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COCKPIT voice recorder of the ill-fated Bell Helicopter, which crashed killing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister on September 2, 2008, clearly speaks about poor flight planning and coordination between the pilot and co pilot of the helicopter.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) submitted a comprehensive 139 pages report to the civil aviation department mentioning technical snag to be the reason for the crash of the YSR’s helicopter.

In its report – DGCA categorically mentioned that the co-pilot of the chopper was constantly asking the pilot to go around that is to indicating emergency situation that is proximity to the ground. The co pilot was repeated making the calls for go around. Meanwhile the Engine Control Unit (ECU) readout showed that during the last 14 seconds the rate of descent was in excess of ten thousand feet/minute indicating that the helicopter during this period when the co-pilot was giving callouts for go around was encountering very high rate of descent. Thereafter helicopter crashed due to loss of control resulting in high rate of descent in down draught. The helicopter impacted the ground and all occupants on board died due to crash injuries.

The cockpit voice recorder transcript says that the pilot in command was well aware of the repercussions of bad weather and instructed co-pilot to keep his hand under the collective to safe guard against exceedance of torque and up and down draughts and turbulence.

The crew got so engrossed with the emergency and lost situational awareness of extreme bad weather ahead. The worst part was the pilot and co-pilot had poor cockpit resource management any given stage of flying.

GRAPHIX
Flight Recorders

The helicopter is equipped with CVR but not DFDR (neither it is required to be equipped with DFDR). The CVR was recovered in damaged condition. It was decoded at NTSB facility at Washington D.C in presence of representative of
committee of inquiry.

Salient Points from the CVR transcript are as under:

1.The Flying Crew was well aware of inclement weather enroute as the same was discussed, visually observed and interpreted the weather Radar picture throughout the flight.

2.The Crew was in contact with Hyderabad approach on VHF frequency till they were asked to change over to Chennai control after establishing the contact with Chennai on HF frequency.

3.The Crew was not sure about Chennai frequency and was debating among themselves about the Chennai frequency given to them by Hyderabad approach which shows poor flight planning.

4.The PIC was well aware of the repercussions of bad weather and instructed the Co-Pilot to keep his hand under the collective to safe guard against exceedance of Torque and up and down draughts and turbulence.

5.The Crew noticed transmission pressure display on IIDS and failed to correlate with other indication associated with it. They wanted to refer the emergency encountered with the help of emergency checklist but could not locate the emergency either in the emergency checklist or in the Flight Manual.

6.The CVR transcript shows that they were expecting some improvement in weather conditions after crossing Krishna River which was flowing at right angle to the flight path in hilly region.

7.The Crew got so engrossed with the emergency and lost situational awareness of extreme bad weather ahead.

8.There were repeated warnings from Co-pilot to Go Around due to close proximity of ground which he may have realized either with the help of Radio altimeter or may have sighted the obstruction momentarily, the PIC failed to react to the situation.

9.The CVR transcript shows that there was poor CRM amongst the Crew at any given stage of flying.

Annular Solar Eclipse 15th January, 2010

Planetary Society, India in association Andhra Pradesh State Council of Science and Technology (APCOST) and Dr.K.V.Rao Scientific Society as part of Annular Solar Campaign 2010 with a motive to create awareness among school students has undertaken state wide activities with the help of 23 District Coordinators and 5 Regional coordinators of the APCOST. Activities like Space Simulator (Students created simulations of solar eclipse as seen from 50 different countries), Media Discussions on the subject and others are already planned. Importantly at State Level Press conference Compact Disk, Poster, Presentation of Simulated Animations of Eclipse with experts like Prof. G. Yellaiah, Dept of Astronomy, O.U., N. Sri Raghunandan Kumar, General Secretary were conducted.

Brief about Solar Eclipse: A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth such a way that the Sun is wholly or partially obscured. This can only happen during a new moon, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth.

Annular Solar Eclipse: An annular eclipse occurs when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun. Hence the Sun appears as a very bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the outline of the Moon.

