MADURAI  WEDNESDAY  SEPTEMBER 28, 2022  `9.00  PAGES 14  LATE CITY EDITION NASA’S DRAMATIC SMASH HIT OF SPACECRAFT INTO ASTEROID The collision was intentional and designed to test whether space rocks that could threaten Earth can be intercepted IMPACT EXPECTED TO ALTER ROCK’S ORBIT SCIENTISTS TO KEEP TRACKING DIMORPHOS The US space agency’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) probe smashed into the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, a small body 160 metres in diameter. DART’s camera returned images right up to the moment of impact. Researchers expect the impact to shorten Dimorphos’ orbit by about 1%. Dimorphos orbits a larger 780-metre asteroid called Didymos ■ ■ However, it will take some weeks before scientists on the Nasa mission know for sure whether their experiment has worked Post impact, which happened 11 million km away from Earth, the team will observe Dimorphos using ground-based telescopes to confirm its orbit around Didymos has indeed been altered 22,000 km/hr THE SPEED AT WHICH NASA’S SPACECRAFT CRASHED INTO ASTEROID DIMORPHOS CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Cong carrot and stick to resolve Raj revolt S H A H I D F A R I D I @ New Delhi FAREWELL, FRIEND Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays respects to former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe during the state funeral, at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday Abe, 67, was assassinated by a gunman on July 8. Modi also had a private meeting with Akie Abe, the widow Abe, at the Akasaka Palace Earlier in the day, Modi had a fruitful meeting with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, where they discussed various bilateral issues Representatives from over 100 countries, including heads of state and governments, attended the funeral Chennai Metropolitan Area to be trifurcated, will cover 5,904 sqkm C S H I VA K U M A R @ Chennai THE Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has proposed to trifurcate the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA), currently spread across 1,189 sqkm, into Chennai Metropolitan Area Central — encompassing core city areas — and Chennai Metropolitan Area North and Chennai Metropolitan Area South. The previous AIADMK government has planned to increase the CMA from 1,189 sqkm to 8,878 sqkm making it the second largest city in the country The new DMK govern. ment, however, has decided to rework the plan and extend the city’s metropolitan area to up to 5,904 sqkm. According to sources, a review meeting to be held under Chief Minister M K Stalin on the proposed expansion of the CMA on Tuesday has been postponed to next month, and is likely to be held after pooja holidays (October 4 and 5). The proposed third master plan will not cover the extended areas and separate regional FACTFILE Existing CMA (Central): 1,189sqkm Proposed CMAs North:2,908sqkm Proposed Taluks under CMA North: Gummidipoondi, Ponneri, Uthukottai, Tirutanni (partly), Arakonnam (partly), Tiruvallur, Poonamallee (partly) and Sriperumbudur CMA South: 1,809 sqkm Proposed Taluks under CMA South: Kancheepuram, Wallajabad, Chengalpattu, Thirukalukundram, Thiruporur, Kundrathur (partly) and Vandalur (partly) plans will be prepared for their development, officials said. The Chennai Metropolitan Area North will consist of eight taluks covering an area of 2,908 sqkm spread over Gummidipoondi, Ponneri, Uthukottai, Tirutanni (partly), Arakonnam (partly), Thiruvallur, Poonamallee (partly) and Sriperumbudur. The CMA South will extend over an area 1,809 sqkm . CONTINUED ON: P5 THE Congress leadership on Tuesday tried a carrot and stick approach to deal with Ashok Gehlot’s refusal to hand over Rajasthan chief ministership to his detractor and former deputy Sachin Pilot. While on the one hand senior party leaders engaged the chief minister and continued efforts to persuade him to resign and enter the race for the party president’s post, on the other, the ground is being prepared for taking disciplinary action against Gehlot’s closest ministers Shanti Dhariwal and Mahesh Joshi, who spearheaded the rebellion against signing a resolution authorising interim Congress president Sonia Gan- dhi to appoint a new chief minister after Gehlot’s nomination as a presidential candidate. Sources said senior leaders, including Ambika Soni, are still trying to convince Gehlot to take up party presidency after relinquishing the chief minister’s post. He has been told that the party leadership is ready to put the ugly episodes of Jaipur behind and get on with the organisational elections. Party leaders at Delhi have not lost hope of Gehlot acceding to the high command’s wishes. They did not rule out the possibility of Gehlot visiting Delhi to meet Sonia soon to resolve the differences. Gehlot is not averse to giving up chief ministership and entering the presidential race. SHANTI DHARIWAL: Minister for Urban Development and Housing. Convened meet of MLAs in Gehlot camp at his home on Sunday ahead of the CLP meet scheduled for 7.30 pm. Their numbers swelled from about 25 around 6 pm to beyond 70 later DHARMENDRA RATHORE Very close to Gehlot. State Tourism Development Corporation chairman. He is a political appointee. Was involved in the show of strength against the high command’s diktat But he does not want Pilot as his successor. He says he would hand over the chief ministership to any one from the 102 MLAs who had stayed loyal to the party when Pilot had walked out, but not the latter. While talks were still on with Gehlot, the party leadership de- INDIA NOT IN SYNC WITH G7 PUSH FOR PRICE CAP ON RUSSIAN OIL? Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi INDIA has not had any issue in defence supplies from Russia and might not endorse a price cap on Russian oil, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar indicated after his meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday . “Oil price cap on Russian crude is a G7 initiative,” he said suggesting India may not be on the same page. “Past few months the energy market has been under stress, not so much the pricing but availability is an issue. Our con- cern is that energy market is under stress. Regarding buying of military equipment we have no problem of getting spares from Russia. Where we get our military supplies from is not an issue. We look at possibilities across the berth and exercise a choice which we believe is in our national interest. Having said that, we have also taken military aircraft from US, France and Israel as we have a tradition of multi-sourcing,’’ said Jaishankar. Speaking about the Ukraine war, he said: “We have taken the position privately public, ly confidentially and consist, ently that this conflict is not in anybody’s interest.” Blinken sought to justify the US’ $450 million F-16 aid to Pakistan, saying the programme helps it deal with terrorist threats emanating from Pakistan or from the region. “We’ve a responsibility and obligation to whomever we provide military equipment to, that it’s maintained and sustained,” he said. MAHESH JOSHI: Congress Chief Whip. PWD Minister. Coordinated with loyalist MLAs, asking them to reach Dhariwal's house on Sunday night. Now says AICC observer Ajay Maken misread their actions cided to take disciplinary action against Rajasthan parliamentary af fairs minister Dhariwal, who had called the MLAs to his residence and prevented them from meeting Congress general secretary incharge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken and central observer Mallikarjun Kharge. Besides, a show-cause notice was issued against the party’s chief whip in the state Mahesh Joshi who failed tp make any effort to bring the MLAs together to meet the two central leaders. Dhariwal had also openly accused Maken of trying to persuade MLAs to support Sachin Pilot. He said Maken had come with an agenda to install Pilot who was considered a “traitor” by a majority of party MLAs because of his earlier bid to form a government with the help of the BJP . Sonia had asked the two central observers to submit a report on the Jaipur rebellion. Maken has already termed the behaviour of MLAs in the Gehlot camp as indiscipline. EXPRESS READ Oil leak near fishing harbour in Chennai Chennai: Damage in a pipeline carrying edible oil from Chennai Port to a storage transit terminal has led to massive oil leak near Kasimedu. The leaked oil has filled the stormwater drains and has spread into fishing harbour area. According to TNPCB chief M Jayanti, the quantum of leak is being ascertained Manjappai machines to be rolled out soon Chennai: The final prototype of the vending machine to dispense cloth bags under Meendum Manjappai scheme will soon be launched across the State. The scheme was launched by the CM last December to eliminate the use of banned single-use plastics and revive the use of traditional eco-friendly alternatives | P2 Girl’s death: Parents asked to give phone to CB-CID Chennai: The parents of the Class 12 girl who allegedly died by suicide in Kallakurichi in July are not cooperating with the CB-CID in its probe into her death, Tamil Nadu Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah told the Madras High Court on Tuesday. After Jinnah told the judge that the parents showed the girl’s mobile phone during inquiry but refused to hand it over to the investigating officer, the judge directed the parents to hand over the cell phone to the CB-CID | P4 Common question papers for primary classes spark NEP fears S U BA S H I N I V I JAYA K U M A R @ Chennai IN a first, the Tamil Nadu school education department has started using common question papers in first-term exams for students of Classes 4 and 5 that commenced across the State on Monday . According to officials, the system was introduced to ensure uniformity in assessing learning outcome in students. Usually, question papers are prepared only at school level for primary classes, teachers said. A section of teachers said common question papers may not suit elementary schoolchildren. As the National Education Policy which is opposed by , the State government, envisages common board exams for Classes 3, 5 and 8, some teach- ers said the move may be line with the national policy . “All three term exams have so far been conducted only with question papers prepared at school level. When students are coming to schools after a twoyear gap due to the Covid-19 lockdown, preparation of question papers at school level will help teachers assess children better,” said S Mayil, State gen- eral secretary Tamil Nadu Pri, mary Teachers’ Federation. