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Mansha Mahajan

12 Jul 2017,Wednesday

Billionaire Poonawalla buys Gandhi art, letters for ?27 lakh

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indian-vaccine-billionaire-buys-rare-gandhi-portrait-handwritten-letters-for-rs-27-lakh-at-auction/story-Ur6se0ZaoVKUuPVGHgOGWI.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

A rare 1931 pencil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi and collection of his handwritten letters, that were auctioned, have been bought by Cyrus Poonawalla, popularly known as the 'vaccine billionaire'. Poonawalla, who founded the Serum Institute of India in 1966, bought the works for £32,500 (?27 lakh). Poonawalla said he wanted to bring the historic and rare works back to India.

A rare 1931 pencil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi and a collection of his handwritten letters that went under the hammer at the Sothebys auction here on Tuesday have been bought by noted Indian businessman Cyrus Poonawalla, popularly known as the ?vaccine billionaire?.Poonawalla founded the Serum Institute of India in 1966, today one of the world?s largest vaccine makers by volume, producing 1.3 billion doses annually. Poonawalla bought the lot for 32,500 pounds (nearly Rs 27 lakh) saying he wanted to bring the historic and rare work back to India.?I am absolutely delighted to have acquired this beautiful signed image and to have the opportunity to bring a work of such historical value back to India. ?Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most respected and revered figures in the world and considered to be the father of our nation, and so to have such a rare and intimate depiction of him at work, and signed by the great man himself, is an incredible honour and an absolute pleasure,? Poonawalla said in a statement. The pencil portrait was drawn by artist John Henry Amshewitz. It features Gandhi focused on writing something and is inscribed with the words ?Truth is God/MK Gandhi/4.12.?31.? ?Gandhi usually refused to sit for formal photographs, let alone a portrait, making this an extremely rare portrayal of the political leader at work,? Sotheby?s said in a statement. Poonawalla has also bought a collection of Gandhi?s handwritten letters addressed to Sarat Chandra Bose and his family.

Sumedha Sehra

23 Jul 2017,Sunday

Bihar class 10 student's marks up from 0 to 94 after recheck

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bihar-mathematic-board-result-madhyamik-shikshak-sangh-class-10-re-evaluation/1/1008629.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

A class 10 student from Bihar, who got 0 in Maths, got 94 in the same paper after the updated results were announced. Another student's Sanskrit marks increased from 0 to 40, while another one got his marks upgraded from 12 to 61. The state Board had got the papers rechecked after over 50% failed this year.

The Bihar Board faced massive embarrassment after more than 50 per cent of class 10 students failed in the examination this year. Hundreds of angry students blamed the evaluation system put in place this year where they alleged that incompetent examiners evaluated the answer sheets. It was also reported that primary school teachers were assigned the task of evaluating answer sheets of Class 10 subjects of which they had no clue.Under pressure after a disastrous performance of candidates, the board then began the process of re-evaluating the answer sheets, the results of which is now declared. What has now been highlighted is the rot prevailing in the Bihar Board. A candidate who scored zero in Math has now secured 94 after re-evaluation. India Today is in possession of the mark sheets of many students who had applied for scrutiny of their papers at the BSS college in Begusarai which was the one of the examination centre. There are not one but more than dozen of candidates whose marks have shots up unexpectedly after re-evaluation. More mix-up was found in subjects like Maths, Science, Hindi and Sanskrit after scrutiny. One of the students who scored zero in Sanskrit has now scores 40 after scrutiny. Another student who got 12 marks in the same subject, had his marks has shoot up to 61.The Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh has now slammed the Bihar Board asserting that the re-evaluation results reveal that initially answers sheets were evaluated by inexpert examiners."I demand a detailed investigation into this mess in the Bihar Board. I believe a judicial inquiry into this is needed", said Shatrughan Prasad Singh, General Secretary of Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh.It is notable that in this year's Class 10th exams of the total 1723911 students who appeared for the examination, only 863950 had passed the examinations.ALSO READ:Toppers scam effect: 64 per cent students fail in class 12 Bihar board examsBihar Board Class 10 results declared, physical verification of toppers done to avoid goof-ups

Sumedha Sehra

02 Aug 2017,Wednesday

What gifts did PM Narendra Modi take home this year?