Antumbra: This is that part of Moon’s shadow from which Sun appears larger than the Moon which is seen in complete silhouette. An annular eclipse is seen by an observer when he is located on path of antumbraPlanetary Society, India in association Andhra Pradesh State Council of Science and Technology (APCOST) and Dr.K.V.Rao Scientific Society as part of Annular Solar Campaign 2010 with a motive to create awareness among school students has undertaken state wide activities with the help of 23 District Coordinators and 5 Regional coordinators of the APCOST. Activities like Space Simulator (Students created simulations of solar eclipse as seen from 50 different countries), Media Discussions on the subject and others are already planned. Importantly at State Level Press conference Compact Disk, Poster, Presentation of Simulated Animations of Eclipse with experts like Prof. G. Yellaiah, Dept of Astronomy, O.U., N. Sri Raghunandan Kumar, General Secretary were conducted.

Importantly as part of this campaign “Student Space Simulators” project is being carried out at Hyderabad involving school students from three regions of the state.

Annular Solar Eclipse will occur on 15th January, 2010. This eclipse is visible partially in major parts of the country. This is first Solar Eclipse of the Year and best until year 2019 Dec 26th. As the next solar eclipse in 2011 on Jan 4 is visible to people in Northern parts of the country and few places in Gujarat. Whereas the solar eclipse in 2016 though visible in India begins and lasts only for few minutes close to horizon in early hours of March 9

Path of the Eclipse : The annular path of the eclipse will pass through the region covering southern tip of Chad, the Central African Republic, the northern Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, the southern tip of India, northern Sri Lanka, the south-eastern tip of Bangladesh, Myanmer and south-eastern China. After leaving Africa, the path crosses the Indian Ocean where the maximum duration of annularity reaches 11 min 08 s.

It will be seen as annular within a narrow stretch of 333 km width covering across Central Africa, Maldives South Kerala, South Tamil Nadu, North Sri Lanka, Burma and China. Whereas this eclipse would be seen as partial from eastern Africa, south-east Europe, the Middle East, and south-east Asia

Importantly the duration of annularity which is 11 minutes 8 seconds during this annular eclipse on 15th Jan,2010 will not be exceeded for over 1000 years (3043 Dec 23).

World Wide:
Astronomically speaking the phenomena of Eclipse begins (first contact with earth) at 9.35 a.m. and ends at 3.38 p.m (last contact with earth) in the evening. In which the Central Phase of Eclipse begins at 10. 48 a.m. and Ends at 2.25 p.m. Wherein Greatest Eclipse Phase (when the eclipse is maximum occurs) at 12.36 p.m The duration of Annular Phase of Eclipse at maximum phase is 11 minutes and 4 seconds when people would witness sun as bright outline around moon disk like a ring.

Timings – Across India :
However in India people in southern part of India will be the first to see the eclipse as the path of eclipse traverses across India before entering Bangladesh, Burma. People in western and south India would see the beginning of eclipse between 11.00 to 11.30 a.m. Whereas people from central to north India would see the beginning of eclipse from 11.30 to 12 noon.

Importantly people in eastern part of India would see the beginning from 12 Noon onwards. People in northern eastern states of India would see the eclipse beginning from 12.15 onwards.

In India Kavaratti island in Lakshadweep would be one of the first to see the beginning of eclipse at 10.55 a.m. Whereas Dibrugarh would be one of the last to see the beginning (at 12.29 a.m.) or ending (3.39 p.m. ) of eclipse.

Timings in Andra Pradesh - Percentage of Visibility when eclipse is maximum : In Hyderabad the solar eclipse begins at 11.29 a.m. and Ends at 3.15 p.m. At Nellore eclipse begins at 11.28a.m and ends at 3.16 p.m. Kurnool Eclipse begins at 11.25 a.m. and ends at 3.14 p.m. Rajmundry eclipse begins at 11.38 a.m. and ends at 3.20 p.m. Vijayawada eclipse begins at 11.34 a.m. and ends at 3.18 p.m. Vizag eclipse begins at 11.44 and ends at 3.22 p.m. Tirupati 11.23 a.m. to 3.14 p.m.

The Percentage of Sun’s Disk at when eclipse is maximum (around 1.32 p.m) is Rajahmundry 83%, Vijayawada at 82%, Kurnool 79%. For Hyderabad its 77 %. Whereas Nellore District in our state is best place to witness this spectacle where covering of Sun’s disc by Moon would be 85%.

Percentage of Visibility – The More one his away from the Annularity Path – Less the Percentage of Sun Disk Coverage – at Maximum Phase : However this event can be seen only partially from major parts of the country. Depending on the location of the observer one can see the sun’s disk being covered from 42 % or less as one gets away from the ant-umbral path of eclipse.

