Petrol Price Hiked By Rs 3.38 Per Litre, Diesel By Rs 2.67 Per Litre

ADVE

Petrol price was today raised by Rs 3.38 per litre while diesel rate was increased by Rs 2.67 per litre. Revised rates will take effect from midnight.

"During the current fortnight, crude oil prices in the international market have witnessed a steep increase by 13 per cent (over $5/bbl) compared to previous fortnight, with a corresponding increase in the international prices of petroleum products," said Indian Oil Corp, the country's largest fuel retailer.

After today's revision, consumers will have to shell out Rs 63.47 for a litre of petrol in Delhi, and Rs 52.94 for a litre of diesel, as against Rs 60.09 and Rs 50.27, respectively, until now.

Fuel prices were last revised on August 15, when petrol was made cheaper by Rs 1 a litre and diesel by Rs 2 per litre.

"The current level of international prices warrant an increase in prices of Petrol and Diesel, the impact of which is being passed on to the consumers. In view of above, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. has decided to effect the following price changes w.e.f midnight of 31st August 2016 / 01st September 2016," IOC added.

Petrol and diesel prices are deregulated in India, which means they are linked to market rates.

State-owned fuel retailers Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) revise rates of the fuels on the 1st and 16th of every month based on the average oil price and foreign exchange rate in the preceding fortnight.

News From:
http://profit.ndtv.com/news/commodities/article-petrol-price-hiked-by-rs-3-38-per-litre-diesel-by-rs-2-67-per-litre-1452708

Third rail line between Vijayawada, Gudur gets nod

The Central government has given its approval for the construction of the third rail line between Vijayawada and Gudur Junction at an estimated cost of Rs.3,246.60 crore.

The expected completion cost of the project, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is pegged at Rs.3,875.68 crore.

The 287.67-km-long third line, part of the Grand Trunk route connecting the northern and southern States, is expected to be completed in six years.

The section contributes significantly to the movement of foodgrain to the southern States and it would augment services of freight trains catering to demands at various loading points.

The third line will cover Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts.

In addition to facilitating travel, the project envisages additional transport capacity to meet the requirements of the southern States in terms of movement of foodgrain and goods to Krishnapatnam and nearby ports.

The 287.67-km-long third line, part of the Grand Trunk route, is expected to be completed in 6 years.

News From:

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/third-rail-line-between-vijayawada-gudur-gets-nod/article9028195.ece

3 killed, 4 injured in cracker unit blast

Two workers died on the spot and one succumbed to injuries sustained in a blast at an illegal fire cracker manufacturing unit at A-Kothapalli village in Devarapalli mandal under Chodavaram Police Circle in Visakhapatnam district on Wednesday afternoon. Four others suffered grievous injuries and are said to be in critical condition.

The deceased have identified as Thotapalli Bujji (16), Gali Rambabu (35) and J. Siva (30). While Bujji and Rambabu died on the spot, Siva succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam.

The injured are S. Sankar Rao (25), K. Mahesh (28), K. Nageswara Rao (35), all with over 95 per cent burns and K. Surya Rao (45), with 30 per cent burns. The injured were first shifted to KGH, but later moved to a corporate hospital.

According to Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma, the owner of the unit K. Nageswara Rao, a native of Anaparthi in East Godavari district, is a habitual offender and was earlier involved in manufacturing fire crackers illegally.

He moved to A. Kothapalli village on Tuesday evening and started manufacturing the crackers for the upcoming Vinayaka Chavithi at a hut at A. Kothapalli village, on Wednesday morning.

While four of them were involved in making the crackers, the others were just curious onlookers. While mixing the ingredients there would have been a spark and that resulted in the blast, said Chodavaram Circle Inspector Y. Murali Rao.

According to the SP, the cause of the blast and the materials that were stored and being used for making the crackers were yet to be ascertained. A CLUES team has been pressed into service to collect the evidences and send them to the forensic laboratory, said Mr. Rahul Dev.

News From:

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/3-killed-4-injured-in-cracker-unit-blast/article9000612.ece 

Three killed in Baramulla

Militants launched two attacks in the Kashmir Valley in the past 24 hours and left three security personnel dead and seven others injured. Militants ambushed an Army convoy in Baramulla and also attacked a police station.

