Times Chennai-e Paper, March 05, 2009

VOL: 2 ISSUE 50

March 05, 2009

Jaya to fast demanding Lanka ceasefire Chennai, March 05; F o r m e r Ta m i l Nadu chief minister and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today announced that she will lead a state-wide fast on March 10, demanding immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka and the party will raise funds to help the Lankan Tamils. In a statement here, Ms Jayalalithaa said

Tamil brethren are being massacred and facing hardship without food and medical facilities'' following the brutal attack by the Lankan armed forces, Ms Jayalalithaa said the Lankan Tamils could be saved only if there was an immediate ceasefire. To press this demand, the AIADMK would launch a hunger

the one-day fast was also to condemn the Congressled UPA government at the Centre and DMK government in the state for remaining mute spectators to the genocide against the Tamils in the island nation. Stating that ''our

strike throughout the state. She would lead the fast in the city on March 10 from 0900 hrs to 1700 hrs and the party's office bearers at the district headquarters. At the fasting venues, a Hundi would

be kept to collect money for the suffering Tamils. She would launch the collection by making the first contribution, the AIADMK supremo said and asked partymen to contribute generously to alleviate the sufferings of Tamils. Ms Jayalalithaa also exhorted party volunteers from all wings and General public to participate in the hunger strike in large numbers and express their solidarity with the Lankan Tamils. This was the first agitation being launched by the AIADMK eversince the Sri Lankan Tamils issue hogged the state politics on October 2 last year, when the Communist Party of India (CPI), launched a fast, d e m a n d i n g ceasefire. The AIADMK, which had initially offered support to the fast, failed to take part in it and since then the party had not been associating itself with the agitations organised by its allies like CPI, Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) and other

Fasting lawyers beat up constable Chennai, Mar 05 A group of fasting lawyers allegedly brutally beat up a police constable in the middle of the road opposite Madras High Court Complex today. Constable Gowri Va l l a b h a n o f t h e Intelligence Section was standing opposite the High Court when ten to 15 lawyers pulled him into the 'shamiana' and allegedly beat him black and blue using plastic chairs. They later lifted him up and threw him on the other side of the road. The constable somehow managed to pull himself up and ran to safety. He went to the B2 Esplanade Police Station

where police filed an FIR and rushed him to the General Hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, the fast by the advocates seeking action against t h e D G P a n d Commissioner of Police (CoP) for their alleged involvement in the February 19 clash between the lawyers and advocates entered the ninth day today. The advocates had put up a 'shamiana' in the middle of the road and were holding an agitation allegedly without police permission. The February 19 clash resulted after police arrested some advocates in connection

with an attack on Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy and some policemen. Protesting the arrest, lawyers fought pitched battles with the policemen in which a police station in the court complex was set ablaze by the advocates. The lawyers have since been staying away from courts demanding action against the top police officials. The Supreme Court has appointed Justice B N Srikrishna, retired judge of the Apex Court, to conduct a probe into the incidents and submit a report.

parties. Ms Jayalalithaa would be observing a fast for a cause for the third time. She had observed a fast on the Cauvery water issue in 1993 and 2007. Ms Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister, when she launched an indefinite fast in front of the Anna Memorial on Marina in 1993, demanding immediate release of Cauvery water to the state. She ended the fast after the then Narasimha Rao government at the Centre deputed Water Resources Minister V C Shukla and assured her of immediate action. When she was the leader of the Opposition, she observed a one day fast in March 2007, in front of Va l l u v a r K o t t a m , demanding notification of

the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award in the Central Gazette. On the Lankan Ta m i l s i s s u e , t h e AIADMK supremo was at the centre of controversy recently when she accused the LTTE of using innocent Tamil civilians as human shield. She had demanded that the LTTE should lay down arms, surrender and pave way for a safe passage to the Tamils. Political parties accused her of supporting the army action and holding a brief for the Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, when she said civilians getting killed in the crossfire was inevitable in any war. She had even ridiculed Chief Minister

M Karunanidhi for demanding ceasefire, stating that he was trying to help the the LTTE and give it some breathing time. Now with the AIADMK supremo also taking the plunge, the struggle to protect the Lankan Tamils, gains momentum with almost all political parties in the state lining up and raising their voice, demanding immediate ceasefire. The fast also assumes significance as it is considered to be a strategic move by her to counter the DMKCongress combine and other political opponents in the runup to the May 13 Lok Sabha elections. The fast also signalls the importance, political parties have attached to the Lankan Tamils issue ahead of the elections.

Page 2

Times Chennai E-Paper

March 05, 2009

Teachers federation withdraws decision to conduct fast Chennai, Mar 05 The Federation of Chennai Minority College T e a c h e r s a n d Managements today withdrew their decision to conduct a fast on March seven, following the approval of clearing the pending salaries of 160 staff members on the basis of 'pending judicial verdict'.

Terming that the federation's meeting with Madras University ViceC h a n c e l l o r S Ramachandran and other top government officials resulted in an "amicable solution", UGC member Xavier Alphonse at a press conference here said "we would be given the approval for

teachers pending the judgement in court". He appealed to the top officials of the various colleges to withdraw their decision of taking out a fast on March seven. - Agencies

MTC abuzz with fake bus passes Chennai, March 05: W h e n t w o students with fake bus passes were caught by MTC inspectors recently, little did they know that the trail would lead them to a computer centre, where

fake bus passes were being issued to students. There are only eight government colleges in the city and students of other institutions, including aided colleges, have to purchase their pass every month for a fee. Free bus pass is scanned and photos of the person imposed on it. This simple affair comes at a

price ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 600. “A student of D G Vaishnav College and another of Kandaswamy Naidu College for Men were caught on the same day. Both carried passes with Presidency College’s name on it. On closer inspection, it was found that the logo on the card was torn and pasted from an old bus pass that could not be scanned. It was not the crime, but the intention which is disturbing,’’ said an MTC officer, who did not wish to reveal his name, as they have been directed not to talk to the media. The logo is one area that the fraudsters have not been able to crack, as it is an imposing affair and does not bring large profits, though

officers say that a person selling these fake passes could easily earn Rs 300 per pass. Letters have been sent to principals of all colleges and schools informing them about the existence of this racket and asking them to caution students against using such fake passes. Checks in other parts of the city which did n o t h a v e a n y government colleges in the area have revealed that even those who had passed out of colleges and drop-outs were using fake bus passes. According to an estimate by a revenue officer of MTC, the loss to the already cash crunched department runs into several lakhs. -Agencies

