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Happy Engineers Day 2012

Engineers, Engineering: Engineer's Day is observed in India on September 15 in honour of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya who was born on the day in 1860. He was the chief designer of the flood protection system designed and built for the city of Hyderabad, as well as the chief engineer responsible for the construction of the Krishna Raja Sagara dam in Mysore which created the largest reservoir in Asia at that time. He also designed and patented a system of automatic weir water floodgates that were first installed in 1903 at the Khadakvasla Reservoir near Pune. These gates were employed to raise the flood supply level of storage in the reservoir to the highest level likely to be attained by a flood without causing any damage to the dam. Based on the success of these gates, the same system was replicated at the Tigra Dam project in Gwalior and the Krishna Raja Sagara project in Karnataka. A recipient of India's highest honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1955, he was knighted as a Commander of the British Indian Empire by King George V before Independence. He died on April 14, 1962

Former RSS Chief K Sudarshan died

RSS Chief K Sudarshan dead: Former RSS chief K S Sudarshan died of heart attack in Raipur in Chhattisgarh early on Saturday. He was 81. The ex-RSS chief, who had arrived in the city two days back, died at the RSS office here at 6:50 AM. He was in the city for a book launch function. His body shall be brought to the RSS national headquarters in Nagpur on Saturday evening and kept in its Reshim Baug premises. The last rites will be conducted in Nagpur on Sunday afternoon. Sudarshan led the RSS between 2000-2009, before seeking voluntary retirement due to health problem.

Diesel price up, LPG cylinders cut

The diesel price will go up by Rs. 5 a litre and a household will get only six domestic LPG cylinders per annum. These decisions were taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs. The decision to go in for the sharp diesel price hike, which excludes value added tax, will take effect from midnight on Friday.  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also decided to reduce the excise duty on petrol by Rs. 5.50 a litre from Rs. 14.78, adjusting the recent spurt in international crude prices, which have touched $114 a barrel. The restriction in supply of LPG cylinders is likely to help in reducing the under-recovery of OMCs by about Rs. 5,300 crore for the remaining part of the financial year. The under-recovery during 2012-13, even after this measure, is estimated to be above Rs. 32,000 crore. Any number of cylinders will be available over and above the cap of 6 cylinders at market rate. The number of cylinders available to each consumer in the remaining part of this financial year will be 3 cylinders, an official statement said.

Early elections possible, Mulayam’s prediction

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said that he was “not a saint” to refuse the post of prime minister if such an opportunity arises after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Yadav also did not rule out the possibility of early elections. Asked about the prospect of him becoming prime minister, he said his party would not campaign for his candidature but he was “not a saint” either. The SP would emerge as the biggest party in Uttar Pradesh in the parliamentary elections and would surprise everyone with the large number of seats it would win. It would also contest the polls in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand. On the role of AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi in the national politics, he described him as a “young politician” and wished him luck for a future in good politics.  As for the likelihood of Gandhi becoming prime minister, he said that it is his party that is going to make him prime minister. It will not be to the others give him the post on a platter. Mulayam said that the third front would be formed only after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections after considering the political situation.

Centre orders removal of anti Islam video on Internet

In case of Protests in the Arab nations against uploading of a video on YouTube allegedly targeting Islam and Prophet Muhammad, the Department of Electronics and Information Technology has ordered removal of all such inflammatory content from the Internet. The move comes after the Home Ministry forwarded a J&K request to the DEIT seeking immediate ban on the alleged blasphemous content.

Mamata will have to think about continuing in UPA

unhappy, dissatisfied and surprised at the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs to hike the price of diesel by Rs. 5 and restrict the number of cylinders of cooking gas to six per household per year, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said here on Thursday that the party would have to now consider whether to continue supporting the Congress-led government at the Centre. deedi who had in a previous occasion threatened to pull out of the UPA government if there are any further hikes in the fuel prices, was quick to point out that if I withdraw support to the Centre other parties will fill in. Mamata said that she would take to the streets here on Saturday demanding an immediate rollback of the hike in prices. Her party had not been consulted on the matter even though it was in the ruling coalition.

US warships en route to Libya

Two US warships and a special unit of roughly 50 members of the Marine Corps are en route to Libya following Tuesday’s attack on the U.S. embassy compound in Benghazi. Following the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, and three other Americans, in that assault , reports here suggested that one destroyer, the USS Laboon, had moved to a position off the coast by Wednesday, and the USS McFaul was said to be is on its way to be stationed off the coast within days. Commenting broadly on U.S. ships in the area, said to be loaded with Tomahawk cruise missiles or Aegis-equipped. US officials are said to be investigating whether the violence was linked to an anti-Islamic video the trailer for which was posted on the Internet, the theory that the assault was a terrorist attack planned to coincide with the anniversary of 9/11 appeared to be gaining credence in official circles here.