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gifts-modi-received-in-2017-sekonda-watch-mont-blanc-pen-carved-sculpture/story-sY4Eoxswa0JjcN9310PamK.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

PM Narendra Modi took a wristwatch by British company Sekonda and a decorative porcelain from the external affairs ministry's repository this year. All gifts received by ministers and officials have to be deposited at the repository, called toshakhana. However, a recipient can take home gifts valued under ?5,000.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his fans and followers say, is a tireless man, working deep into the night without keeping track of time.But from among numerous gifts Modi received during foreign trips this year, he took home a wristwatch manufactured by British company Sekonda, besides a couple of smaller items, according to official documents.Ministers and officials have to deposit all gifts at the toshakhana, the official repository of the external affairs ministry.Any gift valued less than Rs 5000 can be kept by the recipient. For gifts above Rs 5000, they have to pay the additional amount, said an official of the toshakhana who is from the Central Board of Customs and Excise.The watch, entered as a Sekonda ?House of Commons? wristwatch, was valued at Rs 3,500. Besides the watch, the PM also took a decorative porcelain valued at Rs 1000. Among the gifts received by Modi between January and March are a model of the fabled Sha?bi housing model of the United Arab Emirates, a decorative sculpture with Argillite carving and a Mont Blanc ballpoint pen.These six gift items among the 83 latest entries at the toshakhana.The Mont Blanc pen is valued at Rs 2500 and is kept at the toshakhana. Also deposited at the repository is the model of Emirati National House, valued at Rs 4500 and a the decorative sculpture with Argillite carving, valued at Rs 2000. Argillite carvings are a sculptural tradition in the northwest coast of North America. It first became a widespread art form from the early 19th century. The toshakhana, however, doesn?t reveal the source of gifts on the ground that such disclosure is not in the interest of the bilateral relationships with countries.Officials said ministers and officials rarely take home very expensive gifts home. According to the records at the toshakhana, in the past Modi took two dinner sets worth Rs 10,000 and a carpet worth Rs 15000, after paying the excess amounts.A report said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took 101 items from the numerous gifts he received during his 10 years in office.These gifts include an ornamental silver elephant embedded with semi-precious stones, 10 paintings, a Bose sound system and a gold-plated Piaget ladies wrist watch. And out of these, only seven are valued above Rs 5,000.

Tarun Khanna

19 Apr 2017,Wednesday

Modi conspired against Advani: Lalu on Babri Masjid case

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/lk-advani-babri-masjid-demolition-verdict/1/932590.html

As the Supreme Court allowed restoration of conspiracy charges against BJP leader LK Advani in Babri Masjid case, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav alleged PM Narendra Modi has conspired against Advani. "There were rumours that Advani would become President. The CBI is in PM's hands and it said in the court the case against Advani should take place," he added.

The Supreme Court's revival of the conspiracy charge against BJP veteran LK Advani in the Babri Masjid demolition case is itself a conspiracy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the BJP veteran from the Presidential race, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad said today. "The CBI is in the hands of the Prime Minister, and the CBI today said in court that the case of conspiracy should take place against Advani in the Babri case. Advani was tipped to become President this time. The PM has clipped Advani's chances of becoming the President. Anyone can understand that it is a political conspiracy of the Modi government to eliminate Advani from the race," Lalu said in Patna. The Presidential elections are due by July this year. Though the BJP has not announced any candidate yet, there are rumours of Advani, 89, as one of the front-runners. The RJD chief further said the conspiracy against Advani has been hatched despite him supporting Narendra Modi in the aftermath of the 2002 Gujarat riots. "Advani supported Modi during the Gujarat riots. (The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari) Vajpayee asked Modi to follow the Raj Dharma, but Advani saved Modi," the Bihar leader said. Earlier today, the Supreme Court ruled Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, Union Minister Uma Bharti, and others in the BJP and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad must face the conspiracy charge in the 1992 demolition case. 

