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Coal Minister to review status of joint ventures next week
Left parties form grand alliance in Bihar
Cong, CPM against online voting for NRIs
US hails Modi’s vision ahead of key talks in Delhi
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Indians no longer need visa to visit Reunion island
Won’t withdraw controversial books: Gujarat Govt
Govt takes steps for Indians' return from strife-torn Libya
Over 3 crore cases pending in courts
Rape, murder charges can’t be quashed despite settlement: SC
Smart cities should focus on quality of life: Naidu
RSS at work: GM field trials on hold?
Judicial Appointments Bill in House likely next week
Sri Lankan navy arrests 50 Indian fishermen
Lessons in legislative process for new MPs
Work on Navi Mumbai airport to start soon
Graft cases: CBI wants to block info
Don’t take part in Lanka defence meet: Vaiko
Manager of Kolkata firm abducted
Swiss national held for attending Maoist meet
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Coal Minister to review status of joint ventures next week
At a meeting to be held next week, the Coal Ministry has asked the CMDs of the state-run NTPC and NLC to also be present. The other states whose Chief Secretaries have been called for the meeting are Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. A meeting notice sent out yesterday said: “The Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, will hold a meeting with the representatives of the state government on August 4... To review the current status of formation of
SPV/JV company amongst the state government companies/corporations, those who have been allocated coal blocks jointly for the end use i.e. power as well as for mining.” The Coal Ministry had earlier asked the states to advise the companies that have been allocated mines to either form SPVs or JVs for projects. The government had last year allocated 17 coal mines — 14 to power and three to mining public sector undertakings
(PSUs). Of the 14 blocks allocated to power PSUs, four were allocated to the
NTPC. Other power PSUs that were allocated mines included Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd, Odisha Thermal Power Corp, Jammu & Kashmir State Power Dev Corp, Chhattisgarh State Power Gen Co Ltd, Andhra Pradesh Generation Co, Maharashtra State Power Generation Co, Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam and Punjab State Power Corp Ltd. Three blocks were allotted to mining PSUs such as Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corp and MP State Mining Corporation Ltd. Incidentally, the meeting by the Coal Ministry has been called at a time when Punjab has been facing acute shortage of power for the want of coal supply from the Centre to its power plants. While the Badal government has been facing strong criticism for the lack of power during sowing season in the state at the hands of the Opposition, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal had earlier this month met Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and Railway Minister Sadanada Gowda to help improve the coal supply to Punjab’s power plants. With paddy sowing season in progress, Punjab has been facing load shedding across all categories of customers ranging between five and eight hours per day. Besides, PSPCL has imposed peak load hour restrictions for 12 hours on large scale industry. PSPCL has blamed “inadequate coal supplies to private thermal power plants” as reason for lesser power generation to meet increasing power requirements in the wake of ‘poor’ monsoon. Punjab faces acute coal shortage
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Left parties form grand alliance in Bihar
Patna, July 29 As per seat sharing agreement, CPI(ML) will contest on five seats, while CPI(M) and CPI will fight on three and two seats, respectively, state secretaries of the three Left parties told reporters at a joint press conference. CPI (M) state secretary Vijay Kant Thakur said: “CPI(ML) will contest
Narkatiaganj, Rajnagar (SC), Bhagalpur, Hajipur, Mohania (SC) seats, CPI (M) will put up candidates on
Chapra, Mohiuddinagar, Parbatta, while CPI will fight on Jale and Banka.” Saying that this is the first time that a complete alliance has been formed by the major Left parties in Bihar, CPI state secretary Rajendra Prasad Singh said: “Top Central leaders of the three parties will campaign together for the
byelections.” Singh also said that the Left alliance was the need of the hour as the policies of BJP and the
JD(U), RJD, Congress were similar and exploitative for the masses. CPI(ML) secretary Kunal described the alliance between
JD(U), RJD and Congress as “opportunistic” as they have been fighting against each others all these years. “The Left parties can neither be with Congress nor with
BJP. Our socio-economic policies are opposed to both these parties, which indulge in exploiting the poor masses,” Kunal said. CPI state secretary Rajendra Prasad Singh said the aim of the Left alliance was to check the spread of BJP in Bihar. The three Left parties, which had contested the last Assembly elections separately, had performed badly. Only CPI had managed to win one seat from Sultanganj constituency in Bhagalpur district. The CPI and
CPI(M) had contested the recent general elections with JD(U), but drew blank. The coming of the three Left parties would try to make the bypolls a triangular contest
against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the alliance of
JD(U), RJD and the Congress.
