Why Can't Naidu Take Part In T-March?

Telangana Rashtra Samithi has accused Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu of enacting a big drama and hoodwinking the people of Telangana by stating that he would write a letter to the Centre in support of Telangana.

“It is just a big drama. He has been saying this for the last month and so far, he has not made any such attempt. Now, he is going on a padayatra and his party leaders say he would write the letter after the Centre takes a decision on the issue. It is nothing but cheating the people,” TRS legislator T Harish Rao said.

He demanded that if Naidu is really in favour of Telangana, he should openly support the Telangana March scheduled to be held on September 30. “And he should also take part in the Telangana March and show his sincerity towards the cause,” Harish Rao challenged.

The TRS leader demanded that the Centre should make a statement on Telangana before September 30 itself. “We will celebrate it if there is a positive announcement; otherwise, we will intensify our fight,” he added.

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Wipro sets up 2,000 seater delivery centre in Vishakhapatnam

Wipro Technologies today announced the formal opening of its 2,000-seater delivery centre in Vishakhapatnam.

The centre, which is currently operational with about 100 employees, was inaugurated by Minister of State for Human Resource Development ( Higher Education) Daggubati Purandeswari, Wipro said in a statement.

The capacity at the centre will be ramped up to more than 300 over the next three months, it added.

In line with its commitment to developing local talent, Wipro said it will work closely with several universities in the region to recruit young graduates.

"We have been present in Andhra Pradesh for the last two decades, and it gives us great pride to expand our footprint to Vishakhapatnam, the second-largest city in the state. The city's business friendly environment, local infrastructure and talent pool make it an ideal location for our business operations," Wipro Vice President and Global Head of Operations Hari Hegde said.

The centre will support Wipro's continued expansion in Andhra Pradesh and contribute to creating an ecosystem that further enhances local resources and skills, he added.

At present, Wipro's operations are spread across multiple facilities in Hyderabad and its employee headcount in Andhra Pradesh is over 10,000.

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Making miracles happen every year

The 10-day Ganesh festival brings to the fore the amalgamation of spirituality, devotion, service, servitude, humanity and humility. The celebrations in Hyderabad are unique. The immersion procession on the concluding day witnesses a sea of humanity with lakhs of devotees participating.

The celebrations have been increasing every year. It was 1980 when I, along with of friends and residents of Nehrunagar in Ramanthapur, formed a youth organisation to celebrate the festival. Inspired by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, we named the organisation Netaji Yuva Jana Sangham.

At that time, not many people came forward to fund our organisation. We prepared puja books of Rs 11 and Rs 101 towards puja charges for the navaratris. Our youth organisation was different from other similar bodies in the sense that we gave more importance to our ancient culture and traditions. We used to set up Ganesh pandals on traditional lines. Exclusive puja was conducted for students on particular days. On the other days the elderly were involved in bhajans. Rangoli competitions were held for girls.

Many swamis including the heads of Kanchi, Sarada and Pushpagiri peethams have visited the Ganesh mandapams set up by us in the last 30 years. The Ganesh festival has taught us a lot. It gave us an experience in finance management, accounting, event organisation, besides increasing our spirituality. Competitions among different mandapam organisers such as kabaddi, running and rangoli were organised. The festival also brings patriotism to the fore. Ganesh idols in different avatars made up of different colours and different sizes attract devotees.

Things have changed a lot in the last three decades. Now small children are organising Ganesh mandapams. Community participation too has increased. Families in the neighbourhood contribute puja flowers and prasadam on a daily basis.

There were Kargil Ganesh idols too. Last year, some organisers in Habsiguda installed a pandal with Anna Hazare watching the Ganesh puja. The laddu prasadam of Balapur makes miracles happen every year. The auction goes as high as lakhs of rupees and hundreds of people participate in it.

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CONGRESS TO QUIT MAMATA GOVT TODAY