Arshiya Chopra

22 Jul 2017,Saturday

RBI?refuses to deposit ?200 cr in old notes from Maharashtra

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/rbi-refuses-to-deposit-maharashtra-cooperative-banks-rs200-crore-in-old-notes/story-eehl1kjKBJiwv13ih3UM2O.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

RBI has refused to deposit cash of over ?200 crore in old notes from 31 district central cooperative banks in Maharashtra. RBI argued that the cooperative banks collected the notes after they were demonetised, but the banks claim they were collected before. The banks have decided to move court seeking direction to the RBI to accept the scrapped currency.

Even as the window to deposit scrapped notes in the Reserve Bank of India closed on Thursday, 31 district central cooperative banks (DCCBs) in Maharashtra were still left with around Rs200 crore in old currency. The RBI?argued that the banks collected these notes after they were demonetised on November 8 last year. The banks have decided to move court against the RBI?s decision. On June 22, the Union finance ministry issued a notification, allowing DCCBs to deposit demonetised notes of Rs500 and Rs1000 in the RBI in next four weeks. At the time, these 31 DCCBs had Rs2,771.86 crore in banned notes. Cooperative banks in Pune and Nashik are left with Rs22.25 crore and Rs23 crore in scrapped notes, while Kolhapur has Rs25.27 crore. The RBI?also turned away banks in Ahmednagar (Rs11.68crore), Nagpur (Rs5.02crore) and Sangali (Rs14.72 crore). ?We are yet to receive the total amount of the stock lying with other DCCBs, but it could be more than Rs200 crore. It is discriminatory that when the scheduled, centralized, urban banks were allowed to deposit their notes collected before demonetisation, only DCCBs were singled out. The stock with the DCCBs was verified by the National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development on various occasions and they had found nothing objectionable. We are considering to move court against the RBI,? said Swati Pande, chief executive officer, Maharashtra State Cooperative Banks Association. In case of some DCCBs, the RBI has found discrepancies in the records such as difference between their actual stock and the records. The DCCBs have been given token slips for the unaccepted notes. ?We have moved the Supreme Court, seeking direction to the RBI to accept scrapped notes. Our bank has 262 branches across Pune and it is unjust to not accept notes collected in the day of demonetisation,? said Ramesh Thorat, chairman of Pune District Cooperative Bank.READMumbai doctor among 6 caught with ?2.25 crore in scrapped notesJournalist among five arrested with ?1 crore in scrapped notes in Mumbai

Vaibhav Gupta

19 Dec 2016,Monday

Delhi: Man beaten after he blames PM for queues outside ATMs

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/delhi-man-beaten-after-blaming-pm-modi-for-queues-outside-atm/story-l9dIaXb8ktX7G2EeW8SL6J.html

A 45-year-old man was allegedly beaten with cricket stumps in Delhi's Jaitpur area after he blamed PM Narendra Modi for chaos outside ATMs post note ban, reports said. "A man started fighting with me and hit me in the head. I have received two stitches," the victim said. A case has been registered at Jaitpur police station, reports added.

A 45-year-old man was allegedly attacked with cricket stumps in southeast Delhi?s Jaitpur area after he blamed the Prime Minister for long queues outside ATMs.The victim, Lallan Singh Kushwaha, received head injuries for making comments against demonetisation while on his way to buy a television from a shop in Ismailpur.Kushwaha saw long queues outside a nearby ATM where people were reportedly jostling against others in a bid to get cash.Kushwaha, a painter, allegedly blamed PM Modi for the chaos and said people across the nation are suffering due to note ban. Suddenly one person Astik, who owns a grocery shop near the ATM, called Kushwaha and hit him in the head. ?Astik started fighting with me and hit me in the head. I have received two stitches,? Kushwaha said.?I didn?t know he will get infuriated over it. But he pounced over me and beat me up.? he added. Near the ATM, Astik caught hold of cricket stumps and hit Kushwaha in the head thrice. He was taken to a nearby hospital and later discharged.A case has been registered at Jaitpur police station, while the accused is still at large.The accused lives in Ismailpur of Jaitpur area and knew the victim well, police said.

