Postnoon E-Paper for 05 March 2012 by Scribble Media & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

STARING DOWN THE BARREL When Samuel Colt manufactured the first pistol, a .34-caliber, 176 years ago, he didn’t expect firearms to play such a pivotal role in the lives of non-military folk. We take a look at how the handgun pestilence has swept across the globe, claiming millions of lives. P16&17 Hyderabad’s first compact afternoon newspaper

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012 HYDERABAD

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WEATHER: CLEAR WITH CLOUDY SPELLS; 28°C N SHIVA KUMAR

WILL SPECIAL ONE COME BACK TO CHELSEA? After Andre Villas-Boas was sacked as Chelsea manager last night, speculation is rife that Mourinho might P31 be back at the helm.

FLASH

RTC SET FOR PRIVATISATION? Transport minister Botsa indicated that the government might privatise the routes wherever the APSRTC was not operating its services. Is this an indication of privatisation?

FROM ON HIGH, A PROTEST IS HEARD A former home guard, Rambabu, climbed the radio tower opposite the Assembly demanding the government reinstate him. REPORT ON PG 3

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Page Two

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Spirit of Twin Cities

FUTURE STARS

Musical concert

SRINIVAS SETTY

AnandaPriya Foundation for Arts and Learning present a Concert Lecture on Hindustani and Carnatic Melodic Structures by Shri Sriram Parasuram. The event will be held at the Amphi Theatre, Road No 8, Banjara Hills on March 5. Where: The Amphi Theatre, Saptaprni, Banjara Hills When: March 5, 7pm onwards

Kalighat Victoria Memorial and London’s Victoria hall and Albert museum present Kalighat, an exhibition of paintings from Kalighat.The exhibition features 100s of paintings by 15 contemporary artists currently working in rural Bengal. Where: Salarjung Museum, Charminar When: Ongoing, 10am Contact: (040) 2452 3211

Weaves Weaves — A Cotton and Silk spectrum is being held. Where: Imperial Gardens, Secunderabad When: Ongoing, 11 am to 9 pm Contact: (040) 30522000

Painting exhibition An exhibition featuring artistes such as Konduru Nageshwar Rao, Narendranath Palala, T Nageswara Rao and Rajeshwar Nyalapali will be displayed at Inspire Art Gallery. Where: Inspire Art Gallery Hyderguda When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 3062 844

Midnight Buffet Midnight hunger pangs? Head to Best Western for it’s midnight buffet where you can enjoy Hyderabadi dum biryani and live dosa with chicken curry every night. Where: Best Western Jubilee Hills, Rd No 36 When: Ongoing, 10.30pm - 2.30am Contact: 80083 00373

Voice and Ventriloquy Gallery Space presents Voice and Ventriloquy- a solo show by Subroto Chowdhury . The exhibition is on till March 10. Where: Gallery Space, Banjara Hills, Rd No 12 When: Ongoing, 11am to 7pm Contact: (040) 6554 1836

Timeless thoughts A group exhibition of paintings and sculpture by 39 artist from India and abroad is on at Iconart. Where: State Gallery of Fine Arts, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur

CINEMAS

When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 23113 308

Chowrasta Catch the painting exhibition Chowrasta featuring artistes such as Natraj S, Thirumala M Thirupathi, Srinivas Mouni and Subodh Singh. Where: Shrishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills, Rd No 15 When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 2354 0023

presents a new A-La-Carte Menu with delicacies such as Thai, Classic Western, Oriental and South Indian. Where: Hyderabad Marriot, Tank Bund When: Ongoing Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Acting workshop

An art exhibition titled Basically Hyderabadi by artist Syed Rayees Ahmed is on at Arts Heaven, Red Hills. Where: Arts Heaven, Red Hills (Masab Tank) When: Ongoing, 11.30am

Samahaara — an acting and dancing workshop is being held. The workshop focusses on a variety of topics such as understanding the basics of stage acting, character analysis, stage and rehearsal terms, movement and stage geography. Where: The Actor’s studio, Madhapur When: Ongoing, 7pm to 9pm Contact: 98854 04784

Conversations in time

Silk Utsav

Kalakriti Art Gallery plays host to Ashok Mullick’s collection of paintings on canvas titled Conversations in Time. Where: Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 66564466

Madhya Pradesh Khadi & Village Industries Board, Bhopal is hosting an MP Silk Utsav. Head to the exhibition for a variety of exotic & colourful bagh Khadi sarees, Maheshwari sarees, cotton and poly khadi dress material along with products made by SHG’s. Where: Institute of Engineers, Khairtabad

Basically Hyderabadi

Momo Cafe

Momo Café at the Marriot

When: Ongoing, 10am Contact: (040) 2339 4969

Art from the heart Muse Art Gallery presents a charity art show by Anjum Mohammadi (Karachi) for Soul. Where: Muse Gallery, Tank Bund When: Ongoing, 11am Contact: (040) 2752 2999

Through her eyes Iconart Art Gallery plays host to ‘Through her eyes’- an art exhibition by Priyanka Poogalia. The exhibition is on till March 4. Where: Iconart, Banjara Hills, Rd no 2 When: Ongoing, 11.30am Contact: 98499 68797

Go Splash Splash lounge is the perfect leisure destination for you to unwind at the poolside. During the evenings, the atmosphere gets romantic with great music, martinis and aperitifs. Where: The Westin, Mindspace Madhapur When: Monday-Friday, 5pm-10.30pm Weekends, 8am-10.30pm Contact: (040) 6767 6828

Big Cinemas, Ameerpet: 30581470; Cinemax, Banjara Hills: 44565555; Cine Planet, Kompally: 61606060; Inox, Banjara Hills: 447677770, Prasads, Tank Bund Rd: 23448888; PVR, Punjagutta: 08800900009; Talkie Town, Miyapur: 40214175; Tivoli, Secunderabad: 27844973

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Fourth round of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;toweringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; threat N SHIVA KUMAR

CRIME BRIEFS Woman commits suicide HYDERABAD: Unable to bear the pain of witnessing her daughter's death, a mother committed suicide by coming under the wheels of a speeding train. Rajeswari,37, a native of Anantapur district, has been under sever depression since here daughter Sai Teja, a polytechnic diploma student committed suicide on March 2 this month. Teja was upset with her performance in the recently held semester exams. Rajeswari was unable cope up with the death of her daughter and was severely depressed and hence took the extreme step.

3 killed in accident

A homeguard climbed atop the AIR tower opposite the Assembly, demanding that he be reinstated into service U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com

former home guard, Rambabu, climbed atop radio tower opposite the Assembly on Monday. The HPT signal tower belongs to All India Radio and is

PROTEST meant for airing the signals. Rambabu wants the government to reinstate him in service. The police tried to persuade him to come down, but he said that only an assurance from a

higher authority that he would be given a job would make him relent. He climbed the AIR tower this morning but it was only after the Assembly began that the media spotted him. Following this the police began negotiating with him, in a bid to bring him down to safety. This is

the fourth time that a home guard climbed atop the tower demanding they be reinstated in service. It is yet to be ascertained why Rambabu was ousted. The police are in touch with Rambabu and are trying to contact higher authorities to bring him down the AIR tower.

KHAMMAM: Three tribal youths were killed when a tractor overturned in the forest area of Kunavaram near Bhadrachalam in Khammam district. According to information reaching the State headquarters, the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) gave the tribals to make shelters on the hillocks on which they lived. When they were shifting them in a tractor, the vehicle overturned and fell intoa small stream at Tekuloddi village. While two of the tribal youths died on the spot, one succumbed to the injuries at a hospital. Another person who was injured was being treated at the hospital. District Collector of Khammam announced an ex gratia of `50,000 each to the kin of the deceased, and `25,000 to the injured.