As the Trinamool Congress went ahead and withdrew support to the UPA in Delhi, the repercussions were felt in West Bengal on Friday, with the Congress announcing it would pull out its ministers on Saturday from the 16-month old Mamata Banerjee-led government. The knives were sharpened on

both sides, as the coalition partners traded vicious charges.
In a bid to gain from the break-up with the Trinamool, the state Congress demanded at least three slots in the union council of ministers including a cabinet berth for party MPs from the state.
Launching a scathing attack on Banerjee for her "dictatorial attitude", and claiming that the law and order situation in the state had been deteriorating, state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya said his party would be "relieved" to leave the state cabinet.
At a media conference minutes after the Trinamool's ministers put in their papers to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Bhattacharya announced the party's decision to leave the Banerjee ministry and equated the chief minister with her Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi.
"Why will she repeat what Modi has to say about the Congress? A progressive and secular Bengal will not tolerate Modi's words coming out of Trinamool's mouth," Bhattacharya said.
The Congress is set to take a decision on Saturday about withdrawing support from the Banerjee government in the state.
But it would not have any impact on Banerjee's government, as Trinamool has a comfortable majority in the 294-seat state assembly.
The Congress has 42 members, two more than the Communist Party of India- Marxist's 40, and could stake claim for the post of leader of the opposition.
Bhattacharya said the chief minister's opposition to FDI in retail would spell doom for the state's economy.
"In her regime, the state is hurtling downwards, the law and order situation has steadily deteriorated, there are atrocities against women," he said.
"We are not being allowed to hold meetings. Since we were in the ministry so long, we were putting up with it all. We cannot anymore bear the dictatorial attitude of the government. We are relieved," he said.
Following the exit of Trinamool Congress' union ministers from the union cabinet on Friday, the Congress, tit for tat, declared that all six of its ministers - two of cabinet rank and four ministers of state - will put in their papers before Banerjee on Saturday.
Meanwhile, state Congress general secretary Om Prakash Mishra wrote to the Congress high command pleading for nominating at least three ministers, from among the party members in the state.
"The question of proportionate and adequate representation from the state is engaging the attention of the people," wrote Mishra.
Giving indications that the so long uneasy allies were fast turning bitter foes, Trinamool Congress chief whip Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said he will move a privilege motion against former Congress legislator Arunava Ghosh on charges of insulting assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee.
Ghosh, a fierce critic of Banerjee, has been a familiar face on television channels over the last few years
Miffed by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's decisions over hike in diesel price and foreign investment in multi-brand retail, the Trinamool on Friday withdrew support to the ruling coalition at the centre.

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Haven’t seen you before, PM told TMC ministers

Excerpts from the secretly recorded communication between the Trinamool Congress ministers, who resigned from the ministry today, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (MMS). We don’t vouch for its veracity though. Warning: It could be some mischief monger’s handiwork.

TMC ministers: Hello Manmohanji, we are here to resign.

MMS: Really, but who are you? I haven’t ever seen you around.

TMC ministers: Sir, we are members of Parliament and ministers in your government.

MMS: Hmm…sorry, which party?

TMC ministers: Sir, we belong to the Trinamool Congress. That’s Mamata Banerjee’s party.

MMS: Oh, I see. But where’s she? She is not responding to my SMSes these days?

TMC ministers: Sir, she is upset.

MMS: Upset about what? I would be worried if she not upset about something or the other all the time.

TMC ministers: She is worried about diesel price hike and the FDI business.

MMS: She is upset. How come you guys are resigning? What difference does that make?

TMC ministers: Sir, we take offence. We were members in your council of ministers.

MMS: Really. How come I never met you before? Did you ever come to office?

TMC ministers: Errr…We worked from home, West Bengal.

MMS pulls out some papers and runs through them. “I see,” he says, “One of you is Mukul Roy, the guy who is supposed to be running the railways. Where is he?”

Mukul Roy: I am the one. I am Didi’s favourite and manage her affairs.

MMS: What about the railways? Did you manage it at all? What happened to Dinesh Trivedi? I thought he was still the railway minister. Sorry. The PMO guys just don’t keep me in the loop.

Mukul Roy: I take offence. (phone rings) Didi.. Yes, Didi… No, Didi.. Yes, Didi… I am with him. He is asking where’s Dinesh Trivedi?..Piece of my mind…? As you wish Didi. I will give a big piece.

MMS: Was it Mamata? I don’t understand her. She always misunderstands my silence, even during my phone calls. But sometimes silence is better than a thousand words.

Mukul Roy: We are resigning from the ministry and withdrawing support from the UPA. And that’s final. No further negotiation is possible.

MMS: Who is negotiating with you? And when were you ever part of the UPA? So far as I remember you belonged to the opposition.

TMC ministers in unison: Sir, you are insulting us. How can you say that? Without our 19 members you won’t be sitting here, talking to us. We got Pranabda elected President.

MMS: Thanks. Let’s forget Pranabda. But I hear Sensex has gone up 450 points after you decided to quit. Now that you have quit, I am sure it would go up higher.