Prashanti Moktan

23 Jul 2017,Sunday

H'wood actress Bella denies being the girl in viral sex tape

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bella-thorne-alleged-masturbation-video-viral-fake/1/1008308.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Hollywood actress Bella Thorne has clarified that she isn't the woman in a viral sex tape, which reportedly featured her masturbating, while tweeting, "You guys think this is real?" The video shows the girl saying, "I really need a father." Bella called it the video's worst part as it made fun of the fact that she lost her father.

A sex tape of The DUFF actress Bella Thorne is going viral on social media. The clip supposedly shows the 19-year-old masturbating in a car. However, the actress took to Twitter on Thursday to clarify that the video is fake.Twitteratti was disgusted with the video, particularly the portion where the girl, mid-masturbation, says, "I really need a father." Irate users started tagging her and Bella wrote, "Hahahahaha wait you guys think this is real?"Hahahahaha wait you guys think this is real? Hahahaha. I don't even masterbate like that. Where's the vibrator thoooð??­ð???Although she laughed off the rumours, the actress was particularly upset by the reference to her deceased father. "The worst part of this video is them making fun of the fact that I lost my father. You're right. Me being daddyless is sooooo funny," she wrote.The worst part of this video is them making fun of the fact that I lost my father. You're right. Me being daddyless is sooooo funny.

Tanya Dhingra

28 Jul 2017,Friday

India wants 4G and 5G, not equal rights for women: Richa

http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/richa-chadha-i-don-t-talk-about-my-personal-life-because-i-want-to-live-peacefully/story-Tl6NaBSSrp5socQ73n1vDM.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Actress Richa Chadha said that as a nation, India wants 4G and 5G, but doesn't want women to have the same rights as men. Richa added, "We don't want all communities and castes to have same rights as others." She further said that if she had been living anywhere else other than India, she would have been more open.

Richa Chadha prefers to be tight-lipped about anything related to her love life, and she holds the society responsible for her stance. Asked about her relationship status, she said, ?The way it goes, even if I was (seeing someone) I wouldn?t be able to tell you.?The Masaan actor feels that people in India are too judgmental about everything, especially with regard to women. This prevents her from disclosing more details on her personal life. Despite delays, some sunshine. @vickykaushal09 #traveldiaries #amcominghome #twoyearsofMasaan A post shared by Richa Chadha (@therichachadha) on Jul 24, 2017 at 1:30pm PDT ?I am sure that if I were somewhere else [other than India], I would probably be a lot more open. So, for the practical purpose of leading my life peacefully, I don?t say anything about my personal life because it is a waste of time,? says Richa.The actor says that this prevalent inequality in today?s society, makes her uncomfortable. ?As a nation, we want 4G and 5G, but we don?t want women to have the same rights as men and we don?t want all communities and castes to have same rights as others,? says Richa.The actor, who is currently seen in a web series, has garnered applause for her work at international film festivals. However, back home, she agrees that small films never get enough attention. ?We have a lot of systematic problems which kill small films. Like films don?t get the number of shows they should. They already have very limited number of slots. So, if you are playing Masaan once at 9pm in the night and another show at 11am, they will not pull the crowds in normal days because people are working. In small cities, the problem is that there are no screens at all, because single screen were shut down,? she says.Follow @htshowbiz for more

Akshita Jain

19 Feb 2017,Sunday

Delhi residents can get free MRI, CT scan at 21 labs

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/delhi-residents-free-mri-ct-scan-pet-scan-health-minister/1/886332.html

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has said that Delhi residents can now avail free MRI, PET and CT scan at 21 private laboratories. People will only be required to show a referral letter from the selected government hospitals or state-run polyclinics to avail the facility. These tests are considered costly but Delhi government is making them free, he added.n

Delhi residents can now avail free MRI, PET and CT scans at 21 private laboratories. The announcement was made by Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday. The residents are required to show referral letter from the selected 30 government hospitals to avail the free service.Jain made the announcement at the 22nd Foundation Day of Delhi government's Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) here. Reiterating Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's commitment towards providing quality health facilities to Delhi people, Jain said: "All Delhiites can now avail free MRI, PET and CT Scan check-up at 21 private labs in Delhi."He said patients either referred by the 30 Delhi government hospitals or 23 state-run polyclinics in the city can avail these facilities.He said that MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging), PET (positron emission tomography) scan and CT (computed tomography) scan are considered costlty tests, but the Delhi government is making them free for all Delhiites."The Delhi government has done an agreement with 21 private laboratories for the tests. Such tests are costly and even in AIIMS people have to pay between Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 for MRI tests, but we are getting it done for free," Jain added.

