07022023-TTC-01.qxd 2/7/2023 1:00 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 143 NO. 37 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 APOLOGISE FOR 1971 ATROCITIES: B’DESH TO PAK WORLD /thetribunechd OPPOSITION PARTIES URGE GOVT TO HALT EVICTION DRIVE J&K $1,114 MN TO BE PAID EAM MEETS CANADIAN FOR PLEDGED ADANI COUNTERPART TO TURN SHARES BUSINESS AROUND TIES BACK PAGE tuesday | 7 february 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com send aid, Quake jolts Turkey & Syria, 2,500 dead India to& medical NDRF 7.8 on Richter scale | Multiple aftershocks | Thousands of buildings collapse | Rain, snow hamper rescue ops Adana (turkey), February 6 A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked wide swaths of Turkey and Syria early on Monday, toppling thousands of buildings and killing more than 2,500 people. Thousands were still believed to be trapped under rubble. The toll is expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area. On both sides of the border, residents, jolted out of sleep by the pre-dawn quake, rushed outside on a cold, rainy and snowy night. Buildings were reduced to piles of pancaked floors. Major aftershocks or new quakes, including one nearly as strong as the first, continued to rattle the region. Rescue workers and residents in multiple cities searched for survivors, working through tangles of metal and concrete. A hospital in Turkey collapsed and patients, including newborns, were evacuated from facilities in Syria. In the Turkish city of Adana, a resident said three buildings near his house collapsed. “I don’t have the strength anymore,” one survivor could be heard calling 7.5 MAGNITUDE QUAKE 9 HOURS LATER The quake hit at the depth of 18 km; was centered in southern Turkey, near Syria’s northern border In the first 11 hours, the region felt 13 significant aftershocks Experts studying 7.5 magnitude quake 9 hours after main shock It was strike-slip quake where tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally instead of moving up and down People trying to flee quake-hit regions caused traffic jams, hampering emergency services Turkey had in Jan 2020 seen a major quake of 6.7 magnitude ANKARA KAHRAMANMARAS Turkey Syria DAMASCUS Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 6 The Government of India has decided to send rescue and medical teams with relief material to Turkey. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), in a statement, said search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) would be dispatched immediately. Two teams of the NDRF , comprising 100 personnel, with specially trained dog squads and necessary equipment would be flown to the earthquake-hit area, it said. “Medical teams are also being readied with trained doctors and paramedics with essential medicines. Relief material will be dispatched in coordination with the Turkish government and the Indian Embassy in Ankara and Consulate General office in Istanbul,” the statement read. ASSURING ALL HELP India is ready to provide all possible help … sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Narendra Modi, PM ❝ PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, chaired a meeting in South Block to discuss immediate relief measures. The meeting was attended, among others, by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba. The statement said medical teams were being readied with trained doctors and paramedics along with essential medicines. << Rescue workers search for survivors in Diyarbakir and (L) a man carries an injured child. REUTERS out from beneath the rubble as rescue workers tried to reach him, he said. “Since the debris removal efforts are continuing, we do not know how high the num- ber of dead and injured will rise,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. “Hopefully, we will leave this disastrous day behind us in unity and solidarity as a nation.” The quake, which was centred on Turkey’s southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, was felt as far away as Cairo. It sent residents of Damascus rushing into the streets and jolted awake people in their beds in Beirut. It struck a region that has been shaped on both sides of the border by more than a decade of civil war in Syria. On the Syrian side, the swath affected is divided between government-held territory and the country’s last opposition-held enclave, which is continued on page 9 WORLD POWERS LEND HELP The EU activates satellite to provide emergency mapping services Russia sends 10 military units to clear debris, search survivors Germany preparing delivery of generators, tents and blankets Britain to send 76 search-and-rescue specialists with equipment The US coordinating aid to Turkey, Syria, including rescue teams Adani issue paralyses Parliament for third day, govt engages Oppn Snow impedes efforts to trace BRO worker in HP Mandi, February 6 Inclement weather hampered search and rescue operation for a missing labourer, Passang Chhering Lama (27), a native of Nepal, near Chika on the Darcha-Shinkula road in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal today. It kept snowing throughout the day near Chika and its nearby areas. As a result, teams of Border Roads Organisation and LahaulSpiti District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) could not conduct the rescue operation to locate the missing worker, said officials. An avalanche had hit the three labourers near Chika yesterday when they were clearing snow on the road using a JCB machine. Soon after the incident, a BRO team started a search and rescue operation to locate the missing persons trapped under heaps of snow. But it was too late and the BRO team retrieved two bodies of labourers yesterday. The deceased were identified as Rakesh Kumar, a native of Chamba district, and Ram Budha (19), a native of Nepal. — TNS GAZIANTEP teams for rescue CJI DY Chandrachud administers oath to (L-R) Justices Pankaj Mithal, Sanjay Karol, PV Sanjay Kumar, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Manoj Misra. PTI SC to hear plea against Gowri’s appointment Citing ‘political affiliation’, 3 lawyers have challenged her elevation to Madras HC Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 6 The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a petition challenging the appointment of advocate Lekshmana Chandra Victoria Gowri as a judge of the Madras High Court on the ground of her alleged affiliation to the BJP . A Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud — which had earlier agreed to take it up on February 10 — advanced the date of hearing to February 7 after senior counsel Raju Ramachandran pointed out that the Centre has notified Gowri’s appointment as an additional judge of the Madras High