Emaar’s `183cr bank surety to be seized

The Union urban development ministry has decided to confiscate the `183-crore bank guarantee of the private developer of the Commonwealth Games Village (CGV), Emaar-MGF. Also, all possible legal action would be taken against it. The urban development ministry had sought an interim report from the DDA, which had awarded the work to Emaar. The DDA in its report had said several deficiencies and irregularities had been detected in the construction of the CGV.

Sources in the ministry said confiscation of the bank guarantee was the strongest action possible in the circumstances. Legal action to ensure recovery of dues over and above the bank guarantee would also be taken.

The sources added that although black-listing the firm could be an option, it was necessary to ensure that it was made accountable for its lapses immediately. In fact, an empowered technical and audit committee has been appointed to examine the works executed by the private developer. Highly placed sources, however, said it was felt there was a need to take immediate action and, hence, it was decided to not wait till the final report of the committee was received.

Although the CGV had been praised for its overall ambience, several deficiencies and discrepancies had been noticed and pointed out by various nations through their chefs de mission.

In the DDA’s interim report to the urban development ministry (which was sought by the ministry), it was pointed out that the developer not only failed to meet time lines but had also not paid dues to agencies like the Delhi Jal Board and BSES. DDA sources added that it had itself carried out the work on the developers’ behalf and that this would have to be included in the costs to be recovered from the private builder.

andhra news,online telugu news

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Naidu is a frustrated backstabber: Rosaiah

The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, on Wednesday hit out at the Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, calling him a “backstabber”, angry at the latter terming the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, a “sadist”.

In an unusually harsh tone, Mr Rosaiah said he had never learnt tricks like backstabbing, dumping of loyalists and even taking their lives to grab power like Mr Naidu. We all know what he did to NTR to capture power, said Mr Rosaiah. Unlike the former chief minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, who used criticise the TD chief in the sharpest of words, Mr Rosaiah had so far been soft on Mr Naidu. On Wednesday, however, the Chief Minister was all guns blazing, provoked by Mr Naidu’s outburst against the Prime Minister.

The TD president had called Dr Singh a sadist for denying appointment to the Opposition parties during his day’s visit to city on Tuesday.

andhra news,online telugu news

“Does he know the meaning of the word sadist?” asked the Chief Minister. “Can the word sadist be used in this context?”

Mr Rosaiah said he had been tolerating Mr Naidu, who was frustrated at being rejected by people twice, out of sympathy. “His frustration got doubled because he lost control over party affairs also,” the Chief Minister pointed out.

In a sarcastic manner, the Chief Minister said Mr Naidu enjoyed enormous power at one time and had even claimed that the US president, Mr Bill Clinton, and the British prime minister, Mr Tony Blair, had asked him to help them manage world politics.

“Of course, Mr Naidu denied the invitation apparently because he was busy in state politics,” the Chief Minister ridiculed.

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After Sachin who? Anu Guess

Long before he scored his 6th double century in Tests on Tuesday, Sachin Tendulkar had been declared a national treasure by his fans who are as ageless as his batting. While many greats have enjoyed their fantastic years in the game, Sachin has lasted the full course.

Indian cricket may throw up more precocious talents like Cheteswar Pujara who was one year old when Sachin made his Test debut. Among young and established batsmen, the likes of Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Abhinav Mukund, Ajinkya Rahane and Saurabh Tiwary have it in them to shine in the new era in which T-20 cricket has a big place. However, no batsman will scale the heights Sachin has, only because they may lose focus even if they have a clear example in the master batsman to follow. Cricketers will come and go but there will be only one Sachin.

What makes his achievements special is the fact that in an era of distractions — money, women, sex, drugs aplenty — he has not been guilty of breaching the basic code of cricket. Many have fallen to temptation, with Yuvraj Singh going out of the way to advise youngsters of the perils of desires in a recent interview.