— PTI Bypolls on 10 seats, CPI (ML) to contest five
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Cong, CPM against online voting for NRIs
New Delhi, July 29 The matter of NRIs voting came up for discussions at a recent meeting called by the Election Commission whom the Supreme Court has asked for a response in an ongoing case. The meeting was held last week where the representatives of all major parties were also present. Top sources said the Congress, CPI and CPM opposed the BJP’s suggestion of online voting option on grounds that the online option for a limited set of voters would amount to discrimination with the rest of the voters. Besides, the Congress and others argued that in the online/internet voting, the secrecy of ballot cannot be maintained and the freedom and fairness of election process is likely to be compromised. Former ministers Ajay Makan and Vyalar Ravi represented the Congress. They both said for the purpose of NRI votes, the Indian High Commissions and consulates abroad could be converted into polling stations and physical ballot by NRIs should be encouraged on the lines of postal ballot for service voters in India. The BJP, on the other hand, demanded the internet voting option for NRI voters. There are around 12,000 registered NRI voters as of now. The objection
The Congress, CPI and CPM opposed the BJP's suggestion of online voting on grounds that the option for a limited set of voters would amount to discrimination with others
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US hails Modi’s vision ahead of key talks in Delhi
At the same time, however, the Obama administration has asked New Delhi to limit subsidies that stifle competition and ensure strong intellectual property rights to attract more American investments. This was the moment to transform the strategic relations between India and the US into a historic partnership which honoured their place as great powers and democracies, US Secretary of State John Kerry said while speaking at the Centre for American Progress’ India 2020 Programme in Washington last evening. Kerry will arrive here tomorrow to co-chair the dialogue with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The dialogue will be the first Cabinet-level meeting between India and the US after the Modi government assumed office in May. Kerry will be joined by Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and other senior US officials. During his visit, Kerry is expected to call on Modi and convey Obama’s greetings to the Indian leader. Modi is scheduled to hold talks with Obama in Washington in September when he travels to the US for the UN General Assembly. India and the US launched the ministerial-level strategic dialogue in July 2009, focusing on five pillars of mutual interest, namely: strategic cooperation; energy and climate change, education and development; economy, trade and agriculture; science and technology, health and innovation. According to sources, Kerry’s discussions in India would cover the full range of bilateral issues, including expanding bilateral trade, tackling climate change, improving India’s energy security through cooperation in clean energy and energy access, and expanding their already robust people-to-people ties. The visit would also lay the groundwork for Modi’s visit to Washington. Indications are the cooperation in counter-terrorism and the regional developments, particularly India’s relations with Pakistan, would figure prominently during the dialogue. In his address, Kerry, while taking a positive note of Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Delhi to attend Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, said Washington would do everything it could to encourage India and Pakistan to work together and improve the prospects for both prosperity and stability in the region. He observed that both Modi and Sharif were ‘business-minded leaders’ who wanted to create opportunities for their people. Improved trade was a win-win for both countries and their people.
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Indians no longer need visa to visit Reunion island
New Delhi, July 29 “Indian tourists are now exempted from obtaining a visa to travel to the island for stays up to 15 days. The step was taken to promote France as a preferred tourist destination among Indian visitors,” Richier said here. Indian tourists visiting Reunion will be provided with a free Visa on Arrival at the airport, with a validity of 15 days, the French embassy said. Reunion is a popular tourist destination approximately 5,300 km from India in the Indian Ocean off the island of Madagascar. Forty percent of its territory has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Meanwhile, visiting French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Laurent Fabius announced that from Jan 1, 2015, Indians would be able to get French visas within 48 hours (two days). In addition, a smartphone application designed especially for Indian tourists that provides information about popular tourist spots, vegetarian restaurants, shopping areas etc. in France will be launched soon. — IANS Tourist destination
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Won’t withdraw controversial books: Gujarat Govt
