We are not going back to 1991 situation, Pranab Mukherjee says

NEW DELHI: Despite a sharp slowdown in economic growth, high inflation and record fall in the value of rupee, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday emphasized that Indian economy has not gone back to the 1991 era and the government will be able to improve the situation."There is no reason to believe that we are going back to the situation of 1991," Mukherjee said at the Congress Working Committee meeting.Mukherjee pointed out that foreign exchange reserves in 1991 were not enough to meet even 17 days imports, while the country's current forex reserves can pay imports bill for seven and a half  months.

We are not going back to 1991 situation, Pranab Mukherjee says

NEW DELHI: Despite a sharp slowdown in economic growth, high inflation and record fall in the value of rupee, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday emphasized that Indian economy has not gone back to the 1991 era and the government will be able to improve the situation."There is no reason to believe that we are going back to the situation of 1991," Mukherjee said at the Congress Working Committee meeting.Mukherjee pointed out that foreign exchange reserves in 1991 were not enough to meet even 17 days imports, while the country's current forex reserves can pay imports bill for seven and a half  months.

Fear of sea erosion grips coastal areas of Kozhikode district

KOZHIKODE: Overcast skies have brought with it the fear of sea fury and soil erosion in thecoastal areas.The residents in the region are irked by the delays of irrigation department to complete the construction of sea wall before the onset of monsoon.The department has just started calling tenders for the building sea wall in the coastal areas.Residents of Koyilandy, Kollam, Kappad, Chorod, Vadakara and other coastal regions in the district have now demanded the authorities to speed up the sea wall construction to prevent loss to their life and property.They said that the government officials are reluctant to act quickly even after repeated requests by the locals.

People's representatives including C K Nanu, MLA, have also come out in support of the locals in the coastal villages in their demand. "The work should be completed before the monsoon gathers strength," Nanu said.The local leaders also raised the demand before the revenue officials during the taluk development committee meeting held at Vadakara on Saturday. At the meeting MLAs and members of taluk development committee said that sea erosion has been causing huge loss to families residing in coastal villages for years.Meanwhile, officials of irrigation department claimed that they are speeding up the construction of sea walls. The work at Poozhithala and Payeri Valappil are nearing completion.Officials said they have completed the tender work for the co nstruction of sea walls in Vadakara municipality and Chorode panchayat

Fear of sea erosion grips coastal areas of Kozhikode district

KOZHIKODE: Overcast skies have brought with it the fear of sea fury and soil erosion in thecoastal areas.The residents in the region are irked by the delays of irrigation department to complete the construction of sea wall before the onset of monsoon.The department has just started calling tenders for the building sea wall in the coastal areas.Residents of Koyilandy, Kollam, Kappad, Chorod, Vadakara and other coastal regions in the district have now demanded the authorities to speed up the sea wall construction to prevent loss to their life and property.They said that the government officials are reluctant to act quickly even after repeated requests by the locals.

People's representatives including C K Nanu, MLA, have also come out in support of the locals in the coastal villages in their demand. "The work should be completed before the monsoon gathers strength," Nanu said.The local leaders also raised the demand before the revenue officials during the taluk development committee meeting held at Vadakara on Saturday. At the meeting MLAs and members of taluk development committee said that sea erosion has been causing huge loss to families residing in coastal villages for years.Meanwhile, officials of irrigation department claimed that they are speeding up the construction of sea walls. The work at Poozhithala and Payeri Valappil are nearing completion.Officials said they have completed the tender work for the co nstruction of sea walls in Vadakara municipality and Chorode panchayat

Train tickets for Onam sells out 3 months early

CHENNAI: Onam festival may be three months away but travellers seem to have firmed up their travel plans already. Popular trains to Kerala have already been filled for travel for the last week of August. 
Though Onam falls on August 28 and 29, a Tuesday and Wednesday, travellers have started to book tickets for August 24, which is a Friday, to enjoy an extended weekend. 
Reservation on popular trains like Thiruvananthapuram Mail, Alleppey Express, Thiruvananthapuram Express and Mangalore Mail is already on waitlist for sleeper and AC three tier classes. A few seats are left for journey on August 27. 

"The reservation trend shows that people prefer to travel on Friday to make use of an extended weekend. Some seats are still available because many people do not know that tickets can now be booked four months before the date of travel. A majority of tickets were booked when reservations opened last month," said a railway official. Most passengers headed to Kerala, travel to Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Calicut. But passengers often complain that adequate services are not available to northern Kerala. Passengers headed to Calicut, Kannur and other towns in north Kerala have a limited choice of trains from Chennai when compared to those travelling to southern Kerala. 

On Mangalore Mail, which is the most popular train from Chennai to northern Kerala, reservations have touched waitlist 88 in sleeper class and waitlist 24 in AC three tier. 
We will have to depend on special trains. It is very difficult to get confirmed seats/ berths toCalicut or Kannur. The berths are sold out probably because travel agents may block it. Last year, railways operated special trains to Calicut and Kannur," said P Parameswaran, a frequent traveller. 
In Thiruvananthapuram Mail, sleeper class waitlist is 149 to Thiruvananthapuram, 117 to Ernakulam and 140 to Kottayam while AC three tier is waitlist 32. After assessing the reservation trend, Southern railway officials will operate special trains. "Special trains are announced closer to the festival time. Railways face pressure to operate additional trains during festival season such as Onam and Deepavali," said a railway official. 

