India News

Varanasi: Apart from functioning round the clock as a cremation ground, the ''Manikarnika Ghat'' is also a source of income for many families.

Everyday, at least four hundred funerals take place at the Manikarnika Ghat, which stands out for its mythological importance.

"Souls of the people cremated here attain salvation as soon as their remains are immersed in holy Ganges," claimed Saidvagish Dutt Mishra, a priest practicing on the ghat.

It provides steady income to the priests and others.

"Families are exclusively dependent upon the earnings from the funeral processions on the cremation ground. Funerals provide livelihood and the families could even conduct marriages from the income coming directly from the crematorium." Said Gajanan Chowdry, a conductor at the cremation ground.

People even take half burnt wood for use at home.

“We take wood to the crematorium and then prepare the pyre. We wait for the incineration to complete and if some wood is left partly combusted we take it to our household to use it as fuel." said Ramchandar a labourer.

Source ANI

Imphal: With militancy affecting almost all aspects of life in Manipur, educational institutes too have been forced to close down for an indefinite period.

 

These institutes have been closed since September 9, snf it is now being feared, that thousands of students may lose an academic year as a result.

 

To discuss this grave situation and to bring about a resolution, a meeting under the aegis of “All Manipur Recognized Private Schools’ Welfare Association” was organized in Imphal recently.

 

Guardians and teachers from various educational establishments attended the meeting.

 

Participants at the meeting government and agitating student bodies to re-open all educational institutions immediately.

 

 “The lives of students will be affected due to the closing down of schools. We, the teachers are really worried about it. All of us must take up some measures to solve the problem. This meeting is dedicated to discussing this problem,” said H. Bira Sing, President, All Manipur Recognized Private Schools’ Welfare Association.

 

“Students are the foundation of the society. Now that they aren’t going to school, they are sitting idle at home which will lead them to take up unwanted activities,” added Romtia, Teacher with the Royal Academy of Science.

 

The prolonged indefinite closure has affected the students, teachers, other staff members of schools and even the van drivers, as salaries have also been put on hold.

 

School staff and parents are worried that the required syllabus will not be completed in time for the annual examination.

 

“This is harmful to the student community. Students are not turning up in colleges even though teachers are present. Because of the boycotting of class, we cannot cover required syllabus,” said Th. Lokendro, Principal of the Imphal College

 

“Children haven’t been going to school for the last 2-3 months. It is a sad situation. They are staying at home without proper education,” said Gangarani, a parent.

 

The meeting also resolved to launch movements like sit-in-protests, mass rallies and surrendering of recognition certificates by private schools in case regular classes are not allowed to resume.

 

However, following the continuous appeals made by different sections of the society, a few schools located in different parts of Thoubal district have reopened and students have resumed attending classes.

Source ANI

Tirupati: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chief K. Radhakrishnan said here on Saturday that India is developing the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) to enhance the capability of the country to be a competitive player in the multimillion dollar commercial launch market.

 

Addressing the Andhra Pradesh Science Congress here, Radhakrishnan said: "We are working on a new launch vehicle development GSLV Mark III which is expected to be flying in the coming years. And a major milestone in the development is going to be the static testing of the systems.”

 

“We could realize the world''s third largest propellant boosters H200 with 200 tonnes of propellants mixed in India, in a plant which is mostly automatic, which is situated in Shreeharikota with our own technology, with the ingredients coming from the Indian Industry based on our technology," he added.

 

GSLV Mk III is conceived and designed to make ISRO fully self reliant in launching heavier communication satellites of INSAT-4 class, which weighs 4500 to 5000 kilograms.

 

The vehicle envisages multi-mission launch capability for GTO, LEO, Polar and intermediate circular orbits.

 

In his address Radhakrishnan also noted that ISRO is giving stress for the development of miniature satellite system involving Indian Universities.

 

“Today our universities are enabled to make satellites of 1kilogram and 6 kilograms class. This is one of our major thrust for the future,” he said.

 

In August, students of the Indian Institute of Technology, (IIT) Kanpur had developed a Nano satellite, ''Jugnu'' under the guidance of ISRO.

 

The satellite weighs less than three kilograms and consists of advanced functionalities that other normal satellites have. The payload of satellite would include a camera, designed with complete indigenous technologies, in the purpose of near remote sensing.

 

There would be a GPS receiver and finally the satellite will transmit blinking signal while making the rounds over the earth. The Nano satellite is scheduled to be launched by the ISRO in December.

Source ANI

Belgaum (Karnataka): Cash-strapped carrier Air India will be receiving its first tranche of equity of eight billion rupees by December, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Saturday.

“We are looking at equity infusion of 8 billions to Air India in the next two months. That would be initial tranche and as we have said we would be monitoring the monthly progress before we move into the next tranche of giving equity support,” Patel said.

He added that a decision would be taken on relaxing the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector, after assessing the needs of the industry.

In October, Patel had said that government would back Air India with up to 50 billion rupees if the carrier made the same amount through cost cuts and other measures, a proposal, which was protested by unions.

The airline declared a loss of billion dollars in the financial year March 2009, while in September, around 400 Air India executive pilots went on mass sick leave for four days to protest pay cuts, resulting in more than 200 flights being cancelled and the airline losing more than one billion rupees.

Source ANI

Mumbai: A Mumbai Police team will go to the United States to gather more information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about terror suspect David Headley''s alleged role in plotting the terror attacks on Mumbai.

 

They said, they are conducting a parallel inquiry into Headley''s terror activities and it is inevitable for them to fly to the US to get substantial evidence about his role in the 26/11 terror attacks.

 

Earlier, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had registered a case against Headley and his accomplice Tahawwur Husain Rana.

 

The NIA is probing both Rana and Headley''s role in various terror strikes in the country, including 26/11 attacks.

 

Meanwhile, the Kerala Police is looking into reports that Kochi was one of the places visited by Headley before 26/11.

 

Kerala Director General of Police Jacob Punnoose said the state police is verifying reports, including those in the media that Headley had stayed in a hotel in the city.

 

Punnoose added that the state police are also verifying documents at the airport on arrival of foreign passengers by domestic and international flights for the last three years.

Source ANI

New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil met children at her official residence in New Delhi on Saturday on the occasion of the 120th birth anniversary of India''s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Patil encouraged the children to lead the nation and make it proud.

“These children have to do a lot of work in the future, as they are the ones who will take this nation on the path of progress. They have to do proud to their family, society and the nation. Now, the children have to taken care of the nation," Patil said.

Meanwhile, Home Minister P Chidambaram attended a cultural function in the capital city.

Hundreds of dancers wearing traditional attire performed on stage on singing traditional folk songs.

HRD Minister Kapil Sibal also graced a cultural event to encourage young children.

Born in 1889, Nehru joined the freedom struggle at a very early age. A close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, he was imprisoned several times for political activities.

Under Nehru, an advocate of scientific method and modern technology, India made giant technical, industrial and social advances.

An ardent democrat and an internationalist, Nehru, along with President Nassar of Egypt and President Tito of undivided Yugoslavia, founded the Non-Aligned Movement.

Nehru was the Prime Minister from 1947 to 1964.

Source ANI

Candolim (Goa): Celebrated fashion designer Wendell Rodricks exhibited his superb collection of whites, Bossa Nova (new trend) and the Cubist here on Friday.

The Wendell Rodricks ''Earth Goddess collection'' showcased attires of coarse hand spun cotton, viscose jersey and silk.

The clothes of eco-friendly collections were treated to the colours of guava leaf, pomegranate, local plants and indigo, said Rodricks.

"There are three collections with three distinct parts. One is the white that I am known for, which has actually come from one section of the Delhi show. Then we are doing one part which is the eco-friendly part where we have used natural dyes in basically tones of green and this kind of brown, grey and then we finally go on to this Bossa Nova (new trend) style of Brazilian music. And finally we end with a cubist collection, which is the collection that is based on cubist motifs, even the sea horses that are on the garments are made in squares and the air bubbles are also in the square," said Rodricks.

