S P O T L I G H T

SC stays govt's notices to BALCO
New Delhi, May 12
Close on the heels of the Balco employees calling off their strike, the Supreme Court today stayed all notices issued by the Chattisgarh Government to the management asking it to show cause why the land leased to its plant be not cancelled, it being situated on tribal land. The order was given by a Bench comprising Mr Justice B.N. Kirpal and Mr Justice Ruma Pal on an application filed by the new management of Balco through counsel P.Shroff. She contended that the notice given to the Balco, after the government sold its 51 per cent equity in it to Sterlite Industries Ltd, indicated that the whole of the plant and the township as well could be termed as illegal encroachments, they being situated on tribal land. PTI

R.K. Narayan
Chennai, May 12
Writer R.K. Narayan’s condition again became critical and he has been moved to the intensive care unit of a private hospital where he was admitted a fortnight ago following breathing problems. A doctor attending on him said nothing could be said till the next 48 hours. “He is very critical,” he said. UNI

Picket blasted
Patna, May 12
Maoist Communist Centre extremists blasted the Bakshi Bigha police picket in Aurangabad district last night. State police headquarters said here today that the outlaws caused heavy damages to the police picket by exploding bombs. Nobody was, however, injured in the blast. UNI

SC closes case
New Delhi, May 12
The Supreme Court today disposed off a petition alleging that Kashmiri girls were being exploited in certain dental colleges in Bihar after the state government submitted a CID probe report terming the allegations as baseless. PTI

Food poisoning
Kathmandu, May 12
More than 300 persons attending a ceremonial feast at a village in the Nawalparasi district of Nepal, were hit by food poisoning, the police said today. The affected residents of Praganinagar village are receiving treatment at a health care centre in Dumkuli while 60 said to be seriously ill have been taken to a hospital in Bharatpur. AFP