Addressing successive rallies in the state attended by several Marxist leaders, Gandhi batted for the Congress-Left Front alliance and ridiculed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for their “tall claims of development”.

“Much like Modi says Congress did nothing in 60 years and all the development work has been done by the BJP government, Mamata too says there was nothing in Bengal before she came to power.

“This Mamata-Modi collusion is a big danger for Bengal. These twin arrogant forces are a danger to democracy.

“The Modi government’s functioning is endangering our country’s basic structure, our secular values, our democracy and our age-old tradition and values,” Gandhi said in Canning of South 24 Parganas district.

Using the example of Hilsa, the exquisite gourmet fish of Bengal, Gandhi questioned Modi’s assertions of securing the country’s border.

“Once Bengal’s pride, such is the condition that now Hilsa has to be imported. And this is all because of Modi and Mamata.

“The BJP and Trinamool collectively have put prohibition on Indian fishing trawlers but trawlers from our neighbouring countries are being allowed to catch our fish,” she alleged.

“Modi who talks big about border security, when he couldn’t save the fish, how will he secure our borders? The Pathankot attack is a big example of that,” said Gandhi, referring to the January terror attack at the Pathankot air force station in Punjab.

Targeting Banerjee, Gandhi questioned “why are farmers committing suicide, why is there unemployment?”

“The industries are closing, there is no sign of law and order, there is rampant crime against women and there is so much of corruption that even new bridges are collapsing,” she said, referring to the Vivekananda Road flyover collapse in Kolkata in which 26 people were killed.

“The Trinamool and the BJP have put up separate masks but they are two faces of the same coin. Both of them don’t believe in democracy,” she said in Sreerampur of Hooghly district, while sharing the dais with Left leaders including CPI-M’s Rabin Deb.

She accused the BJP and Trinamool of being hand-in-glove in parliament, wondering “why the Trinamool comes running to the rescue of the BJP when it tries to pass anti-poor bills?”

“If both of them (BJP and Trinamool) are not together, why did the central government not take action against those who looted the poor in the Saradha chit fund scam?” she asked.

Urging people not to fall into the trap of the BJP and Trinamool’s fake promises, Gandhi called upon people to vote for the Congress and the CPI-M led Left Front which have entered into an alliance.

“Five years back, the Trinamool fooled you with its tall promises and two years back Modi did the same. This time don’t get entrapped by the BJP and Trinamool’s tall promises, but vote for the Congress and Left Front nominees,” she added.

–IANS

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For some 20 years, Brahmachari Kailash Giri from Jabalpur has walked through India, responding to his mother’s wish to visit the ‘Chaar Dhaam’ pilgrimage circuit in the lower Himalayas.

Giri is following the footsteps of a bygone Shravan Kumar who is revered as a dutiful son for taking his aged parents in two baskets that were tied to two ends of a bamboo pole which he shouldered.

The Ramayana-era Shravan Kumar gets killed by mistake by King Dasratha of Ayodhya.

On Sunday evening, a crowd gathered near Akbar’s tomb here to bid an emotional farewell to Giri.

His blind mother was seated in a basket-like seat, fastened to the rod, at the end of which was another basket, of almost equal weight, with basic necessities. Giri sang ‘bhajans’ as he walked.

Giri said his mother was keen to visit the Sri Krishna-Radha land in Vrindavan and Mathura.

He said he normally covers around five kilometres a day, walking slowly. People often come out in large numbers to welcome him and praise his devotion to his mother.

Now 50 years old, Giri lost his father 21 years ago. Since then he has been fulfilling his mother’s wish to visit major Hindu religious centres.

After staying in Vrindavan for a few days, Giri would ask his mother her next destination. Depending on the answer, he would resume his journey on foot.

–IANS

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In fact, SRK took out time from the shooting of “Raees” and surprised Manoj, who was giving interviews for the forthcoming film, by personally visiting him at Mehboob Studio here and expressing his views about the film.