In the BOSSA NOVA Collection, Rodricks used the sensual rhythm and fluid melody based on Brazil''s languid, lounge style music Bossa Nova, as the fundamental theme.

''The Cubist'' collection displayed modernity and visionary translation of the original Cubism artists at the dawn of the last century.

Model-turned Bollywood actress Minisha Lamba was the showstopper of the show and appeared excited about the event being held in the backdrop of the sea.

"I have admired his clothes from a very long time. But this is actually first time I''ll be wearing his creation. And it''s definitely not going to be the last time; this is only the first... that''s going to start a whole series of me wearing his clothes. And it''s fantastic to do it in Goa. I don''t think I have ever seen a fashion in India where you have a sea as the backdrop, it''s a rarity," said Lamba.

Goa-based designer Rodricks is known as the ''Guru of Minimalism'' and has led the way to eco-friendly resort wears in the country.

Source ANI

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): The three-day International Film Festival, showcasing 15 international documentary flicks by distinguished filmmakers across the globe, began here on Friday (November 13).

The event, which is being jointly organised by a Srinagar-based NGO, Experimental Moving Images and Theatre Association (XMITA) in association with the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, is expected to be the real treat for filmmakers and citizens of the valley who often live under the shades of terror.

Flicks like ''Khayal Darpan'', a film exploring the progress of classical music in Pakistan, ''The Lightning Testimonies'', a film reflecting the past clashes in the subcontinent through experiences of gender hostility, ''Bronx Princess'', a film on an American-born Muslim girl in look for her identity and many others are being screened during the event.

Afshana Rasheed, a local, said that such film festival would encourage filmmaking among the youngsters here.

"We are feeling good because of the trend that is setting in Kashmir. Visually, we have lot of talent here with reference to theatre and all these things. So this (film festival) will promote the local talent and local youth. And after seeing the interest of the people inside the theatre, I liked that and I am feeling good that youth are thinking something different apart from going into a particular field," said another resident of the valley, Afshana Rasheed.

Peerzada Gulam Nabi, another local said that such events will educate about the culture and music of other countries.

Ali Emran Kureshi, a member of the organising committee said the endeavor of the film festival is to encourage intelligent cinema in Kashmir.

"The ideology of our NGO, Experimental Moving Images and Theatre Association, is to promote intelligent cinema in Kashmir and as far as Kashmir is concerned, here there is virtually no film industry and we hope it will grow in the future. So we are trying to shape the film industry of Kashmir into an intelligent cinema and not into entertainment or commercial cinema," said Ali Emran Kureshi, a member of Experimental Moving Images and Theatre Association.

Discussions pertaining to films would also be held at the festival.

Source ANI

Thrissur (Kerala): An engineer from Mumbai has designed and developed a remote operated mechanism to control the violent elephants in the state.

Zachariah Mathew with his son conducted the trial run of the device here on Thursday amidst the mahouts and elephant owners.

The duo has named the device ''''Violent Elephant Control Gear'''' and it has been manufactured at their engineering firm in Mumbai.

This device weighing only 8 kilograms can be attached to an elephant''''s legs and can be controlled from a distance of over 25 meters with the help of a remote.

Zachariah Mathew said that he developed the device after seeing the number of deaths due to elephant rampage in the state.

"Last year I saw in TV that in an area of Kerala, three people died of elephant rampage. So we developed this machine. The advantage of this device is that if an elephant becomes violent, then it can be controlled with the remote from a distance of about 25 kilometers. The elephant will be unable to move its legs after that," said Mathew.

The remote control gear expenses around Rupees 30,000.

Elephants are used for temple festivals in southern India, particularly in long processions.

Elephants are deeply respected in India, with the elephant-headed god Ganesha one of the most popular in the Hindu pantheon.

But despite their divine status, hundreds of elephants continue to be ill treated and overworked at illicit circuses and temples, where they spend 9-10 hours carrying tourists and locals.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said that Indian intelligence officials who had gone to the US to gather information from the FBI about the US terror suspect David Headley’s terror designs have come back with "good information".

"The team had a good visit. They have come back with good information," Chidambaram told reporters in New Delhi.

Officials from Intelligence Bureau and RAW undertook to the US last week to obtain details of the terror plan of Headley.

Chidambaram refused to share more details, saying investigations are still underway.

"This is not a cricket match which gives a ball-by-ball description. Investigation is on and once the investigating agency completes investigations, we will share whatever has to be shared," he said.

Headley had been arrested by FBI on the information that he was planning terror attacks in Denmark and India.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had registered a case against Headley and Pakistani-born Canadian citizen Tahawwur Hussein Rana in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Headley, a U.S. citizen who changed his name from Dawood Gilani in 2006 and resides primarily in Chicago, was arrested on October 3, 2009, by the Chicago FBI''s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) at O''Hare International Airport before boarding a flight to Philadelphia, intending to travel on to Pakistan.

He was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming outside the United States and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to that overseas terrorism conspiracy.

Source ANI

Mumbai: Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Friday congratulated batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him completing two successful decades in international cricket.

The 36-year-old, Tendulkar will join a list of 15 players whose international careers have spanned more than 20 years when he plays in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad from November 16.

Addressing reporters here, Singh said he wished Tendulkar would continue to dominate world cricket.

"He (Sachin Tendulkar) is a great human being, a great player and I have been very lucky to have a friend like Sachin Tendulkar. I want to wish him all the luck. I want to congratulate him for finishing his 20 years in international cricket. He has dominated world cricket for 20 years and I hope that he will continue to dominate it," Singh said.

Tendulkar has been the face of Indian cricket since his test debut as a chubby, curly-haired 16-year-old against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989.

He now holds the record for most Test runs (12,773), Test centuries (42), ODI runs (17,178) and ODI centuries (45).

The countdown to Tendulkar''s latest landmark has been dominating airtime in cricket-crazy India with TV channels and newspapers running specials to commemorate his achievement.

Source ANI

Akhnoor (J and K): Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju has said that New Delhi is taking all measures to safeguard its border with Beijing, but will focus on positives.

Tibet''s exiled spiritual leader Dalai Lama''s visit that concluded on Thursday (November 12) to Arunachal Pradesh, also claimed by China, has renewed tensions between the Asian giants.

The visit, as well as reports of border incursions in recent months, has triggered tensions between the world''s two most populous nations, whose relations remain hostage to mutual suspicion lingering from a brief 1962 border war.

India and China have made little progress in resolving their decades-old dispute over the Himalayan border, despite several rounds of talks.

"See, we are taking, you know proper measures to safeguard our area and you know we have strengthened the airbase in Tezpur, we have strengthened the landing grounds, advance landing grounds on the border with China. We are strengthening our surveillance and you, so as a part of that measure we are taking our safeguard but at the moment our trade with China is so good and like our Prime Minister in his recent meeting with the Premiere of China, we are focussing on the positives. There''s so much positive activity happening between both the countries. We will focus on the positives, we will work on the differences through dialogue but that does not mean we will not take adequate measures," Raju told reporters on the sidelines of inaugurating a bridge at Akhnoor sector in Jammu region of Indian Kashmir.

China lays claim to 90,000 sq km of land on the eastern sector of the border. India disputes that and instead says China occupies 38,000 sq km (15,000 sq miles) of territory in Aksai Chin plateau in the western Himalayas.

The neighbours which compete for global resources and influence, have also exchanged diplomatic barbs at multi-lateral forums and sparred over visa policies for their citizens in an escalating row that many fear could spiral out of control.

This despite relations thawing in recent years on the back of mutual trade expected to exceed 60 billion dollars next year, a 30-fold increase since 2000.