In his 21st year in international cricket, at the age of 37, Sachin boasts a Bradman-like Test average close to 100 this year. The great fear at this time is will Indian cricket, no cricket itself, ever see a player like him again? His die-hard fans will be pleased that no one will ever match some of his feats like 49 Test centuries (and counting), 46 ODI hundreds (and counting), aggregate runs in the international game beyond 30,000 and so on.

Those who have watched him play cannot stop admiring his commitment levels. “His basic technique is so simple and straight. He rarely hits across the line, which means his eyesight and footwork are not stretched to make up time to get to the ball. It’s amazing how he is able to visualise his innings even as he is beginning to play,” says longtime cricket aficionado, R. Venkatesh.

Remarkably, Sachin has always been a symbol of nationalism, with fans tending to identify with him regardless of whether he is turning out for India, Mumbai Indians or Mumbai. He is a true pan-national icon.

Even Kapil Dev who said Sachin has not played to his true potential when he completed 20 years last November, is inclined to agree that the little master is more of a complete batsman now. “He made 200 in an ODI after I said he had not realised his full potential. He has so much more to achieve even now,” Kapil explains.

“I have never seen a batsman as dedicated to his craft as Tendulkar and his longevity is an apt reflection of that. I am sure he has a lot more to offer to Indian cricket,” concurs G.R. Viswanath who in his time was one of Indian cricket’s greatest batsmen.

Sachin’s fans who equate him to the God of cricket are convinced that he will remain singular in his weight of achievements and that none will surpass the many records he will leave behind. “I can’t imagine watching cricket after he retires. Even if I go on watching it because it is a habit now, somehow I suspect things will not be the same again,” says a long time fan, S. Ramesh.

When fit, Sachin is not known to have skipped practice or training sessions or chosen his matches or tours until physical fitness problems intervened to thrust some discretion in most recent times. That India became the No.1 Test team and, briefly, also No. 1 in ODIs may also have helped refresh his motivation after years on the treadmill of drills at grounds, lonely evening at hotels and seemingly endless flights.

This year has been one of his finest years, a season in which he also became the first batsman to score 200 in a one-day international, feats that helped him land the ICC Cricketer of the Year award for the first time. But the one big gem missing in his collection is a World Cup victory. If Sachin is yet to achieve that, at least it gives him a great motivation to staying on course for one last attempt at the Himalayan ODI achievement in 2011.

Master stroke
* In his 21st year of international cricket, Sachin boasts of a Bradman-like Test average.
* Sachin scored 200 in an ODI last year.
* Some of Sachin’s unmatched feats include 49 Test centuries, 46 ODI hundreds and aggregate runs of 30,000.

Cricket sans Sachin will not be the same

Manoj Kumar, St John’s Academy
Sachin has always been my favourite batsman. He’s not controversial, is calm despite his achievements, and his passion towards the game is the same as it was 21 years ago. My next favourite cricketer is M.S. Dhoni.

Akash A., Cricket fan
Sachin plays his basics so well. He is the only player who always scores — no one is as consistent as him. I would want Tendulkar to play for two more World cups. I cannot imagine Indian cricket without him.

Sharon Rebecca, handball player
Tendul-kar is capable of turning a match around. He is a legend and no one can be compared to him. People can be sure he will win matches for India. He always plays for the team and is not selfish to achieve awards or records.

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India wins UNSC seat by 187 votes

India was on Tuesday elected unopposed from the Asian region for a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council after a long 18-year gap. India was last a Council member in 1991-92.
India, which won by a record 187 votes (98 per cent of the UN’s membership), joins South Africa, Colombia, Germany and Portugal as the five new members of the 15-nation body. Their two-year term begins January 1, 2011.

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2nd test for BSY tomorrow

In the first instance of any leader facing a trial of strength in the Legislative Assembly twice in four days, the Chief Minister, Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa, will go through another trust vote on the invitation of the Governor, Mr H.R. Bhardwaj, on Thursday, a move which provided a new turn to the much-complicated political situation in Karnataka.