Gandhinagar, July 29 The set of eight books, which are authored by Dinanath Batra, a member of Vidya Bharati’s National Executive and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh education cell, seeks to propagate the “Hindu ideology.” The books translated into Gujarati by the Gujarat State School Textbooks Board. Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma said these were only reference books on Indian culture for the primary and secondary schoolchildren and were not part of the syllabus. “We only want the children to read books written by eminent and knowledgeable authors. These are only supplementary reading materials and nothing has been thrust upon children.” He maintained there was no question of withdrawing the books since they were not mandatory. About the factual errors in the book, the minister said the list of corrections had already been published and made available to the students. Claiming that the country’s present history books were “coloured and distorted” by the western thoughts and versions, Batra asserted the students in the country must be “educated” in the Indian culture and the “concept of Akhand Bharat”, which included the present Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Myanamar, Bangladesh and Pakistan. “All these countries were either geographically part of India or were influenced by Indian culture, where the people from India had gone and settled and spread the ancient Indian culture. The students should know India’s influence outside the geographical borders of the country and live with the possibility that “Akhand Bharat” could again become a reality,” Batra had commented when asked about his books. Though there are factual errors like wrong date of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination or about the World War II in the books, the state government does not believe that it needs to do anything. According to Batra’s book, the idea of the stem cell therapy technology was born from the birth of 100 kauravas in the Mahabharat era. A 125-page book by Batra titled “Tejomay Bharat” says, “America wants to take the credit for the invention of stem cell research, but the truth is that India’s Dr Balkrishna Ganpat Matapurkar has already got a patent for regenerating body parts.” About the modern day automobiles, the book claim to have its reference as ancient as in the Rig Veda. “What we know today is that the motorcar existed during the Vedic period. It was called ‘anashva rath.’ Usually a rath (chariot) is pulled by horses but an anashva rath means the one that runs without horses or yantra-rath, what is today a motorcar. The Rig Veda refers to this.”
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Govt takes steps for Indians' return from strife-torn Libya
New Delhi, July 29 The minister, who reviewed the security situation impacting on Indian nationals in Libya, which is witnessing increased incidents of violence, also directed that additional staff be deployed in the Indian mission in Tunisia to assist Indian nationals who travel there by land route from Libya en route to India. According to MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin, the Indian mission in Tripoli was in touch with nearly 4,500 Indian nationals through 62 coordinators to facilitate their return and these include about 750 nurses. Several Indian nationals have begun to return using the land route from Libya to Tunisia. The mission was facilitating return of Indian nationals and working with the Libyan authorities to obtain necessary exit permissions for Indian nationals wanting to return. "In cases of indigent Indian nationals, funds from the Indian Community Welfare Fund will be utilised to assist in facilitating their travel back to India from Libya," he said. In the advisory yesterday, the Indian mission in Tripoli had said, "In view of the current security situation in Libya, all Indian nationals are advised to move to safer places and avoid all conflict zones. They are further advised to use all available means for exiting Libya. All travel from India to Libya should be postponed till the situation improves." Prior to the uprising in Libya, the number of Indians engaged there was estimated to be more than 18,000. The Indian professionals were mainly employed in hospitals and other teaching institutions whereas a major part of manpower was engaged in construction projects. During the course of revolution, most of them were evacuated to India in February-March 2011. A few hundred Indians continued to serve in Libya even during the revolution period. Gradually, more Indians have returned to Libya. At present, about 6000 Indians are engaged there. Indian nurses caught in conflict zone
In a near replay of the incidents in Iraq, large numbers of Indian nurses are caught in spiralling violence in Libya, where rival militant groups seek to control the capital's international airport, and have approached the Indian mission for help and even evacuation."Everybody is safe here. We are in constant touch with the nurses," Indian Ambassador in Libya Azar A H Khan. The ambassador, however, said that only some Indian nationals, mostly nurses, have approached the embassy for help in leaving the country.
