Global News Post: Regional

Indian State Plans for Wellness Tourism

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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">  <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India,   (NNN-Bernama)
-- With the new tourism season round the corner, south Indian state Kerala has
put in plans to provide world-class Ayurveda facilities and services for
visitors factoring in the biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">One of the eight hottest biodiversity hot
spots in the world, Western Ghats has been identified a key component in Kerala
Tourism's campaign focusing on Ayurveda, latching on to the worldwide interest
in the ancient Indian system of wellness, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Kerala is naturally blessed to be the
flag bearer of Ayurveda because of the state's rich ecosystem available within
the <st1:place w:st="on">Western Ghats</st1:place>," said Kerala Tourism
Minister AP Anil Kumar, prefacing the plan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kerala is home to over 900 species of
Ayurvedic herbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Western Ghats, the mountain range that
runs through its eastern sector from the hills of Wayanad in <st1:place w:st="on">Northern
 Kerala</st1:place> to the southern Sahyadri peak, is an abundant reserve for
medicinal herbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">For instance, 'Agasthyakoodam' peak near the
state capital, believed to be abode of Sage Agasthya of Indian mythology, is
home to some of the rarest medicinal herbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Under the Tourism Department's quality
assurance policy, visitors looking for therapeutic and rejuvenating programmes
would be guided by the 'Green Leaf' and 'Olive Leaf' grading for Ayurvedic
institutions, which marks 'Kerala Tourism approved Ayurvedic Centres,' a Kerala
Tourism release said on Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In Kerala, a majority of foreign visitors
utilising the Ayurveda wellness programmes were from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region>,
the Middle East and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">According to state Tourism Secretary Suman
Billa, "Ayurveda of Kerala is essentially wellness oriented, a treatment
to bring vigour and existence to your system. That is what the tourists are
looking for." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Ayurvedic therapy programmes are
expected to push the length of holidays for tourists further. Under the
Ayurveda-focused tourism campaign, the average length of the holiday for
foreign tourists was expected to go up to 18 days per person from the present average
stay of 16.2 days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The State is also transforming itself into
an Ayurveda therapy for illness besides the present pillar as a wellness
treatment destination. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">While certain illnesses like back pain are
already treated under Ayurveda, the Ayurvedic centres across the State will be
offering treatment for illnesses like respiratory ailments also. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Another plan of the State to bring about a
convergence between different systems of medicine centring on holistic and
multidisciplinary hospitals offering treatment under traditional as well as
modern systems of medicine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The State tourism had also decided to add
new destinations and new products, the release added. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Indian State Plans for Wellness Tourism

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India, (NNN-Bernama) -- With the new tourism season round the corner, south Indian state Kerala has put in pl...

INDIA: Devotees Offer 'Arghya' to Ascending Sun God

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PATNA</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-PTI) -- Lakhs of devotees congregated
Tuesday at various ghats of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Ganga</st1:placename>
 <st1:placetype w:st="on">River</st1:placetype></st1:place>, including
Adalatganj Ghat which witnessed a stampede that left 17 dead last evening, to
offer prayers to the Sun God during the Chhath festival.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Seventeen
Chhath pilgrims, mostly women and children, died after a makeshift bridge caved
in at Adalatganj Ghat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Devotees
thronged the ghats carrying wooden baskets and took their usual place there
before the 'Vratis' (persons fasting to offer 'Arghya' to the Sun God)
descended in the water upto waist level and stood there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At
the Adalatghat, the entire area was turned into a fortress by the authorities
and around 300 policemen and women, besides a BMP Gorkha battalion, were
deployed for smooth and peaceful conduct of Chhath festival this morning,
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amrit Raj said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Besides
deployment of elaborate security measures, the Adalatghat area was spruced up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At
Adalatganj, the municipal and district authorities had worked on warfooting and
had the place cleaned up before the arrival of the devotees in the small
hours.  --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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INDIA: Devotees Offer 'Arghya' to Ascending Sun God

PATNA (NNN-PTI) -- Lakhs of devotees congregated Tuesday at various ghats of the Ganga River , including Adalatganj Ghat which witne...

