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Probe ordered into Siwan MP's visit to relative

     Patna: The Bihar government today ordered a probe into the reports that the incarcerated RJD MP from Siwan, Mohammad Shahabuddin visited the residence of state minister Ejazul Haque, a close relative, here while being taken to Beur jail on February 11. "We have asked the IG (Prison) Dipak Kumar Singh to verify newspaper reports whether the jailed MP had gone to the house of his relative here while being brought to Patna from Siwan for lodging him in Beur jail," said Chief Secretary of Bihar K A H Subramanian. According to the jail department sources, the probe was likely to start in a day or two as the IG (Prison) was away from the state capital. Earlier, the Election Commission ordered the controversial MP to be shifted from Siwan jail to Patna's Beur jail, after it was reported that he was busy holding durbars in Siwan jail. The RJD MP is in judicial custody in connection with the abduction and murder of CPI-ML activist Munna Chaudhary. EC had ordered to shift the MP on February 10 to ensure peaceful polling in the remaining two phases of assembly elections in the state. It was apprehended that the presence of Shahabuddin, who is facing several criminal charges, in his home district Siwan during polls might become a hurdle towards free and fair elections.

PM inaugurates first Indian container transhipment terminal (Go To Top)

     Kochi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today laid the foundation stone of the first International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) in India in Kerala today. "Although Kerala was catching up with its neighbouring states in IT, it needs to travel some distances in terms of modernisation of its infrastructure and in generating employment at home. You can achieve your goals provided a 'pro-active approach' is adopted," Singh said. The first ever ICTT is to come up at nearby Vallarpadam Island at an approximate cost of Rs.2,118 crore, which is likely to be disbursed over the next eight to ten years. India is among the top 20 maritime nations in the world and the country's shipping industry is worth an approximate 5.5 billion dollars. Sea trade accounts for 68 percent of the value of Indian foreign trade and 90 percent of its volume. At present, India's maritime trade is growing at the rate of two to three percent annually. As per a recent Asian Development Bank report for India's GDP growth, traffic through Kochi Port could be over two million TEUs by 2012 and 3.3 million TEUs by 2022.

      The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also laid the foundation stone for the stage-two of NTPC's Rajiv Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Project here in Kayamkulam..

Chamoli residents await rehabilitation six years after the quake (Go To Top)

     Chamoli (Uttaranchal): People in Chamoli district have still not got over the after affects of the earthquake which hit the area almost six years ago. Locals say that they are still awaiting rehabilitation or compensation from the government. Almost 90 percent of the semi- urban areas were destroyed and at least 100 people killed in the earthquake. They say tall promises were made to them after the devastation struck in 1999, but till now not even half the compensation money has reached them. "We have received only two installments of our compensation money. Once we got 500 rupees, next time 6,000 rupees while we were promised 25,000 each after the disastrous earthquake. Earlier we used to inquire about the rest of our compensation but now we have given up hope," said an agitated Deen Dayal Bisht. Mangala Devi, who lost her mother and sister, said they have only received 25,000 rupees against the promised one lakh. "They had announced that they would give us 100,000 rupees as compensation as we were staying in makeshift tents after we lost everything in the earthquake. But five years down the line, we have received no help," she said. On the other hand, the authorities claim that they have already distributed 132.5 million rupees as compensation to the affected families and are awaiting the release of 675 million rupees from the government. "According to the availability of the funds the affected families have been given two instalments. There are some families, which were to receive a relief amount of 25,000 rupees, and some out of these have been given the first instalment of 12,500 rupees. Many families have been given first instalment of 12,500rupees," said Ajay Nambiyal, District Magistrate, Chamoli. Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts in the Himalayas were the worst affected in the earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale. The quake was felt across many parts of northern India, western Nepal and southern China.