Patna stampede: Four top officials removed

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
Patna: Patna Divisional Commissioner N Vijaylaxmi and three other top civil and police officials of the district administration were today removed from their posts by the Bihar government, two days after the stampede in the state capital that left 33 dead.

Besides Vijaylaxmi, the three others who were shifted were DIG Patna Range Ajitabh Kumar, Patna District's District
Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, an official notification said.

The transfers were effected even as the state government vowed to punish those responsible for the 'lapses' that led to
the stampede.

Vijaylaxmi has been replaced by Tirhut Divisional Commissioner Narmadeshwar Lal while Upendra Kumar Sinha, the
SP (Railway) in Patna, will take up Ajitabh Kumar's post.

East Champaran District Magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh will replace Verma while Maharaj's Muzaffarpur counterpart
Jitendra Rana will be the new SSP of Patna. Vijaylaxmi and Verma have been asked to report to the General Administration (GA) Department till further orders, the notification said.

Though the latest round of transfers in the police and GA Department is seen as a fallout of the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan on October three, the state government remained tightlighted on the development with a senior
minister merely saying that transfers have been effected to meet requirements of the state administration.

'Notifications have been issued for transfer of a number of IAS and IPS officials....beyond which I would not
like to say anything,' Water Resources Department (WRD) Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told PTI.

'The state government is not going to spare anyone responsible for 'lapses' that led to the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan,' he said.

He said that the probe team would jointly hold a public inquiry at the district collectorate on October 7 to hear
accounts of eyewitnesses and other people willing to depose. The state government would also publish advertisements in
newspapers appealing to the people to share information about the incident, he said.

On the lack of lighting arrangement at the venue on the day of the Dusshera celebrations, Chaudhary said the state
government was aware of the matter, but would await the probe report to act.

The state government has instituted an inquiry and it is being conducted by Home Secretary Amir Subhani and
Additional Director General of Police, Headquarters, Gupteshwar Pandey.

Pandey said the probe would be completed within a week and a report would be submitted to the state government. PTI
KDK DR MD SC GSN

Patna stampede: Four top officials removed

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
Patna: Patna Divisional Commissioner N Vijaylaxmi and three other top civil and police officials of the district administration were today removed from their posts by the Bihar government, two days after the stampede in the state capital that left 33 dead.

Besides Vijaylaxmi, the three others who were shifted were DIG Patna Range Ajitabh Kumar, Patna District's District
Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, an official notification said.

The transfers were effected even as the state government vowed to punish those responsible for the 'lapses' that led to
the stampede.

Vijaylaxmi has been replaced by Tirhut Divisional Commissioner Narmadeshwar Lal while Upendra Kumar Sinha, the
SP (Railway) in Patna, will take up Ajitabh Kumar's post.

East Champaran District Magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh will replace Verma while Maharaj's Muzaffarpur counterpart
Jitendra Rana will be the new SSP of Patna. Vijaylaxmi and Verma have been asked to report to the General Administration (GA) Department till further orders, the notification said.

Though the latest round of transfers in the police and GA Department is seen as a fallout of the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan on October three, the state government remained tightlighted on the development with a senior
minister merely saying that transfers have been effected to meet requirements of the state administration.

'Notifications have been issued for transfer of a number of IAS and IPS officials....beyond which I would not
like to say anything,' Water Resources Department (WRD) Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told PTI.

'The state government is not going to spare anyone responsible for 'lapses' that led to the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan,' he said.

He said that the probe team would jointly hold a public inquiry at the district collectorate on October 7 to hear
accounts of eyewitnesses and other people willing to depose. The state government would also publish advertisements in
newspapers appealing to the people to share information about the incident, he said.

On the lack of lighting arrangement at the venue on the day of the Dusshera celebrations, Chaudhary said the state
government was aware of the matter, but would await the probe report to act.

The state government has instituted an inquiry and it is being conducted by Home Secretary Amir Subhani and
Additional Director General of Police, Headquarters, Gupteshwar Pandey.

Pandey said the probe would be completed within a week and a report would be submitted to the state government. PTI
KDK DR MD SC GSN

Patna stampede: Four top officials removed

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
Patna: Patna Divisional Commissioner N Vijaylaxmi and three other top civil and police officials of the district administration were today removed from their posts by the Bihar government, two days after the stampede in the state capital that left 33 dead.