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Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities DEEPAK DESHPANDE

Sourav Ganguly set to turn actor Hemanth Kumar

Solar success impels HMDA to go for more HMDA Md Inkeshaf Ahmed ahmed.m@postnoon.com

t last a success story for a public agency of Hyderabad. The 49 solar street lights installed over Hi-Tech-Gachibowli flyover two years ago have not only proved to be a smashing success but it has saved the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) a huge sum on electricity bills and also obviated emission of at least 200kg of carbon into the environment. “We are very happy with the functioning of this system. It has come as a boon for us in terms of saving electricity. We are now considering to include this in our future projects,” gushed

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HMDA chief engineer V Madhwa Raja while explaining to Postnoon about the trendy system which the HMDA plans to replicate on other flyovers and public places immediately. It took the help of Tata BP Solar Limited in installing the innovative lighting system in the City streets. It’s a trouble-free, maintenance-free system though installation cost is higher than that of the conventional lights, he said. It’s estimated that the authority has saved `7.15 lakh on electricity charges in the last two years. It is expected to save another `18 lakh in the next five years. “This is a wonderful system. Unlike the conventional lighting system, this would give us value for money as it is four times cheaper than conventional lights with a life span of five

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years,” said Allamraju of Tata BP Solar Limited. Why then is it not being used by the GHMC? The authorised business partner Bhanu Prakash said that most of the government departments are reluctant to adopt this system due to the initial expenses. A solar lighting system will cost `20,000 more than a conventional lighting system — an important dissuading factor for many departments. “But they are forgetting the fact that once installed it would give uninterrupted service for five years without spending a single rupee on electricity. Apart from this, the most important advantage of using solar lighting system by preventing 200kgs of carbon emissions which conventional street light does,” Prakash said. See PG 9 for more on the Solar industry

WATER SUPPLY: Complaint Cell Sewerage Complaint Hyd. Water Supply HOSPITAL: General Hospital, Sec-bad Niloufer Hospital, Red Hills NIMS, Director, Punjagutta Osmania General Hospital Railway Hospital, Lalaguda Apollo, Jubilee Hills Care Hospital, Banjara Hills Care Hospital, Nampally Care Hospitals, Musheerabad Care Hospital, Sec-bad Kamineni Hospital,

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ormer captain of Indian Cricket team, Sourav Ganguly is all set to make his onscreen debut this year. He has bought the Bengali remake rights of Mohan Krishna Indraganti’s Golconda High School. Sumanth had played the lead role as a cricket coach in Golconda High School and Sourav Ganguly is going to reprise this character in the Bengali version. Confirming the news, actor Sumanth told Postnoon, “He (Sourav Ganguly) expressed interest in the film once he saw it and hence he bought the Bengali rights. I think it is super apt for him and I am sure he will do a great job. Except for the Bengali version, we have rights for rest of the world and we are dubbing the film into English for an international release.” The film is based on Harimohan Paruvu’s novel The Men Within and Mohan Krishna Indraganti had written the screenplay for the film adaptation. Ram Mohan had produced the Telugu version. The film narrates the story of how a cricket coach inspires a group of students to put aside their differences and shine both on and off the cricket field.

Ever since Sourav Ganguly announced his retirement from cricket, he turned commentator and began anchoring shows like Dadagiri Unlimited and Ke Hobe Banglar Kotipati, the Bengali version of Kaun Banega Crorepati on popular Bengali TV Channels. Last year, ESPN screened Mitali Ghoshal’s docufeature, The Warrior Prince, which was based on his life; however, this will be the first time that he is going to act in a feature film. Selection of the cast, crew and production of the film will begin shortly. Fans of the maverick cricketer have a lot to look forward to since he will be playing a cricket coach’s role in this untitled Bengali film.

Lorry owners threaten stir T

he general body of Telangana State Lorry and Mini Trucks Owners Association, which met on Sunday, strongly condemned the ban imposed on movement of local lorries in the twin cities. It also passed a resolution demanding that the government lift the ban immediately. Association president R Balaiah and general secretary Md Iqbal Hussain said that the traffic police were harassing the local lorry and truck drivers without any reason. They complained that the police were imposing fines on the local lorry

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drivers even on pretty grounds. If the driver was not able to pay the amount, the police were seizing the vehicles and sending them to Goshamahal stadium, they said, adding that this was badly affecting their livelihoods. The police has imposed ban on plying of local lorries in the City affecting the livelihood of the drivers. The association announced that they would go on strike from March 15 and would stop lorries coming from Andhra, Rayalaseema or other states to enter into Telangana districts if the ban was not lifted.

AIRLINES Airport Director 27903785, 27906001 For Air India Flight Information Toll free (from any network) for IC Flights 18001801407 And for All Flights: 1800227722 Air India has revised its flight timings. For more information call (Toll free) 18001801407, 1800227722 from BSNL/MTNL 04023430334 from other lines and mobile Website; www.airindia.in TOURISM OFFICES AP Tourism, Hyd 23262152/53/54 Sec’bad 27893100 Dept of Tourism 23453110 India Tourism 23261360 AP Tourism information Centre (24x7) 23450444, 23455999

UK Visa Office VFS India Pvt Ltd Building, 8-2-542/A, Sunil Chamber, Road No. 7 Beside Meridian School, Banjara Hills34. Working hours are from 8 AM to 1 PM And 2 PM to 3PM. MUSEUMS Salar Jung Museum AP State Museum Nizams Museum

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Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222

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Jagan arrest only a matter of time: JC Diwakar Reddy said that it was KCR who was threatening and abusing the leaders all the time and they were all afraid of his being very vocal.

U Srinivas srinivas.u@postnoon.com

ormer minister JC Diwakar Reddy on Monday predicted that YS Jagan’s arrest was inevitable in the disproportionate assets case, but whether it would happen before or after the Kovur byelection was yet to be seen. He sought to know why former advisor to the State government and Rajya Sabha member

KVP Ramachandra Rao was not being arrested. In an informal chat with reporters in the Assembly, he said if Chandrababu Naidu had opened the floodgates for corruption, “our party demolished the walls.” He meant to say the Congress encouraged indiscriminate corruption. He surprised one and all by waking into the Telugu Desam Legislature Party (TDLP) on

Monday morning. Thrilled to find a staunch Congressman Diwakar Reddy in their office, TDP leaders welcomed him and exchanged pleasantries. Diwakar Reddy said that it was KCR who was threatening and abusing the leaders all the time and they were all afraid of his being very vocal. He said that senior TDP legislator Motkupalli Narsimhulu was equally vociferous in giving a retort by directly taking on KCR head-on and was an equal match to KCR. Narsimhulu explained to Diwakar Reddy that KCR was not doing really anything for achieving Telangana and was fooling the public from time to time and has been taking them for a ride in the name of Telangana. He said that KCR was making money in the name of Telangana and never fought for Telangana sincerely at any point in time. There might be a day when KCR would join hands with the Congress again in the name of Telangana.

Staff problems to be resolved soon: CM POLITICS Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com

hief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy assured the members in the Assembly that the employees issues relating to the recent general strike would be sorted out at the earliest. The agreement reached upon with the Government would be implemented, he said. The Chief Minister said that the employees resorted to pen down and chalk down strikes and so many other forms of agitations. They acted without any accountability at times. “The GO 177 says the head of the department will decide on the attendance and payment of the employees. We wanted the employees to give self-declaration on the attendance. It was not for suppressing the rights of the employees. Later, the GO was suspended. After the court permission, the agreement entered upon with the employees will be implemented.”

The issue on the plight of the employees was raised by BJP leader G Kishan Reddy as an adjournment motion which was disallowed by the Speaker. But Kishan Reddy rushed to the podium and demanded a discussion on the plight of the employees. The Chief Minister made a statement. But the BJP members were not satisfied. They rushed to the podium as soon as the Chief Minister completed his statement. The speaker advised them to resume the seats but they did not relent. They raised slogans against the Chief Minister and in favour of Telangana. Following this, the Speaker adjourned the House.

Minority votes to tilt scales Postnoon News feedback@postnoon.com

B Y P OLL BYLAN E S

ahbubnagar is all set to witness a four-cornered contest. The place is also called a Palamuru, which is popular for its migrant labourers, who invariably return for voting. It is the second largest district in the state and is named after Nizam- Mir Mahabub Ali Khan. The total population of the town is about 3,50,000. People belonging to Mudiraj and Munnurukapu communities are in large numbers along with muslims. The BCs can decide the election result here. Mahbubnagar has emerged as the most crucial seat for TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao as he represents Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha seat. The BJP may tilt the scales against TRS and the Congress is hoping to manage to scrape through. The vacancy arose due to the death of Congress party’s associate member Rajeshwar Reddy. The TDP fielded former minister P Chandrasekhar from the constituency. Mahbubnagar constituency has around 30,000 Muslim voters. The TRS is banking on the minority community in the Telangana region. Syed Ibrahim is a rich contractor from Shadnagar. He contested here with the alliance of TDP, CPI and CPM alliance and lost by 5,137 votes in the previous election. BJP leader Kishan Reddy says the he fight is between TRS and the BJP, while the BJP claims an edge with the support of JAC here.

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1 Year Mahbubnagar Main contestants: Mutyala Prakash – Congress Syed Ibrahim – TRS P Chandrasekhar – TDP Yennam Srinivas Reddy – BJP Votes polled in last election Independent : 38,247 (winner) TRS : 33,100 (second ) Congress : 22,544 PRP : 11,088 Loksatta : 1,987 BJP : 1,972 BSP : 1,443 Others : 943 Total : 1,16,536

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DAVID6OF7

Lack of trains dampen Holi travel plans

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3 killed in a road accident

hree members of a family were killed in a ghastly accident at the Nagulamma temple near Lingampalli on Sunday. A man, his wife and daughter died when an unidentified vehicle hit the twowheeler they were riding. The deceased were identified as residents of Prashant Nagar.

