As Delhi turns into 'gas chamber', CM seeks Centre's help

New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) A thick shroud of menacing grey haze blanketed the national capital today as pollution level breached the safe limit by over 17 times at places, prompting Chief Minister Arvind Kerjriwal to describe Delhi as a "gas chamber" and seek the Centre's intervention.

Kejriwal appealed to people to minimise the use of private vehicles in view of the situation and switch to public transportation facilities.

The extent of pollution surpassed even the post-Diwali levels, while smog brought down visibility to around 200 metres across the city. Monitoring agencies recorded 'severe' quality air and advised people to avoid going outdoors.

Kejriwal told a press conference that the smog was mainly a product of raging farm fires in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana. Later, he raised the issue with Union Environment Minister Anil Dave in a meeting at the latter's residence.

While the 24-hour average of respirable pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 was 355 and 482 micrograms per cubic metre respectively, real-time figures were alarmingly high.

Anand Vihar, for instance, recorded PM 10 level at 1,711 micrograms per cubic metre at 2 PM -- around 17 times above the safe limit.

The safe limits of these ultrafine particles are 60 and 100 respectively. Even the level of gaseous pollutants like NO2 violated the prescribed standards for human inhalation as per real-time readings.

Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has also called for a high-level meeting on Monday to take stock of the immediate, short-term and long term measures, in which he invited Kejriwal, health minister Satyendar Jain, environment minister Imran Hussain, the Delhi Chief Secretary, and representatives of Police and the civic bodies.

Kejriwal said vehicle restriction measures like 'odd-even' scheme will not be able to bring down the smog as initial studies suggest that the "large-scale" influx of pollutant-laden smoke from Punjab and Haryana has aggravated the situation.

He said the Delhi government has very few methods at its disposal and the Centre needs to intervene.

"Pollution has increased to an extent that outdoors in Delhi are resembling a gas chamber. Prima facie the biggest reason seems to be burning of stubble in agricultural fields in Haryana and Punjab in huge quantity," Kejriwal told a press conference.

Shutting down of schools for a long time was not a feasible solution, he said, when asked about the decision of the civic bodies to keep schools run by it closed for a day in view of pollution. .

Pak media report on recalling High Commissioners nonsensical: India

New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) India today dismissed as "totally speculative and nonsensical" a Pakistani media report that the two countries were planning to recall their respective High Commissioners temporarily in the backdrop of continuing slide in the ties.

Government sources were totally dismissive of the report in Pakistani daily 'Express Tribune' which said Pakistan and India may temporarily recall their envoys and scale down the size of diplomatic staff in each other's missions.

"It is totally speculative and nonsensical," a source said.

The report comes in the wake of Pakistan pulling out six of its senior officials, including diplomats, after Pakistan High Commission staffer Mahmood Akhtar was expelled last week after being caught running a spy ring. He had also named four Pakistan diplomats as being part of the spying operations in India.

India is also mulling withdrawal of eight of its diplomats from Islamabad as their security has been "completely compromised". It had strongly protested against the manner in which their names and photos were published. According to sources, these diplomats were likely to return by Sunday.

Pakistan had claimed that these Indian officials were involved in "espionage, subversion and supporting terrorist activities in Balochistan and Sindh, especially Karachi, sabotaging China Pakistan Economic Corridor, and fuelling instability in the two provinces".

Reacting sharply to Pakistan's charge, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the allegations against Indian officials represent an "after-thought" and a "crude attempt" to target them for no fault of theirs, after the Pakistan High Commission staffer was caught.

"We completely reject the baseless and unsubstantiated allegations made by Pakistan against certain officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The Government categorically denies those allegations.

"It is especially regrettable that Pakistani authorities have chosen to level these allegations after deciding to recall, on their own, six officials of the Pakistan High Commission, some of whom may have been named to Indian authorities by Mehmood Akhtar - Pakistan High Commission official caught red handed," Swarup had said.

Clinton had asked about Amitabh Bachchan, leaked emails show

New York, Nov 4 (PTI) A leaked email of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton shows that she had once asked her close aide about Indian megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

Jose A DelReal, national political reporter with The Washington Post, posted a picture on Twitter of a leaked Clinton email in which the former US secretary of state had asked her Pakistani-origin aide Huma Abedin about Bachchan.