Poonam Pandey to leave Twitter

So, here is the heart breaking news for all you Poonam Pandey fans. Miss Pandey will not upload any of her pictures, videos over Twitter anymore. Her heart thumping statement is a warning to the micro-blogging website as the Mumbai girl now wants a verified account.   The Twitter queen, who claimed to go sans cloth if Indian cricket team won World Cup, reveals that there are over 700 fake accounts that keep on posting her pictures and pretend to be Poonam Pandey. Poonam Pandey tweeted, "More than 700 FAKE Twitter profiles with my Name and Pix.. unless my account is VERIFIED wont Post any PIX, Videos(sic)."  

Aseem debate on sedition charge

Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi thanked the media for supporting him. To a question on his cartoons, he said that he was surprised when they are referred to as this type of cartoons. Even a child can understand that it resulted from a sense of patriotism. They were made to make people understand what is happening in the country. Trivedi batted for a greater role for art which, he said, mirrored society. Later, at a meet organised by the Press Club, Mumbai, the cartoonist advocated more freedom in art and literature.  The cartoonist denied insulting the national honour. He said he had decided to accept the bail after assurances from the Home Department and the High Court order on his release. Dr. Sen refused to give his opinion on Trivedi’s cartoons. The rights activist appealed to everyone to join the cause of sending a petition to Parliament with one million signatures seeking the abolition of the Act. India Against Corruption coordinator Mayank Gandhi termed Trivedi’s release his personal victory and the victory of the media and democracy. But he was apprehensive of Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil’s promise of withdrawing the sedition charge against the cartoonist.

Centre will back Metro rail projects

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the government has decided to support preparation of Detailed Project Reports for Metro rail in all 19 cities with a population of over two million. Laying the foundation for the Rs 5,181 crore Kochi Metro project here, Dr. Singh said DPRs had already been prepared for 12 cities and Metro rail projects were being implemented in seven cities, covering a total network of length 476 km at a cost of over Rs 1.15 lakh crore. The Delhi Metro is carrying about 22 lakh people daily, he said. Pointing out that an efficient transport system was a service that was ‘critical’ to the orderly growth and development of cities, Dr. Singh said Metro rail was just one component of such a transport system. These include support to Metro rail projects, Bus Rapid Transit Systems and sanction of city buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

Kandahar hijack suspect held in J&K

Jammu and Kashmir Police has arrested a top militant who is suspected to have provided logistical support to hijackers of IC-814 in 1999 and was operating for the last 25 years in the state. Mehrajuddin alias Javed, a close associate of United Jihad Council (UJC) chief Syed Salahuddin and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested during an operation in Kishtwar forest belt. His name had figured in the IC-814 hijack case as he had provided logistic support for hijacking of the Indian aircraft to Kandahar from Nepal, the officer said. The Indian Airlines plane, with mainly Indians passengers, had taken off from Nepal on December 24, 1999 and just as it entered Indian airspace, the militants hijacked it to Kandahar in Afghanistan. The hijackers also killed one passenger. The hijacking ended when the Indian government released three terrorists including Maulana Masood Azhar and Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh for the safe return of the passengers. Mehrajuddin was one of the first five militants including Salahuddin who crossed over into PoK in 1987 to get arms training. He belongs to militancy affected Sopore town of north Kashmir and was a member of UJC, an umbrella group of several militant outfits.

Protesters take to sea at Kudankulam

Stepping up their protest against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, anti-nuclear activists on Thursday stood in sea waters forming a human chain off nearby Indinthakarai coast. Taking a leaf from ‘Jal Satyagraha’ activists in Madhya Pradesh, the activists of People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy stood in the waters close to the shores in a new turn to their year-long protests. Police, whose presence has been strengthened in and around the sea shores with additional forces, have beefed up security along the coast to prevent any untoward incident during the day-long protest. The agitators have put forward four demands — stoppage of the process of fuel loading in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, drop the plan to arrest anti-nuclear movement leaders, adequate compensation for those who suffered losses and release of those already taken into custody. The new form of protest came even as the whereabouts of PMANE leader S P Udayakumar remained unknown after he did somersault on his offer to surrender before police after the protest turned violent that led to police firing claiming the life of one fisherman in Tuticorin district on Monday.