HC slaps Rs 10,000 fine for filing miscellaneous petition Chennai, March 05 : The Madras High Court on Wednesday slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on a trade union affiliated to All India Anna DMK (AIADMK) for filing a miscellaneous petition seeking modification or clarification of the court's earlier order relating to the trade union election for recognition in Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation. While dismissing the petition, a division bench comprising Mr Justices Elipe Dharmarao and R Subbaiah said the petitioner had filed a modification petitioin instead of an appeal petition. ''The party affected by judgement in a case should prefer an appeal and should not file a modification petition'', the bench observed. The petitioner had resorted to this only with a malicious motive of stalling the ongoing election process, the bench said and dismissed the petition with a fine. The bench imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 to be paid by the

petitioner for the Chief Justice's Relief Fund and also directed the Civil Supplies Corporation to complete the election process within six weeks. Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Pirivu Anna Thozhir Sangam, a workers u n i o n , i n i t s miscellaneous petition sought to modify the order of the High Court to effect that in the union election for getting recognition, if one union secures 51 per cent of the votes polled then that be

declared a recognised union. But if a union does not secure 51 per cent of votes, the Union or Unions which put together secure 51 per cent of votes must be declared as recognised. This order will affect the stakes of the union who get majority support of the workers, it submitted. The bench said it passed the order according to the Supreme Court's earlier order and direction. - Agencies

Applications invited for Haj pilgrimage Chennai, March 05 The Tamil Nadu State Hajj Committee, Chennai, has invited applications from people residing in Tamil Nadu for the pilgrimage trip in 2009. An official release from the Committee stated that application forms could be obtained from the Administrative Officer, Tamil Nadu State Hajj Committee, Rosy Tower, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Nungambakkam, from March 5. They could also be downloaded from www.hajcommittee.com As per guidelines not more than five persons having blood relations, comprising family members or close relatives, could be included in one group/cover. No alien should be included in the cover. Pilgrims of same district should apply in one cover. The filled in applications should be submitted to the Committee on or before March 31. - Agencies

CEO terms Karunanidhi's charge unfortunate, to send report to EC Chennai, Mar 5 Describing as ''unfortunate'' the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's charge that he was biased against the DMK government, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Naresh Gupta has said he would send a report to the Election Commission in this regard. W h e n contacted for his comments, Mr Gupta said yesterday he would send a detailed report to the Election Commission about the charges made against him. Making it clear that he had no soft corner

for the AIADMK as the Chief Minister, Mr Gupta said he had no political leanings. ''I have absolutely no interest he said.On the Chief Minsiter's charge that he spoke to newspaper offices and asked them not to publish the state g o v e r n m e n t ' s announcement with regard to the constitution of a welfare board for Va n n i a y a s p u b l i c properties, Mr Gupta said this was totally wrong. ''How do you expect me to prevent the publication of the report..I do not even know about it..This is totally incorrect,'' he said.

T h e C E O disputed Mr Karunanidhi's remarks that he was appointed by the state government as CEO for a specific period. He was appointed under the Representation of People's Act and drew 50 per cent of salary from the Centre and the balance 50 per cent from the state government. Mr Gupta said he did not call on the Chief Minister after the DMK came to power in May 2006 as per the Election Commission policy. ''I did not even call on the previous Chief Minister (Ms J Jayalalithaa),'' he said. -Agencies

After PMR its J A Engineering College Chennai, March 05: Its lack of infrastructure in the self financing engineering colleges which has prompted Anna University to act. PMR Engineering was in the lime light for some time after repeated assurances from the management the university is watching the situation. Now its the turn of J A Engineering College: Around 40 students of JA Institute of Engineering and T e c h n o l o g y , Koyembedu, gathered at Anna University here on Wednesday to enquire about the status of their results, which had been reportedly withheld, apart from registering a complaint on the lack of infrastructure in the college and questioning

the grant of affiliation to the institution. When the results of I year students of the college were withheld by the university, they had repeatedly questioned the college authorities only to get the answer that they had paid the registration fee on time. But the students found out that the college had not submitted its letter for the AICTE approval to the university and the results were withheld. This was also confirmed by Anna University vicechancellor Prof P Mannar Jawahar. Meanwhile, the students were informed by the Dean of Student Affairs that the college chairman could submit the letter to the university

for the release of the results. The students also took the opportunity to complain about the poor infrastructure. The students also justified their fear when they said that those who had assembled in the college in the morning were not allowed to leave and reach Anna University and the hostellers might have been locked up by the college authorities. They also alleged that the teachers had threatened to cancel their registration, if they said anything about the college to the outside world. But, the university had asked them formally complaint to act on it. However, the college authorities remained incommunicado. -Agencies

Trade licences can be renewed without penalty till March 31 Chennai, March 05 : C h e n n a i Corporation has said that renewal of trade licences for 2009-10 will be done till March 31 at all its 10 zonal offices. A press release from the Corporation said that traders interested in renewing their licences should apply to the zonal offices concerned between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The addresses of the zonal offices and the divisions covered were as follows: Corporation Zone I office, 266, Tondiarpet High Road, divisions - 1 to 13; Zone II, 47, Basin Bridge Road, divisions 14 to 31; Zone III, 71, Dr. Ambedkar College Road, Pulianthope,

divisions - 32 to 49; Zone IV, 5, Anderson Road, Aynavaram, divisions 50 to 63; Zone V, 183, Periyar E.V.R. Road, Kilpauk, divisions - 64 to 78; Zone VI, 2, Dr. Besant Road, Ice House, divisions - 79 to 96; Zone VII, Lake Area Fourth Street, Nungambakkam, divisions - 97 to 113; Zone VIII, 64, NSK Road, Kodambakkam, divisions - 114 to 129; Zone IX, Richards Park, 370, Anna Salai, Saidapet, divisions - 130 to 141; and Zone X, 115, Dr. Muthulakshmi Road, Adyar, divisions - 142 to 155. T h e Corporation warned the traders that they would have to pay a penalty of 50 per cent of their

licence fee if they applied for renewal between April 1 and 30. The penalty would be 100 per cent for the traders applying between May 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010. Licence would be cancelled for the traders failing to renew by March 31, 2010. The traders had been asked to pay licence fee, conservancy charge and P.F.A charge in a single demand draft drawn in favour of the Revenue Officer, Corporation of Chennai, along with licence application form for renewal of licence, besides enclosing photocopy of last year’s licence and two passport size photographs of the licensee. - Agencies

National

March 05, 2009 Times Chennai E-Paper

CVC recommends proceedings against 87 govt officials New Delhi, March 05: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has recommended initiation of major penalty proceedings against 87 government officials for their alleged involvement in corruption cases. A large number of officials, about 21, were from public sector banks, 11 from HMT Limited, 10 from the Department of Telecommunications, nine from Northern Coalfields, six from Ministry of Railways, and five from the Ministry of Urban