Mansha Mahajan

27 Mar 2017,Monday

Even Kapil misbehaved on flight but no ban on him: Sena MP

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ravindra-gaikwad-kapil-sharma-shiv-sena-mp-air-india/1/913694.html

Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Adsul has compared Ravindra Gaikwad thrashing an Air India employee with an in-flight incident involving TV show host Kapil Sharma. "Even Kapil Sharma misbehaved on the flight after getting drunk, but no ban imposed on him," Adsul said. Notably, some airlines decided to ban Gaikwad from flying after he hit an Air India staffer with slippers.

For Shiv Sena, the act of one of its MPs thrashing a 60-year-old Air India employee with a slipper is not as big an incident as it is being projected. The party has come out in full defence of Osmanabad MP Ravindra Gaikwad.Speaking in Lok Sabha, Shiv Sena MP from Amravati Anandrao Adsul compared Gaikwad's act withan in-flight incident involving TV show host Kapil Sharma."Even Kapil Sharma misbehaved on flight after getting drunk but no ban imposed on him," Adsul said raising the issue of airlines refusing to fly Gaikwad following the last week's incident.AVIATION MINISTER RESPONDS"Rules are the same for everyone. We have good safety regulations but never in my dreams expected a Parliament member to be involved in such an incident," Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said in response to Adsul's remark. "Violence of any kind can be a disaster for airlines," Raju said. GAIKWAD GOES INTO HIDING, SAYS WILL APPEAR IN PARLIAMENT ON WEDNESDAYThreatening legal action against Air India, a defiant Gaikwad said he would take legal action against Air India for refusing to fly him. The national carrier had on last Friday cancelled his return ticket from Delhi to Pune. "A senior Sena leader ordered me not to speak with media till Wednesday (March 29) and so I am not coming before the media. I will come to Omerga on Tuesday and celebrate Marathi new year Gudi Padwa with my family and Shiv Sainiks. I will then attend Lok Sabha session (in New Delhi) on Wednesday," Gaikwad said.The Osmanabad MP, however, refused to reveal his whereabouts.Exclusive: Defiant Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad dares Air India to blacklist himALSO READ: Shiv Sena backs Ravindra Gaikwad, calls bandh in support of MP in Osmanabad

Ayushi Ahluwalia

22 Jul 2017,Saturday

Drugs worth ?300 cr seized in Kashmir

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/jammu-and-kashmir-heroin-seized-in-major-loc-drug-bust/1/1008062.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

J&K police on Friday seized 66.5 kgs of drugs, worth ?300 crore from a truck that came from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The drugs were hidden among boxes of garments in the truck, and were found during checking at the trade facilitation centre in Uri near the Line of Control. Police have detained the truck driver, a resident of PoK, for questioning.

In a major drug bust, the Baramulla Police today seized 66.5 kilograms of suspected heroin worth Rs 300 crore from a truck that originated from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.The truck was purportedly carrying boxes full of garments, but hidden among the boxes were packets of narcotics. The truck, numbered AJK XA-267, originated from  Muzzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and was headed towards Uri in Kashmir. Officials posted at the LoC Trade Centre in Salamabad, Uri, who were already on the lookout for such a truck after receiving intelligence inputs about the movement of drugs, stopped the lorry and carried out a search, which led to the recovery of the narcotics.The driver of the truck - a PoK man named Syed Yousuf - has been arrested, but officials believe he is just a small-time operative. A case has registered under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act (NDPSA).Two men - a fabric businessman and his relative - are believed to be responsible for the drug consignment. They have been identified and are being tracked, Baramulla SSP Imtiyaz Hussaid said.ONE OF THE BIGGEST HAULSToday's drug haul is one of the biggest in Jammu and Kashmir. The state's biggest ever drug was in 2014 when over 100 kilogram of brown sugar was seized. The 2014 consignment too came from PoK. Cross LoC trade at the Chakoti-Uri section has been under radar of intelligence and security agencies for a while now. Agencies are also concerned at that LoC trade routes are being used to by terror associates to route Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) into India.