Lokesh to take Charge

TDP Chief Chandrababu is planning to go ahead with his proposed Paada Yatra next month and the buzz is that Lokesh will be handling the steering of the party then. But the young scion has said that he is not interested in any posts or ticket for now. 'I want to continue as a normal cadre for the party and will do it irrespective of the stuff I get offered', replied Lokesh, when media asked him if he is ready to contest in 2014 polls.     'For Congress, only TDP is the right opponent and only we have the power to collide with them. All others are same and no sooner they will merge their parties with Congress like PRP. 2014 belongs to TDP, we'll come back to power and our leader's paada yaatra will do the needful', the young leader said. He ruled out to talk about any other party in the state though he is in politics from long time.

Suspended Cop Kidnaps SP

A Superintendent of Police attached to the Police Transport Organisation (PTO) who was held captive by a suspended head-constable in Saifabad area of Hyderabad was freed after a five hours. The SP, Lakshmi Narayana was taken hostage by head-constable, identified as Giriprasad Sarma, who threatened to set fire to the room, if any attempts were made to free him. Seeking disciplinary action against Lakshminarayana, Sarma blamed the SP and other senior police officials of PTO of harassing him and suspending him. The head constable was suspended six months ago for irregularities and he even went to the Lokayukta for his reinstatement, but his plea was rejected.  

Death toll in Pak factory fire rises

At least 60 people have been killed in a fire that raged in a garment factory in the southern city of Karachi, bringing the death toll in two deadly fires in the country to 85. 60 bodies had been taken to the hospital. He said many were so badly burned that it was impossible to tell whether they were male or female. The fire in Karachi, Pakistan’s economic heart, was one of two deadly blazes to erupt in Pakistan late Tuesday. The other at a shoe factory in the eastern city of Lahore killed 25 people.

10 killed in Russian plane crash

Ten people died and four were seriously injured when a plane crashed on Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia. A 4-year-old girl was among the dead, the Interfax news agency reported, citing the ministry of civil defence. The Antonov An-28 went down near the village of Palanka. The propeller plane had 12 passengers and two crew on board. It took off from the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Situation under control in Kudankulam

Situation in Tamil Nadu’s Idinthakarai village, the movement against the Kudankulam nuclear project, was under control after three days of protests. The fast at Idinthakarai village in Tirunelveli, against the Kudankulam nuclear power project, is still on, he said. On Tuesday night, protest leaders went missing after their abduction by local fishermen. Leaders of People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy were abducted by fishermen to prevent them from surrendering to police.  However, in a dramatic turn of events, fishermen took away  Udayakumar and Pushparayan in a boat. Their current whereabouts were not known. 65 people have been arrested over the last two days, following the violence and over the Kundankulam project. Long movement against the Kudankulam nuclear power project had turned violent Monday, leaving one agitator dead in police firing in Tuticorin district and several injured. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister  Jayalalithaa had justified the police action. She also announced compensation of Rs.5 lakh to the kin of the protester killed.

His hand was removed with axe when he asked for salary

In a shocking case, a labourer's hand was chopped in Garhwa district of Jharkhand allegedly after he asked his employers for his salary. The incident happened on Sunday. The proprietors who run an illegal alcohol making unit, punished labourer Aliyaar when he demanded his three month's pending wages to feed his family. He is being treated at Ranchi's Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences and may not be able to work for life. The state government's indifference came to light when Chief Minister Arjun Munda said his state has the lowest crime rate as he was asked about this incident.

Narendra Modi's election campaign kicks off on Advani's rath today

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will begin his month-long yatra from the religious town of Becharaji in north Gujarat today, which will cover major parts of the state. Interestingly, the name of Modi's yatra is Vivekananda Yuva Vikas Yatra, which will begin on the day when spiritual leader Swami Vivekanada made his historic speech at the Chicago Conference of World Religions, 150 years ago. Billed as a beginning of his electoral campaign, the rath yatra will cover all the districts of the state. Interestingly, Modi will move in the same rath which was used by senior party leader LK Advani during last year's jan chetna yatra. Modi is seen as a favourite to win yet another election, but this time around he faces numerous issues including the emergence of Gujarat Parivartan Party, led by former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, and also the huge response to Congresses free housing scheme for women which seem to have rattled the chief minister. Last time Modi undertook a similar exercise was in 2002 when he took out his Gaurav Rath Yatra, ahead of the Assembly polls and after his resounding victory in the post-Godhra riots case. He returned to power with a thumping majority.