The Indian Cities

Bangalore apartment prices hit the roof

2006-09-09T11:19:00.000+05:30

Archana Patni, NDTV

Saturday, September 9, 2006 (Bangalore):

The central district in Bangalore is probably one of the most expensive properties in the entire country.

17, Rajbhavan Road is the only residential complex, apart from the governor's house on the Rajbhavan road in Bangalore.

Mantri Alitus is everybody's dream home. Imagine waking up every morning, walking out to your balcony and getting this beautiful view of the city of Bangalore.

But owning these bungalows in the sky is not that easy. You don't only have to be really rich; you also have to be extremely lucky to get chosen to own this property

"This property was designed only for high class people, on invitation only. We called the people. We made a selection so that we could have like-minded families with us," said Snehal Mantri, Director, Marketing, Mantri Builders.

Luxuries galore

A 17-floor building with each floor housing just one apartment of about 5,600 sq ft each, every house give you a panoramic view of the city of Bangalore.

"Amenities-wise, we have taken care and pampered our owners. They have the luxury of 11,000 sq feet of clubhouse, which is being designed on seven-star hotel standards.

"From the main lobby to the swimming pool to the club house, the sauna, jacuzzi and billiards, all the luxuries they want they will get," said Mantri.

While the first flat was sold for Rs 3 crore, you can now only own one of these apartments for a whopping Rs 12 crore, and guess what, it's already all sold out!

Its telephone telepathy; "Hello! I was thinking of you.... "

2006-09-08T15:35:00.000+05:30

[ 7 Sep, 2006 1352hrs IST REUTERS ]

NORWICH: Many people have experienced the phenomenon of receiving a telephone call from someone shortly after thinking about them -- now a scientist says he has proof of what he calls telephone telepathy.

Rupert Sheldrake, whose research is funded by the respected Trinity College, Cambridge, said Tuesday he had conducted experiments that proved that such precognition existed for telephone calls and even e-mails.

Each person in the trials was asked to give researchers names and phone numbers of four relatives or friends. These were then called at random and told to ring the subject who had to identify the caller before answering the phone.

"The hit rate was 45 per cent, well above the 25 per cent you would have expected," he told the annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. "The odds against this being a chance effect are 1,000 billion to one."

He said he found the same result with people being asked to name one of four people sending them an e-mail before it had landed.

Pak's first Miss Bikini breaks all barriers

2006-09-08T15:06:00.000+05:30

Bharti Dubey
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0200hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

Mariyah Moten, a 22-year-old US-based Pakistani, is being billed as "Pakistan’s first Miss Bikini". This after she won the title of Best in Media Category at the Miss Bikini Universe 2006 pageant in China on August 26.

In an email interview with TOI , Mariyah talks about the ‘amusing’ hardliners who make 'some noise', but can't really do anything to prevent people from projecting Pakistan as a "moderate place".

Talking about actress Meera, she says that while her kiss in a Bollywood movie may have kicked up a fuss, it has actually made the Pakistani star quite popular in her home country, which has also taken part in other beauty pageants. Yet, the fiesty woman says she wants to return to Pakistan and try her luck in Lollywood.

Q. How do you react to being called Pakistan's first Miss Bikini?

A. I have broken all barriers, and in the coming years there will be other Pakistani contestants, who will carry this title. My intention was to project Pakistan is a very modern way.

Q. Pakistan has never had a beauty pageant. How do you think people back home have reacted to you parading in a bikini?

A. Actually, Pakistan has participated in several beauty pageants. All the information on Pakistan's participation is on www.misspakistanworld.com . Hardliners are basically people who try to impose their thoughts on others. We are not affected by people like them. We believe Pakistan is a country that is made up of moderate Muslims like myself. And yes, some people may not like the idea of a Pakistani girl in a bikini, but alas, we have done it and there is no way they can change anything about it.

Q. Pakistani actress Meera had to face the wrath of conservatives in Pakistan after she wore skimpy clothes and did a kissing scene in a Hindi film.

A. See, fundamentalists are everywhere. Even when the Miss World pageant took place in India, there were fundamentalists as well as feminists stalling it. Meera is doing very well, she is now more in demand, and has more people lining up to see her in Pakistan. She is very happy where she is, and conservatives could do nothing to her. This is simply noise made by people who have nothing better to do... it's actually amusing how they are always so ready to react.

Q. Would you be interested in acting in movies, especially Hindi films?

A. Well, I would like to complete my education first (she is a management student). I am getting a lot of offers from Lollywood, and I may go to Pakistan this year to check these out. I am not sure how well it will go, but at the moment acting interests me.

Q. What do you intend to do now?

A. As I said before, my main aim is to project Pakistan to the world as a moderate place. I have succeeded in educating many girls who compete in these pageants about Pakistan, and cleared a lot of doubts people have about the country. I will do this in the coming year as well.

Photographs from the web

Laden's taped meeting with 9/11 plotters aired

2006-09-08T14:13:00.000+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 1142hrs IST AP ]

CAIRO: An Arab television station broadcast previously unseen footage of a smiling Osama bin Laden meeting with the top planners of the Sept. 11 attacks in an Afghan mountain camp and calling on followers to pray for the hijackers as they carry out the suicide mission.

The sections shown on Al-Jazeera TV on Thursday were part of a video that al-Qaida announced it would release later on the Internet to mark the fifth anniversary of the airborne attacks on the United States.

The video includes the last testament of two of the hijackers, Wail al-Shehri and Hamza al-Ghamdi. It shows bin Laden strolling in the camp, greeting followers, who Al-Jazeera said included some of the hijackers. But their faces are not clear in the video, and it was not immediately known which are purportedly shown.

In one scene, bin Laden addresses the camera, calling on followers to support the hijackers.

``I ask you to pray for them and to ask God to make them successful, aim their shots well, set their feet strong and strengthen their hearts,'' bin Laden said. The comments were apparently filmed before the attacks but never before released.

The footage was the fourth in a series of long videos that al-Qaida has put out to memorialize the suicide hijackings against the Pentagon and World Trade Center, said Ben Venzke, head of IntelCenter, a private US company that monitors militant message traffic and provides counterterrorism intelligence services for the American government.

The previous ones were issued in April and September 2002 and September 2003, each showing footage from the planning of the suicide hijackings and hijackers' last testimonies, Venzke said.

The latest full video probably lasts from 40 minutes to two hours, based on the past ones, he said. Al-Jazeera did not say how it obtained the video, which bore the logo of As-Sahab, al-Qaida's media branch.

``They produce long videos like these not just for 9-11, but for any significant events they feel warrant their attention,'' Venzke said.

One aim is to boost recruitment, but such videos have several purposes --``to speak to their supporters, to raise morale within their own group, to facilitate fundraising, and to serve as a psychological attack,'' he said.

In the footage shown by Al-Jazeera, bin Laden is shown sitting outside in what appears to be a mountain camp with his former lieutenant Mohammed Atef and Ramzi Binalshibh, another suspected planner of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Atef, also known as Abu Hafs al-Masri, was killed by a US airstrike in Afghanistan in 2001. Binalshibh was captured four years ago in Pakistan and is currently in U.S. custody, and this week US President George W. Bush announced plans to put him on military trial.

Bin Laden, wearing a dark robe and white head gear, strolls through the camp, greeting dozens of followers, some masked, some barefaced, many carrying automatic weapons.

Other scenes show training at the camp. Masked militants perform martial arts kicks or learn how to break the hold of someone who grabs them from behind. Several militants are shown practicing hiding and pulling out fold-out knives.

A voice-over narration with the video praises the mujahedeen for leaving their comfortable lives to survive in the mountains ``on the soil of Kandahar'' –a southern Afghan city. Men are shown chopping wood and cutting up vegetables for dinner.

There was no confirmation of the tape's authenticity by the White House. ``One by one we will bring the 9/11 plotters to justice for their vicious acts, including Ramzi Binalshibh, who is now in DOD custody,'' said Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino.

An advertisement from As-Sahab on an Islamic militant Web forum said the full video would be posted on the Web soon. In the past, such teasers have come a day or two before the video was posted.

Venzke said the full version of the video was believed to include a message from Azzam al-Amriki, the nom de guerre of Adam Yehiye Gadahn, an American who the FBI says has associated with al-Qaida. Gadahn appeared in an al-Qaida video released last week in which he called on Americans to convert to Islam.

It also likely includes a message from bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, though it may not be new, Venzke said, without elaborating on why he believed that. Like the previous long videos, Thursday's footage included last testimonies by some of the hijackers.

Al-Shehri and al-Ghamdi were each shown speaking to the camera, their image superimposed over background pictures of the crumbling World Trade Center towers and the burning Pentagon, as well as a model of a passenger jet.

They both spoke of how Muslims must stand up to fight back against the West.

``If jihad now is not an obligation (on Muslims), when will it be?'' said al-Shehri, pointing to attacks on Muslims in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Chechnya.

``If we are content with being humiliated and inclined to comfort, the tooth of the enemy will stretch from Jerusalem to Mecca, and then everyone will regret on a day when regret is of no use,'' al-Ghamdi said.

Al-Shehri was on American Airlines Flight 11, which was the first to hit the World Trade Center. Al-Ghamdi was on United Airlines Flight 175, which hit the second tower.

The footage was broadcast on the same day Al-Qaida in Iraq released what was purported to be the first audiotape by its new leader, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, in which he vowed victory was coming and condemned Sunni Muslims cooperating with the Iraqi government.

Al-Muhajer was named leader of Iraq's most feared terror group after his predecessor, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in a June 7 airstrike north of Baghdad. The US military has put a US$5 million (euro3.9 million) bounty on al-Muhajer's head.

Faridabad: Irate commuters target Rajdhani in Faridabad

2006-09-08T14:09:00.000+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 1235hrs IST PTI ]

FARIDABAD: Angry over delay in clearing lines for local trains, hundreds of irate passengers on Friday pelted stones at Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express at the railway station and disrupted rail traffic.

No one was injured in the incident. However, rail traffic through the station was disrupted for nearly three hours this morning, delaying trains to and from Delhi.

The trouble started at around 8:00 am as passengers at the railway station started protesting against railway officials allegedly giving clearance to the Express trains by delaying the departure of local trains.

As the atmosphere got charged up, some passengers pelted stones at the Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani which was approaching the station and another local train.

Though some window panes of the trains were broken, no injuries were reported.

At least 12 trains, including six Express services, were delayed. A large posse of police has been deployed at the station.

The train services resumed after three hours.

Chennai: Raid at former Tamil Nadu CM's residence

2006-09-08T14:07:00.002+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 1230hrs IST PTI ]

CHENNAI: The officials with Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Friday raided the residence of AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Pannerselvam at Periyakulam in Theni district.

The raids began at 7 am and would continue till evening, officials said.

The officials also conducted raids at the residence and business establishments of former AIADMK minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan at Tuticorin.

The raids, the reason for which were yet to be ascertained, came as a surprise even to the police as the DVAC officials kept their plan a secret till they began the operation.

These were the first raids conducted by the DVAC after the DMK government took office in May last.

New design for Bangalore airport

2006-09-08T14:07:00.001+05:30

[ 7 Sep, 2006 2328hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE/NEW DELHI: Two months after the construction work at redesigned portions of the Bangalore international airport began, the Union cabinet formally endorsed the changes on Thursday.

The project — redesigned at the behest of Union civil aviation minister Praful Patel — will now be able to accommodate 11.4-million passengers annually in the sprawling 7-acre terminal.

The projected traffic is 8.4 million by 2010. The Union cabinet also approved amendments to the concession agreement with BIAL, allowing the joint venture firm to re-design the airport.

As against the initial forecast of 41,000 aircraft movements per year in 2010, the latest projection has increased it to 1, 06,000, forcing BIAL to re-design the airport by merging the second phase of construction with the first phase, to be completed by 2010.

The projected cost after redesign goes up from Rs 1,411.79 crore to Rs 1,930.29 crore. The additional amount would be raised by BIAL through loans and advances from third-party service providers, like cargo handling or fuel supplies, and not through additional equity or state support.

About Rs 450 crore would be taken from lenders and Rs 68.5 crore from service providers, raising the debt-equity ratio from 2.25:1 to 3.63:1, an official spokesperson said.

Under the new design, the total built-up area for the passenger terminal building would be increased to 71,000 sq metre as against 55,850 sq metre.

Bangalore: Mason held for murder

2006-09-08T14:04:00.000+05:30

[ 7 Sep, 2006 2325hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: A mason who had killed a woman and buried her near her aunt's house was arrested on Wednesday. He was nabbed after the deceased's aunt came to know about the murder.

The deceased is Nagarathna (28) from Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh. She had come to her aunt,Gowramma's house in Raghavendra Nagar, HBR Layout, on August 17 along with her sister and brother-in-law.

Later, Nagarathna's sister and brotherin-law left for Kuppam and the former continued to stay with Gowramma. Three days later, Gowramma left Nagarathna alone at home and went to Kuppam.

A mason identified as Muniraju, who reportedly had a relationship with Gowramma, visited the house in a drunken state. On seeing Nagarathna alone at home, Muniraju made sexual advances towards her and when she refused, he picked up a wooden plank and hit her on the head.

Following this, she died and he buried her near Gowramma's house in a trench dug by him. He also cleaned the blood stains and fled the scene.

Two days later, Gowramma returned home and found Nagarathna missing and started a search for her. On Wednesday, foul smell emanated from the trench and Gowramma noticed Nagarathna's clothes buried underneath.

She informed the police who exhumed the body. Gowramma suspected Muniraju's involvement and told the police who in turn questioned Muniraju who confessed to the crime.

Woman conned: A stranger conned an elderly woman of her gold chain on Thursday afternoon after promising her to get a loan.

When Lakshmidevi (88) was returning to her house located near Janavahini Educational Trust, Girinagar, a stranger identifying himself as a relative approached her and told her that he could help her get a bank loan.

He took her to an isolated spot and asked her for the chain. He took away the chain and fled the scene. Credit card forgery: Byappanahalli police have arrested a person who used to buy expensive gold ornaments from shops using stolen credit cards and recovered valuables worth over Rs 8 lakh from him.

According to police, Anil Kumar (23) used stolen credit cards and forged signatures to buy valuables.

Live band joint raided: Talaghattapura police raided a live band joint at a farm house near Tataguni village on city outskirts, Kanakapura Road, on Wednesday.

At least 14 girls have been arrested, the police said. The police also seized a television set and other electronic gadgets from the farm house.

Bangalore: Soon, you can zip through Tumkur Road

2006-09-08T14:02:00.002+05:30

Sowmya Aji Mehu
[ 7 Sep, 2006 2323hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: In keeping with Bangalore's image of embracing anything new, the NHAI has designed the IT city's first access-controlled road project on the highly accident-prone Tumkur Road.

Tumkur Road's shocking figures of an accident a day and a death once in five days have spurred the authorities to action.

The road has one of the highest traffic density of incoming/outgoing traffic to and from Bangalore — 1.30 lakh passenger carrying units per day — making travel to Nelamangala a matter of an hour from Bangalore city.

The plan to ease this is: A 4.5 km elevated road beginning immediately after the ring road, and beyond that a 15.5 km six-lane road up to Nelamangala that will have walls or railings on both sides to prevent any traffic from crossing the highway. Result: Travel time across the stretch is a mere 15 minutes!

"Access control will reduce accidents on this road. The elevated stretch will also contribute by easing the congestion on this road," NHAI sources told The Times of India.

Designed to be built at a cost of Rs 440 crore, the Bangalore-Nelamangala stretch of Tumkur Road is to match the dream-scape of the Mumbai-Pune, Ahmedabad-Vadodra stretches.

There will be no interruptions, with six flyovers and several pedestrian/cattle underpasses built to ferry people across wherever there is need.

The project was planned over an year ago, but ran into trouble because it clashed with the Bangalore Metro. Both projects were eying the same land, the NHAI for expanding the existing road, Metro to put up its rail line and stations.

"That issue has been sorted. Both projects are essential, but ours is planned and ready, so we are going ahead. The Metro will acquire land next to ours," sources added. Bids have already come in from the private sector for the project and are being processed.

The project, planned in the public-private partnership (PPP) model, is to be awarded within a month and take off in another six months with a two-year construction period.

Mumbai: Attack on woman sparks fear in Andheri

2006-09-08T14:02:00.001+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 0317hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

MUMBAI: In yet another attack on a woman, a 23-year-old was assaulted by an unidentified person who attempted to rob her while she was climbing the staircase of a building in Andheri's Manish Nagar area on Thursday.

The incident follows an attack on a 21-year-old MBA student who was targeted in a similar manner in the colony last month.

While police claim both incidents were attempts at robbery, residents are edgy and have demanded more patrolling.

According to witnesses, Thursday's incident took place in building number 44. The victim, Nishtha Patel, a physician at a charitable clinic in JVPD, was returning home in the afternoon. Nishtha lives with her parents on the fourth floor of the building.

"Around 12.30 pm, after Nishtha had climbed two floors, an unidentified man appeared in front of her and tugged at her handbag. When she resisted, he picked up a cement pole and hit her on the head," said inspector Pradeep Suryavanshi. However, Nishtha put up a tough fight.

After unsuccessfully trying to steal her handbag, the man fled, clambering over the society's compound wall to escape. Nishtha was rushed to Sujay hospital where she was given medical treatment and discharged.

Nishtha described the assailant to the police and said he was about five feet in height and in his twenties. Police suspect he was loitering on the building terrace and keeping a watch. Officials have started preparing a sketch of the offender.

Locals voiced concern over the attacks. "The problem is an under-construction transit camp that has sprung up at the edge of our colony," said gemology student Rovina D'souza.

"The labourers are hired on a temporary basis and keep a watch on movements of residents. There are very few watchmen in the area and trespassers walk in and leave whenever they want."

Rovina's friend, MBA student Vailani Varella, sustained 16 stitches to her head after an unidentified assailant had struck her repeatedly with a hammer on August 21. Varella was in building 48, which is only a block away from where Thursday's incident took place.

The police had acted swiftly and arrested a 19-year-old welder from the nearby construction site but residents remain dissatisfied.

"We believe there are 3-4 men involved in these attacks and they work in groups. The real culprit is still at large," said resident Jitendra Jain. He added that a month ago an 80-year-old woman was robbed in Block B, but the case remains unsolved.

Another resident Mangala Patil said local college students usually return to their homes in the afternoon and in the wake of these attacks, the police need to take stringent measures.

Navi Mumbai: Nerul murder shrouded in mystery

2006-09-08T13:59:00.001+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 0316hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NAVI MUMBAI: Twenty-six-year-old housewife Kamini Manojkumar Giri left home on an errand on Tuesday and never returned. Even as the Nerul police found her body on Thursday, they continue to search for her infant son.

After two nerve-wracking days, the Giri family of Nerul, as also the entire Oriya community here, were plunged into grief when Kamini's body was found in a pond along Palm Beach Road.

Even as the police were doing the panchanama, Kamini's distraught husband arrived at the scene and was so shocked by the sight of her body and overcome by emotion that he began vomiting. He was rushed to a local hospital immediately.

While the Nerul police located her bloated body in the pond, there is still no sign yet of the couple's nine-month-old son. The two had been last seen at around 11.30 am on Tuesday.

Kamini had taken the boy along with her when she left their Gharkul society residence in Sector 16, Nerul, to buy some medicines. A missing complaint had been subsequently lodged at the Nerul police station by her husband.

The police themselves discovered the body in the pond. The grieving Giri family is now waiting for news of how Kamini died. "We will get the post-mortem report on Friday and only then can we comment on the cause of death," said the deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1), Amar Jadhav. Kamini's father-in-law Surendra Giri has told TOI, "There was no marital dispute between the husband and wife, and all of us were living very normally in Nerul. Only God knows how this has happened."