TMC ministers: Now, that’s not fair. We did not pull Sensex down. Didi is not even aware of what Sensex is. Her fight is for Ma, Mati and Manush…

MMS: (gets impatient) Yes, yes. But what are you going to do now? You will be jobless.

TMC ministers: Don’t add insult to injury, Manmohanji. You are the man responsible for this. Had you not insisted on FDI and diesel price hike, we would still be ministers.

MMS: Still be ministers? Doing what?

TMC ministers: Don’t ask. Work, of course. Ministerial responsibility. But we can ask you the same question too. What were you doing the last eight years? People say you were snoozing while the country was being plundered by people you know.

MMS: Now, that’s harsh. Let’s not get personal. (phone rings) Yes Madam…No Madam…Yes Madam..Definitely Madam..piece of my mind. Don’t worry, I still have one. I need to take you out of the freezer…Thank you Madam.

TMC ministers: Was it Sonia Gandhi? Is she willing to change the decision on FDI and diesel.

MMS: Who else? Do you think I was talking to your Didi? And how does it matter to you? See I had enough of your nonsense. There won’t be any rollback of anything. Even I am not going to roll back the new me.

TMC ministers: (sounds of muffled giggling and some more of it).

MMS: Now, I don’t like that. I can giggle at your plight too. Please give me some peace.

TMC ministers: Why should we give you peace? Is it our responsibility anymore?

MMS: Was it ever? Enough. How are you going back to West Bengal and how soon? You want me book the earliest flight for you? I doubt whether the trains are running at all. Thanks to you for that, Mukul.

TMC ministers: No thanks. We will manage on our own.

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Who’s the prettiest of them all?

An evening of fun, frolic and fashion took place as the City hosted one of the most-awaited events of the year — the I am She Miss Universe contest. The winner Urvashi Rautela will represent India at the 61st Miss Universe pageant to be held in December, this year.

The glamour quotient was at an all-time high at the Leonia Holistic Destination & Resorts, Hyderabad, as 20 beautiful girls from across the country contested for the coveted crown of I am She Miss Universe pageant and a panel of judges including actors Mugdha Godse, Harman Baweja, boxer Mary Kom, designer Neeta Lulla, photographer Santhosh Sivan, Dario group sales director from Istituto Maringoni and Richard Hyde from the British Council judged them.

After some gruelling rounds including swimsuit wear, evening gown and interviews, Miss India Universe 2012 and the two runners-up were selected. Urvashi Rautela, 18, from Uttaranchal was declared the winner. Shilpa Singh was adjudged the first runners up and Arlette Garo, the second runner up at the contest.

There were many memorable moments during the pageant that kept the audience on the edge of their seats. Cheering throughout for their favourite participants and enjoying the cultural extravaganza, the home crowd was seen having a gala time.

The winner of the show Urvashi had to face a question from one of the judges Harman Baweja. Not having heard the question right, she did not hesitate to ask Harman to repeat the question three times. She still managed to be in control and impressed the judges and audience alike with her confidence.

Another such moment was when Hyderabad’s very own Aneesha Chowdhary who made it to the top 5 gave a quirky answer. She was asked what came first chicken or an egg? Her answer was that she had the egg before chicken and that she liked to believe that the egg came first.

The judges too had their share of fun. Harman like a true charmer entertained the audience by asking the boxing sensation Mary Kom to dance with him and she played along by teaching him some boxing-inspired steps.

With 20 beautiful contesta­nts and more glamorous judges, the founder of I am She, Sush­mita Sen in a blue sequ­inned gown still managed to steal the show from all the others.

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Why Hyderabad should save its Hussain Sagar Lake

Let’s begin with a statutory warning. Visiting the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad after the Ganesh immersion on 29 September could be injurious to your eyes, particularly if you are concerned about the state of India’s water bodies.

As luck would have it, the city is playing host to over 8,000 delegates from 193 countries at the prestigious 19-day Conference on Biological Diversity starting 1 October. This Global Biodiversity meet is billed as one of the biggest events to be held in India. And if any of those environmentalists visit the lake, they would find lumps of plaster of paris of 30,000 Ganesh idols floating around. There is no way the municipal workers can clear off the mess in less than 24 hours. Every year they take up to a week or even 10 days.

Even as Hyderabad indulges in window dressing for the conference, putting up temporary green cover to impress the delegates, the state of the 451-year-old lake would expose its tall claims. During the 10-day Ganesh festival, the idols translate into about 20,000 tonnes of plaster of paris and 300 tons of iron. A survey in 2009 showed that the Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the lake (both measures to check the level of pollution in water) shot up dramatically after the festival. The COD jumped from 141 to 580 and BOD increased from 50 to 145.