Raju added that Islamabad, which has been aiding anti-India terror, has been victim of same.

"We are aware of all what our neighbour is doing for aiding infiltration and we hope that they will mend their ways because whatever problem exists, whatever force of terrorism exists, it''s also affecting Pakistan equally and we have seen the blasts that have been happening," he said.

Indian troops shot dead four separatist guerrillas as they tried to cross into Indian Kashmir from the Pakistani side earlier this month.

It said Pakistan-based militant groups have stepped up efforts to infiltrate into the region across the rugged Line of Control (LoC) before winter snow blocks the Himalayan mountain passes.

Pakistan, which like India claims the region in full, has consistently denied its involvement in abetting the anti-India insurgency that has killed more than 47,000 people since 1989.

Source ANI

Mumbai: Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has warned the State Bank of India (SBI) not to recruit any “outsiders” during Sunday’s exams in which the bank will recruit for 1100 vacancies.

In a warning letter written by MNS leader Bala Nandgangkar, the party has demanded that only Maharashtrians or those living in the state be allowed to take the exam for the Maharashtra openings.

So far, the SBI has not alerted the police to the MNS threat.

Himanshu Roy, a Joint Commissioner of the Mumbai Police, said the police will discuss the issue with the bank to ensure that Sunday''s exams "are conducted smoothly."

In the recent Maharashtra assembly elections, the MNS won 13 Assembly seats.

Earlier this week, SP leader Abu Azmi was manhandled by MNS legislators for taking his oath in Hindi.

As Azmi started to take his oath, several MNS members swooped on him and pushed him aside. Legislator Ramesh Banjle uprooted the microphone from the podium.

When Azmi attempted to save himself, MNS member Ram Kadam slapped him and hit him on the face and chest, shocking the 288-member house that had converged for the oath-taking ceremony.

The house was adjourned for 30 minutes. Action followed soon, with four MNS legislators -- Vasant Geete, Shishir Shinde, Ram Kadam and Ramesh Wanjale -- were suspended for four years by the pro-tem speaker for the violent incident.

Source ANI

Pune: Continuing his sharp critique of the current stasis in the BJP, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has described the party “as a divided house.”

“BJP is a divided house and a divided house can''t function properly. The party should not forget its roots,” Bhagwat told reporters in Pune.

He added that he had told the BJP leadership to look for a "young" candidate who can "restore its organisational set-up".

"We have told them (BJP) to restore and tighten the party''s organisational system and structure and choose a young president having leadership mindset,” he said.

Answering whether the RSS favoured Nitin Gadkari from Maharashtra as the new BJP President, Bhagwat only revealed that there were three to four names that were being discussed.

"We have conveyed our expectations of the new leader and if they (BJP leaders) approach us after taking a decision we will okay it," he added.

Answering a question, Bhagwat said RSS had never set a deadline for leader of the opposition L K Advani to step down by February.

Source ANI

Amritsar: Indian police arrest two Afghan nationals with two kilograms of heroin from Amritsar district.

Officials said the contraband was seized after the police intercepted a car.

The seized heroin, worth at least 430,000 dollars was displayed before the media in Amritsar.

"State Special Operation Cell has made biggest recovery in which two Afghani smugglers who were based in Delhi have been arrested and the police has recovered two kilograms of heroin have been recovered from them.

The main person Shahjahan is an Afghani citizen he was based in Delhi and is directly in touch with the dealers in Afghanistan," P.K. Rai, Superintendent of Police (Amritsar), said.

Afghanistan, devastated by three decades of Soviet occupation and civil war, accounts for 93 percent of world opium output, according to United Nations data.

China, India and Russia called for the creation of a security belt around Afghanistan to halt the spread of heroin.

Source ANI

Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh): Children''s Day was celebrated at Anand Bhawan, the ancestral home of the Nehru-Gandhi family on Saturday.

A cultural event was also organised during the two-hour-long programme.

Besides, a Bal Mela (children''s fair) was also organised at many places across the city today.

The children participated with enthusiasm and fervor in this fair organised to celebrate the 120th birth anniversary of Nehru.

Fondly remembering Pandit Nehru, Jagdish Prasad, the caretaker of Anand Bhawan described Nehru as a very good man.

"He (Nehru) used to meet all kind of people be it poor, rich or political leaders. My grandfather always used to tell us that Panditji (as Nehru is fondly known as) was a good man. He was very kind towards poor people," said Prasad.

There were no restrictions on any of the mansion workers to meet him, he added.

 "I feel sad when I think that if only Panditji would have been with us today, then he could have done something for us and our children. We could have celebrated 14th November with him. He was a great support to us and we used to see him like he is our God because he never made us feel like we are poor and there was no restrictions on any of the bungalow (mansion) worker to meet him," said Prasad.

Prasad further said that Nehru, who was especially fond of children used to look at everyone with same loving eyes.

India made significant technical, industrial and social advances when Nehru was the country''s Prime Minister.

An ardent democrat and internationalist, Nehru, along with President Nasser of Egypt and President Tito of undivided Yugoslavia, founded the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Nehru was the Prime Minister from 1947 to 1964.

Source ANI

Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh): The Police are involving villagers in the fight against the Maoists, through village defence committees.

The Committee members, including village heads, have been tasked with the responsibility of creating awareness about the Naxal problem and to promote self-defence measures.

"We will go to villages and spread the message given to us by the police. We will create awareness about Naxalite (Maoist) problems and will teach them ways through which they can protect themselves. I am sure the other members of the committee would give us their full support," said Dasgrath Mandavi, a village defence committee member.

Earlier, villagers had been joining hands with the Maoists for fear of being attacked.

The state police is now optimistic about a turnaround.

"We don''t want the villagers to get scared and run away whenever police visits them. The villagers can without any hesitation, visit the police station and put forward their complaints to the Superintendent of Police or the Collector if they are facing any threats from Naxals or even from the police for that matter," said Chhattisgarh Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the Maoists as the biggest internal security threat.

The Maoists started their armed struggle in West Bengal''s Naxalbari town in the late 1967.

They have expanded their support base among villagers by capitalising on the tribals and the villagers'' opposition to the government''s recent pro-industry push and acquisition of agricultural and tribal forestlands.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here on Saturday that his government is making all out efforts to control the price rise.

 

Interacting with school students at his Seven Race Cource Road residence on Children''s Day, Singh expressed hope that the price regime will be better in a year''s time.

 

Explaining the reasons for high price of food articles Singh said: “The government has substantially increased the MSP of wheat, rice and other items to increase the purchase power of the farming community.”

 

Replying to a question, Singh said there should not be any hasty decision on changing the pattern of the examination system in the country.

 

The Prime Minister also shared his views on inclusive growth in the country with children.

 

Commenting on reasons behind the increasing Naxal activities in the country Singh blamed it on the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

 

“Due to widening gap between the rich and poor, some people are induced to join the Naxalites.”

 

He also added that the law and order machinery does not reach out to all corners and pockets in the country and this was also a reason for Naxalism.

 

Dismissing the opposition allegation that he was a weak prime minister, Singh asserted that he was discharging his duties with sincerity and was focused on taking the country forward.

 

Dr. Singh also said the teachings of Gurus left a very deep impact on his thinking process and he is fond of listening to the Gurbani every morning apart from ghazals.

 

He also recalled his meeting with the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during the Punjab University convocation in the 1950s.

Source ANI

New Delhi: President Pratibha Patil n Saturday expressed the hope that the country’s economy would return to the higher growth track of above seven per cent from the present rate of 6.5 percent.

 

Inaugurating the India International Trade Fair here, Patil said: “The recent global economic crisis has impacted the country in a less severe manner due to which this robust growth has been achieved.”

