BAPU`S MESSAGE FOR UNITY AND PEACE - ON - GANDHI JAYANTI DAY !

WORLD MAP - DEATHS DUE TO AIR POLLUTION - ACROSS THE WORLD !

The map above shows the model estimate of the average number of deaths per 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) per year due to air pollution. The researchers used the difference in pollution levels between 1850 and 2000 as a measure of human-caused air pollution. Dark brown areas have more premature deaths than light brown areas. Blue areas have experienced an improvement in air quality relative to 1850 and a decline in premature deaths. Fine particulate matter takes an especially large toll in eastern China, northern India, and Europe—all areas where urbanization has added considerable quantities of PM_2.5 to the atmosphere since the start of the Industrial Revolution.

SUPREME COURT ON ELECTION REFORMS - CITIZEN`S RIGHT TO REJECT !!

The Supreme Court of India, headed by Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam directed the Election Commission to provide a button on voting machines to allow voters to reject all candidates contesting an election in a constituency, If the Voter decided to cast NEGATIVE VOTE.

This Order is hailed as one of the LANDMARK Judgments of this Century, thus the apex court has recognised the RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS and gave them an opportunity `the right to negative vote`. The apex court had been hearing the case for the last nine years after the People's Union for Civil Liberties decided to seek legal recourse and filed the case in 2004.  The court upheld the argument of petitioner, the People's Union for Civil Liberties, an NGO, that a voter has the right to record disapproval of all candidates listed.

While delivering “THE LANDMARK” verdict the Supreme Court said that this move will go a long way in cleansing the political system of the country. According to the Supreme court order negative voting will foster purity and vibrancy in elections as at the end of the list of candidates in electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers, the electorate will have the option of "none of the above" which will give them an option to reject all those contesting polls.

PROPERTY DEALS AT THE YEAR`S LOW

THE PROPERTY MARKET IS SLUGGISH AND THERE IS ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF PROPERTIES, BUT ARE HIGHLY PRICED, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE SAME PRICE TAG FOR A LONG TIME.

THE RECENT TRENDS INDICATE THAT THE PRICES OF PROPERTIES MAY NOT SHOOT UP FOR SOME TIME, TILL THE ECONOMY RECOVERS.  THERE ARE MORE SHOCKERS TO REAL ESTATE MARKET, WHICH MAY STRIKE IT ON REGULAR BASIS.  HENCE, SUDDEN RECOVERY AND PRICE INCREASE IS NOT SEEN FOR THE TIME BEING.

Department of Posts Allots Country’s First Customized Dedicated Pin Code to the Supreme Court of India

Country’s First ‘Locality Based Online Pin Code Search Directory’ also Launched

The Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, here today allotted a ‘Customized Pin Code’ to the Supreme Court of India. This dedicated Pin Code of the Supreme Court is ‘110 201’. In a function organized in the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of India, Shri Justice P. Sathasivam, received a blowup of this Customized Pin Code from Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister of Communications & Information Technology. The event took place on the occasion that marked the completion of 41 years of the introduction of Pin Code in the country.

Postal Index Number (PIN) or PIN Code is a 6 digit code of Post Office numbering used by India Post. The PIN was introduced in 1972 in the country. There are 9 PIN regions in the country. The first 8 are geographical regions and the digit 9 is reserved for the Army Postal Service. The first digit indicates one of the regions. The first 2 digits together indicate the sub region or one of the postal circles. The first 3 digits together indicate a sorting / revenue district. The last 3 digits refer to the delivery Post Office

TRAI Cautions Banks and Financial Institutions Against use of Unregistered Telemarketers - banks on 7 days notice !!

Finds Major Banks Such as Axis, Citi, HDFC, ICICI, Kotak Mahindra, PNB and SBI in Violation of Regulations  Puts These Banks on 7-Days Notice

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has cautioned banks and financial institutions against use of unregistered Telemarketers for promoting their business in violation of provisions of “The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2010”. The Authority said here today that despite actions taken by it, it continues to receive a large number of complaints from consumers against banks, insurance companies, builders, etc. for making calls/ SMSs organized through unregistered telemarketers. TRAI has said that such a behaviour of these banks and companies etc. is in violation of “The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2010”, which provides that in case complaints continue to come in, then on receipt of the 3rd complaint, all the telecom resources of the entity/organization shall be disconnected.

The Authority has taken the names of such banks and financial institutions which have been flouting the aforesaid regulation by marketing their products and services through unregistered telemarketers. These banks/ financial institutions are: (i) Axis Bank; (ii) Citi Bank; (iii) HDFC Bank; (iv) ICICI Bank; (v) Kotak Mahindra; (vi) PNB; and (vii) SBI. These have been directed to look into the specific cases of breach, initiate corrective action and report back to the Authority within a period of seven days, failing which the banks are liable to have all their telecom resources disconnected throughout the country.

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Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) – Future fuel for Locomotives of Indian Railways

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In a move to adopt environment friendly and cost effective alternate fuel, the Indian Railways has taken up various projects on utilization of natural gas as fuel for its fleet of diesel locomotives. Under this, Research Design & Standard Organisation (RDSO), a research wing of the Ministry of Railways based at Lucknow, is actively working on development of a prototype of locomotive based on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Once the prototype is proven on field, Indian Railways plan to build another 20 LNG based locomotives on the same concept. With the introduction of such technology, there is going to be 50% reduction in operating cost of locomotives even at the current enhanced LNG prices. In addition, there is an elimination of visible smoke from these locomotives and significant reductions in other regulated and unregulated emissions like NOx etc. Once Indian Railways switches over completely to natural gas as fuel for its diesel locomotives, it would amount to only 2.2% of India’s annual natural gas consumption of 81 million tons and therefore commercially feasible.

At present, Indian Railways are running its fleet of locomotives on predominantly two fuels, i.e. diesel and electricity. Prices of both these fuels have been rising rapidly due to increasing prices of crude oil/imported coal, devaluation of Rupee etc. Natural gas is emerging as a promising fuel of the future. This natural gas is availablein the form of conventional natural gas, shale gas, gas hydrates etc. With the introduction of economical processes of extraction of shale gas, exploitation of shale gas reserves has become a commercial reality.

India also has substantial reserves of natural gas in the form of conventional natural gas, shale gas and gas hydrates. According to an estimate, India has 1241 billion cubic metres of conventional gas, 7462.5 billion cubic metres of recoverable shale gas reserves and 1890 trillion cubic metres of gas hydrates. USA and Canada have become the world’s highest exporters of natural gas on account of their shale gas reserves.

To make use of global reserves of natural gas, India is setting up infrastructure for import of LNG into the country. Even LNG terminals are in various stages of setting-up on the east and west coasts of India, all with railway connectivity.

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