— IANS
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Over 3 crore cases pending in courts
New Delhi, July 29 According to information provided to Parliament by the Law and Justice Minister, there were 65,970 case pending in the Supreme Court as on July 1, this year, 44,62,707 cases pending in high courts as on December 31, last year, and 2,68,38,861 cases pending in various district and subordinate courts. The figures include high courts of Punjab and Haryana (2,62,760), J&K (93,038), HP (60,073), Delhi (64,652). The figures for district and subordinate courts are Haryana (5,55,669), Punjab (5,23,759), Delhi (5,22,167), HP (2,58,791), J&K (1,75,647) and Chandigarh (59,712). Responding to a question by Punjab MP Avinash Rai Khanna (BJP), the minister said disposal of pending cases in various courts was within the domain of the judiciary. To enable the high courts to clear the backlog of cases, the Chief Justice of India has given in-principle concurrence to the joint recommendation in the Chief Ministers/ Chief Justices’ conference to increase the sanctioned strength of high courts by 25% of the existing strength. The high courts and state governments have been requested to convey their consent to the proposal, keeping in view the existing vacancies, as also the requirements of additional court room infrastructure, staff and budgets. Specific proposals in respect of the High Courts of Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab and Haryana have been received from the state governments and approved by the Chief Justice of India. In the case of the other high courts, the state governments have been reminded to expedite their concurrence. The government, he said, in June this year wrote to the Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of the High Courts to operationalise all sanctioned courts by filling vacant posts of judicial officers in the subordinate judiciary and requested them to organise pendency reduction campaigns and mega lok adalats to bring down pendency of cases. In order to create an enabling environment for the judiciary to deal with the problem of pendency and backlog of cases, the government has set up the National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reforms. The major initiative under the mission relate to infrastructure development for the subordinate judiciary and computerisation of courts. The Central Government has provided financial assistance of Rs 2,198 crore to state governments and union territories to upgrade/construct court complexes and residential units for judicial officers in the last three years. Awaiting justice
According to information provided to Parliament by the Law and Justice Minister, there were 65,970 case pending in the Supreme Court as on July 1, this year, 44,62,707 cases pending in high courts as on December 31, last year, and 2,68,38,861 cases pending in various district and subordinate
courts.
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Rape, murder charges can’t be quashed despite settlement: SC
A Bench of justices Ranjana Prakash Desai and NV Ramana, however, said that proceedings in other offences, which are not related to public peace or tranquillity and confined to two individuals or groups, can be quashed after the parties reach a compromise. “The High Court can exercise its discretion to quash the proceedings will depend on facts and circumstances of each case. Offences which involve moral turpitude, grave offences such as rape, murder etc cannot be effaced by quashing the proceedings because that will have harmful effect on the society,” the Bench said. The apex court said that grave offences cannot be said to be restricted to two individuals or two groups and quashing of such offences may send “wrong signal” to the society. “However, when the High Court is convinced that the offences are entirely personal in nature and, therefore, do not affect public peace or tranquillity and where it feels that quashing of such proceedings on account of compromise would bring about peace and would secure ends of justice, it should not hesitate to quash them,” the bench said. It said in such cases (where parties compromise), the prosecution becomes a lame prosecution and pursuing it would be waste of time and energy. “That will also unsettle the compromise and obstruct restoration of peace,” the Bench said. The apex court passed the verdict on a bunch of petitions filed by various convicts seeking quashing of proceedings against them on the ground that they have reached amicable settlement with the victims. — PTI
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Smart cities should focus on quality of life: Naidu
Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation M Venkaiah Naidu said based on the experience of the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM), new initiatives should aim at improving quality of urban life by addressing chronic problems and move beyond providing just infrastructure. After a two-day deliberation attended by Members of Parliament, the minister directed the officials to prepare a note which could be sent to the Cabinet for approval. Union Minister of Power Piyush Goyal, MPs Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Baijayant Panda and Rajiv Chandrasekhar and experts shared their perspective. Elaborating on the approach, the minister said 500 habitations were to be provided with safe drinking water, sewerage management and use of recycled water, solid waste management and digital connectivity as mentioned in the General Budget. While reviewing the progress on conceptualisation of the ‘smart cities’ initiative, Naidu stressed the focus should be to enhance quality of urban life through an integrated approach to urban planning and execution besides ensuring ‘inclusivity’. Suggesting solid waste management and cleanliness be addressed on priority for immediate impact, Goyal said four or five smart cities projects could be offered to states which have land available. Articulating his concept of smart cities, Rudy said it should reflect six elements —-governance, mobility, environment, ecology, people and living. The India-specific model should be evolved drawing on experience of some Asian and other developed countries.
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RSS at work: GM field trials on hold?