But it would be unfair to make the Elephant God the villain of the piece. The fact remains that for years now the Hussain Sagar Lake has been a victim of the lust of land sharks and converted into a virtual garbage bin. During the times of the Qutab Shahi and Asaf Jahi rulers, building tanks and creating lakes was considered a sacred activity. The Hussain Sagar Lake built in 1561, thirty years before the Charminar, served as a drinking water source till 1930. The water body was famous for its aquatic life and the delicious murrel fish in particular. Now the biodiversity index report that will be released during the conference admits a huge decline in the number of fish species, from 78 to 12 in the city lakes. No wonder that when students of a school in Hyderabad collected water from Hussain Sagar Lake and Shamirpet lake as part of a project in January this year, they reported that the former was jet black while the latter resembled the urine of a person suffering from jaundice.

The original size of the Hussain Sagar Lake which for all practical purposes divides Hyderabad and Secunderabad, was 1,600 hectares. In 1995, National Remote Sensing Agency imagery declared its size was 416 hectares, which meant 3/4th of its area had been eaten away. Five years later, the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) issued a notification, where it put the area of the lake at 549 hectares. Despite a directive by the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2001 that no permanent structure should be built near the water spread or the catchment area of the lake, violations in the name of promoting tourism have been more the norm than the exception. A popular but sad joke is that one day, the Buddha statue in the middle of the lake would end up as a traffic intersection. Unfortunate for a city once known as the city of lakes.

Getting shrunk in the face of continuous onslaught is not the only problem. An equally big menace is that of sewage and pollutants being dumped into lakes all over the city. The Hussain Sagar Lake for instance has sewage from four nallahs dumped into it, with environmentalists dubbing the sewage treatment plant (STP) located inside the lake as an eyewash. The fear is that one day the lake will end up as a large sewage effluent tank in the heart of Hyderabad.

In fact, the groundwater of any area within a radius of 5 km from the Hussainsagar is highly contaminated. Residents who have got borewell water tested have found the E.coli presence 20 times more than the permissible limit. Take bath with this borewell water at your own risk, is the advice given to those living in Hussainsagar’s neighbourhood.

Worse is the abuse the Hussainsagar is subjected to. Studies have shown the cadmium level in the sludge of the lake is very high, thanks mainly due to industrial effluents from the unorganised sector of steel galvanising and electroplating units that come into it through different unmonitored nallahs.

In 2004, HUDA had announced a Rs 300 crore Japan Bank International Cooperation (JBIC) aided project to prevent pollution of the Hussainsagar. It even announced that by 2010, pollution in the lake will be a thing of the past. That has not happened and worse, the project is in fact encroaching into the lake area, with a new STP built on the lake bed.

At one point in time, if you claimed to be a good swimmer, you had to prove it by swimming till the Rock of Gibraltar in the middle of the Hussainsagar lake and come back. Today the feat is considered next to impossible, with the stench of the lake proving a huge challenge. International sailors in the past have grumbled about having to take part in a sailing championship in a lake of such poor water quality.

Perhaps some drastic action is what the doctor would order. Like in January 1922, when the entire water of Hussainsagar was taken out for desilting and then filled with fresh rainwater.

Hyderabad owes it to the Hussainsagar. The lake has been a witness to history as it was on the banks of the Hussainsagar that the first truce between Golconda ruled by Abdullah Qutab Shah and the Mughals commanded by Aurangzeb was negotiated in the mid-1600s. Four hundred years on, the lake is pleading for truce once again.

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Fresh lease of life for lung transplant patient

Nearly two months after the first successful single lung transplant was performed on an Indian at a Mumbai-based hospital, a city hospital performed the second such surgery. The patient, a 34-year-old woman hailing from Pune, became the first lung transplant patient in Andhra Pradesh, according to the hospital . 

Archana Shedge, a homemaker, was bedridden for about a year due to severe breathing difficulty and was living on external supply of oxygen. She was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis that leads to scarring of the lung. Initially, she sought treatment in Mumbai but the family was referred to Hyderabad, where she was told to undergo a lung transplant. 

Put up in the city for the last one-and-a-half month, Archana finally found a donor in a 55-year-old brain dead woman. She underwent a lung transplant on the right side during the intervening night of September 8 and 9. The rare surgery that lasted for 14 hours was performed by a 30-member team led by Dr A G K Gokhale, cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon at Yashoda Hospital. 