Huts of 285 Dalits Set On Fire by Mob in Tamil Nadu

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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">DHARMAPURI (TN) (NNN-PTI) --
Angered by a man committing suicide over his daughter marrying a Dalit boy, a
mob torched 285 huts in three Dalit colonies in the district, but there were no
casualties as all the people had fled to neighbouring areas, police said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">They said the crowd first
targeted Natham, the boy's village and two other Dalit colonies Kondampatty and
Anna Nagar on November 7 night, using petrol bombs to set ablaze the huts. The
villagers had got wind of the impending attack beforehand and fled, they said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The couple had got married on
October 14.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Sanjay Kumar, DIG (<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Salem</st1:place></st1:city>), said 90 persons
have so far been arrested in connection with the violence and that armed police
personnel had been posted in the villages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">He said the couple is now in a
safe area under police protection.<br />
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Collector Lily said the situation was now under control and that the
administration had made all arrangements to provide those affected with food
and water. The villagers would also be provided ration cards, she said. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Huts of 285 Dalits Set On Fire by Mob in Tamil Nadu

DHARMAPURI (TN) (NNN-PTI) -- Angered by a man committing suicide over his daughter marrying a Dalit boy, a mob torched 285 huts in thre...

At Least 22 Dead in India Rains

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW
DELHI (RIA Novosti) - At least 22 people have been killed in southeastern India
in heavy rains resulting from Cyclone Nilam, the Indian news agency IANS
reported Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
cyclone hit <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>
last week and has seriously affected the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh.
Strong rains have virtually paralyzed road and rail connections and have
severely damaged crops, according to media reports.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Authorities
organized 86 temporary refugee camps for the more than 60,000 people that were
displaced as a result of the rains. About 500 villages are located within the
flooded area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Forecasters
in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>
have warned that the rain may continue in coming days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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At Least 22 Dead in India Rains

NEW DELHI (RIA Novosti) - At least 22 people have been killed in southeastern India in heavy rains resulting from Cyclone Nilam, the In...

24 Children Die of Mysterious Disease in Odisha District

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MALKANGIRI
(NNN-PTI) -- With 24 children dying of a mysterious disease during last two
months in Odisha's Malkangiri district, the government has launched a drive to
create health awareness and conduct medical examination in the tribal-dominated
district.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We
have collected blood, water and mosquito samples in the affected areas to
ascertain the reason behind the death and augmented the drive to create health
awareness among the people", chief district medical officer (CDMO),
Sashibhushan Panda said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Twenty-four
children aged between six months and four years died in some villages under
Malkangiri and Korkunda blocks. They had swelling in their eyes, nose and ears
accompanied by high fever and blood vomiting leading to death, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A
six-member expert team of scientists from Regional Medical Research Centre
(RMRC), <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bhubaneswar</st1:place></st1:city>
visited the affected villages and collected samples for investigation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Another
team of doctors from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">MKCG</st1:placename>
 <st1:placename w:st="on">Medical</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype>
 <st1:placetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype></st1:place> at Berhampur was
touring the areas Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"There
is no death of children since the last three days and the situation is under
control now", the CDMO said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A
team official on condition of anonymity said that the symptoms afflicting the
children were akin to Japanese Encephalities or Dengue. However, it could be
known only after a thorough investigation of the collected samples, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Even
as the district administration was initiating steps to urge the people to get
their children to hospitals, the people, mostly tribal, were blaming witchcraft
for their troubles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"It
is a Herculian task to create awareness among the people in the district. They
have faith in their "Disari" (quack), "Wade" and
"Gunia" (black magician) and perform "Dumapuja" (invoking
the spirit). They believe that whoever goes to the hospital will invite the
curse of their deity", an official said.-NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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24 Children Die of Mysterious Disease in Odisha District

MALKANGIRI (NNN-PTI) -- With 24 children dying of a mysterious disease during last two months in Odisha's Malkangiri district, the ...