When the eclipse reaches the maximum point. For an observer in Hyderabad would see 77 % of Sun’s disk. Whereas an observer in Ahmadabad can see only 56% or 42 % in case of observer in Jammu who is far away from the path of annularity. Even closely a person observing from Chennai would see only 89 % of sun being covered, whereas one from thanjavur being in antumbral path would enjoy Moon’s entire disk silhouetted against the Sun. Which allows him to see sun as bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the outline of the Moon.

Best Places to be at : Some of the best places through watch this eclipse where path of annularity passes is Karaikal, Madurai, Nagapattinam, Nagercoil, Rameswaram, Sivaganga, Tanjore, Thiruvarur, Tirunelveli, Trivandrum. i.e. is from these places and around people would witness Moon’s entire disk silhouetted against the Sun. Rameshwaram would witness highest duration during maximum phase i.e. 10 min 8 sec followed by Kanyakumari where it will be 9 min 58 seconds.

Importance of 15 Jan,2010 Eclipse – One who misses now need to wait for 9 years - Last prominent Solar Eclipse until 2019 -:

2011 4th January: this eclipse is visible to people in north India and few places in Gujrat. This eclipse is partial.

2016 9th March : The next opportunity to observe solar eclipse which is partial will occur on 9th March 2016 covering major parts of country . However eclipse begins well before sunrise in the morning and lasts upto 6.47 a.m when sun is close to horizon. This is very difficult to appreciate.

26th December, 2019: The best next prominent opportunity covering larger parts of the country of a Solar Eclipse will only happen on 26th December, 2019 which begins late in early morning when sun is sufficiently above horizon and continuing up to noon.
This means people in major parts of India missing the opportunity to observe the eclipse on 15th January, 2010 will not have opportunity to observe the solar eclipse for next 9 years until year 2019. Importantly the duration of annularity which is 11 minutes 8 seconds during this annular eclipse on 15th Jan,2010 will not be exceeded for over 1000 years (3043 Dec 23).

Tips for Observations: Solar eclipse should not be directly with naked eye or things like x ray films etc. As it may cause injury to eye. Hence people should use certified solar filters. Or use indirect projection method i.e. people can take a white paper and make a round hole into it. While facing one’s back toward sun one should hold the paper in such a way that Sun rays pass through the hole and fall onto wall. This way one would see projected image of sun light slowly getting darken as the eclipse progresses and get clear once the eclipse is complete.

My Name is Khan a love story: SRK

Reuters

Mumbai: Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan says his upcoming film My Name is Khan, which pairs him with co-actor Kajol after an on-screen hiatus of eight years, does not have terrorism as its main theme and is mostly a love story.

"This film is first and foremost a love story. In fact this is one of the nicest love stories I have ever participated in – and I have participated in some of the best love stories that have been made here," Khan told reporters on Wednesday night after the first look of the film was released.

Directed by Karan Johar, My Name is Khan tells the story of an autistic man Rizwan Khan (played by Shah Rukh Khan), who is caught in the aftermath of the September 11 militant attacks in the United States.

Khan, co-actor Kajol and Johar are teaming up after more than eight years, in what has been billed as one of the biggest releases to come out of Bollywood in a while.

The film is widely anticipated by fans of Khan and Kajol, whose great on-screen chemistry have helped deliver several hits in the past.

Fox Star Studios has signed a deal to finance and distribute the film, which unconfirmed media reports have pegged at $21 million.

However, both Johar and Fox have refused to confirm the figure, which, if true would be the highest ever for a Bollywood film.

"This film will be a step towards Indian cinema reaching worldwide," Khan said. India, home to the world's most prolific movie industry, has long tried to draw wider audiences, including by forging ventures with Hollywood studios looking to offset sluggish box-office sales with new markets and cheaper production costs.

My Name is Khan releases worldwide on February 12, 2010.

Terror suspect Headley not our agent, says CIA

Press Trust Of India

Washington: America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Thursday strongly refuted reports that Pakistani-origin US national David Coleman Headley, was its agent at any point of time.

Headley is facing criminal charges for allegedly plotting the 26/11 terror attacks.

"I can't comment on an ongoing investigation, but any suggestion that this individual worked for the CIA is flat wrong," CIA spokesperson Marie E Harf told PTI when asked about Headley’s links with CIA.