Speaking at a press conference, Archana's husband Rohit Das said that currently, 50% of his wife's problems had been corrected. "My wife could neither do household chores nor take care of our two children. After the surgery, she has stopped coughing and is able to talk. Doctors said she will be discharged in a couple of weeks," said Das, who runs a general store. The surgery cost the family around Rs 20 lakh. 

Dr Gokhale, who incidentally also performed the first successful heart transplant in AP in 2004, said the surgery was risky since the patient weighed 100 kg. He added that Archana has to be very careful in the first six months. "There is a 10-year survival chance for 40% of the transplant patients," he said. 

Doctors said that many lung failure patients are dying while waiting for a donor. "In the last five years, I am aware of four patients who have died waiting for lung donors," shared Dr Gokhale. But while there is expertise, there is a dearth of donors. Lungs of only non-smokers can be used for transplants. 

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Kurnool representatives to meet CM on water issue

People’s representatives from Kurnool district are preparing to confront chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday with their request for release of water to Velugodu project through Pothireddypadu head regulator.

They are even preparing to stage a dharna in front of CM’s cabin, if necessary, to press their point and see that water from Srisailam is released to their district instead of Krishna Delta farmers through Nagarjuna Sagar project.

“We have already explained the need for releasing water to Velugodu project to the chief minister on Thursday and save the withering crops in the district,” Allagadda YSCRP MLA B Shoba Nagi Reddy told Express.

She, along with ministers TG Venkatesh and Erau Pratap Reddy, met the chief minister on Thursday and tried to impress upon him the importance of releasing Srisailam waters for the benefit of Kurnool farmers.

The chief minister, however, remained non-committal. “He said he would discuss the issue with concerned officials and take necessary decision,” the YSRCP MLA said.

When contacted, officials said that they were yet to get any direction from the state government with regard to release of water from Srisailam.

According to sources in agriculture department, encouraged by recent rains, farmers in Kurnool district had taken up cultivations in 4.35 lakh hectares against the normal cropping area of 5.52 lakh hectares. It includes groundnut in 1.5 lakh hectares, cotton in 1 lakh hectares, paddy in 1.80 lakh hectares. As there were no rains for last 20 days and no water available for irrigation, crops in several acres were withering out, worrying the farmers.

Having the same contention, leaders from Telangana region on one side and from Krishna and Guntur districts on other are also bringing pressure on the government for release of water to their respective regions on priority basis.

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Look East policy boosting trade growth: D Purandeswari, Union Minister

 

Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development D Purandeswari has said the Government's `Look East' policy is encouraging trade growth from eastern ports, particularly those in Andhra Pradesh.

The `Look East' policy, initiated in early 1990s, has given an important place to the country's eastern coast in the world maritime business. It has boosted India's trade with East and Southeast Asia, she said here.

She was speaking at the inaugural session of a two-day `East Coast Maritime Business' summit last evening.

Underlining the need for creating more infrastructure to enhance maritime trade, Purandeswari said with deep draft facility available at various ports on the east coast, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, there was a wide scope to further boost sea-borne commerce.

The Minister, who is Lok Sabha MP from Visakhapatnam, said the Centre had sanctioned another port in Andhra Pradesh.

She said the maritime cargo would rise in future with Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) and several major industrial projects and multi-product Special Economic Zones(SEZ) coming up in Andhra Pradesh.

National Shipping Board Chairman P V K Mohan said the east coast offered a wide scope for growth in bulk and container cargo with plans being undertaken to increase the capacities of Krishnapatnam, Kakinada and Gangavaram ports in the state.

He said the Centre has asked the states to identify suitable sites to set up greenfield ports. West Bengal and AP had given proposals for establishing majors ports.

Visakhapatnam Port Trust Chairman Ajeya Kallam said efforts were on to transform Visakhapatnam port into a preferred gateway point in South Asia.

Since India's trade ties with China and other East Asian countries are expanding rapidly, the significance of east coast ports would be rise in future, he added.

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'Only judiciary can save our lakes'

While it may seem obvious that clay idols are more eco-friendly than plaster of Paris, a deeper understanding of the dangers of the use of Ganesh idols made with Plaster of Paris and iron is needed to save our lakes and other water bodies from imminent pollution.

