Jamshedpur Archives - Page 2 of 2

Jharkhand ATS nabs Al Qaeda suspect from railway station in Jamshedpur

Source: hindustantimes.com

Jharkhand police’s anti-terrorist squad (ATS) has arrested suspected Al Qaeda in Indian Sub-continent (AQIS) terrorist Kalimuddin Mujahiri, who had been absconding for more than three years, officials said in Ranchi on Sunday.

The most wanted terror suspect, a madrasa owner, was picked up by a special team of ATS from Tatanagar railway station in Jamshedpur late on Saturday night and rushed to Ranchi.

“He has been changing locations and appearances continuously to dodge the police. We had formed special teams which have been keeping an eye on him and tracing his possible locations,” Murari Lal Meena, additional director general of police (ADGP, operation), said while speaking to HT.

“As soon as we got a tip-off that Kalimuddin had come to his home in Azad Nagar, Jamshedpur, our team arrested him from Tatanagar station last night,” Meena said.

“He was absconding for the last three years and this (his arrest) will help us in cracking the AQIS network in Jharkhand and also other parts of the country,” he added.

Kalimuddin and his son Huzaifa were believed to have fled to Bangladesh or Nepal after being released by Jamshedpur city police in 2016. They were released after some local leaders in Mango area of the city assured the police that they will produce them in a police station whenever required.

“Kalimuddin has been visiting Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and South Africa apart from brainwashing youths and mobilising them to join AQIS in Jharkhand, Asansol, Kolkata, Gujarat, Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh,” Meena said.

“He has close links with arrested AQIS top recruiters Abdul Rahman Ali Khan Katki alias Haider alias Masood and Jamshedpur-based Abdul Sami alias Ujjair alias Hassan. Katki always stayed in Kalimuddin’s home or madrasa and used it as a hideout often,” he said.

Katki was arrested by Delhi Police’s special cell from Odisha’s Cuttack in December 2015 and Sami from Nuh in Haryana in January the next year.

Syed Md Zeeshan Ali Haider, also from Mango, was arrested in Delhi on August 10, 2017, after being deported from Saudi Arabia. His brother Syed Md Arshian Ali is believed to have joined ISIS in Syria.

Katki, Sami and Zeeshan are lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi.

Kalim is the ninth in the list of suspected AQIS operators in India and fourth from Jharkhand against whom proclaimed absconder order was issued by the courts so far.

ATS sources said another wanted terrorist Abu Sufiyan from Chatra has been traceless for long and believed to have been in jail in Syria after allegedly joining ISIS.

Kalimuddin’s son Huzaifa also studied at Katki’s madrasa near Cuttack where ATS and Delhi Police special cell claimed that host of young men from Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal were brainwashed to join AQIS.

ATS had attached the property and belongings of Kalimuddin in September 2017 in Azad Nagar and his madrasa Jamia Mohammad Bin Abdullah Madrassa where AQIS chief operator Katki used to stay during his city visits since 2001.

The court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) in Jamshedpur had issued the proclamation order declaring Kalimuddin a proclaimed absconder on September 23, 2016, under section 82 of criminal procedure code (CrPc) on a plea by Jharkhand ATS.

Earlier, a special designated court in Delhi had issued the proclaimed absconder order against eight suspected AQIS terrorists, including three from Jharkhand. Zeeshan, Arshian Ali and Abu Sufiyan from Misraul under Tandwa police station in Charta district of the state were among them.

Two more operators Ahmad Masood Akram alias Monu and Raju alias Naseem Akhtar are currently in Ghaghidih jail.

Jharkhand’s director general of police (DGP) Kamal Nayan Choubey congratulated ATS superintendent of police A Vijaya Laxmi and her team for successfully tracing and arresting Kalimuddin.

“This has reiterated the relevance of our ATS and STF and their penetration in carrying out their challenging jobs. This success will go on to help us break the terrorist network in Jharkhand and elsewhere,” said Choubey in his message.