News From:

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/three-killed-in-baramulla/article9000744.ece 

5 protesters killed in CRPF firing in J&K

The volatile situation in the Kashmir Valley took a turn for the worse on Tuesday when five civilians were killed and 52 injured, including 24 security men, prompting mainstream political parties to express concern over the “shrinking political space.”

While four persons died in Budgam district, one was killed in Anantnag. Locals in Budgam alleged that a CRPF patrol team opened fire “directly at stone-throwing protesters” in the morning, killing two on the spot. Two others died in hospital.

The locals said there was no attempt to fire pellet shotguns or tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd. “The CRPF fired to kill. All victims died of bullet injuries,” one resident alleged. Five of the injured were shifted to Srinagar hospitals.

A police spokesman, however, claimed that the crowd tried to snatch weapons from security personnel, forcing them to open fire. “Twenty-two personnel were injured in clashes in Budgam district,” the spokesman said.

In a separate incident in Anantnag, security forces opened fire at a procession, killing a youth and injuring 11 others. In the afternoon, a mob set fire to the house of a local Army man in Anantnag district.

Fresh violence forced the authorities to stringently continue with curfew restrictions in large parts of the Valley.

No movement of locals and vehicles were allowed in the Valley, where Internet services remained shut and mobile phone services suspended.

In Srinagar’s Batamaloo area, violent protests left two policemen injured where a protester died on Monday.

Hurriyat faction chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has asked people to march towards the United Nations office in Srinagar as the death toll of civilians touched 65 since July 8, the day militant commander Burhan Wani was killed. Separatists have asked people to hold sit-in protests in their localities on Wednesday.

Mainstream political parties, meanwhile, claimed they were losing space because of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the Centre’s failure to control the situation.

“Six protesters dead in Kashmir in the past 24 hours but let’s sort out Balochistan since we are doing such a good job in J&K at the moment,” tweeted former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Mr. Abdullah said he would hold a meeting of all Opposition parties in Srinagar on Wednesday to “deliberate on the role that can be played by mainstream parties.”

Meanwhile, the Army claimed that the five infiltrators killed near the LoC in Uri on Monday were planning “a major attack in J&K.”

News From:

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/5-protesters-killed-in-crpf-firing-in-jk/article8996871.ece 

Two youths killed in road accident

In a collision between a motorcycle and a lorry that occurred on National Highway 63 in Gadiganur police station limits on Monday, two youths died on the spot and another sustained grievous injuries.

According to the police, the three youths from Ballari were heading towards Tungabhadra dam on the motorcycle.

The names of the deceased were given as Shivu and Putta, both aged 23.

The injured is admitted to Sanjeevani hospital in Toranagal and his condition is said to be critical.

Gadiganur police have registered a case.

News from:

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/two-youths-killed-in-road-accident/article8992773.ece 

Thottiyam farmers use solar dryer on coconut shells

The office-bearers and employees of the Thottiyam Banana Growers Group have evolved a system of using the solar dryer to dry coconut shells for converting them into copra.

The group has been producing value-added banana products for the past three years and it has now started using the solar dryer for producing copra.

“This is the first time that we have taken up this experiment and it appears to be not only efficient but also hygienic,” said Manikutti Subramanian, managing director of the company, and Dheenadayalan, working partner.

The advantages of using solar dryer are many as compared to the conventional method of drying them in the open fields as is done in Pudkottai, Aranthangi, Pattukottai, and Vaduvur in the central region. The task is accomplished is three days as against one week earlier.

The coconuts stay clean protected from flies and bacteria and hence it ensures hygienic drying of the coconut. “We have tried this on 50 kg of coconut shells which yielded 13 kg of copra,” says Mr. Subramanian.

Oil extraction was found to be about 5 per cent over the conventional method.

They say that the time taken for drying would be reduced from three days to two days during summer.

The group has decided to educate farmers about the advantages of using the solar dryer to dry the coconut, they said.

News From:

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/thottiyam-farmers-use-solar-dryer-on-coconut-shells/article8987559.ece