Mr Bhardwaj offer of a “fresh opportunity”, which came hours after he recommended President’s Rule, was accepted by the Chief Minister who had rushed to New Delhi with 100-odd legislators to demonstrate that he had the requisite numbers to the President, Mrs Pratibha Patil, and to seek the Governor’s recall. “I am going to seek a vote of confidence on the 14th at 11 am. I am confident of winning the vote of confidence on October 14,” Mr Yeddyurappa said in Delhi after prolonged discussions with the party bigwigs, Mr Nitin Gadkari, Mr L.K. Advani, Ms Sushma Swaraj and Mr Arun Jaitley.

The Governor’s invitation came on a day when a two-member Bench of the Karnataka High Court put off its verdict on petitions filed by 16 rebel MLAs against Speaker K.G. Bopaiah’s decision to disqualify them from membership of the Legislative Assembly. His invitation also prompted the Union cabinet to drop its earlier move to discuss the Governor’s recommendation on imposition of President’s rule during its meeting on Tuesday.

On Thursday, only 208 of the 224 MLAs would be allowed into the Assembly, leaving the BJP to muster strength of 105 legislators to win the motion of confidence.

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All eyes on High Court of Karnataka State

The Karnataka High Court was once again the cynosure of all eyes as it began hearing petitions by the 16 disqualified MLAs for the second day in succession on Tuesday.

The matter was taken up at 3 p.m. on Monday, while on Tuesday it was taken up in the morning and Court Hall No 1 was packed to capacity with no standing room.

A large number of advocates, activists of political parties and mediapersons thronged the court hall where a Special Division Bench of Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice N. Kumar commenced hearing.

The Bench had to appeal to the gathering to keep quiet when the crowd grew restive and began taking loudly.

The temperature within the court hall rose as the huge crowd within the court hall switched off the pedestal fans placed on the aisles.

When the Bench completed hearing arguments in the petition filed by BJP rebels at 1.45 p.m., those inside rushed out to have a quick bite.

They rushed back to occupy seats as the next case relating to the disqualification of the Independent MLAs was slated to come up for hearing before the Bench.

However, there was not as much police security today as there was on Monday.

Towards evening, OB vans of almost all media groups were stationed in front of the Golden Jubilee Gate of the High Court and the police had a tough time clearing the traffic from near the premises.

In stark contrast to all the activity in the High Court, the Vidhana Soudha almost wore a deserted look with only officials present.

The BJP MLAs along with the party Ministers were in New Delhi.

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It is only to legalise an illegal act: JD(S)

Terming Governor H.R. Bhardwaj's letter to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa asking him to seek a vote of confidence again on Thursday as an attempt to legalise the “illegal passage of the motion of confidence by the Legislative Assembly in favour of the Government on Monday”, State Janata Dal (Secular) president and MP H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday demanded that the Governor withdraw his communication.

Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Kumaraswamy, who expressed the party's displeasure with the Governor's move, also demanded that he should postpone any such action till after the Karnataka High Court delivers its judgment on the writ petitions filed by the five disqualified Independent MLAs and the rebel BJP MLAs. Perhaps, this is the first time in the parliamentary history of the country that a Government has been given a second chance by the Governor to prove majority in the Assembly within a day, he added.

He and party leader in the Legislative Council M.C. Nanaiah said that the right of the Independents to participate in the voting on the motion of confidence should be protected. Taking objection to the Governor's volte-face, the leaders alleged that Mr. Bhardwaj was only facilitating the Chief Minister to “correct his mistake”, especially when horse trading had taken place.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said that the Opposition could not understand the reason behind the Governor's second letter to Mr. Yeddyurappa, when only on Monday he had recommended to the Union Government to impose President's Rule. An unforeseen hand played mischief in such a change in Mr. Bhardwaj's stand, they said.

Earlier, a delegation of Congress leaders, led by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R.V. Deshpande, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and senior leader V.S. Ugrappa, met the Governor and reportedly expressed shock over the reversal of his decision to allow Mr. Yeddyurappa to seek another vote of confidence. However, none of the leaders, who discussed the issue with Mr. Bhardwaj, was ready to meet the media as they left the Raj Bhavan from the northern gate.