The entire Oriya community of Navi Mumbai has expressed shock at the mysterious death of the housewife, who was known to regularly interact with other members of the community.

"Kamini would without fail attend the holy satsangs in Nerul that were organised by the Oriya community. This tragedy in the Giri household has shaken everyone in Navi Mumbai," said one Oriya, S Das.

Mumbai: Nothing but the BEST (buses)

2006-09-08T13:56:00.000+05:30

Yogesh Naik
[ 7 Sep, 2006 0054hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

MUMBAI: Commuters who catch their BEST buses along the Eastern or Western Express Highways are a step closer to a whole new experience.

The design for swanky new bus shelters—which will cost Rs 7 lakh each to build—was cleared by a high-powered committee of officials-cum-citizens on Saturday.

Fresh tenders will now be issued by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which presented the updated design, and 85 shelters on both highways are expected to come up in six months.

Later, other roads—like LBS Marg, SV Road and the underconstruction Santa Cruz-Chembur, Jogeshwari-Vikhroli and Andheri-Ghatkopar link roads—will also get the bus shelters.

Compared to the current drab bus-stops, the new shelters will have features that will make waiting for a bus a more aesthetic and comfortable experience (See graphic).

In addition, hi-tech features, like electronic displays, will allow commuters access to information about BEST services. However, commuters will have to wait longer for the most eagerly awaited feature.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) will be linked to the new stops later. The GPS will allow commuters to know exactly where a bus is along a route, making it possible to know if it will be on time.

Patna: For Nitish, 'charity' begins at home

2006-09-08T13:52:00.000+05:30

Radhika D Srivastava
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0330hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

PATNA: The wheel of development is moving fast in the state, and fastest in Nalanda. A private sugar mill, piped water in villages, new power stations, super highways, hospitals, rural electricity, new colleges... you name it and it's all happening in Nalanda, the home district of CM Nitish Kumar.

The remaining 37 districts are in the queue, waiting for the state government's largess to befall them. The worst-affected are Supaul, Madhepura, Araria, Saharsa, Madhubani, Purnia and Jamui.

For, most of these districts are flood prone and in dire need of development. That Nalanda is special is an open secret in the corridors of power in Patna.

"If a new state-wide scheme is to be implemented, it is an unwritten code that it has to be first implemented in Nalanda," a bureaucrat said.

In their bid to please the boss, even cabinet ministers end up focussing more on Nalanda. A politician said, "Nalanda is a pampered district. First it was former Union minister George Fernandes who benefited the district and it got, among other things, an ordnance factory project. Now it is the turn of Nitish."

In the last two months alone, the state government has okayed development projects worth Rs 700 crore for Nalanda. On the eve of Independence Day, Nitish himself announced projects worth Rs 500 crore, including Rs 257 crore for a rural electricity project and Rs 130 crore for setting up a milk powder processing plant.

A few days ago, the cabinet gave its nod to a private enterprise to set up a sugar complex in the district.

The complex, to be set up at a cost of Rs 122.4 crore, will produce sugar, alcohol and even about eight megawatt of electricity. The government has also approved the formation of a municipal corporation at Biharsharif.

Patna: Rs 3500-cr plan to develop city

2006-09-08T13:51:00.000+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 0329hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

PATNA: If the city development plan prepared by various government agencies is implemented fully, Patna will join the league of well-planned cities.

A development plan worth Rs 3,500 crore has been drawn up to revamp the drainage, sewerage, drinking water, power and roads sector in the state capital.

Of this, the Patna Municipal Corporation and Bihar Rajya Jal Parshad have already prepared a detailed project report worth Rs 1,600 crore.

PMC commissioner Atul Prasad said the project duration is for seven years. A year has already passed. By the time the required clearances are obtained, this year will end. "So effectively we will be left with five years to implement the project," he said.

Prasad said about 50 per cent of the funds will be provided by the Union government under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Modernisation Mission. The remaining 50 per cent will be given by the state government.

He said it is high time the old and crumbling sewerage system was upgraded. "Our capacity to treat sewage is not enough. Against a generation of 170 million litres a day (MLD) of sewage, the city's sewage treatment plants have a combined capacity to treat 107 MLD only."

All drinking water pumping stations do not work as the water pipes do not have the strength to withstand the pressure generated by these pumps. "We have 96 pumping stations. But at a given time only 82 are operated. If we switch on all of them, the water pipes may burst," he said.

So first on the priority list is the revamping of drainage and water systems. A new network of storm water drains is to be laid keeping in mind the increase in population over the next 15 years. Drinking water pipes will also be re-laid.

Besides, the city development plan envisages uninterrupted power supply to the water pumping stations so that these are not dependent on the local power networks.

Prasad said there is a plan to provide a dedicated and uninterrupted power supply to the pumping stations. Underground cables will be laid so that there is no pilferage from these lines.

There is also a provision for constructing roads and relaying them so that they are able to face the vagaries of nature.

Prasad said, "All departments need to work in complete co-ordination so that there isn't a situation in which a freshly-laid road is cut open for laying water pipes or even power lines."

Lucknow: UP's peaceful tribute to'Vande Mataram'

2006-09-08T13:49:00.000+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 0338hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

LUCKNOW: Barring reports of stone pelting in Meerut, centenary year celebrations of Vande Mataram passed off peacefully despite all the heat that the issue had generated.

In many an educational institutions, even a few'madarsas' in Varanasi, the national song was recited with enthusiasm and ferver on Thursday morning.

In Meerut police used force to disperse two groups indulging in stone pelting. The situation was however promptly brought under control.

In Gorakhpur too, police remained on their toes throughout the day as local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Mahant Adtiyanath's had issued a threat to recite the song from a place of worship.

He remained untraceable on Thursday.In Faizabad, reports said that the Saryu Yamuna Express train was detained for two hours by students of Saket Degree College to protest against the attempts of certain sections to prevent the recital of Vande Mataram.

In Lucknow a special function was organised at City Montessori School, Gomtinagar, where students turned up in large number to sing Vande Mataram. According to school authorities, Muslim students were also participated in the program."I do not find anything against any religion in the national song," said Mohammed Tariq, a class 12th student.

Tariq's classmate Adil Usman felt that the spirit of the song was important and not the words.National song and National Anthem are the part of the daily prayers in Colvin Taluqdar's College.

Therefore students and staff recited Vande Mataram with all devotion and passion as they do everyday.

Lucknow: Beware of make-believe doctors

2006-09-08T13:48:00.000+05:30

Shailvee Sharda
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0339hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

LUCKNOW: An apron-clad person with a stethoscope dangling around his neck need not be a doctor, at least in Balrampur hospital. Crooks and touts don this attire to fleece patients and their attendants here.

These cheats fake as interns medicos. They go around the wards, examine patients and build a rapport with attendants. The real game starts after winning the confidence of the patients and attendants.

Attendants are conned into buying costly medicines, getting a useless diagnostic test done or even getting the patient shifted to a private nursing home. These fake doctors get into their act when the real ones are not around. In the late hours they have a free field and a fair chance of a'successful operation'.

Medical superintendent, Dr DP Mishra says,"This issue is of grave concern as four touts have been found operating in the hospital in the past six months." An attendant Ashraf fell in the trap of a fake doctor on the night of September 2/3 - a weekend. His grandmother was having breathing problems.

He rushed to find a doctor and bumped into one who identified him as an intern Hasan Rizwi. After examining his grandmother,'Dr Hasan' told Ashraf to get certain medicines urgently from a particular medical store located outside the hospital. The medicine cost Ashraf Rs 1,200, almost double their market price.

His grandmother's condition did not improve. A senior consultant examined her the following morning. He discovered that redundant medicines and injections had been prescribed to the patient. A probe was ordered and it was found that there was no intern by the name of Hasan Rizwi in the hospital.

Another attendant Ramadhin on August 6 - a Sunday became a victim of a similar prank. His wife was admitted in the female ward.

Hyderabad: Narco test scares Krushi scamster

2006-09-08T13:45:00.000+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 0324hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HYDERABAD: Krushi Bank scam prime accused K Venkateshwara Rao has reportedly refused to undergo the narcoanalysis test as he feared the drug being used in test may pose a risk to his life. However, CID officials claim Telgi’s revelations may have influenced him to do a U-turn.

As Rao refused to take the test, the CID officials brought him back to the city from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon and sent him back to the Chanchalguda jail.

"If the CID wants to conduct a narcoanalysis test at any cost, why should they seek Venkateshwara Rao’s consent? Due to the drug given during a narco test, the subject may slip into a coma and it may pose a risk to his life too,’’ G Ashok Reddy, counsel for Kosaraju Venkateshwara Rao, told TOI on Thursday.

Before conducting a surgery or a procedure on a patient, doctors take mandatory medical consent from the patient or relatives, making it clear they are not responsible for any eventuality during the event. Similarly, the CID and doctors want to escape from their responsibility by way of getting his assent, Reddy said.

CID sources said Venkateshwara Rao was all right till Tuesday night and they thought he would cooperate and undergo the test.

Suddenly, he changed his mind and refused to sign after completing the mandatory health check, they added.

"Some news channels aired fake stamp scam kingpin Telgi’s revelations during the narcoanalysis on Tuesday night and that could have scared him. He may have thought he would drop names too under the influence of the drug and that may pose a threat to his life,"the sources added. The CID officials would approach the court again for an order.

"Consent of the accused is not mandatory for conducting the truth serum test. There are several judgments delivered by courts in Karnataka and Maharashtra on this. The FSL experts might have refused to do the test because their guidelines insist on subject’s consent,"a CID officer said.

Police officers also dismissed the argument that the truth serum test drug ‘sodium pentothal’ could induce coma. "The drug is given in small doses during many medical procedures and it will not harm the person,” he said, adding it was a tactic adopted by the accused to avoid the test.

Hyderabad: Ganguly Dada ko itna gussa kyon ata hai!

2006-09-08T13:42:00.002+05:30

Solomon S Kumar
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0327hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HYDERABAD: The dreadful red thing with a four-letter name irked Sourav Ganguly so much on Thursday that the rattled southpaw went marching to umpire I Sivaram.

What got Ganguly’s goat was the umpire’s decision to change the ball within the first 10 overs and then a couple of overs later during Bengal’s innings against Mumbai in the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup match at the Gymkhana here. Throughout the day Mumbai fielders were seen showing the ball to the umpires as they did not seem too happy with its shape.

As the umpires were waiting to change the ball a second time, Ganguly decided to take things in hand. The shirt-waving southpaw marched towards the umpire and after a short animated chat was seen gesticulating towards the Bengal dressing room.

Within minutes one of the players ran out with a couple of used balls. But the umpires preferred to rub a new ball to a used one.

Later, Sivaram told TOI: "He was unhappy when we had to change the ball a second time. He said there was no need to replace it with a new ball and instead an old one should be used," Sivaram said.

"I told him that there were no used balls in the association and, hence, we had to sandpaper a new ball. He insisted that we find a used ball. He said, 'An umpire of your calibre should know things better’. I told him to suggest a solution to the problem as there were no old balls. Ganguly then had some used balls brought from the dressing room. But they could not be used as they were too old."

Sivaram, one of the best umpires in the country, said Ganguly remained unhappy. "So I told him that both teams should have a level playing field. But when he inisted we continue with the same ball, I told him that once the umpires made a decision, it would be unfair to the fielding side if we did not go ahead with it."

Even when play resumed Ganguly seemed irreconcilable to the idea. "I told Ganguly that such a small issue should not affect him so much. If a player of your experience is disturbed by the change of ball then what will a newcomer do. This seemed to have an effect on him and he got down to business," Sivaram said.

The Hyderabad umpire added that the balls used in first class cricket in the country have been causing a lot of problems. "This is happening everywhere. Even in Ranji Trophy matches, umpires are having a problem with the balls, which lose shape fast." he said.

New Delhi: New power tariff coming this weekend

2006-09-08T13:42:00.001+05:30

Saurabh Sinha
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0308hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: The Capital would be spared last year's trauma of having to fight an 'unjustified' power hike. After an exceptionally long and hot summer this year when the city reeled under long power cuts, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has sought a firm stand from the government on the issue of continuance of last year's subsidy.

While verbal assurances are learnt to have been made in this regard, the commission is going to announce the tariff for 2006-07 after getting a written reply from the government. And this could happen over the weekend, probably on Friday.

"The commission has written a letter to the government over its stand on last year's subsidy of about Rs 90 crore. The reply is expected by Friday. The discoms would also be told to extend their matching rebate on consumer bills of 5%. They will continue to get their assured 16% return on investment. Their share will come from savings made by cutting losses more than the level fixed at the time of privatisation," said highly placed sources.

They point out that the benefit of overachievement in reducing losses had to flow back to the consumer and what better way of doing it than to provide discount on bills.

In fact, one discom has asked DERC to allow discounts to consumers in areas where their help has led to reduction in theft.

Both the discoms and government would be required to give discount and subsidy, respectively, of Rs 90 crore each.

Armed with an assurance of extension of subsidy from the government, DERC could actually announce a surplus in the power sector this fiscal.

The massive gap of Rs 1,303 crore submitted by Transco is learnt to have been drastically pruned down by disallowing the Rs 450-crore arrears of DVB time, it shows as a liability.

In addition, the refund of Rs 300 crore to Transco from NTPC on power purchase payments of the past few years has also helped reduce this loss.

"The surplus shown by discoms and the reduced losses of Transco could actually lead to a surplus which would be kept as contingency fund. This would be used to factor in the high power purchase cost this year and also the disputed depreciation issue that can lead to an extra burden of several crores," said sources.

New Delhi: Curtains for shops around school

2006-09-08T13:40:00.000+05:30

Ambika Pandit
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0309hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: With godowns, a screening press and 100-odd shops dealing in junk, timber and building material circling its boundary wall, it was hard to spot the government-aided senior secondary school at Old Double Storey area in Lajpat Nagar IV.

When MCD sealed eight shops here on Thursday, the authorities at Shradharam Sanatan Dharam Senior Secondary School said this has come as a major relief to students.

"These shops have all along been a cause of pollution and distraction to students," said Ramesh Sharma, the manager of the school. He added that all these shops had been running illegally on school land for years now.

From the outside, it seems that the shops are located outside the school boundary. But once you enter the premises, it becomes clear that the shops have eaten into the playground.

At one place, the iron grill has brokwn down, owing to the junk pressing against the wall. Sitting inside the classroom, you can only see rows of tin roofs strewn with junk.

Protesting against the sealing drive, the shopkeepers claimed that they have been paying rent to the Shradharam Trust. They even produced legal documents to show that they were tenants, which however read that, "lesee will not carry out any business which will create nuisance and pollution in the area."

When contacted, the Pandit Shradharam Trust Committee labelled all these shops as unauthorised and pointed out that they were occupying the school land.

Three acres of land had been allotted to the trust to run a school in 1953.

"But the previous manager of the committee in connivance with some others had allowed these shops to come up between 1995 and 2002.

He was arrested in 2002 in connection with a case of misappropriation of funds and a fake degree racket. The case is still on. The school land was allotted by Land and Development Office (L&DO) to the Trust.

But despite complaints from the new trust committee, the authorities are yet to rid the land of encroachments," one of the trust members told Times City.

The trust and residents of the area have complained about these shops to the MCD and L&DO.

"Responding to numerous complaints, L&DO carried out a survey here a few months back, and assured school authorities that it would initiate demolition action to bring respite to people. But nothing has happened so far," said a trust member.

New Delhi: Vande Mataram's echo in city schools

2006-09-08T13:38:00.000+05:30

Sonia Sarkar
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0311hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: For some, it was an occasion to pay tribute to the nation. While for others, it was a special day to remember the freedom struggle. Understanding the meaning of the National Song was probably not so important for the students who sang it during morning assembly on Thursday to mark the 100 years of Vande Mataram.

"I am not too sure about the meaning of the song, but probably it talks about freedom struggle and mother. Our teachers asked us to sing it and we obeyed," said P V Rahul, a Class XI student at KV, R K Puram.

To understand the Sanksrit version was not an easy thing, felt G Sidharth, a Class XI student of Tagore International, Vasant Vihar. "I think the song is about the Motherland," he said. His teachers made a 15-minute presentation on the history of song and the three tunes which had been composed so far.

If those studying in Class XI don't understand the meaning, one can't blame Shiv Sharma, a Class I student at Birla Vidya Niketan. "I don't know the meaning of the song. Our teachers sang it first, we repeated," he said.

Though there was no official direction by the state government to sing the song at 11 am, almost all schools across the city sang in unison. "We organised a special assembly at 9 am just to sing Vande Mataram. After the assembly, we distributed English and Hindi translations of the song and pasted a copy of the same on the notice board. We want students to understand the essence of the song," said Vinay Kumar, principal, DPS Vasant Kunj.

Students of two Urdu schools, Fatehpuri Muslim School and Anglo-Arabic School, also joined the choir. "Our students sang the song in the assembly along with the teachers.

This song should be sung by all irrespective of the religion," said Firoz Bakht Ahmed, a governing body member of the Anglo-Arabic School.

Even though the Muslim clergymen were not in favour of singing the song in madarssas, an all girls Madrassa Niswan at Kashmere Gate reportedly sang it.

Imam Bukhari said: "I have neither asked any madrassa to sing the song nor had instructed any not to sing it." Despite the SGPC officials declaring it optional for its schools to sing Vande Mataram, schools run by the management did not sing it.

New Delhi: RTI New Bill to give more teeth

2006-09-08T13:37:00.000+05:30

NIDHI SHARMA
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0312hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: In a bid to give fillip to the Right to Information (RTI) Act and bring errant government officials to book, Delhi is preparing a new legislation — Delhi Public Grievances Act 2006.

The draft bill, which is likely to be introduced in the next Assembly session, attempts to give more teeth to the Public Grievances Commission (PGC) — the appellate body for RTI.

The legislation will make the commission a statutory body and will bring many administrative changes to help in checking corrupt practices and harassment by government officials.

At present, PGC is a non-statutory body comprising one chairman and three members (one full-time and two part-time members).

It addresses grievances of the people and hears appeals under the Delhi RTI Act 2001. However, the government takes a long time in the implementation of the commission's decisions or recommendations and can even reduce the quantum of punishment.

If the government ignores PGC's recommendations, which it has regularly been doing, the commission has no powers to take any action.

The new legislation aims at making PGC a statutory body. This would give the commission powers of a civil court. It would be able to summon any officer on a complaint of the common man and order production of government records.

PGC chairman Baleshwar Rai said: "The draft legislation is ready. We have incorporated the suggestions made by the law department. Now we will send it to Delhi government. Through this legislation we have aimed at giving more powers to the commission for effective grievance redressal of the common man."

The draft Bill empowers the commission to levy heavy penalties if there is delay or violation of its directions. PGC, under the legislation, levies a fine of Rs 250 per day extending to a maximum of Rs 10,000 on an officer for dereliction of duty or even harassment.

Even civic bodies, corporations or departments can be directed to pay damages to an individual in case they are found violating rules or causing harassment. The draft Bill lays down that PGC would review grievance redressal system of different departments at least twice a year.

One of the biggest changes proposed would be in the administrative set-up. The draft has tried to nudge out retired bureaucrats from PGC.

So far, there has been a tradition to post retired bureaucrats as the chairman and members. The draft says that any public servant would be given the responsibility of PGC.

The commission would be headed by a chairman. It would have a member secretary and three full-time members. They would have a fixed tenure of three years, unlike the present members who can serve till the age of 65 years.