Four crusaders against lake and environmental pollution - Abhinav Gangumalla and Santosh Banpur, founders of city-based Hyderabad Goes Green; Deepak Rao, a farmer and rain water harvesting expert; and Arun Krishnamurthy, founder-president of Environmentalist Foundation of India; give us an insight into the dangers posed by idols made with plaster of Paris or materials other than clay. 

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Sculpture park at Shilparamam to open soon - Hyderabad

Amazed? That’s what the sculptors claim. The blooming of art ahead of the United Nations’ 11th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity might be of little interest to the general public, in particular cynics, who consider it a huge waste of money. But for sculptors, this is turning out to be a great opportunity to showcase their skills.

The sculpture park at Shilparamam due to be inaugurated soon is spread across six acres. It has many sculptures, some made of stone, some others of scrap metal, but the main attraction is obviously the 70 ft long Gulliver pinned to the ground by a horde of Liliputs. It is the brainchild of Tejendra Singh Baoni, professor and sculptor from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, and Sunirmal Mity, an eminent sculptor from Shantiniketan in Kolkata. They are sure that Gulliver will be the cynosure of all eyes at Shilparamam from now on.

“We tried to bring art closer to the general public in a way that they could interact with the sculptures here. Usually, people do not understand contemporary art but we have put in efforts to reflect society through art. We could not ignore children and hence, Gulliver,” said Tejendra Singh Baoni. 

Echoing his views, Sunirmal Mity agreed, “in our country, people are not very conscious and aware of art. We want them to interact with these sculptures in the same way that they relate to some movie names or famous dialogues that have become colloquial phrases. We hope these sculptures present here too make an impression on the public consciousness like that.” He termed the move to have a sculpture park novel, pointing out that this is a new concept in the country itself.

Both Tejendra Singh Baoni and Sunirmal Mity have been working on the Gulliver’s metal sculpture for over a month and are confident of finishing their work in the coming days. “This will remain an open museum as the Gulliver’s sculpture if properly maintained will have a life span of over 50 years and probably nobody in the country has ever tried this sort of a metal structure. The sculptures made of stone will last for the next 900 years,” explained Tejendra Singh Baoni.

Some of the metal sculptures include a rooster fight, peacock, scorpion, crocodile, snake etc. As many as 64 sculptures carved out by 38 sculptors are being exhibited here. Sculptors, basically students and upcoming artisans, were drawn from all over the country. While from Andhra Pradesh, 15 were drafted in, 7 came from West Bengal, 5 from Gujarat, 3 from Karnataka, 2 each from Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi, and one each from Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Chhattisgarh.

The inauguration of the sculpture park which was scheduled for Friday has been postponed indefinitely.

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Kareena-inspired 'Heroine' collection

Bollywood continues to inspire fashion among youngsters, and if you're one among those who fancies Kareena Kapoor's outfits from "Heroine", here's your chance to grab them online.

Apparel brand Jealous 21 joined hands with the Madhur Bhandarkar-film for creating its clothes range, inspired by Kareena's glamourous look. Now, online portal www.fashionara.com is opening up pre-orders for it.

In tune with the actress' get up, there are chic party dresses in colours ranging from white, yellow, black and blue, which are up for grabs.

"Movies allot a fair share of the market budget to online media. In addition, the web is relied upon heavily for word-of-mouth publicity and sales of movies and music. It is thus only natural that movie merchandising moves online," Arun Sirdeshmukh, CEO and co-founder, Fashionara, said in a statement.

"Particularly for categories like fashion, online retailers offer the quickest and most efficient route to getting merchandise to market," he added.

The collection will delight young shoppers, who love to mimic Bollywood.

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Walmart fails to open shop in New York

Walmart's plans to open a store in New York city has suffered a setback because of opposition from liberals and small store owners.

Walmart, the world's largest retailer, was expected to open its first big box store in the city, the New York Times reported.

The company said last week it will not be a part of a new mall coming up in Brooklyn.

Local unions, some members of the City Council and community groups -- who are bitterly opposed to Walmart -- raised alarm that the retailer was gaining a foothold in the city.

"We were unable to agree upon economic terms for a project in East New York," said Steven Restivo, a company spokesman.

"We remain committed to bringing new economic development and shopping options to New York city, especially in the neighbourhoods that need them most," he said.

"Walmart's withdrawal shows that when New Yorkers join arms, even the world's richest retailer is no match for them," the daily quoted Stephanie Yazgi, a spokeswoman for Walmart Free NYC group, as saying.

