Six Rajput forts find place in World Heritage List

Kolkata: UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in its 37^th session approved six Rajputana hill forts in Rajasthan to be inscribed in World Heritage list, a release from ministry of culture said.

Kumbhalgarh Fort

The six forts to be enlisted in the World Heritage list are Chittaurgarh, Kumbhalgarh , Ranthambhore Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Amber Fort and Gagron Fort.

“They (the forts) represent Rajput military hill architecture, which are exceptional examples of centres of Rajput power and control, are reflections of courtly culture and patronage of arts and music, their mercantile business, etc.” the statement said.

The forts were built between 8th to 19th century A.D. have multi-gated approaches through massive and high fortification walls. Inside of the forts comprises of palaces, temples, memorials and water reservoirs.

“The extensive fortifications – up to 20 kilometres in circumference – exploit the contours of the hills, and specifically the river at Gagron, the dense forest at Ranthambhore, and the desert at Jaisalmer,” said the statement.

Rajasthan State Government in 2011 had sent a proposal to the World heritage Committee following which a two member team comprising of Mrs. Susan Denyor and Dr. Giles Tillotson visited Jaipur on 23rd November, 2012 and held a meeting with ASI and State Government of Rajasthan officials.

Great Himalayan National Park.
Source himachaltourism.gov.in

The statement further said, India’s another proposal “relating to ‘Great Himalayan National Park’ for inscription on the World Heritage list under ‘Natural’ category has also been upgraded from ‘Deferral’ to ‘Referral’ which means that its outstanding universal value has been accepted by the Advisory Body of World Heritage Committee.”

Rescue operations expected to be complete by Sunday: Manish Tewari

Kolkata/Delhi/Uttarakhand: In the wake of the massive floods that hit the Northern state of Uttarakhand where thousands are expected to be killed and stranded in different parts of the state, Information and Broadcasting Minister, Manish Tewari Saturday said “the rescue operation is likely to be over by tomorrow (Sunday)”. By far 70,000 people have been rescued and on Saturday itself 10,000 people have been rescued the minister added.

"556 bodies have been recovered and there were reports that more could be buried under the debris," Uttarakhand chief minister, Vijay Bahuguna said to a television channel.

The met-department has forecasted rain in next 48 hours which may adversely affect the rescue operation being carried out.

The Indian Army, Air Force, ITBP, BRO and NDRF are involved in the rescue operation.

Rescue and relief operations by Armed forces, at Gauri Kund, in Kedarnath valley, Uttarakhand.
Source: Dr. Manmohan Singh fb page. 

All together 61 helicopters have been pressed into the rescue operation of which 43 belong to IAF, 11 to Army and 7 are private; 2 more helicopters are expected to join the fleet on Sunday. IAF helicopters alone have done 150 sorties on Saturday alone.

Indian Army has deployed 6200 jawans and the BRO 4000 personnel and labours along with 90 excavators and bull dozers.  

Nine bridges have either been washed out or damaged and a total of about 13 km length of road at 100 places have been breached in the massive flood as per the assessment done by the BRO.

“BRO has mobilized about 15 excavators and Bull dozers from other BRO projects to expedite road clearance works.  Bridges has been airlifted to bridge gaps and establish early connectivity,” a defense ministry statement said Saturday.

“We have deployed 25 satellite phones and are expecting a consignment of 50 more from Congo to be delivered by today (Saturday) evening,” said a senior ITBP official.

According to official sources all pilgrims from Gangotri have been rescued, however 700 people are still stranded in Yamunotri.

NDRF has rescued 347 persons from Gauri Kund. 149 Sadhus remained there. They do not want to leave.

It is also being said that around 300-350 people are being expected to be stuck between Kedarnath and Gaurikund.

Army officials Saturday said the rescue priorities were senior citizen, women and children who are being airlifted and the able bodied people (in walking condition) were under the guidance of army personnel being brought to safe places on foot.

"Railways are moving people and relief supplies free of charge. No one is waiting at station at Haridwar," a statement from GoM (media) said.

It also said that 167 out of 287 communication towers were restored which will start working from tomorrow. 

CPI-M calls Mamata 'unitary'

Kolkata Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday termed Mamata Banerjee’s call for federal front comprising of all non-Congress non-BJP regional parties a “joke”.

