WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00 |LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P10 SENSEX 75,838.36q1,235.08 WEATHER SMOG/SHALLOW FOG LIKELY IN THE EVENING/NIGHT. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 22 AND 11 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 95 % TEMPERATURE P5 23,045.30q299.45 Min: .10.6 °C SUN SETS 17:52 hrs MOON SETS 11:49 hrs THUMBNAILS Sadhus take rest at their tent during the ongoing MahaKumbh at Sangam in Prayagraj on Tuesday.n ANI At least 66 dead and 51 injured in a hotel fire at a ski resort in northwestern Turkey: A fire raged through a 12-story hotel at a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkey early Tuesday during a school holiday, killing at least 66 people — at least two of them when they jumped from the building to escape the flames, officials said. The fire occurred near the start of a twoweek winter break for schools, when hotels in the region are packed. (Page 9) ` vs $ 86.59 GOLD 81,855.00 14 Maoists killed in Chh’garh gunbattle Those killed Include Maoist Central Committee member Jayaram BHUBANESWAR, 21 JANUARY S ecurity forces have dealt a significant blow to the Maoist insurgency in the dense Dandakaranya region along the ChhattisgarhOdisha border. In a meticulously coordinated operation, forces from both states killed over 14 Maoists, including Jayaram alias Chalapathi, a Central Committee member and one of the most wanted insurgents, carrying a Rs 1-crore bounty. The encounter began on Sunday evening in the Kulhadighat area within Mainpur police station limits in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district. It is still ongoing with sporadic exchanges of fire. “The casualty tally in the Maoist camp is expected to rise. We will confirm the final count only after our personnel return from the mission," Gariyaband SP Nikhil Ashok Rakhecha told The Statesman. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai lauded the security personnel for their courage and commitment, stating: “This success strengthens the resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to eradicate Maoist insurgency by March 2026.” The elimination of Jayaram marks a significant milestone in the fight against Maoist insurgency. Known for orchestrating several high-profile attacks in the region, his death is expected to create a leadership vacuum within Maoist ranks. While over 14 bodies have been recovered so far, security forces are continuing to comb the area in an effort to track down any remaining insurgents who may have Known for orchestrating several highprofile attacks, JayaramÊs death is expected to create a leadership vacuum within Maoist ranks. fled during the gunfight. Personnel from the Gariband Operation Group E30, COBRA 207, CRPF Battalions 65 and 211, and the Special Operations Group (SOG) from Odisha’s Nuapada participated in the operation. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the forces launched an offensive in Kulhadighat, a Maoist stronghold, on 19 January. Several senior Maoist cadres are believed to have been neutralised in the operation, delivering a significant blow to the insurgent hierarchy in the region. The recovery of sophisticated weaponry, including auto- India welcomes neutral expert's ruling on Indus Water Treaty STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE matic SLR rifles, ammunition, and intelligence materials, underscores the scale of the Maoist network. The incident came days after security forces killed at least 18 Maoists in a major operation in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur, including Bade Chokka Rao, also known as Damodar, the secretary of the CPI (Maoist)’s Telangana cadre. With the elimination of key Maoist leaders, security forces are now focusing on consolidating their gains and intensifying counterinsurgency operations. “Theintelligencematerials recovered from the site will be thoroughly analyzed to further dismantle Maoist networks,” a senior police officer stated. Additionally, heightened surveillance in bordering regionsisbeingimplemented to prevent cross-border insurgent movements, particularly from Odisha and neighbouring states. Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh government is intensifying developmental initiatives in Maoist-affected areas to curb recruitment and foster public trust in state institutions. SILVER 1,04,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 78.86q1.93 RG Kar case: Bengal govt moves Calcutta HC seeking death penalty STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MALDA/KOLKATA, 21 JANUARY West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday reiterated her discontent with the life sentence awarded by the court to the accused in the RG Kar rape and murder case, calling it a grave injustice. Speaking at a public distribution programme in Malda, she criticised the judgment for not categorising the case as one of the "rarest of the rare crimes." Her