If the Bill comes through in its present form, PGC would not be dependent on Delhi government for its day-to-day budget. It would be given an annual grant, which will be earmarked at the beginning of the financial year.

It would also have an annual accounting and auditing system.

Chandigarh: MCC to merge five villages

2006-09-08T13:34:00.001+05:30

Sukhbir Siwach
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0339hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

CHANDIGARH: Despite protests by some sarpanches and BJP activists, the UT administration has decided to go ahead with its plans to merge villages with the Chandigarh municipal corporation.

The administration has turned down the objections raised against the move and a notification will be issued soon to merge five villages with the civic body.

These villages are Dadu Majra, Kajheri, Maloya, Hallomajra and Palsora. The UT administration had decided to merge the villages in phases. Later, other villages in the UT would also be made a part of the civic body.

The administration had invited objections to its proposal a fortnight back and subsequently received nine.

Sources said many of those who had raised the objections had demanded that first better infrastructure should be provided in these villages. Some had demanded that these villages should be declared as 'model villages'.

Mayor Surinder Singh asserted that the civic body would insure improved infrastructure and facilities in these villages.

Talking to Times of Chandigarh, a senior UT officer said, "Villagers had raised some apprehensions regarding the importance of 'gram sabhas'. But there would be no vacuum as the municipal corporation would replace these bodies after the villages become a part of the civic body."

A few days back, in the wake of the UT administration's decision, a delegation led by Mam Chand Rana, sarpanch of Maloya and president of the BJP's Kisan Morcha, had met with the home secretary and had filed objections to the merger move in respect of Maloya and Dadu Majra villages.

"The UT administration's decision is not all in the interest of the residents of these villages and they should not be merged with the municipal council, as this would be a glaring violation of the Panchayati Raj Act as well as the Indian constitution", Rana said.

The delegation had told the home secretary that "the UT's move seems to have been taken hurriedly without taking into consideration the exact position of each village.

Most of the land in Maloya and Dadu Majra is agricultural and the residents' main source of livelihood is farming". BJP activists had recently staged a demonstration against the administration's move.

Chandigarh: These students want to vote for 'nobody'

2006-09-08T13:31:00.000+05:30

Garima Talwar
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0340hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

CHANDIGARH: "In the ballot papers, there should be an option as I vote nobody", said vigilant students of Punjab University.

Has the recent display of incidents between students unions, where they play dirty to outnumber each other, drilled fear in the minds of students?

Keeping in account the recent case where a neutral person got stabbed or the latest incident outside Mata Gujri hostel, where on the name of politics, personal rivalry between two girls came to the fore in the most obscene manner and student unions took the charge of bubbling up the situation to strengthen their vote banks, students certainly feel that none of these people are really fit to become their leaders.

"I really wish that we were given the choice to vote for 'nobody' to express our disapproval against the leaders. We want someone who can fight for the real cause. Calling a strike over petty issues like attendance or mess food is so whimsical. Why can't we have leaders who can think beyond this", said Naresh (name changed), a student of mass communication at PU.

Echoing his views, Supriya of English department said, "An option of 'nobody' in ballot papers would surely go with my expression of antipathy and resentment towards the present political scenario, both at university and national level."

In the abyss of gaining power, political parties seem to have swayed from the very purpose for which they had come into existence.

According to Maninder (name changed) of law department: "It is a sheer wastage of university funds. We can put this money into something productive like building an open-air auditorium or setting up various societies. Most of the leaders are amateurs who can go to any length to fill their vote banks. I have lost faith in them completely."

Harleen Sidhu, a pass out of English department, who completely complies with the situation, said, "PU politics is really dirty and not a single person is fit to be a student representative in the real sense since nobody is fighting for students. They are just fighting amongst themselves."

Gujrat: Buttermilk sells, cola given thumbs down

2006-09-08T13:29:00.000+05:30

[ 8 Sep, 2006 0301hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

PALANPUR: Cola ban or no ban, it was butter milk and other such 'swadeshi' products that ruled the roost at the annual fair in the temple town of Ambaji which concluded on Thursday.

The sales figures of butter milk and related products during the fair, say it all. According to sales manager Ghemarbhai Bhatol of Banas Dairy, Palanpur, a record sale of 66,500 litres of milk, 36,000 litres of butter milk, besides large quantity of other milk products has been registered during the mela.

Ambaji-based Pepsi distributor, Mohanbhai Sindhi, who unloaded 5000 crates during the earlier mela , was a disappointed man as he was unable to dispose even one crate containing 20 bottles.

Similarly Ashok Patel, a seller of Coke, waited in vain for a customer to turn up to his stall this time. Among retailers, while Ashokbhai Sindhi said, "This time we were taken aback as I could sell only three bottles", Dinesh Mehta, had to remain satisfied with sale of four bottles and Mukesh Agarwal was luckier to have sold seven bottles during the fair.

Aniket Srimali, a reveller from Khatana in Valsad district, echoed the prevalent feeling, "We have decided not to taste colas even if it is provided free of cost".

Sunil Patel, from Denap village in Visnagar taluka of Mehsana district and Pavan Kumar Acharya,who was here with 35 members from Dungarpur claimed, "We have stopped consuming colas ever since we came to know of the possibility of pesticides in them".

Of course, the ones who were smiling were the Rabaris (local cowherds), who raked in the moolah by selling home-made butter milk.

Ahmedabad: No time limit for buying booze

2006-09-08T13:15:00.000+05:30

Tina Parekh
[ 8 Sep, 2006 0304hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

AHMEDABAD: Gujaratis and tourists who hold liquor permits are in for a treat. The police has tweaked timings for buying liquor for permit holders, practically making it possible for them to buy liquor at all times.

The timings were 10.30 am to 6.30 pm, but will be changed to 12 am to 8 pm for buying liquor at licensed shops. Those who want liquor later than that would have to pay an additional charge.

The change comes as a boost to the hotel industry, where tourists will now be able to buy liquor at all times. Even as the government gave its nod to the changes, a resolution will be issued soon.

"The changed timings are more suited to tourists who check into hotels in the evening. We will issue a resolution in a couple of days," says additional director general of police RMS Brar.

The new timings will apply to 29 licensed liquor shops in the state except those at the international airport. Hoteliers welcomed the move.

"Many of our guests go for work in the morning and return at night. The changed timings will allow them to have a drink even late in the evening," says GM, Taj Residency Ummed, Shekhar Valavalkar.

But hoteliers feel the timings for issuing permits too should be extended — these are still issued between 10.30 am and 6.30 pm.

"Our guests complain that often there are no officials present to issue permits at the licensed shops during office hours. So these changes will mean something only if permits too are easily available," says proprietor of Hotel Grand Bhagwati, Narendra Somani.

Health permit holders of the state feel the changes will benefit them. "The changes are more practical. Nobody buys liquor in the morning and it makes more sense to extend evening hours," says Dinesh Pancholi who has had a health permit for 20 years.

Patna: Campus placement in PU soon

2006-09-07T13:12:00.000+05:30

B K Mishra
[ 7 Sep, 2006 0252hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

PATNA: It seems lady luck is smiling on Patna University (PU) students these days. While the prospect of campus placement has already brightened with the willingness expressed by several organisations to visit the campus and select the suitable candidates, PU students are also in for some prestigious overseas scholarships.

American consul general Henry V Jardine will be visiting Patna University on Thursday with a view to meeting the vice-chancellor and interacting with the students on emerging Indo-US relations.

Post-graduate students of PU, especially those studying history and political science, have been invited to interact with the visiting dignitary.

PU VC S Ehteshamuddin, when contacted, pointed out that the American consul general would also apprise PU students of various courses available for them in US universities and the scholarships available for them. Fulbright scholarship would also be discussed in detail.

Meanwhile, a number of public and private sector undertakings would be visiting PU campus within a month or two for recruiting students.

While a two-day campus placement exercise would be held by a reputed Delhi-based organisation at Patna Science College auditorium on September 8 and 9, another undertaking from Bangalore would be visiting PU on September 14 to select suitable candidates as campus ambassadors for Progeon, a subsidiary of the Infosys.

PU Employment and Guidance Bureau have taken all the pains for organising campus placements and securing suitable jobs for university students.

Different colleges and post-graduate departments of PU have also, of late, launched placement cells in their respective institutions with a view to providing jobs to students.

Howrah: Court tells 8 Besu boys to pay Rs 1 lakh each

2006-09-07T13:10:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0257hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HOWRAH: A Howrah court has directed eight students of Bengal Engineering and Science University (Shibpur) to pay Rs 1 lakh each as bail bond for "committing public nuisance" — walking in a group inside the campus on August 22 night with the intention of creating trouble.

The Besu registrar has been asked to pay the Rs 8 lakh on the students' behalf within 15 days. The amount, rarely heard of in such cases, has created a flutter among lawyers and students.

The Independent Consolidation-controlled students' union has called a strike on Monday. The eight second-year students — all boys — were arrested on August 22 night and granted bail a day later.

They were directed to appear at the Howrah first court on Tuesday, when executive magistrate Prasanta Mullick directed them to sign a bond assuring that they wouldn't be involved in trouble-making. The students refused.

"Why should we sign a bond? We've done nothing wrong. We are prepared to take the legal route to clear our names, but we won't sign the bond," said Rajasree Das Bhowmik, one of the students.

The magistrate then told the students to shell out Rs 1 lakh in a fortnight, failing which they would be arrested again.

"The registrar will have to arrange the money on their behalf within 15 days. We will move the high court against this order," said Goutam Dhang, defence lawyer. Apart from calling a strike, IC is agitated over the police picket on campus.

"The university authorities should immediately remove it. Police intervention in matters involving students should be stopped. Besu must solve the problems on its own, not take outside help," said Abhigyan Bera, IC spokesperson.

Partial lunar eclipse tonight

2006-09-07T13:07:00.000+05:30

[ 7 Sep, 2006 0222hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HYDERABAD: Another celestial event is about to enthral all astronomy lovers in the city when the partial lunar eclipse occurs on Thursday night.

Though the earth will 'technically' start shadowing the moon by 10.12 pm, the moon will be seen partially covered only by 11.35 pm. "If the skies are clear, then people can watch less than 20 per cent of the moon covered as it is only a partial eclipse.

The eclipse will be visible to the naked eye from 11.35 pm to 01.07 am by when the moon will, for all practical purposes of viewing, come out of the earth's shadow.

However, technically it will remain in the partial shadow of the earth until 02.30 am, but one cannot see this," said B G Sidharth, director, B M Birla Science Centre.

Since it is a Full Moon Day, the moon will rise exactly at sunset and set exactly at sunrise, he added. Meanwhile, the Planetary Society of India has indicated two other celestial events on the same day.

According to its general secretary, N Sri Raghunandan Kumar, the moon will be the closest to earth on Thursday and hence will appear to be 14 per cent larger in size than the normal.

"On February 12, this year the moon was the farthest from earth, and on Thursday it will be closest to earth," he said. He also said the otherwise elusive planet Uranus will also be visible beside the moon on Thursday as a bright blue dot on its right side.

However, B G Sidharth denies that this can happen especially on a Full Moon Night when the moon is brightest and can overshadow any object around with its luminance.

Also, one can look forward to another celestial event on September 22, when the annual solar eclipse will occur. But this is unlikely to be visible in India, Sidharth said.

Hyderabad: Now, a fatwa to sing Vande Mataram

2006-09-07T13:05:00.000+05:30

Md A Basith
[ 7 Sep, 2006 0217hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HYDERABAD: In a volte face that will help reduce communal tension, the All India Sunni Ulema Board on Wednesday issued a fatwa saying that Muslims can sing Vande Mataram but only its first two stanzas.

Earlier in June last, the Board had issued a fatwa by which Muslims were asked not to sing Vande Mataram .

Acting suo motu on the issue, four muftis of the Sunni Ulema Board's Dar-ul-Ifta on Wednesday issued the diktat asking Muslims to sing the first two stanzas of the national song.

"Singing the entire Vande Mataram is a Shirk (unIslamic) because some of the stanzas make you believe in 'Ghairullah' (other than Allah). But the first two stanzas are just praise and respect for the land which will make you bow towards it with respect," the fatwa said.

"If you bow at the feet of your mother with respect, it is not 'shirk' but only respect," said Board president Moulana Mufti Syed Shah Badruddin Qadri Aljeelani and other muftis Naseem Ahmed Ashrafi, Hasnuddin and Sajid Hussain.

The muftis asked politicians to prefer practices which bring people of all religions closer. But insisting on something that hurts the sentiments of one religion is not proper.

"The national song should unite people and should not separate them," Aljeelani told TOI. The All India Sunni Ulema Board claims itself to be a national body.

This body formed 10 years back follows the teachings of Jamia Nizamia, the city-based religious university and they follow the Ahl-e-Sunnatul Jamaat school of thought.

The Board with head office in Andhra Pradesh has branches in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. But several religious scholars believe that the Board is a local organisation and does not have much followers in other states.

While this is so, with school education department issuing circular for compulsory singing of Vande Mataram in all the schools on Thursday and the government being firm on this issue, some Muslims have decided not to send their children to schools on Thursday.

Religious scholars gave a call to Muslim parents not to send their children to schools where children would be forced to sing Vande Mataram .

"If the government is so adamant on forcing students to commit a sin of 'shirk' then there is a need for the parents to counter it in a fitting way," said Moulana Hafez P Shabbir Ahmed, Jamiat Ulama Hind state president.

Jamaat Islami Hind state president Abdul Basith Anwaar said the country got independence long ago and now everyone should think of development rather than indulging in useless controversies.

"I don't see any controversy in not singing Vande Mataram and do not understand what our leaders want to achieve by resorting to unconstitutional practice of forcing Muslims to sing a national song," Anwaar said.

Moulana M A Raheem Qureshi of All India Muslim Personal Law Board also gave a call to Muslims not to send their children to school on Thursday.

But MBT leader Amjadullah Khan said students must go to schools and strongly oppose if they were asked to sing the "objectionable song".

Hyderabad: Ganesha laddu fetches Rs 9.01 lac

2006-09-07T13:04:00.000+05:30

[ 7 Sep, 2006 0224hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HYDERABAD: A Ganesha laddu at Tummuluru village in the "happening" Maheshwaram mandal was reportedly bought for a record Rs 9.01 lakh in an auction on Wednesday.

Most of those who bought the laddus for huge amounts are real estate dealers and farmers who made it big by selling their land after prices hit the roof when several projects landed in Ranga Reddy district.

There are reports that in Maheshwaram another laddu was auctioned for Rs 7.22 lakh while at other places in the mandal also laddus were sold for lakhs of rupees.

The Ganesha laddu auction at Badangpeta at Saroornagar on the city outskirts also fetched a whopping Rs 6.25 lakh. In all this is hidden the tale of prosperity of people on the city outskirts, thanks to the fast-paced development there.

With projects such as the outer ring road, Shamshabad airport and Fab City coming up, real estate prices have rocketed skywards turning landowners into crorepatis overnight.

In the last several years, the only talked about laddu has been the Balapur laddu, the auction of which is watched keenly. The main Ganesha nimmajan day starts at Balapur beyond the Old City every year.

Even this year, the Balapur laddu weighing 21 kilos fetched a record price of Rs 3 lakh. But this paled in comparison to the price laddus fetched at Ganesha pandals on the city periphery.

It's believed that these laddus bought in auctions from Ganesha pandals can bring good fortune to the family, village and even improve the fertility of farmland.

The weight of laddus vary from pandal to pandal but the price is not fixed according to the weight. A laddu weighing 111 kilos could fetch only Rs 25,000 in an auction at Secunderabad.

One had never heard so much of the auction at Saroornagar before but this time, a laddu fetched Rs 6.25 lakh.

In the auction in which 12 people participated, the winner was Peddabavi Parvathamma, whose family reportedly owns considerable land in Badangpeta village.

The auction was organised by the Veeranjaneya Bhaktha Samajam. Last year, the laddu was sold for Rs 1.5 lakh. While at the auction at Nammeta in Chevella in neighbouring Ranga Reddy district, the laddu fetched Rs 5.11 lakh.

In another auction at Maheshwaram, which is near the proposed Fab City, the laddu fetched Rs 4 lakh. The auction of laddus on the city periphery began only in recent times after the attention the Balapur auction got.

When it was conducted for the first time in 1994, the Balapur laddu fetched Rs 8,000. In 2003, it got as much as Rs 1.55 lakh and in 2004, it fetched Rs 2.01 lakh.

In 2005, the laddu was sold for Rs 2.08 lakh to the village sarpanch Ibrahim Sekhar. This year the laddu weighing 21 kg was bought by Chiruginti Tirupati Reddy for Rs 3 lakh.

Reddy, who is a farmer and real-estate dealer said he bought the laddu because money was not an issue for him. "Moreover, the sprinkling of the laddu in the fields results in a good yield," he claimed.

New Delhi: Rape; Docs discuss grey areas

2006-09-07T13:03:00.000+05:30

[ 7 Sep, 2006 0002hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: Is an underage girl, who has had consensual sex but is now under parental pressure because of the act, a victim of rape?

What is the role of a doctor when he/she discovers in course of routine physical examination of a patient that there has been sexual assault though the family is not willing to press charges?

These were some of the questions raised by doctors attending a workshop on "Role of Medicos in Handling Cases of Rape", organised by the NGO Pratidhi on Wednesday.

While the workshop aimed at equipping gynaecologists and general duty medical officers with counselling skills necessary as they are the first step of organised help for a victim, the legal and social grey areas came up time and again during the discussions.

According to Raaj Mangal Prasad, vice-president (programme), Pratidhi, however, lack of sensitivity, rather than legal loopholes is the core problem in handling rape victims.

"Our survey done in 2003 revealed that the average waiting period in a government hospital for a rape victim is one and half hours. There have been cases when the ward boy has been asked to help the doctor examine the patient," Prasad said.

Dr Kishore Rajurkar, gynaecologist with Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, said, "Rape statistics furnished by Delhi Police are extremely misleading because bulk of the cases they bring for examination are cases where an underage girl had eloped, had consensual sex and then parents lodged a complaint.

Legally, it is rape but the counselling protocol does not quite apply here the way it happens in sexual assault. The cases that leave us groping for ways to handle are when routine investigations reveal sexual assault but the family is unwilling to press charges."

Agreed many others like Dr Seema Prakash of Geeta Colony Hospital.

"Some 15% pregnancies are in underage girls, we have had sterilisation requests from 19 and 20-year-olds and there is no protocol to handle the problem. There is a lack of legal and social clarity."

Dr Kavita Arora, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist, Sparsh, stressed on the need for an area in the casualty of every hospital for victims' examination.

Bangalore: No state order on Vande Mataram

2006-09-07T12:57:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 2337hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: The state education department on Wednesday said it has forwarded the HRD ministry's circular to all schools to compulsorily sing Vande Mataram on Thursday at 11 am.

"The Karnataka government has not issued any other direction to institutions. We've just sent the HRD ministry's circular. Neither has the department pondered about punishment to schools which don't comply with the circular," sources said.

Last month, primary and secondary education minister Basavaraj Horatti had refused to toe HRD ministry line. " Vande Mataram is the National Song and no caste or communal colour should be given to it," he had said.

Not only did Horatti accuse his coalition partner BJP of playing politics over the issue, but had also said he would write to the Centre that state would not abide by the diktat. But everything fell silent on Wednesday.

Officials said no specific circular had gone out. The Bangalore University registrar has asked BU departments to sing the first two stanzas of the song.

The BJP appealed to everyone to sing the song on Thursday in all streets and villages. The Students Islamic Organisation of India said making the song mandatory is unconstitutional.