Besides Vijaylaxmi, the three others who were shifted were DIG Patna Range Ajitabh Kumar, Patna District's District
Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, an official notification said.

The transfers were effected even as the state government vowed to punish those responsible for the 'lapses' that led to
the stampede.

Vijaylaxmi has been replaced by Tirhut Divisional Commissioner Narmadeshwar Lal while Upendra Kumar Sinha, the
SP (Railway) in Patna, will take up Ajitabh Kumar's post.

East Champaran District Magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh will replace Verma while Maharaj's Muzaffarpur counterpart
Jitendra Rana will be the new SSP of Patna. Vijaylaxmi and Verma have been asked to report to the General Administration (GA) Department till further orders, the notification said.

Though the latest round of transfers in the police and GA Department is seen as a fallout of the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan on October three, the state government remained tightlighted on the development with a senior
minister merely saying that transfers have been effected to meet requirements of the state administration.

'Notifications have been issued for transfer of a number of IAS and IPS officials....beyond which I would not
like to say anything,' Water Resources Department (WRD) Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told PTI.

'The state government is not going to spare anyone responsible for 'lapses' that led to the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan,' he said.

He said that the probe team would jointly hold a public inquiry at the district collectorate on October 7 to hear
accounts of eyewitnesses and other people willing to depose. The state government would also publish advertisements in
newspapers appealing to the people to share information about the incident, he said.

On the lack of lighting arrangement at the venue on the day of the Dusshera celebrations, Chaudhary said the state
government was aware of the matter, but would await the probe report to act.

The state government has instituted an inquiry and it is being conducted by Home Secretary Amir Subhani and
Additional Director General of Police, Headquarters, Gupteshwar Pandey.

Pandey said the probe would be completed within a week and a report would be submitted to the state government. PTI
KDK DR MD SC GSN

Patna stampede: Four top officials removed

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
Patna: Patna Divisional Commissioner N Vijaylaxmi and three other top civil and police officials of the district administration were today removed from their posts by the Bihar government, two days after the stampede in the state capital that left 33 dead.

Besides Vijaylaxmi, the three others who were shifted were DIG Patna Range Ajitabh Kumar, Patna District's District
Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, an official notification said.

The transfers were effected even as the state government vowed to punish those responsible for the 'lapses' that led to
the stampede.

Vijaylaxmi has been replaced by Tirhut Divisional Commissioner Narmadeshwar Lal while Upendra Kumar Sinha, the
SP (Railway) in Patna, will take up Ajitabh Kumar's post.

East Champaran District Magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh will replace Verma while Maharaj's Muzaffarpur counterpart
Jitendra Rana will be the new SSP of Patna. Vijaylaxmi and Verma have been asked to report to the General Administration (GA) Department till further orders, the notification said.

Though the latest round of transfers in the police and GA Department is seen as a fallout of the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan on October three, the state government remained tightlighted on the development with a senior
minister merely saying that transfers have been effected to meet requirements of the state administration.

'Notifications have been issued for transfer of a number of IAS and IPS officials....beyond which I would not
like to say anything,' Water Resources Department (WRD) Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told PTI.

'The state government is not going to spare anyone responsible for 'lapses' that led to the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan,' he said.

He said that the probe team would jointly hold a public inquiry at the district collectorate on October 7 to hear
accounts of eyewitnesses and other people willing to depose. The state government would also publish advertisements in
newspapers appealing to the people to share information about the incident, he said.

On the lack of lighting arrangement at the venue on the day of the Dusshera celebrations, Chaudhary said the state
government was aware of the matter, but would await the probe report to act.

The state government has instituted an inquiry and it is being conducted by Home Secretary Amir Subhani and
Additional Director General of Police, Headquarters, Gupteshwar Pandey.

Pandey said the probe would be completed within a week and a report would be submitted to the state government. PTI
KDK DR MD SC GSN

Patna stampede: Four top officials removed

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
Patna: Patna Divisional Commissioner N Vijaylaxmi and three other top civil and police officials of the district administration were today removed from their posts by the Bihar government, two days after the stampede in the state capital that left 33 dead.

Besides Vijaylaxmi, the three others who were shifted were DIG Patna Range Ajitabh Kumar, Patna District's District
Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, an official notification said.

The transfers were effected even as the state government vowed to punish those responsible for the 'lapses' that led to
the stampede.

