THDC asked to pull up socks on Koteshwar HEP implementation

Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has asked THDC to pick up the pace of works at its upcoming 400-mw Koteshwar hydroelectric project site. Though the project authorities are confident of commissioning the projects within the current Plan, according to the authority, there still remain critical activities to be monitored at the site which can lead to slippage of the commissioning of the units to the next Plan.

In a recent report after conducting a site visit to the Koteshwar project, the Authority stated that commissioning of two units were programmed by March 2011 and balance two units in the year 2011-12. However, due to flooding of Power House in September 2010, there are lot of activities to be carried out for refurbishment of equipments and various systems. Considering the activities associated with refurbishment of Unit 1 and associated auxiliaries system and balance work for other units, the commissioning of the first unit by March 2011 seems to be critical. Further, all efforts need to be taken by Project authorities to ensure commissioning off all the four units in the 11th Plan, the CEA reported.

The flooding of the power house resulted in submergence of various equipments. Before flooding of power house, erection of Unit 1 and associated auxiliaries was in progress. Currently, refurbishment activities for Unit 1 are being carried out and the damaged excitation system of unit has been replaced with Unit 4. Replacement of auxiliary systems and panels is being taken up and various equipments earmarked for Unit 3 and 4 are presently being used for refurbishment of Unit 1 and 2. The process for procurement of these items needs to be initiated and to be perused further with BHEL and other contractors for timely delivery so that all the four units can be commissioned within 11th Plan, the Authority stated. 

Koteshwar Project is a run-off-river scheme with minimum diurnal storage on Bhagirathi river in Uttaranchal. The project is an integral part of the 2400 mw Tehri Hydro Power Complex. It comprises of a 97.5 m. high concrete Dam and Surface Power House, housing 4 units of 100 mw each and is located around 22 kilometers downstream of Tehri Dam. The Koteshwar Project will regulate water releases from Tehri Reservoir for irrigation purposes. The reservoir created by Koteshwar Dam shall also function as balancing reservoir for Tehri Pumped Storage Plant.

Source:-http://www.projectsmonitor.com/MISC/thdc-asked-to-pull-up-socks-on-koteshwar-hep-implementation

Fresh ultimatum from Somali pirates

AMRITSAR: Somali pirates who had hijacked MV Suez, a ship of Red Sea Navigation , in the Gulf of Aden have given five days ultimatum for the life of six Indians and four Pakistani if they didn't get $ 2.3 million, informed United Nations Expert Advisor on Human Rights, Ansar Burney who claims to be in touch with the pirates for the release of the hostages. 

While talking to TOI over phone from Karachi on Tuesday, Burney said that he was negotiating with the Somali pirates on humanitarian grounds for the greater interest of human dignity and to save the lives of six Indians and 4 Pakistanis. The pirates had earlier demanded $5 million for the release of hostages, he added. 

MV Suez with the flag of Panama was hijacked by the Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on August 2, 2010, with 6 Indians, 4 Pakistani, 4 Lankans and 11 Egyptians on board, said Burney. 

Pakistan's former Federal Minister for Human Rights and Chairman of the Ansar Burney Trust International, Burney, said that the condition of the hostages was critical as they had been sailing in the Somali sea for past nearly eight months ."They were being given some boiled rice and fish by their captors", he said. 

"They established contact with me on Tuesday and gave ultimatum for the hostages life if their demand was not met" said Burney, adding that earlier he had contacted them on Saturday for the release of crew members. 

Read more: Fresh ultimatum from Somali pirates - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fresh-ultimatum-from-Somali-pirates/articleshow/7601127.cms#ixzz1FLYtLaTc

ICC scrutinies Australia-New Zealand WC match

Karachi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has carried out a scrutiny of the Australia and New Zealand World Cup match played in Ahmedabad after Australian

openers, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin batted slowly in the first 10 overs.

The two openers scored just 28 in 11 overs and 53 in 15 overs in a match that Australia eventually won comfortably but the slow rate of scoring in the first two overs was scrutinized by the ICC anti-corruption and security unit.

Sources aware of developments said the ICC ACSU had carried out a quiet review of the match after questions were raised over the slow start taken by Watson and Haddin.

With the spectre of spot-fixing now looming over international cricket following the bans on three Pakistani players for spot-fixing last year on the England tour, sources said the ICC ASCU was keeping a vigilant eye on all matches in the World Cup and the slow start by the Australian openers caught their attention.

"They are taking no chances at all and all matches are under the scanner for possible indications that any spot-fixing has taken place," one source said.

Australian team coach Tim Nielsen has defended his openers saying they played slowly according to the situation.

"I thought they played well in game one. Everyone had this perception that they went slowly. But if Zimbabwe were going to be competitive against us, they needed to take early wickets with their spinners. We`re playing the way we think is the right way to play," said Nielsen after the match.

Pakistan former test captain, Rashid Latif has already expressed fears that the format of the World Cup has opened a window for bookmakers to try to corrupt players in the tournament since most of the top teams are certain to make the all-important quarter finals from the group matches stage.

