<p>Delhi is one of the world&#39;s most polluted cities and there has been much head-scratching about what can be done to tackle the problem.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A lot has already been done; the city&#39;s bus fleet has been converted to compressed natural gas, the courts have begun to tax large diesel SUVs, but the city seems to get dirtier every year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tarun Sebastian Nanda, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Indian and Dutch parentage, has decided to take an alternate route. Rather than going large scale, he has decided to take small steps to fight pollution in the city.</p>

<p>An environmental engineer, Nanda has begun to clean the city&#39;s water bodies with home-made, floating &quot;islands&quot;. (Like the air, much of the city&#39;s water is in poor condition too. A report by the Delhi government&#39;s Department of Environment says 107 of the city&#39;s 1,012 water bodies are untraceable.)&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>This is what Nanda does:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>He collects old PVC drainpipes and cuts them up. After inserting plastic bottles into the pipes to keep them buoyant, Tarun then ties them up to make a frame out of the pipes.<br />
The next step is to wrap the frame in a mesh and stuff it with coir fibre. Aquatic plants are planted into this before the island is placed in the water.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nanda says one of his islands can be put together for less than Rs 4,000.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The &quot;islands&quot;, which can be carried by two people, are then placed in a water body.</p>

<p>The plants take the nutrients from water and use them to grow. The roots act like as a filter to block suspended solids. They also act as a place for microorganisms to live, which in turn break down the pollutants, converting nitrates and phosphates into biomass.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nanda has so far made about 50 of the islands -- the idea wasn&#39;t his own; Nanda says this is an established engineering practice around the world. He&nbsp;dropped them in the wetlands of south Delhi&rsquo;s Vasant Kunj and Vasant Vihar.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Did they work?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>&ldquo;The very fact that the plants are growing is evidence that they are working,&quot; says Nanda.</p>

<p>Although one can start seeing the results within a month when the plants grow, it will take nearly six months before the water samples are tested for the pollution levels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nanda also notes that pollution levels will not come down significantly unless at least half of the water body is covered with the islands. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The next step, says Nanda, is to take the idea around the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To begin with, he plans on holding workshops in Delhi to train people on how to make his islands.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But it&#39;s been tough dealing with bureaucracy in the city&#39;s municipalities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I&#39;m hoping that as public get more involved, the govt also gets more involved and they&#39;ll give me permission to do this officially. My intention is to do it with or without official permission. There&#39;s no reason why these water bodies exist like this,&quot; he says.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>How to make your island</strong></p>

<p>You&#39;ll need:&nbsp;</p>

<p>- 1-litre plastic bottles (about 25 of them)<br />
- &nbsp;HDPE piping (7 metres)&nbsp;<br />
- Roll of plastic mesh (available in wholesale markets)</p>

<p>- Coir fibre (7 to 8 kgs)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/revised_floating%20island%20step_01-20161129054216.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/floating%20island%20step_02-20161129052127.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/floating%20island%20step_03-20161129052208.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/floating%20island%20step_04-20161129052450.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/floating%20island%20step_05-20161129052535.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/floating%20island%20step_06-20161129052604.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/floating%20island%20step_07-20161129052633.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Tarun Sebastian Nanda has dropped these islands in the wetlands of south Delhi?s Vasant Kunj and Vasant Vihar

Delhi is one of the world's most polluted cities and there has been much head-scratching about what can be done to tackle the problem. A lot has already been done; the city's bus fleet has been converted to compressed natural gas, the courts have begun to tax large diesel SUVs, but the city seems to get dirtier every year. Tarun Sebastian Nanda, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Indian and Dutch parentage, has decided to take an alternate route. Rather than going large scale, he has decided to take small steps to fight pollution in the city. An environmental engineer, Nanda has begun to clean the city's water bodies with home-made, floating "islands". (Like the air, much of the city's water is in poor condition too. A report by the Delhi government's Department of Environment says 107 of the city's 1,012 water bodies are untraceable.) This is what Nanda does: He collects old PVC drainpipes and cuts them up. After inserting plastic bottles into the pipes to keep them buoyant, Tarun then ties them up to make a frame out of the pipes. The next step is to wrap the frame in a mesh and stuff it with coir fibre. Aquatic plants are planted into this before the island is placed in the water. Nanda says one of his islands can be put together for less than Rs 4,000. The "islands", which can be carried by two people, are then placed in a water body. The plants take the nutrients from water and use them to grow. The roots act like as a filter to block suspended solids. They also act as a place for microorganisms to live, which in turn break down the pollutants, converting nitrates and phosphates into biomass. Nanda has so far made about 50 of the islands -- the idea wasn't his own; Nanda says this is an established engineering practice around the world. He dropped them in the wetlands of south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj and Vasant Vihar. Did they work? “The very fact that the plants are growing is evidence that they are working," says Nanda. Although one can start seeing the results within a month when the plants grow, it will take nearly six months before the water samples are tested for the pollution levels. Nanda also notes that pollution levels will not come down significantly unless at least half of the water body is covered with the islands. The next step, says Nanda, is to take the idea around the country. To begin with, he plans on holding workshops in Delhi to train people on how to make his islands. But it's been tough dealing with bureaucracy in the city's municipalities. "I'm hoping that as public get more involved, the govt also gets more involved and they'll give me permission to do this officially. My intention is to do it with or without official permission. There's no reason why these water bodies exist like this," he says. How to make your island You'll need: - 1-litre plastic bottles (about 25 of them) - HDPE piping (7 metres) - Roll of plastic mesh (available in wholesale markets) - Coir fibre (7 to 8 kgs) Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) ×

Environmental engineer clears New Delhi's water bodies with 'floating islands'

<p>Pakistan is considering pulling out four officers posted at its high commission in New Delhi days after India declared one of its officials&nbsp;persona non grata for espionage activities, a media report said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>&ldquo;This is under consideration. A final decision would be taken shortly,&rdquo; a source at the foreign office was quoted as saying by Dawn News.</p>