 

She said the Indian economy has come a long way since it took to the path of reforms in early ''90s. While the reforms have thrown open many opportunities, several challenges have also surfaced.

 

 She said that the trade fair has a unique character in combining business-to-business activities as well as business to consumer transactions of a large volume.

 

"Future belongs to innovation, invention and enterprise,” she added.

 

The trade fair in which over 7,500 exhibitors from 28 countries are participating is expected to attract 2.5 million visitors.

Source ANI

Barasat (West Bengal): West Bengal police arrested two suspected Kashmiri terrorists from Barasat in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Friday night.

The local police made the arrests on a tip off from central investigation agencies.

The men are suspected to have connections to an international terrorist network in which David Headley was also allegedly involved, according to police sources.

The suspects, Kader Ahmed Bhatt and Ramesh Sambhu, were produced in Barasat court today and remanded to six days police custody. They have been charged under Section 25, 27, 35 of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.

One of the suspects also has Lashkar links, police sources said, adding that the men may have been involved in perpetrating bomb explosions in Kashmir.

The suspects were arrested from Palpakuria in the Kazi Para area of Barasat from the house of one Dr Ghulam Ali.

They had rented the place in the guise of shawl sellers, police sources said.

Source ANI

Shillong: Enthusiasts turned up in large numbers to get a taste of exclusive varieties of homemade wines during the two-day long sixth wine festival held here.

The festival began on Friday.

Wine made from locally available sohiong (black cherry), ginger, mulberry fruit, strawberry, litchi, pineapple, passion fruit, blackberry, plum, banana and even jackfruit were fermented to produce wines during the two-day festival.

The public was seen enjoying flavors derived from the fruit wine along with music in the background to keep the wine lovers pleased.

"Local wines have their own unique taste; the wine that we buy from the market is very different from the wine that the locals make here, which tastes very nice. I somehow prefer to taste the local wine," said M Bobby Dey, a visitor at the festival.

He said that events like this will endorse wine in India and will inform the enthusiasts about the different varieties of local wine.

Tanya Garnham, a wine taster from Canada, who attended the festival, said that the wine was very different from that made in Canada.

"Wine is defined as anything that is made from grapes and the difference is that ours is made with grapes and the local wine like this would be technically called fruit wine. Whereas when you are calling something wine, it has got to be made with grapes. So that is the main difference between us and the local wine made here," said Garnham.

The varieties displayed in the festival were pure and healthy and free from any chemical preservatives.

The two-day festival provided an opportunity for the local wine makers not only to showcase their brewing skills in wine making, but also to open market linkages.

Source ANI

Mumbai: Memories of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack still haunts the owner and staff of ''Leopold Café'', the 138-year-old restaurant at the Colaba causeway here.

This restaurant was one of the first landmarks targeted by militants on 26/11.

Armed gunmen had stormed the café and opened fire randomly, killing many customers and two café staff.

The café was extensively damaged during the attacks.

The eating joint reopened four days after the attack, but was closed again by Police as a security measure.

However, regular activity recommenced soon.

The restaurant owners have kept the bullet marks on the wall and windowpanes as it is, as a bleak reminder of the attack.

However, as the anniversary of the dreadful Mumbai attack approaches, survivors of the tragedy recount the tale of horror.

Bharat Gujjar, supervisor of Leopold Café, who suffered bullet wounds on his stomach during the attack, said that although the memory of the strike still haunts them, life moved on.

"Life has certainly changed to an extent after the attack. My body is not same like before. There are some physical changes in my body and I lost seven kilograms. At that time we all were scared and honestly we still feel scared at times. But I am positive and whatever had to happen, it happened and we have moved on with our lives," said Gujjar.

Eric Anthony, the manager of the restaurant, said that after the attack they have become more vigilant.

"That day for four days we could not sleep well because we saw death nearly eye to eye and I saw the terrorists face to face but after four days when the shutter was open we were back on our feet and everything was okay. One year has been okay.... One thing we should believe is that anything can happen anywhere. So we are ready for that. Now we have become more alert after the attack," said Anthony.

India will observe the first anniversary of the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people in the city on November 26 this year. Two luxurious hotels were also among the targets attacked by 10 gunmen last November.

Several people were held hostage for the next three days and at least 166 people were killed or died of suffocation when commandos smoked out the terrorists on November 28 last year.

Source ANI

Mumbai: On the eve of completing two decades in international cricket, Indian batting ace Sachin Tendulkar has said that for him the greatest high in life was walking out with the Indian team for his first Test against Pakistan in Karachi on November 15, 1989.

The 36-year-old will join a list of 15 players whose international careers have spanned more than 20 years when he plays in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad from Monday (November 16).

"The first day walking in the playing eleven, playing a test match with Pakistan was the greatest feeling... and the journey began...and whatever I did after that was a mere reflection of my contribution towards the nation of course but the first...first experience definitely has to be right at the top," Tendulkar told reporters here on Friday.

Tendulkar has been the face of Indian cricket since his Test debut in November 1989.

Tendulkar thanked his family for not letting him get carried away by his early success.

"The earlier stage of my career, when I had not played for India, I was just playing school cricket, I was since scoring lot of runs but nobody got carried away in my family by my success. It''s quite easy for a 12-year, 13-year old boy to get carried away when he sees pictures printing in the newspapers, that''s something special, but that''s where you know ...I felt, may family made sure that my mind...is on the ground," the batting maestro said.

Tendulkar said he owed his character to his father who instilled good virtues in him.

"There is something which has kept me grounded, then needless to say that watching my father, my father has really... to teach me but by just looking at him closely, I picked up lot of things, the most important thing that he told me was your nature will stay permanently with you and if you are a good person, you will be even liked after you stop playing cricket," he said.

He now holds the record for most Test runs (12,773), Test centuries (42), ODI runs (17,178) and ODI centuries (45).

The countdown to Tendulkar''s latest landmark has been dominating airtime in cricket-crazy India with TV channels and newspapers running specials to commemorate his achievement.

Source ANI

Amritsar: An ambassador of the golden age of music and a heroine of yore, Padma Shri Pushpa Hans, has been recently felicitated with a literary award by the Punjabi Academy for her outstanding contribution to Punjabi culture. 

Known for her Punjabi folk and classical renderings, Pushpa Hans had developed an interest in Sufi music from the age of 10.

She did her Bacholer’s degree in music from Lahore University and for almost 10 years she undertook Indian classical music traning at “Patwardhan gharana” of Lahore. She also started her singing career with the All India Radio Lahore.

“I liked it very much and decided to take to Sufi and Punjabi songs. Then I underwent training in classical music for ten years. Punjabi music, folksongs and Sufi music have always been my weakness,” said Pushpa Hans. 

“The biggest award that I have got is Padmashree, which is a National Award. I have also got Kalpana Chawla Award and many other awards. I had been to the front and sung for the soldiers. There is no country where I have not been sponsored, whether it is Europe, America, Canada and east, I have visited all the countries,” she added.

She acted in V. Shantaram's “Apna Desh, 1949”, Sohrab Modi's “Sheesh Mahal, 1950” and many other films.

Source ANI

Ahmedabad (Gujarat): Security of hotels in Ahmedabad has been beefed up in the wake of reports that US terror suspect David Coleman Headley stayed at top-end hotels in various cities with the aim of conducting a recce for terrorist attacks.

The Gujarat government has directed hotels to take thumb impressions of all guests and keep a copy of their identity cards.

Security personnel have also been deployed to check vehicle   movement in the city.

"We will tell the hotel people to take thumb impression of the customers. This is a new thing. The staff can come to the police station and we will tell them how to implement this. If they do not implement it, the department will take the required action," said M.H Vasani, a police inspector.

The FBI arrested Headley, a Chicago resident, in October 2009 for plotting terror attacks overseas, including India. He was arrested along with Pakistani-born Canadian citizen Tahawwur Hussein Rana.