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Nine dazzling nights of colour @ Festivals

Navaratri brings the cosmopolitan culture of Bangalore to the fore as the city's different communities celebrate the festival in their own unique traditions.

The festival brings with it the opportunity for people, particularly women and children, to bring out the traditional pattada bombes (dolls) from their storage, decorate them and visit each others' homes to admire the dolls' arrangement.

Thematic arrangements are an attraction, although with the break-up of joint families, the number of homes taking the trouble for elaborate doll display is on a decline.

Offering prasada and arshina- kumkuma to the guests is another part of the nine-day celebrations.

One meal a day

If doll arrangement or the bombe habba is the traditional South Karnataka way of celebrating Dasara, the nine days are time for festivities intermingled with devotion for North Indians in the city. For many families, the commencement of the festival, a run-up to the Vijayadashami, entails having just one meal a day, known as ekashana, and performing special pujas to female deities every day.

Non-violent end

Jains worship a goddess figure and follow the fasting ritual by not consuming grains and sticking to fruits and vegetables as these foods are said to “rejuvenate the shakti.”

“On the first day, we plant jo plants which are plucked on the last day and given to the male family members for their growth and prosperity,” says Iti Jain, explaining another unique ritual of the Jain way of celebrations.

On the ninth day of Navaratri, Ravan is made out of flour and rice is sprinkled on each head to end him in a non-violent way.

On the other hand, some communities, predominantly Sindhis, invite eight girls and a boy on the eighth day. “These children's feet are washed and they are fed simple food,” says Varsha. J. Ranani.

Community revelry

Even though celebrations are watered down in most nuclear families, community celebrations are going strong. The annual fair held at Palace Grounds during Navaratri has become an ideal substitute by facilitating mass celebrations involving different communities.

The celebrations here begin in the evening and go on well past midnight.

The event starts with the traditional Gujarati garba followed by a puja. After prayers, it is up to the revellers to call it a day as they dance into the early hours of the morning, playing the dandiya.

Keeping it religious

Despite the huge turnout that the event sees every year, the organisers, in a bid to maintain it as a religious affair, clamp down on any violations, especially consumption of alcohol. Dancers are barred from wearing footwear while those in traditional costumes get a discount or even free entry into the venue.

“It is an expensive affair. But it is a great time to enjoy,” says Jaina V. Shah.

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Rare 3-in-1 stent surgery in Mumbai

As he walks around the doctor's clinic taking small, quick steps, Kalwa resident Madhukar Ghadigaonkar doesn't give the impression of being a man who needed a drastic medical rescue operation just a week ago. But the 67-year-old had three types of blood vessels—two attached to the brain, two to the kidneys and one of the heart—operated on in one session on October 7. Doctors who treated him say this is the first time a triple-vessel procedure such as this one has been attempted.

Stents were placed at five blockages across these arteries to "revive" the former government servant who had been fainting and feeling sluggish for about a month. His doctors are happy that the grandfather recovered well enough to go home within four days.

Others in the medical fraternity are, however, a bit cautious. "It is lucky for the patient that everything went well. The patient could have suffered a stroke or shock during the procedure," said a senior doctor who didn't want to be identified.

Two aspects make this case different. First, the extent of the patient's disease—atherosclerosis or deposition of plaque—had spread to the arteries in his heart, brain and kidneys. The vessels had narrowed considerably, leading to Ghadigaonkar's fainting spells.

Doctors across the world prefer to tackle each system separately. If the brain or carotid arteries are fixed in one session, the renal or heart are done in another. But this was different.

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Salman has a red eye!

Salman Khan is seen with glares these days, but it is not his new style statement. He is wearing them to cover up his bruised eye.

At the three recent events in Mumbai - the eviction episode of "Bigg Boss 4", launch of Being Human watches and the Being Human fashion show at the HDIL-India Couture Week - the actor sported glares.

"I was okay to walk the ramp without the glares but everyone who saw my eye got scared. So I thought it best to wear the 'chashmas'," Salman posted on his Twitter page.