<p>The names of the officers &mdash; commercial counsellor Syed Furrukh Habib and first secretaries Khadim Hussain, Mudassir Cheema and Shahid Iqbal &mdash; were made public after a recorded statement of high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar was released to the media, the report said.</p>

<p>Akhtar was expelled from India after being declared persona non grata. Akhtar told Dawn News that he had given the statement under duress.</p>

<p>In a tit-for-tat action, Pakistan had also declared an Indian high commission official as persona non grata after New Delhi&rsquo;s action against Akhtar following Indian police&rsquo;s busting of an ISI-run spy ring.</p>

<p>Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the Pakistan high commission and had diplomatic immunity, was allegedly&nbsp;procuring critical details&nbsp;including about deployment of BSF personnel along the Indo-Pak border from two other accomplices who were arrested in Delhi.</p>

<p>Akhtar and two others &mdash; identified as Subhash Jangir and Maulana Ramzan &mdash;&nbsp;were picked up from Delhi Zoo last week.</p>

<p>Akhtar was released after about three hours of interrogation since he enjoys diplomatic immunity.</p>

<p>A fourth person, Shoaib, a Jodhpur-based passport and visa agent, was detained by Rajasthan police later.</p>

<p>(PTI)&nbsp;</p>


The four officials had been named by expelled staffer Mehmood Akhtar

Pakistan is considering pulling out four officers posted at its high commission in New Delhi days after India declared one of its officials persona non grata for espionage activities, a media report said on Tuesday. “This is under consideration. A final decision would be taken shortly,” a source at the foreign office was quoted as saying by Dawn News. The names of the officers — commercial counsellor Syed Furrukh Habib and first secretaries Khadim Hussain, Mudassir Cheema and Shahid Iqbal — were made public after a recorded statement of high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar was released to the media, the report said. Akhtar was expelled from India after being declared persona non grata. Akhtar told Dawn News that he had given the statement under duress. In a tit-for-tat action, Pakistan had also declared an Indian high commission official as persona non grata after New Delhi’s action against Akhtar following Indian police’s busting of an ISI-run spy ring. Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the Pakistan high commission and had diplomatic immunity, was allegedly procuring critical details including about deployment of BSF personnel along the Indo-Pak border from two other accomplices who were arrested in Delhi. Akhtar and two others — identified as Subhash Jangir and Maulana Ramzan — were picked up from Delhi Zoo last week. Akhtar was released after about three hours of interrogation since he enjoys diplomatic immunity. A fourth person, Shoaib, a Jodhpur-based passport and visa agent, was detained by Rajasthan police later. (PTI)

Pak likely to pull out 4 high commission staffers from India: Report

<p>Delhi Police on Monday briefly detained Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia after they tried to enter a government hospital in the Indian capital to meet the family of the ex-serviceman who had committed suicide earlier in the&nbsp;day, dissatisfied over the implementation of one rank one pension scheme for the Indian Army.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hours later, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was also detained after he protested outside another hospital where the soldier&#39;s body had been&nbsp;taken for post-mortem.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ex serviceman suicide issue: Cong VP Rahul Gandhi has been released from Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi) after being detained by police <a href="https://t.co/KvgkwU17Un">pic.twitter.com/KvgkwU17Un</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793761706312728576">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The family of the deceased soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal,&nbsp;was&nbsp;also reportedly detained&nbsp;for continuing to protest at New Delhi&#39;s Ram Manohar Lohia hospital even after the body was taken to the&nbsp;Lady Hardinge hospital for the post-mortem.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Family members detained as well as they are contacting political leaders and holding demonstration here: MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/Ks7FwlK2qt">pic.twitter.com/Ks7FwlK2qt</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793745960719429632">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p><br />
Rahul argued with the police about the reason for the arrest of the family members.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a>: Inside visuals of the Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi), where Congress VP Rahul Gandhi has been detained. <a href="https://t.co/Tr0F34XMTn">pic.twitter.com/Tr0F34XMTn</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793760420259442689">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
This is &#39;goondagardi&#39; (hooliganism), Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said about his deputy being&nbsp;detained,&nbsp;adding that he was determined to meet Grewal&#39;s family. &quot;I am the chief minister of Delhi. An ex-serviceman has committed suicide. Is it not my duty to meet the grieving family?&quot; Kejriwal said.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deputy CM has also been detained, we have a cabinet meeting today which we will have to cancel now. This is &#39;gundagardi&#39;: Delhi CM Kejriwal <a href="https://t.co/QpftaqnHrA">pic.twitter.com/QpftaqnHrA</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793754612398329856">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rahul was forbidden from entering the hospital premises&nbsp;for &#39;disruption of duty,&#39; Delhi Police had earlier told Indian&nbsp;news agency ANI.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Security personnel not allowing Rahul Gandhi to enter RML Hospital to meet family of ex-serviceman(who committed suicide) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OROP?src=hash">#OROP</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nnd3a8M8qk">pic.twitter.com/Nnd3a8M8qk</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793731887881519104">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">RGandhi detained at Mandir Marg PS for &#39;disruption of duty&#39;after he wasn&#39;t allowed to enter RML hosp to meet ex-serviceman&#39;s family-MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/bqtfShbuKe">pic.twitter.com/bqtfShbuKe</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793745082436296704">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Democracy doesn&#39;t mean creating obstruction. Leaders must also understand that hosp is not the place to hold any demonstrations: MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/yLKvutCRG9">pic.twitter.com/yLKvutCRG9</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793746332389257216">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>He retailated with a caustic tweet: &quot;A new India is being built&rdquo;.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<center>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Naya Hindustan ban raha hai bhaiya: Rahul Gandhi after not being allowed to meet family of ex-serviceman in RML Hospital <a href="https://t.co/v1IWKaOSVl">pic.twitter.com/v1IWKaOSVl</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793732623327637504">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
</center>