Modi is Manipulating Opinion Polls: Gujarat Congress

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">AHMEDABAD
(NNN-PTI) -- <st1:place w:st="on">Gujarat</st1:place> Congress has alleged that
"in frustration and desperation" Chief Minister Narendra Modi was
manipulating opinion polls ahead of elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"There
is a growing resentment throughout the state against Chief Minister because he
has not done anything for the public in the last 12 years," Leader of
Opposition in Assembly Shaktisinh Gohil said here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"In
such a situation, he is pumping money into surveys to influence poll outcome by
projecting a positive wave," he added, referring to much-publicised
opinion polls predicting huge majority for Modi in the coming Assembly
elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Gohil
compared Modi to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who,
Gohil alleged, had spent lot of money to "create a publicity bubble about
his pro-development image" (but lost power).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">People
would not be misled by these "publicity stunts" of Modi, the Congress
leader added. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Modi is Manipulating Opinion Polls: Gujarat Congress

AHMEDABAD (NNN-PTI) -- Gujarat Congress has alleged that "in frustration and desperation" Chief Minister Narendra Modi was...

INDIA: Don’t Give Mobiles to Girls - BSP MP

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MUZAFFARNAGAR
(NNN-PTI) -- A BSP MP has kicked off a controversy by saying that girls should
not be given mobile phones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Don't
give mobile phones to children, especially girls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">I
say this at all the places where I make my speeches. And if any of these kids
have a mobile, take them away. What are they missing anyway? What are the girls
missing without mobile," Rajya Sabha MP Rajpal Singh Saini said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Our
mothers, sisters.. Did they die if there were no mobiles during their time,"
he said addressing party workers here last night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Saini
also reportedly conveyed this view to a man who sought his help after his
daughter had eloped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
BSP leader told him that the mobile phone was the main cause behind his
daughter's elopement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
BSP leader's comments come months after a panchayat in Baghpat had banned love
marriages and barred women below 40 from going out for shopping and using
mobile phones outside their homes. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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INDIA: Don’t Give Mobiles to Girls - BSP MP

MUZAFFARNAGAR (NNN-PTI) -- A BSP MP has kicked off a controversy by saying that girls should not be given mobile phones. "Do...