Headley, who is languishing in a Chicago prison, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on October 3 when he was planning to go to Pakistan via Philadelphia.

News reports from India, quoting unnamed officials from investigating agencies, and several news reports in the US in the past few days said that Headley may well have been a “double agent” working for the CIA and Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Besides refuting any links between Headley and CIA, the spokesperson refrained from making any comment on the Headley-Rana case arguing that it is an ongoing investigation.

Chiranjeevi resigns, explains new "united Andhra" passion

Like any good politician, Chiranjeevi has decided that offense is the best form of defense. So at a press conference on Thursday morning, the actor-turned-politician quit the Andhra Assembly, accepting "moral responsibility" for his flip-flop on Telangana.

At a press conference, he explained why he has swung from supporting a new Telangana state, to firmly opposing a bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. "I am bowing to the wish of the people," he declared. "The onus is on the Congress to explain the unilateral action taken.. Andhra has never seen a crisis like this." Chiranjeevi also pointed out that he's not the only one who's changed his mind about Telangana. "Not just us, Telugu Desam, Congress and even Communist parties are having to change stances according to people's wishes."

Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) promised to fight for a separate state of Telangana during the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. And then at an all-party meeting called in Andhra a few days ago, he told the Chief Minister that the PRP supports a new state. However, when the central government sanctioned the Telangana state last week, Andhra's political parties were whiplashed. 145 MLAs have resigned from different parties, including the ruling Congress. The MLAs who've quit come from the non-Telangana regions of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. For Chiranjeevi, who to side with is obvious: he has two MLAs from the Telangana region, 16 from the two other regions of Andhra.

And suddenly, parties changed their stand overnight. Like Chiranjeevi, Chandrababu Naidu has blamed his U-turn on the fact that the Centre didn't consult other parties before announcing its ok for a new state. In fact, even Andhra Chief Minister K Rosaiah has said the Congress' central party leaders did not share their decision with him before Home Minister P Chidambaram had a surprise midnight press conference last Wednesday, greenlighting a Telangana state.

For Chiranjeevi, good politics means bad economics. Pro-Telangana supporters have warned that they will boycott any film starring him or made by his family's production company. That threat prompted the actor to call off a hunger strike he had planned to launch in Tirupati. He later said, ""I will support the Samaikya Andhra agitation in spite of threats to the film career of my son and other family members. If they want to attack me for being an artiste and a politician, so be it."

Attempting to pacify voters in Telangana, Chiranjeevi said, " Telangana people gave me a place in their hearts for so many years... they are still backward, but becoming a smaller state, finances will go down, it won't help real progress... social justice can't happen in separate Telangana... experts' opinion supports this."

India-Lanka ODI shifted to Nagpur

CNN-IBN

Hyderabad: The Telangana versus united Andhra Pradesh stir has hit cricket too with the second One-Day International match between India and Sri Lanka scheduled to be played in Vishakapatanam on December 18 being shifted to Nagpur.

BCCI Chief Secretary Ratnakar Shetty said that the decision on an alternate venue for the second ODI will be taken soon.

"BCCI office bearers are discussing the situation. We are discussing few options. An official release will be given out soon. I am sure the match will be conducted successfully at whichever venue that will be decided," said Shetty.

Vishakapatanam administration has expressed its inability to provide enough security for the India-Sri Lanka ODI with the Commissioner citing law and order as the main reason.

"The prevailing situation is such that all city police have been deployed for maintenance of regular law & order. Almost 80 per cent of the regular force is required for the conduct of the ODI. We had conveyed to the local match organisers that it will not be possible for us to provide security," Vishakhapatanam Police Commissioner N Sambasiva Rao told CNN-IBN.

"We cannot predict the turn of event. If the scenario doesn't change we will not be able to commit security forces. The city is by and large peaceful, and student leaders are cooperative. The protest is visible but peaceful," said Rao.

The Commissioner has also spoken to Vishakapatanam Cricket Association about the security aspect.

Even though the Andhra Cricket Association has not sent any official communication to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) but some Under-16 and Under-19 games scheduled to be held in the port city have been cancelled.

Andhra Pradesh has been on the boil ever since Home Minister P Chidambaram said that the process for the formation of a separate state of Telangana would be initiated and a resolution would be moved in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Political parties on coastal Andhra and Rayalseema are against the division of the state and have been protesting violently for the past few days.