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in a circular to Chief Educational Officers had earlier said the State-wide question papers will be sent to all districts in CD format and answers would be sent to schools after the exams are over. CONTINUED ON: P5 Isha Foundation can be exempted from green norms: Centre to HC Nadda meets Catholic priests during KL visit Direct Open Univ PG degree valid, rules Madras HC E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Chennai E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Kottayam/T’Puram EVEN as the BJP is making allout efforts to woo Christian voters in Kerala, party president J P Nadda has held a closeddoor meeting with archbishops of two major Christian denominations in the state, triggering speculations. Nadda met Mar Joseph Perumthottam, Archbishop of C h a n g a nassery diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church and Mar Mathew Moolakkattu, A rch b i s h o p of the Kottayam diocese of the Knanaya Church, on Sunday at the Knanaya Church’s Educity campus at Thellakom in Kottayam. Curiously, the meeting occurred soon after the formation of Bharatiya Christian Sangamam, an organisation floated by political and community leaders of various Christian church denominations. Sources said the meeting was part of the BJP’s “confidence building measures” with minorities. Gehlot loyalists in firing line KOVAI KUTTRALAM BECKONS TOURISTS After three months of closure due to incessant rain in catchment areas, Kovai Kuttralam has been reopened for tourists in Coimbatore on Tuesday | S SENBAGAPANDIYAN HIGHEST HONOUR Dada Phalke award for Asha Parekh EXPRESS N E WS S E RVI CE @ New Delhi VETERAN actor Asha Parekh, 79, will be honoured with the Dada Saheb Phalke award for 2020, the highest recognition in the field of Indian cinema. The award is in recognition of her exemplary lifetime contribution to Indian Cinema, said Union Infor mation and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur. President Droupadi Murmu will present the award at the National Film Award ceremony to be held in the national capital on Friday . A five-member jury of Asha Bhosle, Hema Malini, Poonam Dhillon, Udit Narayan, and T S Nagabharana nominated her. Having started acting at the age of 10, Parekh is considered one of the most influ- ential actors of all time in Hindi cinema, who was the highest paid during her heydays. Parekh is best known for her films Dil Deke Dekho, Kati Patang, Teesri Manzil, and Caravan. Also a director and producer, she had helmed the acclaimed TV drama Kora Kagaz. Parekh was given the Padma Shri in 1992. She also headed Central Board for Film Certification from 1998 to 2001. COIMBATORE-based Isha Foundation is eligible for exemption from environmental clearance since the buildings constructed by the foundation were for educational purposes, said the Union government in a submission to the Madras High Court. The averments were made by Additional Solicitor General R Shankarnarayanan before the first bench headed by Acting Chief Justice T Raja on Monday in a plea moved by the foundation challenging a notice issued by the Tamil Nadu government over constructions carried out by it without obtaining environment clearance between 2006 and 2014. The 2014 environment protection amendment rules provide exemption from such clearances to educational institutes, industrial sheds, and hospitals, Shankarnarayanan said. The purpose of the exemption was to prevent harassment and to strike a balance, the ASG said. The State government in January had issued a notice and initiated prosecution against the foundation on the ground E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Madurai that it had failed to obtain the mandatory environmental clearance under the Union Government’s Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 for constructions made on its premises. The foundation had moved the HC against the notice, contending that amendments were made to environment rules to exempt educational institutes, industrial sheds, hostels, and hospitals from such clearances. The 2014 amendment granted retrospective exemption to educational institutes and the State government’s action was illegal, the foundation had said in its petition. Advocate general R Shunmugasundaram had submitted that while the State had already initiated proceedings against Isha Foundation, it was for the Centre to clarify on the issue of exemption. THE Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has upheld the validity of an Open University PG degree got without completing UG course and said that universities, government and job-providers must work in tandem so that candidates who complete education and seek jobs are not hassled. If a course is not acceptable for any job, such a course should not even be offered, the court said. Justice S Srimathy made the observations while hearing the petitions filed by A V Vahitha Begum who had challenged the cancellation of her appointment as Special Officer Grade I in Annamalai University and modification of the same into Lab Attender. Vahitha’s appointment was cancelled on the ground that she had acquired her master’s degree without completing bachelor degree. The judge said such issues arose due to lack of proper policy decisions. CONTINUED ON: P5