It is reported that Headley came in close contact with several unidentified leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation with links to Al Qaeda.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had registered a case against Headley and Rana in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Headley was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming outside the United States and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to that overseas terrorism conspiracy.

Source ANI

Amritsar: Ten Punjabi youngsters, who were duped by travel agents, recently managed to return to their homes from Iran after a year.

They were allegedly taken to Iran a year ago by a travel agent, who had assured them that it had better opportunities to offer. The agent had also taken over Rs. 100,000 from each of them.

But, soon their dreams were shattered. They were told that they would have to work for a construction company as laborers and that too without any salary.

“The travel agent had taken Rs 100,000 on the pretext of taking us to Iran with an agreement of job for two years. On reaching Jalandhar, we were issued passports with a stamp of one month’s tourist visa. On confronting the agent they said that everything was all right and that our visas would be extended after reaching there. But, on reaching Iran we found out that our visas were not extended and we had to face a lot of problems over there. We lived without food and were not paid any salary for 10 months,” said Amritpal Singh, a victim.

Gurbaz Singh, another victim, said: “The Government should take strict action against unscrupulous travel agents so that other youngsters do not become their victims. It is a very serious issue and authorities have to be very strict so that the agents do not indulge in such frauds.”

The youth returned after intervention by the Government and after their return they revealed that they were threatened that they would be sent in Pakistani jails if they spoke about their exploitation by the company.
 
Though the nightmare is over for them they want to send message to those youngsters who want to go abroad.

 “There are some cases in which travel agents have duped the youngsters. But, there are many cases in which the youngsters knew the consequences and still took a risk. Earlier, people from Punjab have migrated illegally to Canada, U.S.A. and England and settled down there. Now, people want to take the same path. The success is less, but those who leave illegally make their families suffer a lot,” said Bikram Singh Majitha, Patron of the youth Akali Dal.
  
Mahinder Kaur, mother of a victim, said: “We want the travel agents to be punished. We spent nine months in misery after the children went abroad. We remained hungry many a times because our children were without food there. Whenever they used to make a phone call and told us that they had no money for food we felt terrible and did not eat.”
 
There are people who are deceiving hundreds of youths from Punjab and taking money from them by promising to get them to western countries.
 
Most of these youth land in jails abroad.

Source ANI

New Delhi: On the occasion of Children''s Day, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi paid tributes to Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of the country on his 120th birth anniversary at Shantivan, where his mortal remains were consigned to flames in May 1964.

President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit also paid their tributes to Nehru.

Several Congress leaders also paid floral tributes.

Small boys wearing traditional white Kurta Pyjamas and cap sang songs. Children and leaders also released tricolor balloons.

India made significant technical, industrial and social advances when Nehru was the country''s Prime Minister.

An ardent democrat and internationalist, Nehru, along with President Nassar of Egypt and President Tito of undivided Yugoslavia, founded the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Nehru was prime minister from 1947 to 1964.

Source ANI

Bastar(Chhattisgarh): Hundreds of tribals, including women, in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district reiterated their opposition at a public hearing against a Tata steel plant project being set up in Bastar.

Tata Steel plans to invest Rs 195 billion in a steel plant spread across 5,000 acres that will create 5.5 million tons of steel per year, but tribals are against it.

“We have to attend this meeting, where around ten villages have participated to protest against the Tata''s steel plant. The Government is asking for our lands, but if we will give away our lands, there will be nothing left with us. How will we earn our living and what will we feed our children with? We don''t want jobs, we just want our lands,” a tribal said.

Environmentalists claim the steel plant will adversely affect the environment and the lifestyle of the people.

Prakash Jha, an environmentalist and a filmmaker, said the government should take steps to ensure environmental safeguards.

“We are not against the development of the region. The construction of the plant is a good thing, as it promises to provide employment opportunities to locals, but this should be evaluated correctly. The Government should take steps to protect against the effects of the industrial plant,” Jha said.

Source ANI

Mumbai: Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor have said the theme of their upcoming film Kurbaan (sacrifice in Urdu language) is global terrorism and its effect on society.

The duo launched an online game of their film in Mumbai on Friday.

Set in the United States, ''Kurbaan'' is a romantic thriller with terrorism as its milieu.

"There is no connection to whatever happened in Taj and Oberoi. This is a horrible thing that happened to our city. No one can forget the attacks in Parliament, London and New York. Global terrorism is a horrible thing that has become a part of our lives. So this film is about things like that. But it''s got nothing to do with 26/11 and I don''t think we would ever make a film to try and capitalise on something like the anniversary of something horrible," said Saif Ali Khan the lead actor of this flick.

The film tries to illustrate the post bombing consequence on the daily lives of Muslim populace living in the US after September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Kareena Kapoor uttered that her role in the film is one of the most powerful one in her acting career.

"I am playing the role of a university professor in the film. Saif and we are professors in Delhi University. We fall in love and end up marrying each other. Then we leave for America and how the girl''s life changes there, that is what the story of Kurbaan is. I think its one of my most powerful roles in my career. I really hope that people will like it," said Kareena Kapoor.

Directed by a debutant Rensil D''Silva, Kurbaan stars Saif Ali Khan, Dia Mirza, Kiron Kher, Vivek Oberoi and Om Puri.

Salim Merchant and Sulaiman Merchant have composed the music for the songs penned by lyricist and screenplay writer Prasoon Joshi.

The film is slated for release on November 20.

Source ANI

New Delhi: The Union Government is all set to launch the ambitious National Solar Mission implementation plan.

 

The plan which was announced by Prime Minster Manmohan Singh in his Independence Day address is scheduled to be launched on Saturday.

 

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office here on Saturday said, the mission will be launched as soon as government approval for recommendations is obtained.

 

"Now, the recommendations of the mission have been finalized and an implementation plan has been formulated after a series of consultations both within government as well as other stakeholders outside the government," the PMO stated.

 

The National Solar Mission document which sets a target of 20,000 MW for solar power by 2020 was in principle approved by Prime Minister''s Council of Climate Change in its meeting on October 26.

 

Besides the solar mission, the council has approved the Mission on Himalayan Ecosystems and Energy Efficient Missions out of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.

Source ANI

Imphal: Family members, local residents, staff and officials of an abducted Assistant Extension Officer working with the Directorate of Tribal Development of Manipur staged a sit-in protests demanding safe release of the officer.

The 60-year-old, Ningthoujam Chaoba, was abducted by some unidentified armed persons on October 14 from his house at Yorbung in Imphal.

Chaoba is still in their captivity, and with no help being provided the family members have decided to discuss it with higher authorities.

“We have consulted our minister. We will talk to the higher-level authorities. We’ll discuss how to manage it,” said L. Thangton, Directorate of Tribal Development.

While, Premlata, who worked under Chaoba, said that abduction of Government officials in Manipur has become a common practice and now people are tired of violence.

“There won’t be any development, if such incidents keep on happening. Everyone is aware of the problems but due to restrictions from them, they couldn’t do much. People are truly tired of all the violence in the state,” Premlata said.

The protest by the staff and the officials totally paralysed the Office of the Directorate of Tribal Development.

The continuous harassment of the people is making them question the motives of organizations and groups who claim to represent their interests.

Source ANI

Shillong: Angling, which is practiced as a recreational activity, has now become a major sporting event in Meghalaya with thousands of people participating in a angling competition held in the State recently.

About 3000 anglers from all over Meghalaya and other northeastern states converged at the Thadlaskein Lake, located around 56 kms from Shillong to take part in the 4th Sajer Nangli Fishing competition.

According to legend, the lake situated amidst meadows, oak and the Myntdu River, was dug by the followers of the Jaintia Chieftain U Sajar Nangli, a courageous warrior during one of his memorial expedition using their bows.

