Vartha Bharati

The second de-orbiting maneuver of Chandrayaan -2 spacecraft was successfully carried out early Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organisation said, inching towards achieving a historic soft-landing on the lunar surface.

“With this manoeuvre the required orbit for the Vikram Lander to commence it descent towards the surface of the Moon is achieved,” ISRO said in a statement.

The nine-second de-orbiting or retro-orbiting manoeuvre was executed at 3.42 am using the onboard propulsion system, the space agency said. 

On Tuesday, the first de-orbiting manoeuvre for the spacecraft was carried out, a day after lander ‘Vikram’ was separated from the orbiter.

While Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft continued to orbit the moon at a perigee of 96 km and apogee of 125 km, the Vikram Lander is at an orbit of 35 km perigee and 101 km apogee.

“Both the Orbiter and Lander are healthy,” the space agency said.

It further said that moon lander Vikram is scheduled for a powered-descent between 1 am and 2 am on September 7, followed by touch down of Lander between 1.30 am and 2.30 am.

ISRO Chairman K Sivan has said the proposed soft-landing on the Moon is going to be a “terrifying” moment as the ISRO has not done it before, whereas Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) maneuver was successfully carried out during the Chandrayaan-1 mission. 

Following the landing, the rover ‘Pragyan’ will roll out from ‘Vikram’ between 5:30-6:30 am on September 7, and carry out experiments on the lunar surface for a period of one lunar day, which is equal to 14 earth days.

The mission life of the lander is also one lunar day, while the orbiter will continue its mission for a year. 

India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV MkIII-M1 had successfully launched the 3,840-kg Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft into the earth’s orbit on July 22.

Chandrayaan-2 satellite had began its journey towards the moon leaving the earth’s orbit in the dark hours on August 14, after a crucial maneuver called Trans Lunar Insertion (TLI) that was carried out by ISRO to place the spacecraft on “Lunar Transfer Trajectory”. 

In a major milestone for India’s second Moon mission, the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft had successfully entered the lunar orbit on August 20 by performing Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) maneuver. 

The health of the spacecraft is being continuously monitored from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru with support from Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antennas at Bylalu, near Bengaluru, the space agency has said. 

The orbiter carries eight scientific payloads for mapping the lunar surface and study the exosphere (outer atmosphere) of the Moon while the lander carries three scientific payloads to conduct surface and subsurface science experiments.

The rover carries two payloads to enhance the understanding of the lunar surface. India’s second lunar expedition would shed light on a completely unexplored section of the Moon, its South Polar region.

According to ISRO, the mission objective of Chandrayaan-2 is to develop and demonstrate the key technologies for end-to-end lunar mission capability, including soft-landing and roving on the lunar surface.

On the science front, this mission aims to further expand the knowledge about the moon through a detailed study of its topography, mineralogy, surface chemical composition, thermo-physical characteristics and atmosphere, leading to a better understanding of the origin and evolution of the moon, the space agency had said.

On successful completion, it will make India the fourth country after Russia, the US and China to pull off a soft landing on the moon.

BJP LEADER SWAMI CHINMAYANAND NOT FOUND IN HIS ASHRAM, POLICE TEAM RETURNS FROM HARIDWAR

Vartha Bharati

Lucknow, Sep 3: Acting under Supreme Court’s order, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe charges levelled by a Shahjahanpur woman against former Union minister and BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand.

The SIT to be headed by an IG-rank police officer will look into the two cross FIRs filed in the high-profile case.

A statement issued by the UP Home Department said, “A decision has been taken by UP Chief Secretary RK Tiwari to constitute an SIT, which would be headed by a IG (Public Grievance) Naveen Arora.” 

Directions have also been issued by the state government to include policemen with a clean image in the probe panel.

“This SIT will ensure impartial investigation into the two cross FIRs filed in the Shahjahanpur case and also probe the allegations levelled,” the statement said.

Instructions have been issued to Divisional Commissioner (Bareilly) and Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Ruhelkhand University, Bareilly, to admit the law student and her brother at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Ruhelkhand University, Bareilly or any affiliated college.

