demolition of Ram Setu.”
Earlier, General Secretary of VHP Orissa unit Gouri Prashad Rath had said that it was a mistake on part of the erstwhile NDA government to sanction the Sethusamudram project as it cannot be completed without demolishing the ancient Ram Setu.
The “sacred Setu” should not be touched as it is associated with sentiments of Hindus, he had said.