The July 2011 email had been sent by Clinton to Abedin in which she asked "What's the name of the famous older Indian actor we met a few years ago?".

To the question, Abedin replied "Amitabh bachan (sic)." 

The leaked email does not give further details as to why and in what context was Clinton asking about Bachchan, 74.

The cache of leaked emails have been a headache for Clinton and just as the elections entered their last crucial lap, FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to Congress about a renewed inquiry concerning her emails.

Abedin is currently in the middle of a political storm after FBI started reviewing some 650,000 emails found on a laptop belonging to her estranged husband, former Congressman Anthony Weiner, that may be related to the investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state during President Barack Obama's first term.

India, Japan likely to sign nuke deal during Modi visit

New Delhi, Nov 3 (PTI) India and Japan are likely to sign a civil nuclear cooperation agreement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to that country next week as the two sides completed the internal procedures for the much- awaited agreement.

The two countries had sealed a broad agreement for cooperation in civil nuclear energy during Japanese Prime Minister Shiozo Abe's visit here last December but the final deal was yet to be signed as certain technical and legal issues were to be thrashed out.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said both the countries have completed the internal procedures including legal and technical aspects of the text of the pact.

When specifically asked whether the pact will be inked during Modi's two-day visit beginning November 11, he only said, "I cannot pre-judge outcome of the talks." 

There was political resistance in Japan to go ahead with a nuclear deal with India, particularly after the disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in 2011.

Japan is a major player in the nuclear energy market and an atomic deal with it will also make it easier for US-based nuclear plant makers Westinghouse Electric Corporation and GE Energy Inc to set up atomic plants in India as both these conglomerates have Japanese investments.

Modi, during the visit, will have an audience with the Emperor of Japan and hold the annual summit meeting with Abe.

Ahead of his trip, a delegation of Japanese parliamentarians called on Modi today which was led by Toshihiro Nikai.

Swarup said the Prime Minister recalled his interaction with the Japan-India Parliamentarians' Friendship League in September, and welcomed increased interaction between the legislatures of both countries. He said Modi also called for strengthening exchanges between State-level legislatures.

"The Prime Minister welcomed the initiative of Toshihiro Nikai to raise awareness about the threat posed by tsunamis, and sought strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the field of disaster risk reduction and disaster management," he said.

According to Swarup, Modi also said he was looking forward to his visit to Japan.

4-tier GST structure of 5 -28% on anvil; inflation to come down

4-tier GST structure of 5-28% on anvil; inflation to come down

New Delhi, Nov 3 (PTI) A four-tier GST tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent that aims to lower tax incidence on most goods and keep out essential items was decided by a high-powered council today -- a major breakthrough for rollout of the Goods and Services Tax regime from April 1 next year.

Luxury items like high-end cars and demerit goods including tobacco, pan masala and aerated drinks, will be taxed at the highest rate and would also attract a cess in a way that the total incidence of tax remains at almost the current level.

With a view to safeguarding the interest of poor and keeping inflation under check, half the items in CPI basket like foodgrains, would not be taxed at all, while there would be two standard tax rates of 12 and 18 per cent.

The lowest rate of 5 per cent would be for common use items under the GST regime targetted to be rolled out from April 1, 2017.

After differences kept away a consensus on the issue at the last meeting, the all-powerful GST Council, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, has decided to impose an additional cess. It would be the difference between the current incidence and the 28 per cent rate, not leading to increase in the final taxation.

Tobacco currently attracts about 65 per cent total tax and for aerated drinks the current rate is about 40 per cent.

Announcing the decisions arrived at the first day of the two-day GST Council meeting, Jaitley said highest tax slab will be applicable to items which are currently taxed at 30-31 per cent (excise duty of 12.5 per cent plus VAT 14.5 pc).

"...finally the consensus is that these items, with cascading effect of 30-31 per cent, will now be taxed at 28 per cent, but with a rider. And the rider is that in this category there are several items which are now being used increasingly by a very large number of people, particularly the lower middle class. So for them 28 or 30 or 31 per cent rate will be higher, and so we are transferring them to 18 per cent," Jaitley told reporters here.