<p>Rahul Gandhi had earlier condoled his death on Twitter and urged PM Modi that &ldquo;OROP be implemented in a meaningful way.&rdquo;</p>

<p>On Saturday, the Congress vice-president had written to&nbsp;PM Modi, asking his government to ensure that the grievances of defence personnel relating to their salary and pensions were addressed. He had specifically mentioned the OROP scheme and the disability pension in his letter.</p>

<p>Indian Army soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at New Delhi&#39;s Jantar Mantar over the implementation of the Indian government&#39;s One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a suicide note, Grewal, 70, said he was taking the extreme step for the soldiers.</p>

<p>Police said that&nbsp;he along with some other ex-servicemen was in the process of submitting a memorandum to the Indian defence ministry over the issue of OROP.</p>

<p>Grewal&#39;s son told ANI that his father took the extreme step because the government had failed to fulfil the demands related to OROP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ex-servicemen have been protesting over the OROP scheme introduced by the government.<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from ANI)</p>

<center><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>


The Congress vice-president attacked the Narendra Modi-government and sarcastically tweeted: A new India is being built

Delhi Police on Monday briefly detained Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia after they tried to enter a government hospital in the Indian capital to meet the family of the ex-serviceman who had committed suicide earlier in the day, dissatisfied over the implementation of one rank one pension scheme for the Indian Army. Hours later, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was also detained after he protested outside another hospital where the soldier's body had been taken for post-mortem. Ex serviceman suicide issue: Cong VP Rahul Gandhi has been released from Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi) after being detained by police pic.twitter.com/KvgkwU17Un — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × The family of the deceased soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal, was also reportedly detained for continuing to protest at New Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia hospital even after the body was taken to the Lady Hardinge hospital for the post-mortem. Delhi: Family members detained as well as they are contacting political leaders and holding demonstration here: MK Meena pic.twitter.com/Ks7FwlK2qt — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul argued with the police about the reason for the arrest of the family members. #WATCH: Inside visuals of the Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi), where Congress VP Rahul Gandhi has been detained. pic.twitter.com/Tr0F34XMTn — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × This is 'goondagardi' (hooliganism), Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said about his deputy being detained, adding that he was determined to meet Grewal's family. "I am the chief minister of Delhi. An ex-serviceman has committed suicide. Is it not my duty to meet the grieving family?" Kejriwal said. Deputy CM has also been detained, we have a cabinet meeting today which we will have to cancel now. This is 'gundagardi': Delhi CM Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/QpftaqnHrA — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul was forbidden from entering the hospital premises for 'disruption of duty,' Delhi Police had earlier told Indian news agency ANI. Security personnel not allowing Rahul Gandhi to enter RML Hospital to meet family of ex-serviceman(who committed suicide) #OROP pic.twitter.com/Nnd3a8M8qk — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × RGandhi detained at Mandir Marg PS for 'disruption of duty'after he wasn't allowed to enter RML hosp to meet ex-serviceman's family-MK Meena pic.twitter.com/bqtfShbuKe — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Democracy doesn't mean creating obstruction. Leaders must also understand that hosp is not the place to hold any demonstrations: MK Meena pic.twitter.com/yLKvutCRG9 — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × He retailated with a caustic tweet: "A new India is being built”. Naya Hindustan ban raha hai bhaiya: Rahul Gandhi after not being allowed to meet family of ex-serviceman in RML Hospital pic.twitter.com/v1IWKaOSVl — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul Gandhi had earlier condoled his death on Twitter and urged PM Modi that “OROP be implemented in a meaningful way.” On Saturday, the Congress vice-president had written to PM Modi, asking his government to ensure that the grievances of defence personnel relating to their salary and pensions were addressed. He had specifically mentioned the OROP scheme and the disability pension in his letter. Indian Army soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar over the implementation of the Indian government's One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme. In a suicide note, Grewal, 70, said he was taking the extreme step for the soldiers. Police said that he along with some other ex-servicemen was in the process of submitting a memorandum to the Indian defence ministry over the issue of OROP. Grewal's son told ANI that his father took the extreme step because the government had failed to fulfil the demands related to OROP. Ex-servicemen have been protesting over the OROP scheme introduced by the government. (WION with inputs from ANI)

India ex-serviceman suicide: Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM briefly detained while trying to meet deceased's family

<p>Hours after India asked a Pakistan high commission staffer to leave the country on charges of espionage, Pakistan asked an official of the Indian High Commission to leave the country for &#39;violating the Vienna convention&#39; on diplomatic relations.</p>

<p>Pakistan&#39;s foreign secretary summoned the Indian high commissioner, declaring the official, Surjeet Singh, persona-non-grata, and asked him to leave the country by October 29, a press release by the ministry of foreign affairs said. The Indian High Commission has been asked to make &quot;urgent arrangements&quot; for him and his family to leave&nbsp;the country, the statement read.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, Delhi police had detained Pakistan high commission staffer, Mahmood Akhtar,&nbsp;and arrested two others - Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir, who were allegedly working for an ISI spy ring, PTI reported. &nbsp; Akhtar was, however, let off soon after since he has diplomatic immunity on Indian soil. He was asked to leave India within 48 hours.</p>

<p>Another Pakistani spy, Shoaib, was arrested in the evening from Rajasthan, and is being brought to the national capital for further interrogation, news agency ANI reported.</p>

<p>PTI reported the police as saying Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the high commission, was &quot;procuring critical details&quot; from the other two men arrested. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Ramzan and Jangir, who were produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate have been remanded for custodial interrogation till November 8.</p>

<p>&quot;The accused were involved in espionage activities for over a year-and-a-half. We were watching their activities for past six months. On a specific input, they were held yesterday. Akhtar is a kingpin of the spy ring,&quot; joint commissioner of police (crime branch) R S Yadav said at a press conference.</p>