Police act to keep drunk women drivers off streets SAFETY Anubha K Singh anubha.k@gmail.com

he Hyderabad Traffic Police has started a campaign against women who drive drunk. This has prompted many women’s organisations and clubs in the City to spread awareness among their female members with regards to the perils of driving while drunk. "It's undoubtedly an excellent initiative from the City traffic department. During any big event at night we make sure that we hire cabs for our women members. In fact,

many of our members use drivers [designated or employed] to drop them back home,” said Madhavi Chandra from the Ladies Circle. Since the campaign began, only one woman has been fined and the vehicle seized. Ten female constables and SIs have been deployed for the campaign. “Of late, a lot of female drivers have been drinking and driving back home by themselves, which is a cause for concern and may lead to accidents. To prevent any such incidents we have initiated this campaign. The law is the same for women. They need to give a breath analyser test and if they are found to be drunk their vehicle will be seized and they have to appear before the

THE FACES OF HYDERABAD Ramdas, auto driver, Kompally

amdas an auto driver from Kompally has been into his profession since eight years. Prior to this he had a general store, but since he didn’t earn enough to make both ends meet, he decided to switch professions. According to him, continuing with the store would’ve been a risk. Driving as auto, he says, was a safer bet. His day begins at 9 am and he puts in nearly 12 hours of work with his day

Prakash Reddy A city is defined by the people who live and work in it. Here we take a look at the human threads that make up our urban tapestry

ending at 9 pm. On an average he earns around `500 to `600 per day. Ramdas has two school-going sons, both studying in class I. Usually he is barely able to make ends meet with his income, but he is thankful that this is better than he earned with the store. For Ramdas, his family’s happiness is his only aim. In the future, Ramdas hopes to earn enough to open a bigger general store and earn much more.

court, accordingly a fine will be levied,” said GVG Ashok Kumar, DCP, Traffic. “As a matter of fact this is a very good start by the traffic department. We not only educate our members not to drive while drunk but not to drink at all. “Be it a man or woman, everyone is liable to cause accidents if he or she is drunk and driving. I support this initiative, but on the other hand, the traffic cops should take care that women drivers are not harassed. We have lost of couple of friends due to drunk driving so I make sure people around me don't make a similar mistake,” said Dr Siddharth Karan, Chairman, Round Table, Hyderabad.

f you are planning to travel to your hometown this holi, think again. Long queues of passengers are common sight at major stations like Secunderabad and Nampally — a majority of them are North Indian families heading to their native places to celebrate the festival with their dear ones. There are hardly any seats available in north-bound trains like AP Express, GT Express, Rajdhani, Sampark Kranti, Secunderabad-Patna and many other trains. “There is a huge rush for train bookings due to Holi and in many trains the waiting list for some destinations is running into a few hundreds,” said FR Michael, senior PRO, South Central Railway. “With Holi falling on Thursday, by taking a holiday on Friday people can enjoy a long weekend. Due to this, the rush for bookings this year is more when compared to last year,” he adds. “We booked 12 tickets 30 days in advance but still four tickets are in RAC (reservation against cancellation) category. I just hope it gets confirmed. “There is a substantial population of people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who have been living in the twin cities for several generations and every year during Holi there is a surge of people commuting to North India. The railways should have plied special trains in advance to accommodate this rush” said, Ramnath Singh, a construction worker in City and was travelling with 12 family members to Patna. In order to clear extra rush of passengers during Holi Festival, South Central Railway will run a special train between Hyderabad and Darbhanga on March 5 and the same will return on March 11 to Hyderabad. However, many are not satisfied with this arrangement. “Just one train can’t serve the purpose, especially when the rush is going on increasing every year. The SCR should have planned at least two to three trains like they do during other festivals. Just one train and that too at the last moment will not help travellers. “Anyone travelling to long distance will plan a trip for at least for a week or more. The last minute booking always ends up as waiting list and undertaking a long journey for more than 30 to 36 hours with family members in a general compartment is difficult,” said Jitendra Singh, a mechanical engineer in City and a resident of Allahabad.

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Piling e-waste lacks attention N SHIVA KUMAR

CIVIC

study conducted by Environment Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI) in 2011 revealed that 3,800 metric tonnes of e-waste is generated in the form of mobile phones, cordless phones, computers, televisions, music systems, etc. The projected e-waste generation from house-hold sector alone is 95,120 MT in 2009 and expected to touch 1,07,886 MT in 2013 in Hyderabad. A Consumer Voice data in 2009 revealed that 2,833.50 tonnes of e-waste is generated in Hyderabad.

Rahul Ramakrishna feedback@postnoon.com

ver wondered about your old phone that went defunct and got tossed into a bin or that dead refrigerator which fetched a decent price at the scrap yard? These discarded electronic or electrical equipment called ‘ewaste’ is a slow but deadly environmental tumor. As the Ministry of Environment and Forests is due to announce a policy on e-waste management this year, the City’s dump yards await immediate attention. Retired Major Shiva Kiran, who is an environmental activist for an NGO, Sukuki Exnora, says, “The growth of IT companies in the City, fuelled the amount of ewaste — mostly discarded computers, old phones with batteries, dysfunctional air-conditioners etc.” This particular form of waste can be put to a number of uses through recycling. “However, it is a long way ahead for the City’s waste management system as it still lacks the basic system of segregation of solid waste. If this issue

is not urgently looked into, there is a great risk of environmental decay,” he said. Statistics provided by the Ministry show that Hyderabad in 2005, one of the seven mega cities, produced about 21,100 metric tonnes of waste, 18.35 per cent being solid waste of which a majority is discarded electronics. While the Ministry seeks to introduce the “extended producer

responsibility” wherein it imposes accountability of the lifecycle of a product directly to its producer, several companies, including Ramky group, have processed their e-waste by initiating and practicing e-waste management, perhaps marking the beginning of the ‘e-waste industry’ that has a serious growth potential. Officials at the AP Pollution Control Board, however, believe

Live healthy, live Organic N SHIVA KUMAR

HEALTH Isha Mukoo Isha.m@postnoon.com

ealthy living has become a norm. Look around and one can see markets flooded with healthy food items, and what not. But many a time, one thing that skips the mind of our health conscious lot is the quality of food they consume. Delve a bit deeper into the food items one purchases in the market and you will come to learn that half the products, from the “fresh vegetables” to the grains, are chemically processed. An exhibition — Organic food festival — has been organised at IICT staff club at Habsiguda for two days, to increase awareness on healthy food habits. R Uday Kumar, one of the stall-owners, feels that people are warming up to the idea of buying healthy food. Raghuram Reddy, one of the consumers who has been a healthy eating loyalist for at least five years says, “I have been consuming organic food for a long time now. It’s not a new thing for me, considering I

that there is no immediate danger from this. Bhaskar Rao, senior environmental engineer (e-waste), says, “E-waste has already been included in the Ministry’s ‘Hazardous Substances Management’ policy in May 2011. The State has two e-waste recycling units located at Maheshwaram mandal. E-waste as such is of no immediate danger when left for segregation,

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have seen it growing in my village when I was a kid. The only difference is people have started asking more about it now,” he shares. It’s not only the consumers who benefit from these organic produces; it also helps the farmers who bring it out into the market directly. One of the organisers and executive director of the centre for sustainable agriculture GV Ramanjaneyulu shares, “There has been a good response till now. Also, there is more awareness among people and it also helps the farmers who get at least more than 50 per cent profit,” he adds.

“It is an effort to bring all the people together under one roof to buy healthy food products and help the farmers.” P Mohaniah, GM of NABARD feels the market looks much better now and is growing. “People have realised the amount of pesticides in the food they consume which is harmful for them. Organic food has carved its niche in the market and people have started choosing the better alternatives and the awareness is only going to increase with time. There is a need of the market build up for people to get access to it more readily and that has been happening,” he said.

especially in such small quantities,” he said. Ninad Jagdish, another environmental activist, differs saying: “A major part of e-waste, especially electronics, is PCBs or (printed circuit boards) that are made of heavy metals like arsenic and antimony, both of which are highly toxic. The expenditure involved in recycling PCBs is almost equal to the amount involved in starting a PCB manufacturing plant itself. Largely neglected, these PCBs adversely affect the poor and slum dwellers who work at the dump yards for a living.”