Radhika Chugh

19 Jul 2017,Wednesday

Airlines lift ban on MP who manhandled airline staff

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indigo-air-india-lift-ban-on-tdp-mp-diwakar-reddy-accused-of-creating-ruckus-at-vizag-airport/story-Edz44HE53hkRhaYLUhPGRO.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

Four airlines including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and Vistara on Wednesday lifted their ban on Telugu Desam Party MP Diwakar Reddy. The parliamentarian was banned by seven airlines after he allegedly manhandled IndiGo staff last month when they did not let him board an aircraft. Reportedly, Reddy has also agreed to withdraw the case he had filed against the airlines.

IndiGo revoked on Wednesday a ban on TDP parliamentarian JC Diwakar Reddy who manhandled the airline?s staff at the Vishakhapatnam airport last month after being denied boarding for arriving late for a flight.The decision came after Reddy met officials from the airline in a meeting in New Delhi set up by Union minister for science and technology, YS Chowdary. ?The issue is amicably resolved between the two sides and IndiGo decided to lift the said ban with immediate effect,? a statement from the airline said. ?Reddy has also agreed to withdraw the case he filed (against eight airlines which has banned Reddy from flying in domestic flights).?On June 16, Reddy ? the Anantapur Lok Sabha representative ? misbehaved with IndiGo staff at the Vishakhapatnam airport when they refused to give him a boarding pass for his flight to Hyderabad since the gates had been closed. The lawmaker went on to shout at the airline employees, and surveillance footage showed him banging his hands on a printer and pushing an IndiGo staffer.#CCTVVisuals: TDP MP JC Diwakar Reddy created ruckus at Visakhapatnam airport today,allegedly raged against staff using aggressive behaviour pic.twitter.com/JqUtcyKq0e? ANI (@ANI_news) June 15, 2017Shortly after the fracas, other Indian airlines stood by IndiGo, and Reddy was banned from travelling by Air India, Jet Airways, Vistara Airlines, GoAir, AirAsia, SpiceJet and Turbo Megha Airways.The incident with Reddy, and the response from the airlines, were a near repeat of what had happened with another member of Parliament who misbehaved with airlines officials. Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad was also temporarily banned by airlines after he assaulted an Air India staffer, triggering a controversy that prompted the Union government to release proposed rules for a national no-fly list for unruly passengers. The rules, yet to be formalised, propose a ban on flying from at least three months up to an indefinite period for a range of misdemeanour. State-run Air India followed IndiGo in revoking the ban on Reddy, ANI reported.IndiGo said it had informed the Federation of Indian Airlines about the decision to lift the ban on the TDP MP. ?IndiGo appreciates and thanks the member airlines for their continued support,? it said.Reddy had challenged the ban in court, and the case was scheduled to come up for hearing in Hyderabad high court on July 21. Justice SV Bhatt, who admitted Reddy?s petition, issued ?urgent notices? to the managements of the airlines, and the Union government over the matter.

Radhika Chugh

13 Jul 2017,Thursday

Fishermen object to proposed 300-acre park in South Mumbai

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/mumbai-fishermen-object-to-bmc-s-reclamation-plan-in-cuffe-parade-say-it-will-effect-their-livelihood/story-qSgrXRKZCYMxdvirpALIbL.html?utm_source=inshorts&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=fullarticle

The fishermen community in Mumbai has objected to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's plans of reclaiming 300 acres of the bay area at Cuffe Parade to build a recreational park. The Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti has stated that the move is likely to affect the livelihood of 20,000 fishermen since the area is used to park around 400 boats.