Directions have also been issued to the Superintendent of Police, Shahjahanpur to provide adequate security to the law student, her parents and other members of her family, it said.

The move by the UP government comes a day after the Supreme Court directed it to set up an SIT, headed by an IG-rank officer, to investigate the charges levelled by the woman.

The apex court had said that an Allahabad High Court bench will monitor the probe.

The law student had gone missing after levelling allegations against Chinmayanand in a video and was later found in Rajasthan by UP police.

The apex court judges said the woman had raised certain grievances against the institution where she studied and her mother and father had some apprehensions about the safety of their children.

The top court said the Delhi Police will accompany her parents to their residence in Shahjahanpur and the woman will continue her stay in the national capital till September 12.

The matter was listed for further hearing on September 5.

The apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of the case after a group of lawyers had written a letter to the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi urging him to take up the matter.

A local police team, which had gone to former Union minister and BJP leader Chinmayanand’s Haridwar ashram to question him in connection with harassment allegations levelled by a woman law student, did not find him there, police said here on Tuesday.

The Shahjahanpur police had on August 27 lodged an FIR against Chinmayanand after the student went missing following her allegation in a video clip that he had been harassing her. She also spoke about threat to her and her family’s life in the video clip.

Her father had filed a complaint with police accusing Chinmayanand of sexually harassing her, a charge refuted by the BJP leader’s lawyer who claimed it was a “conspiracy” to blackmail him.

The woman’s father had alleged that she went missing at the behest of the 72-year-old BJP leader, who heads Mumukshu ashram. She is a post-graduate student in one of the colleges run by the ashram.

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday announced a list of five candidates for ensuing bypolls to the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has approved the names of five candidates for Uttar Pradesh and one candidate for Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada assembly seat bypoll, the party said.

The Congress has fielded Devti Karma as its candidate from Dantewada-(ST) constituency. 

In Uttar Pradesh, the party fielded Nauman Masood from Gangoh, Dilpreet Singh from Lucknow Cantt, Ranjana Pandey from Manikpur, Neeraj Tripathi from Pratapgarh and Tanuj Punia from Zaidpur.

Tanuj Punia, the son of senior party leader P L Punia, had earlier contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Barabanki parliamentary seat, losing to BJP candidate Upendra Rawat.

The S&P BSE Auto index on the Bombay Stock Exchange fell as much as 2.19per cent at one point of time.

Courtesy: NDTV

Maruti Suzuki’s total sales in the domestic market fell 35.86 per cent to 94,728 vehicles in August.

Auto shares extended losses on Wednesday, tracking negative monthly sales data from major companies. The Nifty Auto index – comprising manufacturers of cars, motorcycles, heavy vehicles, auto ancillaries and tyres – fell as much as 2.21 per cent. Shares in Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra & Mahindra declined as much as 6.42 per cent, 5.45 per cent, 3.78 per cent and 2.38 per cent respectively, and were the top losers on the Nifty Auto index. Bosch (down 1.45 per cent), Bajaj Auto (down 1.15 per cent), Motherson Sumi (down 1.11 per cent) and Eicher Motors (down 0.61 per cent) too were trading with losses.

The S&P BSE Auto index on the Bombay Stock Exchange fell as much as 2.19 per cent at one point of time.

Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Auto and Eicher Motors reported their sales numbers recently. 

Tata Motors reported a 48.41 per cent fall in sales to 32,343 vehicles in the domestic and international markets last month. In a regulatory filing, the automobile maker said its total domestic sales stood at 29,140 vehicles in August 2019, marking a year-on-year decline of 49.06 per cent.

Ashok Leyland reported a 63 per cent drop in total sales of medium and heavy commercial vehicles (M&HCV) in the domestic market during the month of August to 4,585 units from 12,420 units in the previous year.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) reported a 26 per cent decline in domestic sales in August on a year-on-year (YoY) basis.