Hyderabad Daily V Harshavardhan Reddy Indian Sagar Society, Banjara Hills, Plot No 35, Road No-2, Hyderabad – 500034 V Harshavardhan Reddy Indian Sagar Society, Banjara Hills, Plot No 35, Road No-2, Hyderabad – 500034 Dean Willams Indian 126, Villa Green , CBIT Post, Gandipet, Hyderabad-500075

: K. Satish Reddy Plot No. 958B, Road No. 48, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 : Aparna Venkatesh H. No. 31, Road No. 11, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad – 500034 : V. Harshavardhan Reddy Plot No. 35, Road No. 2, Sagar Society, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad – 500034 : Sarin Katta, B –21, Rolling Hills, Near to Madhapur Traffic Police Station , Gachibowli Hyderabad – 500032 : Akkineni Nagarjuna, 959A, Road No. 48, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 : Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, 959A, Road No. 48, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 I, V Harshavardhan Reddy, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Date: 05/03/2012 Sd/(V Harshavardhan Reddy)

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MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Campaigns, hard news and spirit of Twin Cities

That’s what we call ‘Fiat-titude’ The Fiat Classic Club Hyderabad, a club of Fiat enthusiasts held an exhibition of vintage cars. The proud owners spoke to Postnoon about their passion for the vehicles and describe the bond they share with these beauties

MOTORING Osama Salman salman.o@postnoon.com

t was a sunny morning, rather warm for this time of the year. Yet that did not deter vintage car enthusiasts from coming to Begumpet Airport to witness the past glory of Fiat cars in the City, as Fiat Classic Club Hyderabad (FCCH) displayed vintage cars, and proudly so. Defining their passion for Fiat cars, few members of FCCH wore T-shirts with the slogan ‘Fiattitude.’ And proud owners they certainly were, with passion they displayed years of hard work that

went into restoring and maintaining these beauties. The sheer beauty and power of a Fiat car is unquestionable, backed with the fact that there are an estimated 3,000 Fiat clubs in the world. The City can’t be far behind with its legacy of the Italian car maker. To celebrate and revive the spirit of Fiats, the city formed its own club — the FCCH. What started as a four member club has grown to a massive 50, reaffirming that there is still a deep interest among Hyderabadis. There were 13-odd Fiats on display, a collection ranging over four decades, from 1950s to 1990s. The exhibition of cars had a large gathering. In fact, the word

‘world appeal’ wasn’t just merely a tag attached to the cars here. Expats from Czechoslovakia, who had come to the Immigration Centre, took some time off and posed for photos. Some of the cars still maintain the original logo on their front grill. For the members, Fiat has an emotional attachment, something that their hearts beat for. “I learnt how to drive on the Fiat. I grew up with these cars. They are reliable, iconic and at some point in time, everybody owned a Fiat. I love these cars and they mean a lot to me,” said an emotionally charged VVS Ram Kiran, president of FCCH and owner of two 1962 Fiat Super Selects. The oldest car on display was

Fiats that caught our eye: 1954 1961 1962 1980 1995

Millecento Select Super Select (red, green and blue) Premier Padmini Premier 118

the 1954 Fiat Millecento, better known as Fiat 1100, and its owner, Dr Mumtaz, said that he bought the car for `10,000 back then. “Since then the Fiat has been in my family. Five generations have been using the car. I will never sell it and it will adorn my garage for as long as I live,”

he said. Siraj Attari, member and owner of the 1960 Fiat Select, said that his parents had bought the car and he has grown up with it. “When I take the car out for a drive, it turns heads. I only use it for special occasions and this is one of them. However, my mother still drives this car. I know how difficult it is to source the spare parts, but at the end of the day, it is worth every effort,” he affirmed. At the end of the exhibition, one thing was crystal clear. The love for a Fiat will never die and as a member of FCCH told us, “A Fiat used to compete with the best cars in the world.” And they still do. DEEPAK DESHPANDE

Society continues to regress with dowry ISSUES Shiba Minai shiba.m@postnoon.com

espite all the progress society may have made, there’s still one social evil that continues to plague most people — the dowry system. And it was to address this very problem that Manthan, a forum for public discourse, along with GoetheZentrum, Hyderabad, organised a talk by Kalpana Sharma at Vidya Ranya School on what could be done about this rampant issue. Kalpana Sharma, an independent journalist and columnist whose career has spanned over four decades, spoke about the

causes that she has been writing about for ages and dowry being one of the most important. She brought to fore the inci-

dents when there were several ‘sudden stove explosions’ but the underlying reason had gone unnoticed till human rights

activists had brought it up. She said, “In those days people had access to only one television channel — Doordarshan. Public demonstrations at that time created large impacts in the minds of people. Although today, there are many more media to address issues, the dowry system still prevails in society, but nobody seems to be doing much about it.” She spoke about how a lot of activists would gather in front of marriage halls and stage a protest when they knew there was an exchange of money or ‘gifts.’ During the course of discussion it was also brought to light that the dowry system which was initially thought to be a Hindu custom, has now found a place in

other communities as well. “I have come across 61 per cent of Kerala Muslims give dowry in cash or property,” she said. It was also highlighted how dowry is being given in the form of gadgets, home appliances and other unusual gifts these days. “In our times, ostentation was looked down upon, but today it has become the norm! Even the younger generation wants larger than life weddings and look upon these as status symbols and therefore the entire dowry phenomenon increases.” The dowry system, which has been prevalent for a long time now, needs to be abolished. And the only way to do that is by making every person conscious of the fact that women are not commodities.

17,462.21 174.78

5,307.85 51.55

BSE

NSE

Business

10g= `28,400

GOLD

1kg= `60,200

SILVER

DOLLAR

Matters of saving and spending

Conversion of source into resource needed A Saye Sekhar saye@postnoon.com

Sectoral Analysis/Solar Energy

ommercialisation of solar energy has long been elusive because of the exorbitant cost involved in translating the source into a resource. Though the Union Government, through the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, proposed to generate 20,000 megawatts through solar power and 2,000 MW of off-grid solar applications by 2022, there seems to be hardly any step in bringing down the production cost. Though Hyderabad has been identified as the hub of solar activity in India, except for the conduct of annual SolarCon, nothing significant has happened so far. On the other hand, the much-touted Fab City, which eventually turned out to be a destination for solar semiconductor units, is also now limping. Though more than 24 companies have come forward to establish units there, the Fab City is effectively housing only a handful of companies including XL Telecom, Surana, Empire Solar and Solar Semiconductor. Though the cost of production of solar photovoltaic modules has come down drastically from `25 crore a megawatt to `9 crore, it still remains elusive to the common man, says Ravi Surapaneni, sr vice-president of Solar Semiconductor Ltd. Though the Ministry of New

and renewable Energy (MNRE) offers a 30 per cent subsidy on solar energy utilities even at retail usage level, the cost is out of reach. For instance if solar PV modules can be fixed on roof tops to meet the energy needs of individual buildings or a cluster of them, hospitals, and hostels, it will yield long-term economic and ecological benefits, says Ravi. But the initial costing is almost 15 times the conventional electricity. Though the government doesn’t prevent anybody going in for individual off-grid applications, it has not come forth through an effective policy to encourage those choosing the technology. The off-grid solutions like PV

modules on contours of agricultural fields in cooperative mode with the help of government subsidies and bank loans might bring down the burden on individual farmers. If the government can take it up as a policy stand, it can nullify the subsidy it is offering to farmers on the free power supply in Andhra Pradesh completely, says Ravi. The `5,000-crore solar industry is, however, for now bleeding. Global recession; PV modules depending only on exports; and lack of financial assistance by banks and institutions contributed to the worsening of the situation. Energy security concerns could be addressed with the help of solar energy, as there are 300 sunny days available in

`49.75

India, says Ravi. Hari Kiran Chereddy, Managing Director of Sujana Energy Ltd, says the manufacturers’ focus today is primarily to build large-scale plants. Distributed power generation is what we are propagating. He suggests that urban local bodies should take the initiative involving self-help groups for energy production on a small scale. Countries in Africa are doing well by pushing people for micro-grid production. India will have to take that stand, rather than trying to produce at one place and transmit it, with the burgeoning amount of transmission and distribution losses. “We are very far from a smart grid. Overall, 500 MW solar farms are there in India, of which Gujarat alone is trying to produce 350 MW. On the offgrid power, roof-top system can be put to use for abatement of diesel-based units. While homes can go up to two kilowatt generation, offices and commercial establishments can go up to 100 KW,” he points out. Water mills or micro-hydro projects, biomass and some wind mills are proposed in the non-conventional energy resources, but there is nothing specific about standalone solar farms or solar generation. On the roof-tops, it is not possible to have more than 5 KW to 10 KW panels, and the technology has to develop to bring the solar energy to micro-level utilisation.