Jharkhand: Tata Steel deploys women engineers at Noamundi mine

Source: timesnownews.com

Jamshedpur: Tata Steel has deployed women mining engineers at its Noamundi mine in Jharkhand in all shifts, according to a company release. The company has recruited 10 women officers from across disciplines including mining, electrical, mechanical and mineral processing, it said.

“Tata Steel is the first company in India to deploy women in all shifts in mines; and OMQ (Ore, Mines & Quarries) division becomes the first division in Tata Steel to deploy women in all shifts with effect from September 1, 2019,” the release issued here said. Earlier, Tata Steel had started two shifts at its Jamshedpur plant’s shop floor for women employees on April 1, it added.

Fifty-two women employees were deployed at its coke plant and electrical repair shopfloor in shifts ‘A’ and ‘B’ between 6 am and 10 pm through the week.

“In line with the company’s target of having 20 per cent women officers in the workforce by 2025 and the recent modifications in the law, the human resource management division and the raw material division have undertaken an initiative called ‘Women @ Mines’.

“This initiative will focus on four aspects namely communication, amenities, recruitment of women: officers and non-officers, and Tejaswini 2.0. This follows the Central government’s decision (vide Gazette notification dated January 29, 2019) to exempt the women employment in any mine above ground and in any mine below ground from the provisions of Section 46 of the Mines Act, 1952,” the release said.

Vice President, Raw Materials, Tata Steel, Arun Misra, said, “We are extremely happy to deploy women in mines. We respect uniqueness of individuals to create a diverse and inclusive workforce by having access to a wider talent pool. We are enhancing our facilities to recruit more women in all sections of our mines.

“There is a clear business case for employing women in mines as it leads to generation of new innovative ideas and perspectives, added Misra.

The release said that all the norms stipulated by the Directorate General Of Mines Safety (DGMS) are being adhered to ensure effective deployment of women at the mines. It added that a written consent from each women employee has been obtained prior to the deployment.

Adequate facilities and safeguards regarding occupational safety, security and health of the female employees have been considered and arranged for. A slew of measures including sanitary vending machines, canteens for women, rest rooms, deployment of women in groups of not less than three in a shift, female security guards, transportation facilities, and more are being put in place to aid the process. A set of robust security measures, including GPS & CCTV monitoring, have been implemented, it said.

Ranchi to get supply from Aug 23; Jamshedpur next, from Sept 8

Source: hindustantimes.com

Around 3,000 households in Ranchi’s Mecon Colony will get piped cooking gas supply from August 23 while over 2,000 households of Jamshedpur will receive the same from September 8, GAIL officials said .

The Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), which has been carrying out the infrastructure development and pipeline work from last one year, is preparing a roll-out the project in Jharkhand’s two biggest cities. It would benefit over 5,000 households in the initial phase.

“We have received the launch date for Ranchi on August 23 and September 8 for Jamshedpur. Pipeline connections have been provided to 3,000 households in Ranchi, while 2,000 in Jamshedpur,” said GAIL executive director (eastern region), KB Sinha.

“Two CNG stations, one at Khukri in Doranda and another at Madhuban (Ormanjhi), will also be inaugurated on August 23 in Ranchi. Since the CNG and PNG will be transported from Patna through cascading system, it might be little costlier in Ranchi. However, the GAIL’s Ranchi authority is yet to announce the rates of the gases,” he said. A cubic metre PNG costs around Rs 31, while as one kilogramme of CNG costs around Rs 61 in Patna. The GAIL officials said, PNG price would be more or less same in Ranchi , while CNG might cost Rs 8 to Rs 9 higher in Ranchi than Patna.

The prices, however, will drop after the Centre’s ambitious Jagdishpur-Haldia and BokaroDharma gas pipeline projects reach Ranchi.

The main gas pipeline would reach Ranchi through Chatra, Hazaribag, Bokaro and Ramgarh. It will cover 551-km in Jharkhand comprising 362 villages in 12 districts.

