north east online - north east india news: Jan 12, 2010

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Sugar prices at 29 year high

Sugar price has climbed a 29 year high and it's not just the price, the commodity is getting scarce.

It's Bihu, the biggest festival of the year in Assam but the rising sugar prices and vanishing stocks have taken the cheer out both for sweetmaker Kalita and his customers.

"Last year I purchased sugar at Rs 22 per kilogram and sold sweet packets for Rs 15. Now sugar prices have risen to Rs 50 per kilogram and shops are running out of stock .My employees are sitting without work," said Kalita.

Sugar comes to the north east from states like faraway Maharashtra mainly by train. Now the railways has put a limit on the number of rakes every week to north eastern states. Their excuse, bad weather in the north leading to congestion. The region needs at least 8 rakes of sugar a month. It is not even getting 2.

From the roadside tea corner to the first cup of tea in the morning, it is the sugar which is the essential commodity required by all, but the commodity is soon getting out of reach.

India to launch first manned spaceship in 2013

India would launch its first manned space flights by sending two astronauts in an orbit in a Russian spaceship in 2013, according to reports. For this, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is to finance the acquisition of a Soyuz spaceship and train its astronauts by a Russian commander.

The Russian cosmonaut would lead the two-member crew on an independent space flight lasting several days, 'Voice of Russia' radio reported.

Quoting deputy chief of Russian space agency (Roskosmos) Vitaly Davidov the radio said the flight of Indian astronauts would not involve a mission to the International Space Station.

Railways flag off Delhi-Mumbai Yuva train

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) As part its efforts to provide youths communication facilities at affordable rates, the Railways today flagged off a 'Yuva Train' from Hazrat Nizamuddin station here to Mumbai and launched a mobile ticket van service for benefit of people in remote areas.

The low-cost air-conditioned weekly train, with seated accommodations only, was flagged off by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa.

The ticket fares of the train will range from Rs 80 for the first 100 km and Rs 299 up to 1500 km and maximum of Rs 399 up to 2500 km.

The first Yuva train from Howrah to New Delhi was flagged off by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on December 30 from Howrah.

No apology to Amar: SP Gen Secy Ram Gopal Yadav

Etawah (UP), Jan 12 (PTI) The war of words in Samajwadi Party showed no no signs of abating with its General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav today rejecting reports that he had apologised to Amar Singh, who, he said, has lost his "mental balance".

"Amar Singh is not not God who should forgive me nor will I ask for forgiveness from him. I have not not committed any mistake for which I should seek his forgiveness," he told reporters here.

He was reacting to reports quoting Amar Singh as saying that he had apologised to him yesterday during a telephonic conversation.

Yadav, a cousin of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, said he was sure Amar Singh "has lost his mental balance".

He said as far as Singh's resignation is concerned he had already stated that it should be accepted. "I will again request Mulayam Singh Yadav to accept it.

HC issues notice to CBI on Rathore's petitions

Chandigarh, Jan 12 (PTI) Without giving any interim protection, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice to the CBI for January 18 on disgraced former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore's petitions seeking anticipatory bail in FIRs containing serious criminal charges.

He also sought quashing of a third FIR which charges him with abetment to suicide in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case.

Justice Sabina issued the notices after brief arguments during which CBI said that they needed a week's time to file a reply since the three FIRs had been registered only last evening after the cases were transferred to them from the Haryana Police which had entrusted the probe to a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Rathore's lawyer-wife Abha sought interim protection till the time CBI files its reply, but the court did not issue any direction on this.

Ravi calls Victoria police chief ''petty officer'' for criticising India

Melbourne, Jan 12 (ANI): Overseas Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi has labelled Victorian Police Commissioner Simon Overland a "petty officer" for saying that Australia was safer than India and for criticising the Indian media''s reporting of the issue.

Ravi, who is responsible for Indians working or studying abroad, has also rebuked Australia for failing to prevent such attacks.

"How can the government of India or the media close their eyes?" Ravi told the ABC.

"Australian ministers and political authorities should not allow any one of the petty officers to comment on India or try to defend what is happening in their country," he said.

Overland on Monday said police did not believe most of the incidents were racist in nature.

"We don''t believe that most of what we are seeing is racist, some of it undoubtedly is and clearly there are people who are racist in this community just as there are in any community. But I really think this needs to be kept in perspective. ... If you look at the data they are safer here than they are in India," he told reporters.

"What we are seeing is hysterical and uninformed outcry from some forms of the Indian media and I suspect we are just going to have live with that," Overland added.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has phoned his Indian counterpart SM Krishna in a bid to cool tensions over recent attacks on Indians in Australia.

The move came as an India urged Australia to take "all possible steps" to contain the attacks and criticised Victoria''s top cop for saying Indians were safer in Australia than in India.

Smith telephoned Krishna, and "conveyed his condolences on the tragic deaths of Indian citizens in Australia in recent attacks," India''s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. (ANI)

Chief Justice of India comes under purview of RTI Act, says Delhi High Court

New Delhi, Jan 12 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday upheld its verdict that the office of the Chief Justice of India comes within the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the senior most judge is obliged to share details of his assets under this act.

The Chief Justice of India, KG Balakrishnan, will now have to disclose his assets.

The other judges of the Supreme Court had last year agreed to make their assets public by listing them on the court''s website.

The Supreme Court has been conflicting that the Chief Justice of India is not covered by RTI. Balakrishnan had argued that this would lead to harassment of judges.

But the Delhi High Court has upheld its earlier verdict, delivered in September 2009 that the office of Chief Justice is a public office and therefore covered by RTI.

Balakrishnan said on Monday, "The earlier order too said disclose assets but it should be kept in confidence."

But because of so much discussion, so much media coverage, many people were thinking that these judges are amassing huge wealth and hiding it so we decided to disclose our assets, why should we suffer this false propaganda," he added.

With the Delhi High Court verdict, transparency and accountability in judiciary is expected.

A single judge bench order had earlier supported the order of the Chief Information Commissioner stating that the office of the Chief Justice of India is a public authority and comes under the RTI. (ANI)

Mysore, Mumbai on '31 Places to Go in 2010' list

Bangalore, Jan 11: The city of palaces, Mysore has been ranked fourth in the New York Times' '31 Places to Go in 2010' list.
Placed after Sri Lanka, Patagonia Wine Country, and Seoul, Mysore has been deemed as the place to be for those interested in learning and practising Yoga.

"Yogis seeking transcontinental bliss head these days to Mysore, the City of Palaces, in southern India," NY Times report said.

Ashtanga yoga, a rigorous breath-synchronized regimen of poses popularized by Krishna Pattabhi Jois, is reportedly the force drawing the yogi pilgrimage to Mysore.

"Mysore’s yoga boom now has shalas catering to every need," the Sunday, Jan 10 report said, adding that off the yoga mat, travellers can enjoy taking Sanskrit lessons, Ayurveda treatments or tours of the maharaja’s palace.

Another Indian city featured in the Top 15 destinations is Mumbai. The country's financial capital is placed in the 13th slot.

Mumbai won a spot on the list due to the city's relationship with art.

From the one-kilometer stretch of wall painted by the citizens on the anniversary of 2008 Mumbai attacks, to the Colaba Art District and the contemporary art galleries in the city are all hailed in the travel report.

north east online - north east india news