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| Wednesday, August 16, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Nation pays tributes on I-Day 9 killed in train blast Vajpayee charms kids, youth PM insulted
Tricolour, says minister |
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Summons against Thackeray stayed No to Bhopal as joint capital
Task forces to raise AI stock ‘Declare’ Pakistan
terrorist state 9 hurt as bus rams
into vehicles
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Nation pays tributes on I-Day NEW DELHI, Aug 15 (PTI) — Unfurling of the national Tricolour, launching of new schemes and appeals to militants to lay down arms marked the 54th Independence Day celebrations, which passed off peacefully today especially in the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir. The nation recalled with gratitude the supreme sacrifice made by freedom fighters who risked their lives in the struggle for Independence and paid rich tributes to them. At the main function in New Delhi, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee sternly warned Pakistan against attempting to redraw borders in the name of religion and said it would commit a “terrible folly” if it thought of settling the Kashmir issue through an “undeclared war”. “Kashmir has been an unbreakable part of India and it will remain so,” he asserted in the new millennium’s first Independence Day Address from the ramparts of the Red Fort amid
unprecedented security. The celebrations passed off peacefully in the Kashmir valley amid a near-total strike in response to a call given by the Hurriyat Conference. Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah hoisted the Tricolour and took the salute in Srinagar. In Manipur Chief Minister Nipamacha Singh appealed to militants to lay down arms even as a daylong general strike by different underground outfits affected normal life. However, Karnataka celebrated the day under the gloomy shadow cast by the abduction of Kannada icon Rajkumar by Veerappan. Rajkumar’s kidnapping had left its impact on the celebrations, Chief Minister S.M. Krishna said in Bangalore after unfurling the national flag. In Chennai Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, after unfurling the Tricolour at the ramparts of Fort St George (Secretariat) listed the government achievements. In Guwahati Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said insurgency in the state can end only when camps set up by militants on foreign land are busted and insurgents flushed out. Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh listed the achievements of his 10-month-old Democratic Front government, which he said was committed to the welfare of the people. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in his Address at Agartala appealed to insurgents to shun the path of violence and solve their problems through negotiations. Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga after unfurling the national flag in
Aizwal termed the violence let loose by Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) as “threats to internal security”. In Thiruvananthapuram Kerala Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar called for convening of the National Integration Council (NIC) to discuss and evolve a consensus on solving the problems in Jammu and Kashmir. In Agartala Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar appealed to the militants to join the mainstream and help in the development process for the uplift of the downtrodden people and tribals. Officiating Governor of Mizoram V.P. Marwah in a message from the Raj Bhavan in
Aizwal also appealed to the people to forget all differences and work unitedly for bringing prosperity in Mizoram. West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu in a message over the All India Radio and Doordarshan regretted the rise in political clashes in certain areas in the state and sought the
cooperation of all political parties to tackle the menace. Mr Basu emphasised that the Kashmir problem should be solved only through bilateral talks and that there was no scope for any third party mediation. “The Americans have absolutely no role to play here and the problem is to be solved between ourselves (India and Pakistan),” he said. The national Tricolour was hoisted with patriotic fervour in different parts of the state, including the capital, where the implementation of a much-awaited ban on plastic turned out to be the highlight of 54th Independence Day celebrations today. Governor P.C. Alexander attended the celebrations in Pune. Amid tight security, the 54th Independence Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm and gaiety in different parts of Madhya Pradesh. The state-level function was organised at Bhopal, where Chief Minister Digvijay Singh unfurled the Tricolour and took salute at an impressive marchpast by contingents of the armed police, home guards, NCC cadets and scouts. Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today sought the people’s cooperation to bring the derailed life in the cyclone-affected areas back to normal. Mr Patnaik, who later took the salute at a colourful marchpast, announced that the government had formulated a scheme to extend old-age pension to additional 50,000 destitutes and ensure self-employment of 30,000 youths. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu called upon people to be vigilant and fight the communal forces that were inciting violence in the state with the help of ISI agents. Addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag at the Parade Grounds here to mark the country’s 54th Independence Day, he said the country would progress if peace and communal harmony was maintained. A ceremonial parade was held at the naval base here today in commemoration of the country’s 54th Independence Day. About 1000 service personnel of the Eastern Naval Command took part in the special parade held at the Command parade ground. Nineteen
sailors and civilian personnel of the command were awarded cash incentives at the ceremonial division in recognition of their contribution for enhancing the operational state of the ships. Vice-Admiral Vinod Pasricha, flag officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, took salute. Gujarat Governor Sundersinh Bhandari called upon people to be united to fight disruptive forces. Unfurling the national flag at Raj Bhavan he appealed to everyone to work for the unity of the country. He also released a book called “Gujarat na Vishisht Vruksho”, published by the state Forest Department. Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi appealed to the extremists to join the national mainstream and promised to consider their problems seriously. Unfurling the national Tricolour at the historic Gandhi Maidan here she said her government would try to solve the problems of those extremists who gave up violence. Meanwhile, Governor V.C Pande after unfurling the national flag at Morhabadi Maidan in Ranchi, stressed the need of reviving and strengthening the civic bodies in the new Jharkhand state. He called upon the people for their participation in steering the new state towards prosperity. Nagaland celebrated the millennium’s first Independence Day with Chief Minister S.C. Jamir urging all sections of society to practice peace for the prosperity in the troubled-torn state. He expressed happiness over
NSCN(IM-m) chairman Issac Chishi Swu apologising for excesses committed by his cadres, but asserted that it be translated into reality. |
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Indians abroad celebrate I-Day INDIANS abroad today celebrated the first Independence Day of the millennium by participating in the flag-hoisting ceremonies at their country’s missions in various parts of the world. Reading of President K.R. Narayanan’s address to the nation by the head of the missions and singing of the national anthem marked the colourful ceremonies on the occasion. In Tokyo, Indian Ambassador Siddharth Singh, who hoisted the Tricolour, said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori’s visit to India next week could “refashion our relations and develop a strategy for the challenges of the 21st century which we can together address.” Japan used the occasion to congratulate India on the success of its democratic institutions and free market economy. In Beijing, the new Indian Ambassador to China Mr Shivshankar Menon hoisted the national flag as Indians joined him to celebrate the 54th Independence Day function. Reports of celebrations also poured in from Indian missions in Hong Kong and Shanghai where Indians gathered at the Consulate-General and heard the President’s message. Indian children sang patriotic songs at the Indian High Commission premises in Dhaka after High Commissioner Manilal Tripathi unfurled the national flag and read out the President’s Address. At the High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand, High Commissioner S. Kipgen unfurled the national flag at India House and read the President’s address to the nation the High Commissioner last evening hosted a grand reception which was attended by 200 dignitaries who included two Cabinet Ministers — Mr Lianne Dalziel and Mr George Hawkins — and Maori Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. Indian associations all over New Zealand also held functions to celebrate Independence Day. The Consul-General of India at Sydney, Australia hoisted the national flag at his residence. The function was followed by a reception and a cultural show which was attended by a large gathering of the Indian community in Sydney. Independence Day was also celebrated enthusiastically by the Indian community in Woolongong Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. The new Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Mr Gopal Gandhi, unfurled the national flag at a ceremony in Colombo. The High Commissioner also read out President K.R. Narayanan’s address to the nation. The Indian community in large numbers attended the function at India House. Local newspapers brought out special supplements on the occasion highlighting Indo-Lanka friendship and cooperation in various fields. Russian President Vladmir Putin assured India that his country would do everything possible to further develop relations between the two countries in mutual interest and for the sake of global stability and security. Felicitating Indian President Narayanan and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the occasion of India’s Independence Day, he referred to his forthcoming visit to New Delhi and summit talks there. He hoped it would play a “major role” in consolidating bilateral relations. — PTI, UNI |