“I have learnt so much from Manoj Bajpayee. I felt the proudest when his last film (‘Aligarh’) became a hit. I wish ‘Traffic’ goes on to become a big hit too. I wish all the luck to Manoj Bajpayee on this one,” Shah Rukh said in a statement.

“Traffic” is based on a road trip from Mumbai to Pune. The story revolves around transportation of a harvested heart for a heart transplant case, chasing a strict deadline. During the mission, the characters face numerous difficulties and obstacles, traffic being one of them.

Manoj plays a traffic constable in the film who decides to spearhead a situation where a heart has to be delivered to a patient in another location, amidst the heavy traffic in Mumbai.

Earlier, Salman had also tweeted about the film, saying he is “looking forward to this film”.

Directed by late Rajesh Pillai, produced by Deepak Dhar of Endemol India and presented by Foxstar Studios, “Traffic” also stars Jimmy Shergill, Divya Dutta and Sachin Khedekar. It hits theatres on May 6.

–IANS

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Sarada Mohan of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and V.D. Sateeshan of the Congress are the two main candidates in Paravur, which is different from the Paravur where a temple tragedy this month claimed over 110 lives.

Sarada Mohan’s father, the late P.K. Vasudevan Nair, was chief minister for less than a year in 1978-79. After he quit, the down to earth political leader won innumerable hearts by taking a bus to go home.

The 59-year-old woman, who lived in Bangalore for close to three decades, quit her job as a teacher to take forward her father’s legacy. She won from the Kalady ward in Ernakulam district panchayat last year.

“Development in this constituency has stagnated,” she says at election rallies big and small. “Nothing much has happened here in the past 15 years.”

Sateeshan, who is looking at a fourth consecutive win from Paravur, located 30 km from Kochi, Kerala’s commercial capital, does not agree of course.

The three-time legislator, 51, is vice president of the ruling party but he doesn’t mind pointing out errors in governance.

Velapally Natesan, the Hindu Ezhava leader and founder of the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) party, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has fielded Hari Vijayan, 49, to ensure that Sateeshan loses.

But Sateeshan is not bothered. “During elections, people will vote, not social group leaders.”

In 2011, the CPI fielded its state secretary and former Lok Sabha member Panniyan Ravindran but Satheesan won by 11,349 votes.

All three contestants have finished the first round of campaigning by visiting the main market places and junctions and will now focus on family meetings.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) counts Ernakulam district as one of its strongest areas. In 2011, it won 11 of the 14 assembly seats. This is one reason Satheesan may be breathing easy.

(Sanu George can be contacted at sanu.g@ians.in)

–IANS

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This follows a similar move for one emergency ‘112’ number for availing services of police, ambulance and fire department.

“Technology is solely meant to make human life better and what better than using it for the security of women,” Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here on Monday.

“I have taken a decision that from January 1, 2017, no cell phone can be sold without a provision for panic button, and from January 1, 2018, mobile sets should also have Global Positioning System inbuilt,” Prasad said.

The notification did not specify which agency would connect the number, but sources in the ministry said the decision will be taken soon.

The Gazette of India notification said from January 1, 2017, no mobile phone handset manufacturing company shall sell in India: “The feature phones without the facility of panic button by pressing ‘numeric key – 5’ or ‘numeric key – 9’ to invoke emergency call.”

It also said: “Smartphones without the facility of emergency call button by pressing the same for long time to invoke emergency call or the use of existing power on or off button, when short pressed thrice in quick succession.”

The notification added: “With effect from January 1, 2018, no mobile phone handset manufacturing company shall sell the new mobile phone handset in India without the facility of identifying the location through satellite-based GPS.”

The notification defined a feature phone as one that can access the Internet and play music but lacks provisions of an operating system feature of a personal computer. Smart phone, on the other hand, has all features of a personal computer system.

Some of the leading smartphone makers like Vivo, Xiaomi and Karbonn whom IANS tried to contact for a reaction declined to comment on the notification as of now.

In March this year, the government had proposed that people will have to just dial “112” for emergency help from police, ambulance or the fire department.

