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What is PNR Status Inquiry?

A passenger name record (PNR) is nothing but a record in the database of a computer reservation system (CRS) that contains the itinerary for a passenger, or a group of passengers traveling together. When a passenger books an itinerary, the travel agent or travel website user will create a PNR in the computer reservation system it uses. Earlier, PNR status was either found at the station enquiry counter or on the phone whereas now, one can check his/her railway PNR status online on the Indian Railways' website. All one needs to do to check his/her PNR status is to enter their 10 digits unique PNR number printed on ther train ticket. This number is on the top left corner of the ticket. And through this facility, one can check the PNR number for any train in India to confirm their railway reservation PNR status. To check your PNR status, Visit: http://www.indianrail.gov.in/pnr_Enq.html Source:IndiaToday.

Jayalalitha Going Green at 64

Tamil Nadu chief minister selvi J Jayalalitha is turning 64 today and wants to celebrate her birthday in a unique manner by going green way. She has asked her partymen not to have any ostentatious celebrations on this occasion. Instead she has launched a massive afforestation programme. Sixty four lakh saplings would be planted across the state to increase the state's green cover from 21 per cent to 30 per cent. Indigenous species have been chosen for this and two lakh saplings are to be planted in each district. We too wish her many many happy returns of the day and all success in her green endeavours.  

Gelatin Blast in Hyderabad

Gelatin blast in Hyderabad: Around 12 noon on  Thursday, a high intensity explosion took place in VDO Coloney, Miyapur in Hyderabad. The blast was so severe that the window panes of three adjacent apartments have been damaged. No one is reported to have injured in the blast. Locals say that all of a sudden, they heard huge sound of a blast originating from a garbage bin located in an open place amidst the apartments. The sound was so loud that it was even heard by people 2-3 kms away. Immediately the locals informed the police, which arrived on the spot and are investigating. the exact cause of expllosion is not yet been confirmed. Locals told that some time ago pipeline works have taken place in the coloney and gelatin sticks were used for blasting a rock that was blocking the pipeline. They say, the workers might have carelessly thrown some gelatin sticks in the garbage bin and somehow they exploded today.      

AP Bypolls: BJP in Quandary to Field Candidates

The Bharatiya Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh is into a quandary to field candidates for the 18 March bypolls in the state. The party is still in dilemma whether to contest the by-elections or not as majority of seats fall in politically sensitive Telangana region. Of the seven seats, the party has so far decided to field candidates only in Mahabubnagar and Kovur. The bypolls in six out of seven constituencies in Telangana region are necessitated following resignation of the sitting MLAs in support of separate statehood demand and death of Mahabubnagar MLA. Except Kovur, all other seats -- Mahabubnagar, Kollapur, Nagarkurnool, Station Ghanpur, Adilabad and Kamareddy -- fall in Telangana region which has often witnessed turmoil over separate statehood. If BJP, which is also a member of Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TJAC) along with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), fields its candidates in Telangana region, it would be accused of splitting pro-Telangana votes. If it chooses not to contest, then will lose the only opportunity it has for consolidating the party position for 2014 elections. On the other hand, TRS has already announced its candidates for all the six constituencies and also enjoys the support of JAC. Now the BJP has to decide whether to sail along with the fading out TJAC or to face the ensuing elections on its own, opine the political observers.

TNGOs in Confusion Over Proposed Strike

The TNGOs association that has served notice on 10 February to the government of its proposed strike demanding fulfillment of the promises made to the employees while calling off their Sakala Janula Samme. Now the Telangana NGOs are caught in confusion whether to go ahead with the proposed agitational programme or wait till the bypolls in the region are completed. With the election model code in place for the March 18 bypolls, government employees are barred from taking part in any agitation. "As per the code of conduct, the employees should not participate in any protest or agitation against the government. It would be viewed as unconstitutional and the State Election Commission (SEC) can take action against the erring staff," said sources. Fearing the SEC wrath, the leaders called off their plan to hold lunch-hour protests on Tuesday. "Most of our association members are teachers and class IV employees. If the SEC recommends action for violating the model code, the state government is obliged to take action against the staff," pointed out a senior leader of TNGO's Joint Action Committee. Though some of the employees are firm on going ahead with the proposed agitation, leaders are cautioning against any hasty action.  