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9 killed in train blast LUCKNOW, Aug 15 (Reuters) — Nine persons were killed and 37 injured when a bomb ripped through the last coach of a night train near Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh yesterday night. The blast came as India, fearing guerrilla attacks ahead of today’s Independence Day, tightened security around the country, especially in the insurgency-racked Himalayan territory of Kashmir. The bomb exploded at around 10.40 p.m. while Sabarmati Express was stationary at Roza village about 35 km west of Faizabad. “When I reached there in the night, passengers were lying scattered near the railway track and they were wailing and moaning,” said Ms Archana Aggarwal, District Magistrate of Faizabad. Seven died on the spot while two died later and 37 — of whom three were in a serious condition — were taken to hospital. The bomb exploded in a coach carrying 67 passengers which was also being used to transport mail. The police said it suspected that the bomb had been hidden in the mail compartment. The police said the blast was the work of Pakistan’s-Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and was linked to the armed struggle against Indian rule in Kashmir. The train was heading for Ahmedabad from Bihar. Mr K.M. Tripathi, Director, Rail Operations Lucknow, said the roof of the train was blown off, by the blast. Less than an hour before the train blast, two other bombs exploded in the state, wounding seven police officers and three civilians. The police said the twin blasts in Arya Nagar district took place at around 9.50 p.m. They said timers had probably been used because the second bomb went off while police officers were on the scene investigating the first. Divisional Railway Manager (Lucknow) K.K. Pandey, who along with other senior officials were camping on the spot said a battery box had been recovered from the coach. It was yet to be established how the bomb was triggered. The Railways would pay an ex gratia amount of Rs 15,000 each to next of kin of the deceased while the seriously injured would be given Rs 5,000 each. After the completion of the inquiry into the incident, next of kin of the deceased would be given a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each. |
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Vajpayee charms kids, youth NEW DELHI, Aug 15 (PTI) — The Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, struck an instant rapport with the audience as he referred to the festival of Rakhi at the very outset of his address to the nation on the occasion of the first Independence Day of the new millennium. “Today is also the festival of Raksha Bandhan. The power of affection can transform even an ordinary thread into an unbreakable bond,” he said amidst thunderous applause. Mr Vajpayee made a special reference to the youth by not only addressing them as “young friends” but also pointing out that they comprised nearly 70 per cent of the population.” “The new century is the century of the youth. India, too, which has lived for thousands of years, has now become a young nation... These young men and women are more ambitious, more aware and more active than their predecessors. They not only think big but are also working hard to realise their dreams. I have full faith in India’s youth,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister, was not far behind in charming his way into the hearts of the school children. They cheered him lustily when he talked about providing computer and internet facilities in every schools and making education compulsory. Mr Vajpayee received the loudest cheers when he emphatically declared “Kashmir is an integral part of India and it will remain so”. For a change, the poet Prime Minister chose to recite a few lines penned by the noted lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, instead of reading from his poems. In his characteristic flamboyant style of delivery, Mr Vajpayee quoting Sahir advised the rulers and people of Pakistan to stop dreaming about further dividing India. “Gone is that time, gone is that age, When “two nations” was the slogan; Gone are those people — Whose purpose was partition.” Calling for a united effort to build a prosperous India, Mr Vajpayee quoted a Sanskrit couplet. School kids jumped with joy as saffron, white and green balloons leaped to touch the sky at the end of the function. |
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PM insulted