In spot-fixing bookmakers take bets on particular moments and stages of a match for example how many runs would be scored by a team in five overs or after ten overs and so on or in a certain over how many runs will be scored or if it will be a maiden.

Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were hauled up after being found guilty of deliberately bowling no-balls during the fourth test against England at Lords last year.

Plenty of fuss was also raised over the India and England match after former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne correctly tweeted seven hours before the start of the match that it would be a tie.

England skipper Andrew Strauss claimed that Warne had shown he was a cricket genius with his correct prediction but others also observed that it was strange how one could predict a tie so early before a match.

Pakistan`s former captain, Moin Khan said the Warne tweet could have been just a hunch but felt it had raised questions by many people.

Pakistan`s test pacer, Sohail Tanvir said that the ICC needed to keep a close eye on all matches of the World Cup as it was a mega event and a big attraction for bookmakers in the subcontinent.

Pakistan`s former captain, Aamir Sohail ruled that if any Pakistani or Indian player had made the same tweet about having a tied match lot of hue and cry would have been raised in the western media by now.

"But since this prediction comes from a Australian player it is declared a stroke of genius," he added.

Source:-http://www.zeenews.com/

WI vs Ned: West Indies crush Netherlands by 215 runs

West Indies beat the Netherlands by a massive 215 runs in their World Cup Group B match at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on Monday. 

Chasing 331, the Dutch were bundled out for 115 in the 32nd over with Tom Cooper's unbeaten 55 being the only bright spot in their innings.

Earlier, the West Indies piled up 330/8 in their stipulated 50 overs thanks to impressive batting performance by Chirs Gayle (80) and Kieron Pollard's 27-ball 60. 

The Netherlands began to show signs of pressure early with their first wicket falling in the first over. Kemar Roach scalped Wesley Barresi on the fourth ball of the first over with Chris Gayle performing the final honours. He could not even open his account.

But that was just the beginning of the carnage that the West Indians had in mind for the Dutch players. 

Even their most experienced player Ryan ten Doeschate could not save his teammates from the destruction as wickets after wickets fell and sounds of West Indies players making merry filled the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium. Ryan fell to Sulieman Benn on 7 with an LBW written against his initials in the scoreboard.

The Netherlands' scoreboard looked like a phone number with most of their batsmen getting out on single digit scores. By the end of the 11th over The Netherlands were down to 36/5 with left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn claiming three wickets while paceman Kemar Roach two.

Soon paceman Darren Sammy too joined the party claiming the opposition captain Peter Borren in the 19th over. He fell for 10 and the Dutch team slumped to 56/6. 

In his second spells Roach proved to be even more devastating claiming fours wickets to finish with impressive figures of 8.3-0-27-6. The Dutch could only 115 on board.    

West Indies innings

West Indies opener Chirs Gayle scored 80 and Kieron Pollard hammered a 27-ball 60 as West Indies scored 330/8.  

The West Indies openers Devon Smith and Chris Gayle batted on to put 100 runs on board. But, no sooner had they reached the mark that Smith fell with Bernard Loots claiming him in the 17th over. Smith tried to cut away but the ball stayed low and a thin edge got carried to the keeper Wesley Barresi. He scored 53 off 51 balls.

Post Smith's dismissal, Gayle and Darren Bravo got on with a partnership that contribute 68 runs to the West Indies total. The two could have carried on but for an impressive bit of bowling by Pieter Seelaar. 

Seelaar pitched the ball outside off tempting Bravo, who tried to play it and eventually ended up giving a catch to Alexei Kerveeze at long on. He scored 30. West Indies were 168/2 at the stage.

But big-match player Gayle was still at the crease and he continued to score briskly, until Ryan ten Doeschate struck. In the 37th over on the very second ball of the batting Powerplay ten Doeschate got rid of Gayle on 80. A good length ball was hammered towards long off, but Kerveeze cut it short with a fine catch and West Indies lost their opener on 196/3.

Then it the turn of Kieron Pollard to go all guns blazing. His half-century came in just 23 balls clearly suggest the rampage he was. And while he was at it, the Dutch managed to remove Sarwan and then added Shivnarine Chanderpaul's name to their list of victims. Finally, the lady luck smiled on them and Pollard too fell after scoring a blazing 60 of 27 balls that included five fours and four over the fence shots.

A Mudassar Bukhari ball in the 48th over was pumped high into the air and ten Doeschate came under it to cleanly collect it at long on. But by then the damage was done as the Windies were sitting pretty on 312/7. In the end, final West Indies total turned out to be an impressive 330/8 in 50 overs.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/131127/sports/wi-vs-ned-match-report.html

SA vs WI: De Villiers hits a ton as SA win by 7 wickets

South African batsman Abraham Benjamin de Villiers celebrated his century as his team-mates celebrated a fine seven wicket win over the West Indies in New Delhi on Thursday. 

Chasing a meagre 223 for victory in their World Cup Group B match at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium, the South Africans reached the target in the 43rd over.