As per the calculation of GAIL, PNG would be 6% to 10% cheaper than LPG, and CNG would be around 40% cheaper than petrol and 25% lower than diesel.

In a meeting with Jharkhand chief minister, Raghubar Das, and union petroleum minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, in Ranchi on Tuesday, the progress of the city’s gas distribution was discussed. Pradhan said, the gas pipeline projects in two cities would be started by first week of September.

The GAIL has set the target to cover 30,000 households in Ranchi and 25,000 households in Jamshedpur in next five years.

In Jharkhand, merely 18.9% households use clean energy such as LPG and electric kitchen appliances, while 81% are still dependent on wood, coal and cow dung cakes for fuel in kitchens.

The national average for usage of clean energy in household is 43.8%, Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) officials had said during a road show in Ranchi in January this year.

The CNG-run vehicles are expected to lower down the vehicular pollution in Ranchi and Jamshedpur. However, operation of such vehicles would take some time, as mere two CNG stations would not serve the purpose, experts said.

Ranchi Metro a must but where’s the will

Source: telegraphindia.com

The proposed monorail/metro project for Ranchi, which chief minister Raghubar Das had announced in November 2015, has been struck off from the priority list of the government ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Ministers and members of the BJP tasked with the job to highlight the achievements of the government ahead of the crucial polls no longer broach the sensitive topic of “Metro Rail”.

The central government, which was supposed to provide funds for the project, has also rejected the state’s proposal on technical grounds but residents feel that monorail or metro railway is the need of the hour for better public transport in the state capital.

“In the next three decades Ranchi is bound to expand because of the growing population but the government has not taken any step for planned development of the capital. The main city is spread over a few square kilometres but people are gradually settling down in the fringes of the city. In such a situation, metro rail would have served future purposes. Now, the Jharkhand High Court and the Assembly are being shifted outside the city limits and people will require a rapid transport system,” said city-based contractor Arun Kumar Mishra.

Ranchi entrepreneur Chandra Bhushan Jha, however, feels metro is not feasible for a city like Ranchi that is growing vertically.

“Patna will soon have metro railway but we don’t even have proper city bus services. A bus fleet was purchased under JNNURM to improve urban transportation but most of these buses are in bad shape because of lack of maintenance. Metro is indeed required since Ranchi has the worst traffic system but the big question is whether we have enough space within the city to execute the project,” said Jha.

Sidharth Tiwary, a business consultant, however, feels otherwise.

“Three cities of Jharkhand — Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad — have been categorised as tier-II cities. Trade, commerce and industry in Ranchi is expanding. Inter-connectivity of districts should be priority for the government now. Urban development remained pivotal for the government and a number of good works were done by Das but I am surprised why the government did not take up the metro railway project,” said Tiwary.

State urban development minister C.P. Singh, who also holds the additional charge of transport, said the project had been aborted on technical grounds.

“We had submitted a proposal to the Centre but it was rejected on technical grounds. In future I don’t think neither monorail nor metro railway would be taken up for Ranchi. We don’t have sufficient land in the city to start the project. People want facilities but they won’t part with land. Even in executing small projects we face problems and protests. To commission a project the government is forced to use force and then attract criticism. Without public cooperation it is impossible to start a mega project like this,” minister Singh said.

He added that the urban development department had identified government land at Dubalia to set up the Transport Nagar but people had started protesting against the project.

“Like at Bajara, the department had identified government land to execute a housing project for the poor, but we have been facing protests. In fact, the government drags its foot from any project fearing people’s protest,” said Singh.

Ranchi Metro a must but where’s the will

Source: telegraphindia.com

Ministers and members of the BJP tasked with the job to highlight the achievements of the government ahead of the crucial polls no longer broach the sensitive topic of “Metro Rail”.

Ranchi entrepreneur Chandra Bhushan Jha, however, feels metro is not feasible for a city like Ranchi that is growing vertically.

Sidharth Tiwary, a business consultant, however, feels otherwise.