INDIA: God’s Own Land, Kerala State Woos Investors

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">By Saraswathi Muniappan <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">COCHIN, Kerala state, India, (NNN-Bernama) – India’s southern state, Kerala is wooing environment friendly foreign investment in an array of areas to emerge as a strong and vibrant economy and create more job opportunities for its people. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The state on the Malabar Coast in southwest India is well connected via air-link, sea routes and houses India’s first International Container Transshipment Terminal and excellent data and telecommunications connectivity throughout the state. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“But, we recognise that such facilities alone will not bring investment and investors. We recognise our weaknesses and limitations in areas where we are yet to realise our full potential,” its chief minister, Oommen Chandy said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Hence, Emerging Kerala, which attracted some 2,000 delegates from 50 countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and other countries, including Malaysia, is part of a process for creating a climate for investment, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“Our objective is to present to the world about the quality and quantity of business opportunities available in Kerala for investment and the mechanisms and processes that are in place to convert these opportunities into reality.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Emerging Kerala, a three-day event that ended on Friday, is all about deepening and intensifying the already deep global and national connect of Kerala. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“This is an expression of the collective will of our people to scale greater heights beyond the successes in achieving social goals,” he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Harvard University’s Economic Professor, Gita Gopinath quashed the perception that a social welfare oriented state cannot be successful on the economic front. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“Scandinavian countries, such Sweden and Norway are great example of how a social welfare focused nations can still rank high as favoured investment destination,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Kerala with 93.91 per cent literacy rate has huge educated population and the state should take advantage of that, she said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“Kerala needs jobs for its educated and skilled workforce. There is a large group of highly educated people in Kerala who can’t find job in the state,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Currently, more than two million Keralites work outside the state, mainly in the Gulf region and contributing 22 per cent to Kerala's Gross Domestic Product via remittance. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Gita, who is a Keralite herself, said the state should look forward to investments in core sectors such as information technology, tourism, healthcare as well as banking and investment. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The tourism potential of Kerala is immense and its beach front of 700km provides a unique enclave for international tourist with annual growth of 15 per cent and seven per cent in domestic arrivals, Malaysia’s Special Envoy to India and South Asia for Infrastructure, S. Samy Vellu said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“By 2021, three million foreign tourists and 18 million domestic tourists would have patronised Kerala. To propel this growth, eco-friendly investment through Public-Private Partnership must be encouraged,” he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The state, also known for its abundant scenic beauty, earned itself the widely acclaimed name, “God’s Own Land.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Medical and Ayurveda city is another area Kerala should work on, he suggested. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“Develop an Ayurveda City with state of the art infrastructure with modern hospitals, affordable, “green apartment” and cutting edge research and development centres,” he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The Indian Ayurvedic market size is estimated at Rs80 billion (US$1.45 billion) and it is growing substantially between 10 per cent and 15 per cent with the same growth rate targeted for the next 10 years, said Samy Vellu. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">A slew of financially viable projects in the infrastructure sector were presented namely tplan to make five canals in Kochi navigational and connect it with the road network and the metro rail system. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Gita also pointed out that the state government should channel its incentives to young entrepreneurs, as they would create job. Older companies, including micro, small and medium enterprises do not create new jobs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“The plans and ideas are very good but the most important thing is implementation, and more than that, the acceptance of foreign investors by the locals,” Malaysian-owned SI Property (Kerala) Pvt Ltd managing director, SN Raghuchandran Nair, said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Firstly, Keralites should be educated that foreign investment is good for their state. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“The Kerala state government is committed in development with care and sustainability, but the locals feel that the foreigners will loot their state,” he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">It was reported that as the event was set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last Wednesday, numerous organisations gathered in strength to express their disapproval of a move that many fear could “submerge” Kerala. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">People gathered with placards against the programme on the main streets of Kochi. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Raghuchandran also opined that generally in India there is lack of long-term planning, which needs to be address in order to have sustainable development. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“Kerala used to have energy surplus but not anymore, we have good rainfall but with the lack of proper rain harvesting planning and infrastructure, we also have water deficit,” he pointed out. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Chief executive officer of Bangalore-based Krystile Consultancy, Latha Mohandas was also a little skeptical, saying, “Emerging Kerala is very interesting but it depends on the seriousness of the state in going all out for it.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Having attended several such events in other states, she said while they often talk about single window clearance, when, “we take business seriously and go to invest in the respective state, no single window clearance is available,” she said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The difficulties in land acquisition are really a hindrance for infrastructure investors in India, said another participant. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“The difficulties derail projects and developers incur additional cost. It will be good if the government, state or central, comes forward to give some sort of guarantee in land acquisition,” said the participant who requested anonymity. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">He also said Kerala does have its own set of industrial-related and political unrest and “it is a huge problem in this state.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">The chief minister in his speech had said that words or ideology alone would not get Kerala either investors or investment and it is no longer time for vain words but for a bold constructive action. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">“We hope the Kerala state government would walk their talk on this,” he stressed.--NNN-BERNAMA <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

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INDIA: Former Minister among 32 Convicted in Gujarat Riots

