Four travelling on train footboards fall to death in Chennai
Chennai: Four commuters were killed and seven injured on Tuesday when they fell off a moving suburban train after brushing against a concrete wall very close to the tracks, a Southern Railway official said. The official said two persons had died at the same spot on Monday as well. Tuesday’s accident occurred at the St Thomas Mount station while the victims were travelling standing or sitting on the footboards of the bogeys of the train going from Chennai Beach to Thirumalpur. According to the railway official, the dangling backpacks of these commuters had hit/brushed against the concrete wall, throwing them off balance and leading to their falling from the moving train. Those injured were admitted to the Government Royapettah Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. The lower limbs of one of the injured were severed and he is undergoing treatment, the official said. (IANS)
Delhi Police chief bans flying of objects until I-Day
New Delhi: The Delhi Police Commissioner on Tuesday banned flying of objects in the national capital from July 25 as a precautionary measure for the Independence Day. The order by Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik will remain in force up to August 15. It prohibits flying of ‘sub-conventional aerial platforms’ like paragliders, para-motors, hang-gliders, UAVs, UASs, microlight aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft, hot air balloons, small sized powered aircraft, quadcopters, or para jumping from aircraft. “It has been reported that certain criminal, antisocial elements or terrorists inimical to India may pose a threat to the safety of the general public, dignitaries and vital installations by using sub-conventional aerial platforms,” Patnaik said in his order. Hence, he said, flying of objects over the jurisdiction of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations 2018 is prohibited and shall be punishable as per the law. (IANS)
Nearly 5,700 properties sealed in Delhi since Dec 2017
New Delhi: Nearly 5,700 properties have so far been sealed by three municipal corporations as part of a sealing drive for allegedly violating provisions of Delhi’s Master Plan, following directions of a Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said North and South Delhi Municipal Corporations have sealed 2,655 and 1,995 properties, while 1,043 properties sealed by East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) after the December 2017 judgement of the apex court. According to the minister, the three civic bodies have informed that they are taking demolition and sealing actions against the properties found in violation of the provisions of the Delhi Master Plant 2021 and Unified Building Bylaws-2016 on the instruction of monitoring committee. The sealing drive was launched by the three municipal corporations in late December 2017. Traders called bandh several times to protest the action against their establishments. To provide relief to traders, the ministry on June 21 notified amendments to MPD-2021 increasing the FAR for construction carried out beyond permissible limits. (PTI)
India among most popular destination for Aussie students
New Delhi: India was among the most popular destinations for Australian students taking part in the Australian government’s New Colombo Plan, with close to 1,300 students heading here next year to live, study and undertake internships, an official statement said. The New Colombo Plan was a signature initiative of the Australian government, which was designed to encourage more Australians to live, study and work in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia’s Acting High Commissioner to India Rod Hilton said, “With India at the front rank of Australia’s international partnerships, I’m pleased that 1,261 students from 27 Australian universities will conduct internships, mentorships, practicals and research in India in 2019.” As outlined in the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper, the New Colombo Plan was a practical manifestation of the Australian government’s commitment to learn from its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific. Students would also gain invaluable experience of Indian workplaces through internships with private sector organisations such as Indian Law Society and Centre for Sports Excellence — a project run by India’s iconic sport stars Prakash Padukone and Rahul Dravid. (PTI)