“It is a joke… I don’t know when did she become federal? She is totally unitary,” said Surjya Kanta Mishra, CPI-M leader and leader of opposition in West Bengal here.

“She was with NDA and UPA… She was with congress led Government 2-4 times… I don’t know with whom she will go now” he said.

Mishra said her sole intention was to increase the coverage of her party and “she has given the call now but who will come… is there any one to respond to her call.”

“It might happen that she will have to sing her favourite song ‘ekla chalo re’ this time also as she did in Haldia,” he said referring to the Bengal leads programme where she had invited many industrialists but no one turned up.

Mamata calls for 'Federal Front'

Kolkata West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee Monday urged all the “non-Congress and non-BJP” regional parties to come together and form a federal front for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

“Time has come for all the regional parties to come together and form a Federal Front in the coming Lok Sabha election,” posted Banerjee in a social networking site.

She appealed to all the “non-Congress, non-BJP regional parties to launch a united fight to free the country from misrule and anti-people decisions, and work together to build a better and brighter India.”

Asking all the regional parties to stand and talk together Banerjee also said, “let us decide a plan of action for the next Lok Sabha election.”

Her post was published after Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) veteran L.K. Advani shot off an angry letter to BJP president Rajnath Singh a day after the party named Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as head of the Lok Sabha campaign committee. Advani in his letter said he was resigning from all top party posts - the national executive, parliamentary board and the election committee.

In his letter he also accused most of the party leaders of being concerned "just with their personal agendas" unlike its creators Shyama Prasad Mookherji, Panadit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Nanaji Deshmukh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee "whose sole concern was the country and its people".

Advani in his letter mentioned that he no longer had" the feeling that this is the same idealistic party". 

Banerjee has been pitching for the all non-Congress and non-BJP parties to rally together ahead of the next general election ever since she left Congress led- Unite Progressive Alliance last September.

2 minors raped in Malda district of Bengal

Kolkata Two minors, one being physically challenged were raped in two different incidents, in the Malda district of West Bengal police said Saturday.

In the first case a 12 year old was raped Friday morning in her home while her parents were not at home. The incident took place in the area English Bazaar police station of Malda town.

“We have arrested the accused following a complaint lodged by her parents,” a police officer said.

In another case under the jurisdiction of the same police station, a 16 year old physically challenged girl was allegedly abducted and gang raped by three men, all in their mid-twenties.

A few people gathered after hearing screams from from the vehicle which was used by them and thrashed the trio, later they were handed over to the police.

The arrested quartet (one in the first case and three in the second) was produced in the court on Saturday, while the minor duo were taken to the Malda district Hospital for medical tests to ascertain the authenticity of rape.

Mamata will ruin Bengal and Trinamool :CPI-M

Kolkata The Communist Party of India –Marxist (CPI-M) Saturday said that chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee was an “asset” as well as a “liability” for her party Trinamool Congress, she gave birth to it and now will herself ruin it herself.

“She has become a liability… she will ruin Bengal and Trinamool,” said CPI-M leader Goutam Deb here.

Deb said the communists had seen many ups and downs in their journey and Banerjee was just one of them, but now they have reorganised themselves and are back with new zeal.

He said “no one will be spared irrespective of ones stature and position in the party; if one is found guilty he will have to face dire consequences”.

He accepted the fact that over the years the communist party has grown and many people have joined, some of them may not be good but they were” regularly cleaning the party, though it may not always be possible to expel from party due to rules and regulation, but still action will be taken.”

The Communist Party of India-Marxist earlier on Saturday had announced that it has expelled Ganesh Dey, a party member, who was quizzed by police in connection with the chit fund scam, for maintaining links with the tainted Saradha Group.

He was said to be "maintaining links with the Saradha Group in a personal capacity without the knowledge of the party".

Deb also forecasted “if CBI comes in to probe the chit fund mess, which it will... It will mark the official beginning of end of Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress which has already begun.”

He also alleged that Banerjee was at the moment only concerned to avoid CBI inquiry and she has put all her efforts into it.

The veteran communist leader said that not all people in Trinamool congress party were bad, adding that once it disintegrates, it will be fragmented into three sections, some of its men will join Bhartiya Janta Party, Congress, and CPI-M.