<p>PTI quoted a senior police officer as saying, &quot;Since Akhtar was working in the visa department, it gave easy access to him to identify people who could work for him as spies. People who were financially weak would be lured by promise of getting big money.&quot;</p>

<p>Akhtar confessed during interrogation that he was posted in the Pakistan high commission for about two-and-a-half years and was working in the visa section, police said.</p>

<p>He said he was on deputation to the ISI since January 2013. He was a serving Hawaldar of 40 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan army and a native of village Kahuta in Rawalpindi district, police officials told PTI.</p>

<p>Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned by the Indian foreign ministry after Akhtar&#39;s detention.</p>

<p>The Pakistan foreign office said in a statement that Basit strongly protested with the Indian foreign secretary the &quot;detention and manhandling&quot; of the Pakistan high commission staffer in violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention, according to Pakistan foreign office.</p>

<p>The Pakistani envoy also denied the accusations as &quot;false and unsubstantiated&quot;.</p>

<p>Tensions between India and Pakistan have been mounting for the last few months.</p>

<p>India&rsquo;s Uri army base near the de-facto border dividing Kashmir was attacked by militants on September 18; India blames Pakistan for the attack.</p>

<p>Following the terror attack, India launched what it called a &quot;surgical strike&quot; on jihadist staging posts in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


Islamabad asked the Indian official to leave the country hours after New Delhi expelled a Pakistan high commission staffer and arrested two

Hours after India asked a Pakistan high commission staffer to leave the country on charges of espionage, Pakistan asked an official of the Indian High Commission to leave the country for 'violating the Vienna convention' on diplomatic relations. Pakistan's foreign secretary summoned the Indian high commissioner, declaring the official, Surjeet Singh, persona-non-grata, and asked him to leave the country by October 29, a press release by the ministry of foreign affairs said. The Indian High Commission has been asked to make "urgent arrangements" for him and his family to leave the country, the statement read. Earlier in the day, Delhi police had detained Pakistan high commission staffer, Mahmood Akhtar, and arrested two others - Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir, who were allegedly working for an ISI spy ring, PTI reported. Akhtar was, however, let off soon after since he has diplomatic immunity on Indian soil. He was asked to leave India within 48 hours. Another Pakistani spy, Shoaib, was arrested in the evening from Rajasthan, and is being brought to the national capital for further interrogation, news agency ANI reported. PTI reported the police as saying Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the high commission, was "procuring critical details" from the other two men arrested. Ramzan and Jangir, who were produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate have been remanded for custodial interrogation till November 8. "The accused were involved in espionage activities for over a year-and-a-half. We were watching their activities for past six months. On a specific input, they were held yesterday. Akhtar is a kingpin of the spy ring," joint commissioner of police (crime branch) R S Yadav said at a press conference. PTI quoted a senior police officer as saying, "Since Akhtar was working in the visa department, it gave easy access to him to identify people who could work for him as spies. People who were financially weak would be lured by promise of getting big money." Akhtar confessed during interrogation that he was posted in the Pakistan high commission for about two-and-a-half years and was working in the visa section, police said. He said he was on deputation to the ISI since January 2013. He was a serving Hawaldar of 40 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan army and a native of village Kahuta in Rawalpindi district, police officials told PTI. Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned by the Indian foreign ministry after Akhtar's detention. The Pakistan foreign office said in a statement that Basit strongly protested with the Indian foreign secretary the "detention and manhandling" of the Pakistan high commission staffer in violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention, according to Pakistan foreign office. The Pakistani envoy also denied the accusations as "false and unsubstantiated". Tensions between India and Pakistan have been mounting for the last few months. India’s Uri army base near the de-facto border dividing Kashmir was attacked by militants on September 18; India blames Pakistan for the attack. Following the terror attack, India launched what it called a "surgical strike" on jihadist staging posts in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Diplomatic warfare: India, Pakistan expel each other's high commission officials