Development and the rest 25 were from other government departments and insurance companies, a statement said. T h e Commission has disposed of 379 cases referred to it for advise and has launched prosecution against 27 officers, of which 19 were from Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) and two from Indian Overseas Bank, the statement said. The CVC has

also advised imposition of heavy penalty against 30 government officials -14 from public sector banks, four from Insurance sector, three from DDA, two each from MCD and I&B Ministry and one each from CBDT, ITDC, Madras Fertilizers, Home Ministry and Urban Development Ministry. It has also sanctioned prosecution of 50 MCD officials, out 57 and 72 others for imposing heavy penalty. -Agencies

NCERT introduces new textbook on heritage crafts New Delhi, March 05 : Opening the door for students to gain skills and start profitable ventures after school, NCERT has decided to introduce a textbook on heritage crafts from the coming academic session in Class XI. The craft sector offers the second largest employment opportunities in India second only to agriculture and is the highest contributor to export earnings. "The textbook will be introduced as an elective subject across all streams, designed to help students find economic and employment opportunities after leaving school," NCERT spokesperson B C Patro told PTI. It is basically a new curricular area that incorporates the cultural, social and creative attributes of India's rich craft into the educational system through both theory

and practice. The subject -also to be taught in class XII -- will open the door for students to pursue a field of their choice for further study and specialisation, he said. "Students may take this subject and join an export business or start a venture of their own or train in business management or economics," he said. Some might even specialise in museum studies, history, sociology or even anthropology, he said. There are altogether 10 chapters in the book dedicated to crafts heritage, clay, stone, metal, jewellery, natural fibre, paper, textile, painting and theatre crafts. Each chapter is well supported by colourful photographs relating to the content. The textbook on

heritage crafts finds its genesis to the National Curriculum Framework of 2005. One of the key recommendations of the framework was to increase the number of options available at the senior secondary level, and India's heritage crafts provides one such area, Patro said. It has been prepared by practitioners in the field of education, art, history and designing. In its introduction, NCERT has expressed hope that many young people belonging to arts and crafts communities will take this subject and will be able to assist their families in their ancestral craft tradition in meeting the challenges of entrepreneurship and merchandising in this age of globalisation. -Agencies

MiG-23BN fighters to bid adieu to IAF service New Delhi, March 05: The MiG-23BN ground attack aircraft, which never saw action during its 26 years with the Indian Air Force, will bid adieu to the service on Friday. The MiG-23BN, currently operated only by the 221 Squadron of the IAF's 9 Wing, will be phased out at the Halwara airbase in Punjab after a flying display and touchdown, air force officials said today. Bought from Russia in 1982 to counter Pakistan's air superiority F16 fighters, the fighters never took part in any operation against the

enemy. But they were pressed into service during the 1999 Kargil war and carried out patrols during the 200102 stand-off with Pakistan as part of Operation Parakram. With a dubious safety record and beset with engine troubles, the aircraft's phase out comes at a time when there were reports of burgeoning maintenance costs and problems relating to nonavailability of spare parts. Of the four squadrons the IAF had -over 70 aircraft -- half of

them were lost in air crashes and other mishaps. "Maintaining the aircraft fleet is very expensive for the IAF, so we have to phase out the aircraft, which has served us well over two decades-and-a-half. The aircraft incur heavy financial costs for repairs and spares," an official said. I t s a i r superiority version, the MiG-23MF, used as an interceptor in air defence roles by the IAF, was phased out in 2007. -Agencies

Page 3

AGP-BJP poll tie-up hits roadblock Guwahati, March 05: The pre-poll tie up between the opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam for next month's parliamentary polls has hit a major roadblock with the two parties failing to strike a formal deal. A scheduled joint press conference Wednesday by the AGP and the BJP in New Delhi, where an announcement of the seat sharing deal between the two parties was to be made, was postponed indefinitely at the last minute. The official reason cited for the postponement of the announcement was due to the death of the brother of a BJP leader from Assam. "There are no differences and the seat sharing deal is on," AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary told IANS on phone from New Delhi. But there seems more to it with party sources hinting

about serious differences between the two parties over the prestigious Guwahati parliamentary seat. "In principle we have decided to leave the Guwahati seat to the BJP, but we want a candidate to be put up by the party other than their national vice president Bijoya Chakraborty," a senior AGP leader said, requesting not to be named. "The BJP is sticking to its demand to field Bijoya as their Guwahati candidate, while we want someone else to contest from the seat," he added. The AGP is averse to the candidature of Chakraborty as she had on earlier occasions "belittled" some legislators of the regional party, whose assembly constituencies fall within the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat. "Bijoya's image is not very good as she was shown on television instigating a mob during the Oct 30 serial blasts in Guwahati and provoked them to carry dead

bodies of the blast in handcarts to the secretariat, an incident that is still fresh in the people's mind," the AGP leader said. "At a time when people were busy helping the injured, Bijoya tried playing politics by taking out a procession with the dead bodies." There is now pressure from AGP supporters and workers on the leadership to even snap the ties with the BJP and contest the polls on their own. "The party (AGP) that cannot even make up its mind on seat adjustments, do you think they would be able to impact on the Congress," Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS. The AGP-BJP that had a pre poll alliance during the 2001 assembly elections suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Congress party with leaders of both the parties accusing each other of betrayal and sabotage. -Agencies

Page 4

Business

Times Chennai E-Paper

Italian subsidiary to expand tractor capacity at Tamil Nadu plant Chennai, Mar 05 Agricultural machinery manufacturer Same Duetz-Fahr India, a

farm output had declined 2.2 percent in the third quarter. However, it is expected to rise following

subsidiary of the Italian major, will expand its Ranipet plant capacity near here on an outlay of Rs.500 million (Rs.50 crore), and will focus on the tractor segment, said a top company official Wednesday. "We will increase the tractor capacity to 11,000 units by the end of 2010," Shripad Shidore, company managing director told reporters here. T h e announcement comes within days of the Central Statistical Organisation announcing that India's

a good rabi crop. Same DuetzFahr India, a subsidiary of the euro 1.2-billion Italian agricultural machinery major Same Duetz-Fahr, is apprently betting big on India's agricultural sector. According to Vijay Raina, Same Deutz-Fahr North America chief executive, the major growth driver for high HP tractors is the "consolidation" in India's agri-sector through contract farming. Raina predicted the Indian tractor market

to stabilise at 280,000 units from 2015 onwards (2008 industry sales stood at 306,000 units), and that sales of the low HP tractors (21HP to 40HP) will slow down. Andrea Bedosti, the parent company's executive vice president, the Indian facility would make 50-70HP tractors for the European and the US markets. The company's Ranipet facility has a capacity to make 6,300 units. The company said it will also supply engines for manufacturers of gensets and other industrial equipment. " E n g i n e manufacturing capacity will be increased to 15,000. We will spend Rs.25 crore (Rs.250 million) in 2009 on expanding the engine facility and next year, a similar amount will be spent for expanding the tractor line," Shidore said. "We will be doubling our engines capacity by 2011," he added. -Agencies