Bajaj Auto reported a 18.59 per cent decline in total domestic sales of motorcycles and commercial vehicles to 2,08,109 units in August. Eicher Motors reported a 23.74 per cent fall in two-wheeler sales to 52,904 units in the domestic market. Its domestic sales in the trucks and buses segment declined 35.08 per cent to 3,144 units.

At 10:53 pm, Tata Motors, Maruti, Mahindra & Mahindra and Bajaj Auto traded 5.15 per cent, 3.30 per cent, 1.93 per cent and 0.95 per cent lower respectively, as against a 0.28 per cent fall in the benchmark Sensex index.

Eight helicopters have been inducted into the air force in the first batch out of the 22 procured from the US.

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force has added more teeth to its combat capability by inducting eight Apache AH-64E attack helicopters.
 
In a ceremony presided over by the Chief Guest Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa, air chief handed over the keys to the base commander of Pathankot. The First Squadron of the Apache’s is being raised at the Pathankot Air Base, Punjab.
 

Speaking on the occasion Air Chief Dhanoa said, “Apache attack helicopters are being purchased to replace the Mi-35 fleet. Apaches will enhance the capability of the Indian Air Force.” 
 
Talking about the capabilities of the Boeing produced helicopter Air Chief said, “Alongside, the capability to shoot fire and forget ATGM, air to air missiles, rockets & other ammunitions, it also has modern EW capabilities to provide versatility to helicopter in a network centric aerial warfare.”
These aircraft have been modified specifically to suit the exacting standards demanded by the IAF.
 
The order for production, training and support of 22 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters was finalized by the Indian Ministry of Defence in 2015. The Indian government also cleared the acquisition of an additional six Apaches for the Indian Army in 2017. By 2020, the IAF will operate a fleet of 22 Apaches.

The India specific AH-64E Apache completed successful first flights in July 2018 and the first batch of Indian Air Force crew began their training to fly the Apache in the US in 2018.

Boeing has delivered more than 2,200 Apaches to customers around the world since the aircraft entered production and India is the 14th nation to select it for its military.
 
Apache helicopters can also be used for reconnaissance, security, peacekeeping operations, and in attack mode both land and littoral combat environments.
 
IAF is flying helicopters since 1954. Since then there has been no looking back for rotary wings which has proved its mettle. Mi35 in the past played a crucial role. Apache will replace the ageing fleet of Mi35, said Air Chief Dhanoa.

The Health Ministry has asked for feedback from the public on draft Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019

NEW DELHI

Courtesy: NDTV

The development comes three days after a mob killed a retired 73-year-old doctor at a tea estate

Anyone who attacks a doctor at a hospital may be jailed for up to 10 years or fined Rs. 10 lakh, according to a draft bill the Health Ministry has prepared to deal with rising cases of assault on doctors while they are at work.

The development comes three days after a mob killed a retired 73-year-old doctor at a tea estate in Assam because he was not present when a temporary worker died at the estate hospital.

The Health Ministry has asked for feedback from the public on how to improve the draft Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019, which was made public on Monday.

“We want to reduce increasing cases of violence against doctors. We are looking for suggestions on the draft legislation before the bill is finalised. The objections or suggestions may be forwarded within 30 days. The maximum punishment will be 10 years imprisonment with Rs. 10 lakh fine,” said a Health Ministry official, news agency ANI reported.

Cases of people thrashing doctors on duty are not uncommon across the country, especially at crowded state-run hospitals that see thousands of patients every day. The assaults are usually triggered by the death of a patient or what people perceive as lack of attention from doctors.

Doctors and the associations that represent them say they have been unfairly targeted. They have been asking the government to bring in a law to protect them, instead of reacting to incidents with stop-gap measures like posting more guards at hospitals.

“…It has become necessary to prohibit acts of violence, to provide for punishment by making such acts of violence… non-bailable offence and to provide compensation for injury to healthcare service personnel or for causing damage or loss to the property of clinical establishments,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Medical associations have condemned the lynching of Assam doctor Dr Deben Dutta, who had a long, illustrious career. His colleagues say he was a soft-spoken, amicable person.