<p>Sunita is 26 but she looks older, and tired. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t remember the first time I stepped out of my house.&rdquo; she says staring out of the window with kohl-rimmed eyes.&nbsp;&ldquo;Since then every day has been the same. My husband had no work and with so many people in the family to feed, I did what other women in my community do.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
She&#39;s talking about sex work.<br />
<br />
Sunita is a Perna, a member of a nomadic tribe that moved from the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan to the capital city sometime in the 1950s and settled in the Najafgarh area. They are also found in the north Indian state of Haryana. They came to Delhi in search of better lives but have found themselves unable &ndash; or unwilling &ndash; to leave behind the community profession.<br />
<br />
That, unfortunately, is what they have gained notoriety for &ndash; a community whose women prostitute themselves while the men do the pimping.<br />
<br />
But Taw Nana, who works for the non-governmental organisation Apne Aap Worldwide (On Your Own Worldwide), says the custom can be looked at from another angle and that marriage here is nothing but &ldquo;societal cover for the commercial exploitation of women&rdquo;.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;Why would the men let go of the easy money coming from their wives? Tradition is an excuse to live off their wives&#39;&nbsp;earning. Also, it is not women who decide but the men. The woman earns her &nbsp;money by selling her body to five to 10 men in one night. Unfortunately, it is the male who decides when women should stop allowing strangers to invade their body,&rdquo; says Nana.<br />
<br />
To back up her argument she says that even though most Perna women deny they are prostituted by their husbands or in-laws, a majority of the men from the 50-odd households in the Perna settlement at Najafgarh do not work. The few that do, work odd jobs. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
<strong>A long history of stereotyping</strong><br />
<br />
The Pernas have suffered a long history of stereotyping. In colonial times, the British &ndash; who ruled India from roughly 1757 to 1947 &ndash; labelled them -- this was officially -- a criminal tribe. Ethnology of this sort was common, with entire communities stereotyped as &ldquo;martial&rdquo;, &ldquo;non-martial&rdquo;, &ldquo;criminal&rdquo; etc. And while the Supreme Court of India did away with the idea of &quot;criminal&quot; tribes in 1952, the label continues to stick, and do continued damage.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;We know for certain that the girls are groomed to become a prostitute, and on the same side even the boys are groomed to become pimps. Most of them do not go to school. They are married off early. They are trained to eye their wife as their property as the girls are bought in the name of marriage. Hefty amounts are paid to the girls&#39; parents during marriage,&rdquo; says Nana.<br />
<br />
Most Perna women take to prostitution soon after giving birth to their first child. This might seem ironic but to ensure racial purity, it is thought important that the first child be sired by the husband.<br />
<br />
And it is possible that after years of conditioning, prostitution has become the default fallback option.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;I was thirteen when I got married. My firstborn died soon after her birth because we didn&rsquo;t have the money to go to a good hospital. My sister-in-law and other women in the community were getting money from this work and so I decided to follow the tradition,&rdquo; says Sunita, sitting in a carefully decorated room in her two-story home. &ldquo;I would have done any other work if I had the choice.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
Heerabai, a friend of Sunita&#39;s, says she did not take up the &ldquo;Perna&rdquo; trade until her husband died.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;He died of tuberculosis and I was left with four daughters. I was young and vulnerable with no relatives. How could a widow have survived away from a community of her own people? So I did what other Pernas do,&rdquo; says the 36-year-old.<br />
<br />
Today, she is one of the older sex workers in the settlement.<br />
<br />
Nana says &quot;there is a 10-point approach to help uplift the Pernas which includes providing safe houses, government ids, and legal empowerment&quot;.<br />
<br />
Until then, Heerabai and Sunita will continue to live the life of their foremothers.<br />
<br />
<strong>Two to five customers a day</strong><br />
<br />
&ldquo;In the morning we Pernas live like all other housewives cooking, cleaning, taking care of children. Our work can start as late as 3 am when we step out of the locality in small groups and hire cabs to go to our usual spots, mostly around west Delhi. We then get back around 6 am and after a small nap prepare for another long day,&rdquo; say Heerabai.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Sunita says a &quot;group leader&quot; takes care of the younger women when they go out for the first time.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&ldquo;Pernas never go with customers to their house or even to hotels. Secluded spots are better because you can run if your client gets abusive.&rdquo;<br />
Most women service two to five customers a day, which means they come home with about Rs 500 or $8.<br />
<br />
Heerabai: &ldquo;We are the ones who decide the rates but with so much of haggling by the clients it never goes beyond Rs 200 ($3) per client. There are also times when the customer goes without paying.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
Heerabai married her two elder daughters within the community &ndash; they got married when they were about 13 &ndash; but &nbsp;dreams of a better life for her two younger ones who study in a nearby boarding school. Apne Aap Worldwide, which started working with the Pernas in 2008, helped with the admissions. As they did with Sunita&#39;s daughter. Since then, the two ladies have become more vocal about stopping their daughters from entering the community trade.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;I will marry my other two daughters only when they have a respectable job in their hands,&rdquo; says Heerabai.<br />
<br />
Sunita shows us a music system she has bought her daughter. The eight-year-old puts on an uptempo Bollywood number and begins to dance; she says she wants to become a choreographer. Her mother shows off a certificate of appreciation the child has got from a popular dance school.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;My daughter is fortunate to be living away from home. I don&rsquo;t get to see her much but her progress keeps me motivated. We could never get out of this morass but she will,&rdquo; says Sunita<br />
<br />
A number of communities in South Asia practice intergenerational prostitution. The Indian Supreme Court recently asked state governments to act against the &ldquo;Devadasis&rdquo;, women who would become &quot;temple servants&quot;, remain unmarried, and end up mistresses of powerful patrons. Today, they are prostitutes. The court also called upon the states to look into similar practices among other communities.<br />
<br />
Sunita&rsquo;s sister Rita worries about the day her children will discover what it is she does for a living. She has taken a temporary hiatus from sex work while she is pregnant with her third child.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;The more they stay away from the community, the better. I am trying to get my children enrolled in a residential school,&rdquo; she says. And then goes silent as her husband enters the room.<br />
<br />
<em>The names of some people in this story have been changed in order to protect their identities.</em><br />
<br />
(WION)</p>


Perna women have been sex workers for generations. They have a first child and are then pushed into prostitution by their husbands