Oil hovers near $44 amid a drop in US inventories SINGAPORE, March 05: Oil prices hovered near $44 a barrel on Thursday in Asia after U.S. crude inventories fell, suggesting demand may have stabilized after falling for months. Benchmark crude for April delivery fell $1.04 to $44.33 a barrel by late afternoon in Singapore on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices rose $3.73 on Wednesday to settle at $45.38 a barrel after the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said crude inventories fell for a second week in three, halting a trend over the previous six weeks that saw stocks jump more than 30 million barrels. The EIA said on Wednesday that crude inventories dropped by 700,000 barrels, or 0.2 percent, to 350.6 million barrels, for the week ended Feb. 27. Analysts had expected a boost of 2.2 million barrels, according to a survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos. The EIA also said that over the last four weeks, motor gasoline

demand has averaged 9.0 million barrels per day, up 2.2 percent from the same period last year. ``It's still premature to say world oil consumption is stabilizing,'' said David Moore, a commodity strategist with Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney. ``The recent evidence is that the rate of decline has possibly started to slow.'' Oil prices have plunged about 70 percent since July as investors grapple with the worst global economic slump in decades. O n Wednesday, there was more grim economic news as retailer Costco Wholesale Corp. said its fiscal second-quarter profit fell 27 percent, and h o m e b u i l d e r To l l Brothers Inc. said fiscal first-quarter revenue plummeted 51 percent. OPEC will likely announce production cuts of as much as 1 million barrels a day at the group's next meeting on March 15, adding to

the 4.2 million barrels a day the 12-nation cartel has pledged to reduce since September, Mr. Moore said. Leaders of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have said they would like oil prices above $70 a barrel. ``OPEC has cut production quite a lot,'' Moore said. ``They have succeeded to an extent in arresting the decline in prices.'' Oil will likely trade near the low $40s for the next few months as weak global demand offsets dwindling supplies, Mr. Moore said. In other Nymex trading, gasoline for April delivery fell 4.15 cents to $1.34 a gallon, while heating oil was down 4.1 cents at $1.1738 a gallon. Natural gas for April delivery was down 1.1 cents at $4.329 per 1,000 cubic feet. Brent prices were down $1.11 at $45.01 on the ICE Futures exchange in London. -Agencies

March 05, 2009

Domestic steel makers cry foul over excise duty and taxes Mumbai, March 05: Leading steel makers have demanded a level-playing field for catering to the domestic shipyards as exise duty and taxes rendered it uncompetitive vis-a-vis its foreign peers. " W e a r e capable of prodcuing equally good quality of shipbuilding plates for the use of the shipyard i n d u s t r y. H o w e v e r, burdened with around 16 per cent duties and taxes, we are loosing to steel makers abroad since their exports do not attract any tax," a leading steelindustry official told PTI here.

Shipbuilding plates bought by shipyards from the domestic makers attract excise duty and other levies, which are not modvatable, though imported plates attract nil duty. "This gives undue price advantage of over 14-16 per cent to foreign steel mills over domestic steel makers," he said. Ta t a S t e e l , Essar Steel, Steel Authority of India and Jindal Steel & Power are the leading steel makers, which cater to the shipyards. "The levy of

excise duty is becoming a stumbling block for domestic steel makers to cater to this segment. If such supplies are exempted, we will also be competitive enough to supply the shipbuilding plates required in a shipyard," he added. Steel makers, he said, have urged the Government to either exempt such supplies from payment of excise duties or treat them as 'deemed exports' so that Indian steel makers could compete on equal footing with foreign mills. -Agencies

Asia stocks mixed as China vows eight percent growth HONG KONG, March 05: Asian stock markets were mixed on Thursday after China promised more efforts to support growth and create jobs _ but stopped short of fresh spending measures to bolster the world's third-largest e c o n o m y. E u r o p e a n markets opened down. C h i n e s e Premier Wen Jiabao said the government's 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus plan, announced in November, would help the country achieve 8 percent growth this year. That rate is seen as critical to creating jobs and staving off social unrest as the worst global economic crisis in generations hits Chinese exports. A s t h e government boosts money for infrastructure, social programs and tax cuts, the country's budget deficit will surge to its highest level in six decades, Wen said at China's annual legislative session in Beijing. Global markets had rallied along with commodities prices the day before, partly on hopes China would announce new steps to counter a slowdown in its economy and help other countries restart theirs in the process. But some investors turned cautious after Beijing largely reinforced programs and spending already known. The program outlined in Mr. Wen's nationally televised speech, while supplying a short-term jolt to confidence with its reiteration of the 8 percent growth target,

was unlikely to bring about a lasting recovery in global markets, analysts said. With Western economies and the global financial system still in tatters, any spillover effects from China would be limited. ``Knowing China will be spending is comforting, but we have doubts whether this will help other countries' economies in the end,'' said Kelvin Lau, a regional economist at Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong. After opening higher, Asian stocks started to pare their gains by the afternoon as many investors booked profits from Wednesday's rally Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average rose 142.53 points, 2 percent, to 7,433.49 while South Korea's Kospi ended down 0.1 percent at 1,058.18 in a choppy session. In China, Shanghai's benchmark gained 1 percent to 2,221.08, fluctuating in and out of the red, after jumping more than 6 percent the day before. Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 118.76 points, or about 1 percent, to 12,212.39. Benchmarks in Australia and Taiwan gained while Singapore and Indian stock measures fell. As trading opened in Europe, benchmarks in Britain, Germany and France were off about 1 percent or more ahead of expected interest rate cuts from the European and British central banks. Both were expected to slash benchmark rates to new record lows. Overnight, Wall Street snapped a five-day

losing streak, buoyed by China stimulus hopes as well as details of a Washington program to help as many as 9 million borrowers stay in their homes through refinanced mortgages or loans. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 149.82, or 2.2 percent, to 6,875.84. Broader indexes also rose. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 16.54, or 2.4 percent, to 712.87. U.S. futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street. Dow futures were down 52 points, or 0.8 percent, at 6,778 and S&P500 futures were off 6.8, or 1 percent, at 701.60. Investors in Asia and beyond are likely to pay close attention to Friday's release of U.S. employment figures, a key baramoter of the world's largest economy and the health of consumers whose spending is critical to Asia's export-driven economies. In Japan, the sinking yen helped some carmakers and technology companies reliant on overseas demand. Mazda Motor Corp. shot up 10.5 percent, while Nissan Motor Co. rose 6.1 percent. Nikon Corp. finished up 4.6 percent. The rise in resource prices lifted some commodities plays, including Australian mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd., up 4.4 percent. After soaring overnight, oil prices slipped in Asian trade, with benchmark crude for April delivery off 76 cents at $44.61 a barrel. Prices rose $3.73, or about 9 percent, on Wednesday to settle at $45.38. In currencies, the dollar strengthened to 99.49 yen from 99.31 yen, while the euro weakened to $1.2569 from $1.2644.