" Vande Mataram includes elements that are very offensive against the religious belief of Islam and Muslims," its president Hashmatulla Khan said.

Rajkot: Patient deaths; Blood bank's licence suspended

2006-09-07T12:55:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 2014hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

RAJKOT: The Food and Drugs Authority on Wednesday suspended the licence of Young Star Blood Bank when officials found errors in the way blood was stored at the bank.

The licence was suspended following an outcry after five persons died after being given blood from here.

A team of FDA officials was in the city, for two days, to investigate the problem and submitted their report to state FDA commissioner, SP Ardesara.

Confirming the development, Ardesara said that the blood bank has been ordered not to sell blood till investigation is over and the licence has been suspended temporarily.

Ardesara confirmed that according to the report submitted to him, the Young Star Blood Bank did not follow the norms required for storing blood. The blood bank had stopped its activities ever since the first death was reported.

The department has also served a showcause notice to the blood bank for negligence, said the commissioner.

Rajkot district collector Pradeep Sharma said that the district administration was also waiting for the report of blood samples taken by the authorities.

A police complaint would be lodged if contamination is found in the blood. He said that around 300 patients, who were given blood collected from Young Star Blood Bank, are under observation.

The five victims are Samajuben Sojitra, Puja Gorasia, Dayaben Bagtharia, Anal Rajani and Kantaben Shigala.

According to Ardesara, that he will not lodge a police complaint against anyone immediately and will wait for a detailed report.

Doctors and hospitals who had treated the patients were given clean chit by the investigating officials.

The team had also gathered the history of patients who died after blood transfusion. The team had taken statements of blood bank technicians, doctors of the hospitals where death cases registered, relatives of the victims and trustees of the blood bank.

Bangalore: Infosys to expand staff in Czech Republic

2006-09-07T12:21:00.000+05:30

By Reuters

Wednesday September 6, 04:31 PM

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Second-largest software services exporter, Infosys Technologies Ltd., said on Wednesday it would more than double its staff at a facility in the Czech Republic to boost operations in Europe.

Nasdaq-listed Infosys will increase the number of employees at the Brno facility to 350 by the beginning of 2007 from 130 now, the company said in a statement.

Set up in 2004, the facility handles business process outsourcing related to finance and accounts and market research for clients across 16 European countries.

Infosys, whose clients include ABN AMRO, Goldman Sachs and Airbus, said the expansion would help boost services for customers.

"The expansion of Infosys' European facilities reflects the 60 percent growth Infosys has experienced in the region for the past three years," B.G. Srinivas, head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said in the statement.

Clients in North America accounted for 64 percent of Infosys' revenue in the June quarter, nearly flat from a year ago, while customers in Europe made up 26.2 percent, up from 23.9 percent.

Shares in Infosys ended little changed at 1,833.55 rupees in a slightly firm Mumbai market.

Chandigargh: Mobile towers sending out some unfriendly waves too

2006-09-07T12:20:00.000+05:30

The effects of health of electromagnetic radiations from mobile towers are debated; but the city is getting a chunk of those waves, says a new study

Express India, Revathi Ramalingam

Chandigargh, September 6: A study by the Centre for Environmental Studies, Panjab University, has detected very high levels of Electro-magnetic Radiation (EMR) caused mainly by the city’s mobile phone towers.

According to the study, Sector 46 recorded the highest levels of EMR - 97900 microwatts per square metre - followed by Sectors 42, 51, 21, 40, 30 and 18.

The world over, there has been an intense debate over the possible health hazards posed by EMR. Research studies have indicated that prolonged exposure to EMR could cause neurological, cardiac, respiratory and ophthalmological disorders. Some of the long-term effects include brain damage, nerve damage, Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s disease, genetic damage and increased risk of cancer. Studies have also shown that the radiation affects teenagers and children more.

Despite this, mobile towers continue to be erected near schools, residential areas, universities, markets and parks not only in Chandigarh but across the country.

Talking to Newsline, Dr R K Kohli, coordinator of the Centre said the study was conducted over a period of three months. Several readings were taken in each Sector using an RF Field Strength meter at different heights - six feet, chest level and ground level. The data was then compiled and an average taken to give the readings.

According to the study, Sector 1 recorded the lowest reading of 500 followed by Sector 4 at 1,300. In addition, popular hangouts such as Sector 17 recorded a figure of 15,500 while the reading at Panjab University in Sector 14 was 2,600. Interestingly, the readings were found to be much lower near trees as the trees absorb the radiations to a large extent. The effects of EMR on health continues to be a widely debated topic with some experts saying that the studies done so far are not conclusive and more long term data is needed to determine effects.

Chandigargh: Polish dancers present a vibrant fusion

2006-09-07T12:18:00.000+05:30

Members of Ziemia Myslenicka are in city under an exchange programme
Express News Service

Chandigargh, September 6: It was a visual treat at Ryan International School, Sector 49, as 23 delegates from Poland participated in a cultural bonanza of songs and dances. Dolly Guleria, eminent Punjabi singer, presided over the function.

Comprising mainly students, the visitors were in India as part of a cultural exchange programme. Beginning with a group dance called Goralski, which is a folk dance of the highlanders, the group performed dances and songs from their native land. They surprised everybody by presenting Bhangra, which was the final act of the evening and for which the dancers dressed up in the traditional Punjabi costumes.

Meanwhile, the students of the host school presented a Bharatnatyam performance dance followed by Rajasthani and Punjabi dances.

Talking to Newsline, one of the visitors said that the group was called ‘Ziemia Myslenicka’, which means the land of Myslenicka — a part of Poland where they all hail from.

Meanwhile, the coordinator of the group, Anna Pietrak, said the team had arrived in India on August 29 to participate in the International Festival of Performing Arts organised by Ryan International in Delhi.

Following that, they had came to Chandigarh on Tuesday for a two-day stay. ‘‘From here, it’s onto Ludhiana and Amritsar, before we leave for Poland on September 11,’’ Anna said.

In the two days that they spent here, the Poles got the chance to experience a slice of life in Chandigarh as they stayed with the families of the students. Though the change in weather and food were two of the biggest challenges, Anna said the group had slowly gotten used it. ‘‘They’re enjoying the stay now,’’ she said with a smile.

Meanwhile, apart from taking a sightseeing tour, the visitors also got a chance to learn some nuances of Indian art, craft and dance today. Earlier today, the school organised workshops where the visitors learnt block printing, glass painting and classical dance.

Solan: Amarinder may find himself in trouble over rare birds issue

2006-09-07T12:12:00.000+05:30

Arvind Kashyap, Express India

Solan, September 6: The rearing and breeding of rare birds by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at his Dochi farmhouse near Chail may land him in trouble if violations of the law and the norms of the Central Zoo Authority of India are established.

Reliable sources in the state Forest Department revealed that as per the law and the norms, the Central Zoo Authority of India could only give permission to an individual for establishing a zoo across the country on certain conditions. Sources further revealed that as per various sections of the Wild Life Protection Act, any person violating the law may face a sentence of six months to six years besides fine.

Sources revealed that the department had asked the Punjab Chief Minister to furnish the details concerning the number and species of all birds including exotic ones within a fortnight, failing which action would be initiated under the provisions of the law. The letter was written after noticing some violations at the farmhouse.

‘‘We have written a letter to Amarinder Singh asking him to provide necessary information within 15 days,’’ said Chail Range Forest Officer (Wild Life) Sanjeev Sood.

Notably, the Dochi farmhouse of Amarinder Singh came into the limelight after some persons intimated officials of the state wildlife wing that the owner of the farmhouse had allegedly kept nearly 40 rare birds in captivity. However, the officials during a visit to the farmhouse had found that these birds were imported by the forefathers of Amarinder Singh from France and Germany, many years back. The employees at Dochi had informed the officials that the forefathers of the owner had imported only two-three birds but later the number had increased after breeding.

Surprisingly, even after the spotting of rare birds at the farmhouse, none of the officials of the Central Zoo Authority of India has visited Dochi till date, leaving many questions unanswered. Also, no senior officer of the state Forest Department has visited the farmhouse.

Meanwhile, state BJP spokesman Dr Rajeev Bindal today demanded a high-level probe into the entire issue so that the truth could come before the public. Bindal said that the government and the Central Zoo Authority of India should immediately take the needed action if violations had been noticed.

On the other hand, Range Forest Officer Sanjeev Sood said that the picture would be clear only after receiving the reply of Amarinder Singh in this connection. He, however, refused to comment on the purported violations at the Dochi farmhouse.

Pune: Defence body moots handing over of 4 road stretches to PMC

2006-09-07T12:11:00.001+05:30

Shweta Desai, Express India

Civic authority to compensate defence by way of cash-cum-amenities package

Pune, September 5: THE Defence Estate office of the Pune Circle has put up a proposal suggesting that four road stretches passing through defence land and aggregating some 72,000 sq metres, be handed over to the Pune Municipal Corporation for road widening projects. The PMC on its part has been for a while been demanding that all 14 roads passing through various establishments be handed over to them. There will not be any transfer of land ownership but it would only be leased out to the civic authority, it is understood.

As per the proposal, the PMC would compensate the Defence for loss of land by way of cash-cum-amenities offer. The cost of the land of all the 14 roads stretches aggregating two lakh sq metres is estimated at Rs 50 crore, though the authorities are yet to make a valuation of the four road stretches.

Says Defence Estate Officer Sewak Nayyar, ‘‘We have forwarded the proposal for four roads to the Director General, Defence Estate, C R Mohapatra. Currently the proposals are at the scrutiny level after which they would be sent to the Ministry of Defence for final approval. The defence authorities would still have the ownership of the land.’’

The road stretches include: Pune Nagar road, Yerwada (survey number 202, 205), Sangamwadi to Sadalbaba chowk, Yerwada (survey number 28,31 to 44), Pune-Alandi road, Yerwada (survey number 84, 86, 94) and Nagar road to Airport (VIP) road, Yerwada, Lohegaon (survey number 233, 204).

For transferring or leasing out the defence land to another authority, an NOC is required at two levels: Local Military Authority and the Defence Estate. In case of these four roads, the defence estate has already forwarded the proposals to the director general while the station head quarters of Khadki and Pune too have given their NOCs in this regard.

Mumbai: 'Filmi dacoits are bunkum'

2006-09-07T12:02:00.000+05:30

[ 5 Sep, 2006 2009hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

Seema Parihar is a real-life dacoit who was married to the dreaded Nirbhay Gujjar.

The life of dacoits, shown in films like Sholay or even the 'realistic' Bandit Queen, is bunkum. That's the verdict of Seema Parihar, a real-life bandit. "It's hardly a romantic life. In reality, you don't have bandits shooting around on horses or cabaret shows in the evening. On the contrary, it's scary and full of struggle. You are running from the police all the time," says Seema.

After Seema's surrender, it was during her incarceration that Krishna Mishra decided to make a film on her life. "Convincing the authorities, and of course Seema, besides getting her bail organised was tough, but now that the film is ready, it's all been worth it," says Mishra.

But before signing on the dotted line, Seema had a set of conditions. "One of these was not to romanticise my life, the way Phoolan Devi's was done. I wanted a realistic portrayal of what I've been through," she says. And replaying her life on the screen was "a heart-rending experience" for the former bandit who was kidnapped from her home at the age of 13. The reason? Her father refused to give her hand in marriage to someone from a "lower-caste community. They took their revenge thus and I was married off to Nirbhay Gujjar who was recently killed in an encounter," she informs.

For six years, Seema could not meet her parents because "this would have put them in great trouble. You can imagine my state, what I went through. And this made an apradhi out of me. The men's atrocities forced me to pick up the gun for survival," she says.

Life in the jungle was tough, she says. "We moved around on foot, sometimes covering 60 to 70 kms in a day. And no, there were no horses. Where can you hide yourself with horses? If you're on foot, and being pursued by the police, you can quickly hide behind a bush or trees. So, being on foot is safer."

And now that she has a son, Sagar, she has surrendered and is at peace. Ask her if she has any regrets and she says, "I wish our villagers were with us. If they'd been, I wouldn't have undergone the ordeal I did."

Bangalore best to live in ?

2006-09-07T11:55:00.000+05:30

GEETHA RAO
[ 6 Sep, 2006 2239hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

This city tops the list for quality of life. Is that really true?

A recent study across Indian cities had people saying Bangalore's the best city to live in and the second best to earn in. Is that really so? BT asked Bangaloreans who'd lived in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Wildlife expert Saad Bin Jung lived in Hyderabad for 22 years, followed by Bangalore for 22 years, and says, "The weather in Bangalore was fantastic then. And the quality of life, the best. Now, the very people who have destroyed Bangalore are making politically correct noises about putting it back on track again. It's like wildlife. First you finish the animals and then try to bring them back again. Bangalore's been destroyed by a small percentage that's gained dramatically by it, but there's nothing for the common man, like me, today. You can't change Bangalore because those who have benefitted by it are extremely powerful. Bangalore was a thousand times better than Hyderabad earlier."

Hyderabad, he says, is a very old and civilised city and the people care enough for the city to reinvent it. "But in Bangalore, there are too many people from outside who have settled here, and don't care for the city." Opportunities-wise, Bangalore and Hyderabad are similar.

Chippy Gangjee, who's lived in Kolkata before he moved to Bangalore 22 years ago says Bangalore weather's the best.

"But if the infrastructure was as good as in SM Krishna's time, it'd be even better to live here. We may crib like hell about the traffic, but go to another city, and you just want to come running back."

Gangjee deals with some of the worst roads in LB Shastrinagar where he lives: "They are horrendous, I travel on them some four times a day, yet the amount of peace that Bangalore offers is something you can't get anywhere."

And the people. In Chippy Gangjee's apartment block, there are a dozen Bengali families among the 200 living there and 30-40 more in the locality, but both Bengalis and non-Bengalis have decided to celebrate Durga Puja together. "People are so cosmopolitan," he says.

However, Kolkata is less expensive: "a great city, costwise, whether it's vegetables or rentals or eating out."

Gagan Bindra, marketing manager with a multiplex, who's lived in Delhi for seven years, and Bangalore for six, says Delhi being the capital, has the edge in terms of infrastructure.

"I'm not saying Delhi's perfect, but you can see a lot of development. Now with the Commonwealth Games coming to Delhi, there's even more focus on infrastructure."

And traffic? Bindra says, "Even if you are caught in a traffic jam in Bangalore, it's much better than being caught in the scorching heat in Delhi."

And the people here are welcoming of outsiders, he says. In Delhi, more or less, the attitude is we belong here, may be we know better than you do. Danseuse Vani Ganapathy who's travelling constantly to Mumbai says what we lack here is discipline.

"I was in Mumbai during Janmashtami, which is celebrated in a grand manner there. Despite that, there was disciplined traffic movement. I stay in Chennai only for two days so I don't really know, but my cousins there say it's quite calm. Here, though, I was caught in the traffic jam during Sonia Gandhi's visit, and there was chaos. Some hooligans actually turned on the police."

Kolkata: BES Uni (BESU) student sends lewd SMS to V-C, arrested

2006-09-06T16:52:00.000+05:30

[ 4 Sep, 2006 0216hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

KOLKATA: Friends say he is eccentric. But, this time even they are surprised at his mindless ways. Somnath Dey is a second-year student of Bengal Engineering and Science University (Besu). On Saturday, he landed behind bars for sending obscene SMSes.

Amazingly, his lewd messages were sent not to any girl, but to the university vice-chancellor and registrar. He even abused the two over phone. This happened on Friday. Vicechancellor N R Banerjea was in Delhi when he started getting some very abusive calls.

When the disgusted varsity top gun stopped taking the calls, he started receiving dirty SMSes. The same happened with registrar I N Sinha. The perplexed varsity officials lodged a complaint with Shibpur police. The cops then traced the calls and the SMSes to Dey.

The metallurgy department student was picked up from his Barasat residence on Saturday. He was released on bail on Sunday.

During interrogation, Dey, an inmate of hostel number 11, told the police that he was upset with the treatment meted out to his best friend Tanmoy Chatterjee, also a student of Besu.

Tanmoy was among the eight students picked up by police on the night of August 22 for attempting to rag some juniors.

"These students were picked up by the police patrolling the campus for violating peace. Tanmoy was among the eight. Somnath was upset with this. He thought of taking revenge by sending abusive messages to the vice-chancellor,"said Howrah SP N K Singh.

After the death of Soumik Basu a few weeks ago, police have stepped up security vigil on campus to prevent further clashes.

Vice-chancellor Banerjea refused to comment on the episode. "The matter is sub judice. I have called for a disciplinary committee meeting on Monday. The committee will decide on the kind of action to be taken against the student,"Banerjea said on Sunday.

KOLKATA: Friends say he is eccentric. But, this time even they are surprised at his mindless ways. Somnath Dey is a second-year student of Bengal Engineering and Science University (Besu).

On Saturday, he landed behind bars for sending obscene SMSes. Amazingly, his lewd messages were sent not to any girl, but to the university vice-chancellor and registrar. He even abused the two over phone.

This happened on Friday. Vicechancellor N R Banerjea was in Delhi when he started getting some very abusive calls. When the disgusted varsity top gun stopped taking the calls, he started receiving dirty SMSes.

The same happened with registrar I N Sinha. The perplexed varsity officials lodged a complaint with Shibpur police. The cops then traced the calls and the SMSes to Dey.

The metallurgy department student was picked up from his Barasat residence on Saturday. He was released on bail on Sunday.

During interrogation, Dey, an inmate of hostel number 11, told the police that he was upset with the treatment meted out to his best friend Tanmoy Chatterjee, also a student of Besu.

Tanmoy was among the eight students picked up by police on the night of August 22 for attempting to rag some juniors. "These students were picked up by the police patrolling the campus for violating peace. Tanmoy was among the eight. Somnath was upset with this. He thought of taking revenge by sending abusive messages to the vice-chancellor," said Howrah SP N K Singh.

After the death of Soumik Basu a few weeks ago, police have stepped up security vigil on campus to prevent further clashes.

Vice-chancellor Banerjea refused to comment on the episode. "The matter is sub judice. I have called for a disciplinary committee meeting on Monday.

The committee will decide on the kind of action to be taken against the student," Banerjea said on Sunday.

Kolkata: City call centre girl pulls off $4000 cyber fraud for 'fun'

2006-09-06T16:47:00.000+05:30

[ 2 Sep, 2006 1131hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

KOLKATA: Sulagna Ray hardly looks like a criminal. But both the detective department and the CID were hot on the trail of this 23-year-old call centre employee. She was arrested on Friday morning from her Behala home for using credit card details of US consumers to buy goods worth $4,000 (Rs 1.8 lakh).

Sulagna has been charged with fraud and cheating. She has “confessed” but claimed that “she did it for fun and didn’t intend to cheat anyone”. A city court has remanded her in police custody for 12 days.

"A California-based firm, Syssoft Corporation, informed us that they do e-commerce in Kolkata through a portal, calcuttaweb.com. It was flooded with complaints about fraudulent purchases being made through this site during July-August. We were also told that all these purchases were made through credit cards of US residents. The American firm had to pay compensation to all the credit card holders," DC (DD) Gyanwant Singh said.

Sulagna, who has just completed her diploma in fashion designing from NIFT, works in a Salt Lake Sector V call centre — Jaishree Infotech. Her call centre does the back-end operations of another e-commerce site in the US. "Her job involved selling Dish TV to US clients. While doing this, she gathered information about the credit card numbers of some of these clients. She then used these card numbers to make purchases through calcuttaweb.com," said a senior officer.