statement came not long after the West Bengal government approached Calcutta High Court, challenging the special court's verdict sentencing erstwhile civic police volunteer Sanjay Roy, convicted in the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, to life imprisonment. “I was shocked by the judgment,” Miss Banerjee said, adding: "I am a lawyer myself and have studied law. How is this not a rarest of the rare crime? It is a sensitive and heinous act. If such criminals manage to escape, what message are we sending? Law must not offer such protection to perpetrators." She emphasised the need for stricter punishments, including the death penalty, State Advocate General Kishor Datta approached the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi seeking the "death penalty" for the convict. The division bench has admitted the petition. to deter future crimes. "What is life imprisonment? Criminals can be released on parole. We must ensure exemplary punishment to prevent such incidents," she added. Earlier on Tuesday, State Advocate General Kishor Datta approached the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi seeking the "death penalty" for the convict. The division bench has admitted the petition from the state government. After the court pronounced the quantum of sentence on Monday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced that the state government would approach Calcutta High Court challenging the verdict. She also said the state government will be seeking the "death penalty" for the convict. Saif back home after discharge from hospital MUMBAI, 21 JANUARY Actor Saif Ali Khan has reached his residence at the Satguru Sharan apartment complex in Bandra West on Tuesday, after being discharged from Lilavati Hospital. Mumbai police have recorded the actor's statement about the attack on him at his residence, five days ago. As the actor returned to his residence in a car, a large number of people including his fans and media persons gathered outside his residence, where he was stabbed by an intruder five days ago. Earlier on Tuesday, his wife Kareena Kapoor had reached the Lilavati Hospital to accompany him home after his discharge. She was accompanied by security and police personnel. A panel of four doctors recommended that he continue resting for several more days to ensure a full recovery. The medical panel said that while he is able to walk and talk, his complete recovery and healing will take about a month, especially the area on his back where he was stabbed. SNS DJOKOVIC DEFEATS ALCARAZ Ratle hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir, are differences falling within his competence under the treaty. New Delhi said it has been India’s consistent and principled position that the neutral expert alone has the competence under the treaty to decide these differences. Having upheld his own competence, which comports with India’s view, the neutral expert will now proceed to the next (merits) phase of his proceeding. This phase will culminate in a final decision on the merits of each of the seven differences, it noted. The MEA said that being committed to preserving the sanctity and integrity of the treaty, India will continue to participate in the neutral expert process so that the differences are resolved in a manner consistent with the provisions of the treaty, which does not provide for parallel proceedings on the same set of issues. For this reason, India does not recognise or participate in the "illegally constituted" Court of Arbitration proceedings, it said. ''The Governments of India and Pakistan also remain in touch on the matter of modification and review of the Indus Waters Treaty, under Article XII (3) of the treaty,'' it said. Novak Djokovic of Serbia runs to play a forehand return to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday. n AP (SEE PAGE 12) Trump 2.0 begins with slew of executive orders AGENCIES WASHINGTON, 21 JANUARY US President Donald Trump repealed dozens of former President Joe Biden’s actions, began his immigration crackdown, withdrew the USA from the Paris climate accords, and hundreds of people for their roles in the 6 January 2021, attack on the US Capitol, as he began the first day of his new term with a flurry of executive orders. Some of his orders were delivered on promises he made during the 2024 campaign. Others, like the withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), came as a surprise. As he had promised repeatedly during his election campaign, Mr Trump pardoned hundreds of people for their roles in the 6 January attack on the US Capitol. The act effectively wipes away legal consequences for all but 14 P12 The MEA said the decision upholds and vindicates India’s stand that all seven questions that were referred to the neutral expert, in relation to the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir, are differences falling within his competence under the treaty. NEW DELHI, 21 JANUARY India on Tuesday