In memory of the great warrior, the fishing competition is organized annually in the state to promote brotherhood among different tribes of the state.

“To project the name and fame of Sajer Nangli, we conduct this fishing competition. Today, we have lapses but next time we will improve it. Through this, we will bring good friendship and relation to all the people of Khasi and Jaintia. We would like to bring the spirit of brotherhood and the feeling of togetherness,” said S.K. Lato, organizer of the competition.

L. Kharjana, a participant, said: “I think this is the biggest angling competition in Meghalaya. It’s nice and enjoyable. Not only for the prize money, we always use to go for fishing here and there. So, it’s fun.”

Enthusiastic anglers shelled out an entry fee of Rs. 1000 to take part in the event.

Chesterwell Khyriemmujat was declared the winner and was awarded with a cash prize of Rs 2,20,000 in lieu of a brand new Maruti car. Donbor makri and Paulus Challam bagged the second and third prize and got Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively.

Source ANI

Ranchi (Jharkhand): Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda who is facing charges of money laundering and illegal investments today avoided further questioning by income tax sleuths by going to his hometown Chaibasa.

Chaibasa is about 250 kilometers from the State Capital, Ranchi, and Koda has moved there to escape further questioning by the I-T officials.

While the officials claimed that Koda had disappeared from his Ranchi residence, Koda asserted that he was in his hometown to see his ailing father.

The former chief minister received a warm welcome from his supporters at Chaibasa.

On Friday, Koda alleged that there was a threat to his life and that he was being harassed only because of his tribal identity.
 
"There is threat to my life. There is a conspiracy to annihilate me. I am a victim of conspiracy. I know who are doing all this. Whatever is being published in the media is baseless," said Koda just before entering Chaibasa.

"I am being harassed, as I am a tribal belonging to a poor family," he added.

I-T officials began questioning Koda soon after he was discharged from the Apollo Hospital in Ranchi.

Source ANI

Mumbai: Bollywood filmmaker and social activist Mahesh Bhatt has claimed that his son Rahul remained silent on his association with US terror suspect David Coleman Headley only in the nation’s interest.

He said Rahul would reveal details about the association only if the authorities gave him the green signal.

Rahul Bhatt, 25, is a fitness instructor and a body builder.

Mahesh Bhatt said Rahul was keeping quiet as he was yet to receive any go ahead from the authorities concerned, and as the matter was vital in national interest.

"I said that only Rahul can answer these questions or the authorities who are investigating these questions can give you the answers and Rahul will give you the answers when he is given green signal to speak and he does not want to play hide and seek. His silence is in national interest because the information which he has can be important for the security of the country," Mahesh Bhatt told reporters here on Friday.

Media reports said it was Rahul who helped Headley rent a flat near the Breach Candy hospital and that the two met at a gym where Rahul had come to lose weight and get fit.

Headley, a US citizen of Pakistani origin, had told FBI interrogators that Rahul was a prominent Indian actor.

Headley had been arrested on the information that he was planning terror attacks in Denmark and India.

The two men became friends and when Headley expressed that he was looking to rent a flat, Rahul even helped him get one near Breach Candy through a property broker. Investigators are saying that Rahul was not aware that Headley had Lashkar links.

Mahesh Bhatt also implored reporters not to "trivialise" the issue, saying, "the seriousness is immense."

"This is an issue concerning the national security, for God sake don''t trivialise it or water it down, the seriousness is immense," he said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had registered a case against Headley and Pakistani-born Canadian citizen Tahawwur Hussein Rana in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

India says the conspiracy of the Mumbai attack was hatched in Pakistan. Pakistan has acknowledged that the attack was plotted and partly launched from its soil and has been holding a trial of seven suspects.

Headley, a U.S. citizen who changed his name from Dawood Gilani in 2006 and resides primarily in Chicago, was arrested on October 3, 2009, by the Chicago FBI''s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) at O''Hare International Airport before boarding a flight to Philadelphia, intending to travel on to Pakistan.

He was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming outside the United States and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to that overseas terrorism conspiracy.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Rotary Australia has taken on Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for apparently promising barbecues to Indian students in his country while on a visit to Indian capital New Delhi, saying barbecues were not an ideal welcoming gesture as most Indians are vegetarian.

Rudd’s reported announcement came moments before Thursday’s press conference here over criminal attacks on Indian students in Australia.

The Age quotes Rudd as claiming that inviting Indian students in Australia for barbecues with Australian families was a Rotary Australia idea, but the latter says the plan came from Rudd''s office.

A press release was distributed on Thursday night announcing the barbecue proposal, entitled: "Home for Dinner: Australian Families Offering Hospitality to Indian Students.'''' The document was then quickly withdrawn.

Speaking on 3AW yesterday morning, Rudd said the program was a Rotary initiative.

''''We''re just backing them in. As I understand it, they''re going to be putting all that out later today,'''' Rudd was quoted as saying.

Rotary Australia president Frank Pezzimenti said the idea came from Rudd''s office.

''''The PM had the simple idea of inviting Indians to Australian households to show that we''re nice people. [His office] said to us, ''What do you think?'' ''''

''''Someone suggested a barbecue and I said, ''No, no, most Indians are vegetarian.'' I wrote to their office yesterday, but it must have been too late.''''

He said he had no idea why the release was withdrawn, but he was aware of a ''''major typo''''.

The program would likely go ahead as a dinner rather than a barbecue, he said.

Amit Menghani, president of the Federation of Indian Students of Australia, said the proposal was a nice gesture but would do little to deal with ''''serious problems'''' faced by students in terms of safety and education.

The former president of the Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria, Shabbir Wahid, said a barbecue could cause further tensions.

Source ANI

New Delhi: A five percent stake sale of the state-run power producer National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) could fetch the government 1.8 billion dollars (81 billion rupees), Disinvestment Secretary Sunil Mitra said on Friday.

Last week, the government mandated more sales of shares by state firms and changed the rules on how it can use the proceeds, as it seeks to boost revenues and rein in a widening budget deficit.

The five percent stake sale in NTPC could fetch the government more than three times the 27 billion rupees it got five years ago when it offloaded 5.25 percent of shares, Mitra said.

"Now, after the recent cabinet approval, we are going...to five percent stake in NTPC. We would be offloading this through offer for sale. The expected value that we, that we anticipate in this five percent public offering is more than three times we got near five years ago. That is because that enterprise value has gone up substantially," Mitra told the media here.

Last week, the cabinet approved a long-pending divestment policy that mandates at least 10 percent public holding in state-run firms and use the proceeds for social schemes until March 2012, to cut its fiscal deficit.

Since August, share sales in two state firms -- NHPC and Oil India raised about 1.8 billion dollars.

Last month, the cabinet approved share sales for NTPC, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam and Rural Electrification Corp.

India aims to sell shares of about 60 state-run firms in the coming years, with offers for NTPC and Rural Electrification Corp expected by end-March 2010.

The finance ministry is in talks with other ministries to launch public offers for Steel Authority of India, miner NMDC, Coal India Ltd and telecoms firm BSNL.

Analysts said it might not boost sentiments as appetite may be lacking for follow-on offers of listed firms unless shares are offered at a discount, but would help cut fiscal deficit.

Investors were expecting faster progress in stake sales along with reforms in insurance and banking sectors after the Congress Party-led coalition was re-elected with a stronger majority at the April/May general elections.

Scanty rainfall and floods briefly shifted policy focus to taming food price inflation in the last two months, but ministers have said recently reforms would be speeded up and more state-run firms would be taken up for stake sales.

India''s fiscal deficit is set to widen to 6.8 percent of gross domestic product in fiscal year 2009/10, from 6.2 percent a year ago, on duty cuts and stimulus spending.