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Agra MP injured in mob attack

Lok Sabha member from Agra Ram Shankar Katheria was injured when he was hit in stone-pelting by a mob, police said on Saturday. The incident, in an area where most hotels are located, prompted foreign tourists to flee. Katheria had to be admitted to a hospital after he was hit by a stone 

in the Tourist Complex area of Fatehabad Road Friday night.

Hotels and cars were attacked. Most foreign tourists fled, some leaving the city late at night, as they feared for their life, industry sources said.

Police denied that tourists had left Agra due to the disturbances, but some hoteliers confirmed that a few groups had chosen to shift to Delhi out of panic.

The tourist area close to the Taj Mahal saw a massive deployment of police personnel.

Violence broke out after residents of Taj Ganj area brought out a man's body and blocked the road.

Ramu, originally from Firozabad, was married to Sapna of Taj Ganj area only three months ago. His family members said the police had picked him up for gambling with some others. They accused the police of mercilessly beating Ramu, who subsequently died, and throwing his body in the wilderness.

The police wanted access to the body but the agitators, who numbered several hundred, refused and pelted stones.

Later a mob attacked hotels and restaurants on Fatehabad Road.

The protestors damaged vehicles parked outside hotels on Fatehabad Road. A marriage party was disturbed and the groom from Punjab beaten up.

Police resorted to a mild baton-charge, bursting of tear gas shells and firing of rubber bullets to control the mob.

Katheria, along with senior police officials, tried to intervene and persuade the protestors. It was then that a stone hit the MP who is now being treated in a private nursing home for a serious head injury.

Police officials have reviewed the security arrangements in the tourist complex, with Taj Mahal's security being beefed up.

Police early Saturday said the situation was under control.

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The six reasons why you can’t sleep at night!

Problem 1: Restless legs

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) varies in severity but in general it causes an irresistible urge to shuffle your legs. The condition can also cause discomfort in the feet and calves, which disrupts natural sleep.

One way to fight the problem of RLS is through acupuncture treatments. Acupuncturist Rachel Peckham told us: “Traditional Acupuncture is known to be enormously beneficial for helping correct sleep problems. Most people find treatment wonderfully relaxing, as acupuncture is known to calm the nervous system and also affect hormonal outputs by increasing endorphin production.”

Problem 2: Stress

According to stress expert, Dr David Edwards, stress is a ‘collection of physiological, cognitive, affective and behavioural symptoms that are caused by difficult situations in our daily life’. Stress can affect everyone in different ways ranging from less severe symptoms such as headaches all the way up to depression and anxiety. Often people leading stressful lives find it difficult to ‘switch off’ at night. Lying awake thinking about what you need to do tomorrow or the argument you had with a colleague at work can make sleeping impossible.For short term relief from stressful sleep, Dr Edwards recommends Rhodiola Rosea, a supplement that can help to control the release of stress hormones while improving energy levels and concentration. Try it: Vitano® contains Rhodiola rosea root extract 200mg and is available from Boots, leading pharmacies and health-food stores priced at £13.27 for 30 tablets. For further information visit www.vitano.co.uk.

Problem 3: Caffeine

Drinking tea and coffee throughout the day can have a negative impact when it comes to bed time. Try and avoid caffeine after 3pm and avoid sugary energy drinks on nights out.

Expert nutritionist Kirsten Brooks says: “Camomile is a wonderful herb with sedative properties, helping us to relax and encourage sleep. As a warm drink, it’s a great way to unwind in the evening.”

Problem 4: Nocturnal Cramps

Night time cramps are a problem for over 13million people in the UK and 82% of women say that have suffered with the problem at some point in their lives.

Insomnia specialist, Dr Guy Meadows, told us: “Quality sleep is essential to ensure you feel regenerated and ready for the day ahead. Interruptions caused by emotional or health problems can be very detrimental to everyday life, making it harder to concentrate at work and affecting relationships. Frustration and anxiety about disturbed sleep can cause it to become even worse.

So don’t suffer in silence! Visit your doctor or local pharmacist to get night time cramps sorted.

Try it: Crampex is the only product available without prescription for the prevention and treatment of night cramps. It costs from £2.99 for a pack of 12 tablets and is available over the counter from pharmacies. More tips and advice can be found on www.goodsleepadvice.com.

Problem 5: Bloating

Much like the rest of your body, your digestive system needs time to rest and recuperate at night. Avoid eating a heavy, carb-rich meal late in the evening that will make you feel uncomfortably full when you go to bed. 45% of people admit to IBS and ongoing digestive health issues that disrupt sleep.

