India’s energy needs explained
n India explained to the US delegation the long-term projections of its energy needs
n The details included those pertaining to key suppliers of oil, natural gas and the possible external energy sources in Africa, North America and Southeast Asia
n It was pointed out that India was currently importing crude oil from 30 countries
n The US delegation was also told about the incentives being provided on renewable energy sources

Patiala, May 15: The commissioning of the 660-MW first unit of the Talwandi Sabo thermal plant scheduled for November 30 would be delayed by 10 months. Plant developer Sterlite Energy Limited has, in a letter, attributed the delay to non-signing of the fuel supply agreement (FSA) and non-availability of coal. But internal reports of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) as well as independent investigation carried out by The Tribune reveal that various electrical and civil jobs are running behind schedule.

BANGALORE: In an early morning sweep on Wednesday, the CBI raided former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa's residence in Dollar's colony, an upmarket area in Bangalore, and in Shimoga, in connection with his involvement in illegal mining and business transactions.

NEW DELHI: India will for the first time introduce a vaccine against Rubella - a viral disease that infects pregnant women and leads to babies being born with cardiac, cerebral, ophthalmic and auditory defects. The Union health ministry so far believed that the disease, also called German Measles, did not affect Indians. Now, the ministry estimates that around 30,000 abnormal children are being born annually because of Rubella. Many experts, however, say the accurate figure would be around two lakh babies.

Rejecting railway minister Mukul Roy's move to roll back hike in passenger fare, CAG said the way forward for the national transporter is to rationalize both passenger and freight tariffs to tide over the severe financial crunch. The government auditor observed that railways is in the red, and has not been able to meet the escalating cost of operating passenger and other services.

New Delhi: The surge of poaching of rhinoceros in South Africa could lead to threats to the one-horned Indian rhino in Assam and West Bengal if the African country decides to go ahead and demand opening the international trade in rhino horns. Speaking at the first stock taking meeting of the World Bank-led Global Tiger Recovery Programme in Delhi, Keshav Varma, programme director of the Global Tiger Initiative, warned that South Africa, unable to contain poaching, was inclined towards opening the trade in rhino horns.

Noida: Following allegations of a major farmhouse scam in Noida, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, has ordered an investigation into the scheme launched by the Noida Authority in 2009. In a letter addressed to the Noida Authority chairman Rakesh Bahadur, the government has directed him to submit a report within a week. The report will deal mainly on three important points — land acquisition, allotment rate and the procedure of allotment of the farms. The scheme allegedly led to a loss of nearly Rs 300 crore to the state exchequer.

New Delhi: In a fresh twist in the PIL being heard by the Delhi high court on utility of the BRT corridor, another NGO has moved court against scrapping of the project. National Alliance of People’s Movement, an umbrella organization has sought to be heard as a party to the PIL where HC has ordered a review of the utility of the corridor. Arguing against any move to scrap it, the NGO is likely to field rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan to make their case for retaining the corridor, arguing in essence that it serves the needs of the masses that use public transport.

Project Tiger is not the great success story that the government would have you believe. India has lost 32 tigers in the last four months with two tigers having being killed last month in Tadoba Tiger Reserve by poachers using iron foot-traps.

Fourteen of these tigers have been lost to poachers till May 2012, minister for environment and forests Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters on the sidelines of the first stocktaking meeting to review the implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme. “The remaining 18 tigers died natural deaths and we are constantly looking into reasons for this,” the minister said.

Maharashtra possibly has among the worst track records when it comes to learning a thing or two from a crisis. In the midst of its fourth drought since 2000, the government has set in motion a slew of time-tested measures with what bureaucrats say is an unprecedented liberal hand. But there is little or no thought yet on why one of India’s most developed states repeatedly seeks drought relief dole.