The Home Minister's announcement came after Telangana Rashtra Samithi President K Chandrasekhar Rao went on a fast unto death demanding the creation of Telangana.

Chidambaram's announcement stoked a political furore in the state with even the ruling Congress party divided over the issue.

Italian PM Berlusconi struck in face, bloodied

Associated Press

Rome: Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was punched in the face at the end of a rally on Sunday by a man holding a small statue in his hand, leaving the 73-year-old media mogul with a bloodied mouth and looking stunned, police said.

The 42-year-old man accused of attacking Berlusconi in Milan as he signed autographs was immediately taken into custody.

TV showed the leader with blood under his nose, on his mouth and under one eye being lifted to his feet by aides after the attack. Berlusconi was hustled into the back of a car, but he immediately got out, apparently in an effort to show he was not badly injured.

After looking out into the crowd, the premier, without saying a word, was pulled back into the vehicle.

The attack occurred after Berlusconi had just finished delivering a long, vigorous speech at the rally to a crowd of applauding supporters from his Freedom People party at about 6:30 p.m.

Officials at Milan's police headquarters, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said the premier was conscious and apparently not badly injured. They said the attacker was wielding a miniature statue of Milan's Duomo, the city's gargoyled cathedral and symbol, but couldn't say what the souvenir was made of.

Berlusconi's spokesman, speaking by telephone from the emergency room from San Raffaele hospital where the premier was taken, told Sky TG24 TV that doctors had decided to keep the premier in the hospital overnight for observation.

"We'll see what the doctors say tomorrow morning," spokesman Paolo Bonauiti told Sky.

The exams of his jaw area included a CT scan, Bonaiuti said.

Police identified the man they were questioning as Massimo Tartaglia, 42. They said Tartaglia didn't have any criminal record.

The attack occurred at a difficult political time for Berlusconi, who has been plagued by scandals.

On December 5, tens of thousands of Italians fed up with the premier marched peacefully through Rome to demand his resignation.

The demonstrators expressed dismay over what they see as the businessman's conflict of interests, citing repeated government-backed laws they contend were tailored to help shield Berlusconi from prosecution in cases involving his media, real estate and sports empire. Berlusconi claims the laws benefit all citizens.

Other critics cite Berlusconi's sex scandals.

Berlusconi's wife is divorcing him after complaining about his infatuation with young women. A southern Italian businessman has told investigators he procured some 30 attractive young women for parties and dinners at the premier's Rome residence and Sardinian villa. Among the guests was a high-end prostitute who claimed she slept with Berlusconi. The premier has denied ever paying for sex.

Berlusconi has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and blames his judicial woes on prosecutors he claims sympathize with the opposition left. Several of the cases either ended in acquittal or were dropped when limitation statutes expired. Others are pending.

At least 101 killed in Russian nightclub blast

Moscow: An explosion and fire apparently caused by pyrotechnics tore through a nightclub in the Russian city of Perm early Saturday, killing 101 people, according to news reports.

Regional security minister Igor Orlov said the club had a suspended plastic ceiling that caught fire quickly when ignited by so-called "cold fireworks," which generally are fountain-type displays with lower temperatures than conventional fireworks, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

"The majority of the deaths were the result of burns or gas inhalation," state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia's top investigate body, as saying "Along with this, there was a crush at the exit."

State television showed charred bodies lying in rows outside the club amid a light snowfall.

Markin said most of the victims were young people, and that there was no suspicion of a terrorist attack.

Russia has been on edge since last week's bombing of the prestigious Nevsky Express passenger train midway between Moscow and St Petersburg, which killed 27 people.

It was the first fatal terrorist attack outside Russia's restive Caucasus republics since 2004.

Chechen rebels claimed responsibility for the bombing.

State television news channel Vesti cited the regional branch of Emergencies as saying the toll was 101 dead and 160 injured. Other reports put the number of dead in the high 90s.

Perm, a city of around 1 million people, is about 700 miles (1,200 kilometers) east of Moscow in the Ural Mountains.

Enforcement of fire safety standards in Russia is notoriously lax and in recent years there have been several catastrophic blazes at drug-treatment facilities and apartment buildings.

Russia records nearly 18,000 fire deaths a year, several times the per capita rate in the United States and other Western countries. Nightclub fires have killed thousands of people worldwide.

