Politics

Nagpur students send Rakhis to soldiers ahead of Raksha Bandhan

Nagpur, Aug 02 (ANI): School children from Maharashtra made attractive designer Rakhis for soldiers deployed on the nation's borders ahead of Raksha Bandhan. A Rakhi is the symbolic holy thread which a sister ties ceremoniously on the wrist of her brother as a mark of the revered bondage between them. To express the same, the students of Prahar Military School in Nagpur sent packages of handmade Rakhis to the various soldiers guarding the border. The Chief Guest at the event was Deputy Commandant Army Postal Services Kamptee, Lt. Col. SB Singh. Students tied Rakhis on Singh’s hand to show their respect and gratitude towards the Army. Singh expressed his joy and gratitude at this gesture. The Rakhis were handmade by the students of the school. The Prahar Institution and Prahar Military school have sent around 20,000 Rakhis to the Army this year.

Aug 2, 2014

Natwar Singh hits back at Congress, says party also mentioned in Volcker report

New Delhi, Aug 02 (ANI): Hitting back at Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s allegation on K Natwar Singh of accepting "kickbacks" on the United Nation's oil-for-food programme, Singh said that the party too was involved. He said that the Congress was itself mentioned in the Volcker report as a non-contractual beneficiary. He also said that Singhvi might have forgotten about the video wherein he was found in a compromised position. Singh further attacked at the Congress party and its central leadership.

Aug 2, 2014

Army launches clean up operation at Tosa Maidan to clear littered shells

Budgam, Aug 02 (ANI): The Indian Army addressed a news conference to shed light over a number of issues faced by them in Tosa Maidan, a picturesque place used by the army for artillery exercise in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Tosa Maidan, famous for its meadows, was leased to Indian Army for 50 years for setting up an artillery firing range in 1964. With the lease about to be over, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Army's Strategic Chinar Corps, Subrata Saha, said the plans to extend it are doing rounds and they have also launched a clean-up operation at the firing range. The operation is expected to take at least three months.

Aug 2, 2014

Kerala Tourism, UNESCO sign MoU for promoting Spice Route heritage

Kochi, Aug 02 (ANI): The tourism industry of Kerala signed an agreement with UNESCO to begin a historic cooperation between the two bodies to promote and protect the Spice Route Heritage. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Secretary of Kerala Tourism, Suman Billa, and Director and UNESCO representative to India, Shigeru Aoyagi, in the presence of the state tourism minister, AP Anil Kumar and Deputy Chairman of Kerala State Planning Board, KM Chandrasekhar. The MoU seeks to formalize a framework of cooperation in the areas of cultural heritage protection and promotion of spice tourism in the state.

Aug 2, 2014

Kashmir observes shutdown against Kausar Naag pilgrimage

Srinagar, Aug 02 (ANI): Shops remained closed and vehicles were off the road in Srinagar city on Saturday, as separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani gave a call for complete shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir to protest declaration of Hindu pilgrimage to a revered temple. Security personnel were patrolling the streets to prevent any untoward incident. Geelani, chairman of the Hurriyat Conference (G), claimed that the state government’s move to declare the ecologically-fragile Kausar Naag lake for annual pilgrimage would have disastrous consequences on the environment and water resources. He said the area was a very important source of drinking water for millions of people and also irrigates millions of acres of agricultural land. Kashmir is considered as one of the best tourism destinations in the country with the hospitality of the valley well-known that adds to the popularity of the tourism sector.

Aug 2, 2014

Shiv Sena Women Wing President Murdered in Nagpur; One Held

Shiv Sena women wing President Aarti Borkar was hacked to death in Nagpur on Friday evening. Aarti was on her way to a restaurant with her husband when she was attacked with sharp weapons.

Aug 2, 2014

Boat owners hope for tourism boom as cleaning up of Nagin Lake begins

Srinagar, Aug 02 (ANI): State authorities in Jammu and Kashmir launched a drive to clean the picturesque Nagin Lake in a bid to attract more tourists. Tourists from different parts and ethnicities are seen enjoying Shikara boat rides and staying in house boats in the lake. Labourers were employed to undertake the cleaning drive of the lake, the beauty of which has been marred by the filth floating on the water and moss and weed growing inside it. House boat and Shikara owners hailed the step by the authorities as this would help to boost their tourism-driven businessThe initiative was taken up by the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), which plans to restore the lake through a traditional cleaning process. The drive conducted annually in the lake polluted by increasing encroachments in the valley, will continue till the entire water body is cleaned up.

Aug 2, 2014