Vijaylaxmi has been replaced by Tirhut Divisional Commissioner Narmadeshwar Lal while Upendra Kumar Sinha, the
SP (Railway) in Patna, will take up Ajitabh Kumar's post.

East Champaran District Magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh will replace Verma while Maharaj's Muzaffarpur counterpart
Jitendra Rana will be the new SSP of Patna. Vijaylaxmi and Verma have been asked to report to the General Administration (GA) Department till further orders, the notification said.

Though the latest round of transfers in the police and GA Department is seen as a fallout of the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan on October three, the state government remained tightlighted on the development with a senior
minister merely saying that transfers have been effected to meet requirements of the state administration.

'Notifications have been issued for transfer of a number of IAS and IPS officials....beyond which I would not
like to say anything,' Water Resources Department (WRD) Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told PTI.

'The state government is not going to spare anyone responsible for 'lapses' that led to the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan,' he said.

He said that the probe team would jointly hold a public inquiry at the district collectorate on October 7 to hear
accounts of eyewitnesses and other people willing to depose. The state government would also publish advertisements in
newspapers appealing to the people to share information about the incident, he said.

On the lack of lighting arrangement at the venue on the day of the Dusshera celebrations, Chaudhary said the state
government was aware of the matter, but would await the probe report to act.

The state government has instituted an inquiry and it is being conducted by Home Secretary Amir Subhani and
Additional Director General of Police, Headquarters, Gupteshwar Pandey.

Pandey said the probe would be completed within a week and a report would be submitted to the state government. PTI
KDK DR MD SC GSN

Patna stampede: Four top officials removed

________ A to Z kerala .......... [kvk] [www.atozkerala.in , www.atozkerala.blogspot.com]
Patna: Patna Divisional Commissioner N Vijaylaxmi and three other top civil and police officials of the district administration were today removed from their posts by the Bihar government, two days after the stampede in the state capital that left 33 dead.

Besides Vijaylaxmi, the three others who were shifted were DIG Patna Range Ajitabh Kumar, Patna District's District
Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj, an official notification said.

The transfers were effected even as the state government vowed to punish those responsible for the 'lapses' that led to
the stampede.

Vijaylaxmi has been replaced by Tirhut Divisional Commissioner Narmadeshwar Lal while Upendra Kumar Sinha, the
SP (Railway) in Patna, will take up Ajitabh Kumar's post.

East Champaran District Magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh will replace Verma while Maharaj's Muzaffarpur counterpart
Jitendra Rana will be the new SSP of Patna. Vijaylaxmi and Verma have been asked to report to the General Administration (GA) Department till further orders, the notification said.

Though the latest round of transfers in the police and GA Department is seen as a fallout of the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan on October three, the state government remained tightlighted on the development with a senior
minister merely saying that transfers have been effected to meet requirements of the state administration.

'Notifications have been issued for transfer of a number of IAS and IPS officials....beyond which I would not
like to say anything,' Water Resources Department (WRD) Vijay Kumar Chaudhary told PTI.

'The state government is not going to spare anyone responsible for 'lapses' that led to the stampede outside the
Gandhi Maidan,' he said.

He said that the probe team would jointly hold a public inquiry at the district collectorate on October 7 to hear
accounts of eyewitnesses and other people willing to depose. The state government would also publish advertisements in
newspapers appealing to the people to share information about the incident, he said.

On the lack of lighting arrangement at the venue on the day of the Dusshera celebrations, Chaudhary said the state
government was aware of the matter, but would await the probe report to act.

The state government has instituted an inquiry and it is being conducted by Home Secretary Amir Subhani and
Additional Director General of Police, Headquarters, Gupteshwar Pandey.

Pandey said the probe would be completed within a week and a report would be submitted to the state government. PTI
KDK DR MD SC GSN

Vatican begins extraordinary Synod to discuss family life -

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Vatican city: Roman Catholic Church leaders from around the world began a two -week extraordinary Synod to discuss some of the most controversial issues affecting the Church. Pope Francis and more than 200 senior bishops in the Church will be joined by lay Catholics to debate abortion, contraception, homosexuality and divorce. The extraordinary Synod lasts two weeks and a follow-up meeting will be held next year. 

The conference agenda was drawn up after an unprecedented opinion survey of the faithful, ordered by Pope Francis last year, to find out why Rome's teachings are increasingly being rejected or ignored.