The telecom watchdog had proposed that all existing emergency numbers — such as 100, 101, 102 and 108 — be retained as secondary numbers, which would then be re-routed to the single emergency number 112.

–IANS

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Salim said that Salman’s popularity will help encourage sports among the youth.

The “Kick” star was on Saturday unveiled as the goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent for the Rio Olympics to be held later this year.

The move was questioned by several members of the Indian sports fraternity with 2012 London Olympics wrestling bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt making his displeasure public with a series of tweets barely an hour after the decision was announced.

Former athlete Milkha Singh has also lashed out at the decision of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

“Many sportsmen who fade away with time are revived via films. Sometimes we feel ashamed of the fact that we were unaware of such sportsmen in our country after watching the films made on them,” Salim said during an interview on Times Now TV channel.

“Salman Khan is a popular person… When he goes to schools, colleges and talks to students and children about the sports, they will definitely listen…” he added.

Salim said that the “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” actor “doesn’t need such platforms or controversies to sell his films”.

“Salman’s films sell way before they are released. If his film is good, of course they will sell, if not then it will flop like some of his projects have in the past. Salman Khan’s film doesn’t work only by his name, they work because of the entire team’s effort,” he added.

Earlier, veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai came to the superstar’s defence and said that instead of picking at the appointment one should appreciate the move which can inspire the youth of the country.

–IANS

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The issue also rocked the Lok Sabha with both the road rationing scheme and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal coming in for criticism. This created a ruckus for a while forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the house till lunch.

The issue reverberated in the Rajya Sabha too, as members demanded exemption from the odd-even scheme, stating that it was preventing them from executing their duties as members of parliament.

Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal, Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, BJP MPs Chaudhry Babulal, Udit Raj. B.C. Khanduri and Prahlad Patel were among others who violated the scheme.

Rawal realised his mistake when he reached parliament by travelling in his personal car with an even-number plate, and was immediately questioned by reporters.

“Yaar, galti ho gayi,” he said.

Later on, Rawal apologised to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for violating the scheme and said it was a “serious blunder”.

“Made a serious blunder… Sorry to Arvind ji and Delhiites,” the BJP MP tweeted.

Maurya, who was recently appointed BJP chief of Uttar Pradesh, said: “I am having one car. Will take care (tomorrow) Tuesday.”

However, some MPs with even number car plates travelled to parliament either by car pooling or by some other mode.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Anil Dave took a bicycle to reach parliament while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann car-pooled with some MPs.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi walked to parliament, and raised questions on the traffic scheme.

“We are not from Delhi and come here only when parliament is in session. So, they should think over this. However, they claimed to have made some arrangements like bus but I didn’t find anything,” Owaisi told reporters.

The Delhi government had announced a special DTC bus service for MPs to reach parliament, but there were very few takers.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Pappu Yadav, who has been critical of the scheme, raised the issue during zero hour, stating that the measure has only added to people’s problems.

The traffic rationing has only sought to help CNG companies and bus manufacturers, alleged the Madhepura MP from Bihar.

Yadav also alleged that the new traffic system was launched by the Delhi government under Arvind Kejriwal only for achieving “cheap popularity”.

The issue was also raised in the Rajya Sabha with Samajwadi Party members criticising it.

The issue of odd-even had figured at an all-party meeting on Sunday too.

The issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha by Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal.

“Being an MP, it is our special privilege that we participate in the proceedings of the house,” Agrawal said.

“We get only one security pass, which is for one car. They (Delhi government) did not exempt MPs (from the odd-even) on purpose to insult them,” he alleged.

Congress leader Anand Sharma spoke up in support of the MP and said: “Parliament has reconvened today. Except for 10 members, all parliament members come from outside Delhi. Vehicles without security label cannot enter, and the parliament bus is not able to ferry all MPs. It (odd-even) is coming in the way of discharging their duties,” Sharma added.

“The house should decide when the house is sitting on how do members come? This issue needs to be addressed,” said Sharma.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) member K.C. Tyagi said while the intention of the Delhi government is good, “they should exempt MPs”.

Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien agreed and said: “It is the government’s duty to facilitate discharge of duties of parliament. This has become an inconvenience for MPs in discharging their duty.”

The deputy chairman also observed that it delayed some meetings.

“I have been told that one committee was delayed for more than one hour because MPs could not reach,” he said.

“Why not the parliamentary affairs ministry take up the matter with the Delhi government or consider the suggestion that MPs should be exempt,” Kurien said.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad also said he had received complaints from MPs and suggested that MPs may be exempted from the odd-even scheme when parliament is in session.

To this, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “We will talk to the appropriate authorities; and we would not want any obstruction for the MPs in executing their duties.”

–IANS

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Paswan, who is chief of the Lok Janshakti Party, demanded lifting of the ban on the sale of toddy, locally known as ‘taadi’.

“The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar should withdraw the ban to help the Pasis earn their livelihood,” Paswan told the media here.

Paswan threatened to intensify the agitation if his demand was not met.

Last week, hundreds of toddy tappers opposed the ban and drank toddy in public to register their protest.

After thousands of ‘desi’ or country-made liquor shops in rural Bihar and Indian Made Foreign Liquor shops in urban areas were closed following a total liquor ban imposed from April 1, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government banned the sale of toddy also.

It evoked strong protests from the Pasi community.

As per the state government’s decision, anyone found selling toddy faces arrest. But the government has no objection if anyone is skilled enough to tap toddy for self-consumption.

Former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha president Jitan Ram Manjhi too has opposed the toddy ban, saying it was wrong to ban the sale of toddy in Bihar.

–IANS

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Aniston learnt more about fashion in her 20s but “it was a slow process”, reports people.com.

“High school was tragic. Just not well-informed. You know, you’re experimenting. It was the 1980s and I looked like a goth nightmare. I wasn’t going for most beautiful. It was, how can I be the most rebelliously unattractive,” she said.

Describing her what-used-to-be look when she was in her 20s, the “Cake” actress shared that “that was more the 1990s mom jean look. Big blousy blouses with a big chunky belt. And remember the Western cowboy shoe? I thought I was coo-ool.”

The actress also credits her glam squad for teaching her “everything that I know! Whatever was happening before was just unfortunate. I know how to contour, I know how to blow out my hair. When I was in my 20s, my face was almost a complete circle. So I really needed contouring. And now I’m slowly chiseling away, wishing I had that round face back,” Aniston said.

–IANS

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Sunrisers Hyderabad halted Gujarat’s three-match winning run with a crushing win in which they completely outplayed the hosts.

And the Suresh Raina-led Gujarat Lions believe that was a poor day in the office and they need to come out all guns blazing against a RCB side that is coming off a confident triumph over Rising Pune Supergiants.

Despite the loss to Hyderabad, Gujarat are second in the league points table, while Bangalore are one place behind them with two wins from four games.

Gujarat failed to find a hero barring captain Suresh Raina, who scored 70 on that night. And with the left-hander’s knock, the management must be feeling relaxed as he ended a run of under-performance.

All eyes will be on in-form Australian opening batsman Aaron Finch, who has has scores of 74, 50 and 67 not out respectively in the three matches so far before a duck against Hyderabad.

His opening partner, retired New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum hasn’t really fire yet, barring a 49 against Pune and he will be keen to make an impact as West Indian Dwayne Smith is waiting for his chance.

Other batsmen in the team are wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthick and all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo and James Faulkner.

Gujarat’s bowling is also strong and has delivered keeping its reputations in tact, barring the Hyderabad game in which they failed to get rid of opening duo of David Warner and Shihar Dhawan.

Medium pacers Praveen Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Dale Steyn, Bravo and Faulkner have been complemented well by spinners in the form of Shadab Jakati and Praveen Tambe.

However, they should expect another tough day as they will be up against a RCB side that is full of batting stars. Led by Indian superstar Virat Kohli, who is in his peak form having scored 75, 79, 33 and 80 in the past four matches, RCB boast of an envious line-up.