`78.71

POUND MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012 9 Budget tip Housing loan interest exemption may go up to `3 lakh

eal estate is one area which is expecting a greater fillip in the upcoming budget. The real estate companies are demanding a raise in income tax exemption on the interest on housing loans to `3 lakh from the present `1.5 lakh to boost the housing activity. The industry is also seeking abolition of service tax on residential apartments costing up to `50 lakh. The sectoral players and experts are urging the government to continue the one per cent interest rate subsidy and also extend it to loans up to `30 lakh from the present `20 lakh, as the cost of material and taxes went up.

Sensex down MUMBAI: The BSE benchmark Sensex fell by 177 points in the early trade on Monday on fresh selling by funds amid a weak trend on other Asian bourses. The 30-share barometer, which had gained 53 points in the previous two sessions, fell by 177.41 points, to 17,462.58 points in the early trade. The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty declined by 48.25 points, or 0.90 per cent, to 5,311.15 points. Brokers said fresh selling by funds amid a weak trend on other Asian markets mainly influenced the trading sentiment.

Rupee falls 25 paise The rupee fell 25 paise to 49.75 against the US dollar in early trade on the Interbank Foreign Exchange market on Monday.

Subsidise power in short term to save SSIs Postnoon News

HYDERABAD: The government has to buy at least 200MW for next two months to save micro and small industries in the State. Andhra Pradesh cannot buy power from North and West Indian states due to grid holding capacity. South Indian states do not have surplus power to sell to other states. The only way out is to buy power from re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) based power companies in the State. However, the companies are ready to produce power at `9 per unit due to

increase in input gas costs and also require a commitment to purchase at least 500MW, said MM Sreeram, chairman, Industrial development committee of FAPCCI. Major industries in the State already committed to purchasing of 125MW, If APTransco goes for a second round of power sale, there would be commitments to purchase another 200MW from large scale industries at `9 per unit. The remaining 200MW of power should be purchased by the government to save small-scale industries. The government has to subsidise the power price and

offer at `4.50 per unit to the SSIs to manage the crisis. It only costs `200 crore for the next two months to the government which would limit the power holidays just at one for the SSIs, said Srinivas Ayyadevara, vice-president, FAPCCI. Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of Andhra Pradesh (ALEAP) and companies from different industrial estates are also participating in the agitation. "We are going to intensify the agitation, if there is no communication from the government. FAPSIA and FAPCCI are going to organise a maha dharna on March 7, 2012,” he said.

India‑View

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

India unveiled

India-Africa science, tech tie to expand NEW DELHI: Building upon growing political and economic ties, India and the 54-nation African continent are now poised to expand their co-operation in frontier areas of research, capacity building and knowledge industries. Empowerment through knowledge and technology was the buzzword at a two-day science and technology conclave here that brought together more than 100 scientists, diplomats and 31 science and technology (S&T) ministers from African countries. The March 1-2 conclave, at the Vigyan Bhavan convention centre, focussed on building capacities in research and development, social entrepreneurship and innovation technologies. “There exists an enormous potential for cooperation in science and technology between India and Africa, given the fact that we both are emerging economies, share common problems and have to meet the aspirations of our people,” said Jean Pierre O Ezin, Commissioner, Human Resources, Science and Technology, at the African Union Commission. He called for strengthening ties between India and Africa in sectors of research and development, human resource development and exchange of technical know-how. Among the key areas the two sides agreed to work on are all people-related sectors to provide the over two billion population living in India and Africa better living

Jean Pierre O Ezin conditions, quality food and water, affordable healthcare and meeting energy needs of two fast-growing economies. The African Union, which represents 54 nations of the African continent, expressed its keenness to have a long-term strategic partnership with India in science and technology (S&T), given India’s “remarkable progress” in this area in the last decade. “The challenges faced by nations of Africa is similar to ours. Some of our solutions may also be similar,” India’s S&T and Earth Sciences Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told the conference, and flagged social entrepreneurship and innovation as key areas for collaboration. At the end of the conference, hosted by the Indian ministries of S&T and external affairs, the ministers from India and Africa adopted a declaration that reaffirmed

the commitments for a strong engagement made at the IndiaAfrica Forum Summits, recalled their common challenges and growth potential, and outlined means to achieve development by becoming knowledge economies. The areas identified for future cooperation included capacity building, with India assisting the Commission of the AU and Regional Economic Communities by providing training and other capacity interventions towards improving policy enabling environment in the African nations. With India being the lead thematic partner at the Pan African University’s Institute of Earth and Life Sciences in the Western African region at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, it was agreed to enhance interactions between researchers from both sides, apart from an outreach programme in African countries for the CV Raman Scholarship and Fellowship Programmes. The conference also explored institutional relationships of Indian scientific establishments with Institute Pasteur in Tunis, Institute of Mathematics and Physical Sciences at Benin, and School of Science and Technology at Masuku in Gabon. India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will help Mozambique to set up a similar institution. The foundation of co-operation in science and technology was laid during the India-Africa Forum Summit held in New Delhi in 2008. IANS

Low-cost smartphones whet appetite for apps Priyanka Sahay

NEW DELHI: Be it playing Angry Bird or watching movies on the go, a rise in the number of low-cost smartphones has enabled young Indians to access mobile applications like never before. According to search engine giant Google, around 40 million Indians access the Internet through their mobile phones and there are 30 million apps downloads in one week. A combined survey by global market research firm IPSOS and Google found the 18-29 age-group using smartphones the most. “Availability of smart and feature-rich phones at low cost, low telecom tariffs and flexibility of accessing the services on the go have made mobile apps all the more popular in a price sensitive country like India,” Amit Sachdeva, partner, business advisory firm Ernst & Young (E&Y), told. Low-cost smartphones in the Indian market are available at a price as low as `5,000. “Launch of 3G services has

become an added advantage. The sector will witness a boom once 4G and LTE (long term evolution) services are launched as well,” he added. According to Sachdeva, the most popular apps in India are the entertainment apps such as games, music and Bollywood followed by social networking and utility services that include paying off electricity bills and job search. The e-commerce segment is fast gaining popularity with services. Deals and discounts are being accepted across the country. And mobile banking, which has a long way to go owing to security concerns, would soon draw customers in large numbers, he said. Data by IT research firm CyberMedia showed smartphone sales in India surged 87 per cent at 11.2 million units in 2011 over the previous year as almost 150 models were launched by more than 30 vendors. Earlier days pre-loaded apps were used, people are now buying games, said Virat Khutal, of Twist Mobile. IANS

Where rural women become engineers Rupam Jain Nair

TILONIA: It gives no degrees and the teachers and pupils often do not share a common language, but India’s Barefoot College has been transforming the lives of rural women for four decades. Located in Tilonia village, 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the capital of the western desert state of Rajasthan, Barefoot is a collection of environmentally friendly dome-shape buildings. Inside, about a dozen teachers give classes in subjects ranging from the basics of solar engineering, dentistry, mechanics or public health, to radio DJing. All the pupils sitting on the floor or leaning on old desks are women, some of them illiterate grandmothers from remote vil-

File photo: Barefoot College empowers women through peer-to-peer learning and technology.

lages. Almost everyone is poor, many are unable to read or write, and some come from as far away as Tanzania. Barefoot was started by social entrepreneur Sanjit “Bunker” Roy in 1972 and has been breaking taboos ever since, educating women who are often secondclass citizens discouraged from getting an education. Magan Kanwar, who teaches solar engineering, remembers being told by her father-in-law she should focus on knitting sweaters rather than dreaming of attending the school. “But I just wanted to do something more than cooking and producing babies. This college gave me a chance to find the purpose of my life,” she told AFP. Lots of the women at the

school have heavy-drinking and abusive husbands, she says, meaning their studies give them some independence and crucially can secure an income and a future for their children. “If there’s no food for their kids at least the women can work and look after them, educate them, run the household,” she explained. One of her pupils, 47-year-old Masamba Hameez Makami from Tanzania, will return home to install solar-powered lanterns in her village, which has no electricity, giving her neighbours lights at night for the first time. Her stay at Barefoot is funded by the Indian government, which provided 28 scholarships last year for women from Africa to do the six-month solar engineering training programme. AFP

India‑View

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

India unveiled

18 MLAs cut across party divide to watch porn: House committee HAVERI: In a dramatic twist to the porngate scandal, a member of the Karnataka Assembly panel probing the incident today claimed more than 15 MLAs, including Opposition members, had watched the sleazy clippings that led to the resignation of three ministers. “We have definite information that more than 15 legislators saw those tapes inside the Assembly on that day. They belong to all the three main parties (BJP, Congress and JD-S),” Nehru Olekar, one of the four BJP members of the committee, told reporters here.