Sunita is 26 but she looks older, and tired. “I don’t remember the first time I stepped out of my house.” she says staring out of the window with kohl-rimmed eyes. “Since then every day has been the same. My husband had no work and with so many people in the family to feed, I did what other women in my community do.” She's talking about sex work. Sunita is a Perna, a member of a nomadic tribe that moved from the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan to the capital city sometime in the 1950s and settled in the Najafgarh area. They are also found in the north Indian state of Haryana. They came to Delhi in search of better lives but have found themselves unable – or unwilling – to leave behind the community profession. That, unfortunately, is what they have gained notoriety for – a community whose women prostitute themselves while the men do the pimping. But Taw Nana, who works for the non-governmental organisation Apne Aap Worldwide (On Your Own Worldwide), says the custom can be looked at from another angle and that marriage here is nothing but “societal cover for the commercial exploitation of women”. “Why would the men let go of the easy money coming from their wives? Tradition is an excuse to live off their wives' earning. Also, it is not women who decide but the men. The woman earns her money by selling her body to five to 10 men in one night. Unfortunately, it is the male who decides when women should stop allowing strangers to invade their body,” says Nana. To back up her argument she says that even though most Perna women deny they are prostituted by their husbands or in-laws, a majority of the men from the 50-odd households in the Perna settlement at Najafgarh do not work. The few that do, work odd jobs. A long history of stereotyping The Pernas have suffered a long history of stereotyping. In colonial times, the British – who ruled India from roughly 1757 to 1947 – labelled them -- this was officially -- a criminal tribe. Ethnology of this sort was common, with entire communities stereotyped as “martial”, “non-martial”, “criminal” etc. And while the Supreme Court of India did away with the idea of "criminal" tribes in 1952, the label continues to stick, and do continued damage. “We know for certain that the girls are groomed to become a prostitute, and on the same side even the boys are groomed to become pimps. Most of them do not go to school. They are married off early. They are trained to eye their wife as their property as the girls are bought in the name of marriage. Hefty amounts are paid to the girls' parents during marriage,” says Nana. Most Perna women take to prostitution soon after giving birth to their first child. This might seem ironic but to ensure racial purity, it is thought important that the first child be sired by the husband. And it is possible that after years of conditioning, prostitution has become the default fallback option. “I was thirteen when I got married. My firstborn died soon after her birth because we didn’t have the money to go to a good hospital. My sister-in-law and other women in the community were getting money from this work and so I decided to follow the tradition,” says Sunita, sitting in a carefully decorated room in her two-story home. “I would have done any other work if I had the choice.” Heerabai, a friend of Sunita's, says she did not take up the “Perna” trade until her husband died. “He died of tuberculosis and I was left with four daughters. I was young and vulnerable with no relatives. How could a widow have survived away from a community of her own people? So I did what other Pernas do,” says the 36-year-old. Today, she is one of the older sex workers in the settlement. Nana says "there is a 10-point approach to help uplift the Pernas which includes providing safe houses, government ids, and legal empowerment". Until then, Heerabai and Sunita will continue to live the life of their foremothers. Two to five customers a day “In the morning we Pernas live like all other housewives cooking, cleaning, taking care of children. Our work can start as late as 3 am when we step out of the locality in small groups and hire cabs to go to our usual spots, mostly around west Delhi. We then get back around 6 am and after a small nap prepare for another long day,” say Heerabai. Sunita says a "group leader" takes care of the younger women when they go out for the first time. “Pernas never go with customers to their house or even to hotels. Secluded spots are better because you can run if your client gets abusive.” Most women service two to five customers a day, which means they come home with about Rs 500 or $8. Heerabai: “We are the ones who decide the rates but with so much of haggling by the clients it never goes beyond Rs 200 ($3) per client. There are also times when the customer goes without paying.” Heerabai married her two elder daughters within the community – they got married when they were about 13 – but dreams of a better life for her two younger ones who study in a nearby boarding school. Apne Aap Worldwide, which started working with the Pernas in 2008, helped with the admissions. As they did with Sunita's daughter. Since then, the two ladies have become more vocal about stopping their daughters from entering the community trade. “I will marry my other two daughters only when they have a respectable job in their hands,” says Heerabai. Sunita shows us a music system she has bought her daughter. The eight-year-old puts on an uptempo Bollywood number and begins to dance; she says she wants to become a choreographer. Her mother shows off a certificate of appreciation the child has got from a popular dance school. “My daughter is fortunate to be living away from home. I don’t get to see her much but her progress keeps me motivated. We could never get out of this morass but she will,” says Sunita A number of communities in South Asia practice intergenerational prostitution. The Indian Supreme Court recently asked state governments to act against the “Devadasis”, women who would become "temple servants", remain unmarried, and end up mistresses of powerful patrons. Today, they are prostitutes. The court also called upon the states to look into similar practices among other communities. Sunita’s sister Rita worries about the day her children will discover what it is she does for a living. She has taken a temporary hiatus from sex work while she is pregnant with her third child. “The more they stay away from the community, the better. I am trying to get my children enrolled in a residential school,” she says. And then goes silent as her husband enters the room. The names of some people in this story have been changed in order to protect their identities. (WION)

My husband, my pimp

By Mohit Sharma&nbsp;<br />
<br />
A &#39;terminator&#39; train mounted with spraying machines to target insects will now be pressed into action in Indian national capital, Delhi, to combat mosquito-borne disease, chikungunya and dengue.<br />
<br />
The move, a joint collaboration between Delhi&#39;s civic bodies and northern Railways, will begin from September 23 and continue for two months, with an interval of two weeks.<br />
<br />
As per the plan, an insecticide spraying machine will be mounted on the last wagon of the special train, which will then make its rounds through the national capital region (NCR). The sprayers can sanitise up to a distance of 50-60 meters from the tracks.<br />
<br />
&quot;This train will cover a distance of 150 km approximately and we hope this will help curb the mosquito menace in the capital,&quot;said a municipal official.<br />
<br />
The municipal officials in the city said while the power sprayer will be provided to the railways by the civic agencies, the targeted areas will be the large population living around railway tracks who are exposed to Aedes type and other types of mosquitoes leading to a comparatively higher incidence of dengue and malaria.<br />
&nbsp;
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The sprayers can sanitise up to a distance of 50-60 meters from the tracks.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The sprayers can sanitise up to a distance of 50-60 meters from the tracks." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
&quot;The water bodies formed on the land adjacent to tracks, which are otherwise inaccessible, act as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The insecticide sprayed over the water bodies will check the threat in the most effective manner,&quot; said a municipal official.<br />
<br />
The terminator train will pass through Old Delhi&#39;s Sarai Rohilla, Patel Nagar, Delhi Cantonment, Palam, Safdarjung, Kishanganj, Lajpat Nagar, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Adarsh Nagar, Rathdhana, Shahdara, Palam and Gurgaon.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, taking a cue from the rising number of diseases, the Delhi government on Friday issued orders asking all private hospitals to furnish data of chikungunya patients to ensure proper monitoring of the disease.<br />
<br />
&quot;The information is imperative to ensure proper monitoring and for making future policies. We have asked all hospitals to give us all information regarding chikungunya cases,&quot; said a Delhi government official. The Delhi government has also asked all mohalla clinics, nursing homes, polyclinics to remain open on all holidays.<br />
<br />
Recent reports claim that chikungunya and dengue have wreaked havoc in the Capital with the death toll from the two vector-borne diseases climbing to 30. The number of affected people has crossed 3,000.<br />
<br />
<br />
(DNA)&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;

