Indian artist plans international football culture club
Kolkata: Known for his rich oeuvre of politically-charged works as well as his diverse football related projects, artist Riyas Komu plans to open an international football culture club. Hailing from Kerala and based in Mumbai, Komu prefers to do “socially relevant” paintings and is famed for football-themed installations. The artist is in talks with internationally-acclaimed football writer Simon Kuper to set up a unique art and culture hub. “It will showcase various art forms, including paintings and films about how football has influenced and inspired society and culture,” Komu told IANS here Saturday at the Experimenter Curators’ Hub, a meeting of art curators from across the world. “I am discussing the idea with a few people,” he said. Komu, the brain behind several football film fests, said India is moving towards art that is more socially relevant. However, he pointed out that there is a need for better infrastructure in the art institutes, the majority of which are in a deplorable state. (IANS)
Water level of Ganga on the rise, authorities alert
Kanpur: The water level of river Ganga is constantly on the rise and is approaching the danger mark due to release of water from Narora dam and heavy rainfall in the hills. The rising water of the Ganga could affect 30 villages along the bank of the river, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Shatrughan Singh said. He also said that if the level of Ganga crosses the danger level, all the villages will get submerged under water. The current water level of Ganga is 113m, just one meter below the danger mark of 114m. The district authorities are alert and have warned the people residing on the banks to move to a safer place. According to Singh, the officials are continuously visiting the probable areas that could be affected by flood. No evacuation has taken place yet but the villagers have been cautioned that they might be asked to leave anytime. He said that a list of the people living in those areas has been made and once the Ganga crosses the danger mark, those people will be evacuated and taken to relief camps. The Deputy Commissioner of Kanpur, Roshan Jacob has also directed all the administration officials to be alert and be on their guard to shift the people. (PTI)
Cop killed in explosion in Kashmir
Srinagar: A policeman was killed and four people were injured in a grenade explosion in Kashmir’s Sopore town Saturday, police said. “Security forces were dealing with a mob of stone pelters in Sopore town early Saturday when militants lobed a grenade at a police party at around 2.30 a.m,” a police officer told. “Five people were injured in this explosion. One police constable who was critically injured has died,” the officer added. Out of the four injured, two are critical while the remaining two suffered minor injuries. The attack occurred during the holiest Muslim night of ‘Shabir-e-Qadr’ when devotees across the world spend the night in prayer and penance. (IANS)
Himachal CM makes surprise visit to hospital
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Saturday paid a surprise visit to a hospital in Una district and enquired about the well-being of the patients. He visited various wards and issued necessary directions to the authorities concerned about cleanliness and upkeep of the zonal hospital, a statement said. The chief minister said another block of the hospital would be constructed to expand the medical services. He also directed the authorities to submit a report regarding the cases referred from this hospital to other major hospitals during the last three months. The chief minister was accompanied by Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and State Finance Commission chairman Kuldeep Kumar. (IANS)
Taxmen urges for Extension of due date for Tax return upto Aug 31
Kolkata: All India Federation of Tax Practioners(AIFTB) today urged Union Finance minister Arun Jaitley to extend a month upto August 31 from existing July 31, 2014 for filing income tax returns for assessment year 2014-15. AIFTB president J D Nankani said the generation of PIN number and e-mail have been introduced by the government this year, which was time consuming. Mr Narain Jain, chairman, membership and PR Committee of the AIFTB informed that the pin creation through mobile and email was necessary for accessing Form 26AS aswell as for e-filing of returns. They pointed out that getting apin number has resulted problem for the tax practitioners as well because only 10 accounts can be accessed through a single PIN. On average a tax consultant has 300 to 500 clients. It is inconvenience to the taxpayers as well as tax consultants all over the country, they added. (UNI)