Ten people died when a so-called "fire show" went out of control at a Moscow club in March 2007.

In February 2008, a fire in the Golden Rock nightclub in the Siberian city of Omsk killed four people. Officials said the blast might have been caused by natural gas.

A nightclub fire in the US state of Rhode Island in 2003 killed 100 people after pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling.

Has India changed after 26/11?

The 26/11 attacks changed not just Mumbai but the entire nation. People were shocked at the brazenness of the terror strikes, which exposed the loopholes in the country's security apparatus.

One year later, the shrill sloganeering has subsided, but the country still confronts unsettling questions: Is Mumbai safer after 26/11? Is the country now prepared to handle a terror attack of a similar scale?

The NDTV-GfK MODE survey, conducted across ten cities with an All-India sample size of 6010, brings to light the ground reality of an India, post 26/11. The survey was conducted in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Nagpur and Patna.

We began the exercise with a simple question- Are you aware of the terrorist attacks, which took place in Mumbai a year ago? And the answer was an emphatic Yes by 90 % of the respondents- not surprising in a nation that was left hostage at the hands of terrorists for almost 60 hours.

A great deal of noise was made post-26/11 about upgrading internal security structures, both at the Centre and in the States. But one year later, Mumbai remains extremely vulnerable and Mumbaikars, worried and far from secure.

Is there an all-weather mechanism in place to prevent and pre-empt a terror attack of this magnitude? Perhaps not. When asked if India was safer now as compared to the days after the attack in Mumbai, 49 per cent of the respondents said Yes, a close 48 per cent said No, and three per cent left it at Can't Say.

But not all is lost for the central and state governments, whose promises of a safer India have helped restore some faith in the system.

When asked if the central government has been effective in dealing with the threat of terrorism, 54 per cent of the respondents said Yes, 42 per cent said No and 4 per cent were undecided.

On the Maharashtra government's role post 26/11, 48 per cent of the respondents said it had been effective in dealing with the threat of terrorism, while 44 per cent disagreed.

Amidst calls for a higher level of security a year after militants laid siege to Mumbai, 54 per cent of the respondents believe the central government is now capable of stopping a similar attack. 40 per cent believe the country's security is no better than what it was on 26/11, while 6 per cent left it at Can't Say.

The challenges Mumbai faces in preventing militant attacks are echoed in other cities of India, often crippled by an ill-equipped police force and a bureaucracy unable to respond quickly to the new threats.

But with the attacks on Mumbai, modernization became the buzzword for the police force.

Fifty-seven per cent of the respondents believe security forces are better equipped today as compared to the time of Mumbai attacks. 27 per cent said No, while 10 per cent believe there was no difference between then and now. Six per cent remained undecided.

On a question over threat analysis to India post 26/11, 53 per cent of the respondents believe Pakistan is the biggest threat to the country, 17 per cent cautioned against China and 28 per cent consider both countries as equal threats.

On whether India should resume the peace dialogue with Pakistan, 52 per cent of the respondents said Yes, and 41 per cent said No.

The Prime Minister had recently admitted that Naxalism is the biggest internal threat to India. Sixty-one per cent of the respondents believe the government's approach to combat the menace is the correct one, while 31 per cent believed it was not the best approach.

Before 26/11, India and US were fighting their own wars on terror, though parallel to one another. The attacks in Mumbai changed the dynamics of the relationship between the two, fostering an important cooperation on how best to deal with the menace.

As many as 49 per cent of the respondents believe America has done enough to co-operate with India in its battle against terrorism, while 45 per cent think otherwise.

On America's response to Pakistan, 61 per cent believe the country is blind toward the fact that Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism.

Fifty-seven per cent of the respondents are of the view that the strategic partnership with America made us more vulnerable to terror attacks.

Fire at oil depot in Jaipur; 6 killed, 150 injured

The massive fire that erupted at the Indian Oil Corporation's fuel depot in Sitapura industrial area on the outskirts of Jaipur on Thursday night is still raging.

Six people have been killed and 150 are injured. Five lakh residents around the area have been moved to safer locations, including students of 10 engineering and medical colleges.

300 army men are helping with rescue, as some people are feared trapped in the depot. Six people are also said to missing.

Experts from Mathura have also been called in to help.