Sulagna made 52 purchases on the internet, some using her laptop and some from cyber cafes (she never used her office computer). Forty-two items, worth about Rs 1 lakh, were delivered to her home. These included an air-conditioner, microwave, cosmetics, jewellery, saris and even chocolates.

For the detectives, tracking her down wasn’t tough. Calcuttaweb.com, which has an office in Kolkata, provided them with the details of purchases made. "The IP addresses were all logged. Moreover, the delivery challans gave her game up," an officer said.

Sulagna's mother Nivedita, the police said, should have known what her daughter was up to. She earned only Rs 8,000 but was splurging. However, they did not question her mother, who is ailing. Her father Niladri, who worked in a Haryana-based firm, is dead.

Meanwhile, in another e-commerce fraud case, detective department officers arrested the owner of Mumbaibased e-portal NS Shopmart. Sidhartha was picked up from Dadar for cheating Supriyo Ray, a Barasat resident. Supriyo had purchased an LCD monitor from rediff.com for Rs 15,000. A carton reached his home a few days later but it was stuffed with paper. The police later found Sidhartha’s portal made the transaction through rediff.com. He was brought back to Kolkata.

Thiruvananthapuram: Sabarimala row

2006-09-06T16:46:00.000+05:30

[ 26 Jul, 2006 0054hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Tuesday ordered a fresh probe by a top police officer into the murky events at Sabarimala.

On the other hand, Kandararu Mohanraru, the disgraced priest, tried to wriggle out of a sex-laced controversy by peddling a new alibi for being in a prostitute's den.

Mohanraru on Monday was stripped off his powers as head priest after the temple management was told of his sex-romps by the police, and after he lodged a false complaint stating he was abducted and taken to a prostitute.

In a volte-face, the priest on Tuesday told police that he was not abducted and that he had gone to the prostitute's flat to collect his maid-servant.

He also said he was forced to pose for a photograph with the naked woman by some people, when he had reached the flat. Mohanraru said: "It's a conspiracy, but I don't know who is behind it."

Pune: Menace of ragging

2006-09-06T16:44:00.000+05:30

[ 4 Sep, 2006 0139hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

PUNE: A first-year medical student of the B.J. Medical College (BJMC) was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Sassoon Hospital here on Sunday after he was allegedly ragged by his seniors at the college hostel.

Seventeen-year-old Akhilesh Shukla, who hails from Raipur in Chhattisgarh and had joined the college recently, was reportedly forced to do sit-ups for an inordinately long time that left him exhausted.

He was taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed as having a renal problem and had to undergo dialysis, sources said.

Deputy commissioner of police A.D. Shinde confirmed that a complaint has been lodged in this connection by the Bund Garden police.

Sub-inspector Madhav Suryavanshi has been assigned the probe. Akhilesh himself has registered his statement with Suryavanshi.

While the incident, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, shook the BJMC — one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the country — the college authorities preferred being tightlipped and refused to elaborate any details. All that college dean V.L. Yemul would say when contacted by TOI was: "I have learnt something to this (ragging) effect.

I have sent my men to get exact details." When this reporter visited the ICU at the second floor of Sassoon building, the doctors attending to the victim refused to speak about his health and put the onus on Yemul.

Akhilesh's father, who had rushed to the hospital, was too worried to speak about the incident. At the hostel, students talked in hushed tones while saying that what happened with Akhilesh was "unfortunate".

Some of them demanded stern action against the culprits. Ragging is banned in Maharashtra and the enactment, Maharashtra Anti-Ragging Act of 1999, stipulates stringent punishment for the offenders, ranging from outright rustication to even a jail term, depending upon the seriousness of the offence.

Despite this, incidents of ragging have rocked academic institutions time and again. In 2003, as many as 26 students were shown the door at ILS Law College following a major ragging incident. SP College too was in the news for ragging.

Pune: Ahoy! Infosys 'spaceship' lands in Pune

2006-09-06T16:43:00.000+05:30

Abhay Vaidya
[ 6 Sep, 2006 0019hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

PUNE: Indian IT giant Infosys Technologies, which has grabbed many a headline in software development, is now set to make waves in architecture.

On September 18, the company will inaugurate the first of its two "spaceships" in Pune — a gigantic, five-storey steel-glass-aluminium clad building that resembles a spacecraft and will house 3,000 professionals.

Truly unique among the thousands of buildings in Pune, if not India, the structure, designed by eminent architect Hafeez Contractor, looks like a spaceship that has just descended on Earth.

Gung-ho over Infosys' Pune operations, which celebrated the crossing of a 10,000 head count last week, Priti Rao, head of Infosys' Pune Development Centre described the building as a "spacecraft that will launch us in the next orbit."

Rao's excitement is understandable as Infosys (Pune) has seen a robust growth of 60-65 per cent over last year and expects the growth and expansion to continue in the next three years.

Broadly satisfied with Pune's infrastructure as compared to Bangalore, Infosys, which has invested Rs 270 crore here over the last three years, sees considerable potential for expansion as it has developed just 24 hectares of its 55-hectare land.

The company's 'spacecraft' is a part of this growth story and is set to be inaugurated by Infosys director and chief financial officer T.V. Mohandas Pai.

The building has 1.5 lakh sq.ft of floor space over five floors. Its form has been derived from an ellipsoid and the structure is meant to speak the hi-tech language of computers, software development and cutting-edge technology.

According to structural designer Dhananjay Dake of the Pune-based Construction Catalysers, which collaborated with Hafeez Contractor in this project, the partially-cut ellipsoid measures 105 metres along its longer axis and 65m along its shorter axis, rising to a height of 35m and tilting at an angle of 10 degrees.

It is this tilt that gives the new Infosys building in Pune the look of a descending spacecraft as "one of its ends appears to be buried into the ground and the other is lifted up".

Dake has been invited to give a presentation on the construction to the Forum for Exchange and Excellence in Design (FEED, Pune).

According to him, pre-stressed grid cell geometry was employed as a part of the innovative architectural engineering that went into this creation.

Mumbai: Soon, expect cleaner trains and linen

2006-09-06T16:40:00.000+05:30

Devraj Dasgupta
[ 5 Sep, 2006 0137hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

MUMBAI: Long-distance travellers boarding mail or express trains from Mumbai may be in for cleaner, stench-free journeys if the Indian Railways gets a couple of new plans on track.

The railways propose to have a single contractor to provide on-board cleaners, linen and food for each journey. The railways are also planning a central laundry facility at Wadi Bunder, which should be running within a year's time, to ensure cleaner linen.

R D Sharma, group general manager of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), West, said the railways are introducing a 'Comprehensive On-Board Maintenance' policy.

"A single contractor will supply food, linen and provide cleaners for the upkeep of trains throughout the trip," he said.

The railways expect the private on-board cleaners will keep the interiors of trains cleaner than departmental staff, who don't travel with the train and do cleaning only at major stations.

Officials also feel that dealing with a single contractor for various services would increase accountability and reduce multi-point dealings for passengers.

As for linen, long-distance trains leaving Mumbai require more than 20,000 bedsheets, pillows, hand towels and blankets a day.

All these are provided by the railways on special trains like the Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express. But on the remaining trains, private contractors supply the linen.

The railways have got complaints from passengers about dirty linen. Moreover, sometimes, supply has fallen short of the demand.

To ensure cleaner linen, the IRCTC has decided to come up with a jumbo laundry at Wadi Bunder on P D'Mello Road. It would get all dirty railway linen in Mumbai washed at one place instead of leaving the job to the individual contractors.

Sharma said the proposed laundry would be run by an experienced dry cleaning firm from Mumbai.

"We will soon float tenders inviting parties to construct and operate the jumbo washing machines as seen in western countries," said Sharma. The land for the laundry, admeasuring 15,000 sq ft, is being made available by the CR to IRCTC, he said.

Mumbai: It will rain 34 malls in the next 3 years

2006-09-06T16:38:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0306hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

MUMBAI: The number of big malls in the city will grow from 14 to 48 in the next three years, prompting experts to question the mall-mania and ask whether the city has the infrastructure to support them.

"Too many malls in the same area can be a problem. It is a difficult to predict what will work. But one thing is for sure; well-managed malls are here to stay," Dharmesh Jain of Nirmal Group, now adding more than 7 lakh square feet to his Mulund mall, said.

Knight Frank India retail services division head Prakrut Mehta agreed. "With so many malls mushrooming in the city, owners need to offer something different," he explained.

The worries are not without basis; in areas such as Mulund and Vashi, for instance, mushrooming malls are posing serious threat to the existing ones.

Vashi is expected to have nine malls next to each other. "The logic used by mall developers there is Vashi is a nodal point of entry into and departure from Mumbai.

Traders come here to sell their goods and have cash when they leave," Trammell Crow Meghraj retail services head Shubhranshu Pani said.

Mushrooming malls in Bhandup, Mulund and Thane are also expected to affect business of existing malls such as R Mall and Nirmal Lifestyle.

"Lifestyle has realised the challenge and has a business strategy to tackle this. The developer is trying to get everything under a single roof. Customers, who want to buy different goods or want to see different brands at the same time, will have it easy," an analyst with a retail consultancy said.

Developers, however, are optimistic. Some believe that too many malls at the same place cannot happen everywhere in a strapped of land.

"You cannot spot a mall while driving from Mulund to Parel; the city has the appetite for more malls," the owner of an upcoming mall on LBS Marg said.

Mumbai: Supriya Sule declares assets worth Rs 42 cr

2006-09-06T16:36:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0309hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

MUMBAI: Make way for one more multi-crorepati in Maharashtra politics.

The affidavit filed by Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule for the Rajya Sabha elections shows her to be one of the richest politicians in the state—Sule, her husband Sadanand and their two children have properties worth a whopping Rs 41.52 crore.

Aviation minister Praful Patel, however, beats Sule in the wealth game by a few crores, having declared assets worth Rs 49 crore.

The 37-year-old daughter of Union agriculture minister Pawar, who filed her nomination for the September 18 election on Tuesday, has caused eyebrows to be raised in political circles with her jaw-dropping declared wealth.

Sharad Pawar himself declared assets worth only Rs 3.6 crore when he contested the Lok Sabha elections from Baramati in 2004. The affidavit shows that the Sules do not own any vehicle, just like Pawar Senior, who normally travels in an imported SUV.

The Sules have diamonds worth Rs 52, 00,100 and gold ornaments worth Rs 18, 16,701. Supriya and Sadanand have each invested Rs 1.97 crore in overseas financial institutions and Rs 14.46 lakh each in quoted shares overseas.

They have bank deposits worth Rs 55, 79, 00,131, while their foreign accounts amount to Rs 10, 53,099.98. The moveable assets of Supriya's school-going children are worth over Rs 1 crore.

Daughter Revathi's movable assets are worth Rs 51 lakh and son Vijay's assets are worth Rs 49 lakh.

In addition, Supriya, a homemaker-turned-social worker, owns agricultural land at Malegaon village in Baramati (4.16 hectares) and at Dehkalwadi village in Baramati (10 hectares) valued at Rs 15, 39,708 and Rs 22,201 respectively.

She has houses in Mumbai, Pune and Singapore. One of the Mumbai houses, measuring 256.93 square metres, is located at Peddar Road and is worth Rs 5.53 crore while the second one, belonging to Sadanand Sule, is also at Peddar Road (51.72 squaremetres).

It's worth Rs 80.16 lakh. Supriya has a 7,590 squaremetre property in Koregaon Park, Pune, which is worth Rs 73 lakh, while Sadanand has a house in Pune worth Rs 43.50 lakh.

The Sules have a 2,365 sq ft flat in Singapore. The total immovable assets of the Sules are listed at Rs 16, 53, 36,189. The statement to the Election Commission also states that the Sules have taken a loan of Rs 1.75 crore.

Kolkata: Your city does not care for girl child

2006-09-06T16:34:00.000+05:30

Arnab Ganguly
[ 5 Sep, 2006 0304hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

KOLKATA: For Halishahar's Sonali Das, a second daughter was unwanted. So she killed and buried her newborn with her mother's help. From far-off Halishahar to tony Kolkata enclaves, the story is the same.

The girl child is redundant. The fact is reflected in the deteriorating male-female ratio across the city's wards.

If Halishahar and neighbouring Bidyadharpur register a paltry 951 and an astonishing 389 females per thousand males respectively, upmarket Bhowanipore and Gariahat in the city return equally dismal figures — 812 and 916 females per 1,000 males.

And these figures are only till 2001. In another five years, when the next census is due, the scenario may be far worse. Of the five instances of abandoned babies in the city in the past year, three were girls.

Many more did not make it to the headlines. Till 1991, however, the scenario was different. At least 17 wards then showed a healthy sex ratio of 1,000+ females per 1,000 males.

Take high-profile Gariahat (ward 68). There were 1,006 girls per 1,000 boys in 1991. By 2001, the number of girls was down to 916. In Bhowanipore, the number of girls per 1,000 boys in 1991 was 1,028.

In 10 years, the ratio was down to 812:1000. In the decade between 1991 and 2001, the city average itself fell from 955 to 927 girls per 1,000 boys. The trend has experts worried.

"More parents are keen to find out their child's sex while it is in the womb, particularly those who already have a daughter," said a leading gynaecologist. The introduction of regulations against sex determination has helped, say gynaecologists.

"The prescription specifies why USG was done. So, the ultrasonologists know that records are kept. But there is always the fear of para-clinical staff passing on the information for a few bucks," said another gynaecologist.

If some clinics in Kidderpore, Rajabazar and other areas have flourished, offering an "easy way out of unwanted pregnancy", availability of over-the-counter abortion pills has made it even easier to get rid of the unwanted child.

"But these drugs are dangerous. If someone takes the pill a second time, it can be life-threatening," said gynaecologist Gouri Kumra.

Kolkata: Girls in cities reach puberty earlier

2006-09-06T16:32:00.000+05:30

Prithvijit Mitra
[ 6 Sep, 2006 0258hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

KOLKATA: Girl, you'll be a woman soon, sang Neil Diamond. In India, the 'soon' has just got 'sooner'. Across cities and towns, girls are reaching puberty faster than before.

The age of attaining sexual maturity among girls in urban India has dropped to 11 from 13. The reverse is true in rural India, where girls are reaching puberty even later than 13.

These are the results of a first-of-its-kind survey being conducted by the Federation of Obstetrics' and Gynaecologists' Society of India (FOGSI).

"So far we had accepted the global average (around 13 years). But we always felt the age could be different in India and that it has dropped, especially in cities.

So, this survey is an important one, for it also reveals that girls are becoming sexually active earlier than before," said Dr Duru Shah, all-India president of FOGSI.

More than 80% of the girls in cities are reaching puberty around age 11, indicates the survey that is being carried out in 100 centres — both urban and rural — across four regions.

The procedure involves distributing questionnaires among college students in cities and young girls in rural areas. The federation is yet to analyse the feedback, which is still coming in. But the initial reports have already set them thinking.

"We are yet to collate and study the responses, but the information collected so far is quite enlightening. It seems the average age of puberty in cities has come down to 11. This could be one of the reasons why girls are now becoming sexually active earlier than before," explained Dr Shah.

According to the experts, there could be several reasons behind this drop: better nutrition, changing hormonal patterns, new food habits, genetic factors, environmental changes and upbringing.

"This is a sign of prosperity, though there are other factors as well. In rural areas, the age has gone up marginally, which indicates that health has deteriorated. But we will have a better idea when the survey is complete, hopefully by year-end," said Ashis Mukhopadhyay, state vice-president of FOGSI.

The federation, though, is more worried about the fallout of this change. It believes more young girls are now exposed to sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS.

It has, therefore, stepped up its awareness campaign on women's sexual health and extended it to schools.

"This is a race against time. Our aim is to reach out to as many youngsters as possible. That is why we are trying to build a network of school teachers who will play a key role in the campaign," said Mukhopadhyay.

Hyderabad: Maid for each other?

2006-09-06T16:28:00.000+05:30

Chandreyee Ghose
[ 3 Sep, 2006 0310hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HYDERABAD: Padma (25) shifted uncomfortably inside a packed bus taking her all the way from her village in Ranga Reddy to the posh house in Banjara Hills where she works as a domestic help.

Leaving her two helpless kids to the care of a drunk abusive unemployed husband was not easy initially, but then someone had to keep the hearth burning.

Only, if she had as much money as her employers she could also get a life ...Swamy (13) also wants a life. A bright kid who dreamt of being Amitabh Bachchan one day found himself in the big bad city of Hyderabad after the crops failed in his village and there was nothing to eat. Now Swamy swabs, sweeps and cleans utensils in a household where the employer's son of his age plays computer games and goes to school. Swamy feels angry and frustrated but then he has to send money back home .

There are several such Padmas and Swamis working as domestics in the city. Many work for families with double-earning members, who have little time to spare at home and all the money to splurge.

As the family's dependency on the servant grows, the latter too gets tempted to lead the life of his/her employers. The easiest way is to fleece them of a hundred or two when they are not looking.

Sometimes things get worse, especially when the employer oblivious to the fact that the servants are stealing would even cough up the legitimate dues of the latter. A frustrated servant can rob or even murder.

In fact, the bad news is that crimes by servants are on the rise in the twin cities. It is not just in prosperous Banjara Hills or Jubilee Hills but even the middle-class Secunderabad that is seeing explosion of such crimes.

But Nikita Ahuja of Banjara Hills and her husband both of whom work in the BPO sector and have little time for housework, couldn't care less about this rising trend of servant crimes.

Not only do they leave the home to the care of their servants, they are not too careful about their belongings either.

"I know my maid steals from my wallet when I am not around. I have lost count how much cash I have lost this way. But then with both of us working we can't afford to lose this maid. So we just overlook such petty thefts on her part,"said a somewhat apologetic Nikita.

Hyderabad: Immersion takes life of 14-yr-old

2006-09-06T16:27:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0300hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HYDERABAD: A 14-year-old boy met with watery grave when he went to immerse a Ganesha idol in a tank at Nadergul village on the city outskirts.

The boy, A Arvind, was a resident of Pragathi Nagar, Meerpet, and a student of the government-run social welfare school at Nadergul, according to the police.

The students of the school installed a pandal on the school premises. On Monday, the students took out a procession from the school to the tank to immerse the idol, the police added.

After reaching the tank, the school watchman asked five students, who can swim, to enter the tank for the immersion of the idol. However, Arvind, who doesn't know swimming, went to immerse it.

In the process, he slipped and fell into the waters and could not come out of it as it was filled with plaster of paris. The four others and the watchman swam to the shore safely. Police fished out the body late on Monday night.

Hyderabad: Helmet fails to save rider's life

2006-09-06T16:25:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0300hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

HYDERABAD: A 27-year-old person was crushed to death by an RTC bus at Nalgonda crossroads on Tuesday morning. The victim was wearing a helmet but it could not save his life as he came under the rear wheels of the bus.

M Kumara Swamy, who was a purchase manager with a software company at Banjara Hills, left his house at Gautham Nagar in Dilsukhnagar at around 9 am for his office. As he reached Nalgonda crossroads, an RTC bus coming from the rear knocked him down.

The bus (AP 28 U 6599), belonging to Hayathnagar depot, was proceeding towards Koti. Kumara Swamy died on the spot. Kumara Swamy got married to Hima Bindu one-and-a-half years back. Hima Bindu is reportedly pregnant.

In another incident, a cameraman of a film production company, died on Tuesday after being hit by an unidentified vehicle near Begumpet. P Shankar Rao, 25, was crossing the road near Begumpet when a vehicle hit him and fled away.

Shankar Rao died instantly. The deceased was a resident of Shyamlal Buildings. A heavy vehicle crushed to death a motorist at Sanathnagar late on Monday night.