He explained the reason behind the bruised eye.

"It was just a small scratch near the eye but because of all the commitments with 'Bigg Boss', launch of Being Human watches ...the Being Human fashion show, had to attend all these functions and so because of the energy the blood clot spread in the whole eye."

"Of course it hurts and vision is slightly blurred, but will be fine in a few days," he added.

Salman walked the couture week ramp with Bollywood beauties like Priety Zinta, Katrina Kaif, Rani Mukerji, Bipasha Basu, Karishma Kapoor, Sushmita Sen, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor. He says he loved scaring them all with his bruised eye.

"I had a lot of fun scaring all my beautiful leading ladies backstage."

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IIMs to export CAT to foreign business schools

The brutally competitive Common Admission Test is all set for a cross-over. The Indian Institutes of Management, which conduct the entrance exam, have been approached by business schools in Sri Lanka to do a CAT for their candidates as well, a plan that will take off next year. "We refused to conduct the CAT for them this year, but will do so in 2011," confirmed Himanshu Rai, convener of CAT-2010.

Although the Indian market is shrinking, the IIMs feel the CAT is likely to get fatter as it flies out. "Apart from Lanka, B-schools in several countries in South-East Asia have shown interest in admitting students through the exam," Rai said.

Indeed, Rai had hinted at such a development last month in an article he wrote for a financial daily. "CAT ought to be taken across the frontiers since that would make it more viable while bringing in the best global practices," he had written. "The road is steep but the IIMs have always had the will and the capability. They have led others to global standards and they will continue to do so."

In 2009, after 33 years of a paper-pencil format, the test graduated to a computer-based one. The CAT in foreign lands, too, will follow the existing Indian model. The IIMs will hire an agency to conduct the exam; questions, however, will be designed by them, for which the IIMs have been thinking of setting up a company under Section 25 of the Indian Companies Act, 1956. "Setting up a separate entity will ensure that a handful of IIM faculty members are de-linked temporarily from teaching and are involved only in conducting the exam. Few realise it, but it is a mammoth task," said an IIM faculty.

Currently, the IIMs have signed a five-year-long contract with an American-based testing firm, Prometric, to conduct the computer-based test. While the US company is paid a fixed fee, the IIMs make their bucks through the money that flows in from applicants' registrations and from the fees they charge other B-schools for using the CAT scores to admit their candidates.

This year, apart from the IIMs, 157 B-schools across the country will use the CAT marks to select their students from a pool of 2.06 lakh Indians who will sit for the test.

CAT,CAT news,

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2 months later, Chile mine rescue begins

A rescue worker is finally going down to the 33 trapped miners after good luck wishes from Chile's president.

Manuel Rodriguez, a mining rescue expert with Chile's state copper company Codelco, is the first one down the shaft. Other rescuers will join him to help prepare 33 trapped miners for their journey to safety after 69 days trapped a half-mile underground.

President Sebastian Pinera wished him good luck and urged him to bring the miners up in good shape.

Then they closed him inside the capsule and Pinera grinned and made the sign of the cross as the capsule disappeared below.

Nervous anticipation grew among the miners' relatives and friends as mining minister Laurence Golborne said rescuers aimed to start hoisting the miners from 2100 GMT, hours ahead of schedule. The men have spent 68 days in the hot, humid bowels of a gold and copper mine in Chile's northern Atacama desert after an August 5 collapse, and now face a harrowingly claustrophobic journey to the surface in specially-made capsules.

Wives, children, parents and friends are waiting on an arid, rocky hillside around 625 metres directly above them at a tent settlement dubbed " Camp Hope."

"Right now I'm calm, though still very anxious. I hope my nerves don't betray me when the rescue starts," said Jessica Salgado, whose husband Alex is trapped below, as the sun rose over the camp. "The first thing I'm going to do is hug him hard, tell him how much I love him, and how I've missed him all this time," she added.

Rescuers on Monday successfully tested a capsule, dubbed "Phoenix" after the mythical bird that rose from the ashes, after they partially lined the narrow escape duct with metal tubes to avoid any last-minute disasters. They originally found the men, miraculously all alive, 17 days after the collapse with a bore hole the width of grapefruit, which then became an umbilical cord used to pass hydration gels, water and food to keep them alive during one of the world's most ambitious rescue operations.

The men have set a world record for the length of time workers have survived underground after a mining accident, and have been doing exercises to keep their weight down for their ascent. It has been an agonizing wait. But once the evacuations start, it will take 48 hours to extract the men.

Four rescuers will be lowered to help the miners prepare to return to the surface. Each man's journey to the surface should take about 12 to 15 minutes.

The miners will have their eyes closed and will immediately be given dark glasses to avoid damaging their eyesight after spending so long in a dimly lit tunnel. President Sebastian Pinera, who ordered a revamp of mine safety regulations in the wake of the accident, plans to visit the mine on Tuesday. reuters

Chile mine rescue,Chile mine rescue news

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Karnataka crisis: BSY asked to prove majority by Oct 12

On a day of swift developments, 20 MLAs have withdrawn support to the B S Yeddyurappa government, according to rebel leader P M Narendraswamy after meeting Governor H R Bhardwaj. The Governor has asked Yeddyurappa to prove majority by Oct 12.

Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa issued a warning minutes after the MLAs -- 15 of the ruling BJP and five independents -- submitted a letter to the Governor declaring withdrawal of support in fast paced political developments which threatened the stability of the maiden BJP government in the South. .

Earlier in the day, the chief minister sacked four dissident ministers and accused the opposition Congress and JDS of attempting to topple his government.

Yeddyurappa recommended to Governor H R Bhardwaj to drop from the Cabinet -- Shivaraj Thangadagi, Venkataramanappa, P M Narendraswamy and D Sudhakar.

The sacked ministers were independents who had lent crucial support to Yeddyurappa when the BJP failed to get majority in the May 2008 Assembly polls. Yeddyurappa said two-three senior ministers would be asked to quit to pave way for induction of five or six new faces into his Cabinet shortly.

"We are fully confident that the BJP government will prove its majority according to the mandate given by the people whenever such an occasion arises on the floor of the House", he told reporters.

Yeddyurappa accused the Congress of continuing its "habit" of entering into an "immoral relationship" with the JDS to topple a democratically-elected government.

"For the first time in the history of Karnataka, each legislator is offered between Rs 20 crore and Rs 30 crore (to shift loyalty) and it (money) already been handed over to their family members", the chief minister alleged but didn't elaborate.

In a related development, senior JDS leader M C Nanaiah met the Governor and sought his "intervention" contending that there is a "constitutional crisis" in the state, where "anarchy" is prevailing as far as the Government is concerned.

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Shooters and wrestlers make it second best CWG day ever

Indian sport had a happy problem of plenty on Tuesday. Whose fortunes to follow, which channel to flip? Shooters in the capital or our cricket gladiators in Mohali?

There was the Indian women's pair of Rahi Sarnobat and Anisa Sayyed who followed India's opening gold at the Commonwealth Games -- courtesy Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang in the 10m air rifle pairs -- with one of their own in the 25m pistol pairs.

The world champion and Olympic hero pairing of Narang and Bindra fired a Games record of 1193 points beating their previous best of 1189 set in Melbourne four years ago.

The feat drew Twitter praise across the board, ranging from Lata Mangeshkar to the duo's Village neighbours, Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza.

This was Bindra's first big medal on Indian soil. "My best moment since Beijing," he said, before adding, tongue in cheek, "I'd like to live under the illusion that our gold medal will make headlines tomorrow".

As the curtains came down on Day Two of the Games and the Indian men held off a resolute Malaysia 3-2 in men's hockey, their wrestling counterparts had cornered three gold medals in the Greco-Roman class.

India dominated proceedings, ending Day Two with a flattering medal tally of five gold, four silver and two bronze. It was a notch below early pace-setters, Australia who have eight gold medals, eight silver and four bronze. England with two gold, five silver and four bronze are third.

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