An insecticide spraying machine will be mounted on a special train's last wagon that will make rounds through the national capital region

By Mohit Sharma A 'terminator' train mounted with spraying machines to target insects will now be pressed into action in Indian national capital, Delhi, to combat mosquito-borne disease, chikungunya and dengue. The move, a joint collaboration between Delhi's civic bodies and northern Railways, will begin from September 23 and continue for two months, with an interval of two weeks. As per the plan, an insecticide spraying machine will be mounted on the last wagon of the special train, which will then make its rounds through the national capital region (NCR). The sprayers can sanitise up to a distance of 50-60 meters from the tracks. "This train will cover a distance of 150 km approximately and we hope this will help curb the mosquito menace in the capital,"said a municipal official. The municipal officials in the city said while the power sprayer will be provided to the railways by the civic agencies, the targeted areas will be the large population living around railway tracks who are exposed to Aedes type and other types of mosquitoes leading to a comparatively higher incidence of dengue and malaria. The sprayers can sanitise up to a distance of 50-60 meters from the tracks. "The water bodies formed on the land adjacent to tracks, which are otherwise inaccessible, act as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The insecticide sprayed over the water bodies will check the threat in the most effective manner," said a municipal official. The terminator train will pass through Old Delhi's Sarai Rohilla, Patel Nagar, Delhi Cantonment, Palam, Safdarjung, Kishanganj, Lajpat Nagar, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Adarsh Nagar, Rathdhana, Shahdara, Palam and Gurgaon. Meanwhile, taking a cue from the rising number of diseases, the Delhi government on Friday issued orders asking all private hospitals to furnish data of chikungunya patients to ensure proper monitoring of the disease. "The information is imperative to ensure proper monitoring and for making future policies. We have asked all hospitals to give us all information regarding chikungunya cases," said a Delhi government official. The Delhi government has also asked all mohalla clinics, nursing homes, polyclinics to remain open on all holidays. Recent reports claim that chikungunya and dengue have wreaked havoc in the Capital with the death toll from the two vector-borne diseases climbing to 30. The number of affected people has crossed 3,000. (DNA)

'Terminator' train to run through Indian capital to fight chikungunya, dengue

Death toll from Chikungunya and dengue in the Indian capital, Delhi, has risen to 30 while the number of affected people crossed 2,800, media reports said on Thursday.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
A 75-year-old man from south Delhi succumbed to chikungunya complications at a city hospital, taking the number of fatalities due to the disease to 12.<br />
<br />
&quot;He had acute febrile illness and was tested positive for chikungunya by rapid PCR test, and died at 6:45 am of chikungunya sepsis with septic shock and cardio-pulmonary arrest,&quot; hospital authorities said.<br />
<br />
According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), central nodal agency for the prevention and control of vector borne diseases, the number of chikungunya cases in Delhi had spiked to 1,724 till September 11 as and clinics in the city continue to be swamped with patients.<br />
<br />
Delhi is showing spurt in chikungunya after nearly 10 years and health experts are conjecturing that this &quot;upsurge&quot; could be due to &quot;evolution&quot; in the chikungunya viral strain.<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from PTI)

Chikungunya cases in Delhi have spiked to 1,724 till September 11: National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme

Death toll from Chikungunya and dengue in the Indian capital, Delhi, has risen to 30 while the number of affected people crossed 2,800, media reports said on Thursday. A 75-year-old man from south Delhi succumbed to chikungunya complications at a city hospital, taking the number of fatalities due to the disease to 12. "He had acute febrile illness and was tested positive for chikungunya by rapid PCR test, and died at 6:45 am of chikungunya sepsis with septic shock and cardio-pulmonary arrest," hospital authorities said. According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), central nodal agency for the prevention and control of vector borne diseases, the number of chikungunya cases in Delhi had spiked to 1,724 till September 11 as and clinics in the city continue to be swamped with patients. Delhi is showing spurt in chikungunya after nearly 10 years and health experts are conjecturing that this "upsurge" could be due to "evolution" in the chikungunya viral strain. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Chikungunya outbreak: Death toll in Indian capital rises to 13

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday gave a rousing send-off to the Rio-bound contingent at an event in New Delhi.<br />
<br />
The show was attended by several dignitaries including IOA President Narayana Ramachandran, Secretary General Rajeev Mehta and Indian Sports Minister Vijay Goel.<br />
<br />
Goodwill ambassadors for Rio, Indian actor Salman Khan and musician AR Rahman, were also present.<br />
<br />
The event marked the unveiling of the official Olympics kit of Team India.<br />
<br />
Officials interacted with the Rio-bound athletes and wished them luck in their endeavour.<br />
<br />
&quot;The fact that 121 athletes have qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics, nearly one-third more than what was qualified for the last Olympic Games, that itself is a clear indication that Indian athletes have started to perform and they will perform well,&quot; said Ramachandran.<br />
<br />
Also part of the send-off was Dipa Karmakar, the first Indian female gymnast to qualify for the Olympics in 52 years. She expressed hope of bagging a medal at the mega event.<br />
<br />
&quot;Preparations are going very well. Before the qualifiers, our preparation was strong and now my target is to replicate the performance which I have been doing and learnt here,&quot; said Karmakar.<br />
<br />
The Indian contingent for Rio is the country&#39;s biggest ever for any Olympic games. The previous highest was 83 that the country sent to the 2012 Olympics in London.<br />
<br />
The Summer Olympics this year will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5 to 21.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)<br />
&nbsp;

121 athletes have qualified for Rio 2016, nearly a third more than the number that qualified for the last Games