State urban development minister C.P. Singh, who also holds the additional charge of transport, said the project had been aborted on technical grounds.

He added that the urban development department had identified government land at Dubalia to set up the Transport Nagar but people had started protesting against the project.

Company cements ties with 5 villages of Angara block near Ranchi

Source: telegraphindia.com

Two anganwadi centres in Angara block of Ranchi district have received a bright makeover, and three more in the block will do so, thanks to the corporate social responsibility activity of a cement company.

ACC Cement under its CSR has taken the onus to revamp all five anganwadi centres — the mainstay of mother-and-child healthcare in rural areas — in Angara block.

Recently, chief minister Raghubar Das’s principal secretary Sunil Kumar Barnwal inaugurated two revamped centres in Soso and Nawagarh villages, appreciating the innovative work.

Under the ACC Cement project, the so far the two buildings have been completely renovated, painted and given a bright look with graphics on walls to help women and children get a feel-good experience. Walls are painted with alphabets, animals, birds and graphics on child nutrition, cleanliness and care tutorials. Bright colours have been used.

Jamshedpur based architecture firm Espacio is implementing the project.

ACC Cement CSR head (Chaibasa) Pranav Arya said their main idea was to do something for rural kids and their mothers.

“These are very important centres as they act as the first playschool for rural kids and the place where mothers get contraceptive counselling and supply, nutrition education and supplements. But they look very shabby. So we conceptualised the idea to upgrade them and give them a new look. We wanted to something for children and their mothers in rural areas, and upgrading anganwadi centres seemed to be a good idea. We have also built a Panchayat Bhavan hall in Nawagarh,” Arya said.

While the Soso and Nawagarh anganwadi centres have been revamped, those lined up for a similar makeover are the centres in Obar, Rangamati and Harabera.

Director of Espacio, Kalyan Kumar Patra, said they wanted to make the centres “happy places that mothers and kids love to visit”.

“Anganwadi centres are meant for mothers, toddlers and young children so we wanted to make the spaces warm, inviting and informative too. So after the mandatory painting, we went all creative, painting figures, alphabets, solar system and pictorial graphics on walls with bright colours,” Patra said.

A woman of Nawagarh, Surbari Sit, who is the mother of a four-year-old, said she felt happy at the new-look anganwadi. “It’s so cheerful. It feels good to see all these colours in front of you. Children love looking at colours and cry less,” she laughed.

30 steel companies down shutters, Tata Motors on a closing spree

Source: hindustantimes.com

Industries in and around Jamshedpur– particularly in Adityapur Industrial Area (AIA) housing auto ancillaries – are facing tough time with series of block closures in Tata Motors from past month because of market slowdown. So much so that about 30 steel sector companies were on the verge of closing down while about a dozen downed their shutters from Thursday.

Hit with recession in the automobile sector, Tata Motors has gone for block closure for the fourth time since last month – this time from Thursday to Saturday, besides Sunday being a holiday. The company has also opted for separation of 12 days (asked to sit in house) for over 1000 Y-6 (temporary) workers. Permanent employees will rejoin duty on August 5 whereas Y-6 workers have been asked to rejoin on August 12.

Tata Motors had to take series of block closures due to sluggish market demands. There was production for only 15 days per month for the last two months. Union sources said the company has orders for only a week’s production in August. This has resulted in limited work in about 1000 auto-ancillaries dependent on Tata Motors in AIA.

On the other hand, the ‘exorbitant’ power tariff hike has hit the steel sectors with induction furnaces – where electricity is an essential raw material – resulting in the closure of about 30 companies. In fact, over a dozen such companies have started downing shutters from Thursday.

“Recession in auto sector is nothing new…It comes every two-three years. I met Tata Motors Plant Head today who said that the company might have to take another block closure of 3-4 days after which things would normalise. We expect things to be back on track after September. The company has got 40% less orders for its vehicles this July compared to corresponding month last year. Some of our companies are working in limited capacity while some have opted for maintenance work,” Inder Agrawal, president, Aditaypur Small Industries Association (ASIA), told HT today.