March 05, 2009 Times Chennai E-Paper

World

India faces tough terms for Gandhi's belongings New York, March 05: The American auctioneer of Mahatma Gandhi's personal items on Thursday set tough conditions for the Indian government to stop the memorabilia from going under the hammer which include shifting priorities from military spending to health care, especially for the poor. In the proposal sent to Indian negotiators hours before the precious items are set to be auctioned, James Otis asked India to "substantially" increase the proportion of its budget spent on health care of the poor. The Consul General in New York has faxed the proposal to the External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi which is involved in frantic last minute negotiations to stop the auction. P e r s o n a l belongings of Gandhi -- his metal-rimmed glasses, pocket watch, a pair of sandals and a plate and bowl -- are up for auction at Antiquorum Auctioneers here. Besides, Otis also wants the Indian government to help offices of its embassies support educational events that use the Gandhi items to promote non-violent resistance advocated by him in 78 countries "one each for the number of years Gandhi graced us with his life on the planet". The content of the programme, according to the proposal, would be determined by a committee appointed and chaired by Otis and Prof at George Mason University, Lester Kurtz, in consultation with Gandhian scholars from India such as Dr N Radhakrishan, Dr Savita Singh, or Dr S Jeyapragasam as well as others. If the Indian government agrees to his

proposal, Otis said he would also loan additional items from his collection on other leaders who have preached non-violence worldwide. They include a letter from Martin Luther King asking for support for the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, a United Farm Workers flag signed by civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, social activist Jane Addam's comb and brush from Hull House, which is involved in social causes. The exhibit will also include a sample of Gandhi's blood from the site of his assassination and ashes from his cremation. The proposal was released late last evening and Otis offered to work out details with the representatives of the Indian government today. A copy of the proposal was provided by a representative of Otis. In the spirit of Gandhi's emphasis on caring for the poorest of the poor, the proposal want the Indian government to commit to substantially increasing the proportion of the Indian government budget that is spent on health care over the coming decade. "This would involve a shift in priorities from military spending to the health care of the Indian people, especially the poor." Details of the proposal will be worked out with the health ministry and experts in public health with measures that would indicate over time the actual shift in the spending priorities. "Although India has m a d e m a n y improvements in its public health in recent years, according to WHO only 25 per cent India's

GDP that is dedicated to health care is paid out for public health initiatives. The other 75 per cent of health care expenditures comes from private funding," Otis notes in the proposal. This "dramatic gesture" would demonstrate to the world the "commitment of the Indian government to following the principles of Gandhi's historical message that is just as relevant today," it says, noting that the world has never needed the example and message of Gandhi more than at this "crucial point in human history." His emphasis on non-violent resistance to tyranny in any form and the use of non-violence as a means for engaging in creative conflict has inspired countless individuals and movements for civic improvement around the world, from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the US civil rights movement to contemporary human rights, pro-democracy movements and other struggles for the improvement of life on the planet, it said. In this context, Otis said India should use its good offices as well as other contacts in the Indian community to facilitate events around the world that educate and promote awareness and dialogue with world leaders, NGOs and civic leaders, scholars of Gandhi and non-violent social movement and educational events in schools and universities. It also wants India to provide complete funding for the events including transportation and security of exhibit items and publicity for each event and an "adequate administrative budget" for their preparation. -Agencies

Page 5

‘Lanka not ruling out LTTE role in Lahore attacks’ Islamabad, March 05: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said on Wednesday that he could not rule out the possibility that Tamil Tigers were involved in the attack on his country's cricket team in Lahore. Seven Sri Lankan players, along with an assistant coach, were injured while eight Pakistanis, including six policemen, were killed in the attack launched as the team bus was heading to the stadium on Tuesday. The Foreign Minister, who flew to Lahore to oversee the team's evacuation, met Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. "We do not rule

finalists would be interviewed for the final list of about 30 outstanding women and men, who would then be appointed as a White House Fellow for one year by the US President, Barack Obama. While the White House does not release the names of the regional finalists based on the ethnicity of the successful candidates, the Press Trust of India

(PTI) has identified at least eight of them as Indian Americans, based on their names. T h e s e outstanding Indian Americans who have made it to the list of 108 regional finalists, are Komal Bazaz Smith from Arlington in Virginia; Sudip K Bose (Chicago); Sreekanth K Chaguturu (Boston); Amar A Desai (Westlake Village, California); Anish P. Mahajan (Los Angeles);

short time" but he refused to elaborate. The attack on the island nation's team was the first "terrorist" attack on Sri Lankans abroad, Bogollagama said. However, he was quick to declare Pakistan "our friend". During his meeting with Gilani, he said that in cooperation with friendly countries like Pakistan, his government "would ensure that the LTTE terrorists’ designs to find sanctuaries abroad are foiled," a statement said. The meeting was attended by senior defence and interior ministry officials, including chief of military intelligence, Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the statement said. -Agencies

New footage of Lahore attacks released, exposes Pak’s security claims Lahore/Islamabad, March 05: In a shocking video footage released by a private Pakistani TV channel on Wednesday, the Lahore attackers are seen roaming around freely and casually on Lahore streets after the attacks. The CCTV footage shows terrorists with their guns and backpacks walking in the lanes of Liberty Chowk area of Lahore, merely 11 minutes after the attacks. Another footage shows two terrorists riding on a motorcycle in the same lane. These footages expose Pakistan’s claims of ample security cover for the visiting Sri Lankan team because of the threat perception. Allaying these fears, terror struck cricket on Tuesday when a gang of highly trained terrorists attacked Sri Lankan team's convoy here,

Several Indian Americans among finalists to White House Fellows Washington, March 05: At least eight Indian Americans are among the 108 regional finalists to the prestigious White House Fellows for the year 2009-2010. The list was released by White House yesterday. White House Fellows Programme is the most prestigious programme for leadership and public service in the US. The regional

out," the involvement of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as they steadily lose territory to government forces, he told a joint news conference with Qureshi. "Desperation of LTTE is something we are all looking at." The Sri Lankan cricket side was in Pakistan in place of the Indian team, which pulled out of a scheduled tour following the Mumbai attacks in November that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. The Foreign Minister said the investigation into the Lahore attacks was the responsibility of Pakistan and that "we have confidence in Pakistan”. Qureshi said Pakistan had set up a special investigation committee which had "carried out very good work in very