Even though West Indian power-hitter Chris Gayle is yet to return since leaving for the birth of a baby girl, AB de Villiers is there to entertain the Rajkot fans. The South African maestro is also in form, hitting 82, 55, 29 and 83 in the past four matches respectively.

If you get rid of Kohli and de Villiers, then there are Shane Watson, young Sarfaraz Khan, Mandeep Singh and Stuart Binny who are some of the cleanest hitters of the ball.

Watson’s medium pace bowling is raising enough suggestions that the 34-year-old Australian’s nternational retirement was premature as he has picked up six wickets with economical figures.

RCB will need medium pacers Harshal Patel and Kane Richardson to take early wickets, while spinners Iqbal Abdullah and Tabraiz Shamsi will look to contain the batsmen in the middle overs.

South Africa’s Chinaman bowler Shamsi, who replaced injured West Indian Samuel Badree in the squad, played his first match against Pune, picking a wicket for 36 runs. The 26-year-old will be looking to improve that show.

–IANS

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Senior Iranian nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) and a US company have signed an agreement on Friday to sell the heavy water.

Araqchi said this on the sidelines of a joint commission meeting between Iran and the P5+1 group, namely Britain, China, France, Russia, the US, and Germany, Xinhua reported.

The agreement, signed following three months of negotiations, is worth $8.6 million and will be delivered to the US next week, according to the report.

The transaction of the heavy water is a part of the nuclear agreement signed last July between Iran and the P5+1 group.

Iran has also agreed to ship its supply of enriched uranium to Russia.

–IANS

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Six people died on Friday after they ate sweetmeats brought from a shop in Layyah city on Wednesday, police quoted hospital sources as saying.

The police said people started vomiting after eating the sweetmeats.

At least 34 people were admitted to two different hospitals in Layyah on Wednesday.

Due to the victims’ critical condition, both the hospitals referred 20 people to another hospital on Thursday, hospital sources said.

At least six people died on Wednesday after consuming the sweetmeats, police said.

Friday’s deaths have raised the toll to 14, the police said. Three more people were in critical condition and on the ventilator.

Executive District Officer Ameer Abdullah said a health department team had sealed the shop from where the poisonous sweetmeats were bought. The department also seized wrappers of pesticides from the scene.

The police have also arrested the shop owners Khalid Mahmood and Tariq Mahmood.

The samples of the poisonous sweetmeats, along with other seized material have been sent to a forensic laboratory in Lahore.

–IANS

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“In this era of global terrorism, when India is among its biggest victims, the Congress has practised very low-level politics and compromised on national security for its political gains,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told the media at the party headquarters here.

He questioned as to how could the Congress humiliate an entire community through the term “Hindu terror”.

“The BJP as a party has never associated terrorism with any particular community, sect or religion. But the Congress functionaries, for their political gains, repeatedly used the term ‘Hindu terror’ and ‘saffron terror’,” Trivedi said.

“How can you associate a colour which is part of our national flag with terrorism?” he said.

In the context of Ishrat Jahan shootout and Samjhauta Express blast, Trivedi said that although the National Investigation Agency lodged the First Information Reports (FIRs) in 2011, but the Congress leaders had started using the term ‘Hindu terror’ back in 2009.

“Was it premonition or was it their prejudice coming to the fore,” Trivedi asked.

Raking up the Ishrat Jahan case, Trivedi said that Chidambaram must tell whether he informed – and if yes, at what point – the then prime minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi “when the altered the second affidavit” that made “investigative agencies took a sudden U-turn” on the Ishrat Jahan case.

Trivedi also alleged that the Congress had communalised the country’s education system, apart from the process of disbursing bank loans on communal lines.

–IANS

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After he scored four goals during Barcelona’s glorious 8-0 victory against Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday, Suarez on Thursday expressed his complete confidence that his group will win the remaining four La Liga games, reports Efe.

“But we are the leaders. We are convinced that we can win and we want to win. There is no other option but to win the league. Then, when we win the Copa del Rey we will have a beautiful double to celebrate,” the Uruguayan player said.