Treasure Trove in Hyderabad: Real or a Concocted Story?

The news about a treasure trove worth of crores of rupees is located in the premises of Vidyaranya School situated opposite AP Secretariat in Hyderabad is creating a lot of sensation for the past four days. It all began with one Mr. Sitarama Raju approaching the state archaeological officials, over an year ago. For reasons unknown, the authorities kept quite on the information all these days and started exploring the site now. The excavations that started on Saturday to trace the treasure have so far not yielded any indications that there exists a tunnel in which, according to Sitarama Raju, he spotted the treasure. After digging here and there for three days, the state archaeology officials expressed their inability in tracing the trove and sought help of experts from the National Minieral Development Corporation (NMDC). The experts of NMDC on Tuesday began a preliminary survey in the premises of Vidyaranya School that allegedly houses a hidden tunnel having a treasure trove. The area is being mapped and preliminary work may go on for two or three days, an NMDC official said. The site has been made off limits for curious passersby and a posse of policemen deployed as a precautionary measure to keep off potential jewel thieves. Currently, Archeology, Revenue and Police department have taken up the responsibility of safety and security of the site. The premises, Vidyaranya School belongs to the erstwhile Wanaparthi Samsthan of Mahboobnagar district. Senior citizens, who know well about the Sansthan say that the possibility of a treasure lying in the premises can not be ruled out. People also expressed doubts on the integrity of the officials of archaeology department. They ask, why the authorities have been keeping quite for over an year and now started exploring. Some even say that there might be some nexus between the treasures finders, Sitarama Raju and another person, a mason and the officials. After reaching to an understanding, now the work of exploration has been taken up, they say. However, P Anuradha Reddy, INTACH, Hyderabad convenor and a descendant of the Wanaparthi Samsthan which owns the property, says that she doesn't believe that there is any treasure hidden in the premises. She said that she had had a talk with D Sitarama Raju, one of the petitioners who approached the Archeology department seeking an excavation at the site. "He claims to have seen the treasure a year ago and that he has come out with a petition now in national interest. Didn’t he realise it was in national interest a year ago?," she wondered. According to her, Sitarama Raju had visited the school a year ago as a parent and tried his best to find the treasure. "He himself told me that he had used a gas cutter to open a steel Alwyn almirah in the tunnel," she explained. Affirming her doubts, city-based historian Sajjad Shahid. "There is little evidence in history to show that a treasure was hidden underneath Naubat Pahad. Moreover, Alwyn almirahs were not in existence prior to 1930."                  

Mud and happiness in Brazil Carnival

The most beautiful part of the celebration of Carnival is the preservation of popular culture. In the city of Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, a carnival party is celebrating over 45 years. It’s the party “Os Cão” (in English “the Cão” in the sense of the devil). “Os Cão” is the name given to people attending this party. This festival is always held on Tuesdays carnival brings together thousands of people including children, adults and old people, the purest joy and relaxation, immersed in the mud of the swamp Redinha the beach and out making a big joke. This mud, they say, is very good for the skin … Once everyone is totally covered with mud, leaving behind the orchestra of metal through the streets of the neighborhood by dragging the crowds. Even the King of Carnival in our city came into the game and took a mud bath! It is the cutural tradition being kept! Source: sacbee.com   Brazil Carnival 2012 Photos

RTI Commissioners' Appoitments: Guv Sends Back File

The RTI Commissioners' appointment file, which was kept in abeyance by the AP Governor ESL Narasimhan for the past one week, has come back to the government on Tuesday. It is reported that the Governor is unhappy with the way government has made the appointments and rejected them. The Governor was flooded with representations from various sections of the civil society, including Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey, requesting him to cancel the appointments. In fact, the commission has been without commissioners for the last 15 months. And when the Kiran Kumar Reddy government finally filled up eight posts, that too after being reprimanded by the High Court, it came as a shock to many activists. It is said that four of the commissioners are Congress leaders and the others include two retired IPS officers, a retired IFS officer and a senior journalist. The governor has asked the government to reconsider the appointments as per the fixed guidelines for the appointment of RTI commissioners.  