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AHMEDABAD (NNN-AGENCIES) -- A special court in Ahmedabad on Wednesday convicted 32 people, including a former BJP minister Maya Kodnani and Bajrang Dal leader Babu Bajrangi, in the Naroda Patia case, the biggest massacre of the post-Godhra riots. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The cases were filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including of murder and conspiracy. The maximum punishment is death, said a lawyer. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The court acquitted 29 people. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On February 28, 2002, 97 persons were killed in Naroda. As many as 94 bodies were found, of which 84 were identified. Three people are still missing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The court had earlier kept the judgment for pronouncement on June 30, but was deferred till August 29. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The city crime branch nabbed 47 people and filed four charge sheets, but after the Supreme Court transferred the investigation to the special investigation team (SIT), 24 other accused were arrested including Kodnani. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In all, eight charge sheets were filed in this case. The trial began in 2009 and lasted for more than two years. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Special prosecutors Akhil Desai and Gaurang Vyas examined 327 witnesses and in all more than 500 documentary evidences were produced before the court. Those who deposed before the court were 173 relatives of victims who were eyewitnesses, 41 panch witnesses, 17 officials, 42 doctors, 44 cops, one forensic experts and nine others. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"More than 90 people lost their lives, mostly children and ladies, all of them were defenceless," public prosecutor Akhil Desai said, adding that he would push for the death penalty when sentences are handed down on Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"If some of the accused are lucky enough to escape the death penalty, I will ask for life imprisonment, not for 14 years but for the rest of their lives," he told reporters. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Kodnani, who served as child and human development minister under Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi until her arrest in 2009, broke down in tears as the guilty verdict was pronounced, as did relatives waiting outside the court. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The violence was triggered by the deaths of nearly 60 Hindu pilgrims in a February 2002 train fire that was initially blamed on a mob of Muslims. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hindus hungry for revenge rampaged through Muslim neighbourhoods across Gujarat in an orgy of violence that marked some of India's worst religious riots since independence from Britain in 1947. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Human rights groups say more than 2,000 people, mainly Muslims, were hacked, beaten or burned to death, while government figures put the death toll at about 1,000. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Last year, a court in Gujarat found 31 Muslims guilty of murder and conspiracy charges for causing the train fire, but a national enquiry in 2005 concluded that the blaze was an accident and cast doubt on much of the police evidence. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wednesday's verdicts came after final arguments in April following a trial that saw 327 witnesses called to give evidence. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">More than 100 others have been convicted for killing Muslims during the riots. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In 2008, the Supreme Court ordered the re-investigation of nine of the most sensitive incidents during the riots, including the initial train fire and the violence in Naroda Patiya. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Bajrangi, in an interview taped by news magazine Tehelka, confessed to helping orchestrate the killing in Naroda Patiya where homes were set on fire and some Muslims were set ablaze while hiding in a pit. -- NNN-AGENCIES<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Former Minister among 32 Convicted in Gujarat Riots

AHMEDABAD (NNN-AGENCIES) -- A special court in Ahmedabad on Wednesday convicted 32 people, including a former BJP minister Maya Kodnani an...

Independence Day Boycott Call: India's State Tightens Security

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">IMPHAL, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Security measures were tightened in north-east Indian Manipur state in view of Wednesday's Independence Day boycott call given by major insurgent organisations with police forces intensifying patrol at the capital complex here to intercept movement of armed ultras. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Police and para-military forces were deployed at all vulnerable points and at the complexes of important installations while passers-by at various placeswere being checked to detect movement of anti-social elements, Press Trust of India quoted officials as saying on Tuesday. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">They said security measures were also intensified at all the district headquarters to conduct the Independence Day celebrations smoothly and to prevent any untoward incident. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Police commandos and personnel were also posted at all the important and centrally-located places round the clock. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">All police and security posts in the state have also been instructed to step up checking of passers-by and to move out of their posts to search any suspected objects within their jurisdiction, they said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The coordination committee (CORCOM) of seven major insurgent outfits including United National Liberation (UNLF), Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup (KYKL) have called for boycott of celebrations saying that Manipur was 'forcibly merged' with the union in 1949. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In a joint statement here, the CORCOM appealed to the people to boycott the functions and remain indoors during the celebrations. --NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Independence Day Boycott Call: India's State Tightens Security

IMPHAL, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Security measures were tightened in north-east Indian Manipur state in view of Wednesday's Independence...

INDIA: Death Toll from Bus Accident in Himachal Pradesh Rises to 51

INDIA: Death Toll from Bus Accident in Himachal Pradesh Rises to 51

NEW DELHI, India (NNN-Xinhua) -- In one of the worst single traffic accidents in India, at least 51 people were killed and 46 others inju...