 “She is threatening us by saying that she will lock us in jail, but she does not know that the communist are not afraid of going to jail,” said Deb in a press conference.

The CPI-M leader said they had always accepted that Banerjee was “a very good crowd puller”, she could pull crowd at any time of the day which they never dared. “But the crowd that she pulls is not converted into votes.”

He alleged that the money that Saradha Group had amassed over the year from the poor depositors was diverted to many sources and Trinamool Congress was one of them.

He also trained his guns on Trinamool Congress for destroying its 1500 offices across the state.

“As long as she (Banerjee) will live, in government or in opposition, in politics or outside, it will haunt her… we won’t let her forget it,” said Deb.

Attacking the chit fund companies who are still functioning in the state, Deb said “these companies are so shameless that they are openly saying in their advertisements on television saying people not to fear, the government should take immediate action against them.”

Deb said he can show “30 such letters which were sent to her alerting about the operation of chit funds in the state but can she show one such letter that she has written to the prime minister on the issue.”

Mamata Banerjee Thursday had publicly showed a few pictures of a few CPI-M leaders with the chit fund group heads.

Indian Govt. gives green signal to ₹10,500 crore "IKEA" investment

The Indian Government Friday approved the proposal of Ingka Holdings B.V of Netherlands to set up its brand, "IKEA" in India. 

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today gave its approval to the proposal of M/s Ingka Holding B.V. Netherlands, (for FDI in single brand retail trading of products under the brand “IKEA”), as recommended by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB)." said an official statement. 

Last year the norms for foreign investment were relaxed, which allowed 100% FDI in single brand retail.

"The approval would result in FDI inflows amounting to Rs.10,500 crore approximately into the country." said the statement.

INGKA Holding is not an independent company, but is wholly owned by the Stichting Ingka Foundation, which Kamprad established in 1982 in the Netherlands as a tax-exempt, not-for-profit foundation.

Man sets in-law's house on fire; 5 killed, 3 critical

West Midnapore Five people of the same family were charred to death and six injured three of them are said to be critical in West Midnapore district of West Bengal.

The incident took place under Keshpur police station, where son-in-law of the family along with his associates set the thatched house on fire.

Taher Ali, allegedly set the house on fire following a family dispute.

The police sources said three people have been arrested while Ali is still absconding.   

Trinamool delaying rural body elections to plant its men in key admin positions: Left Front

Kolkata Left Front Saturday lambasted the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal for delaying the rural body elections in a bid "plant its people" in key administrative positions.

“The Trinamool Congress speaks of Democracy but practices 'party-cracy', and that is why they are not willing to conduct timely elections. By that time they want to plant their people in key positions,” Left Front chairman, Biman Bose said here.

He also said the key reason behind delaying the rural body elections was that “they have come to power after cheating them (people of Bengal) and now they (Trinamool) are not willing to face them”.

“If they believed in democracy they would have conducted these elections on time,” Bose said.

Bose boasted that all the elections were held on time during Left Front rule as they "believe in democracy and democratic procedure".

The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government had been engaged in a war of words and letters with the State Election Commission over the scheduling of the dates and deployment of central paramilitary forces.

The Commission has moved to Calcutta High Court with the issue which is being heard.

If the rural body polls are not conducted on time and a new panchayat is not in place before the expiry of the tenure of existing Panchayats which in many case is going to expire in June end, the villagers wont get any benefit out of the central funds which is given to the Panchayat.

DRDO and Indian Railways join hands for clean rails

Kolkata Indian Railways and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will join hands to equip the railway coaches with environment friendly toilets.

A total number of 1563 bio-toilets have been installed in coaches up to March 2013 for field trials.

Indian Railways is aiming to fit all its coaches with the bio-toilets, though there is no fixed time frame by when the job will be done as “deployment cannot be forecast with reasonable accuracy as it will depend upon the changes/modifications necessitated from time to time based on the feedback on its performance, outcome of the fitment trials, exigency of their usage pattern and other service conditions.”

It has planned that all the new coaches will be fitted with bio-toilets from 2016-17 onward.

It also claims that if all goes well the entire fleet of passenger coaches will be fitted with 

environment friendly bio-toilets by 2021-22.