Jagan Assets Case: Vijaya Sai Reddy Custody Extended

The CBI Special Court in Nampally on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy aide Vijay Sai Reddy till 5 March. He is also is the vice-president of Jagati Publications Private Ltd (JPPL) owned by Jagan and was arrested last month. The CBI produced him before a court dealing with the CBI cases as his judicial custody ended Tuesday. Following the court's order, he was taken back to Chanchalguda Central Jail. The court adjourned hearing on his bail petition to March 5. Vijay Sai is the only man arrested since August last year when CBI booked Jagan and 72 others on the direction of the Andhra Pradesh high court. The MP from Kadapa is facing the allegation of conspiring with his late father and then chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to roll out public assets in the form of mining licenses, special economic zones, ports and real estate permissions to unscrupulous investors who pumped in money into his companies on a quid-pro-quo basis.  

Andaman Jarawa Tribes Video: Constable Arrested

The Andaman and Nicobar police have arrested the Constable, who has allegedly made the Jarawa tribal women dance nakedly in exchange for food. Some time ago, a video clipping depicting some naked Andaman Jarawa tribal women dancing before the foreign tourists, as part of a 'human safari'. It was also shown, purportedly a policeman, who was not in the frame, throwing food packets at the dancing women and telling them to dance. Now that constable has been identified and arrested. The investigation has finally led to the constable after he was identified by the five Jarawa women who were filmed dancing. It is illegal to take photographs or videos of the members of the tribe. The constable has been arrested for allegedly asking the Jarawa natives to dance for foreign tourists and filming them.

Aakash-2 Also Priced at Rs 2450: Kapil Sibal

The Union Human Resources and IT Minister Kapil Sibal said that the improved version Aakash-2 Tablet PC is priced at Rs. 2450/- only, contrary to the general belief that the improvised version Aakash 2 tablet would get costlier than its predecessor. According to reports, while the Aakash 2 will go few notches higher, as far as the specifications go, it will still be priced at $49. The minister, Kapil Sibal claims that it will still be priced at Rs.2,450 ($49), i.e. on similar lines as its predecessor. The tablet will be of an Indian make completely, very soon, too. The report further reveals that the makers of the Aakash tablet - Canada-based, Datawind will not be a part of the making on the Aakash 2 tablet, and that the government has roped in C-DAC and ITI, instead. Quoting Sibal, the report stated, "There have been some problem with Datawind I must confess. Therefore, I have got into the act. IT Ministry has got C-DAC and ITI into the act and I am going to ensure that this product is fully indigenous and truly an Indian product." Sibal further stated that the current year should see the launch of the upgraded version of the Aakash tablet, and that the project was riddled with several roadblocks. "There have been some hiccups in the way. Remember when you do a project of this nature and when your dream is as big as this, things are never that smooth", he was quoted as saying by this report. The tablet, ever since its grand launch has seen get into several controversies, many of which came from the fact that it was found to have several defects. Several controversies also cropped up when IIT-Rajasthan and Datawind had their differences come out in the open, and they showed just how incompatible they were, as far as specifications of the tablet went. While IIT-Rajasthan sought more military-styled specifications for the Aakash 2 tablet, Datawind decided to stay content with basic specifications. Now, however, things seem to be looking up and running for the Aakash 2 tablet, albeit with newer faces onboard. Only time will tell, if the upgraded tablet comes to the fore, this year.

Treasure Hunt Opposite AP Secretariat Continues

Though there is no concrete basis to confirm that there is any treasure hidden at all, the treasure hunt at Vidyaranya School ooposite to state secretariat is being continued for the third day. A new dimension is added to the hunt with sudden appearance of state tourism minister Vatti Vasantha Kumar at the site. The minister was on the spot giving directions to officials, as early as 9 AM on Monday morning. He is said to have advised the Archeology department to take help from the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) in tracing the elusive jewels, pointing out that it could bring in its technological expertise to make the work easier. With the excavation likely to take longer than expected, he also directed the officials to ensure that their activities do not disturb the school which reopens tomorrow. The school has a strength of around 1,000 students and the excavation is going on at the far end of its playground. Following the minister’s directives, the Archeology department contacted the NMDC and by afternoon, a team from the corporation arrived on the spot. They had lengthy discussions with the Archeology as well as revenue officials but refused to speak to the media. However, in an informal chat, they did drop enough hints that their equipment would be able to detect a tunnel or staircase made only of metal. Nonetheless, the officials expect the NMDC to chip in with its scanning and tracking equipment. It was decided that the work would begin at 9 a.m and end by 5 p.m. every day. The workers have so far levelled the ground at the Birla Mandir Hill or Naubat Pahad and it appears they will now manually dig up to reach the tunnel which is said to be underground.  