Agrawal confirmed that 25-30 steel sector companies have downed their shutters after state government exorbitantly hiked power tariff by 38% with effect from April this year. “The production cost has spiraled… They have no other option but to close down,” said Agrawal.

The JBVNL – supplier to most companies in Kolhan – tariff of Rs 5.50 per unit is the highest when compared to cheap rate of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and Jamshedpur Utility and Services Company (Jusco), the two other power suppliers.

DVC supplies power to steel sector industries in Giridih, Ramgarh, Patratu, Deogarh and Ranchi. As a result, the companies are producing ingots at much cheaper rate. However, Jamshedpur and Adityapur-based industries bear the brunt of high JBVNL tariff of Rs 5.50 per unit. “DVC charges Rs 2.95 per unit while Jusco rate is Rs 3.50 per unit of power consumed. The government should withdraw the tariff hike immediately and also strictly implement scrapping of 15-year-old vehicles to boost both the sectors,” added Agrawal.

Laghu Udyog Bharti (LUB) president Rupesh Katiyar said about 1000 companies in Jamshedpur, Adityapur and Dhalbhumgarh were affected with the recession and power tariff hike, rendering over 30, 000 direct and indirect workers jobless.

“We demand the government to waive off the fixed charge for power or cut down the tariff hike and request the banks to support the industries at this hour of crisis. If we fail to pay loan instalments for three months, our accounts will turn NPA. How will we pay loan when we don’t have money to pay salary to our workers?” asked Katiyar.

Jharkhand blood donors oppose card fiat

Source: telegraphindia.com

The state government’s decision to abolish the system of issuing blood against donor cards will adversely impact the smooth system of donations, voluntary outfits of the steel city feel.

Blood banks in Jamshedpur, which received the letter from Jharkhand State Aids Control Society (JSACS) on Sunday, have already implemented the May 30 directive issued by M.K. Baranwal, project director of JSACS and member-secretary of State Blood Transfusion Council.

At present, Indian Red Cross Society, Voluntary Blood Donors Association (VBDA) and others contribute 75 per cent of the annual requirement of Jamshedpur Blood Bank. These organisations have been working towards increasing their contribution to 100 per cent.

But the directive is expected to impact the number of donation camps and lead to a decline in stocks in blood banks.

Members of the Red Cross society and donor associations are scheduled to meet JSACS officials in Ranchi on Thursday.

The government directive states, “… the system of issuing donor cards for supply of blood without replacement to the blood donor or another person on behalf of the blood donor should not be practised by any blood bank.”

Henceforth, donors would not get identity cards from blood banks. The cards come with a serial number, donor’s name, blood group and telephone number. These cards helped blood bank maintain records and check on the number of donations.

Experts believe that not issuing donor cards would lead to severe consequences. With donations coming down, cancer and thalassemia patients, in need of regular blood transfusion, would be at risk.

Usually organisations get donor cards for half the number of blood units collected at a camp. “If donors cannot help someone in need, why will they donate? Those who donate blood or organise donation camps don’t expect anything in return. In fact, organisers of camps hand over donation cards to cancer or thalassemia patients or accident victims,” said Bijay Kumar Singh, the secretary of Indian Red Cross Society.

On an average, Jamshedpur city collects 54,000 units of blood a year, catering to the Kolhan region and cancer patients who come from neighbouring Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar.

“We have been working very hard since 1985 to step up blood donations by raising awareness levels and holding camps. The steel city has now developed its own system and we will not let anyone destroy it. We have, however, already told donors to not expect donor cards,” said association president Sunil Mukherjee.

Kalpavriksha Foundation felt the directive would be meaningful only when the government could boast of a perfect healthcare system with state-of-the-art blood banks in every city, district and block.

“We only have Jamshedpur Blood Bank catering to so many patients. Even then there is shortage in summers. We are writing to governor Droupadi Murmu to withdraw the directive,” said foundation director Arun Singh.