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Terror alert fails to hamper
Ganesh Chaturthi's festive mood

       Mumbai/Pune/Chennai: The terror alerts failed to hamper the spirit of the devotees, who are celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi amidst unprecedented security arrangements made across the country. The 10-day festival dedicated to the elephant-headed Lord Ganesha, began on Sunday. As the festival takes place just a month after the serial blasts on trains and platforms in Mumbai, security agencies did not leave anything to chance, as hundreds of thousands of people flocked makeshift temples specially set up for Ganesh pooja across the city. Closed circuit cameras and private security guards armed with metal detectors helped the city police keep a vigil. People from all religions took part with equal enthusiasm in the festivities.

    In Pune, the streets were abuzz with festive activity on the inaugural day. "The devotees will take care of all security needs. We will take utmost measures of safety. The police and security forces are doing their best to ensure that everything turns out all right. On our part, we will make sure that this festival is celebrated in the best way possible," Girish, a Hindu priest, said. In Chennai, the devotees flocked in large numbers to the temples to pay their respects to the deity commonly believed to bring in prosperity. "The specialty of this day is that we believe all problems would be solved completely by Lord Ganesha," said Sathish, a devotee. On the culmination of the festival, the Ganesha idols would be taken in grand processions and immersed in water bodies. Legend has it that Hindu Goddess Parvati, consort of Shiva, one of the three most powerful Gods in the Hindu pantheon, had created Ganesha from a perfumed putty-like substance, which she used to remove dirt from her body. Shiva flew into rage on seeing the boy near the bath and beheaded him. Later, on realisation of his mistake Shiva brought him back to life by slaying an elephant and giving him the animal's head. Thus was created Ganesha who is worshipped at the beginning of every auspicious occasion.

Hrishikesh dies after prolonged illness (Top)

      Mumbai: Veteran film-maker Hrishikesh Mukherjee died on Sunday, after a prolong illness in a Mumbai hospital. He was 84. He was admitted to Leelavati Hospital on June 6, after he complained of uneasiness and was put on ventilator. During his 45 years of filmmaking career, Mukherjee directed 44 films that included the classics like Anand, Abhimaan, Guddi, Golmal, Ashirvad, Bawarchi, Satyakam, Namakharam and many more. Honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1999, Hrisikesh Mukherjee had earlier won National Film Award (Golden Lotus Award) for Best Film in 1961 for Anuradha, a story of a talented artistic wife who leaves her idealistic doctor husband and return to her rich father's house to pursue her career as a singer and dancer.

     His films, which were also synonym to the melodious music of Sachin Dev Burman, covered a wide variety of genre ranging from comedy to complex man-woman relationship. But each of his movies had a unique Hrishida touch. Noted actor Amol Palekar, who had acted in his comedy Golmaal, said that in his death he lost his guardian. Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, paying her tribute to the director, said, I do not have any words to describe him. He was a great human being who never shot a single scene in his film that would make the people feel embarrassed. His last film was Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate which was released in 1998, a clean comical movie that did not have the trappings of the contemporary slapstick comedies. Mukherjee began his career as an assistant director of the film Do Bigha Zamin under veteran director Bimal Roy in 1953. Born in September 30, 1922 in Kolkata, Mukherjee was never fluent with Hindi but gave Hindi cinema one of its memorable screenplays. He wrote screenplay for the films like Namak Haraam, Abhimaan, Bawarchi, Guddi, Anand. He worked in multiple capacities and used to also do the work of film editing and sound editing. His immortal dialogue in the film Anand said by Rajesh Khanna: Life is a stage where we all are puppets whose strings are in the God's hand will always reverberate in the minds of millions.

Rajasthan flood toll 128: Barmer under water (Top)

       Barmer (Rajasthan): The death toll in Rajasthan's flash floods reached 128 with recovery of more bodies in the worst-hit Barmer district, as the water began to recede in the area. Road and rail links in the desert state were severely affected and the army used boats and helicopters to rescue people. Dozens of people are still missing in the area. Villages have turned into islands in this usually drought-prone region with waters at least 20 feet deep swirling around homes. The soil profile of the region, with its impervious gypsum rocks, slows the floodwater from receding. The bodies were found today beneath 25 feet of stagnant flood waters by navy divers and rescue teams. Officials said though they had in mind long-term measures like relocation of entire villages, the priority right now was immediate relief. Barmer's average annual rainfall is 277 mm (about 11 in) but it has already received 577 mm (about 23 in) in the past week, affecting nearly half the district's 2-million-plus population. The annual monsoon rains in Rajasthan have been the worst in at least two decades, officials say. Homes and crops have been destroyed and about 45,000 head of cattle swept away. Livestock is the mainstay of the state's economy. Officials put the total loss to the provincial economy at 366 million dollars. The Rajasthan government released an additional Rs 100 crores today for flood relief operations in the 12 affected districts.