welcomed the ruling of the World Bankappointed neutral expert that he is competent to address certain issues related to projects under the Indus Water Treaty, in what is being seen as a setback to Pakistan. "The Neutral Expert has issued a press release on 20th January 2025 on his competence to address certain issues related to projects under the Indus Waters Treaty. India welcomes the decision given by the Neutral Expert under Paragraph 7 of Annexure F to the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960," the Ministry of External Affairs said. The MEA said the decision upholds and vindicates India’s stand that all seven questions that were referred to the neutral expert, in relation to the Kishenganga and P4 SHISHIR ROY CHOWDHURY/ MANOJ KAR Min. 45 % Max: 24.0 °C (+3.7) (+3.1) SUN RISES 07:13 hrs MOON RISES 01:37 hrs NIFTY KERALA ASSEMBLY ADOPTS KOHLI SET FOR RANJI TROPHY RETURN RESOLUTION AGAINST AFTER 12 YEARS UGC REGULATIONS MILIND DEORA SEEKS AUDIT OF IMMIGRANTS IN MAHARASHTRA ‘INDIA’S SPACE ECONOMY PROJECTED TO TOUCH $44 BN IN NEXT DECADE’ DAY 1 ACTS 4Signing 26 executive orders on his first day in office 4Pardoning hundreds for their roles in the 6 January US Capitol attack of the nearly 1,590 people charged over the riot, while others will be released from federal prison. Mr Trump signed various orders aimed at reshaping how the United States manages immigration and citizenship. Reversing several immigration orders from Joe Biden’s presidency, he declared a national emergency at the US-Mexico border and said he plans to send US troops to help support immigration agents and restrict refugees and asylum. Mr Trump also temporarily suspended the US Refugee Admission Program, and pledged to restart a policy that forced asylum seekers to wait over the border in Mexico. He has also promised a mass deportation operation involving the military, which he says will target those he called “criminal aliens." Mr Trump signed an order immediately withdrawing the US from the Paris Climate Accord, removing the world’s 4ÂRestoring biological truthÊ: Redefining gender roles 4Pausing the TikTok ban in the USA 4Withdrawing from the WHO and Paris climate agreement 4ÊRenamingÊ the Gulf of Mexico biggest historic emitter from global efforts to fight climate change for the second time in a decade. The move places the United States alongside Iran, Libya and Yemen as the only countries in the world outside the 2015 pact, in which governments agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Mr Trump has signed an order for the United States to exit the World Health Organisation, insisting Washington was unfairly paying more than China into the UN body. Mr Trump also said the global health agency had mishandled the Covid19 pandemic and other international health crises. The move means the US will leave the United Nations health agency in 12 months and stop all financial contributions to its work. Platform to allow trading of shares before listing soon: Madhabi Puri Buch STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 JANUARY SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch on Tuesday said the capital market regulator is actively considering a platform to allow share allotees in a public issue to trade in the security even before the formal listing. She was speaking at an event and said that the focus is not on determining the "right price" of an IPO but ensuring that investors have access to all necessary data to assess whether the price is appropriate. "I think the test that all of us put on every IPO document that comes is that if we were the investor and we were reading the document, particularly the section on pricing, is there enough information there which will help us to assess whether this is a good price or a not-so-good price? So that is the test," she said. "Between the three days when the shares are allotted to the time the shares start trading, there is a lot of curb trading," Buch said. If investors want to do this, why not give them the same opportunity in a properly regulated space, she added. "The shares may not have started trading on the markets, but the person might have been allotted those shares, so he has the entitlement for those shares.” She reiterated that SEBI's role is not to intervene in pricing, a responsibility explicitly removed when the Controller of Capital Issues (CCI) was replaced by SEBI under the Act of Parliament. The Controller of Capital Issues was the market's regulatory authority, and derived power from the Capital Issues (Control) Act, 1947. Ms Buch also discussed the regulations introduced for non-profit-making companies and their Key Performance Indicator (KPI) disclosures. "Our logic is, are you giving enough information to the audit committee or to the investors for them to make up their mind on whether they should support a resolution or not," she explained. Ms Buch was speaking at the 13th Edition of the AIBI Annual Convention 2024-2025 in Mumbai.