Special grants to check sea erosion

Chief Minister chairs review meeting at the new District Offices Complex

Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said on Sunday that the State government would provide special grants to check sea erosion in the coastal districts, in the State Budget next fiscal. He was chairing a district-level review meeting at the newly built District Offices Complex here.

Mr. Gowda said that the special grants would be in addition to the funds provided by the Union Government. A sum of Rs. 60 crore had been sanctioned for the construction of a fisheries harbour at Hejmady. He directed the officials to dispose of all pending files in their departments in 10 days.

The State government had given Rs. 800 crore to repair roads under the Public Works Department (PWD). Of the amount, Rs. 15 crore had been given to Udupi district, he said.

Kaup MLA Lalaji Mendon said that people of Padur opposed the second phase of crude oil storage facility of Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) in their village.

Superintendent of Police Y.S. Ravi Kumar said that a survey had been conducted by a central agency without any permission from the district administration.

Mr. Gowda said that no survey should be undertaken for the second phase of ISPRL.

An appropriate decision could be taken only after the pros and cons of the issue were examined. He had given a direction to the district administration in this regard, he said.

Mr. Gowda said that the vacant posts in the three taluk panchayats of the district would be filled. His government had given a special grant of Rs. 175 crore to the taluk panchayats in the State. An additional grant of Rs. 1 crore would be given to all the three taluk panchayats in Udupi district.

Since the presidents of the three taluk panchayats in the district had complained that they did not have vehicles, the government would provide the same to them soon, Mr. Gowda said.

When the meeting was informed that 60 per cent of drinking water work was pending, Mr. Gowda directed the officials to give priority to it. It should be completed by January 17.

2G scam: Supreme Court grants bail to five corporate executives

 The Supreme Court has granted bail to five corporate executives who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the 2G spectrum scam.

A surety of Rs. 5 lakh is to be given by each of the accused. The Central Bureau of Investigation can move the Supreme Court if it feels the bail is misused.

The executives - Unitech Wireless' former MD Sanjay Chandra, Swan Telecom's Director Vinod Goenka and Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's executives Hari Nair, Gautam Doshi and Surendra Pipara - had been in jail for over seven months. They are expected to walk out of Tihar Jail later today or tomorrow, depending on when their lawyers complete the necessary paperwork.

"I most humbly thank Hon'ble Supreme Court for granting me bail. I am also deeply touched by the support extended to me from all my employees, lawyers , friends and members of the media. I reiterate that I am committed to cooperating in the trial and hope that finally justice will be done, & my innocence proved," said a statement from Mr Sanjay Chandra.

The Supreme Court's decision acted as sentiment booster for the companies these officials represented.

Stocks of DB Realty, Unitech and Reliance Communications were trading higher despite a market crash today. DB Realty has plunged 45 per cent since the arrest of Mr Goenka.

Unitech stocks have tanked nearly 50 per cent since the arrest of Mr Chandra who headed Unitech Wireless when he was arrested seven months ago. RCom stocks have fallen nearly 34 per cent since the arrest of the three executives.

This is the first instance of accused persons being granted bail in the 2G case. On December 1, the Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear the bail pleas of eight other accused, including DMK MP Kanimozhi. They have challenged the Special Court's November 3 order denying them bail. But in the wake of today's order, their lawyers have approached the High Court seeking advancement of their bail plea hearing.

The five corporate executives were arrested on April 20. On November 1, the apex court had reserved its order on their bail pleas. The CBI had opposed their bail.

The five accused had moved the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court and trial court orders turning down their bail pleas. The accused, who have been charged under various offences under the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, contended that they should be granted bail as the charges have already been framed and there was no chance of them tampering with the evidence.

The verdict was delivered by Justice H L Dattu who had heard their arguments along with CBI's submission opposing their bail pleas.

Other accused in the case include former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi, former Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura and Raja's former private secretary R K Chandolia.

Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa, his cousin Asif Balwa and their colleague Rajeev Agarwal have also been booked in the case.

Three telecom firms - Reliance Telecom Ltd, Swan Telecom and Unitech (Tamil Nadu) Wireless Ltd - have also been named accused in the case.

All the accused have pleaded that they have not done anything wrong and refuted the charge of drawing illegal benefits in allocation of 2G spectrum.