M Keshavulu, 25, a stone-cutter was travelling on a scooter along with his friend, Tirupati, when a trolley coming from the opposite direction hit their vehicle.

The trolley driver lost control over the vehicle after overtaking a lorry, police said. Keshavulu died on the spot, while Tirupati was undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

New Delhi: Disabled youth kills girl, slits own throat

2006-09-06T16:20:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0126hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her friend at Chattarpur Extension in Mehrauli on Tuesday afternoon. The man, who is physically challenged, then went on to stab himself and is admitted in AIIMS with little chance of survival.

The victim, Renu, was stabbed 38 times all over the body by Rajesh Singh (26) before he himself slit his throat. Their families are neighbours. According to the police, Rajesh, who is paralysed below the knees because of polio, was in love with Renu.

Renu is also said to have reciprocated his feelings and they were, said the cops, quite friendly for the past several months. Renu was a second-year correspondence student with DU.

On Tuesday afternoon, Renu had come to Rajesh's house around 3.30 pm. Renu was also a close friend of Rajesh's sister Monica. The family members later told the police that Rajesh asked Monica to get water for Renu.

"Rajesh had prepared himself for this. He had hidden a sword and a sharp-edge knife under one of the chairs. As soon as Monica left, he attacked her," said a senior police officer.

Rajesh first stabbed her in the neck with the knife and then used the sword to stab her in the abdomen. Renu died on the spot. Monica informed the neighbours who called up the police.

"Some of the injury marks on Renu's body are defensive in nature which suggests that there was a scuffle before she was killed. It's a crime of passion but we can't say now what was the immediate provocation for killing her," said DCP (south) Anil Shukla.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Rajesh, who was unemployed, was in love with Renu and wanted to marry her. A few family members, however, said that while Renu was also very friendly with him, she had refused to marry him and this led to the incident.

The police recovered a note from Rajesh's room in which he had written that he wanted to commit suicide.

"He had written that he was in great distress and wanted to kill himself and that nobody should be blamed for his death. This note, however, was written almost a month ago. He made no mention of the woman in the note," said a police officer.

Rajesh's father Pal Singh is a supervisor with MCD. Renu's father Gulab Singh was an employee of an export firm. The police have registered a case of murder in Mehrauli police station.

Chandigarh: Teen's revelations shock cops

2006-09-06T16:19:00.001+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0318hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

CHANDIGARH: It's been quite a while that people have stopped calling Chandigarh safe.

But the city, turning increasingly dangerous lately, was still not prepared for what the UT police announced on Tuesday — the rape and murder of a 72-year-old helpless woman by three youths, one of them just 16.

As even those within the department recoiled in horror, the police said the depravity didn't end there. They said there were indications that the youths may have had intercourse with the woman even after she was dead.

Sarla Devi was alone when the trio, all drug addicts, barged into her house on Saturday — she lived alone in her Sector 15 residence — and strangulated her to death with the intention of robbing her.

But three used condoms at the site of the crime indicated that she had also been raped. Members of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which arrested a drug addict involved in the ghastly crime, a 16-year-old, said his revelations sent a chill down their spine.

The other two are still at large. "One of them first raped her and then they killed her for fear that she may make some noise. And then these perverted youth raped her again," a police officer told ToC.

Chandigarh: Swift processing of passports now

2006-09-06T16:15:00.000+05:30

Priya Yadav
[ 6 Sep, 2006 0317hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

CHANDIGARH: Now, hope to get your passport processed soon. Besides setting up new counters for enquiry officers who will help applicants fill out forms correctly, the regional passport office will ensure that it issues at least 800 to 1,000 passports per day.

At present there are nearly 34,000 people awaiting passport delivery. This figure had risen to a staggering 75,000 sometime back after the passport authorities faced a problem with publishers and printers.

"The problem has now been taken care of. We have enough material to take care of the backlog. Though the pendency is huge, we hope to deliver these 34,000 passports within a month's time," regional passport officer Vikul Kumar told TOC.

The passport office, catering to three states besides the UT, is seeing an enormous rush of applicants. Last year's figures indicate that as many as 2.4 lakh people got their passports made.

"The number of people queuing up for passports is increasing by the day. So great is the rush that we are facing acute shortage of staff and would be hiring more people to take up the load," said Kumar.

In addition to fresh applications, the passport office is also struggling to minimise the number of passports being delivered with mistakes. Around 3,500 passports issued by the office in the past one year have recorded serious mistakes.

Chandigarh: Teachers still hurt, cold to students

2006-09-06T16:14:00.001+05:30

Deepshikha Mehta
[ 6 Sep, 2006 0315hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

CHANDIGARH: The war between the students and lecturers at MCMDAV College witnessed a volte-face on Teachers' Day when the students decided to ask their teachers' forgiveness for any hurt caused by the fracas created over use of mobile phones at the campus.

They decided to call it 'apology day' and went prepared with bouquets of flowers, handmade cards and earnest, even if practiced, lines. But for teachers, this injury was certainly, not one written in sand.

They said it was not easy to efface loss of dignity. Yet even while expressing their dissent, the teachers were not less than role models worth emulating.

For they did not come out against the 'gesture' blatantly, rather they decided to dedicate the day to Professor Sabharwal, the professor who was victim of student politics in Ujjain.

"We mourn the loss of dignity traditionally associated with the teaching community," expressed the teachers of MCMDAV in unison.

"Teachers' Day has lost its significance because recent incidents show that the teacher-student relationship has eroded beyond repair. We have witnessed our colleague being subjected to an unfair treatment at the hands of truant students.

Moreover, you can't celebrate apology. It is an act of pardon that has to be solemnly asked for," said Rupinder Chatta, professor at the college.

Sukhpreet Bhatia, a professor of English said that what reassured the staff was that the agitation represented a minute part of college students, "the attendance in the classes was almost 70%.

We know that a majority of students knew that we were in the right. The rest we believe were misled by outside forces."

While the college campus is buzzing with election activity, the group of about 20 students representing the student population of the college were visibly let down by teachers' refusal to accept their apologies.

They nevertheless decided to trudge from one classroom to another to personally offer flowers and cards to each teacher.

"We had planned to perform dances and plays but we realise that the teachers were badly hurt," said Gurleen, Guneeta, Inshika and Bhumika, with bouquets of flowers in their hands.

"It will take a while for the staff to get over the incident. Some still feel extremely soured by what happened but I'm sure they will soon pardon the students," said Puneet Bedi, principal MCMDAV College.

The question all teachers seemed to be asking was if respect for teachers could be sacrificed at the altar of student politics, is celebration of Teachers' Day called for?

Rajkot: Two more die after blood transfusion, toll 5

2006-09-06T16:10:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0311hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

RAJKOT: The toll in the case involving deaths allegedly after blood transfusion in the city reached five, with two more deaths reported in the last two days.

The mysterious deaths have finally woken up the state government, which has sent a team, headed by state drug controller Ramakrishna Reddy, to the city to investigate the matter.

Three mysterious deaths were reported last Friday and Saturday, besides about six patients left critical after receiving blood. The source of blood in all cases was the same blood bank.

The five victims are Samajuben Sojitra, Puja Gorasia, Dayaben Bagtharia, Anal Rajani and Kantaben Shigala.

The fourth victim, Rajani, 27, a resident of Jagannath plot area, was admitted to Dr Rajesh Gorasia's hospital for operation and prior to that blood collected from Young Star blood bank was given to her.

But after the transfusion, her health deteriorated and she was shifted to Dhakan Hospital where she was kept on ventilator.

Talking to TOI, critical care physician of the hospital, Dr Sankalp Vanzara, said that it was difficult to say anything conclusively, but one reason of death might be the blood transfusion.

In the case of Kantaben Shingala, she had a tumour in her stomach and was to be operated at Dr Yogesh Maheta's hospital where doctors advised blood transfusion.

Again, after the transfusion, her condition deteriorated, which was confirmed by Dr Maheta. Unlike other victims' relatives, Kantaben's relatives agreed on a post-mortem. Police and food and drug authorities are waiting for the forensic report.

Meanwhile, a circular has been issued by Rajkot Civil Hospital medical superintendent VA Chaya asking doctors at government hospitals not to transfuse blood to any patient collected from the private blood bank.

Police commissioner K Nityanadam said that there has been no complaint either from relatives of the victims or the food and drug department.

Sources said that from August 28 to September 2, in all 539 patients were given blood from the local blood bank. The state team had a meeting with district collector Pradeep Sharma.

The team has taken statements of the blood bank's technicians, doctors of the hospitals where patients died, relatives of the victims and trustees of the blood bank.

The team also gathered history of patients, who died after blood transfusion.

Vadodara: No SMSes!

2006-09-06T16:04:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0314hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

VADODARA: A blanket ban has been imposed on SMSes in the city on Wednesday from 6 pm to midnight on account of Ganesh immersions.

As the city police have asked all mobile service providers to stop SMS services, people in the city would not be able to send or receive SMSes.

The move has been initiated keeping in mind the rumours that create panic like situation in the city everytime during the Ganesh immersion ceremony.

"We have instructed all the service providers to snap SMS services in the evening when the processions start," said assistant commissioner of police (control room) TR Parmar.

The preventive measure is being taken keeping in mind past instances when SMSes have led to heightening of tension purely on account of rumours.

Service providers like Hutch have already started informing their customers about the ban orders.

New Delhi: Chikungunya in city

2006-09-06T16:02:00.000+05:30

Kounteya Sinha
[ 6 Sep, 2006 0124hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: Chikungunya, a viral disease with no known treatment, has come to the Capital. Three of the six blood samples collected by National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) have tested positive for the deadly disease.

NICD officials said all three patients, in the age group of 27 to 30 years, had visited Andhra Pradesh, one of the states hit hard by Chikungunya, in the past month.

Characterised by high fever lasting between seven and 10 days, painful joints, headache, vomiting, fatigue and nausea, the disease has not been seen in Delhi before.

Spread by Aedes aegypti mosquito, the disease, which is generally not fatal, has affected 11 lakh people across India with states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh being badly hit.

NICD is presently testing 30 blood samples of patients who have shown symptoms of the disease. Experts fear the virus could be in the incubation period in the Capital, with many more cases springing up in the next few weeks.

A senior NICD official said, "We had received blood samples of six patients from three city hospitals, of which three have tested positive.

Their clinical picture, along with antibody titre count of above 160 confirmed our worst suspicions." According to health minister A Ramadoss, prevention against the disease is its only cure.

Speaking to TOI, he said the ministry has sent guidelines to various states on how to control an outbreak. This debilitating illness has been affecting people for the past six months.

There are no vaccines and it has to be tackled with paracetamol and fluids. As it is caused by a day-biting mosquito, mosquito nets are also no precaution.

People therefore have to be more alert. They should not let water accumulate in their flower pots, coolers or AC chambers, which are ideal breeding grounds for the dangerous mosquitoes.

Bangalore: Accident sparks violence on Hosur Road

2006-09-06T15:58:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0012hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: The death of a senior factory engineer in a road accident on Hosur Road sparked off violence near Bommasandra and brought rush-hour traffic to a halt on Tuesday morning.

The victim's colleagues from the factory nearby hurled stones on the BMTC bus that knocked down the motorcyclist. The mob threatened to burn down the bus but police arrived with reinforcements and dispersed the crowd.

The driver ran away and later surrendered. Traffic piled up for nearly two hours. Around 8.30 am, B G Sandeep Kumar (28) was on his way to work at Sanchara Engineering in Bommasandra Industrial Estate when the bus knocked him down near a break in the median.

Kumar, native of Balehonnur, was staying in Rajajinagar. The body was shifted to Bowring Hospital for post-mortem.

In another accident late on Monday night, Santosh Das (24), a businessman, returning to the city from Kolar on a motorcycle, was killed after being knocked down by a car in Hoskote.

One dead, 3 injured: On the eve of Teacher's Day, reckless drivers left a teacher dead and three others grievously injured in separate accidents on the city's outskirts on Monday night.

Hanumantharayappa (32) of Maisandra Government Primary School was returning home with wife Latha, also a teacher, on a motorcycle when a mini-truck knocked them down near Gudemarenahalli. He died on the spot while Latha escaped with minor injuries.

The Kudur police arrested the driver. In another incident Shashikala and Prathibha Devi of Jyothipura Government School were injured when a truck knocked down their moped on Budigere Road.

Bangalore: 3 cricket fans fall from their perch

2006-09-06T14:51:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0011hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: It was a fall, flurry and breach at the KSCA stadium on Tuesday afternoon. Over-eager fans scaled the stadium's compound wall and its grill to get a glimpse of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in action at the nets at National Cricket Academy.

The fans' precarious perch gave way under their weight and sent three of them plunging 10 feet to the ground. One of them sustained a gash near the left ear while the others suffered bruises.

The authorities were in a quandary while coach Greg Chappell rushed towards the injured fans. The players, meanwhile, scurried into the stadium where they later resumed practice.

The incident exposed a breach in the security. Police personnel were immediately deployed. Damage to the wall was attended to at once.

The injured fan, Manjunath, a BPO cab driver, was treated at Bowring Hospital and slunk away without informing the police.

Bangalore: Enrol in a BPO varsity

2006-09-06T14:44:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0009hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: 24/7 Customer, a BPO, on Tuesday launched the Bangalore unit of its education programme, 24/7 Varsity, to prepare students for work in the burgeoning BPO sector.

24/7 Customer chief delivery officer Pradeep Narayan told TOI the varsity teaches students in BPO communication — language, style and diction. Training is open to graduate and undergraduate students.

"We're looking at training students 3-4 years ahead of BPO work. The industry is in for a massive expansion in the coming years."

In Bangalore, the BPO is introducing 24/7 Ascend, a three-stage training package. The first stage is 24/7 Varsity that teaches BPO communication for three days.

The second is a two-day training for students, with focus on the movement from written to spoken language. The final stage is corporate capital that includes guest lectures, sponsorships and scholarships for students, internships at 24/7 Customer.

"We decide the curriculum. Teachers or students don't have to pay a single pie. Our partnership is with institutions," he says. The varsity is planning units in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Mysore, and Hassan.

Bangalore: 'Cola ban battle will go on'

2006-09-06T14:43:00.000+05:30

[ 6 Sep, 2006 0008hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: Unfazed by the Karnataka HC's partial stay on the cola sale ban, the government on Tuesday maintained that "legal battle" will continue against the soft drink companies.

Health and family welfare minister R Ashok said the court has accorded government's main prayer to ban sale of colas in schools and colleges.

"It's a sort of victory for us. We want it to be banned in schools." The court on Monday, while allowing sale of soft drinks in hospitals and government offices, continued ban on colas in schools and colleges.

Bangalore: They do homework before striking

2006-09-06T14:40:00.000+05:30

[ 5 Sep, 2006 0251hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: Here's a new breed of robbers who do their homework before a heist. They either know the names of their victim's kith and kin or even their office.

They lure victims into their car on the pretext of dropping them to their destination and then rob them in an isolated place.

The gang's latest victim was a housewife, Lakshmamma (52), a resident of Kamakshipalya who was waiting for a bus at Sumanahalli to inspect her residential site at Laggere.

Around 11.30 am two unidentified persons accosted Lakshmamma and said that her son Nagaraj had asked them to take her to the site. The site had been under litigation and Lakshmamma inspected the place often with her son.

The gang stopped the vehicle at an isolated place in Peenya II Stage and relieved her of gold bangles and mangalsutra at knife-point. Similar incidents have been reported in Jnanabharati and Kengeri.

In Jnanabharati, a school teacher waiting for a bus at Papreddipalya was accosted by two miscreants in a car and one of them claimed he was her student.

He lured her into the car on the pretext of offering to drop her to school. The duo then robbed her at knife-point. Police suspect the handiwork of the same gang in all the cases.

Lottery racket busted: City Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths raided two places in Hebbal and Sahakar Nagar on Monday and busted an illegal online lottery racket by arresting four persons including the kingpin.

The police said a certain Kishore aided by others was running the racket under the trade name of CD-9 from 64 centres across the state.

On a tip-off, policemen raided a place in Sahakar Nagar where the main server was kept and the head office of CD-9 and arrested Kishore along with three others.

Bangalore: Child holds key clues

2006-09-06T14:39:00.000+05:30

[ 5 Sep, 2006 0250hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: A four-year-old boy's account of a scuffle that ensued between his mother and a male relative could prove vital for the police to solve the mystery behind the woman's (the boy's mother) death.

She was found dead on Monday morning and neighbours found the boy sobbing bitterly trying to wake her up. The victim was identified as Indiramma (35), a vegetable vendor in Gandhi Bazaar and police said there were no visible injuries.

Indiramma's husband Harikrishna, a security guard, had deserted her and their son over a year ago. Indiramma's relative, Muthuvelu, visited her often. On Monday morning, she was found dead and on preliminary investigation, police suspect that she was strangulated.

"The boy has identified Muthuvelu from a photograph as the person who fought with his mother on Sunday night. He is absconding. We are awaiting the post-mortem report."

In another incident, the body of an unidentified man aged around 50 was found on Subbaiahnapalya Main Road in Banaswadi late on Sunday night. There were no visible injuries on the body. The police have shifted the body to Bowring Hospital for post-mortem.

Bangalore: Minister Ansari breaks jinx at Vikasa Soudha

2006-09-06T14:34:00.000+05:30

[ 5 Sep, 2006 0247hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: Two years and seven months after it was inaugurated in February 2004, the 'jinx' of Vikasa Soudha has been broken.

Labour minister Iqbal Ansari moved from Vidhana Soudha into his allotted third-floor room in Vikasa Soudha on Monday, the first minister to do so.

Ministers are citing various reasons from vaastu incompatibility to "lack of convenience" to move to the new rooms allotted to them.

According to officials, Vikasa Soudha has been designed similar to the Union secretariat in New Delhi where ministers sit surrounded by their officials.

But though most of the 19 departments to be housed in Vikasa Soudha have moved in, none of the ministers have followed suit. Ansari has chosen to break this and join his department in Vikasa Soudha.

"I do not believe in superstition or vaastu, so I have moved into my rooms," he told reporters here. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy was present on the occasion, but made no remark on whether he would also move into the chamber meant for the CM at Vikasa Soudha.

Medical education minister V S Acharya is all set to become the second minister to move into Vikasa Soudha.

"I have already communicated to the department of personnel and administrative affairs that I will move in during Navratri. It is pithru paksha now, not the correct time to shift. After the Mahalaya Ammavase on September 15, it is auspicious," he told The Times of India.

But his colleague water resources minister K S Eshwarappa is among those who do not want to shift.

"My officials have moved to Vikasa Soudha. But the room allotted to me in Vidhana Soudha third floor is convenient; it also faces the right direction. I do not want to move," he stated.

The minister, who is miffed, however, is primary and secondary education minister Basavaraj S Horatti.

"Earlier, as RDPR minister, I wrote to DPAR asking them to allocate rooms to me and my department in Vikasa Soudha. They didn't. Even in my present department, I am willing to go, if allotted a room."

Kolkata: Parents quarrel, child pays with his life

2006-09-04T16:58:00.000+05:30

[ 4 Sep, 2006 0247hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

KOLKATA: Twenty-two-year-old Ramzan Gazi was in the middle of a heated argument with wife Mumtaz. Both were standing on the edge of the platform at Dakshin Barasat station on Sunday evening.

Mumtaz was holding the couple's 18-month old child Mosiul. In a fit of rage, Ramzan pushed his wife. Mumtaz lost her balance and fell on the rail tracks along with her son.

The Down Laxmikantapur local was just pulling into the station. Passengers watched in horror as Mumtaz somehow managed to scramble out, but the child's limbs got crushed under the train.

