Kanya­kumari harbour to turn reality

Chennai: The demand of the fishermen in coastal Kanya­kumari district for establishing a harbour at Colachel is decades old. Chief minister J. Jaya­lalithaa’s allocation of Rs 87.75 crores after approving the revised project estimates has raised hope among the fishing community that the project would fructify soon.

The issue had echoed in the state Assembly on several occasions when Congress legislators raised the issue demanding that the state government initiate steps to pave way for developing a natural harbour in the historic town of Colachel, which is in existence since 1920.

At one stage, an exasperated Congress member J. G. Prince, who could not withstand the delay in commissioning the project, stood up and appealed to Jayala­lithaa to take a personal interest and ensure the project materialised.

The Chief minister promptly assured that the project would be taken up and also reminded him that the state government had to fund several major projects despite little help from the Centre on the financial front.

In the absence of good berthing facilities, over 1,500 mechanised boatmen of this tiny town on the west coast have been depending on Kerala ports and port at Rame­swaram for berthing. Some of them had even switched operations to neighbouring states and this often led to territorial disputes.

Lalu Prasad to be taken to jail today

Ranchi: A CBI court in Ranchi on Monday found all 45 accused including RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav guilty in the multi-crore fodder scam.
Special CBI judge Pravas Kumar Singh delivered the verdict. 475 page verdict was in seven parts. Quantum of punishment to be announced on October 3.

Lalu Prasad Yadav will be taken to jail today. The verdict in the fodder scam to have a bearing on Bihar politics, as the RJD chief stands disqualified as a Lok Sabha member. As per a Supreme Court order that an MP or legislator would stand disqualified immediately if convicted by a court for crimes with punishment of two years or more.

There was heavy security in the Ranchi court ahead of the verdict. RJD supports were seen going to temples and mosques seeking blessing for the RJD chief. Lalu Yadav's son Tejaswi Pratap had earlier said that the verdict won't affect the party and it will continue to function under his guidance.

Prasad and 44 others have been charged with fraudulent withdrawal to the tune of Rs 37.7 crore on fake fodder bills from Chaibasa treasury in the 1990s in a case lodged by CBI. Chaibasa was then part of undivided Bihar.

Accompanied by son Tejaswi Pratap and a host of party colleagues, 65-year-old Prasad on Sunday reached Ranchi to be present in the court.

Besides the RJD supremo, other accused persons include former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra and JD(U) MP Jagdish Sharma.

The government later promulgated an ordinance to undo the apex court order, prompting opposition BJP to allege that it had been done to protect Congress member in Rajya Sabha Rashid Masood, who was recently convicted in a corruption case and also Prasad in case he is indicted in the fodder scam.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has, however, slammed the ordinance as "complete nonsense" which should be "torn up and thrown away," leaving its fate uncertain.

The ordinance is likely to be withdrawn after the cabinet meet on October 2.