Tricolour, says minister NEW DELHI, Aug 15 (UNI) — Does wrapping flower petals in the folds of the National Flag before it is unfurled, or sending up small tricolours with balloons amount to insult to national honour? Apparently it does, according to Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Ram Naik who has brought this to the attention of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee who unfurled the flag from the ramparts of Red Fort, Home Minister L.K. Advani, and Defence Minister George Fernandes. In letters written today, Mr Naik drew the attention of the Prime Minister and his two colleagues to Section 4(3) of the Indian Flag Code which says that the mast of the flag should not be adorned by any flowers, garlands or emblems. He has also protested about the flags tied to balloons because he says the code is clear that the flag should not be used as a festoon, rossette or bunting. In any case, he says that the once the balloons get deflated, the flags would fall to the ground and this would amount to an insult. Mr Naik has drawn attention to a mention to this effect made by him during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on August 16, 1995, while sitting in the Opposition. He had mentioned on that date the flag unfurled by then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and drawn attention to Section 4(3) of the code. Then Speaker Shivraj Patil had asked the Parliamentary Affairs Minister to enquire into the matter as it was
serious. |
Summons against Thackeray stayed NAGPUR, Aug 15 (PTI) — A Mumbai High Court Bench here has stayed for a week the operation of a lower court order which had issued a summons against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and two others asking them to appear in person on August 17. Mr Justice
S.Q. Mahajan yesterday stayed until August 23 the proceedings of the Judicial Magistrate First Class,
(JMFC) who had issued the process on July 15 against Mr Thackeray and two others for alleged inflammatory articles in the party’s mouthpiece
Saamna. Besides Mr Thackeray (editor), other accused are Mr Sanjay Raut (executive editor) and Mr Subhash Desai (printer-publisher). Acting on a complaint by a local activist, Mr Kishore
Kanhere, the JMFC had issued summons against the trio for allegedly publishing defamatory articles against Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal after police firing on a Dalit mob at Ramabai Ambedkarnagar in Mumbai on July 11, 1997. The complainant also alleged that they had committed offences under Section 153 of the
IPC (inciting communal passions and prejudicing national integration). Mr Sunil
Manohar, Mr Thackeray’s counsel, argued that the JMFC had exceeded his jurisdiction by issuing the process against the Sena chief. He also questioned the locus standi of the complainant in raising the grievance on behalf of Mr
Bhujbal. Only the aggreived person (in case of defamation) could file a complaint under Section 500 of the
IPC. In this case, Mr Bhujbal had not filed the complaint and hence the
JMFC had erred in issuing the process, Mr Thackeray’s counsel argued. On August 23 the high court would consider whether the
JMFC was right in issuing the process. Therefore, Mr Justice Mahajan also ordered that notices be served upon the state government and the complainant to hear them before giving the ruling. |
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No to Bhopal as joint capital BHOPAL, Aug 15 (UNI) — Leaders of different political parties have reacted sharply to the proposal to retain Bhopal as a joint capital of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh as a stopgap arrangement till a full-fledged capital is set up. Leaders of the Congress, the BJP and other parties described as “unnecessary’’ the proposal for the joint capital on the line of Punjab and Haryana saying that it was against the concept of the new state. In the wake of the announcement that the new Chhattisgarh state would come into existence by November 1, some leaders have proposed to temporarily run the affairs of Chhattisgarh from Bhopal itself, citing that the period of less than three months was not sufficient to construct buildings to house the Vidhan Sabha and other important offices and residences of the Governor, the Chief Minister, ministers and officers. Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Speaker Sriniwas Tiwari suggested that Minto Hall of the old Vidhan Sabha could be used as the Assembly of the new state. However, General Administration and Public Relations Minister Ravindra Choubey, the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Gauri Shankar Shejwar, and former BJP state President Nand Kumar Sai opposed the suggestion saying that ad hoc arrangements could be made in the Chhattisgarh region itself by utilising the available resources. Mr Choubey, who hails from the Chhattisgarh region, said there was no need to conduct affairs of the new state from Bhopal as temporary arrangements could easily be made in the region for the Assembly, secretariat and other important government buildings. Chief Minister Digvijay Singh toured the region and reviewed the availability of buildings at a meeting in Raipur recently, he added. After announcing the date for the formation, he said the Centre should provide economic package soon so that necessary infrastructure, resources and facilities could be developed for the new state. “How can the people feel that their region has got the statehood they have been aspiring for if Bhopal is retained as the capital of Chhattisgarh even as a stopgap arrangement?’’, asked Dr Shejwar. Describing as “impractical’’ the proposal of the joint capital, BJP MLA Nand Kumar Sai said necessary facilities were available in the Chhattisgarh region for the purpose. The concept of the new state would remain incomplete if a separate capital was not set up soon after its creation, he added. Meanwhile, a UNI report from Raipur quoting Raipur Mayor and BJP MLA Tarun Chatterjee said Raipur had the infrastructure needed for the
capital. Senior BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal said no ad hocism should be meted out to Chhattisgarh. Former Congress MLA and Chairman of Raipur Cooperative Bank Radheshyam Sharma strongly opposed the suggestion to temporarily run the affairs of Chhattisgarh from Bhopal and said such a proposal was impractical as the distance between Raipur and Bhopal was 700 km. Prominent tribal leader and former Union Minister Arvind Netam said it was shameful for the people of Chhattisgarh for again looking towards Bhopal which showed intellectual bankruptcy. Senior advocate Amber Shukla said running the affairs of Chhattisgarh from Bhopal was akin to curtailing the hard-earned freedom. Raipur Congress Committee working president Pramod Choubey said the capital should be set up at Raipur with the
available infrastructure. |
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Task forces to raise AI stock NEW DELHI, Aug 15 (PTI) — To bolster the image of Air India, before divesting its holding, the government has set up four task forces to improve the national carrier’s product in its totality. A decision to this effect was taken by the Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Sharad Yadav, following a high-level review meeting of Air India held in Mumbai yesterday, official sources said today. During the three-hour long meeting, Mr Yadav stressed upon the need to revive the airline through early induction of dry-leased aircraft “so that more connectivity is established and the company’s bilateral rights are utilised.” Directing that senior AI directors, who would comprise the task force, initiate immediate action and submit recommendations within two to four weeks, the Civil Aviation Minister warned of “unpleasant action” against officials if there is no “definite improvement” in the performance of the airline in the next few months. While the first task force will look at inflight related issues like aircraft interiors, including personal televisions and audio systems, the second will suggest changes in current systems including security on ground and on board. The third force will recommend measures to improve ground handling services provided by the airline for its flights and to other airlines. The fourth task force will look into rationalisation of emoluments including productivity linked incentives, hourly rate of payment and shortfalls applicable to different categories of employees. The Minister said he would review the performance after the task forces submitted their reports. Other areas discussed included complaints received from passengers and public, off-loading of passengers due to over-booking and measures taken to minimise these. Air India Managing Director, Mr Michael Mascarenhas, drew the minister’s attention to the fact that the airline was paying at least 30 per cent more for fuel uplifted in India as compared to international prices, besides sales tax of almost Rs 80 crore annually to various state governments. Since foreign carriers do not have to pay sales tax on aviation turbine fuel, Air India suffered great disadvantage in the highly competitive fare-driven market in its home territory, Mr Mascarenhas said. Air India, after suffering a net loss of Rs 272 crore in 1995-96 has brought down its net loss to Rs 34 crore while registering an impressive operating profit of Rs 40 crore in 1999-2000, he said. The airline would have made a net profit of over Rs 250 crore during the last financial year but for the additional liability of Rs 177 crore on its fuel bill due to the unprecedented hike in oil prices and additional liability of Rs 146 crore incurred on termination, compensation, arbitration fees and other charges following the cancellation of the wet lease agreement with Caribjet in September 1996, Mr Mascarenhas said. |
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Goa Congress
splits