CBI receives flak for delays in trial NEW DELHI: Thirteen years to scrutinise documents of a case! The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) received flak from a Delhi court for taking such a long time to go over documents, thus prolonging the trial, during which five of the accused died. The youngest accused is now 59 years old. “It took around 13 years for CBI to comply with the mandatory provision of supply of copies u/S 207, CrPC (Supply to the accused, the copy of police report and other documents),” Special Judge Dinesh Kumar Sharma said. Ticking off the country’s premier probe agency, the judge said: “It is very difficult to understand what was the rationale of citing so many witnesses and filing of load of documents - when they were not to be examined and proved.” The judge’s remark came while awarding two years’ rigorous imprisonment to convict Lalit Kumar Parmar, director of private firm Punjab Phosphate Pvt Ltd, and slapping a `20,000 fine on him. According to the prosecution, Punjab Fertilizer and Pesticides Industries, Amritsar, came into existence for the purported manufacture of single superphosphate. The partnership firm, Punjab Fertilizer and Pesticides Industries, changed its constitution to a company named Punjab Phosphate in 1983.The company got subsidy on bogus bills till March 1987, amounting to `3,33,45,282. The court observed that Parmar procured subsidy on bogus bills. The court called the case as a classic example of total failure of governance and said the amount belonged to the common man. The case was registered in 1988 and the chargesheet was filed in 1994.The charges were framed against the accused in, 2011. From 1994 to the framing of charges, the CBI took 13 years in perusing the documents. PTI

Olekar said it was not just the three former ministers who watched the sleaze tape, but several others belonging to all the three major parties had watched it in the Assembly while its proceedings were on. Lakshman Savadi, CC Patil and Krishna Palemar resigned as Ministers a day after they were caught on camera watching porn tapes in the Assembly on February 7 with regional TV channels telecasting their act evoking national outrage and causing severe embarrassment to the BJP.

Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah has set up the House committee but members of Congress and JDS have been boycotting the proceedings demanding summary disqualification of the three MLAs. Olekar, who is also the Chairman of the Commission for Development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, said the House Committee would hold its next sitting on March 8 in Bangalore “We have also issued notices to the three former ministers to appear before the committee on March 8 at 11 am,” he added. PTI

SPIRITUAL QUEST

Actors Tushar Kapoor and Kulraj pray at the Golden Temple in PTI Amritsar on Sunday.

BSP, Congress term Verma’s views on alliance as personal LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: Creating a stir ahead of Tuesday’s vote count in the Uttar Pradesh elections, union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma on Sunday said it was better for the Congress to ally with the BSP than with the SP. The Congress, termed his views as “personal”. “ Mayawati is thousand times better than Mulayam Singh Yadav as she has been able to bring down the crime rate in the state in the last five years. The Congress should think about forging an alliance with the BSP,” he said. “The Samajwadi Party is not a secular party and has joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) several times in the

past. If no one gets the needed majority in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress should form an alliance with the BSP or there should be president’s rule and re-election in the state,” he said. Verma’s remarks did not

evoke an immediate comment from the SP and BSP but the BJP accused Congress leaders of giving contradictory statements from time to time. Congress’ Uttar Pradesh chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi distanced the party from Verma’s remarks and said any decision on alliances will be taken by the high command. “The party’s line is clear... if we get a majority then we will form the government otherwise we will sit in the opposition,” she told reporters in Lucknow. Joshi also expressed optimism about the Congress’ chances. “We are not talking or thinking about any alliance as we are hopeful that people will give a

HOLI BEATS

People indulge in the traditional Lathmaar Holi as a part of the Holi celebrations in Mathura on PTI Sunday.

good mandate” she said. Party leader Digvijay Singh claimed that the Congress will make “astonishing gains” in Uttar Pradesh and trashed exit polls. He denied that the result in Uttar Pradesh will reflect on Rahul Gandhi and said that turning goodwill by leadership into votes was the task of party workers. Apart from Uttar Pradesh, counting of votes will take place for assemblies of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa March 6. Some observers said Verma’s remarks could be an attempt by the Congress to test the waters in respect of alliances in view of the possibility of a split verdict in Uttar Pradesh. PTI

Live cartridges, rifles recovered in Mumbai MUMBAI: City police seized a huge cache comprising live cartridges and rifles from a ground near a school in Andheri. A case has been registered against unidentified persons after 240 live cartridges and twelve rifles were found dumped at the ground, police sources said. The rifles were found in a box that had “Indian Ordnance Factory, Made in India” written on it, they said.”We have registered a case and are questioning the people nearby to find out about the identity of the persons”, said a police official. Versova police, who have registered the case, will be making queries with the ordnance factories in Ambernath, Thane and Pune to find out about the box. PTI

Around the World

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Beyond Borders

China demands end to violence as Syria blocks aid

Indian billionaires jostle for coal in Australia Rekha Bhattacharjee

DAMASCUS: China on Sunday

SYDNEY: Driven by an

called for an end to violence in Syria as the regime of Bashar alAssad sparked international outrage by blocking aid from reaching the battered Baba Amr flashpoint in Homs city. As more bloodshed was reported across Syria, Britain and Turkey joined the outcry, accusing the regime of committing a crime by barring Red Cross convoys from entering Baba Amr for the second day. China, which twice joined Russia in blocking UN Security Council resolutions against Syria’s lethal crackdown on dissent, urged all parties in Syria to “unconditionally” end the violence. Xinhua news agency cited a foreign ministry statement attributed to an unnamed official calling for dialogue between the Syrian regime and those expressing “political aspirations.” But the official reportedly added, “We oppose anyone interfering in Syria’s internal affairs under the pretext of ‘humanitarian’ issues.” As condemnation spiralled, the bodies of US reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik were flown back to Paris overnight from Damascus. Relatives of Ochlik were there to meet his coffin as the regular Air France flight, via Amman, touched down at Charles de Gaulle airport in the French capital, an airport source said. The two western journalists were killed in a rocket attack in the rebel Baba Amr neighbourhood of Homs on February 22. Colvin’s body was expected to be flown on to her native United States on Monday or Tuesday,

insatiable demand for energy back home, a number of Indian billionaires are jostling to get their hands on Australian coal mines. GVK Reddy-led and Gautam Adani-led conglomerates are now sparring over rights to build a $5.9 billion train track to carry coal out of the landlocked Galilee basin in Queensland state. While they have already invested billions in various Australian coal mining projects, the names of Anil Ambani, Aditya Birla and Madhusudhan Rao are also being mentioned as emerging Indian coal barons with a presence in Australia. Adani Enterprises Ltd and GVK Group are in the news these days in Australia as they have put forward plans to construct a 500-km railroad to connect Queensland’s coal-rich Galilee Basin to the coast. The GVK Group is partnering with Australia’s mining heiress Gina Rinehart to develop a reported $10.7 billion mine, rail and port project in the landlocked northern Queensland region. According to media reports, GVK has expressed confidence that its proposed railway corridor to the Abbot Point coal port will soon be given a green signal by the government. “We have everything the government has asked of us,” GVK vice-chairman Sanjay Reddy said in a statement.

A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency shows the funeral of a Syrian soldier, reportedly killed in recent violence, outside the military hospital in Latakia on Saturday. AFP/ SANA according to a representative of her newspaper, The London Sunday Times. French reporter Edith Bouvier of Le Figaro newspaper and British photographer Paul Conroy were wounded in the attack that killed their two colleagues. Bouvier, 31, and photographer William Daniels, 34, who was not hurt in the rocket attack, have already been smuggled out of Homs by activists to Lebanon and on to Paris. The pair recounted their har-

rowing experience from the moment Syrian rockets began hitting their makeshift media centre, and said Syrian forces seemed to be directly targeting journalists in Homs. Conroy said the bombardment of the besieged Syrian city amounted to a “medieval siege and slaughter,” and denounced the Damascus government as “murderers”. “It’s not a war, it’s a massacre, an indiscriminate massacre of men, women and children,” said Paul Conroy, 47, speaking from a

hospital bed in Britain after being smuggled into Lebanon on Tuesday. The US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said some 700 people were killed and thousands wounded by regime forces in a 27day blitz on Homs, before the rebel fighters withdrew. HRW said shells sometimes fell at the rate of 100 an hour and that satellite images showed 640 buildings visibly damaged, but stressed that the real picture could be worse. AFP