Rain Deficit Hits India's Leading Rice Producing State

Rain Deficit Hits India's Leading Rice Producing State

HYDERABAD (NNN-Bernama) -- Deficient rainfall and severe drought have adversely affected agricultural activities across south Indian sta...

INDIA: 26 People Washed Away In Heavy Rains in Uttarkashi

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">DEHRADUN (NNN-UNI) -- Twenty-six people were washed away due to excessive rains or cloudburst incidents overnight in Uttarakhand. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Uttarkashi Disrict Magistrate Rajesh Kumar confirmed the death of seven people while 19 labourers were feared washed away in Assi Ganga River in the district. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The laboureres were working in Phase 1 and 2 of Maneri Bhali Hydroelectric Projects. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Uttarkashi district is the worst hit due to heavy downpour lashing the hill state for the past few days. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has expressed deep concern over the loss caused by the natural disaster. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">''The Government is with the people in this moment of hardship.' he added. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He appealed to the people living near the river banks to shift to safer places as more rains were expected in next two days. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The districts of Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag were the worst affected in the Garhwal region with reports of all seasonal and major rivers and rivulets swollen with water. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Water, power and communication services were hit. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Incidents of cloud burst were reported from Uttarkashi due to which maximum damage was causd in Bhatwadi, Sangam Chatti and Swarigad.--NNN-UNI <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div></div>

INDIA: 26 People Washed Away In Heavy Rains in Uttarkashi

DEHRADUN (NNN-UNI) -- Twenty-six people were washed away due to excessive rains or cloudburst incidents overnight in Uttarakhand. Uttark...

Indian Cops Ready With Sketches of Two Pune Blast Suspects

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI) -- Maharashtra Police has prepared sketches of two persons who may have planted explosives in Pune as investigators suspect the involvement of at least three persons in executing the August 1 serial bomb blasts in Pune. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"The sketches of two persons who could be bomb planters are ready. It will not be made public but would be given to the policemen involved in the investigations," a police officer told PTI on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Initial probe suggest that the there could be atleast three suspects who have planted bombs that exploded within an area of 500 meters," the official added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On Wednesday, four low intensity explosions took place between 7.37pm and 8.15pm during rush hour in the heart of Pune on Junglee Maharaj Road, crowded with restaurants, shops and the large Sambhaji Park, popular for family outings in the evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The explosions occurred near Balgandharva Theatre, Dena Bank branch, a McDonald food outlet and Garware bridge. The first bomb went off at Balgandharva Theatre where one person identified as Dayanand Patil was injured.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The National Investigation Agency, Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad and Pune crime branch have been conducting the probe into the blasts simultaneously.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The investigators have also approached mobile operators to verify if any new numbers were traced in and around the spots on the fateful day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"We have approached mobile companies seeking the details of new numbers or suspicious numbers their towers have captured before and after the blasts. There will be lakhs of calls a tower catches in a few minutes. In this mammoth task, we have to go through all these numbers and zero in on the numbers used by suspects," the official added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Official sources in Delhi had on Thursday said that wrist watches were used to trigger the serial blasts and the manner in which this was done with detonators kept on three newly-bought bicycles, two dustbins and a polythene bag was similar to the technique adopted by banned home grown terror group Indian Mujahideen(IM).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On August 1, four low intensity blasts within a span of 30 minutes had rocked Pune when newly appointed home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was to visit the city. Hr later cancelled his plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">No one died in the serial explosions but one person was injured. The blasts took place in the heart of the city - on the crowded Jungli Maharaj Road commercial hub, known for its eateries and restaurants - between 7.45pm and 8.15pm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">City police Chief Gulabrao Pol rejected the possibility of a terror attack but Union home secretary RK Singh said in Delhi that the terrorist angle could not be ruled out as the blasts were a "planned attack". -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Indian Cops Ready With Sketches of Two Pune Blast Suspects

NEW DELHI (NNN-PTI) -- Maharashtra Police has prepared sketches of two persons who may have planted explosives in Pune as investigators su...