Court. It said the Collegium had IN BRIEF Tension in Bihar dist, social media sites suspended PATNA: The Bihar Government on Monday suspended a number of social media sites in parts of Saran where prohibitory orders were imposed following arson triggered by the killing of a villager. PTI CONTROVERSY OVER HATE SPEECH ■ Petitioners allege Victoria Gowri, ‘who owes allegiance to BJP’, delivered hate speeches against Muslims, Christians ■ Showed disdain towards rights of citizens, violating Article 217(2)(b), they claim ■ CJI had earlier posted the plea for hearing on Feb 10, but advanced it to Feb 7 APPOINTMENT OF 13 HC JUDGES NOTIFIED ■ Five newly appointed Supreme ■ After a rap from the Supreme Court judges were administered oath of office on Monday ■ With this, the SC strength has gone up to 32 against the sanctioned strength of 34 Court, the Centre notified the appointments on Saturday ■ The govt on Monday cleared 13 judges for HCs of Madras, Allahabad, Karnataka INSIDE taken note of “certain developments” after her name was recommended to the Centre. “Since we have taken cognisance of the development, we can list it tomorrow morn- ing,” the CJI said after the petition by three lawyers was mentioned again. Earlier in the day, the Bench had agreed to take up on February 10 the plea challenging Gowri’s appointment. After the case was first mentioned in the pre-lunch session, the Centre’s notification appointing a total of 11 advocates and two judicial officers as additional judges in the high courts of Allahabad, Karnataka and Madras was announced by Law Minister Kiren Rijiju. One of those appointed to the Madras High Court was advocate Gowri. The proposal to appoint Gowri, who has been representing the Centre before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, was mired in controversy over allegations of her affiliation to the BJP and her purported statements against Muslims and Christians. GUWAHATI: Claiming that law was being ‘abused’ in Assam on the pretext of crackdown on child marriage, the TMC, in a letter, sought the intervention of the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court. PTI Odisha Bar members must learn to behave: SC NEW DELHI: The SC has said it would not accept the apologies by members of some Bar associations in a contempt matter related to protests in Odisha, stressing they ‘must learn to behave’. PTI Milestone: LCA naval variant lands on INS Vikrant NEW DELHI: A prototype of the Naval variant of the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) on Monday undertook its maiden landing on board aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. BACK PAGE FM has already addressed the issue: Pralhad Joshi PM will do everything to stall debate on Adani: Rahul Opposition MPs protest in Parliament complex on Monday. PTI FRESH PIL FOR PROBING HINDENBURG REPORT A fresh PIL in the SC has sought a direction to the Centre to set up a panel monitored by a retired judge to probe the Hindenburg Research report which levelled allegations against the Adani Group. INSIDE GLOBAL SHARES SLIDE ■ Global shares slipped after strong US jobs data fanned fears of more hike in interest rate TMC’s Sudeep Bandopadhyay, DMK’s TR Baalu and some other Opposition leaders to break the logjam. Though a section of Congress leaders said the House may start working on Tues- STANCHART SETBACK ■ StanChart refused to take Adani dollar bonds against loan; Quant exited its position in Adani stocks day and may take up the listed discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address to the joint sitting of Parliament, BRS and AAP sources told The Tribune continued on page 9 Haryana mine operators smuggling gravel to R’sthan 50% upsurge in students 107 FIRs SINCE APRIL flying abroad for studies DEEP ■ Since April 1 last year, 107 ille- NEXUS gal mining cases registered in Mahendragarh district ■ 190 vehicles impounded and ~1.36 cr penalty recovered ■ 50% of vehicles involved in illegal mining ending up in R’sthan Ravinder Saini ‘Abuse of law’ in Assam, Trinamool writes to CJ New Delhi, February 6 The Adani-Hindenburg issue rocked Parliament for the third straight day with both Houses being adjourned without transacting any business amid Congress-led Opposition’s demand to discuss the matter suspending every other listed agenda and the government noting that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had already clarified the matter. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi attacked the Congress for constant disruptions and accused it of “not being able to digest that India was being globally acknowledged as a bright spot in the world economy”. From the Congress, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi led the offensive, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi “would do his best to stall a discussion on Adani even though a debate should be allowed for truth to be revealed.” Later in the day, the government, through Joshi and his deputy Arjun Ram Meghwal, reached out to Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, Tribune News Service Mahendragarh, February 6 Gravel and stones mined illegally in the district are being transported to Rajasthan. At least 50 per cent of vehicles involved in illegal mining are ending up in the neighbouring state, information from the Mining Department revealed. Sources said the illegal supply was being done under the cover of darkness to avoid action by the police << Mining underway at a village in Mahendragarh. FILE PHOTO and the mining authorities. They said most of the illegally mined minerals were being taken to Sodawas, Harsoli, Gothari, Tasing, Behror, Pacheri, Mandhan and Kanhawas areas of Rajasthan from Nangal Choudhary, Nizampur and Narnaul in Mahendragarh district. Niranjan Lal, Mining Officer, Mahendragarh, said, “In some cases, we have witnessed a reverse trend as well. There are mining zones in the bordering areas of Rajasthan too. Some cases have surfaced where mined minerals were found to be transported to nearby places continued on page 9 Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 6 A nearly 50 per cent rise has been witnessed in the number of students going abroad for higher studies over the past five years, Union Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. The query was raised by MPs Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Dinesh Chandra Yadav and Santosh Kumar. The numbers have increased from LOOKING FOR GREENER PASTURES 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 5.17 lakh 5.86 lakh 2.59 lakh 4.44 lakh 7.51 lakh 5,17,998 students in 2018 to 7,50,365 in 2022. The student outflow had gone down to 2,59,655 during the peak Covid period in 2020. The count stood at 4,44,553 in 2021. continued on page 9