Train tickets for Onam sells out 3 months early

CHENNAI: Onam festival may be three months away but travellers seem to have firmed up their travel plans already. Popular trains to Kerala have already been filled for travel for the last week of August. 
Though Onam falls on August 28 and 29, a Tuesday and Wednesday, travellers have started to book tickets for August 24, which is a Friday, to enjoy an extended weekend. 
Reservation on popular trains like Thiruvananthapuram Mail, Alleppey Express, Thiruvananthapuram Express and Mangalore Mail is already on waitlist for sleeper and AC three tier classes. A few seats are left for journey on August 27. 

"The reservation trend shows that people prefer to travel on Friday to make use of an extended weekend. Some seats are still available because many people do not know that tickets can now be booked four months before the date of travel. A majority of tickets were booked when reservations opened last month," said a railway official. Most passengers headed to Kerala, travel to Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Calicut. But passengers often complain that adequate services are not available to northern Kerala. Passengers headed to Calicut, Kannur and other towns in north Kerala have a limited choice of trains from Chennai when compared to those travelling to southern Kerala. 

On Mangalore Mail, which is the most popular train from Chennai to northern Kerala, reservations have touched waitlist 88 in sleeper class and waitlist 24 in AC three tier. 
We will have to depend on special trains. It is very difficult to get confirmed seats/ berths toCalicut or Kannur. The berths are sold out probably because travel agents may block it. Last year, railways operated special trains to Calicut and Kannur," said P Parameswaran, a frequent traveller. 
In Thiruvananthapuram Mail, sleeper class waitlist is 149 to Thiruvananthapuram, 117 to Ernakulam and 140 to Kottayam while AC three tier is waitlist 32. After assessing the reservation trend, Southern railway officials will operate special trains. "Special trains are announced closer to the festival time. Railways face pressure to operate additional trains during festival season such as Onam and Deepavali," said a railway official. 

Porn MMS goes viral in Jawaharlal Nehru University, 3 suspended

NEW DELHI: Another case of MMS involvingJawaharlal Nehru University students has come to light on campus. A source in the university administration said three students were suspended for their alleged involvement in the MMS, which was shot in Narmada Hostel. The MMS started circulating nearly a month ago and some students apparently complained to the varsity authorities. 
A university source said Narmada hostel is for boys. An inquiry by proctor H B Bohidar was conducted and the students were suspended on Friday on the basis of prima facie evidence. 
The rector, the proctor and the dean of students refused to comment on the issue. Vice chancellor S K Sopory confirmed the suspensions. "I can't say anything more as I am travelling and the details are not available with me. But yes, a few students have been suspended," he said. 
Ravi Prakash Singh, JNU students union general secretary, said, "If such things keep happening, it will malign the university. Action should be taken and such students should be immediately thrown out of the campus." 

Porn MMS goes viral in Jawaharlal Nehru University, 3 suspended

NEW DELHI: Another case of MMS involvingJawaharlal Nehru University students has come to light on campus. A source in the university administration said three students were suspended for their alleged involvement in the MMS, which was shot in Narmada Hostel. The MMS started circulating nearly a month ago and some students apparently complained to the varsity authorities. 
A university source said Narmada hostel is for boys. An inquiry by proctor H B Bohidar was conducted and the students were suspended on Friday on the basis of prima facie evidence. 
The rector, the proctor and the dean of students refused to comment on the issue. Vice chancellor S K Sopory confirmed the suspensions. "I can't say anything more as I am travelling and the details are not available with me. But yes, a few students have been suspended," he said. 
Ravi Prakash Singh, JNU students union general secretary, said, "If such things keep happening, it will malign the university. Action should be taken and such students should be immediately thrown out of the campus." 

14 dead as suicide car bomb hits church in Nigeria

ABUJA: In the latest deadly attack on Christians in Nigeria, at least 14 people were killed and many injured when a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives inside a church compound in the country's north today, police said. The blast occurred at the Living Faith church near the capital of Nigeria's northern state of Bauchi, they said. 
State police commissioner Mohammed Ladan said a police checkpoint has prevented the bomber from gaining access to his target. "So he rammed the car into a security gate and the car exploded," said Ladan. While a police source told PTI that security forces are still verifying the extent of damage. The source said the death toll from the blast could rise. No group has claimed responsibility but the attack bears the signature of a radical Islamic militant sect - Boko Haram - which has been bombing churches and other public squares in the oil-rich African country with the intention of installing an Islamic state. 

The group had targeted and killed several politicians and Muslim religious leaders in the northern region for not conforming to their aspiration. On April 29, gunmen had killed at least 15 people in an attack on a university theatre being used by Christians in northern Nigeria's biggest city, Kano. Nigeria has 160 million people and is split between a largely Muslim north and Christian south.

14 dead as suicide car bomb hits church in Nigeria

ABUJA: In the latest deadly attack on Christians in Nigeria, at least 14 people were killed and many injured when a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives inside a church compound in the country's north today, police said. The blast occurred at the Living Faith church near the capital of Nigeria's northern state of Bauchi, they said. 
State police commissioner Mohammed Ladan said a police checkpoint has prevented the bomber from gaining access to his target. "So he rammed the car into a security gate and the car exploded," said Ladan. While a police source told PTI that security forces are still verifying the extent of damage. The source said the death toll from the blast could rise. No group has claimed responsibility but the attack bears the signature of a radical Islamic militant sect - Boko Haram - which has been bombing churches and other public squares in the oil-rich African country with the intention of installing an Islamic state. 

The group had targeted and killed several politicians and Muslim religious leaders in the northern region for not conforming to their aspiration. On April 29, gunmen had killed at least 15 people in an attack on a university theatre being used by Christians in northern Nigeria's biggest city, Kano. Nigeria has 160 million people and is split between a largely Muslim north and Christian south.