Monday, November 5, 2012

S Korea shuts nuclear reactors, warns of power shortages

SEOUL: South Korea has been forced to shut down two nuclear reactors to replace components provided with fake quality certificates, a minister said Monday, warning of "unprecedented" power shortages.
Knowledge Economy Minister Hong Suk-Woo stressed that the "non-core" components posed no safety threat and were unrelated to a string of systems malfunctions at reactors this year that triggered calls for a safety review.
The two affected reactors at the Yeonggwang nuclear complex in the southwest may have to remain offline until early January, as engineers replace more than 5,000 fuses, cooling fans and other parts provided by eight suppliers.
"Comprehensive safety check-ups are necessary at these two reactors where the uncertified parts were used extensively," Hong said.
"It's inevitable that we will experience unprecedented power shortage during the coming winter with the two reactors shut," he added.
Hong said prosecutors had been asked to investigate the suppliers who faked the quality certificates as well as possible collusion by officials of the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power.
South Korea operates 23 nuclear power reactors which meet more than 35 percent of the country's electricity needs. It plans to build an additional 16 reactors by 2030.

Taj corridor: HC dismisses petitions against Mayawati

The Allahabad High Court today dismissed petitions against Bahujan Samaj party chief Ms Mayawati in the Taj Corridor case. The Lucknow bench of the court also dismissed the petitions against her cabinet colleague Naseemuddin Siddiqui. Passing the order, the bench comprising justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and Ashwani Kumar Singh said all petitions were devoid of merit and were accordingly being dismissed. BSP leader and Mayawati's counsel Satish Chandra Mishra termed the petitions filed in the case as politically motivated and pursued with malafide intention.

The bench had on September 12 reserved its judgement on the PILs seeking direction for initiation of proceedings of criminal case against Ms Mayawati and Mr Siddiqui. The special CBI court had in June 2007 dropped proceedings against Mayawati and Siddiqui for lack of prosecution sanction, which was not granted by the then Governor. The Taj corridor project was launched by Ms Mayawati in 2002 to beautify

India inks 320-million dollar loan with World Bank for road projects in Assam

November 5, 2012

India has signed a 320-million dollar loan agreement with the World Bank for road projects in Assam.
The agreement was inked by Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Prabodh Saxena and Country Director of World Bank, Onno Ruhl in New Delhi on Monday.
The Assam State Roads project aims to enhance road connectivity in the north-eastern state by helping the Public Works Department to improve state connectivity and facilitate regional integration. It will be implemented over a period of six years.
AIR Correspondent reports, the project will have three components including improvement, modernization and safety management of roads.

Day 4: 3rd Mahindra Youth Football Challenge U-14

Posted on November 5, 2012 by sagarmedia

Day 4: 3^rd Mahindra Youth Football Challenge
U-14 Inter-School Tournament, Delhi

St. Xavier School, Navyug School & N.K. Bajoria Public School won their respective matches played in Delhi

New Delhi, November 5, 2012: St. Xavier School defeated Faith Academy School 3-0 in the first round match of the 3^rd Mahindra Youth Football Challenge Delhi-leg played at Ganga International High School, Hiran Kudna today.

St Xavier School took an attacking stance since beginning and managed to score two goals in the first half. Yatin Uppal and Bharat scored in 18^th & 24^th respectively.

Himanshu also scored a goal in 37^th min to seal the victory for his team. The team will now play in the pre-quarter-final stage of the tournament.

Results: St.Xavier School (Yatin Uppal 18^th, Bharat 24^th, Hussain 37^th) bt Faith Academy School 3-0

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Match 2: In a battle of nerves, Navyug School defeated Summer Fields School 1-0. A lone goal by Navyug School’s V.S.V Rao in 37^th min gave a sign of relief to the team in last moments of their match against Summer Fields School. Both the teams were giving a tough competition. They had now qualified for a next round of match to be played from tomorrow.

Results: Navyug School (V.S.V Rao 37^th) bt Summer Fields School 1-0.

Match 3: N.K. Bajoria’s Prashant Keshwani scored a goal in 20^th min to beat St. Marks School 1-0.

Results: N.K.Bajoria School (Prashant Keshwani 20^th) bt St, Marks School 1-0.

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Match 4: Apex Public School’s Ayush scored a brace to defeat ITL School 2-0. The goals were scored in 19^th & 30^th mins.

Results: Apex Public School (Ayush 19^th, 30th) bt ITL School 2-0.