On Wednesday Barcelona put an end to their disappointing results and thrashed Deportivo La Coruna to maintain the lead of the table with 79 points, ahead of Atletico Madrid in second place with goal difference.

Barcelona failed to defend their European Champions League title after losing to Atletico in the quarter-finals last week.

–IANS

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The former Argentina international midfielder scored twice in the opening 20 minutes at the Monumental stadium here on Thursday before Maurice Cova struck for Trujillanos on the half-hour mark, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Venezuelan outfit were then reduced to 10-men when Gerardo Mendoza was shown his second yellow card in as many minutes.

Camilo Mayada and Lucas Alario extended the hosts’ lead just after half time, but Franklin Gonzalez and James Cabezas netted in quick succession for the visitors.

River survived a tense final 15 minutes to win their third match of the campaign and ensure their passage to the knockout phase.

Brazil’s Sao Paulo also advanced to the next stage of South America’s top club competition by holding Bolivia’s The Stongest to a 1-1 draw in La Paz.

–IANS

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]]> http://news.saanj.net/latest-news-updates/river-plate-sao-paulo-secure-libertadores-knockout-berths/feed/ 0 http://news.saanj.net/latest-news-updates/when-will-delhi-shimla-flights-start-asks-sc/ http://news.saanj.net/latest-news-updates/when-will-delhi-shimla-flights-start-asks-sc/#respond Thu, 21 Apr 2016 15:30:03 +0000 http://news.saanj.net//%category%/when-will-delhi-shimla-flights-start-asks-sc/ New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the “competent authority” to tell it if it was going to ensure air connectivity between Delhi and Shimla as it hoped that there was nothing political about the issue.

Asking the “competent authority” to tell it before next date of hearing when it was going to start air connectivity between Delhi and Shimla, a bench of Chief Justice T.S.Thakur, Justice R. Banumathi and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit observed: “We only hope there is nothing political” in a reference to Himachal Pradesh is ruled by the Congress.

Dispelling the apprehension of the court about any political consideration being in play, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for national carrier Air India, told the court that there was no such thing as flights were operating from Delhi to Kulu and Dharamshala in the state.

The court was also told that government has included Shimla airport in category III airports thereby making it obligatory for private airlines to bring it on the map of their operations.

Under the licence conditions, private operators including Air India are obliged to operate 10 percent of their total flights at category I airports comprising metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta and others to category II airports at Lakshadweep, Port Blair, Srinagar and northeastern states.

At this, the court also sought details about the airports, both in categories I and II, where private airlines were flying.

Making it clear that it may pass order on starting air operations between Delhi and Shimla in the next hearing of the matter on May 4, the bench asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to issue directions to the private airlines to start flights to Shimla.

As Additional Solicitor General P.S.Patwalia, appearing for the civil aviation ministry and Airports Authority of India, said that they can’t give any directions to private airlines, the bench said: “You have issued guidelines, you enforce them.”

The court also made it clear that its December 16, 2015 order putting on hold Himachal Pradesh High Court order directing Air India to start test flights between Delhi and Shimla would not come in the way of government asking private airlines to bring Delhi-Shimla route on the map of their operations.

Noting that Srinagar too have been included in Category II airports, Chief Justice Thakur how could Srinagar airport be equated with airports in northeastern states and Shimla.

“How can you compare Srinagar with Shimla and North-East. Take out Srinagar (from category II airports). The very fact that you are comparing Srinagar with the northeast shows your intentions,” the court said pointing out that the situation in Kashmir had no bearing the status of the airport.

Contending that at one point Srinagar was comparable to northeast, Patwalia said: “We are not scared. We only wanted to respect the sentiments of the court.” He said that the including Shimla in category II airports was the best that could be done.

Seeing the court was insisting on bringing Shimla on the air map of the country, Patwalia urged the court to ask Air India to commence its operations as it had 42-seater ATR 42 aircraft.

But Ranjit Kumar told the court that Air India had three of these aircraft, one of which has got badly damaged and two others are in operation to Port Blair and the northeast and any diversion of flights would result in curtailing operations, to these areas.

