gaddam@remus.rutgers.edu (Surekha Gaddam) (03/15/91)
News in brief: In Srilanka, investigations have concluded that the deputy defense minister Mr.Ranjan Vijayaratne was killed by the LTTE. This was disclosed by the defense secretary (general) Mr.Ranatunge in Colombo today. Mr.Ranjan Vijayaratne was killed on March 2nd in a powerful bomb explosion in Colombo. Earlier LTTE denied such charges. Several political have begun preparing for the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Fresh alliances are likely to take place. Issues like social justice, stability and secularism are likely to be the major issues on which the elections are going to be fought. The Chief election commissioner Mr.T.N.Sheshan announced that by-elections for more than 50 assembly constituencies will also be held simultaneously. This includes the Meham assembly constituency in Haryana where election was countermanded last year. The V.President Dr.Shanker Dayal Sharma arrived in Maldives on a three day official visit. In Bhutan, the new radio station setup with the assistance of All India Radio(AIR) will function from today. It will be inaugurated by the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan Mr.V.C.Khanna. The entire radio station complex located in Thimpu has been equipped with the state of the art technology provided by the All India Radio. India also provided financial assistance in this venture. The world bank has sanctioned a loan of about 25.07 million rupees to upgrade the drinking water supply and to improve sanitary conditions for the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in the southern state of Andhrapradesh. This was announced by the state civil supplies minister Mr.Venkata Rao in the state assembly. Several train services which were suspended earlier ( ??) will be resumed in phases. Of the 34 trains suspended, the first 15 will resume on the 10th of next April. Narotham Reddy