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Abhay Pratap Singh Associate Consultant

E: abhay@zzebra.net

Ajeetesh Sandhu takes centrestage in round two of the DLF Masters 2012

November 5, 2012

Gurgaon, November 2, 2012: Ajeetesh Sandhu of Chandigarh posted a
sizzling six-under-66 to take the lead in round two of the DLF Masters
2012 being played at the DLF Golf & Country Club. Ajeetesh now leads
the field by three strokes at eight-under-136. Gaurav Pratap Singh of
Noida is in second place at five-under-139.
The cut was declared at five-over-149. Fifty-three professionals made the cut.
Ajeetesh Sandhu (70-66) got off to a cracking start with a birdie on
the first where he converted an eight-footer. He then landed his tee
shot within six inches for birdie on the third. The 24-year-old
collected another birdie on the fourth thanks to a brilliant second
shot.
Ajeetesh, currently ranked 22nd on the Rolex Rankings with five
top-10s in the season so far, missed an eagle opportunity from five
feet on the sixth. However, he managed to bag a birdie on the sixth.
The Chandigarh-based professional sank birdie putts from eight to ten
feet on the eighth and 14th to end up with a bogey-free 66.
“Even though I shot a 66, I feel I could’ve done better since I missed
quite a few birdie chances. My hitting was accurate, especially with
the wedges and I putted well from a range of eight to 10 feet. My
ball-striking has been good this season and I’ve been very consistent
through the year. I’ll look to convert more putts in the next two
rounds,” said Ajeetesh, who is yet to win his first professional
title.
Gaurav Pratap Singh (71-68) made six birdies against two bogeys in his
round of four-under-68 on Friday that placed him overall second.
Harmeet Kahlon (74-66) of Chandigarh made a good comeback in round two
after having shot a 74 on the opening day. His 66 was the joint best
score of the day along with Ajeetesh’s score. Kahlon’s round featured
an eagle on the 18th, five birdies and a bogey. He is now in tied
third along with defending champion Himmat Singh Rai (69-71) of the
DLF Golf & Country Club at four-under-140.
Sri Lankan Anura Rohana is a further stroke back in fifth place while
pre-tournament favourite Jyoti Randhawa, Patna’s Md Islam, round one
leader Toran Bikram Shahi of Nepal, Bangladesh’s Md Zamal Hossain
Mollah and Australian Kunal Bhasin are in joint sixth place with
identical totals of two-under-142.

CAIT REACTED SHARPLY TO THE STATEMENT OF DELHI CM ON FDI IN RETAIL

UNION GOVERNMENT IS MAKING CONFUSIONS AND MISLEADING THE COUNTRY

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has expressed deep shock over the statement of Delhi Chief Minister made today at a Seminar organized on FDI in Retail by a College that FDI will go a long way to improve the economy and prices will be stabilized. The CAIT further regretted that statement of the Chief Minister that no retailer has so far approached the Delhi Government to express anticipated difficulties because of FDI in Retail because the CAIT itself has given various memorandums to Delhi Government on the repercussions of FDI in Retail. It said that it is the Union Government which is making confusions and misrepresentations of the facts and figures on various issues related to FDI in Retail. CAIT Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal said that he is challenging the Union Government to prove him wrong and he is ready to have an open debate with anyone in the Government on this issue which has been made a “Pandora box” by the Union Government. He apprehended that even the Chief Ministers of different States have been mis-informed by the Union

Government.

CAIT Secretary General Shri Praveen Khandelwal reminded the Chief Minister that about two weeks before when the traders gathered at her residence to express thanks and gratitude to her for taking due cognizance of the issue of the traders related to VAT, the issue of FDI in Retail was raised out of context on which the Union Minister Shri Kapil Sibal offered to hold talks with the traders on FDI in Retail.

Shri Khandelwal said that the traders of Delhi have due regards for the Chief Minister since she has resolved many of the issues of the traders in no time but on issue of FDI in Retail, the CAIT is raising the voice of the traders continuously and has even published books on the ill effects of the FDI in Retail on farmers,traders,hawkers,small industries, transporters and other sections of the retail trade.

Mr. Khandelwal said that Delhi Governments’ announcement of implementing FDI in Retail is pre-matured because of the fact that the amendments in Rules and Regulations in Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) done by the Reserve Bank of India, the copy of which has been submitted today by Attorney General of India to the Supreme Court, has to go to both the houses of the Parliament for discussion and approval under section 48 of the FEMA Act and the Parliament and the decision of the Parliament will be final and binding. As of now the notification of Union Government on FDI in Retail is merely a piece of paper and has no legal validity.

Mr. Khandelwal further said that it is the Union Government which is creating confusion on the issue by stating incorrect figures and even the Prime Minister has also been misled. The responsible people sitting at the helm of affairs in Union Government are falsely stating that about 40% food is waste in the Country and for development of cold storage and modern transport system, FDI is needed. The figure of 40% food wastage is absolutely false and misleading because of the fact that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICRA), a body under Ministry of Agriculture, in its report on post harvest losses estimated a maximum wastage of 12% in vegetables and 18% in fruits and the said report was submitted to Union Government in September, 2010. Shri Khandelwal questioned why the Union Government is misleading the nation.. It is most amusing that development of cold storage and modern transport system has not been included in the backend infrastructure as defined in the notification though in PM’s address to the nation on 21st September, it has been categorically mentioned.

He said that the CAIT is always prepared to have a dialogue on the merits and de-merits of FDI in Retail but on any public platform so that nation must know what the reality is. “We have enough authenticated material to prove that the Government is standing on a weak wicket”-said Khandelwal

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For more information please contact CAIT, Secretary General, Mr. Praveen Khandelwal @ 9891015165, 93101099771.