PANAJI, Aug 15 (PTI) — In a sudden political development, the Congress, the 15-member main opposition party in Goa, today split with five MLAs forming a separate group. Mr Suresh Parulkar, a former minister and a member of the breakaway faction, told PTI that “unhappiness over the leadership of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee is the main cause of the split”. The other four MLAs are Mr Sheikh Hassan, Mr Prakash Velip, Mr Philip Neri Rodrigues and Mr Jose Philip Desouza. The breakaway faction, named the Indian National Congress (Sheikh Hassan group), would not merge with any party but extend support to the Francisco Sardinha-led coalition government in Goa, Mr Parulekar said. Meanwhile, there are indications that former Speaker Haji Sheikh Hassan Haroon is likely to be the leader of the new group which, according to Mr Parulekar, would remain and function separately without merging with any other political
party. |
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School kids tie
rakhi to PM
NEW DELHI, Aug 15 (UNI) — A large number of people, mostly school children, today went to the Prime Minister’s residence to tie rakhi on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee said it was a rare occasion when both Independence Day and Raksha Bandhan fell on the same day. “We have to tie a rakhi to the nation”, he remarked and exhorted people to unite in a common bond to face the challenges from within and outside. Mr Vajpayee said those who wanted to create problems for the country would not succeed in their nefarious designs. |
‘Declare’ Pakistan
terrorist state
VISAKHAPATNAM, Aug 15 (UNI) — The BJP General Secretary, Mr M. Venkaih Naidu, today urged the international community to declare Pakistan as a terrorist state as it continued to exhibit its war intentions despite India’s avowed peace initiatives. Addressing party workers after unfurling the national flag at the party office here on the occasion of Independence Day today, he said, India was committed to “no-first use” of nuclear arsenals against any country but it would repulse any attack to preserve its unity and integrity. It was unfortunate that Pakistan had taken the Indian peace efforts and our ‘weakness’ and continued to resort to cross-border terrorism. The very fact that Pakistan declared its support to terrorist outfits yesterday indicated the aggressive nature of Pakistan, Mr Naidu added. |
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Heavy rain in HP
areas likely NEW DELHI, Aug 15 - Monsoon has been active in East Rajasthan, East Uttar Pradesh and the hills of West Uttar Pradesh. Rainfall: Rain or thundershowers have occurred at most places in East Rajasthan, at many places in Himachal Pradesh, East Uttar Pradesh and the hills of West Uttar Pradesh, at a few places in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab and at isolated places in the rest of the region. The chief amounts of rainfall in cm are: New Delhi (Safdarjung) 2 and Chandigarh 1, Himachal Pradesh: Kahu 11, Ghamroor 4, Nagrota Surian 2 and Kasol, Nadaun and Nahan 1 each, Jammu and Kashmir: Banihal 1, Punjab: Amritsar 4, Ludhiana 3 and Patti 2, Rajasthan: Bisalpur 14, Banera and Kakri 7 each, Chittorgarh 6, Bhilwara, Chirawa, Kotri and Naher Sagar 5 each, Begu, Basundhary, Kishangarh, Pushker and Umed Sagar 4 each, Bijolila, Devali, Gopalpura, Jaipur, Kadambri, Mandei, Mangelser, Malsiser, Sarwar and Vardha 3 each, Churu, Jahajpur, Mahana and Kapasen 2 each and Dausa 1, Uttar Pradesh: Chillaghat 24, Dehra Dun 11, Jaunpur 10, Ankinghat 7, Lucknow 6, Banbasa 5, Allahabad, Bansi and Banda 4 each, Birdghat, Etawa, Kakrahi, Marora, Palliakalan and Rae Bareilly 3 each, Bareilly, Dalman, Hardwar, Kanpur and Kalpi 2 each and Bani and Mukhlispur 1 each. Forecast valid until the morning of 17th: Rain or thundershowers will occur at many places in Himachal Pradesh and North Uttar Pradesh and at a few places in the rest of the region. Heavy rainfall warning: Heavy rain is likely at a few places with isolated very heavy rain falls in Himachal Pradesh and North Uttar Pradesh during the next 24 hours. Forecast for Delhi & neighbourhood valid until the morning of 17th: Generally cloudy sky with one or two showers/thundershowers. Farmers weather bulletin for Delhi: Forecast valid until the morning of 17th: Light to moderate rain will occur at a few places. Outlook for the subsequent two days: No large change. |
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9 hurt as bus rams
into vehicles NEW DELHI, Aug 15 — Nine persons, including two children and two women, were injured when a Blueline bus coming from Shahadra hit their vehicle on Vikas Marg in Preet Vihar, East Delhi. Four of the injured were admitted to LNJP while the remaining were taken to AIIMS where their condition was stated to be serious. The victims were coming from their relatives residences after celebrating Raksha Bandhan. The driver of the Blueline bus had absconded, the police said. The bus was reportedly coming from the Shahadra side and hit four cars and two scooters at Preet Vihar traffic lights,
injuring occupants of the vehicles, the police said. A case has been registered. |
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