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora reached Jaipur on Friday morning. "Not much can be done about the fire. It will have to be allowed to burn out," he said. He also announced a compensation of Rs 5 to 10 lakh for the injured and the families of the dead.

The chairman of the IOC has said this is the worst fire in the history of the Indian Oil Corporation.

The fire is said to have erupted due to leakage in petrol pipeline.

The fire broke out at about 7.30 pm on Thursday evening when petrol was reportedly being transferred.
Within minutes two dozen fire extinguishers were rushed to the spot but given the 80 lakh litres of petroleum products in the depot the fire spread, rapidly engulfing the entire depot. Soon the state government was forced to seek help from the Union Petroleum Ministry.

"It is a terrible blaze. I have spoken to the petroleum minister who is sending a team of officials to the site," said Ashok Gehlot, the Chief Minister of Rajastan.

The blaze could be seen from up to 20 km. The surrounding area has been evacuated and power cut off. The injured have been rushed to three major hospitals of Jaipur including the SMS hospital.

"All the factories and institution operating from the Sitapura industrial area have been asked to shift manpower to a different location. I have spoken to the DGM IOC about bringing the fire under control. The injured have been admitted to the SMS hospital, " said DM Kuldeep Ranka.

"I was working when there was a sudden explosion. All the glass around us was shattered and it fell on us. We ran away from the spot," said one of the injured.

While all the 12 tanks in the IOC depot caught fire, a larger tragedy was averted as the LPG cylinders remained safe. The IOC says it will let the fuel burn itself out. People are keeping their fingers crossed that soon the worst will be over.

Nearly 19 hours after it started, the fire at the Indian Oil Corporation's fuel depot in Sitapura industrial area on the outskirts of Jaipur is still raging.

Six people have been killed and 150 are injured. Six people are also said to be missing.

300 army men are helping with rescue, as some people are feared trapped in the depot. Experts from Mathura have also been called in to help.

Five-km area around the fire spot has been declared a "danger zone". Five lakh residents in the surrounding area have been moved to safer locations.

Among those who were evacuated were all the patients, doctors and staff of a government hospital and engineering and medical students of 10 hostels.

The IOC has said that they have disconnected the underground pipeline connecting the oil well and the depot.

The administration is also taking all precautionary measures to secure a nearby Indane gas bottling plant.

Cold water mixed with foam has been sprayed on the pipeline of LPG storage tankers located near the petroleum depot to keep it cool and unaffected from the heat generated from the fire.

Assistant Fire Officer at the site has said the intensity of fire has been reduced to 75 per cent and by evening it would die down when the fuel gets fully burnt.

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora reached Jaipur on Friday morning. "Not much can be done about the fire. It will have to be allowed to burn out," he said. He also announced a compensation of Rs 5 to 10 lakh for the injured and the families of the dead.

A high-level committee of the Petroleum Ministry will conduct a probe into the incident.

The chairman of the IOC has said this is the worst fire in the history of the Indian Oil Corporation.

Sitapura industrial area, just 3 km from Jaipur, is a busy place with many heavy electrical industries and a number of engineering colleges.

The fire, which is said to have erupted due to leakage in a petrol pipeline, broke out at about 7.30 pm on Thursday evening when petrol was reportedly being transferred.

Within minutes two dozen fire extinguishers were rushed to the spot but given the 80 lakh litres of petroleum products in the depot the fire spread, rapidly engulfing the entire depot. Soon the state government was forced to seek help from the Union Petroleum Ministry.

"It is a terrible blaze. I have spoken to the Petroleum Minister who is sending a team of officials to the site," Ashok Gehlot, the Chief Minister of Rajastan, said on Thursday.

The blaze could be seen from up to 20 km. The surrounding area has been evacuated and power cut off. The injured have been rushed to three major hospitals of Jaipur including the SMS hospital.

"All the factories and institution operating from the Sitapura industrial area have been asked to shift manpower to a different location. I have spoken to the DGM IOC about bringing the fire under control. The injured have been admitted to the SMS hospital, " said DM Kuldeep Ranka.

"I was working when there was a sudden explosion. All the glass around us was shattered and it fell on us. We ran away from the spot," said one of the injured.

While all the 12 tanks in the IOC depot caught fire, a larger tragedy was averted as the LPG cylinders remained safe. The IOC says it will let the fuel burn itself out. People are keeping their fingers crossed that soon the worst will be over.