Israel will take own Iran decisions: foreign minister JERUSALEM: Israel will take any decisions on Iran’s nuclear activities as an “independent state,” Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Sunday, on the eve of a US-Israel summit in Washington. “Clearly, the United States is the biggest world power and the biggest and most important country that is a friend of Israel, but we are an independent state,” Lieberman told Israeli public radio. “Ultimately, the state of Israel will take the decisions that are most appropriate based on its evaluation of the situation,” he said. Lieberman’s comments came shortly before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to hold talks in Washington

with US President Barack Obama on Monday, a meeting expected to focus heavily on Iran’s nuclear activities. Israel, Washington and much of the international community believes that Iran’s nuclear programme masks a weapons drive, a charge Tehran denies. US intelligence is said to believe that Iran does not currently intend to produce nuclear weapons, though it may be seeking the capacity to do so, and Washington has emphasised the importance of deterrent sanctions and diplomacy. But Israel is reportedly eager to move more quickly and decisively against Iran’s nuclear activities, using a military strike to prevent it from obtaining even

the capacity to take a decision to produce nuclear weapons. “The Iranian file is wellknown,” Lieberman said. “The direction taken by Iran is clear.” But he added that any decisions should be taken “calmly, weighing the pros and cons. All this chatter doesn’t help anyone.” Lieberman also warned that the international community’s failure to deal with the bloodshed in Syria, where a crackdown on anti-regime protesters has killed thousands, showed Israel could rely only on itself for protection. “If the international community is incapable of stopping the massacres in Syria, what is the value of its promises to protect the security of Israel?” AFP

Around the World

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Beyond Borders

GLOBE AT A GLANCE Chavez confirms cancer has returned

Putin wins Kremlin in disputed polls Anti-Putin forces reach crossroads MOSCOW: Russia’s young opposition movement will need to mature quickly if it hopes to unite in a common cause wider than simple anger at Vladimir Putin’s return to the Kremlin, analysts said. The alliance that rose from a tainted December parliamentary ballot remains shut out of Russia’s political system and lacks a natural leader like Boris Yeltsin was when he stood up against a coup attempt in 1991.Its only unifying factors are its hope to see a “Russia without Putin” and its dissatisfaction with the prospects of an entire generation growing up under a man who emerged from the KGB to establish what is economic strategy,” the European Council AFP

Russia cosmonauts vote from ISS MOSCOW: Three Russian cosmonauts cast their ballots for the presidential elections Sunday from the International Space Station (ISS), Russia’s Mission Control said. Anton Shkaplerov, Anatoly Ivanishin and Oleg Kononenko voted during a special communications session through their proxy while the ISS was flying over the Hawaiian Islands, the Mission Control said.”Dmitry Zhukov, head of the Cosmonaut Training Centre’s press office, took the votes of the three ISS crewmembers from a private room, where cosmonauts normally talk to their families during flights, and filled in ballot papers and put them into the ballot box after being told how to vote by each of them,” it said. IANS

CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday admitted publicly for the first time that his cancer had returned and said he faces a new round of radiotherapy treatment after having a second malignant tumor removed in Cuba.The news not only throws Venezuela into turmoil, but could have implications around the region, amid expectations that Chavez may be forced, to cede the public stage.

MOSCOW: Russian leader Vladimir Putin was on course to reclaim the Kremlin on Monday after a crushing presidential election victory that he declared was honest but the opposition said was marred by serial violations. Putin scored a first round knockout with almost 65 per cent of the vote according to initial results from the majority of polling stations, with his main rival the Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov a distant second. In a late-night appearance in front of more than 100,000 supporters just outside the Kremlin after polls closed on Sunday, a tearful Putin declared that he had triumphed in a clean fight and said voters had sabotaged attempts to break up the country. We have won in an open and honest battle,” Putin said with his voice hoarse with emotion, standing on a stage alongside outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev. “I promised you we would win, we won. Glory to Russia!” Putin said. His supporters filled the square, spilling over into surrounding streets, waving Russian flags and chanting “Putin, Putin!”. He later visited his election headquarters and shook hands with, hugged and kissed supporters.The Russian hardman denied that he had been crying during his speech, saying he had only shed “tears from the wind” on a bitterly cold and blustery night. Putin still faces an emboldened protest movement against his rule which was not represented by any single candidate in the elections but succeeded in holding three massive rallies over the last three months. He will now in May formally reclaim the Kremlin post he occupied for two terms from 2000 to 2008, after his four-year stint as prime minister under the presidency of

Afte Homs, attacks now move to Rastan DAMASCUS: Syrian artillery on Sunday pounded the rebel city of Rastan, killing seven civilians, monitors said as the Red Cross delivered aid to refugees from the battered Homs quarter of Baba Amr but remained barred from the district itself. For a third straight day relief agencies were denied entry to Baba Amr.

Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and outgoing President Medvedev arrive for a rally at Manezhnaya Square. AFP his protege Medvedev. But under a change to the constitution, the next presidential mandate will last six years and analysts have warned that Putin risks facing unrest in that period if he does not respond to the changing society. According to results based on counts from 89 per cent of Russia’s polling stations, Putin won 64.65 percent of the vote with Zyuganov trailing on 17.06 percent. Tycoon turned politician Mikhail Prokhorov was third with 7.11 per cent. Populist Vladimir Zhirinovsky had 6.30 per cent while the former upper house speaker Sergei Mironov languished in last on 3.75 per cent. Opposition parties said there were clear signs of foul play in the election, including multiple voting, despite the installation on Putin’s orders of webcams to ensure transparency. AFP

Republicans get set for a Super Tuesday WASHINGTON: Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney and main challenger Rick Santorum head into Super Tuesday’s voting bonanza eyeing one or two key states that could tilt the race in their favour. Voters in 10 states across America will have their say on Tuesday in a potentially pivotal day in the contest to see who will take on President Obama in the November 6 general election. Ohio, that is crucial to Obama’s re-election chances, is considered the big prize. Polls show Romney and Santorum locked together there in a statistical tie.Newt Gingrich, looking to reset his faltering bid, has pulled ahead in his home state of Georgia. With 437 delegates up for grabs — nearly 40 per cent of the total needed to secure the nomination. Romney got a double boost going into Super Tuesday with a

Damages inside an office in Kinshasa on Sunday following blasts at a munition depot in Brazzaville that killed 200. AFP

Six Indians burnt to death in collision DUBAI: Six Indians were today burnt alive in a horrific head-on collision between two trucks near Mamur town in the north-west of Muscat in Oman.Six Indians were killed and two Omanis seriously injured when two pickup trucks collided and one carrying six workers caught fire this evening, local media quoted a policeman as saying.

163 bodies found in Libya mass grave BENGHAZI: A Libyan committee on missing persons today said that it had recovered the bodies of 163 people who were killed in the 2011 conflict that toppled the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. “The discovery of 163 bodies out of 400 missing from eastern Libya is an incredible achievement,” Maher Warfalli of the committee of missing persons said.

Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. win on Saturday in the Washington state caucuses and an endorsement from top Republican lawmaker Cantor. Super Tuesday essentially ended the Republican nomination battle in 2008, when Romney capitulated and Senator John McCain went on to become the nominee.Experts are not expecting such a clear outcome

this time around. Romney has won eight states, Santorum has won three Gingrich has won just South Carolina, while Ron Paul has no victories.Romney’s bulging war chest means he can outmuscle his rivals, but his opponents see hope in his inability to connect with core Republicans. Delegates are awarded by

AFP

each state in the Republican nominating process, until one candidate reaches the 1,144 delegate threshold required for victory. If the race continues to be tight it is possible that no winner will emerge before the Republican convention at the end of August, in which case a victor may have to be decided by backroom brokering. AFP

Sydney Aquarium divers unveil a banner urging UNESCO to save the Great Barrier Reef. AFP

Comment

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Fair, free and forthright

Editorials SAFFRON BRIGADE’S own goal on Osama

n a typical show of an ideologically bankrupt outfit desperate to hog some media attention, the saffron brigade led by the VHP has opposed shooting of a film on killing of Osama bin Laden in Chandigarh. They took umbrage to the use of Pakistani flags at a set of Lahore — someone needs to educate these hotheaded zealots that Chinese flags can’t be used to represent Lahore. The country has been suffering international embarrassment due to these bigots who were successful in exiling a great like MF Husain. Now Oscar-winning Kathryn Bigelow's shoot has been stalled because of their warped perception or rather plain lack of understanding about how movies are made. Another aspect that makes the outfit which claims a monopoly to patriotism and anti-Islamism even more stupid is that the movie script has Osama as the bad guy. Somebody needs to take the initiative and get these self-appointed guardians of Indian interests some real education.

WHY WE LOVE Ralph McQuarrie

eorge Lucas’s Star Wars changed the way we viewed science fiction. It was a sweeping epic with landscapes and characters that were spawned straight from our imaginations. The praise for those characters, however, goes to Ralph McQuarrie, who created the likes of Darthe Vader and R2D2. McQuarrie died yesterday aged 82, and the cosmos will miss him dearly.