Addressing tens of thousands of believers in St Peter’s square on the eve of the synod overnight, Francis said the synod could open the door to a “renewal of the Church and society.” Pope Francis said that he wanted bishops to really listen to the Catholic community. He said he hoped they would have a "sincere, open and fraternal" discussion that would respond to the "epochal changes" that families were living through. 

Since becoming pontiff just over 18 months ago, Francis has repeatedly highlighted the “wounds” caused by family breakdown in modern society, while suggesting the Church needs to adapt to this new reality.

“The wounds have to be treated with mercy. The Church is a mother, not a customs office, coldly checking who is within the rules,” he has said, in an allusion to the many divorced people, cohabiting couples and single mothers within the ranks of the Church.

But a reform agenda on social issues could prove much harder to implement because of deep divisions within the Church, Vatican experts say. Conservatives in the Church hierarchy have already made it clear they will fight any dilution of traditional doctrine. 

500 Gazans visit Jerusalem first time in seven years

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Gaza: About 500 Palestinians from Gaza over 60 years old visited Jerusalem Sunday to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque in the old city for the first time in seven years, officials said.

Hussein al-Sheikh, chief of the Palestinian liaison office with Israel, had earlier said that Israel started a series of steps to ease a blockade which had been imposed on the Gaza Strip for eight years, Xinhua reported.

He said one of the measures is to allow 500 Gazans to pray during Eidul Adha holiday.

The 500 Gazans Sunday morning crossed through Erez crossing point between Israel and the northern tip of the coastal enclave, arrived in Jerusalem, prayed and came back to Gaza in the evening.

Muslims celebrated Saturday their major annual holiday of Eidul Adha, which will end Wednesday.

Four killed, 25 injured in Pakistani firing in Jammu

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Jammu: Four civilians were killed and 25 injured in shelling from the Pakistani side of the India-Pakistan border in Jammu district Monday, Police sources said.

Monday's major ceasefire violations by Pakistani rangers came on a day when Muslims in both India and Pakistan are celebrating the holy Eid-ul-Azha festival.

The police sources told IANS that Pakistan rangers resorted to indiscriminate firing on Indian positions in Arnia sub-sector of the international border in Jammu district during the night, causing death of four civilians and injuries 25 others.

"In one of their most serious ceasefire violations, Pakistan rangers resorted to indiscriminate firing on Indian positions in Arnia sub-sector of international border during the night," a senior police officer told IANS.

"They resorted to mortar shelling and automatic weapons firing in which four civilians have been killed and 25 others injured," the officer added.

"The injured people, most of them civilians, are being evacuated to hospital for treatment. Emergency relief teams have been rushed to the area."

Reports from the area said shelling from the Pakistani side has been so heavy that mortar shells have fallen inside the Arnia bus stand which is more than four km away from the international border.

Panic gripped the border villages in Arnia and other places close to the international border in the district.

According to a source, residents of many villages in Arnia have started migrating to safer places.

Officials of civil and police administration have rushed to ensure that damage to the civilian life and property is minimised.

- 

Tiny creatures balance ecosystem

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Washington: Tiny creatures like earthworms and beetles play a vital role in maintaining grasslands and balancing the ecosystem, a study says.

The results reflect long-term ecological impacts of land use changes, such as the conversion of forests to agricultural land, the researchers said.

'We know these soil animals are important controls on processes which cause nutrients and carbon to cycle in ecosystems, but there was little evidence that human-induced loss of these animals has effects at the level of the whole ecosystem, on services such as agricultural yield,' said lead author Mark Bradford, an associate professor at Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES).

For their study, the researchers assembled 16 bathtub-sized replicas of a Scottish upland grassland and each of the models included the 10 most common plant species.

They introduced earthworms, slugs, and other small creatures to only some of the systems.

There was no change in plant yield or the rate of carbon dioxide loss from the system during the first six months.

'But there were huge changes in the ecosystem processes once the model was continued for 500 days, including productivity of the plants,' said Bradford.

Whereas grass yields were reduced, the quality of the yields was improved after removing the creatures.

'These findings emphasize how interconnected the belowground and aboveground components of ecosystems are, and that different ecosystem processes respond in different ways to the management of grasslands,' noted study co-author Stephen Wood from Columbia University.

'In this case, the loss of soil animal diversity eventually changed the dominant plant species in the meadow ecosystems, and then in turn the productivity of these grasslands and how they responded to agricultural management,' Bradford concluded.

The study appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.