Leh toll may touch 400
Admn faces uphill task of building houses before winter
August 10
With five days already having passed after the cloudburst wreaked havoc in Leh, the frightening magnitude of the flash floods is unfolding slowly with time. While the death toll could mount up to 400, this too a conservative estimate, the administration may not be able to meet its rehabilitation targets before the onset of winters here.

An aerial view of the Choglamsar village on the outskirts of Leh on the Leh-Kargil highway on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

PM: Autonomy for Kashmir if all parties agree
New Delhi, August 11
Expressing solidarity with the people of Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today chaired a marathon meeting of 20 leaders from the state and said the government was aware of the prevailing alienation in the Valley and the need to remove it.

PM Manmohan Singh and FM Pranab Mukherjee at the all-party meeting on Kashmir, in New Delhi on Tuesday.

BBMB calls emergency meeting
Chandigarh, August 10
The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has called an emergency meeting of the partner states for August 12 and is likely to forewarn Punjab that it may be forced to release water into the Sutlej in case the dam height reaches the danger mark this month.

The Tribune Ladakh Relief Fund: An Appeal To Readers

Opposition puts govt on the mat
Mamata’s allegation that Maoist leader was murdered angers BJP, Left 
New Delhi, August 10
The Opposition put the UPA government on the mat today in both Houses over Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegation that Maoist leader Azad was “murdered” in a fake encounter and her virtually asking the Centre to call off Operation Greenhunt against the Naxalites.

Cong padyatra reaches Reddys’ bastion
BJP to reply with big rally in Bellary on Aug 20
Bangalore, August 10
Ever since the high-voltage electoral contest between Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in Bellary in 1999, the political climate in this Karnataka town, famous for its iron ore mines, has seldom remained quiet. The dusty mining town today once again occupied the political centrestage, albeit with a reduced stature since the fight this time round is essentially of state level.

SC sends Bofors records to trial court
New Delhi, August 10
The Supreme Court today returned the records relating to the Bofors payoff case to the trial court, which has to decide the CBI’s plea for withdrawing the case against 70-year-old Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused.

Just one ‘Shera’ for C’wealth Games! New Delhi, August 10 The Commonwealth Games, nation’s biggest sporting event to be held at 23 sprawling stadiums and in 21 disciplines, has only one ‘Shera’, the mascot of the Games, to raise the spirits of the supporters. Chandigarh boy, Satish, who poses as ‘Shera’ during the Games organising committee's functions and ceremonies. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui