State At A Glance: August 29, 2010

CM demands central aid

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has demanded a central relief of Rs.5,000 crore for the damages caused due to heavy rains in the state. "Due to heavy rains in the state, properties worth Rs.3,500 crore were destroyed. As many as 69 people lost their lives and over 100 villages have submerged in rain water...I have talked to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over phone on this issue and asked for a Rs 5,000-crore relief fund," Nishank told reporters. He said the prime minister has assured him of all possible help.

Five die in jeep accident

Five persons were killed and four others injured after the jeep they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Tehri district on Tuesday. The incident took place after the driver failed to negotiate a curve and lost control over the vehicle, they said adding the passengers were on their way from Chamba to Balka. The injured were admitted to a nearby hospital.

Exhibition held

Last week Swami Hariharanand Public School, Haridwar, organised a Science Exhibition. The exhibition provided a platform for students to articulate their understanding of theoretical concepts and to translate them into practical renditions. It comprised of working models, static models, charts, puzzles and power-point presentations on a wide range of topics. Like power saving electric appliances, Big Bang theory, Rutherford Experiment, hydroelectric plant, electric circuit, electro magnetic separation, fire alarm, human heart, optical illusion, power generation through windmill, electric cutter, pollution etc. During the course of the exhibition the participants presented a live demonstration of their respective projects.

Banerjee to represent HC in U'khand

Government has assigned additional work to its law officers by making them in-charge of the Centre's cases in various High Courts with an aim to implement its National Litigation Policy (NLP). The five Additional Solicitor Generals -- Vivek Tankha, Mohan Jain, P P Malhotra, Harin Raval and Gaurab Banerjee -- have been entrusted with additional responsibilities to oversee the litigation in various High Courts and their benches to implement the NLP, according to a law ministry order. The order said the budgetary support for the new assignments would be taken up by the ministry.

It said Tankha has been assigned the charge of High Courts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Patna. Jain will look after the work in High Courts of Punjab and Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Malhotra has been given additional responsibility for the litigation in High Courts of Rajasthan and Gauhati. Raval will look after the central cases in Gujarat High Court, while Banerjee has been given charge of the Uttarakhand High Court.