Ashwani Mahajan, a member of the SJM, seemed to indicate towards the development that followed after a meeting with Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, which was also attended by another RSS affiliate — the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh. However, there is no official word yet on the issue from the government. Notably, regulator Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) had recently revalidated around 10 varieties of GM crops, including wheat, rice, maize and cotton, and allowed MNCs to go for their "confined field trials". The Agriculture Ministry also told Parliament that the government policy was to allow field trials though Javadekar had maintained that go-ahead of field trials of GM crops was "not a government decision but a recommendation of the GEAC". BJP in its manifesto had said that it will take a precautionary approach towards the GM crops. Though Opposition Congress criticised the move, calling it an interference in the government matters by the RSS, the "move" found appreciations from NGOs like Coalition for GM Free India. Environmentalist Vandana Shiva also welcomed the move, calling the earlier decision a result of the "pressure" put by seed MNCs. Notably, the outgoing UPA had given its nod to "confined field trials" of over 200 transgenic varieties of GM crops which got GEAC's clearance in March last year but was held back by the then Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan. Apparently this is not all. The sources say the Narendra Modi government and the RSS have formed a coordination committee of sorts to implement the various issues on the agenda of the BJP's ideological
fountainhead. No decision yet: Govt Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the government had not taken any decision on the contentious issue and it would not take any decision in haste. PTI
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Judicial Appointments Bill in House likely next week
New Delhi, July 29 The issue gained momentum after several top jurists pushed for scrapping of the existing collegium system under which judges appoint judges. “The government has started discussions within on bringing a new bill for judicial appointments. Once the discussions are complete, the bill may come in the Cabinet and then in Parliament next week,” top sources in the government said. The government’s hands are full on the legislative agenda before Parliament this week as it has taken up the Insurance Bill and the SEBI Bill after taking up the Budget provisions. At a meeting to discuss judicial reforms yesterday, a “predominant” view emerged that the collegium system needs to be “changed”. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has already said there is a consensus for improvement and the need for making the appointment of judges more transparent. The government is also having a rethink on the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill in view of objections from judges. The Bill, pending in Parliament, seeks to lay down enforceable standards of conduct for judges. The Bill also requires judges to declare details of their and their family members’ assets and liabilities. It also creates mechanisms to allow any person to complain against judges on grounds of misbehaviour or incapacity.
— PTI
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VVIP chopper deal: Proceedings against Finmeccannica shelved Rome/New Delhi, July 29 India scrapped the deal on January 1 on the basis of alleged breach of pre-contract integrity pact and alleged payment of kickbacks to Indian agents by the firm to secure the contract. Prosecutors in the northern Italian city of Busto Arsizio have shelved proceedings against Finmeccanica for the alleged corruption in the sale to the Indian government of 12 AW-101 helicopters made by its AgustaWestland subsidiary, Ansa said in its report. They have stated that Finmeccanica has nothing to do with the offence, the company said in a statement issued in Italy. The Italian firm said its two subsidiary companies have agreed to pay a fine in the contract, but not admitted to any wrongdoing. “AgustaWestland SpA and its UK subsidiary AgustaWestland Ltd, together with the prosecutor, decided to ask for the application of administrative pecuniary sanctions of limited extent against them, also confirming the effectiveness of their control systems and the substantial strangeness towards the facts alleged by the prosecution of corruption assumed. It remains therefore excluded any admission of wrongdoing on the part of both companies," the firm said. Finmeccannica said the "two companies have taken this decision (to pay fine) on the basis of the radical reorganisation of the Finmeccanica group, based on the desire to focus on the business activities and take full advantage of the potential of the market." The Italian Government is the largest shareholder of Finmeccannica with a 30% stake. — PTI
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Sri Lankan navy arrests 50 Indian fishermen
Rameswaram, July 29 The fishermen, who were arrested around midnight on Monday, have been taken to Kankesanthurai along with their five mechanised boats and two country boats, ‘Q’ branch inspector Kennedy and fishermen’s association secretary S Emirit said. The fishermen were arrested when they were fishing almost close to the Lankan coast, officials here said. Joint director of fisheries Subburaj said they have also received information about the arrest. On July 22, 38 fishermen from Kottaipattinam and Rameswaram were arrested by the Lankan navy on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line. Fishermen of Ramanathapuram district have been boycotting fishing since July 24 highlighting their demands including putting an end to frequent “arrests and harassment” by Sri Lankan navy personnel. Reiterating her government’s ‘firm commitment’ to restore traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen in the Palk Bay and retrieval of Katchatheevu,” chief minister Jayalalithaa had last week written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the Centre’s intervention in securing the release of the fishermen.