Their chase was disrupted by light showers post the 38th over when the team total was 199/ 3 with de Villiers batting on 97 and J.P. Duminy on 28. The match resumed within minutes giving de Villiers an opportunity to complete his ton.

De Villiers remained unbeaten on 107 and Duminy on 42

However, the Proteas didn't get off to a good start losing early wickets in their chase. First they lost their opener Hashim Amla and then it was the big-match player Jacques Kallis to walk off the crease with 4 runs written against his name. 

Both wickets fell in controversial fashion. In case of Amla (14), paceman Kemar Roach had overstepped slightly while bowling and Kallis had just walked off after being caught by skipper Darren Sammy in the slip off left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn. There was doubt that the ball had carried off his bat. South Africa fell to 20/2 in 5 overs. Whatever the case, the spinner-pacer combination worked well for the West Indies.

But South Africa, considering the form that they are in, had little reason to worry and their skipper Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers went about their business as usual. The two put on an impressive 119 runs for third wicket milking the opposition bowlers at ease.

Their partnership lasted for more than an hour and erased away the early advantage that the Windies had earned. Finally in the 29th over, paceman Kieron Pollard curved in a delivery to left-hander Smith and uprooted his off-stump on 139/3. Smith fell for 45. 

West Indies innings

West Indies were all out for 222 as the opposition bowlers tightened the noose at death.

South Africa skipper Graeme Smith put the Windies in the middle and West Indies opener Chris Gayle departed on the third ball of the match with offie Johan Botha claiming his wicket.

A surprising decision by South Africa skipper Graeme Smith to give the ball to off-spinner Johan Botha in the very first over. But, the moved paid off as in the third ball of the over he struck to send danger-man Chris Gayle back into the pavilion.

A good length ball from Botha pitched outside off took the edge off Gayle's bat to and Jacques Kallis did the rest in the first slip. West Indies slumped to 2/1 in the very first over.

One wicket down early on but West Indies had little to fear as their other opener Devon Smith and new man Darren Bravo continued to bat on and frustrate the Protea bowlers. The duo put on 111 for the second wicket before a change in bowling accounted for Bravo on 113/2.

On this occasion too it was Botha, who did the trick, claiming him Leg Before. Bravo scored a fine 73 off 82 balls. Post his dismissal Smith too fell on 117/3 with another spinner Imran Tahir claiming his wicket on 36.

Tahir struck again to scalp another danger-man Ramnaresh Sarwan when the West Indies score was 120. He only put two on board before a LBW decision send him back.

Then Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwyane Bravo got on with another partnership. They put on 58 runs for fifth wicket before Bravo got run out on 40. The Windies score at this juncture was 178/5 in 37.5 overs.

However, post Dwyane Bravo's wicket the West Indies batting line-up faltered and they lost quick wickets. Chanderpaul departed when the score was 209/6 and South African paceman Dale Steyn claimed Kieron Pollard on a duck when the score was 213/7. From here on things became easy for the Protea pacers, who got busy counting the opposition scalps.

West Indies could only manage to put 222 on board and were bowled out in the 48th over.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130780/sports/sa-vs-wi-match-report.html

Rail Budget will be pro-passenger: Mamata

After giving finishing touches to the Rail Budget, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjeeon Thursday said it will be a "passenger-friendly budget" dedicated to the common man of the country.

Rail Budget 2011-12 will be presented in Parliament on Friday.

Without revealing any budget details, she said: "It will be people-friendly, passenger-friendly and country-friendly budget."

Speculations are rife that the budget may see some marginal increase in upper class AC fare with sleeper class fare remaining untouched.

Keeping the passengers' complaints in mind, the budget is likely to propose a slew of passenger-friendly measures like setting up of more Janahaar outlets at stations to provide quality food at reasonable rates.

The budget could also find mention of mega base kitchens in the metros preparing 50,000 to 1 lakh meals per day for train passengers. This would be managed by railway itself as per the new catering policy, sources said.

The budget could also announce launching off a new SMS-based service to lodge complaints against rail service by passengers.

In order to provide clean linens to passengers, Railways are likely to announce setting up of mechanised laundry service at zonal levels.

The Rail Budget is likely to announce introduction of about 100 new trains including a dozen super fast Durontos.

The Budget comes at a time when the Railways are facing financial crunch with its operating ratio inching close to 100 level mark. "So there will be a few measures for generation of more internal resources," sources said.

Mamata, facing Assembly elections in West Bengal in two months, could also announce a slew of projects for her state, including a rail link connecting the busy Howrah and Sealdah stations running through the densely populated central districts of Kolkata.

In order to promote cultural activities, Railways are also planning to construct auditorium in Kharagpur, Jalpaiguri and Jabalpur.

Catering to the student community, she could also announce running of student special trains keeping in mind the travel requirement during examinations and trains with only bookings under Tatkal scheme.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130803/top-stories/mamta-banerjee-railway-budget-2011-12-live-coverage.html