Month: March 2014

Andhra industry concerned over power holiday

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Andhra Pradesh’s industry body FAPCCI Monday voiced serious concern about the power cuts and power holiday for industrial consumers in the state.

The Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) described as a “rude shock”, the weekly power holiday announced by the distribution companies for industries.

The distribution companies have imposed power cuts for industrial and domestic sectors due to electricity shortage in view of the increased demand for agriculture.

Mulayam demands Bharat Ratna for ‘Metro man’ E Sreedharan

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SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today demanded Bharat Ratna to be given to ‘Metro man’ E Sreedharan, saying he had already written to the Centre in this regard.

“I demand Bharat Ratna to Sreedharan, who has given a gift to the country in the form of Delhi Metro. I will write a letter to the centre in this regard,” Mulayam said on the occasion of foundation laying ceremony of Lucknow Metro.

Sreedharan, who is considered the man behind the success of Delhi Metro, is associated with Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation as a consultant. He was awarded with Padam Vibhushan in May 2008.

Iran, world powers to resume n-talks March 5

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Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers are set to launch a new round of expert-level talks on Tehran’s nuclear energy programme in Austria’s capital Vienna Wednesday, a media report has said.

Hamid Baeidinejad, the director general for political and international affairs at Iran’s foreign ministry, said Monday that expert-level talks with the P5+1 group, which comprises Russia, China, France, Britain, the US plus Germany, will be held in Vienna Wednesday and will last until Friday, the Press TV reported Monday.

Governor leaves for Delhi

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Governor ESL Narasimhan on Monday left for the national capital to brief President Pranab Mukherjee about the imposition of President’s Rule in the State.

According to sources, the Governor is expected to call on the President on Tuesday. He is likely to submit a status report giving details about the prevailing political situation in the State. He is also expected to seek the Centre’s nod to order probe into the files cleared by Kiran Kumar Reddy in the recent past before he submitted his resignation. (INN)

Construction of swimming pool in Indira Park begins

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GHMC Mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain said that the GHMC has started many developmental and welfare schemes and planning is being done for streamlining these schemes.

The Mayor, Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav, Deputy Mayor G Rajkumar and GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar formally commenced the work for construction of swimming pool in Indira Park on Monday.

VHR seeks probe into files cleared by Kiran

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Rajya Sabha member V Hanumanth Rao on Monday requested Governor ESL Narasimhan to order a probe into the files cleared by former Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy after July 30, the day when Congress Working Committee passed a resolution to divide the State.

Justice KT Thomas quits as Lokpal Search Committee head

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Following the footsteps of eminent jurist Fali Nariman, former Supreme Court judge Justice K.T. Thomas on Monday quit as the head of the Lokpal Search Committee panel.

In a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Thomas stated: “I write this letter to inform you that I withdraw my willingness to accept the office of the Chairperson of the Search Committee. I am sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.”

Sahara Chief being taken to Delhi by UP police

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Sahara Chief Subrata Roy is being brought to Delhi by Uttar Pradesh police following his arrest to be produced before the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

A Lucknow CJM court on Friday reserved its order to keep Sahara chief Subrata Roy in police custody till 4th March, after Roy was produced before the court.

“I respect the procedure of law and I do not have any problem with it,” said Roy.

Earlier in the day Roy had surrendered before the Lucknow police. (ANI)

Syrian troops tighten grip on rebel stronghold

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Syrian troops Monday recaptured areas around a key contested town north of the capital Damascus, media reported.

The Syrian forces wrested back control over the town of Sahel and the Rima orchards in the surrounding areas of Yabroud, a key rebel stronghold north of Damascus, where the Syrian troops have started a wide-scale offensive to recapture the area deemed important to deter the flow of rebels and weapons from Lebanon into Syria and vice-versa, Xinhua reported citing the official news agency SANA.

Kalyan Singh appointed BJP vice-president

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A day after he rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh was Monday appointed the party’s national vice president, a statement said.

Kalyan Singh, who was chief minister when the Babri mosque was demolished Dec 6, 1992, joined the party formally once again Sunday.

An independent MP from Etah, Uttar Pradesh, he resigned from his Lok Sabha seat Saturday.

Ordinances given go-by only to respect procedures: Cong

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Congress today hit back at BJP for its criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s push for the ordinance route for anti-corruption measures, saying that these could not be passed in Parliament due to constant disruptions by the Opposition party.

As criticism grew over this issue after the ordinances failed to get the Union Cabinet’s nod yesterday, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi maintained that while Rahul and Congress were solidly behind these measures in principle and substance, the ordinances were given a go-by only to respect the procedures.