Asked if the tax impact on common man would be marginally lower, he said, "Hopefully".

The final list of items for each tax bracket will be worked out by a committee, Jaitley said, adding that soap, oil, shaving stick, toothpaste and such products will likely to move down to 18 per cent bracket.

Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian said the rate structure "should probably serve to lower inflation...and should probably bring it down."

For most items, GST will be excise duty plus VAT and that incidence will decide on which tax bracket particular goods or items fall into. .

India lodges protest with Pak Dy HC over ceasefire violations

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) India today summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner here and conveyed its "grave concern" as well as strong protest at the recent escalation in incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan on border which have resulted in several fatalities on Indian side.

Joint Secretary (incharge of Pakistan) in the External Affairs Ministry Gopal Baglay, who summoned Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah, also registered India's strong protest on the mutilation of the body of an Indian soldier by a terrorist who escaped across the Line of Control after committing the heinous crime, the MEA said.

"Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan Syed Haider Shah was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) today.

"He was conveyed the government's grave concern and strong protest at the recent escalation in the incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan side at the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), which have resulted into several fatalities and casualties on the Indian side among civilians and security forces personnel," the ministry said.

Shah was conveyed Government's expectation that Pakistan will not take any step inimical to peace along the LoC and IB and to the security of India.

The summoning comes amidst heightened tension between the two countries which have accused each other of violating ceasefire on the border.

Yesterday, Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad had protested to Pakistan over the unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops on the border to give cover to infiltrators when he was was summoned by the Foreign Office in Islamabad for the fourth time in just over a week over alleged "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by Indian security forces.

Mukherjee holds talks with Nepal prez to boost ties

Kathmandu, Nov 2 (PTI) President Pranab Mukherjee today held talks with his Nepalese counterpart Bidya Devi Bhandari to strengthen Indo-Nepal relations that had been strained over the issue of promulgation of the new Constitution.

Mukherjee, who arrived at the Tribhuvan International Airport, was received by President Bidya Devi Bhandari and later the two leaders had a meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhawan at Sheetal Niwas.

"The bilateral meeting was warm and cordial," Foreign Ministry officials here said.

"The Indian President also congratulated President Bhandari and the people of Nepal for the promulgation of the Constitution through the Constituent Assembly last year," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bharat Raj Paudyal said.

The promulgation of the Constitution last year had led to a strain in ties with Madhesis, who are largely of Indian-origin, leading a nearly six-month-long protest over better representation in the Parliament and the federal structure of the new Constitution.

Their blockade had caused strain in bilateral ties, with Kathmandu accusing New Delhi of imposing an "unofficial blockade" which India had categorically denied.

The two leaders, during the meeting, focused on matters relating to bilateral relations and they stressed on the need to strengthen friendly ties between the two countries, according to Paudyal.

Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister for Tourism and Culture Jeeban Bahadur Shahi and Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi were also present during talks.

Meanwhile, Mukherjee also attended a reception hosted by India's Ambassador Ranjit Rae at the Indian Embassy premises.

Vice president Nanda Bahadur Pun, ministers, top leaders of various political parties, lawmakers, senior government officials, members of civil society and journalists were also present during the function.

President Mukherjee is here on a three-day visit -- the first by an Indian President in 18 years.

Before this, the then President K R Narayanan had paid a state visit in 1998.

President Mukherjee will visit Pashupatinath Temple tomorrow morning and also meet Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda". He will also visit Ram Janaki in Janakpur on November 4.

The Nepal government declared a national holiday today to welcome Mukherjee and stepped up security around the capital.

8 people die, 22 injured in Pak shelling on border villages

Jammu, Nov 1 (PTI) Eight people were killed and 22 injured when Pakistan troops heavily shelled border hamlets and posts with mortar bombs along the International Border (IB) and the LoC in Samba, Jammu, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir today.

Two women were killed and 13 others injured during shelling with 82 and 120 mm mortar bombs in Rajouri, Jammu, Poonch districts.

Army sources said two Pakistani soldiers have been killed opposite to Noushera sector along the LoC in Rajouri district.

