12022021-TT-01.qxd 2/11/2021 11:13 PM Page 1 13 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | vol.141 no.42 | 14 pages | ~5.00 | regd.no.chd/0006/2021-2023 established in 1881  haryana BIDEN TO XI: WILL ENSURE FREE INDO-PACIFIC REGION WORLD /thetribunechd AMAZON MOVES SUPREME COURT IN FUTURE-RELIANCE DEAL DISPUTE BUSINESS CAA IMPLEMENTATION AFTER VACCINATION: SHAH BACK PAGE /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com friday | 12 february 2021 China to return to Finger 8: Rajnath Says won’t cede an inch | Indian troops to be based at Finger 3 | Pullback in phases Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 11 India and China have started disengaging from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake with a temporary moratorium on patrolling in the areas being vacated by both sides. A meeting of senior commanders within 48 hours of the complete disengagement will sort out the remaining wrinkles in the Pangong Tso sector, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced in the Rajya Sabha today. The Defence Minister revealed specifics of the withdrawal on the north bank which began on Wednesday. The Chinese army will pull back its troops to the east of Finger 8 and Indian troops will be based at their permanent location near Finger 3 area. The area between Finger 3 and Finger 8 will not be patrolled till a AIMING FOR APRIL 2020 STATUS QUO India to move to Dhan Singh Thapa post ■ Structures built since April 2020 PLA to move to Finger 8 MAP NOT TO SCALE on both banks to be removed ■ Temporary moratorium on patrolling in north bank ■ Patrolling to be resumed after pact ■ Next commanders’ meet within 48 hours of total disengagement in Pangong area DISENGAGEMENT PROCESS ■ China to pull back to east of Finger 8 of Pangong lake north bank ■ Indian troops to be based at Dhan Singh Thapa post near Finger 3 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Rajya Sabha on Thursday resolution on future deployment is reached. The bunkers and other structures built by the Chinese army between Finger 4 and 8 will be dismantled. Some outstanding issues regarding deployment and patrolling at some other ■ Area between Finger 3 and 8 to be no-patrolling zone points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh will be the focus of further discussions with the Chinese side. “This agreement will substantially restore the situation to that existing prior to the commencement of the standoff last year,” Rajnath ■ China had built structures between Finger 4 and 8, blocking Indian patrols beyond Finger 4 ■ Withdrawal also in south bank ■ 5 months ago, India occupied strategic heights in south bank said, adding that the aim is to achieve complete disengagement and restoration of status quo. The disengagement will take place in a “phased, coordinated and verified” manner. “I want to remind the House that we have not lost anything,” the Defence Minister declared. “Our approach and strategy has been guided by the resolve that we will not give even an inch of Indian territory. Our tenacity and approach during talks have continued on page 11 edit: disengagement pact Depsang to be tackled next Delhi to renew engagement with Moscow Ajay Banerjee Tribune news Service New Delhi, February 11 India and China’s disengagement process to pull back their militaries from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is expected to be carried out in multiple phases. Along the 823-km LAC in eastern Ladakh, both militaries are eyeball to eyeball at some locations. The disengagement process, which commenced yesterday, is only restricted to both banks of the Pangong Tso, a 135-km glacial lake. It is expected to complete in four weeks. After Pangong Tso pullback, the next phase will include resumption of patrolling limits in certain LAC areas claimed by both sides. Thereafter, the issue of the 900-sq km Depsang plains located north of the Shyok river will be tackled. Located at an altitude of 16,000 feet, the Indian Army occupies a large portion of the Depsang plains while the 3 KEY PRINCIPLES ■ Both sides should strictly respect the LAC ■ Neither side should attempt to alter the status quo unilaterally ■ All pacts must be fully abided FUTURE COURSE ■ Disengagement for now only focuses at Pangong Tso ■ Build-up at Depsang to be taken up in next phase ■ Resumption of patrolling on at least six routes to be sorted out People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China holds its eastern edge. There was a massive build-up by both sides in 2020, which needs to be scaled down. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday about the continued on page 11 No longer farmers’ stir alone: Unions Kuldip Bhatia Jagraon (Ludhiana), Feb 11 Not just farmers, but people from all walks of life attended Punjab’s first “kisan mahapanchayat” here on Thursday. Women too participated in large numbers. Enthused by the massive turnout, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha leader BS Rajewal claimed that the determination shown by farmers camping at Delhi borders had shaken the Modi government, “which is now trying to find a face-saving formula to wriggle out of the mess it created through the agri laws.” READY TO AMEND LAWS, IF NEED BE: CENTRE The Union Government is ready to discuss the new laws with farmers’ leaders with an open mind and to amend these, if necessary, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. NEW LAWS WILL HURT RURAL ECONOMY It’s not a farmers’ agitation but of the country, farmers only showing the way. The new laws will destroy food security system and hurt rural economy. Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha BACK PAGE ❝ He said the agitation had “awakened” the entire nation and the global community too was keenly watching the developments in India. “The government is out to disband the mandi system by allowing free trade of foodgrain so as to leave the farmers at the mercy of big business houses,” Rajewal alleged. He said farmers would hold candlelight marches on February 14 to pay tributes to the Pulwama martyrs and observe February 16 as “kisan-mazdoor day” in memory of Sir Chhotu Ram. Other leaders, SS Dharamkot, KS Sandhu, Manjit Dhaner, Nirbhai S Dhudike, HS Lakhowal and JS Ugrahan, vowed to take the agitation to its logical conclusion. Dhaner claimed it was no longer a farmers’ struggle. “With a majority of people backing the farmers, it has become a mass movement,” he said. Ugrahan exhorted continued on page 11 edit: emulate farmers IN BRIEF Maha Guv denied travel in state plane MUMBAI: Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was denied permission to use a state government aircraft to travel to Dehradun on Thursday, inviting strong criticism from Opposition BJP which sought an apology. — PTI Hry singer booked for cheating Women attend Punjab’s first ‘kisan mahapanchayat’ against the new agriculture laws, held at Jagraon’s grain market on Thursday. Haryana has already held a series of ‘mahapanchayats’. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Follow Indian laws, minister Facing vax shortage, warns Twitter, FB amid row Trudeau dials Modi NDRF personnel carry out rescue operations near the damaged Tapovan hydel project tunnel in Chamoli on Thursday. PTI Scare at rescue site as river level rises again Mukesh Ranjan Tribune News Service Joshimath, February 11 The multi-agency rescue team digging through the debris inside the Tapovan hydro project tunnel in Uttarakhand where 30 to 35 workers are feared trapped had to halt its operation for over two hours after the level of the Dhauliganga river surged temporarily. The toll in the disaster, triggered after an avalanche or a glacier break triggered a surge of water in the Alaknanda river system in Chamoli, had risen to 36 while 168 persons were still missing, said officials. In an apparent change in strategy around 2 am on Thursday, the rescuers had begun an operation to drill through the hardened debris in the choked tunnel rather than just shifting mounds of sludge heaped there by the DRILLING HOLE TOO FUTILE, NO HEADWAY ■ Rescuers tried drilling a hole through the hardened debris of the choked tunnel ■ Aim was to set up a life-saving system to pump in oxygen to the ‘trapped’ workers ■ The drilling was stopped as hard rock obstructed the cutters after 7 to 8 metres of drill flashflood. But as the water level in the river rose, the workers scrambled out of the tunnel with their heavy machinery. The aim was to set up a life-saving system, possibly to pump oxygen into the blocked tunnel, said officials. Chamoli District Magistrate Swati S Bhadauria said the work was temporarily halted as a precautionary measure and resumed around 5.30 pm after assessing the situation. continued on page 11 New Delhi, February 11 Amid a raging war with Twitter which has refused to block several “incendiary” accounts despite notices from the IT ministry, the government today said it was revisiting the guidelines on social media. Minister of Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad said the new guidelines would soon be made public and work was in progress. These would also address privacy issues, he assured. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha earlier, the Minister warned Twitter, Facebook and others against violating Indian laws if they wished to do business here. New Delhi, February 11 Having reduced tensions with China, India will renew its engagement with Russia that will culminate in a visit by Vladimir Putin for a summit meeting with PM Narendra Modi, said sources. South Block is keen on multilateral initiatives with Russia. It will seek to put the India-Japan-Russia trilateral on a firmer footing. A trial run of the Vladivostok-Chennai sea corridor will be followed up by more substantial programmes. India will also be looking to activate its $1 billion line of credit for developing Russian Far East. India is poised to produce the Sputnik vaccine which could hit the market by March-April after approvals. India has earned diplomatic goodwill by despatching vaccines far and wide. BACK PAGE DOUBLE STANDARDS When Capitol Hill is ransacked, the microblogging site (Twitter) stands with them… when Red Fort is attacked, it stands against law enforcement agencies. ❝ Ravi Shankar Prasad, IT MINISTER “What kind of a joke is this? We have flagged this to Twitter and IT officials are in touch with them. When the Capitol Hill is ransacked and the US police take action, the microblogging site stands with them. And when Red Fort in India is attacked, the same site stands against law enforcement agencies? These double standards are not acceptable.” Prasad said the Indian Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression, but Article 19 (A) mentioned reasonable restrictions to this right in matters of national security and sovereignty. “We respect the social media. We also respect the right to continued on page 11 Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 11 A glitch in vaccine imports that left parts of the country uncovered by inoculation compelled Canadian Prime Minister Justin Turdeau to call up PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday night despite a slight strain in ties due to the farmers’ agitation. South Block capitalised on Trudeau having to fall back on India despite strained ties by only highlighting his request for the supply of vaccines. Moments before Trudeau made the phone call to Modi, the Canadian opposition had seized on the breaking down of the vaccine Call despite strain in ties due to farmers’ agitation COVID-19VACCINATION INDIA 74,30,866 4,13,752 47 TOTAL DAY’S COUNT ADVERSE EVENTS supply chain to embarrass the Trudeau government. The MEA said Trudeau had also said if the world managed to conquer Covid, it would be also due to India’s tremendous pharmaceutical continued on page 11 NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing has registered an FIR against Haryanvi singer Sapna Choudhary and others for alleged misappropriation of funds, cheating and criminal conspiracy, officials said on Thursday. — PTI SpiceJet to start A’bad-Asr flight New Delhi, February 11 SpiceJet today said it would start 24 new domestic flights in February from various cities, including Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru. The airline said it would be the only airline to start flights on the AjmerMumbai route and Ahmedabad-Amritsar route. DOMESTIC AIRFARES HIKED The new flights also include four new seasonal flights connecting Jaisalmer with Delhi and Ahmedabad. The Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday hiked airfares, increasing the lower and upper limits on domestic airfares by 10 to 30 per cent. — PTI Chinese exports to US up, Indian traders hit Tension in Karnal after Vijay C Roy Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 11 With Chinese exports to the US rising substantially during the last quarter of 2020, Asian countries like India are facing a shortage of containers. Besides, freight rates on major routes from India have almost doubled as compared to last year. During October-December 2020, Chinese exports to the US increased by 19 per cent ($44,828 million) in value terms as compared to the corresponding period in 2019. China’s total exports expanded 13.5 per cent on year-on-year basis in Decem- Face container shortage, high freight rates CHINA TRADE WITH US (IN MILLION DOLLARS) MONTH October 2019 40,114.9 2020 44,828 November 36,436.6 44,855.5 December 33,665.5 41,875.9 ber 2020, compared with an increase of 25.4 per cent in the previous month. The surge made China number one US trade partner in December last year. It had ranked number three in the same month in 2019. “Since China’s hands are full with export orders, many shipping lines have repositioned their containers in China, leading to an increase in freight rates,” said a source. According to industry experts, containers are stuck in the US even as these are needed in emerging economies such as India. There were reports that shipping companies had rejected US farm exports in the last quarter of 2020 and rather sent empty containers back to China to be filled with more profitable goods since China was paying a premium for it. According to Indian exporters, freight has risen by almost 100 per cent since last year. “The freight rate for a 40ft container to be shipped to New York has shot up to over $3,800 in February this year. The same was $1,900-2,000 last year,” said Anand S Chawla of the North India Steamer Agents Association. Dalit houses vandalised Karnal, February 11 Tension prevailed in Valmiki Basti of Phoosgarh on the outskirts of the city after some youths allegedly vandalised eight houses and set three bikes on fire. Hundreds of police personnel reached the spot and took control of the situation. Basti residents alleged that some upper caste youths, involved in illicit liquor trade, were forcing Dalit youths into it. When they refused, a brawl ensued. Around 3.30 pm, armed youths entered the locality Victims allege bootleggers forcing youths into illicit trade and attacked them, alleged Mainpal, a basti resident. The residents alleged that despite police presence, the accused again arrived in the locality and threatened them of dire consequences. Ganga Ram Punia, SP said: , “We have received a complaint and an FIR will be lodged after investigating the matter.” — TNS