‘East Turkistan’ flags found at Chinese train station

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Police have found flags of “East Turkistan” forces at a Chinese train station the southwestern city of Kunming where a terrorist attack killed at least 29 civilians and injured over 140, a government spokesman said Monday.

“Some flags of the ‘East Turkistan’ forces were discovered at the site, according to the initial findings of the police. Investigation of the terrorist attack is still under way,” Xinhua quoted foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang as saying at a daily news briefing.

Relatives refuse to take girl’s body sent for postmortem

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Relatives staged a sit-in agitation at the Thane civil hospital and refused to take away the body of the 18-year-old girl found on the railway tracks between Thane and Kalyan on Sunday morning, until a “proper” postmortem is carried out, sources said here today.

The Thane Railway Police had registered a case of accidental death, but relatives and locals termed it a case of sexual abuse and murder. To press their demands, they squatted in the civil hospital premises throughout the day today.

No hurry to join politics: Nazrul Islam

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Former IPS officer Nazrul Islam who has been approached by various political parties including AAP, today said he was in no hurry to join politics.

“I was approached by the Aam Aadmi Party. I know how they work against corruption, but they too were not doing much for the backward class,” Islam who retired recently told a press conference here.

“I am in no hurry. First I will have to educate my people, create and awareness and after that, if they decide that we should form a political party, then only it will be decided,” Islam said.

Panels on division of AP employees to be set up soon: Ramesh

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The Centre would soon constitute three expert committees to look into the issues of the division of government employees between Telangana and Seemandhra states as well as the creation of a new capital for the latter, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said here today.

“The government will not take any unilateral decision on the bifurcation of the employees. Two expert committees will look into the division of employees of the state and central governments,” the Union Rural Development Minister said here today in a press conference.

Modi Raj will be like Ram Rajya: Naqvi

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The upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be fought on the issue of nation-building and not on questions related to ‘mandir’ and ‘masjid’, BJP Vice-President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said today even as he equated “Modi Raj” with ‘Ram
Rajya’.

With secularism, we focus on good governance and Modi Raj will be like Ram Rajya,” Naqvi said.

In the city for a party meeting to review preparations for the upcoming polls, Naqvi said that BJP would take part in the contest on the plank of nation building.

Three Kunming terrorist attack suspects captured

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Chinese police today captured three suspects involved in the deadly knife attacks at a railway station in Kunming city that left 33 people killed and 143 others injured.

The Ministry of Public Security said in a statement that the terrorist gang of eight members led by Abdurehim Kurban
was responsible for the attack, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Police shot and killed four attackers during the mass knife-attack in Kunming, the capital of southwestern Yunnan
province, on Saturday night. They had also captured an injured woman suspect.

N Korea fires short-range missiles, South says ‘provocative’

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North Korea fired short-range missiles into the sea off its eastern coast for the second time in a week today, prompting a warning from South Korea of “reckless provocation”.

The missile tests have clearly been timed to coincide with annual South Korea-US military exercises which kicked off a week ago and run until mid-April.

Two missiles were fired today and both flew around 500 kilometres into the Sea of Japan, according to South Korea’s
Defence Ministry.

Four short-range Scud missiles were fired in similar fashion on Thursday.

Revenue inspector caught accepting a bribe from farmer

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A revenue inspector was today caught red handed here while accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 from a farmer in his office, police said.

Identified as Shreyas Pagare, the official had allegedly demanded Rs 4,000 as a bribe from farmer Govind Patidar of
Dongargaon village for providing him with a loan book, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Lokayukta, S L Kataria told reporters.

The farmer paid Rs 2,000 to Pagare and while paying him the remaining amount today, the official was trapped by a
10-member team of Lokayukta sleuths.

Payal Rohatgi: Sangram is my man

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“Ever since I met Sangram Singh, I am at peace with myself,” says actress Payal Rohatgi who took her three-year-old relationship with the wrestler to the next level recently.

The got engaged on Thursday at a simple ceremony in Ahmedabad in the presence of Payal’s parents. Sangram’s parents were conspicuous by their absence.

Said Payal: “The ‘sagaai’ (engagement) was a simple ceremony. Sangram is a simple man with high moral values.”

She credits Sangram, who featured in reality show “Bigg Boss – Saath 7”, for bringing stability into her life.

Sushma demands Central aid for Madhya Pradesh farmers

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Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj today demanded that the Centre provide adequate assistance to the rain/hailstorm-hit farmers of Madhya Pradesh.

“The farmers in the state have suffered 100 per cent damage to their crops. The Centre should give adequate assistance to them,” said Swaraj, who was here to attend a wedding.

Talking to the reporters, she also praised the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for making a provision of Rs 2,000 crore in the vote-on-account for providing relief to the farmers.