Try it: Sun Chlorella® ‘A’ is a natural green algae whole food supplement from Japan – an excellent choice for bloating as it contains 10% fibre, to help move food through the system more effectively.

Problem 6: Not tired enough

If you haven’t burned enough energy during the day, it’s likely that you’ll find bedtime a struggle. Justin Way, Personal Trainer from Pure Gym explains: “There are a million ways you can give yourself a workout at home without spending a penny on expensive equipment. When hoovering stand on your left leg whilst pushing and pulling the hoover around with your right arm. Hop to move around the room and alternate legs every 2 mins. This will work the core massively whilst bringing great tone to the legs and bum.”

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World’s top ten economies in 2050

The India story economic story has just gotten bigger! A recent report by Knight Frank claims that India will pip China and emerge as the largest economy in the world. The research report expects India to grow at a phenomenal rate of 8 per cent between 2010 and 2050.

No 1: India Since 1991, when economic liberalization unshackled India from the slow   rate of growth and threw its doors open to the global economy, India has never looked back. The Knight Frank report assumes that India will shake off its current crop of social, political and economic issues and go on to the top of the heap.

No 2: China It should come as no surprise that China is second in this list of the biggest GDPs by 2050. The country’s growth in the past two decades has been nothing short of a miracle. Having already gone past Japan as the world’s second largest economy it is threatening the position of the US as the world’s preeminent economy and will overtake it in 2020. But eventually growth will be slower than India who will overtake it by 2050.

No 3: US The current economic superpower will continue to be in the top three in terms of GDP. But at a less that $40 trillion it will be half that of China, which will be at $80 trillion. For all its woes, the US will remain an important economic superpower due to its insatiable domestic consumption, innovation capabilities and technological prowess.

No 4: Indonesia One of the fastest growing economies in the world, Indonesia will emerge as the world’s fourth largest economy by 2050. Its inclusion may come as a surprise, but the main reason is the country’s large natural resources reserves and being an emerging economy it has huge potential for growth. The current government has encouraged private investment: both private and foreign to boost economic growth. This trajectory will continue with the economy growing at 6.8 per cent on an average till 2050.

No 5: Brazil Currently part of the BRICS brigade, Brazil will complete the top five economies of the world by 2050. Brazil overtook the UK as the world’s sixth largest economy in March, 2012 and it will not slow down over the next few decades. Blessed with an abundance of natural wealth, it also has thriving agriculture, manufacturing and services industries. Brazil will continue to grow slower than China and India but still be a giant economic force to reckon with.

No 6: Nigeria For years now Nigeria has been a poster child for Africa through its steady and impressive economic growth by maintaining political and social stability. The country is heavily reliant on the oil industry, which accounts for 80 per cent of the country’s GDP, but it has been trying to increase the share of agriculture and trading. Nigeria will overtake South Africa as the continent’s leading economy by 2025 and stay there come 2050.

No 7: Russia Once a superpower and the only counterweight to the US, Russia has bounced back with steady economic growth in the last decade. All of which has been fueled by excess of natural resources like gas, oil, coal, and precious metals. Political and social instability remains, but the economy shows no signs of a slowdown.

No 8: Mexico The country may have serious issues with poverty, social stability and income inequality but it is still a big economic force whose economy runs in the trillions of dollars. Over the past two decades, Mexico has improved its macro-economic fundamentals leading to stable economic growth, low inflation and improved per capita income. Currently it is on a huge drive to improve its infrastructure, which is key to its manufacturing industries that account for the lion’s share of the GDP.

No 9: Egypt The country shed its highly centralized economy sometime in 2000 and moved towards a market-oriented economy. Several fiscal reforms were put in place leading to an increase in foreign investment and an average GDP growth of 5 per cent. At present there seems to be a policy paralysis as the interim military appointed interim government and the democratically elected Muslim Brotherhood fight for power. The IMF is stalling of giving it a much-needed loan because it wants broad political consensus on economic reforms that have been promised. While agriculture is important, its manufacturing and services contribute to the bulk of the GDP.

No 10: Japan The land of the rising sun, continue its decline from the second largest economy in the world at the turn of the century to ninth biggest by 2050. After the lost decade in the 1990s, Japan continues to experience slow growth and deflation. The country is currently recovering from the twin disasters of the earthquake and tsunami, which devastated the economy. Even as economic growth slows, it will continue to be an important location for high-tech manufacturing, automobile and electronic industries.

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