"Five people died and nine others were injured in the shelling in Ramgarh sector of Samba district today," Deputy Commissioner Samba, Sheetal Nanda told PTI.

"One persons died due to shock during shelling in the same area taking the total of those killed to six," she said.

While three of the injured were given treatment in Ramgarh hospital, the rest were shifted to GMC hospital in Jammu, she said. The casulaties took place during shelling in Jarda and Rangoor camp villages along the IB in Ramgarh sector.

Along the LOC, two women were killed in firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in Panjgrian border hamlet in Manjakote belt of Rajouri district, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Shabir Ahmed Bhat said.

He said three army porters suffered injuries in the shelling in Noushera sector of the district and they have been hospitalised.

Pakistani shells landed in Mendhar town of Poonch district, injuring three people, police said.

A total of 18 people, including 12 civilians, have been killed and more than 80 suffered injured in Pakistani shelling and firing along IB and LoC in Jammu since surgical strikes against terror launch pads by the Indian Army in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir.

Tata Sons board's decision in interest of group's future: Tata

Mumbai, Nov 1 (PTI) As ousted Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry stepped up attack, Ratan Tata today hit back saying his removal was "absolutely necessary" for the future success of the Tata Group.

"The decision to change the leadership of Tata Sons was a well-considered and serious one for its board members. This difficult decision, made after careful and thoughtful deliberation, is one the board believes was absolutely necessary for the future success of the Tata Group," the interim chairman wrote to employees of USD 100 billion Group.

The letter came shortly after Mistry ratcheted up war of words by rebutting "insinuations" of mishandling a dispute with Japan's NTT DoCoMo, saying Ratan Tata was party to all decisions regarding the telecom venture.

Tata, 78, who retired as Tata Group Chairman nearly four years back, justified his return for "maintaining stability and continuity of leadership" and promised to give the group "a world-class leader" when a fulltime boss is appointed.

Earlier in the day, Mistry's office issued a statement saying all decisions on the telecom joint venture with DoCoMo and the following dispute were taken with unanimous approval of Board of Tata Sons as well as family patriarch Ratan Tata.

The handling of the USD 1.17 billion compensation slapped by an arbitration panel over breach of agreement with DoCoMo is said to one of the triggers for Tata Sons sacking Mistry last month.

"Insinuations that the Docomo issue was handled under the watch of Mistry in a manner inconsistent with Tata culture and values are baseless. The suggestion that Ratan Tata and the trustees would not have approved of the manner in which the litigation was conducted is contrary to what transpired," the statement said.

Responding to the statement, a Tata group spokesman said: "The insinuations are being imagined and this (DoCoMo) matter is sub-judice."

Tata in his second letter to employees after the October 24 sacking of Mistry, said the Group companies should focus on their profit margins and their market position and not compare themselves to their own past.

"The focus has to be on 'leading' rather than 'following'," he wrote

Aishwarya turns 43; to celebrate birthday with family

Mumbai, Nov 1 (PTI) Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who turned 43 on Tuesday, will celebrate the day with her family and close friends.

According to sources, Aishwarya will be having an intimate dinner with family and friends. However, this time the "Sarbjit" actress will not be holding a press conference which she usually does on her birthday at her residence in suburban Juhu.

From being crowned as Miss World to becoming a top Bollywood actress, Aishwarya has achieved great success in her career. She is currently basking in the glory of her recently released movie "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" in which she is seen alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma.

The former beauty queen made her acting debut with Mani Ratnam's 1997 Tamil film "Iruvar" starring legendary versatile actor Mohanlal and her first Hindi film release was "Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya" that same year.

She is known for her memorable performances in "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam", "Devdas", "Chokher Bali", "Raincoat", "Provoked", "Mohabbatein", "Dhoom 2", "Jodhaa Akbar", "Enthiran" and "Guzaarish" among others.

Aishwarya took a sabbatical from acting in 2010, and returned to the silver screen with thriller "Jazbaa". She was then seen in "Sarbjit" and now her latest release is Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil".

Aishwarya got married to Abhishek Bachchan in 2007 and the couple have a daughter named Aaradhya.