— PTI |
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Lessons in legislative process for new MPs
The two-day programme would feature sessions on ‘legislative process’, ‘committee system in parliament’ and ‘budgetary process’. Organised by the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training (BPST), it will also have sessions on ‘Parliamentary Privileges’ and on ‘MPLAD Scheme’. The first orientation programme held last month had sought to familiarise members with various procedural devices and related themes, like how to be an effective Parliamentarian, Question Hour in Parliament, procedural devices to raise matters in the House and support services to members. The Speaker has given emphasis on training of the new members. The exercise is significant given the fact that the 16th Lok Sabha, which came into existence over two months back, has 315 first-time members out of 543. — PTI 2-day session
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Rains throw rail services off track in Gujarat, M’rashtara
Mumbai July 29 Among the trains that are running behind schedule include Howrah Express, Gujarat Express and Shatabdi Express. Even the double-decker shuttle trains from Ahmedabad to Mumbai are running late. The Met Department has warned of “very heavy” rainfall in Mumbai in the next 24 hours. In Gujarat, there is a flood-like in Valsad district. Valsad city has received 18 inches of rainfall during last 24 hours. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been rushed to the district. About 150 families living in low-lying areas of Umergaon of Valsad have been shifted to safer places due to water-logging. Surat district in south Gujarat also received heavy to very heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours. In a rain-related incident, a state transport bus, carrying around 20 passengers, got stuck in an underpass which was filled with rain water at Nadiad in Kehda district of central Gujarat. However, a major tragedy was averted as they were rescued in time, police said. Heavy rainfall was also recorded in Ahmedabad city leaving many areas inundated. The Weather Department has forecast that "moderate to heavy rains or thundershowers" will continue for the next three days at many places. (With PTI inputs)
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Work on Navi Mumbai airport to start soon
Mumbai, July 29 According to the City Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), tenders inviting bids for constructing the new airport will be floated by October. "The process will be completed and the land handed over to the winning bidder by the beginning of next year," a senior CIDCO official said. Construction work on the new airport will begin almost immediately and the new airport is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017. The state government will formally allot alternative plots for those displaced by the airport at a function on August 15. The allotments will be done by a lottery, an official
said.
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Graft cases: CBI wants to block info
New Delhi, July 29 The agency will challenge before the Delhi High Court an order of the Central Information Commission directing the agency to disclose information about its officials Vivek Dutt and Rajesh Karnatak who are facing allegations of corruption. RTI activist Subhash Agrawal had sought to know to details of allegations against these officers who were part of CBI’s probe in coal scam and were arrested by the agency while allegedly taking bribe to favour a businessman using their influence. “This is to inform you that CBI is going to file an appeal before the Delhi High Court against the order of CIC,” DIG Arun Bothra said in a communication to Agrawal. The CBI, a central investigating agency, was exempted from transparency law by the UPA government which was facing serious allegations of corruption probed by the agency. The UPA government had brought it under Section 24 of the RTI Act which lists security and intelligence agencies exempted from provisions of the RTI Act. The section, however, makes it clear that such exemption from the RTI Act shall not be applicable if any material sought by an information seeker and held by a public authority pertains to "allegations" of corruption.
— PTI |
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Don’t take part in Lanka defence meet: Vaiko
Chennai, July 29 “It is shocking to learn that an Indian delegation, comprising senior military personnel, officials and BJP leaders, including Subramanian
Swamy, will be participating in a defence conference being organised by Sri Lanka,” MDMK general secretary Vaiko said in a
statement here. The conference is to be held in the island nation between August 18 and 20. Reiterating his charge that Sri Lanka had committed genocide and annihilated Tamils using even banned chemical weapons, Vaiko said the Centre’s “pro-Lanka” stance had led to doubts whether India was going to bury justice by joining hands with the island nation.
— PTI |
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Manager of Kolkata firm abducted
Guwahati, July 29 The construction company was engaged in widening of a four-lane project between Hatikhuli and Mandadisa. Senior police officials have rushed to the spot and a massive search operation has been launched to rescue the 48-year-old manager. In another incident, four persons were arrested for allegedly extorting money from tea garden authorities by posing as ULFA militants from Dholla in Tinsukia district. Meanwhile, police defused a powerful hand grenade found in an abandoned bag at Serfanguri Bazar in Kokrajhar district this evening.
— PTI
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Swiss national held for attending Maoist meet
Thrissur (Kerala), July 29 Their tourist visa is valid till September 16. “He (Clode) arrived in Kerala a few days back and came to Thrissur from Kannur yesterday. He then took part in a commemoration meeting of a Maoist, Sinoj, who hails from here and died in the AP forests some time back. At the meeting, Clode even spoke. He also took part in a CPI-M meeting in Kozhikode to protest against the Gaza bombings. As per visa rules, a foreigner is forbidden from taking part in such meetings,” said Vijaykumar.
— IANS |
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