He said all other private airlines had such aircraft and they could be asked to start Delhi-Shimla flights.

–IANS

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi several times urging the central government to set up the Cauvery Management Board to manage the sharing of river water between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

In its manifesto of the May 16 assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party also promised introduction of prohibition, writing off of farm loans from cooperative banks, payment of farm loans lent by nationalised banks by Tamil Nadu government, interest-free agriculture loans and loan at low rates for purchase of agriculture implements.

The BJP manifesto that also promises higher prices for farm produce like sugarcane, turmeric and paddy was released by union minister Nitin Gadkari here.

The party also promises setting up of guava, mango and jack fruit pulping factories in the state and formulation of a separate policy for organic farming.

The other promises made by BJP to the people of Tamil Nadu are a subsidy for compost manure, direct transfer of fertiliser subsidy to farmers, 50 percent subsidy for rearing country cows, linking rivers in South India, promoting inland water transport after linking of rivers, formulation of a new industrial policy, 50 percent subsidy for setting up of solar power, issuing electronic ration card, introducing lokayukta to probe corruption in high places, yoga and meditation classes in schools from class six onwards, and steps to allow bull taming sport ‘Jallikattu’.

–IANS

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The Terra and Aqua satellite from NASA found 46 forest hotspots in Sumatra Island, the centre of Indonesia’s palm oil industry, seven in Borneo Island and 10 others in eastern parts of the country, Sugeng Winarto, an official of the agency told Xinhua.

Forest fires due to the practice of slash-and-burn to clear land of oil palm plantations in Indonesia had resulted in transboundary haze, triggering serious health problems and a huge financial loss last year.

Last year, Indonesia launched the biggest ever battle against massive forest fires across the nation which left 17 people dead.

–IANS

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“Growing research shows that these chemicals could be harming people’s health,” said lead author Lei Yin, assistant research scientist at University of Georgia.

Levels of phthalates — class of industrial chemicals used to make food packaging materials, tubing for dairy products and other items used in the production of fast food — have been found in human fluids in previous studies.

In the study, the team analysed the presence of a specific phthalate, benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), in the body.

Phthalate exposure can be closely associated with the rise of different types of disease development.

Some are known to cause reproductive toxicity at high levels of exposure but the link between low-level exposure and BBP had not yet been thoroughly explored.

“It could be that some chemicals at a very low dose and over a long period time, which is known as chronic exposure, can cause more harmful diseases or effects,” Yin explained in the paper published in the journal Toxicology in Vitro.

The team used mouse cells to create in-vitro models to analyse how exposure to BBP affected the way oils and fats, known as lipids, accumulated within the cells.

The results of BBP’s effects were compared with bisphenol A or BPA known for its role in development of fat cells.

BBP caused a response in the cells that is similar to BPA. Both chemicals prompted the accumulation of lipid.

However, the lipids from BBP-treated cells were larger, suggesting that BBP exposure may lead to obesity.

Genetic components can contribute to the development of obesity. “However, environmental exposure may also contribute to obesity,” the authors added.

–IANS

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Kampot provincial police chief Mao Chanmathurith said the operation was a collaborative effort between the government and military police in delivering clean water to more than 500 families in Kampot town’s Andoung Khmer commune on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

“The provincial governor, Chan Chesda, ordered our working group to deliver the clean water to the villagers in eight districts and towns. We will help to provide water until they tell us they have enough water to use and if they still need more water, we will still help them,” he said.

Mao said residents have water for taking baths or washing clothes, but they do not have clean water for drinking and cooking food.

Northwestern Banteay Meanchey province’s Mongkol Borei district is also facing shortages of clean water, with residents having to buy extra supplies.

Sy Dy, district police chief said villagers have to spend 40,000 riel ($10) for a 2,000-litre bottle for bathing and need to buy fresh water for drinking.

Meanwhile, the northwestern Siem Reap provincial authorities also distributed clean water to more than 1,600 families in three districts and towns where there are shortages and will continue to provide water to other drought-hit villagers.

–IANS

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