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday gave a rousing send-off to the Rio-bound contingent at an event in New Delhi. The show was attended by several dignitaries including IOA President Narayana Ramachandran, Secretary General Rajeev Mehta and Indian Sports Minister Vijay Goel. Goodwill ambassadors for Rio, Indian actor Salman Khan and musician AR Rahman, were also present. The event marked the unveiling of the official Olympics kit of Team India. Officials interacted with the Rio-bound athletes and wished them luck in their endeavour. "The fact that 121 athletes have qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics, nearly one-third more than what was qualified for the last Olympic Games, that itself is a clear indication that Indian athletes have started to perform and they will perform well," said Ramachandran. Also part of the send-off was Dipa Karmakar, the first Indian female gymnast to qualify for the Olympics in 52 years. She expressed hope of bagging a medal at the mega event. "Preparations are going very well. Before the qualifiers, our preparation was strong and now my target is to replicate the performance which I have been doing and learnt here," said Karmakar. The Indian contingent for Rio is the country's biggest ever for any Olympic games. The previous highest was 83 that the country sent to the 2012 Olympics in London. The Summer Olympics this year will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5 to 21. (Reuters)

India?s Rio contingent given rousing send-off in Delhi

India&#39;s defence procurement agency has cleared a proposal to buy 145 M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer artillery guns from BAE Systems, a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company, in a deal worth an estimated $750 million, a defence ministry source said today.<br />
<br />
Under the deal, 120 of the 145 guns will be assembled in India, said the source, who asked not to be identified in line with defence ministry rules.<br />
<br />
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to upgrade the country&#39;s military hardware by replenishing its range of artillery weapons after years of delays in ordering new equipment.<br />
<br />
But Modi wants deals with foreign companies to include the setting up of factories and plants in India to boost the local industry.<br />
<br />
BAE said in February it had chosen Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group to build a plant for the assembly of Howitzer artillery guns it hopes to sell to India.<br />
<br />
The source said the proposal would soon be communicated to the United States, where BAE manufactures the weapons.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

Worth an estimated $750 million, India's defence procurement agency will buy M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer artillery guns from BAE Systems

India's defence procurement agency has cleared a proposal to buy 145 M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer artillery guns from BAE Systems, a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company, in a deal worth an estimated $750 million, a defence ministry source said today. Under the deal, 120 of the 145 guns will be assembled in India, said the source, who asked not to be identified in line with defence ministry rules. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to upgrade the country's military hardware by replenishing its range of artillery weapons after years of delays in ordering new equipment. But Modi wants deals with foreign companies to include the setting up of factories and plants in India to boost the local industry. BAE said in February it had chosen Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group to build a plant for the assembly of Howitzer artillery guns it hopes to sell to India. The source said the proposal would soon be communicated to the United States, where BAE manufactures the weapons. (Reuters)

India clears deal to buy 145 artillery guns from British security firm

<p style="text-align: justify;">A 21-year-old on his way back from a party was involved in multiple hit-and-run cases on Monday morning. Two people died and one person was critically injured, the police said.<br />
<br />
Police said Rishabh - a resident of west Delhi&#39;s Janakpuri -- was driving his father&#39;s Honda City car at a speed of over 100 kmph and hit 3 persons over a 1.5 km stretch before he was stopped and caught.<br />
<br />
According to the police, the first victim was 40-year-old Kameshwar Prasad, a government employee, who was out for a morning walk. The impact of the speeding car threw him several metres away.<br />
<br />
But Rishabh did not stop, the police said. He drove on and next hit 40-year-old Santosh, who was cleaning cars in a residential area. He sped away again, driving in the wrong lane, and then hit 67-year-old Ashwani Anand, a property dealer who also was out for a morning walk with a neighbour.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
CCTV footage recovered from the area showed Mr Anand&#39;s accident. In the footage, which surfaced later in the day, Mr Anand could be seen noticing the car and trying to escape by running towards a pavement. But the car did not stop, and hit him.<br />
<br />
A police patrolling team chased and intercepted Rishabh after covering quite a distance. Police said Rishabh was in such a state that he couldn&#39;t even manage to stand up.<br />
<br />
Santosh, who was critically injured, is battling for his life. The police said he is not in a condition to give his statement.<br />
<br />
The car, which is registered in Rishabh&#39;s father&#39;s name, has been seized. The police said they found liquor bottles inside.<br />
<br />
Rishabh, the son of a businessman -- is a student of business administration in a college under a prominent government university in Delhi. He has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other charges under Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicles Act, said senior police officer Pushpendra Kumar.</p>


He leaves two dead and one hurt in his wake

A 21-year-old on his way back from a party was involved in multiple hit-and-run cases on Monday morning. Two people died and one person was critically injured, the police said. Police said Rishabh - a resident of west Delhi's Janakpuri -- was driving his father's Honda City car at a speed of over 100 kmph and hit 3 persons over a 1.5 km stretch before he was stopped and caught. According to the police, the first victim was 40-year-old Kameshwar Prasad, a government employee, who was out for a morning walk. The impact of the speeding car threw him several metres away. But Rishabh did not stop, the police said. He drove on and next hit 40-year-old Santosh, who was cleaning cars in a residential area. He sped away again, driving in the wrong lane, and then hit 67-year-old Ashwani Anand, a property dealer who also was out for a morning walk with a neighbour. CCTV footage recovered from the area showed Mr Anand's accident. In the footage, which surfaced later in the day, Mr Anand could be seen noticing the car and trying to escape by running towards a pavement. But the car did not stop, and hit him. A police patrolling team chased and intercepted Rishabh after covering quite a distance. Police said Rishabh was in such a state that he couldn't even manage to stand up. Santosh, who was critically injured, is battling for his life. The police said he is not in a condition to give his statement. The car, which is registered in Rishabh's father's name, has been seized. The police said they found liquor bottles inside. Rishabh, the son of a businessman -- is a student of business administration in a college under a prominent government university in Delhi. He has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other charges under Indian Penal Code and Motor Vehicles Act, said senior police officer Pushpendra Kumar.

Drunk Delhi Driving: A 21-year-old hits and runs, then hits and runs again, then hits and runs a third time

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