The severely bleeding boy was rushed to a hospital, where he died within two hours. Agitated locals thrashed the couple mercilessly. Both were seriously injured and are in critical condition at the Padderarhaat hospital in Joynagar.

Mumtaz regained consciousness a few hours later, but is in shock. She was unable to reconstruct the event for police. Husband Ramzan is still unconscious.

Police sources said both Ramzan and his wife worked in a garment factory at Akhra, Santoshpur. The couple lived in Kultali.

On Sunday, they had taken their son, who was suffering from jaundice and high fever, to a doctor near Mumtaz's parents' home in Joynagar.

They were on their way back to Kultali when the tragedy took place. "Soon after the incident, locals assaulted Ramzan and Mumtaz severely. The police had to intervene to take them to hospital," said Barun Mullick, railway police superintendent, Sealdah.

"We are initiating two cases. One against the parents for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and the other against those who assaulted the couple."

Kolkata: Satyam dreams big in Kolkata

2006-09-04T16:50:00.000+05:30

[ 1 Sep, 2006 1939hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

KOLKATA: Satyam Computer Services on Friday assured the state government that its Kolkata plans are on track and it will soon start construction at its proposed facility at Salt Lake's Sector V.

"Satyam chairman B Ramalinga Raju promised us on Friday that construction on the 2.77-acre plot allotted to them at Sector V will start after the monsoons," state IT minister Debesh Das said.

"Raju also said that the company will hire 800 associates in the first phase," the minister added.

Raju, who is also chairman of Nasscom, was in the city on Friday in connection with a programme organised by the eastern India regional council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

However, Das could not elaborate on the built-up space that Satyam would create at Sector V. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in February.

"Raju did not ask us for additional land when we spoke on Friday," the minister pointed out. Sources said Satyam has received the necessary clearances for starting construction at Sector V.

In July, Satyam senior vice-president V Murali had told TOI that operations at Sector V would start by October 2007. Murali had then said that Satyam would develop around 300,000 sq ft at Sector V in two phases.

During the first phase, 120,000 sq ft would be established, he had added. In the past, Satyam had said that 2,000 associates would be employed at Sector V once the facility was complete.

Last year, Satyam officials had visited Rajarhat and Bantala with the objective of establishing a larger presence in Kolkata. However, the high price of land at Rajarhat had come in the way.

Bangalore: The best place to live in India

2006-09-04T14:18:00.000+05:30

Rema Nagarajan
[ 4 Sep, 2006 0019hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: When it comes to choosing the city you would like to work and live in, it seems you cannot have it all. If a city is great for earning and investing in, it is not necessarily the best for living, as in the case of Surat.

On the other hand, there is Kolkata that ranks quite high as a city to live in but is the worst when it comes to making money or investing it.

Your best bet for a city that ranks fairly high on all three counts — living, working and investing — is Bangalore. It ranks as the top city to reside in and second best to earn.

As an investment destination, however, it's mediocre, ranking sixth. Delhi, by contrast, ranks high — fourth — only for earning.

Analysis of the top 10 cities of the country for earning, investing and residing is given in a study, The City Skyline of India 2006, published by Indicus Analytics.

The study is based on official statistics and online surveys conducted by Indicus in these cities. It yields interesting information on how often a citizen would have to haggle with an autowallah, what percentage of people own invertors, the city’s water and power supply, public transportation etc.

Surat with its low unemployment rates, high job growth rates and one of the highest per capita small business credit is the top destination for seeking jobs and business.

However, it is at the bottom in the list of Alpha cities (the top 10) in terms of good living, with nearly half the people expressing the need for more entertainment and better educational facilities.

It also has the lowest share of households in the top socio-economic category (SEC A) among the Alpha cities. One third of its households fall in SEC C.

Coimbatore strikes a decent balance: it's the best city to invest in but ranks fifth on the earning and good living front. The most pressing problem for residents seems to be water supply — which comes just once in two days.

On most other counts, the city offers a decent life though with relatively few avenues for entertainment.

With one of the lowest unemployment rates in this group of cities and per capita income comparable to the highest in the group, Pune too does well on all three counts of earn-in, invest-in and reside-in indices.

The metros, interestingly, are not the best performers in this list. Chennai is high up as a place to invest in and to live in.

The citizens are satisfied with the educational infrastructure, low crime level and efficient management of infrastructure. But with unemployment rate as high as 27%, do not head there if you are looking to earn good money.

Bangalore: IT takes centre stage again

2006-09-03T14:13:00.000+05:30

[ 3 Sep, 2006 0018hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: After putting Infosys on the global map, IT czar NR Narayana Murthy will now guide Karnataka's IT vision. Murthy was on Saturday, appointed to head the State Vision Group on IT.

Murthy, who stepped down from his executive role at Infosys on August 20, has agreed to shoulder the responsibility.

A disgusted Murthy had quit as chairman of Bangalore International Airport Ltd on October 20, 2005, when he was pained by former PM HD Deve Gowda calling him a land-grabber.

However, Gowda's son, chief minister Kumaraswamy, openly acknowledged Murthy's "singular contribution to the growth and development of India's technology sector".

Kumaraswamy had hinted at utilising Murthy's services much before he retired. He had said the Vision Group to be headed by Murthy would guide the development of knowledge-based industries like IT, BT and precision engineering.

"The Vision Group will be meeting soon under Murthy's chairmanship to chalk out plans for promoting knowledge-based industries and showcasing the state's eco-system at the upcoming Bangalore IT. In 2006 event to be held in October- end," Kumaraswamy had said on July 30.

The decision means the IT Task Force formed when SM Krishna was CM has been resurrected. Murthy was chairman of that Task Force.

IT and BT Secretary Anup K Pujary said: "Murthy met our officers last week and agreed to chair this group. While the Vision Group on Biotechnology will continue to function separately under the leadership of Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, the newly formed Group will guide the IT sector in Karnataka."

Murthy's assent to head the group seems to bring back the days when IT took centre stage. The formation of an IT Task Force was suggested by the Millennium IT Policy in 1999-2000.

Sources said: "The Millennium IT Task Force gave complete guidance to the government. The then cabinet had given them full powers, and several recommendations were implemented. It is good to know that efforts are being made to revive it."

Details are still awaited on the guidelines as well as the members of the Vision Group. Murthy, who is presently travelling, is expected to return to Bangalore in mid-September.

Mangalore: Person Held for Promoting Flesh Trade at Jeppinamogaru

2006-09-01T04:26:00.001+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (GA) - pics - Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Aug 31: A person who was blackmailing a housewife based on a letter given by a religious leader and using her house to promote flesh trade has been arrested by on Wednesday August 30 afternoon. Before the arrest, he was assaulted by a group of youth, who had been waiting for him to come to the particular house.

Accused Monu

The arrested has been identified as Monu, a resident of Ganesh Thota near Farangipet. A city-based goldsmith had recently had shifted his residence to a rented house near Jeppinamogaru owing to his business commitments. He was living in the rented house with his wife. Monu, who is the neighbour of this housewife at Ganesh Thota, used to visit the couple at Jeppinamogaru.

Housewife who was blackmailed by Monu

Of late he had started blackmailing the housewife with a letter given by a religious leader. He gradually started bringing young women to the house for flesh trade. The housewife could not speak anything against this, owing to certain details about her which were in the letter given by the religious leader and a copy of which was with Monu.

Letter used for blackmailing

Daily many men used to come to the house for the flesh trade. Having observed this for long, the local youth had planned to catch Monu and teach a lesson to him. Accordingly when Monu came to the house on Wednesday afternoon, the group stopped him on the way and started enquiring. But he managed to escape from the place. But the youth chased him and assaulted him after catching him.

He was later handed over to the police.

Beltangady: Newly-married Couple Commits Suicide near Arambodi

2006-09-01T04:25:00.000+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Beltangady (GA)

Beltangady, Aug 31: In a shocking incident, a newly-married couple from Palkadadi near Arambodi here ended their life by consuming pesticide on Wednesday August 30.

Ravi Poojary (30), son of Kantappa Poojary of Palkadadi and his wife Lakshmi (25) ended their life on Wednesday. So far the reasons behind the suicide are not known.

Ravi had married Lakshmi in the month of April. Eversince he was living in a separate house. He was a painter by profession. But of recent he was also working as paper distributor in Mangalore. It is said that he had bought a two-wheeler after marriage. Along with that he had also availed loan for his marriage which he was still repaying.

The family sources reported to have said that only financial constraints might have pushed the couple to take such bizarre step.

Lakshmi's brother Dayanand has filed a case with the Venur police in this regard.

Beltangady: Vidyadhar Jain Murder - Three Persons Surrender

2006-09-01T04:24:00.000+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Beltangady (GA)

Beltangady, Aug 31: Three persons accused in the Rayi gram panchayat member Vidyadhar Jain murder are said to have surrendered before the police on Thursday August 31.

The surrendered have been identified as Pradeep, Prashanth and Vitesh. However, police are yet to confirm the news in this regard. Sources said that rest of the accused would surrender by evening on Thursday.

As reported earlier, 8 persons were reported to have involved directly in the murder of Vidyadhar Jain. It is said that all of them had fled to Bangalore after the murder. But back home, the police had planned to raid their houses. After knowing this, the accused said to have planned to surrender.

Accordingly they have arrived at Kokkada via Hassan on Thursday and are trying to surrender before the court with the help of an influential person. In the meantime, the police have seized Hrishekesh Jain's Scorpio vehicle.

Udupi: Councillors Complain of Faulty Pipe Connections

2006-09-01T04:23:00.000+05:30

The Hindu

* The problems will be sorted out soon, says official
* The project had already provided 8,000 water pipe connections
* About 18 km of pipelines were yet to be laid

Udupi, Aug 31: The water pipe connections under the Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environment Management Project (KUDCEMP) dominated the general body meeting of the Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) here on Wednesday.

Raising the issue, councillor Jagannath Bhat said the project officials had not provided water connections in Bannanje, K.M. Marg and surrounding areas. There was no water supply connection from the overhead tank either. Nearly one-third of the area under the Old Udupi Town limits did not have KUDCEMP water connections, he said.

Executive engineer of the project Rajashekhar said that as per the terms of the contract with the City Municipal Council, the project had already provided 8,000 water pipe connections as per the list provided by the City Municipal Council. The project could not provide more connections and the matter should be dealt with by the City Municipal Council. About 18 km of pipelines were yet to be laid. Water had been provided to four zones in Parkala area from the Swarna Second Stage, he said.

Faulty connections

Mr. Rajashekhar assured the councillors that the faulty connections would be repaired soon. Councillor Chittaranjandas Hegde said that a special meeting of the City Municipal Council should be called to discuss the issues concerning KUDCEMP work.

Mangalore: National-level Intecollegiate Fest 'ACME-2006' Opens at St Aloysius College

2006-09-01T04:22:00.000+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (MB) - Pics Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Aug 31: The national-level intercollegiate Commerce fest 'ACME-2006' hosted by the Commerce department of St Aloysius College began on Thursday, August 31 morning.

The fest was inaugurated by vice president - human resources of Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers (MCF) Apollo Fernandes. College principal Dr Eugene Lobo, St Aloysius institutions' rector Fr Francis Serrao, Prof A M Narahari and Manoj Louis of the department and student coordinators were present on the occasion.

Tashika and group of I BCom presented a graceful, contemporary inaugural dance. A total of 170 students from 17 colleges of India are taking part in the fest.

The valedictory function will be held on Friday, September 1, where MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik will be the chief guest.

Karkala: Naxals Escape by a Whisker during Combing Operations near Shringeri

2006-09-01T04:20:00.000+05:30

Daijiworld Special Correspondent from Karkala/Shringeri (GA)

Karkala/Shringeri, Aug 31: A group of 8-10 Naxalites who had resided at a house at Kadegundi near Shringeri managed to escape by a whisker from Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) during the combing operations on Tuesday August 29 morning.

The ANF and Shringeri police staff had gone for a combing operation at Kadegundi on Monday August 28 night. Kadegundi which is near Bukyadi Bail near Nemmar is surrounded by woods and rivulets. Police had reached the place by walking more than 13 kilometres via Yedagunda and Mundodi.

Having received a sure tip-off that Naxals were residing in a hide-out, the ANF and police team had managed to reach the spot by crawling their way. It was after 8 am on Tuesday morning that the police spotted a sentry keeping vigil at Kadegundi. He was busy reading newspaper of Sunday. Since the place is surrounded by rivulets and a small water fall, sentry could not hear the sound of the police surrounding him from all corners. The only difficulty that was faced by the police that they had climb up a hillock.

It was when the police were just 7-8 feet away from him that he saw the them. He immediately signaled the coming of the police and warned his associates. He also passed a message to the next sentry and fled the place. Another person who was on a tree, also managed to escape. Though police carried out extensive search operations in that area, the Naxalites who have thorough knowledge of the forests, managed to escape.

The police found Sunday's newspaper, a pair of footwear, a biscuit pack and a chocolate pack on the spot. The 10 inch Bata footwear is similar to the one police seized from Mallika, a Naxalites who had been arrested some time ago.

The police are still carrying out search operations in the area.

Mangalore: Bunder Police Nab Fake Lokayukta Officials for Extortion

2006-09-01T04:19:00.000+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (GA)

Mangalore, Aug 31: Bunder police led by inspector Vinay Gaonkar have arrested two persons who extorted Rs 12.5 lac from a MCC official after raiding the house of the latter in the guise of lokayukta officials.

The arrested have been identified as Kiran (33), a resident of Ashoknagar and Nitesh alias Neetu (30) of Bejai. While Kiran owns a garage in the city, Nitesh is dealer of second hand vehicles. Along with that both of them were also working as brokers for securing various licences from Mangalore City Corporation

In the present case, they said to have masterminded the extortion of Rs 12.5 lac from Manjunath, an assistant town planning officer (ATPO) of MCC, 10 days ago. Three unidentified persons came to Manjunath's house in the early morning some days ago. They introduced themselves as lokayukta officials from Bangalore and said that they had come to raid his house following reports that, he had amassed wealth from unknown and illegal sources.

Shocked by this, Manjunath called his friend and colleague Shivraj to his house. He also called Kiran whom he knew since the latter had worked as broker in many projects to him. After reaching his house, Kiran intervened and talked with the unidentified persons. The result of the talk was that they agreed to drop all cases against Manjunath if he paid them Rs 12.5 lac. Accordingly, Manjunath paid them the said amount of money after which they left the house.

It was only after a couple of days later that Manjunath and Shivraj suspected the originality of the persons who came to former's house. They also had some doubts on Kiran who made a deal with them. They immediately filed a complaint with Bunder police.

The police after going through the complaint took Kiran to their custody for enquiry. During the subsequent investigation, he said to have spilt beans. As per the information provided by him, police arrested Nitesh. It was later known that both of them were close to Manjunath and were aware about earnings of the later. They also knew about the sources from where Manjunath minted money. So they hatched a plan to blackmail and extort money from him. Hence they contacted three of their acquaintances from Bangalore who came here and did the rest of the job. The police are now trying to nab these 3 persons.

Meanwhile, the fake raid has brought to light the amount of corruption that has been circling in MCC. If Manjunath could pay Rs 12.5 lac at once, there is no doubt that he has income from illegal and unknown sources. Moreover, if he was not guilty, he would not have paid them or would have contacted the police immediately. It is therefore very clear that he has amassed wealth by illegal sources and Kiran and Nitesh knew about it very well. Now it is the high time that the original lokayukta gets into action and clears the entire matter and even the officials.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee dead

2006-08-28T01:20:00.000+05:30

August 27, 2006 19:44 IST

Veteran filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who made directed several memorable movies including Anand that launched Amitabh Bachchan on the path to superstardom, died here at a hospital in Mumbai.

He was 84.

Mukherjee was admitted to the Leelavati hospital in June in critical condition following chronic renal failure, pneumonia and sepsis, hospital sources said.

He had been coming to the hospital regularly for dialysis.

The end came at 1630 hours.

Mukherjee's funeral is likely to be held on Monday or Tuesday after his son returns from the United States.

Mukherjee directed many a blockbuster Hindi movie, regaling the audience with the typical Hrishida touch. He won the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke award and Padma Vibhushan.

Some of his memorable films include Anand, starring Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh among others, Abhimaan, featuring Amitabh, Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bhaduri, Chupke Chupke with Amitabh, Jaya and Dharmendra in the cast and Khubsoorat starring Rekha.
Having done his apprenticeship under legendary Bimal Roy, Mukherjee started his career with Musafir in 1957 and his last work was Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate starring Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla, released in 1998.

Ramya and Dino Morea in sensual mood

2006-08-21T02:35:00.000+05:30

Video Song ‘Dava Dava Yedeyali’ from the Kannada movie ‘Julie’ starring Ramya and Dino Morea. The movie is a remake of Hindi movie Julie

Video: Ramya and Dino Morea in ‘Julie’

2006-08-21T02:33:00.000+05:30

Video of the song ‘Nanna Ninna Preethiyalli’ from the remake of Hindi movie in Kannada ‘Julie’, starring actress Ramya and actor Dino Morea

Same-sex visa a tough process

2006-08-21T02:24:00.004+05:30

Radha Sharma, [ 20 Aug, 2006 0111hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
AHMEDABAD: The lesbian girl who got a visa to Canada initially wanted to go on a student visa but when the consultant realised she had a lesbian partner in the country, he advised her to try out sexuality as grounds for immigration.

“Applying for immigration on same sex grounds requires lot of expertise as the couple is required to prove the relationship on paper.

Application requires details like how many times they had physical intercourse, details of gifts they exchanged, joint property they hold together and lot of other intimate information,” immigration consultant Lalit Advani said.

Visa power! Canada welcomes Ahmedabad’s lesbian migrant

2006-08-21T02:24:00.003+05:30

Radha Sharma, [ 20 Aug, 2006 0124hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

AHMEDABAD: Sexual preference helped a 29-year-old woman from the city secure a permanent resident (PR) visa to Canada. The lesbian woman migrated earlier this week after she was sponsored by her girlfriend in Canada, who declared her as conjugal partner.

“She is probably the first first-ever lesbian from the country to immigrate to Canada as a conjugal partner,” immigration consultant Lalit Advani, who assisted the girl in securing the resident visa, told TOI.

Changes made to immigration regulations in June 2005 allow Canadians to sponsor someone of the same sex as a common-law or conjugal partner.

Couples must prove they have lived together for at least one year to qualify as common-law partners. Those who cannot live together because of laws banning homosexuality in their home countries can qualify as conjugal partners if they live together for at least one year once they are in Canada.

The girl, who prefers to remain anonymous, is happy that unlike in India, she would be able to freely express her sexuality in Canada.

“People like prince Manvendrasinh Gohil of Rajpipla may dare make their gay status public, but there is no hope for people like me,” said the girl, who says she and her partner now wanted to adopt a child.

At a time when most wannabe immigrants are condemned to waiting endlessly for the coveted visa, the girl considers herself lucky to get the visa in less than six months.

More so as her girlfriend from Ahmedabad also migrated to Canada on a skilled category visa just a year back.

The two were introduced at a party in 2001. They started going out for movies and became attracted to one another.

Udupi: Padubidri Police Nab Four Chain Snatchers Including Two Security Guards

2006-08-21T02:24:00.001+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Udupi (GA)

Udupi, Aug 18: The Padubidri police led by SI Naveenchandra nabbed four persons including two security persons with regard to a chain snatching case on Wednesday August 16.

The arrested have been identified as Chandra (36) alias Chandrahas Hegde, Shiva alias Shivanna Shetty (22), Natesh alias Ganesh Bangera (22) and Harish Poojary (33). While Chandra and Ganesh are security guards by profession, Harish is a tailor.