Economy Reform Seekers Meet Anti-Corruption Crusaders

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By   <a href="http://www.groundreport.com/Devidas"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Devidas Deshpande</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.groundreport.com/World/Economy-Reform-Seekers-Meet-Anti-Corruption-Cursad/2947320"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Ground Report</span></a>: In a unique meeting of sorts, the reform seekers who want to change the economic scenario of the country met anti-corruption crusaders on Monday. The meeting involved discussions on ways to improve the nation's social realities.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“It is very necessary to wipe out black money and corruption to help every Indian to live a dignified life,” said Anil Bokil, founder of the Arthakranti Pratishthan’s founder. Bokil was talking at the Balgandharva chowk in Pune, India after meeting the India Against Corruption (IAC) agitators there who are on fast since five days. These activists are part of veteran social worker Anna Hazare’s campaign to eradicate corruption and bring a regulatory body to oversee these cases.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The members of the Samarpan Yatra, which has been taken out to bring about various reforms in India's economy sector, participated in IAC movement as a mark of their support when they reached Pune today. Bokil further added, “Along with the fight for Janlokpal Bill, it is also important to change the system and the five point economic agenda of Arthakranti promises to do so.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The programme marked presence of several members from IAC as well several dignitaries from the city. Meanwhile, the team which reached Pune from Aurangabad, about 200 kms from the city, carried various activities at different parts in the city. They distributed pamphlets and performed street plays in these areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On Tuesday, the team will head to Ahmednagar and then lead its way to Ralegan Siddhi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile, another team from Bangalore team continued its stay at Mysore and carried several activities to spread awareness about the Arthakranti Proposals amongst the citizens. The team arranged a presentation at SBRR Mahajana First Grade College and garnered a positive response from students.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Economy Reform Seekers Meet Anti-Corruption Crusaders

By Devidas Deshpande Ground Report : In a unique meeting of sorts, the reform seekers who want to change the economic scenario of the...

INDIA: Displaced Persons in Assam Expected to Return to their Villages in Next Few Days: Home Minister

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-F5i_DiKZFAYJhxZhbgO88jnq19NcS3RlcxyQmPpOJhLfSGCxFHbXBeNa7FpjqACg-gJckGFoSLtK5AgfTr25YHnl9FYejz0_kEgw_jmaXnEuMBk1J414WdLvl8mB4vpuk32xcOLKm4/s1600/l2012073141549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-F5i_DiKZFAYJhxZhbgO88jnq19NcS3RlcxyQmPpOJhLfSGCxFHbXBeNa7FpjqACg-gJckGFoSLtK5AgfTr25YHnl9FYejz0_kEgw_jmaXnEuMBk1J414WdLvl8mB4vpuk32xcOLKm4/s640/l2012073141549.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram addressing a press conference after visiting Kokrajhar during his visit to Assam on July 30, 2012. The Chief Minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi is also seen. Photo © PIB<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI (PIB) --- Ministry of Home Affairs has sent 65 additional companies of Central Armed Police Forces to Assam to restore normalcy in the State.  Presenting the Ministry’s Report Card for the month of July in New Delhi today, the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said that plans have been drawn up to establish police pickets in sensitive villages in Assam.  He further said that the displaced persons are expected to return to their villages in the next few days.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Minister said that “on July 30-31, 2012, I visited Assam to review the security situation and the relief provided to persons displaced in the recent ethnic conflict. It is deeply regrettable that 56 persons lost their lives and more than 4 lakh persons have been displaced. They are currently sheltered in 278 camps set up by the Government. The Ministry of Home Affairs has provided additional 65 companies of CAPFs to Assam. The immediate tasks are relief, rehabilitation and providing security. Plans have been drawn up to establish police pickets in sensitive villages. The displaced persons are anxious to return and are expected to return to their villages in the next few days. Government of India has offered full cooperation and support to the State government.”<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Displaced Persons in Assam Expected to Return to their Villages in Next Few Days: Home Minister

The Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram addressing a press conference after visiting Kokrajhar during his visit to Assam on July 30, 2012....