Source ANI

Thrissur (Kerala): A new remote operated device to control violent elephants is now on the anvil thanks to Zachariah Mathew, a Mumbai based man with his son, who conducted its trials runs here on Thursday amidst mahouts and elephant owners.

The duo named this device ''Violent Elephant Control Gear'' is designed and manufactured by their engineering firm in Mumbai.

This gear can be applied on any elephant and can be controlled from a distance of over 25 meter with the help of remote control.

The device weighing only 8kg could be used for the control of tuskers weighing over 40 kg. It costs about Rs 30,000 could be attached to elephants back or front legs.

And when the elephant shows any sign of violence, the remote control held by the mahout is applied both the legs of the elephant will tie together so as to prevent the animal from moving.

Every year hundreds of people are attacked and died due to elephants getting violent during festivals seasons in India. After watching one of the incident occurred last year in Kerala provoked him to develop this gear said Mr. Mathew.

However, the elephant owners and mahouts were not very confident about the new device. They pointed out that the cost of the device was too high and the device would necessitate the elephant to carry an additional burden of 8 kg all the time.

And a big question in front of the inventor is that being a remote operated one how to prevent the device and make it a water proof gear as elephants urinate many times in a day.

Source ANI

Jaipur: The Delhi-bound Mandore Express which was on its way from Jodhpur to Delhi derailed this morning with some portion of the track penetrating its AC compartment, leaving seven passengers dead and over 40 injured at Banskho, 40 kilometers from here.

Fifteen coaches of the train derailed at 1:30 a.m., after the train left the Pink City, said sources from the North West Railway.

Following the derailment, a segment of the tracks pierced the AC compartment and probably hit the passengers, they said.
 
Welders are being use to remove the iron rods.
 
While three of the dead have been identified as Sonal Singh (18) of New Delhi, S Kumar of Jodhpur and Ujjawal Vadhwa (27) of Jaipur.

The other three bodies are yet to be recognized.
 
Nineteen of the injured, including a New Zealand national Ana Elizabeth, have been admitted to the Sawai Mansingh Hospital here.

State-owned buses have been pressed into service to take the passengers to their destination.
 
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced an exgratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of those killed.

A sum of Rs one lakh would be given to the critically injured and Rs 10,000 to passengers who have received trivial injuries, said the Spokesperson of North West Railway.
 
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also declared a recompense of Rs two lakh to the family of the dead and Rs one lakh to those seriously injured.
 
A sum of Rs 50,000 will be given to those who have received minor injuries.

West Zone Railway Protection Commissioner Prashant Kumar and GM NWR R M Verma visited the accident site.

Following this mishap, the routes of twelve trains have been changed including the New Delhi-Ajmer Shatabdi express.

The slow speed of the train fortunately reduced the number of casualties.
 
A relief train from Delhi is on its way to the location.

Source ANI

Kolkata: Kolkata city police on Saturday arrested two alleged militants from Palpakuria in the Kazi Para area of Barasat locality and also recovered some ammunition from them.

 

Acting on a tip off that two militants were residing in the disguise of shawl sellers, police cordoned off a locality and arrested the duo who are stated to be Kashmiri.

 

The suspects were identified as Kader Ahmed Bhatt and Ramesh Sambhu. Police produced the two in Barasat court which sent them into to six days of police custody.

 

"Police personnel got information from the secret source that the two persons were living in the house located in 24-Parganas District. The police party raided the house and arrested the suspects, Kader Ahmed Bhatt and Ramesh Sambhu and from their possession ammunition was recovered.  They were produced before the court today," said Barun Kumar Debnath, an advocate.

Source ANI

Jorhat (Assam): On the occasion of Children’s Day (Nov.14), students here took out a public awareness rally on child rights.

 

The country marks Children’s Day on the birthday of first prime minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru known for this affection towards children. The nation celebrated Nehru’s 120th birth anniversary on Saturday.

 

Hundreds of students carried banners and placards with ''Awareness on Child Rights'', ''Let me live'', ''Stop child trafficking'' and ''Stop child abuse'' written on them.

 

Jasmine, one of the participants in the rally, said: "We have heard and learnt about the child rights, to spread the rights and to make the people aware of the child rights, let our actions speak and let our slogans ring loud and clear to the society."

 

The school children also distributed leaflets to create awareness on child rights.

 

"The students of Bosco Institute are organising this rally basically to show their personal commitment in a public way to the human rights and particularly on this day to child rights to promote wherever it''s abused," Jerry Thomas, Director of Bosco Institute, said.

 

Known for his fondness of children, Nehru is often referred to as Chacha Nehru or, children’s uncle.

Source ANI

Noida: As winter sets in north India, school kids in Noida city of Uttar Pradesh donated warm clothes to poor children on the occasion of Children’s Day, which this year marked the 120th birth anniversary of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on Saturday (Nov.14).

 

Organized by a radio channel, the donation drive in Noida city witnessed children donating a large number of warm clothes to underprivileged children under the care of a voluntary group, ''Bachpan Bachao Andolan'' (save childhood movement) NGO.

 

Rohit Bal, the noted fashion designer, graced the occasion and donated some clothes from his collection. He appreciated the efforts of the school children.

 

"I think this is an incredible effort from these wonderful children actually bringing all these clothes for the underprivileged. I think that''s main purpose of life, it should be to help the underprivileged," said Bal.

 

School children said that they felt happy after donating clothes.

 

"We should help children who can''t afford warm-clothes and live on streets. So, we have decided to donate clothes," said Sunaina Sharma, a student.

Source ANI

Patna: As the nation celebrated Children’s Day on Saturday, several kids of the retrenched employees of various State-run enterprises in Bihar took out a rally to draw attention of all to their plight.

 

Over 3,000 employees of various state-run firms have been retrenched over a period of time.

 

Children said, following their parent’s retrenchment, their families could no more support them to pursue education or learn anything. It has put their education career and childhood at stake as they are also suffering due to abject poverty prevailing in families.

 

"I want to study but cannot do so, as my father cannot support it. He has got received his pay for a long time at home. We cook on alternate days and do not celebrate any festival," Khusabu, a child participant in the rally.

 

Scores of children voiced their concern through placards and banners, asking the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Bharadwaj to ensure employment for their parents and also support them.

 

"The school authorities ask us to pay the fees, but we cannot afford to pay the fees as my father is out of work. I want to study. This way I feel very miserable," said Joyati, another participant.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday asked the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to ask the Sri Lanka Government during his scheduled visit for early rehabilitation of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

“We have got every responsibility to see that we take care about the welfare of the Sri Lankan Tamil brothers because there is a sentiment attached too. And I hope that the Finance Minister during his visit to Sri Lanka will be able to prevail upon Sri Lanka President and the government to see that the people are rehabilitated at the earliest,” Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said.

India, last month, offered Sri Lanka 100 million dollars to help war refugees return home and rebuild the country''s ravaged north.

Morover, the government is faced with pressure to protect Sri Lankan Tamils, linked to about 60 million Tamils in Tamil Nadu.

Some 260,000 Tamil refugees, who fled fighting in the waning months of the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam led by V.Prabhakaran, are now being held in military-run camps.

Western countries, India and the United Nations are pressing the Sri Lankan government to send them home.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has claimed that 70-80 percent of the refugees would be resettled by January.

Source ANI

Nagpur: Maharashtra BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari has clarified that he is not contending for the party’s top post, as being claimed by some media reports.

“I am not among the contenders neither I am aspiring for the post of party president. I am also coming to know about my candidature through the media reports,” Gadkari told reporters in Nagpur.

“Senior leaders of the party including LK Advani, Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar will decide who to make the party president, whatever they decide, it will be acceptable to me,” Gadkari added.

It has been widely reported that Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) is backing Gadkari’s name as the next BJP President.

However, Gadkari dispelled reports that RSS was advocating his name in BJP circles.

“Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has not presented my name, neither they do so. BJP will decide who is going to be the party President. If they ask me to be party President, I will let them know my decision," Gadkari said.

Source ANI

New Delhi: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on Saturday expressed optimism over Indian exports picking up by the end of this year.

Exports in September fell 13.8 percent.

Addressing delegates on the commencement of the 29th India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Pragati Maidan in the national capital, Sharma said: "We hope that as we move towards the close of this year, our exports, which have been falling for 12 months, have started turning round. I do remain optimistic that the measures that we have taken will help us in closing the gap by the end of this year.”

“We have already moved up from down close to 40 percent in the negative growth of Indian exports to 11 percent last month and in the last quarter of this financial year. I am confident that we will move to the positive growth in our trade with the world," Sharma added.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil inaugurated the 29th IITF earlier and, on this occasion, expressed hope about India becoming an investment destination.

"There are indicators of economic advantages that can be leveraged by the world …for engaging with India as we expand our infrastructure, there will be opportunities of over 550 billion dollar to be invested in India over the period of the next five years," Patil said.

The fair, which will see about 7,500 domestic and overseas exhibitors from 29 countries, has been organised by the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation to provide a platform for trade promotion. The fair also promotes interaction between national and international buyers.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad inaugurated the pavilion of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the India International Trade Fair (IITF), Pragati Maidan here. During the Trade Fair every year, the Ministry showcases a particular theme at the Health Pavilion. Theme this year is ‘Swasth Gram-Swasth Rashtra’.

Source ANI

Lucknow: Having suffered a jolt in recent by election in Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said here on Saturday that, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh was neither with the party and nor he would be inducted into the party.

 

Speaking to reporters here Mulayam Singh Yadav said: "I have said this in the past and would repeat it again that Kalyan Singh was never in the SP, nor he will be taken in the party fold in the future.”

 

“Even Kalyan had said that he was not associated with any party,” he added.

 

When asked about his friendship with Kalyan Singh, Yadav said that Congress was also SP''s friend, whose government the party had saved in the past.

 

"We have no foes in politics, we only have ideological differences," Yadav said.

 

Commenting on Kalyan Singh sharing dais with him during the party Agra convention, Yadav said he couldn’t stop anyone if he comes willingly.

 

"I admit that invitation was sent to Kalyan, but it was probably due to a mistake," he said.

Source ANI

Shillong (Meghalaya): A much-awaited uranium-mining project, which promises development of the remote West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, is finally taking shape.

 

The State government’s decision to allow the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to implement its pre-project developmental package has elicited a positive response from locals.

 

The state has estimated the presence of about 9.22 million tonnes of uranium ore deposits. The UCIL would invest Rs 2.09 billion to undertake pre-developmental project activities to build schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure.

 

For this purpose, the state government has agreed to release 422 square hectares of land for 30 years to the UCIL.

 

“My press conference is to initiate a more serious debate on the merits and demerits of Uranium mining in the benefits and otherwise on allowing UCIL to start uranium mining right now. I hope that through this press conference it will generate more intelligent debates among the people of the state and I think the state government also should not be in a hurry to take a decision right now. They should allow the public air out their views and opinion on uranium mining,” said Micheal Syiem, a social worker.

 

“The state government does not have its own fund, it all depends on the central government. So there are still many areas to be developed. So by the fund we receive from the central, it is not enough. So special funds that comes from the government of India that we have found the uranium so it is a blessing to the state. If left to the state alone, it will take years to develop.  So now, they have got a road up to Mawthabah from Wahkaji it has been a blessing for them,” said S.H.Shylla, former MLA, West Khasi Hills District.

 

There were protests against the mining of Uranium by different organisations in the State citing health hazards.

 

However, the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) has already executed exploratory mining in the area including processing the ore to yellow cake.

 

It has also confirmed that there will be no spill over effect on health either to the inhabitants or the cattle.

 

“As a villager of Mawthabah I find that as per the research carried out by the department of Atomic Energy since surveying, drilling up to refining of the yellow cake there is no track of health hazard till date. Even in the place where the grinding machine and the processing plant is laid, now trees have grown and vegetation is green and there are no signs of such affect to the vegetation,” said W.S.Lyngdoh, a villager, Mawthabah.

 

Various public hearings at the proposed site for open cast mining have also been organised in which residents and headmen of various villages surrounding the proposed uranium project site participated.

 

The State Government has also constituted an expert committee on health to study the implications of uranium mining.

Source ANI

Dimapur (Nagaland): India’s northeastern states hold immense potential for the large-scale cultivation of spices.

 

To encourage its production, a national symposium on spices was organized in Dimapur recently.

 

The objective was to delve upon ways to harness the existing potential of spices in the northeast region through technology.

 

Themed “Harnessing the potential of North Eastern States for spices through Production Technology Intervention”, the conference was organized by the Indian Society for Spices (ISS) and the Central Institute of Horticulture, Medziphema, Nagaland.

 

The symposium brought together research organizations, development agencies and farmers on a single platform to exchanges ideas and strategies for boosting the production of spices. 

 

Over 200 farmers, entrepreneurs, stake holders, scientists and academicians from across India attended the symposium.

 

“The Indian society serves as a formal platform to exchange ideas and do what we don’t find based on the inputs from the farmers and traders. We also find newer research been done through the research institute,” said Dr. Anandaraj, President, Indian Institute of Spices Research.

 

 “Spices are very important crop in the north east especially in Nagaland like ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom. We’ve got a lot of export potential but due to scientific management we cannot tackle all these problems but here the spices society of India has given the opportunity to host this spices symposium which is the first time in the history of Nagaland,” said Dr N Benjong Aier, Mission Director, Horticulture, Nagaland Government.

 

The Spices Board of India has prepared a 350 crore programme for the northeast under which an additional 1,500 hectares of land would be brought under cardamom cultivation.

 

The program would focus on crop improvement; increase economic return by reducing market risks in terms of yield, integrated pest management and post-harvest technologies.

 

There is a growing demand for organic spices in the International market and northeast states can offer spices at competitive prices.

Source ANI

Majauli (Assam): A ferry service is the only means of transportation for Majuli islandersm, and due to this lack of transportation, residents often fail to access prompt medical facilities.

 

Taking note of such a need, the Assam Government recently introduced a river ambulance service in the form of a speedboat. It has life saving equipment in it. It is the first of its kind public service scheme.

 

The boat ambulance was commissioned recently at Kamalabari, Majuli in Assam. The event marked the completion of one year of the popular 108 emergency ambulance response service Mrityunjoy in the State.

 

Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), one of the major oil producing companies of Assam, donated the speedboat at a function organized at Kamalabari Ghat. It is intended to serve the medical needs of people living in Majuli.

 

The Speedboat, acquired from Kerala for Rs. 150,000, is made of fiberglass and has arrangements for oxygen, stretchers, saline drips, and medical experts.

 

“We are trying to give a good high speed passenger boat which will have an accommodation of about 40 passengers and will also help people to cross the river in a very short time. We will give this to the people of Majuli,” said L.S. Changsan, Deputy Commissioner, Jorhat.

 

“There was always this communication problem from Majuli to the mainland Jorhat. Especially for the patients, this was a serious problem. With this speedboat, we can now cross the river in about 20-25 minutes whereas earlier it used to take an hour or more. This will be a great benefit,” said P.K. DAS, Managing Director, NRL, Numaligarh.

 

The boat ambulance will tie up with 108 emergency response services on river’s both sides; Neemati and Kamalabari Ghat, for speedy and efficient healthcare service.

 

Five more boat ambulances would be introduced in Majuli and Sadiya under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), depending upon this pilot project delivering the desired results.

 

It is widely being hoped that the launch of the speedboat ambulance, the healthcare scenario of the islanders will improve considerably.

Source ANI