Even as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) readies its plan to build a 300-acre park in Cuffe Parade much like New York?s Central Park, it still faces stiff opposition from the city?s fishermen. The Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti has objected to the plans stating it would affect the livelihood of 20,000 fishermen. The BMC has proposed a 300-acre park to be built through reclamation in Cuffe Parade in the Development Plan (DP) 2034. The park would include a garden, playground and play area for children. Damodar Tandel, president of the association, said the fishermen use the area to park around 400 boats. The native Koli community is one of the early inhabitants of the city. The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has also marked plots 139 to 142 in the area as machimaar nagar and 143-145 as parking space for boats in its regional plan, Tandel said. The fisherfolk have been opposing the state government?s proposal to erect Maratha warrior king Shivaji?s statue in the Arabian Sea and the BMC?s 29-km coastal road plan fearing the affect they will have on their livelihood. ?The BMC says it wants to increase green cover in the city by creating a theme park. Their plan is to destroy the sea by reclaiming to increase green cover? We have been carrying out fishing activities in this area for the past 40 years. This park will destroy our livelihoods,? Tandel said.The BMC is going to write to the MMRDA to jointly approach the Ministry of Environment for a green nod. The Backbay reclamation is special planning authority (SPA) zone that comes under the MMRDA. BMC officials also said they will make use of the muck generated out of the Metro-III project. Activists have also opposed the ambitious reclamation plan stating the need for more recreational spaces in the suburbs. The city?s past experiences with reclamation have changed sea levels and tidal currents and caused erosion of beaches.

Sanira Mediratta

23 Mar 2017,Thursday

'Neem-beer-tree' in Delhi University gives out free liquor

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/what-s-keeping-du-s-spirits-high-a-north-campus-tree-that-gives-out-free-neem-beer/story-DtMfHrxlv9aMGGwOXbseBM.html

A tree dubbed the 'neem-beer-tree', located in Delhi University's North Campus, has reportedly been secreting an intoxicating white liquid since November 2016. It reportedly releases 10 litres of the liquid every day, which smells like toddy, the alcoholic sap obtained from palm trees. "I had two to three glasses of the toddy. It was quite intoxicating," stated a labourer.

There is an open bar in the Delhi University, and it?s absolutely free!Poor tipplers in North Campus have been using ?neem beer? from a local tree for the past four months to stay high and hydrated. Several people, mostly labourers working in the university, queue up with containers near the freak neem tree for their daily fix. They like it better than off-the-shelf liquor; moreover, it comes free.?A neem tree has been secreting a white liquid since November 2016. It smells of toddy (naturally alcoholic sap of palm) and tastes somewhat bitter. But people from the campus and outside collect it to drink. They say it is intoxicating,? said Mahesh Prasad, the head gardener of North Campus.There are around 15 neem trees near the rugby stadium towards the back end of the campus, most of which are more than 50 years old. But only one tree is giving out the sap ? at least 10 litres a day.?This is unusual. It is for the first time that we have witnessed anything of this sort in Delhi,? said CR Babu, professor emeritus at Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE) in Delhi University.Like any watering hole, it?s easy to locate the inebriating tree. The strong beer-like scent can be smelled at least 10 feet, or even more, from the tree. The charade of bottles, buckets and pitchers is also a good enough sign.?I had two to three glasses of the toddy. It was quite intoxicating. I didn?t fall ill after that. As it is a neem tree, I think, it also has some medicinal properties,? said a labourer, in high spirits.Someone has also placed a ladder and tied a bucket right at the source. Not a drop to be wasted.?The liquid was coming out from near a joint of two branches. But then, it stopped and started to come out from a different place. The flow is gradually slowing down. The smell is also becoming weaker,? said Vikrant Goswami, a scientific assistant at CEMDE.Scientists from the university?s department of environmental studies are testing ? in the laboratory ? samples of the liquid.?We suspect it is not the kind of toddy which we usually get from palm trees. There is some kind of microbial activity going on inside the tree. The microbe is helping the tree sap to ferment,? said Dr David Kothamasi, assistant professor at the department.It would take at least a month for the test results to be available. In the lab, too, the bottle in which the toddy has been capped started to inflate when its cap was sealed. That?s a signal that the fermentation process has not stopped. Scientists said a similar incident was reported in Varanasi a few years ago. Tests revealed the presence of salicyclic acid, a key ingredient in aspirin.The evergreen neem is the magic tree of Ayurvedic medicine, and is called sarva roga nivarini or the one that prevents and cures all diseases. The one at DU is keeping the spirits high.