45 killed as water tank collapses in Bharatpur (Top)

      Bharatpur (Rajasthan): At least 45 people were killed and many others injured, when a water tank collapsed during Brij Festival celebration in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district. According to eye-witnesses, the tank collapsed under the weight of the large crowd who had climbed over it. The incident took place when hundreds of people had assembled to watch the annual wrestling match in Bharatpur's Kama village. The wrestling match is organised as part of post-Janamashtami celebration in this part of the country. More than thirty people are reportedly injured seriously as the villagers and police are continuing the rescue operations.

Leptospirosis claims 50 lives in Surat (Top)

      Surat (Gujarat): At least 50 people in Surat alone have lost their lives in the last twenty-four hours due to an outbreak of Leptospirosis. Surat was hit by floods recently. Health authorities are battling an outbreak of Leptospirosis, a bacterial illness passed on by the urine of infected animals in water, soil or vegetation following days of flooding. Nearly 400 people have been killed and million more left homeless after monsoon rains triggered rivers to overflow and forced authorities to release vast amounts of water from brimming dams. Though the rains have subsided and water levels receded a threat of disease loomed over several villages on the outskirts of the city, where roads remained slushy and infested with flies and garbage laid strewn on the streets. Several people have lost their lives to the dreaded disease.

    The government of Gujarat has finally woken up to the threat posed by the disease. Authorities claim they are equipped to combat the disease and have assured of free and efficient treatment of all those affected.

     Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. The organism enters the body when mucous membrane or abraded skin comes in contact with contaminated water. The infection causes a systemic illness that often leads to fever and jaundice. The patient could develop kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, and respiratory distress, if the disease is not treated on time. In rare cases even death can occur. Leptospirosis is an infectious disease and is often referred as swineherd's disease, swamp fever, or mud fever.

Violence in Bhopal as police search mosque (Top)

      Bhopal: Violence erupted in Kilol Park area here after an irate mob clashed with the police on Sunday midnight while protesting against a search operation in a nearby mosque. The police launched the raid after receiving an information that some terrorists had taken shelter at the mosque. Irked by this, the angry mob burnt down two vehicles and damaged the shops of one Majid Hussain, who they believe was behind the police raid. Hussain had complained to the police that there were terrorists staying inside the mosque, which provoked the residents and led to the violent outburst. The situation worsened as the crowd started pelting stones and set ablaze vehicles, forcing the police to use teargas and resort baton-charge to disperse the crowd. Senior police officials also arrived on the spot, along with teams of Rapid Action Force, to assess the situation. "Our preliminary investigation revealed that a Jamaat (a group or party) was staying in the mosque, which Majid had a problem with. He allegedly spread the rumours that there were some terrorists in the group and were posing a danger. This caused the trouble. On the other hand, the other side says that there was constant bickering, which was humiliating. The Jamaat people were angry at Majid Hussain and the crowd was very agitated," said A.K. Singh, Superintendent of Police, Bhopal. Meanwhile, the residents demanded Hussain to leave the Kilol Park area while alleging that he was always creating problems. "Majid is always up to such mischief. Even today he has done the same. Today, all our brothers say that he should be removed from here. Our head priest has arrived and he also feels that Majid is causing too many problems, so his shop should be removed from here," said Mohid Khan, a resident. The officials claimed that after long discussions with the residents, they have succeeded in pacifying the crowd and things were back to normal.

Nuclear India due to BJP: Vajpayee (Top)

       New Delhi: Taking the credit of making India a nuclear state, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said on Sunday that the country's rise as a nuclear weapon state solely rested on the efforts of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jan Sangh. Addressing a public function, Vajpayee said, "It is we that have made India a nuclear capable nation and got the position which we deserve in the world". Vajpayee, who was in his eloquent best, also said that it was BJP who brought an end to the license and quota rule in the country, thereby ushering economic reform that has led "India to emerge as the new growing economic superpower". Citing Shyama Prasad Mookherjee's contribution, Vajpayee said, "If today Kashmir is an inseparable part of India, it is because of us". Former BJP President LK Advani, who was also present during the occasion, however, preferred to keep his speech confined to the present situation. Taking on the UPA Government on the issue of internal security, Advani said that the present government has failed to tackle the security situation in the country. "Be it terrorism or Naxalism or the law and order situation, the government has failed to handle it," Advani said.

12 Tamil tigers killed in Lanka (Top)

      Colombo: The Sri Lankan military killed at least 12 Tamil Tiger besides injuring 20 other, when it repulsed a mortar attack on an army position. A defence spokesman said that the military fired back after a group of about 25 rebels fired mortars injuring seven soldiers as they tried to break into government-held territory in the northeastern Batticaloa district. "Twelve LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) were killed, 20 were injured. The bodies have probably been taken away," the News quoted defence spokesperson as saying.

Hundreds dead in landslide in Nepal (Top)

      Achham (Nepal): Hundreds of people are feared to be dead in a massive landslide in Khaptad area of Nepal's Achham district. According to reports, at least 80 houses swept away in the landslide following heavy rains on Saturday night. No rescue works could take place in the landslide area due to continuous rain and disruption of communication, Nepalnews reported. Details of the incident are awaited.

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