TRS is in Trouble For Selection of Mahboobnagar Candidate

Telangana Rashtrea Samithi (TRS) is in for trouble for selecting an ousider Ibrahim as its candidate for the ensuing Mahboobnagar assembly constituency bypoll. Though TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao himself is the incumbent MP from Mahboobnagar, it may not be a cakawalk for the TRS to win the assembly seat in the upcoming March 18 by-election. The TRS has named Syed Ibrahim as its candidate for the high-profile bypoll much to the chagrin of local party cadre even as Congress and TDP look to do everything they can to win the coveted seat. The TDP's candidate for the seat is former minister K Chandra Sekhar. And, the Congress, even though undecided on its candidate, has at least a dozen aspirants expressing their wish to fight the bypoll. The Mahbubnagar Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of independent candidate Rajeshwar Reddy last year. Although the name of Vijayalakshmi, spouse of the deceased Congress associate member, is doing the rounds, District Congress Committee president Muthyala Prakash and former municipal chairman Obeidullah Kotwal are fancying their chances. The TRS candidate is considered an 'outsider' as he hails from Shadnagar and that perception could work against the party which is leaving no stone unturned to project the coming verdict as a vote for a separate Telangana sentiment. Sources said that TRS wants to cash in on the minority vote and, hence, the ticket to Ibrahim. Political leaders, who have recently switched over to TRS from parties like the Congress and TDP, are unhappy over Ibrahim's choice. "The party leadership has neglected us and given the ticket to Ibrahim, an outsider. The party has forgotten our sacrifices and named Ibrahim without taking the local leaders and its cadre into confidence," lamented a senior TRS leader who did not want to be identified. Imtiyaz Ishaq, a local minority community heavyweight who recently switched over to TRS from Congress along with former Congress minister Jupalli Krishna Rao, was a strong contender for the seat as was Srinivas Goud. Some of the disgruntled TRS leaders have openly declared that they would not campaign for Ibrahim. "TRS is in for a big trouble were the party cadre to boycott canvassing for Ibrahim," remarked a political observer.  

India Vs Sri Lanka Brisbane ODI: Latest Score

India vs Sri Lanka latest score: At 11 AM Tuesday - Brisbane ODI - Sri Lanka scored 124 for loss of 3 wickets in 27.1 overs. Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and elected to bat. So far SL lost three wickets - Jayawardene, Dilshan and Sangakkara. Kumar Sangakkara left cheaply after scoring 8. Umesh Yadav dropped one short of a length on which Sangakkara pounced and pulled towards deep backward square leg where Tendulkar took a neat catch to end his innings. There have been some changes made in the Indian team order, whereas there is no change on Sri Lanka part. Indian regular skipper MS Dhoni is out serving a one-match ban for slow over-rate, while Zaheer Khan and Rohit Sharma have been dropped for the game. Fit-again opener Virender Sehwag would be India's stand-in skipper, while wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel and off-spinner R Ashwin have been included in the playing XI. Three points separate India (10) from Sri Lanka (7) and the latter would be trying their best to overtake their bigger neighbours in a battle of the subcontinent. Today's participating teams are as follows: India: Virender Sehwag (c), Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Parthiv Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Vinay Kumar and Umesh Yadav Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (c), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thiramanne, Thisara Perera, Angelo Matthews, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Fervez Maharoof and Rangana Herath.  

Amar Singh Injured as Chopper Makes Emergency Landing

Former Samajwadi Party leader and Rashtriya Lok Manch founder Amar Singh is reportedly injured when his chopper was making an emergency landing. Mr. Singh, who was on a campaign trail for his newly founded RLM party, got himself injured after he jumped out of a helicopter while it was making an emergency landing at Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh. Amar Singh is the one who had played a key role in ensuring Samajwadi Party's support to the UPA government at the Centre in 2008, which had helped the ruling coalition survive a crucial trust vote in the Parliament. He is also facing the CBI's cash-for-vote charges and is on bail as of now.

