Rebel-zone cops walk to save life

Policemen in Andhra’s Naxalite zones prefer walking to a jeep ride, not to slim down but to stay alive.

Four-wheelers are being shunned in police stations in at least 100 rebel zones for fear these will be the target of landmine attacks. Only 700 of the state’s 1,559 police stations have four-wheelers. Few of the 207 vehicles provided recently have gone to those in rebel zones.

“Naxalites are targeting police personnel moving in four-wheelers. Landmines are a big threat to the police teams travelling in jeeps and buses along the Andhra-Orissa border, the Khammam-Chhattisgarh border, north Telangana and Nallamala,” a senior police officer said.

The preference in these areas is for private cars and sometimes two-wheelers. The degree of caution is greater during combing operations, when policemen often walk. If a vehicle must be taken, main roads are avoided.

A senior intelligence officer confirmed the aversion to vehicles. “Though the state government allotted funds (for jeeps) under the police modernisation scheme, policemen (in rebel areas) are just not ready to use vehicles.”

Leash on zoo squatters

Squatters near one of Mumbai’s green zones seem to have hit a dead end.

Bombay High Court recently rejected the rehabilitation plea of around 10,000 slum-dwellers in Ketakipada, on the border of Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

The group could have been prompted to approach court by the government’s move to give alternative tenements to the squatters in the Borivli park before 1995.

In their ruling, Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice A.P. Deshpande said the scheme couldn’t be extended to fresh applicants even if their claims were “genuine”.

The court held that “if every day new applications (for rehabilitation) emerge, it will be difficult to implement the (earlier) court orders”. The government had offered a scheme to provide alternative tenements, for Rs 7,000 each, to the squatters who settled before 1995.

Kids at centre of green drive

Delhi turned over a new leaf, after years of pollution. Now, it seems it is time to credit those behind the feat.

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit singled out schoolchildren for their efforts, saying they had stuck to their resolve to plant a million saplings every year. The city is now said to be among the world’s greenest capitals.

The children had made contributions to over 2,000 eco-clubs set up in education institutions.

This month, the chief minister will visit New York to showcase this achievement and tell people abroad about the drive that made Delhi green and pollution-free.

Eighteen agencies have been involved in the project. This includes 32 “forests” (stretches of uninhabited greenery) which has ensured clean air.

Dikshit also lauded army personnel, who planted over 7 lakh saplings over a five-year period. Free saplings are given from more than 500 retail centres.

This includes the outlets of Mother Dairy, petrol pumps, Kendriya Bhandars (chain of government-run grocery stores).

Terror shield

The shadow of terror has triggered a security boost for over 300 key installations in Karnataka, some in Bangalore.

The state government recently said it planned round-the-clock security for 352 such facilities, including power stations, dams, national highways and bridges. Of these, 52 have been identified as “most vulnerable”.

The intensified protection will cost the state an additional Rs 30 crore each year, home minister V.S. Acharya said. A panel has suggested a security plan.

Mumbai: This Tuesday (Oct. 14), you could watch Baramasi, a Hindi play about the dreams, expectations, disappointments and failures in the rural societies of the 1960s. The venue is Prithvi Theatre, on Church Road, Juhu. Two shows, at 6.30 and 9.30pm. You can call 26149546.