On Tuesday August 15, the accused had fled the place after snatching a gold chain worth Rs 20,000 from one Ida D’Souza’s (45) neck at Neechalu bus stand near Santhoor Kopla here. She immediately shouted for help and news was passed on to Padubidri police station.

The police in an immediate action managed to nab Shivanna and Chandra. But they did not have the stolen booty. During enquiry then revealed that the chain was with Ganesh who is also the prime accused. So police managed to arrest Angaragundi resident Ganesh in Karkala. Even here police had to face failure as chain had been given to the master mind of the theft Harish Poojary who is a tailor.

The police intensified their action and arrested from his home and recovered the gold chain. All this happened within 24 hours of theft.

A case now has been filed with the Padubidri police.

Udupi: Fallen Tree Blocks NH 17 at Thenka Yermal - Images

2006-08-21T02:23:00.003+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Udupi (GA) - pics - Durga Digitals

Udupi, Aug 17: Traffic on the National Highway 17 was blocked for long after a huge tree fell on the road at Thenka Yermal near Padubidri here on Thursday August 17 morning.

All vehicles playing on the road were stranded for more than an hour till the tree was cut and the road was cleared by the forest department staff with the help of the locals.

Meanwhile some vehicles reached Mangalore and Udupi via Padubidri-Nandikoor-Yellur-Uchila and Padubidri-Nandikoor-Shirva and Katapadi route.

Daily commuters such as office-goers and students could not reach their destination on time and were late almost by two hours to office and colleges.

Bangalore: Narayana Murthy to Start Second Innings at Infosys

2006-08-21T02:23:00.001+05:30

The Hindu

* He will step down on Sunday as executive chairman of company
* Infosys has revenues of $2. 15 billion
* God has been kind, he says

Bangalore, Aug 19: Curtains will come down on an illustrious corporate career in an executive post when N.R. Narayana Murthy steps down on Sunday as chairman of the company he founded along with six others in 1981 with a paltry sum of Rs. 10,000 each and took it to dizzying heights in 25 years.

Bangalore-headquartered Infosys Technologies Limited is India’s second largest software exporter with revenues of $ 2.15 billion, a market capitalisation of $ 21 billion and employees in excess of 58,000. Mr. Murthy turns 60 on August 20 and, as per the company’s corporate governance policy, he will relinquish his executive post to become a non-executive chairman from Monday after passing on the baton to chief executive officer, president and managing director Nandan M. Nilekani.

I am a happy man

“I am a very happy man… God has been kind,” Mr. Murthy said while talking to presspersons at the company’s annual general meeting recently. He was quick to add that his “commitment to Infosys will continue” even after giving up the full-time position and plans to keep himself busy through the board assignments at several companies that entailed travelling abroad 20 to 22 days in a month.

The board of NASDAQ-listed Infosys has put in place a succession plan which will see Mr. Nilekani, the senior-most founder-member of the company after Mr. Murthy, re-designated as CEO and MD after ceding the post of president to his aide S. Gopalakrishnan who will be the president, chief operating officer (COO) and Joint MD from August 21. Mr. Gopalakrishnan is currently the COO and deputy MD.

The board of Infosys has decided to leave vacant for the time-being the post of executive chairman and asked Mr. Murthy to continue as the non-executive chairman and chief mentor and also inducted him as an additional director on the board after his retirement.

Mangalore: City to have Two More Police Stations Soon - SP

2006-08-21T02:22:00.003+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (GA) - pic - Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Aug 17: “The city has not been the same as it was some years ago. It has been registering a fast growth in all spheres. Population too has been increasing. Along with that the number of vehicles too is increasing. This coupled with pathetic roads have been posing innumerable challenges to police in controlling the traffic. In keeping mind the increasing populace of the city, we have been contemplating of starting two more police stations and an additional circle. Recommendations in this regard have been made with concerned persons,’ said Dakshina Kannada SP B Dayanand.

He was speaking at the “Meet the Press” programme held at Press Club here on Thursday August 17 morning.

He said that he has been planning to start a few more projects to provide the best service to the people. “We have been thinking of introducing a special project called “Electronic Beat” in order to tighten our night patrolling. We have necessary facilities for this. However, the staff need training in this regard which will be given shortly. Once they are trained, the facility will be introduced in phases with city and Panambur being first on the list,” he added.

He also mentioned that the city needs 6 more traffic signals since the existing 4 are proving inefficient in controlling the ever-increasing traffic. He also said that more alcometres will soon be introduced.

Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists’ Association president Ravindra Shetty was also present at the press conference.

Beltangady: Person Accused of Rape Commits Suicide

2006-08-21T02:22:00.001+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Beltangady (GA)

Beltangady, Aug 18: A person accused of rape on minor girl ended his life by consuming poison in his house at Kalmanja near Ujire here.

Keshav Moolya (40) had been accused of raping his housemaid who was a minor. Keshav owned a tyre works near Ujire petrol pump. His neighbour Aithaparava’s daughter was coming to work in his house. It is said that during this period he had used her sexually for long.

His sexual abuse came to light when the said girl conceived. The girl had recently delivered a baby after which her family members had filed a case with the police. In the complete the girl had stated that Keshav Moolya had raped her many times.

Having been insulted by all these developments, Keshav, a married person with two children, ended his life on Thursday when no one except his children was at home. It is said that the fact that the said girl had physical relationship with several others but had stated only his name in the police station had hurt him a lot.

Coupled with this, was already married with two children. His wife has been in the hospital for some days now owing to ill health. So when he consumed poison, she was not in the house.

The Beltangady police have registered a case in this regard.

Kundapur: Unidentified Persons Snatch Rs 45,000 by Diverting Person’s Attention

2006-08-21T02:21:00.003+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Kundapur (GA)

Kundapur, Aug 18: A person was stolen of Rs 45,000 by three unidentified persons, by diverting his attention near the bus stand here on Thursday August 17.

It is reported that one Suresh had withdrawn Rs 45,000 from Vijaya Bank here, on behalf of his employer. He was on his way back to his employer, when three persons who were following him slashed muck on his shirt from behind. They later told him that his shirt had been soiled.

So Suresh went to a nearby bar and restaurant to wash his shirt. He asked the restaurant staff to give water to clean his shirt. As he was cleaning the shirt, the threesome snatched his money bag and disappeared in the crowd.

At this Suresh shouted for help. The locals immediately got into action and tried to catch the culprits. But the latter had managed to escape by then. This is for the second time in the last one month that such an incident has taken place. It is suspected that a professional gang might be working in the city.

Mangalore: Police Raid CD Centres - Seize Porn Films

2006-08-21T02:21:00.001+05:30

Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (GA)

Mangalore, Aug 19: The city police conducted a sudden raid on many CD parlours in the city on Friday August 18 night seizing many porn CDs. The raids were conducted as per the directions given by SP Dayananda.

Though nothing unacceptable was found in many CD centres, the police team led by traffic inspector Uday Kumar found 234 porno DVDs, 210 flaps in ‘Mayur’ CD centre near Clock Tower here.

The police arrested Ganesh Raj, a resident of Attavar, Jagdish of Meramajal near Farangipet and Ashok of Mijar in this regard. The police also seized Rs 1320 in cash and a mobile handset from the arrested.

Pune: Allotted Rs 55 crore, spent Rs 2.7 crore!

2006-08-21T02:20:00.002+05:30

[ 15 Aug, 2006 0339hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

PUNE: While Puneites are facing a harrowing time — thanks to the infamous pothole-ridden roads — another glaring example of the lackadaisical approach of civic babus towards executing budgeted road works has come to light.

The civic road department has failed to execute 10 major road projects in the city, even though contractors for these projects were shortlisted between October 2005 and January 2006.

A whopping Rs 55 crore had been set aside for the job. In an official reply to BJP corporator Ujjwal Keskar, the civic road department has admitted that so far, it has been able to spend just Rs 2.71 crore of the allotted Rs 55 crore.

Interestingly, Rs 2.4 crore (of the Rs 2.71 crore spent so far) has been issued as “mobilisation advance” to contractor S.A. Patel for constructing the Nagar road section between the Ramwadi octroi post to PMC road.

“The contractor has not yet started the work,” Keskar said. “This means the amount spent for actual road works is just Rs 31 lakh.”

Last week, the administration had admitted that 25 roads — which it had repaired at a cost of Rs 22 crore — are in a bad state. Now it has acknowledged that despite the provision of Rs 55 crore, work hasn’t begun.

The end result: miserable roads. Keskar said there was a possibility that the civic standing committee or the general body may have delayed the actual work orders.

“It is the responsibility of the civic chief and the ruling party to release the actual work orders,” he said.

Karnataka taking Coke to court

2006-08-21T02:20:00.001+05:30

[ 19 Aug, 2006 0133hrs IST, TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

BANGALORE: While five states banned the sale of Coke and Pepsi and several others mulling the move, Karnataka has gone a step ahead and registered a case in a civil court in Bangalore against Coca-Cola.

After bans by Kerala, MP, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab, Karnataka has taken further corrective action — the first in the country to file a case against the MNC.

Health minister R Ashok on Friday said the state itself conducted tests and found the level of chemical pesticides higher than the permitted levels.

“We bought the Coke at a general shop, took a receipt for it and submitted the bottle to tests at a fully equipped private lab in Whitefield. The tests were conducted by government technicians. It was found that Coke contained chemical melathin to an extent of 0.142 ppm as against the permitted 0.1,” he said.

The state has quoted provisions of the Food Adulteration Act and registered a case against Coca-Cola in the Small Causes Court on Nrupatunga Road.

The case was admitted on Aug 12. The state has also submitted all 12 carbonated drinks identified by the Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment as having a very high concentration of pesticide for testing.

“We got results for Thums-Up and Mirinda, both of which have a higher amount of pesticide than is permitted. While hepatachlore in Thums-Up is above permitted level, chlorophyripas in Mirinda is high. We will file cases against these two drinks also,” he said.

That is not all. The state has over 500 local brands of carbonated drinks, all of which will be submitted to similar testing and action.

“The health of our children is very important. We will take action whether it is an MNC or a local company,” Ashok maintained. The state is contemplating a total ban like Kerala.

The government will get details from Kerala on how they imposed the ban, then discuss the issue with legal experts and try to put a similar ban in place.

“We’ve already enforced the ban in government educational institutions and hospitals. Action will be taken against anyone violating the ban. We have also issued a directive to all private establishments to refrain from the sale of such carbonated drinks,” Ashok stated.

Delhi girl saved from rape by valiant citizen

2006-08-21T02:19:00.002+05:30

Indo-Asian News Service, August 19, 2006
Amritsar
Efforts by a brave man saved a young girl from New Delhi from being abducted and raped by six men in this Sikh holy city. Four of the men have been arrested.

The girl told Isher Singh, the man who rescued her from the clutches of her would-be rapists, that she is the daughter of an Indian Army officer and had come from New Delhi.

Six men were involved in the incident and four of them had been arrested, said Amritsar Police chief Sidanshu Srivastava on Friday evening. The van in which they were travelling has been impounded. A search has been launched to nab the other two men.

The men were identified as owners of a liquor shop, said the official.

The men had in an inebriated condition forcibly pushed the girl into their Maruti van near the city’s famous landmark Hall Gate on Thursday morning. She was on her way to the Golden Temple and was looking for some transport at the time.

She had reportedly arrived from Delhi early in the morning to visit the shrine and meet relatives.

When the men tried to drive away with her, local resident Isher Singh, who was returning from the Golden Temple, saw her being pushed into the van. He chased the van in his vehicle and forced it to stop near Rambagh.

The valiant Isher Singh entered into a physical fight with the men and the girl managed to free herself and rushed to Singh’s car. Her clothes had been torn by the men in their bid to rape her.

He took her to a local police station. When he went along with the police to locate the van and the kidnappers, the girl quietly slipped away from the police station without lodging a complaint.

According to Srivastava, the police had no clue about the identity of the girl and were trying to locate her bag, which could give them some clues to her identity.

Isher Singh registered a police case against the men.

Rs.1000 core plant near Chennai city coming up

2006-08-21T02:19:00.001+05:30

ChennaiOnline, Saturday, 19 August , 2006, 11:44

US-based Tessolve Services Limited will set up a Rs 1000-crore assembly and production test centre for integrated circuit devices at the electronic hardware park at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.

An MoU for this was signed today between the company and the state government in the presence of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and Union IT and Communication Minister Dayanidhi Maran at a function here.

Maran also laid the foundation stone for the facility, which will commence operations in December 2007.

Karunanidhi said Tamil Nadu had become a favourite destination for FDI during the past three months.

Maran said more foreign investors should come forward to set up their units in India.

Tessolve, a semiconductor test development provider, is to set up the unit on a 50-acre plot. It will provide direct employment for 1,700 people and indirect employment to 5,000 people in the next five years, Rajamanikam, the firm’s CEO, told reporters.

Mumbai on red alert for Sunday the 20th of August

2006-08-21T02:18:00.002+05:30

Sheela Bhatt, Rediff, in New Delhi
August 19, 2006 19:23 IST

According to a senior central government officer, Mumbai has been put on ‘red alert’ for Sunday, August 20.

Intelligence agencies have assessed that August 20 is a crucial day for Mumbai and they have certain intelligence reports about active terror modules.

Accordingly, central and state authorities have made arrangements to have extra security around temples, malls, theaters, sensitive establishments, public places and places of economic importance.

What is intriguing is that Sunday is the Parsi New Year and the birthday of late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi; intelligence agencies are unable to gauge the significance of these events for terrorist outfits.

After the July 11 Mumbai bomb blasts, a senior police officer had told rediff.com, “We have to solve the mystery of the serial blasts as soon as possible because perpetrators of crime should not get emboldened. If the blasts mystery is not solved soon, the Mumbai runs the high risk of another terror act.”

He had said, “If we are lucky we won’t have another incident within the next month. The terrorists have been unsuccessful in their objective of provoking communal riots in Mumbai. So they will try again and see if they succeed the next time. But no crime is perfect. These terrorists should remember that.”

All security agencies have been alerted about the risk Mumbai is carrying on and according to sources, “There is no need to panic.”

People crowd to taste ‘miracle water’ in Mumbai and Gujarat

2006-08-21T02:18:00.001+05:30

Rediff, August 19, 2006 16:58 IST, Last Updated: August 19, 2006 21:23 IST

As people thronged Mahim beach in Mumbai to taste ‘miracle’ water after reports of sea water turning sweet spread across the city, the scientific community and government agencies sounded a warning against consumption of such water. A similar incident was also reported from the coastal area of Teethal in Valsad district of Gujarat.

“We would appeal to people not to consume water from the creek or for that matter any sea water as it is highly unpotable and contaminated,” Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Johnny Joseph told reporters in Mumbai.

In Gujarat, sea water samples from the coastal area of Teethal in Valsad district, where a similar incident was reported, were sent for testing on Saturday.

“The Arabian sea water indeed has turned a bit sweeter. Samples have been taken and sent to laboratories in Pune for testing,” Valsad district development officer Indrish Vora who tasted the `sweet’ water told PTI in Ahmedabad.

Hundreds of city residents thronged Mahim beach, following reports of sea water turning sweet even as Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and government agencies cautioned them on Saturday against drinking water from the creek.

Chief Minister Deshmukh has appealed to the people not to drink the water as it could contain ‘dangerous substances’.

Delhi, Bangalore need to improve urban governance

2006-08-21T02:17:00.000+05:30

UNI, Monday, 14 August , 2006, 12:04

Five cities of Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh which have shown great economic vigor in the last decade will have to accelerate in building infrastructure and improve urban governance to enhance their competitiveness, RBI Deputy Governor Rakesh Mohan has said.

‘’The competitiveness of cities, such as Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh, which have shown great economic vigor over the last decade in India, will depend on acceleration in urban infrastructure investment and improvement in urban governance and management,'’ Mr Mohan said in a paper published in the RBI Bulletin.

The successful financing of such an enhanced level of investment will depend crucially on the financial viability of such projects, he said.

The continued high growth of the Indian economy would get strengthened if the efficiency of Indian cities improves, he added.

Given that the level of Indian urbanisation is still less than 30 per cent and 60 per cent of the total population in India still dependent on agriculture, the continuation of high economic growth will depend on the higher rate of labour absorption by cities.

This will need much higher rate of labour using manufacturing, higher levels of urban infrastructure investment, along with knowlewdge-based forward looking city management. Thus, the Indian situation is quite different from that of China.

The availability of component engineering skills at a lower cost in India is contributing significantly to the relocation of product development band design from developed countries.

Thus for Asian cities growing in the next 30-50 years it is becoming increasingly clear that the key to their success will indeed lie in the continous enhancement of human resources.

Similarly, in India it is the southern region where a large number of private colleges and universities have emerged to cater to the increasing demand from industry for technical personnel.

‘’The magnitude of urban population growth expected in India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh over the next 30 years is such that pressures on international resource mobilisation are bound to arise,'’ Mr Mohan said, adding that the urban infrastructure investment would then exceed available savings in these countries and the current alleged savings glut will disappear over a period of time.

The efficient intermediation of financial savings within countries, and across countries will therefore be as important for urban development as for financial market development per se and for monetary policy makers in the years to come, Mr Mohan added.

Blue Dart sets up Back-up Technology Hub

2006-08-21T02:16:00.002+05:30

UNI
Friday, 18 August , 2006, 11:47

Blue Dart Express Ltd, South Asia’s largest integrated air express, courier and logistics company, has set up a back-up technology hub in the city as part of its Business Contingency and Continuity Plan (BCCP).

The BCCP was aimed at ensuring that all centralised applications and web interface for its customers were made available to them seamlessly.

Speaking to newspersons here today, company Senior Vice-President (South II region) Gopinath Menon said Bangalore was chosen as it was strategically best suited to set up its back-up hub. The facility would be used as a real time switchover in the event of its main hub at its Mumbai headquarters failed. Before the setting up of the back-up facility, Mumbai hosted the the entire centralised applications and bluedart.com website, he said.

The back-up facility in Bangalore, part of the company’s Rs 25 crore million investment on IT, was set up mainly to cater to the growing size of its business and had nothing to do with the floods or the terrorist acts in Mumbai. ‘’This was planned years ago. We had no problems with our operations during floods in Mumbai in the last two years,'’ he said.

Mr Menon said the company had recently increased its air support of chartered flights to seven aircraft with the induction of two Boeing 757s. It also had five Boeing 737 operating each night to the seven metros in the country. It operated its flights at night to allow late cut-offs and early deliveries. The network was supported by sophisticated security system and x-ray machines, which eliminated the need for the mandatory cooling period imposed by passenger airlines.

OPI opens large facility in Bangalore

2006-08-21T02:16:00.001+05:30

UNI
Friday, 18 August , 2006, 11:48

Outsource Partners International Inc (OPI), a leading professional services firm dedicated solely to finance and accounting outsourcing, today added a new 65,000 sqft facility here with the capacity to accommodate over 1,000 staff.

The facility, together with the 1,37,000 sqft facility in Kochi, allowed OPI to accommodate more than 3,000 professional staff in India. It provided state-of-the-art technology and numerous amenities, security and privacy, the company said in a release here.

‘’We are aggressively expanding to keep up with the fast-growing demand for finance and accounting outsourcing services. Just two years ago, we doubled our previous capacity in Bangalore with the expansion of our service centre. Now, the demand has commanded a move to this new facility with over two times the capacity of even our expanded office,'’ Mr Kishore Mirchandani, OPI President and CEO of OPI’s Indian subsidiary, Business Process Outsourcing Pvt Ltd, said.