Manish K Sethi ( B r o o k l i n e , Massachusetts); Minesh Shah (Bronx, New York) and Raj M Shah (Philadelphia). Among the alumni of this prestigious fellowship are former Secretary of State Colin Powell, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr Sanjay Gupta, Travelocity CEO Michelle Peluso, and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert. -Agencies

injuring seven players and killing eight policemen and others, leaving the cricket world stunned. In an audacious gun and grenade attack, 12 terrorists ambushed the Lankan team's bus near Gaddafi Stadium, where the players were being taken, at 9 am, ahead of the third day's play in the second Test against Pakistan. Star batsman Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana were hospitalised with shrapnel wounds, while captain Mahela Jayawardene, vicecaptain Kumar

Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilina Thushara and Suranga Lokumal received minor injuries, mostly shrapnel wounds. The Sri Lankan team's assistant coach Paul Farbrace was also injured in the attack which left six policemen and two civilians dead. Besides the Sri Lankan team members, nine security personnel, two rescue workers, Pakistan Cricket Board liaison officer Abdus Sami Khan and reserve umpire Ahsan Raza were also injured. Raza was operated on in hospital and his condition was described as stable. -Agencies

Leading Gaza militant killed in Israeli air strike Gaza City, March 05: A leading military commander in the radical Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad was killed in an Israeli air raid on the Gaza Strip, sources on both sides said. Khaled Kharb Khalad Shaalan, a senior commander in the AlQuds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, was killed yesterday and his second-in-command Hamzia al-Najah was in a critical condition, it said in a statement. Medics said five bystanders were also wounded in the raid, launched shortly after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left the region on her first visit to the Middle East to try to advance peace efforts.

An Islamic Jihad spokesman said that the two militants were hit as they drove through the Jabaliya refugee camp near Gaza City and vowed to "avenge this aggression”. An Israeli Army spokesman confirmed the air strike, saying it had "targeted and killed" Shaanan. Violence has erupted in and around Gaza since the January 18 end of Israel's devastating three-week war on the Hamas-ruled territory, with Israel vowing a tough response to continued militant rocket fire. Israel's private Channel 10 said that Shaanan was responsible for rocket attacks against Israel from the northern sector of the Gaza Strip.

Page 6

Times Chennai E-Paper

McCullum injury can unsettle team's balance: Vettori Wellington, March 05: The thumb injury to key batsman Brendon McCullum has unsettled the balance of New Zealand team ahead of the second one-dayer against India, skipper Daniel Vettori said on Thursday. "It is not great news. Obviously, the balance that Brendon brings into the squad is undermined by his ability not to keep," Vettori told reporters on the match eve.

"But Pete (Peter McGlashan) has been in pretty good form for the Northern Districts. So we are hoping he can replicate that and it doesn't unsettle the team too much," Vettori said trying to put a brave face. Asked if McCullum would be fit for the game, the bespectacled 30-yearold captain said he was optimistic. "It is funny with Brendon. We seem to have had a lot of fitness

tests with him and he seems to have come through them all. He is a pretty belligerent guy and he wants to play every game possible. I would err on the side of optimism with him but we just have to wait and see just how it goes." V e t t o r i , h o w e v e r, s o u n d e d uncomfortable at the prospect of McCullum not playing on Friday. -Agencies

Australian cricketers won't bow down to the terrorists Sydney, March 05: Unlike their fellow cricketers, who are apprehensive of travelling to India for the Indian Premier League (IPL), some Australian players said that they won't bow down to the terrorists. The attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore might have raised some questions on the security of players in the sub-continent but now Australian players are vowing to beat terrorism by playing in the IPL next month. Nathan Bracken, Dave Hussey, Brad Hodge and wonderboy Dave Warner are also vowing to be in the subcontinent come April. "It's concerning that terrorism is impacting the sport. But I'll still be

going," Bracken was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph. H o d g e , Hussey and former Test coach John Buchanan all involved with the Kolkata Knight Riders are determined to stare down terrorism. "We've been advised not to make comment on it. But from where I stand it's a tragic event and you have to soldier on. Bombs have gone off in London and we've toured there," Hodge said. Hussey agreed: "It's probably a formality I will go back but I am monitoring events. I really enjoy playing in India and I get very well looked after in Kolkata but I do have a few reservations about

security at the moment." The Australian a l l - r o u n d e r, S h a n e Watson, who played under Shane Warne in the Rajasthan Royals, said he'd be happy travelling to India if the F e d e r a t i o n o f International Cricketers' Association (FICA) were able to ensure the required security standards. “You're never safe anywhere, to be fair. It's part and parcel of the world environment at the moment, more than just a certain region. I love playing cricket and if the opportunity is there to go to India, I will be there with bells on," Watson said. -Agencies

Murali blasts Pak security arrangement, suspects insiders Melbourne, March 05: Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan on Thursday hit-out at the security arrangements in Pakistan in the wake of the deadly terror attack on his team bus in Lahore and suspected militants had inside information about their movement. "Somehow in this incident there were no police with guns on the bus," the 36-year-old offspinner said. "If someone was there with a gun we would have had a chance of defending ourselves," said the world's highest wickettaker in both Tests and onedayers. "Normally all the buses go and we have four or five escorts," said the spin legend revealing his

anguish that there could have been inside information about the Sri Lankan team bus' route to the Gaddafi stadium. "We left at 8.30 am, and Younis Khan (with the Pakistan team) at 8.35 am. We divided into two, maybe they knew the information for the right time. They tried to shoot the driver. Then they were shooting both sides of the bus and they counted 39 holes," he told Radio 5AA in an interview. The off-spinner said he thought Tharanga Paranavitana, who along with Thilan Samaraweera was one of the more seriously wounded players, would die from his injuries. Paranavitana

March 05, 2009

Sports

had a bullet lodged in his c h e s t w h i l e Samaraweera had a shrapnel in his right leg. "There were gun shots going on and the bullets were passing us. I saw Paranavitana was bleeding in the chest. I thought he was gone, a c t u a l l y. T h i l a n Samaraweera was bleeding, Kumar Sangakkara was bleeding from the shoulder. There was blood everywhere. It was frightening," he said. Both Paranavitana and Samaraweera were operated upon after they reached colombo yesterday and were known to be recovering. -Agencies