Jagan Assets Case: CBI to Examine YSR, Jagan Phone Calls

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), that is investigating into YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's illegal assets case, has decided to examine all the phone calls made and received by him and and his father YS Rajasekhar Reddy from the year 2004 to 2009. Reports said that the agency has asked a service provider, for particulars of the calls made by these two from 3 telephones. CBI is seriously engaged in the Jagan case now and is trying to understand the kind of favors doled out to industrialists by YSR and the benefits received by Jagan, in return. The effort is to connect the investors of Jagan’s companies to YSR by listing out how many calls they made TO YSR when he was the Chief Minister and the timing of the calls, to find out if they coincide with the time of investment. When the CBI gets this list from the service provider, there would be further progress in the case as these phone calls would directly connect the favors doled out by YSR to the favors received by Jagan.  

Major Fire in Medchal Slum Area: 7 Dead

A major fire broke out in a slum area in Gundlapochampalli of Medchal mandal in Rangareddy district on Saturday. So far seven people are reportedly dead and many others injured. Out of the seven dead, four are children and three are aged persons. Preliminary investigations though point out towards exploding of LPG cylinder as the cause of fire, possibility of sabotage can not be ruled out, say the sources. Nearly 100 huts are reporterdly gutted in the fire. These hutments belong to the labourers who have come from Medak and Mahboobnagar districts in search of livelihood. They have raised these huts in an open area and living in them for some time now. It is said that some local people are threatening them to vacate the open land they have occupied. The incident today happened when all of them left for work leaving behind children and old people. It is suspected that the miscreants might have set fire to the huts and the LPG cylinders might have exploded. The chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy expressed shock over the incident and ordered the RR district collector to provide adequate relief to the victims. Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy, who hails from the same district, immediately reached the spot and monitored the relief activities. The local political leaders and social organizations have demanded for immediate relief and adequate compensation to the victims. They also demanded for a thorough probe and severe punishment for the culprits, in case the huts were delibrately set on fire.  

Naidu Opposes NCTC: Writes to Prime Minister

The Telugu Desam Party supremo Chandrababu Naidu is strongly opposed to the vesting of innumerable powers to the newly constituted National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC). He said, the government's move on the anti-terror body is a blatant show of 'authoritarianism'. The Union Home Ministry's order vesting "all- encompassing and sweeping powers" in the NCTC, undoubtedly, smacks of authoritarianism and is against the spirit of co-operative federalism enunciated in the Constitution," said Mr. Naidu. In his letter to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the TDP president said "It is quite inexplicable that such an important order, having ramifications over Centre-State relations, has been issued without consulting the State Governments and the political parties," he said. Maintaining that TDP always stood for "co-operative federalism", the former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister requested Singh to direct the Union Home Ministry to rescind the order forthwith and initiate a debate on the NCTC issue with political parties and States besides in Parliament.

ACB Speeds up Liquor Syndicates Probe: Forms SIT

Continuing its raids on the liquor syndicates in Andhra Pradesh, the state Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) has constituted a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to speed up probe in to the activities of liquor mafia. The process of formation of SIT is in progress and will soon begin its probe. The SIT will further speed up investigation into the alleged illegal activities of liquor syndicates, including sale of liquor above MRP. ACB has been conducting raids in different districts across the state since December last year after "exposing" the liquor syndicate-political-officials nexus, with the arrest of a liquor syndicate leader, who, allegedly confessed that he paid Rs 10 lakh to State Excise Minister Mopivedi Venkat Ramana and 'mamools' (bribe) was also paid two MLAs. The accused Nunna Venkata Ramana, who was arrested by the ACB on February 3 alleged that during last year, an amount of Rs 8.75 lakh was collected by Excise officials, Rs 3.95 lakh by various ranks of officials in Police Department, Rs 2.6 lakh by journalists and an amount of Rs 30.15 lakh was collected by politicians of various political parties in Khammam and Warangal districts. According to the ACB remand report, Nunna, who runs 29 wine shops, is a liquor syndicate leader, with influence over 80 wine shops in Khammam and Warangal and he used to dictate about the "mamools" (bribes) to be paid to different persons, including political leaders besides excise and police officials. The syndicates were formed towards seeking favours by way of not taking any action mandated under the Excise Act for commission of violations of excise laws, sale of liquor over and above MRP rates, cheap liquor, operation of illegal belt shops and sale of liquor for consumption without license, the remand report said.