30th AUGUST, 2014

The land acquisition for Phase-I extension of Chennai Metro Rail from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar at Tiruvottiyur may begin by December this year. The Rs. 3,001-crore extension will ensure that northern suburbs are not left out by the network. Officials of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited are confident that the approval for the 9-km stretch will come soon. Preliminary work has begun. “We may get the approval soon. The Centre has asked for more information. It may shortly go for the Cabinet’s approval,” 

 The Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee on Friday filed a report in the Supreme Court on its investigation into the roles of ICC president N. Srinivasan and 12 prominent players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) betting and spot-fixing scandal. A Bench led by Justice T.S. Thakur took on record the report, which was handed over to it in a sealed cover by senior advocate Raju Ramachandran. 

The Defence Ministry on Friday scrapped a scam-tainted tender worth over Rs. 6,000 crore to procure 197 light utility helicopters for the Army and the Air Force to replace the vintage fleet of Cheetah and Chetak copters used to move troops and equipment to high-altitude locations such as Siachen. In a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, the government also cleared proposals worth over Rs. 17,500 crore, including those for the midlife upgrade of the fleet of submarines for Rs. 4,800 crore and procurement of 118 Arjun Mk II tanks for Rs. 6,600 crore. The DAC decided to retract from the tender for procuring 197 helicopters and it has been decided that the Indian industry would be given the opportunity to produce around 400 such choppers, Ministry sources  

India will not review its nuclear doctrine adopted during the first National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Friday. Signalling continuity in India’s nuclear posture, he said: “While every government naturally takes into account the latest assessment of strategic scenarios and makes adjustments as necessary, there is a tradition of national consensus and continuity on such issues.” “I can tell you that currently, we are not taking any initiative for a review of our nuclear doctrine,” Mr. Modi told Japanese media representatives a day before leaving for Kyoto and Tokyo. The Prime Minister said Delhi would continue to work for the strengthening of non-proliferation efforts.

 U.S. actor-producer-singer Harry Belafonte, whose work as an activist helped shed light on racism and inequality, will get the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, Oscar organisers said on Thursday. He was an early supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. 

Twenty five years after it was started, the National Museum Institute — India’s premier school for museology, conservation and art — has received funds to build a campus. The institute, currently housed at the National Museum on Janpath, was started in 1989 to train museum professionals and as a centre for research on art and cultural heritage. While three acres were acquired for the campus in Noida’s Institutional Area in Sector 62 back in 2002, the project remained on the anvil for more than a decade. 

The Supreme Court on Friday formally named Telangana as an “affected” State with a voice of its own in the Krishna water litigation post-bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha made Telangana a party in the litigation moved in the Supreme Court against the awards of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunals. “After bifurcation of the States, the rights of both States have been affected,” the CJI observed. Appearing for Telangana, senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan said the State would file a separate special leave petition and it was important to hear Telangana’s arguments in the case.

The September 11 memorial plaza will be open on the night of the attacks’ anniversary this year, marking the first time the general public will be able to visit ground zero on the commemoration date. The plaza will be closed to the public during the remembrance ceremony and much of the rest of the day, but it will open from 6 p.m. to midnight for those who want to pay respects and view one of the most evocative observances — the twin beams called the Tribute in Light from an especially “meaningful vantage point,” memorial President Joe Daniels said in an e-mail on Thursday to victims’ families.

 National sports awards presented

Top sportspersons from various disciplines and eminent coaches were honoured by President Pranab Mukherjee at the 2014 National Sports Adventure Awards function at the Durbar Hall, Rashtrapati Bhawan, here on Friday.

The awardees:

Arjuna award: Abhishek Verma (archery), Tintu Luka (athletics), H.N. Girisha (para-athletics), V. Diju (badminton), Geethu Anna Jose (basketball), Jai Bhagwan (boxing), R. Ashwin (cricket), Anirban Lahiri (golf), Mamta Pujari (kabaddi), Saji Thomas (rowing), Heena Sidhu (shooting), Anaka Alankamony (squash), Tom Joseph (volleyball), Renubala Chanu (weightlifting), Sunil Kumar Rana (wrestling).

 Dronacharya award: Mahabir Prasad (wrestling); Lifetime achievement: N. Lingappa (athletics), G. Manoharan (boxing), Gurcharan Singh Gogi (judo), Jose Jacob (rowing).

 Dhyan Chand award: Gurmail Singh (hockey), K.P. Thakkar (swimming-diving), Zeeshan Ali (tennis).

 Tenzing Norgay Awards: Land adventure: Subedar Jagat Singh, Passang Tenzing Sherpa; Air adventure: MWO Surender Singh; Lifetime achievement: Wg. Cdr. (retd) Amit Chowdhury.

 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy: Punjabi University, Patiala.

 Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (employment of sports persons and sports welfare measures); Jindal Steel Works (community sports–identification and nurturing of budding/young talent); Guru Hanuman akhara (establishment and management of sports academies of excellence); Child Link Foundation of India–Magic Bus (other forms of sports activities not covered in the categories mentioned in the schemes).