India ready for Kiwi backlash: Sehwag Wellington, March 05: India's dashing opener Virender Sehwag today said his team was ready to counter the Kiwi backlash in the second cricket one-dayer as he expects New Zealand to come back hard after the defeat in first the game. "We know New Zealand are a good side. They will come back hard and we are ready for that. But we have to play good cricket if we want to beat them on their turf," Sehwag told reporters on the eve of the match. Sehwag, who played a crucial role in India's 53-run win in the first ODI, said New Zealand had a good bowling attack only they were lacking a bit of experience at the international level. "We scored a lot of runs in the last game, but it doesn't mean they are not a good side. Some of them haven't played much cricket. Only Kyle Mills and D a n i e l Ve t t o r i a r e experienced. But the others have the talent to be able to perform at the international level," he said. Asked if he was targeting any particular

bowler, the Delhi dasher said "I am not targeting anyone. I am playing my natural game." He said batting was India's strength and its hard-hitting batsmen were capable to take the total past 300 mark. " We h a v e a couple of hard hitters like Yuvraj (Singh), (MS) Dhoni, (Suresh) Raina and Yusuf (Pathan) who can hit balls out of the grounds. We are expecting quick runs from them," Sehwag said. "If we don't lose wickets early, we can easily score 300 in every game. The new ball is important for us. In the last game we scored 273 off 38 overs. We could have gone on to 350-360 if it had been a 50-over game. Our batting is our strength. If we can play the new ball well, we regularly manage scores of 280-290." Asked if he would like to bowl in the one-dayers, Sehwag said: "If he (Dhoni) gives me a bowl, I would like to. I have asked him a couple of times," he said. On the wickets in New Zealand, Sehwag said it was enjoyable to

play on these tracks. "The wickets have been good. It is flat and hard. The ball is coming on to the bat nicely. I am enjoying it. "When we came here in 2002-03, the ball seamed a lot. There hasn't been too much seam movement or swing so far." On his batting philosophy, Sehwag quipped "When I was growing up, I was playing a lot of 10-over and 15-over cricket. If you are batting for 10 overs, you have to score off all 60 balls. That is why my mindset is like that". "But it's changing now. You must have seen in the last game that I left the first ball very well," Sehwag said. But on a serious note, he said he changed his strategy after playing in Twenty20 matches. “After getting out early in the Twenty20s, I realised I need to stay at the wicket for at least 10-15 overs. If I stay there for 1015 overs, we can put ourselves in a good position to get a big score. I did this in the last game. I am pretty happy with my form," he said. -Agencies

India confident of extending lead against Kiwis Wellington, March 05 India will rely on its high-octane batting to continue their winning ways as they go into the second cricket one-dayer against New Zealand here tomorrow with injured pacer Ishant Sharma's fitness being the only concern. India's batting, which had come a cropper in the T20s, revved up into top gear with Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni serving notice with half centuries in the first ODI at Napier. Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Te n d u l k a r, G a u t a m Gambhir and Yusuf Pathan have also been striking the ball well. Even if two of these celebrated batsmen last out the innings, the Kiwis would find the going extremely tough, despite playing in home conditions. The visitors are also dealing with fitness concerns to paceman Ishant, who is nursing a shoulder injury, but the team management chose to play the cards close to its chest, saying a final decision on the bowler's availability would be taken only before the toss. Though Ishant bowled his arm over in practice, the team management does not seem inclined to risk the lean and mean 20-year-old bowler. India would rather have him 100 per cent fit for the rest of the series. "We will take a decision on him before the match.

We did not let him bowl too much at the nets as it is part of our r e h a b i l i t a t i o n programme. But he is certainly improving," said team doctor Nitin Patel. Ishant's return would empower the Indian attack which had routed the flightless Kiwis at Napier. But if he doesn't, it would perhaps put Dhoni in a predicament. The Indian captain had hinted at a change in guard in the seam attack, obviously disturbed by Munaf Patel's insipid twoover spell at the McClean park. It wouldn't be a surprise if Dhoni replaces Munaf with either Irfan Pathan or left-arm tweaker Pragyan Ojha. New Zealand has its own injury concerns and they have already made it clear that wicketkeeperbatsman Brendon McCullum, who had injured his right hand thumb during the first ODI, would play as a specialist batsman. The home side has also d r a f t e d P e t e r McGlashan, whose sister Sarah plays for New Zealand's women team, as a specialist wicketkeeper in the 13member squad. McGlashan's inclusion means Neil Broom would do the drink man's job for the Kiwis on Friday. Skipper Daniel Vettori realises that if India extend their lead tomorrow, it would be a Herculean task for New Zealand to comeback into the five-match series.

"We need to draw even here. Else, it would become highly difficult for us to get back into the series," Vettori said. Realising it is a now or never situation, Vettori had a ten-minute team meeting before nets at the Basin Reserve this afternoon, calling on his bowlers to put the ball in the right areas. "I am trying to find a balance of being tough on them (bowlers) and patting them. But they need to step up their form and ensure that they put the ball in the right areas. If India produce another a big total, it would bring pressure on our batters," said Vettori. For the record, the teams have clashed in 77 onedayers so far, with India winning 37 and losing 35. If the predicted showers don't disrupt the proceedings tomorrow, India should positively improve on their statistics. Teams: India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Sachin Te n d u l k a r , V i r e n d e r Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Munaf Patel, Prgyan Ojha. New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (Captain), Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Peter McGlashan, Iain O'Brien, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliot, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee. Umpires: Rudi Koertzen and Ewen Watkin. Match starts at 6.30 am (IST).

March 05, 2009

Medley

Times Chennai E-Paper

Antarctic lake could provide clues to life on Mars London, March 05 : Scientists have determined that an unexplored lake, which has been frozen for hundreds for thousands of years beneath Antarctica, could contain “unique forms of life” that give clues to life on Mars. According to a report in Telegraph, buried nearly two miles beneath Antarctica, the unspoilt lake has been “frozen in time” for hundreds of thousands of years, sealed off from the outside world. Scientists believe it may contain tiny life forms that never been seen by humans, whose existence would throw light on how life could develop in other icy environments, including Mars. The team also hopes the exploration of the waters will yield vital clues about climate change and future sea-level rise. Over the next five years, the researchers will develop the technologies needed for exploration of the lake, with funding from

the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). During the 2012-2013 winter season, the research team will go “deep field” into West Antarctica to sample water from the lake in the search of “tiny life forms never before seen” and to extract sediment from the lake bed to find clues as to how the climate has changed over many millennia. Professor Martyn Tranter from the University of Bristol will be analysing some of the water from the lake, looking for signs of life. “We are all very excited at the prospect of seeing what’s going on down there. Any microbes feeding on material at the bottom of the lake will be giving off a particular chemical signature that we hope to pick up in the water,” he said. “If we find anything living beneath

the ice, it will not only be very exciting in itself, but could have implications for life in similar icy environments, such as on other planets,” he added. About the size of Lake Windermere, in the Lake District, the underground pool has been described as “one of the planet’s last great frontiers”. According to Bristol University spokeswoman Cherry Lewis, “It is frozen in time. When we talk about life on other planets we’re talking about mainly micro-organisms, and primarily about the planet Mars. However, some of the other moons have s i m i l a r i c y environments.” “It is possible we will find higher lifeforms down there. It’s a complete unknown at the moment, which is why it is so exciting,” she said. -Agencies

Paramount Airways to fly Kolkata Chennai, March 05 : Paramount Airways the first premium service, all business class airline today announced to launch operations in Kolkata by June 2009, primarily offering direct services to the eastern hub. Paramount Airways will later offer connectivity from Kolkata to other southern destinations. Paramount Airways Managing Director Mr. Thiagarajan met the Chief Minister of West Bengal Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to discuss on the opportunity.

In reference to t h e m e e t i n g , M.Thiagarajan, M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r, Paramount Airways said, “We are delighted that Chief Minister of West Bengal is interested in Paramount Airways starting operations to Kolkata.He has assured us all support in launching our operations and has asked us to also assess destinations like Cooch Bihar, Dibrugarh and Bagdogra.” “Kolkata is a significant destination for us, as we look at

increasing our footprint in the country. The city will be the gateway to other north east destinations” added M. Thiagarajan. Paramount Airways flies to Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, K o c h i , V i z a g , Tiruchirapalli, Ahmedabad, Goa and Pune and operates 52 flights daily carrying over 2600 passengers everyday -Agencies

Page 7

‘Puretta’ Baby Care wipes launched Chennai, March 05 : The Aditya Birla Group recently announced its foray into the baby care segment in India, with the launch of Puretta, 100% natural and biodegradable baby care wipes. Introduced for the first time in India, the Puretta product portfolio includes Complete Cleaning Wipes, Germ Shield Wipes and Skin Nourishing Wipes. These wipes are safe for the baby’s delicate skin as they are alcohol free, hygienic, hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested. Since Puretta (meaning pure and diminutive) is made from Birla Cellulose , a 100%

n a t u r a l a n d biodegradable fibre, it soothes the baby’s tender skin with its soft and nature-friendly properties. Announcing the launch, Mr. Vijay Kaul, Chief Marketing Officer, Grasim Industries Limited, said: “Puretta is t a r g e t e d a t t o d a y ’s mother, who opts for a contemporary and convenient lifestyle, without compromising on giving the best of nature’s care to her baby. With a range of wipes to choose from, she can protect and nourish her baby’s skin in an instant.” Puretta is available in three distinct product variants. ‘ C o m p l e t e

Cleaning Wipes’ can be used to clean the entire b o d y, e s p e c i a l l y recommended for the nappy area to minimize chances of rash. The ‘ Skin Nourishing Wipes’, with moisturizing properties, help keep the baby’s skin soft and nourished through the day. The Germ Shield Wipes’ contain antiseptic properties to protect the baby from germs. Puretta™ is available in easy multi-use carry packs of 40 each, and is priced between Rs.90/- to 130/per pack. It is available at all leading stores in the country, especially baby stores. -Agencies

AIMA MAT to be held on May 3; over 400 B-schools to accept MAT scores Chennai, March 05 Management Aptitude Test (MAT), the MBA entrance exam conducted by All India M a n a g e m e n t Association (AIMA) is going to be held on May 3, 2009. According to AIMA, “Over 400 management institutes are participating in MAT this time." AIMA conducts MAT 4 times in a year in the months of February, May, September and December where lakhs of students avail of this test every year. The objective of MAT is to assess the potential of a candidate to pursue a m a n a g e m e n t programme. Towards that end, the paper tests t h e v e r b a l a b i l i t y,

numerical ability and logical thinking of candidates. The exam will be held in over 90 cities including Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and others. Some of the participating B-schools are Accurate Institute of Management & Technology, Greater Noida; BDS Institute of Management, Meerut; Dr Gaur Hari Singhania Institute of Management & Research, Kanpur; Jagan Institute of Management Studies, Jaipur; Alliance Business Academy, Bangalore and NSHM Business School, Kolkata. The MAT test paper in based on multiple-choice answers

and designed to evaluate a student's general aptitudes on five areas: Language Comprehension, Mathematical Skills, Data Analysis and Sufficiency, Intelligence and Critical Reasoning and awareness of Indian and Global Environment. The duration of the test is typically 150 minutes. There are total 200 questions fielded in MAT exam, where each question has four options. Each question in MAT caries one marks and there will be negative marking for wrong answers. The last date for the sale of the MAT bulletin was April 8, 2009 and the last date of submission of form is April 11, 2009. -Agencies

Belief in God reduces anxiety Toronto, March 05: Belief in God helps reduce anxiety and minimise stress, says a new Canadian study. The study by To r o n t o U n i v e r s i t y researchers says that the brains of believers and non-believers work differently under stress. Belief in God has a calming effect on the brain which helps it block anxiety and minimise stress easily, it says. As part of their study, researchers led by psychology professor Michael Inzlicht performed a Stroop task a test of cognitive control - on participants while hooked up to electrodes that measured their brain activity, a university statement said. Compared to non-believers, religious participants showed significantly less activity in the anterior cingulate

cortex (ACC) of the brain. ACC is that portion of the brain that helps modify behaviour by signalling when attention and control are needed, particularly during anxiety-producing events like making a mistake. The stronger their religious zeal and the more they believed in God, the less their ACC fired in response to their own errors, and the fewer errors they made, the university statement said. "We found that religious people or even people who simply believe in the existence of God show significantly less brain activity in relation to their own errors. They are much less anxious and feel less stressed when they have made an error," said Inzlicht. " T h e s e correlations remained strong even after

controlling for personality and cognitive ability," he said, adding that religious participants made fewer errors on the Stroop task than their non-believing counterparts. Though their findings show religious belief has a calming effect on people, anxiety is a "double-edged sword" which is at times necessary and helpful, he said. " O b v i o u s l y, anxiety can be negative because if you have too much, you're paralyzed with fear. However, it also serves a very useful function in that it alerts us when we're making mistakes. “If you don't experience anxiety when you make an error, what impetus do you have to change or improve your behaviour so you don't make the same mistakes again and again?" said Inzlicht.

Page 8

Times Chennai E-Paper

March 05, 2009

Owned Edited and Published by S. Raghunathan Editorial and Advertisement Office: F 5 and 6 1st Floor, Leo Complex, New No: 41, Madley Road, T.Nagar, Chennai 600 017. Ph: 42867771, 42697393