Forced wedding of LIC-ONGC fools no one Money Talk A Saye Sekhar

ave you insured your life? Maybe yes. A lot of us must have, and with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) for its trust-worthy service. I am not getting into the issue of who should be our insurer. Now the question is, have we become insurers for the public sector ‘navratna’ behemoth Oil and Natural and Gas Corporation (ONGC)? The ONGC and the LIC were in the news last week for wrong reasons. Efforts of the State to do an image makeover to the sordid episode of stake sale through auction in ONGC only expose the shallowness of the weird thought process of the doyens of the North Block. It is like taking out wads of currency from your left pocket and putting them in the purse in the right one only to flaunt the artificial bulge. Is it called disinvestment? The share sale of ONGC managed to scrape through with LIC being “forced” into buying the largest chunk of the shares that went under the hammer at the nick of the moment. Suddenly a ‘technical glitch’ hit the auction process giving rise to an impression that the stake sale did not receive proper traction. Of course, the Securities and Exchange Board of India later clarified that there was no glitch. Though the stakeholders in the stake sale like the government, ONGC, LIC and the SEBI, breathed heavy, they tried their best to portray as if they realised what they dreamt of. In fact, if the shares of such a ‘gem’ of a company go on the block, there should have been a mad rush from investors of all genres, especially the corporate giants in the infrastructure. ‘Chancellor of the Indian exchequer’ (read finance minister) Pranab Mukherjee put up a brave front when he crowed that 98.3 per cent of the 42.77 crore shares were subscribed and the government got `12,733 crore in the deal. Only to save its face from a terrible embarrassment, the government pulled strings and roped in the LIC to pick up 41 crore shares.

Visual appeal

Weekend delight

The new look of the paper is really nice. I am not a regular reader of your paper but I did manage to get my hands on it a couple of times and I had seen it before and happened to pick it up some days back again. Although the older one was also colourful and caught the eye but the new one is classier. It is good that during times when reading printed media is on a fall, you are paying so much attention to the visual impact of a newspaper; it surely will bring back into its folds readership that used to be. I love the centrespread compilations. They look great and are very informative. Good work M Surya Tej Yousufguda

Your Saturday and Sunday editions are proving to be popular in my college. There is so much of learning happening because of the kind of information that is provided. And of course, not to forget the entertainment factor. Slowly, Postoon seems to have created its own identity among the others. I hope to see more of Postnoons — improvised, and with more pages each passing year! No exaggeration — I look forward to reading your paper, and make my friends do the same. Vamsi Jonna More power to Postnoon! Attapur

Grrr… Who are they trying to hoodwink? If LIC wasn’t corralled, the much hyped netting of `40 grand crore through dilution of government shareholding in PSUs would have been bombed at the box office — in this case, the SEBI. The other cash-rich PSUs would also be made to ‘buy back’ the equity from the government to help it keep the wolf from the door. The sleight of hand with which the government tried to camouflage its trick of roping in LIC is understood by most in the markets. And, the Congress-mark economic profligacy towards subsidies brought the economist-led government to a naught. What hitherto remained concentrated is now being diluted, though there is no tangible asset creation through the stake sale. For, it will finance the fiscal deficit which is a direct result of a widening gap between revenue and expenditure. The market borrowings and inflation

TALK BACK Readers’ views We invite you to write to us comments, suggestions, viewpoint or just about anything to feedback@postnoon.com or #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500 033 or even by way of a call on 4067 2222

would only worsen the situation, as a result. To contain this, the government decided to arrest the fiscal deficit limit at 4.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. But, it has overshot this limit much before the end of the financial year. Keeping the fiscal deficit under check before the budget presentation is the single most agenda of the government. In the ballgame, blood is milked from the LIC, whose value of the whopping investment eroded by ` 900 crore in the market value of the acquired share in ONGC in just two trading sessions. If the LIC picked up the ONGC shares at an average price of `303.67 a share, the life insurance giant would have spent `12,146.80 crore. But the investment value at the Saturday’s closing price of ONGC scrip came to just `11,234 crore or a loss of `912 crore. Now the markets can make or mar the margins of the mammoth corporations, but at whose cost?

Project gone awry

Shocking statistics

The report on Maithri project was very interesting. This is a typical case of an innovative project going haywire due to mishandling. This project would have yielded rich dividends in terms of human intelligence from every locality. Unfortunately it has ended up as a platform for scoresettling among local youths. When such projects are implemented, the authorities have to put in place mechanisms to prevent their abuse. Otherwise it will serve the opposite purpose by strengthening the hands of local criminal elements. Sanjay Ramaswamy Banjara Hills

The report in your paper about how 80% school students are humiliated shocked me. Over the years, we have learned to discuss issues that are ailing our society but we are yet to take any definitive action against it. People need to understand that corporal punishment isn't the solution. Counselling and care is a better solution. Why can't we as a society sit down and solve this issue instead of considering corporal punishment as the only solution? It's time we wake up to save the P Ravikumar future of our country. Secunderabad

Campus Rahul Ramakrishna feedback@postnoon.com

rjun is a seventh grader from Hyderabad Public School who enjoys learning new things. A part of his learning experience interestingly is to quiz with management graduates and business students, answering questions on international business personalities and company policies. Surprised? Students of this generation seem to have left behind that school of thought which believes learning should be strictly academic. Arjun says, “Learning is fun when you know what you are doing. It is always important to strike a balance between academics and extra curricular.” So what does this young maverick aim to be? “I want to be a doctor. And quizzing,which is my passion, helps me learn new things about science and medicine everyday.” If you thought this passion is limited to only children of Arjun's age, then wait till you meet T Kiran. Kiran, a third year biotechnology student from CBIT feels quizzing is a passion that forces one to think logically.“While we learn, we also simultaneously hone our ability to analyse things. This helps us in developing not just a general, but an indepth knowledge of the world around us. I aim to crack the civils exams and knowing how tough that can get, I have focused on my passion while balancing my priorities with academics.” Does this passion intrude upon the students' academic pursuits by any chance? The answer is a resounding no.

Arjun, HPS Student

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Of Questions

and Answers City students talk about a pastime that’s grown to become their passion — quizzing Prateek Reddy, Kiran's classmate and team partner says, “It is very important not to lean away from academics while following your passions. Although it is very important for me to take part in extracurricular activities, I have never leaned away from my more serious pursuits

and nor has it affected me.” These young Turks were found cracking questions at the TATA Crucible Campus Quiz recently held at Taj Deccan. Hosted by quiz master 'Pickbrain' Giri Balasubramaniam, the event was an enthralling battle of wits and skill. Giri who has

been a quiz master for over a decade said, “Hyderabad can be safely called 'an educational cosmopolitan'.The fact that such a large number of students from such diverse backgrounds have put their knowledge to the test, proves that the new generation, have evolved

TATA Crucible Quiz Regionals (Hyderabad) winners Zuhair Ali and Naveen Kumar

beyond educational and geographical boundaries. It is refreshing to see school children talk about business personalities which is not something that happens often.” So how do these worldwise school students and under-graduates, who can instantly recognise the management policies of a Japanese company with no hesitation, do it? “Practice helps. Always. One should realise that the more they practice the more they will gain confidence. This symbiotic relationship is often the most important thing it takes to crack the tests,”says Tejaswi, a second year management student from B V Raju Institute of Technology. Zuhair Ali and Naveen Kumar, both final-year students from the Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad swept through the regionals of TATA Crucible and are getting ready to fight it out in the finals at Mumbai. For them, its not just a passion or a pastime. “It translates into something more important, something that I think is instinctive. The need to constantly expand my horizons through learning, as an idea, has always fascinated me. And will always continue to do so,” says Zuhair. Naveen reiterates his partner's statement and says, “The most important things for us as students is the amount of preparation, practice and self confidence that we invest. Being management students, we believe success always needs a policy and we think we are close to finding one. It will be an honour to represent Hyderabad at the national level.”

Kiran, third year student, CBIT

H‑Factor

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

Make them your best pals Reusing cloth in ‘those days’ can leave you at risk of serious infections. Shockingly, only 8 per cent of menstruating women in AP use a sanitary napkin Ranjani Rajendra ranjani.r@postnoon.com

hat do you do every time it’s that time of the month? Apart from eating comfort food and moaning in pain — you reach out for that oh-so-necessary sanitary napkin. But did you know that only 8 per cent of all menstruating women in Andhra Pradesh use a sanitary napkin? Shocking isn’t it? According to a recent survey conducted by a popular sanitary napkin brand, poor feminine hygiene is a rampant problem in our State with 92 per cent of the menstruating women resorting to various homemade options like strips of cloth that can be washed and reused. If this is appalling then what would you say about the 35 per cent who don’t use sanitary napkins simply because they are not aware about them? For a country that is gearing to take on the world with its rapid development, something as basic as feminine hygiene is bogging it down. According to the survey, women remain unaware of the fact that re-usage of cloth per menstrual cycle leads them closer to health issues like reproductive tract infections, vaginal infections and urinary tract infections. In the long term, unhygienic practices may also lead to infertility and in some cases is also one of the reasons for the high Maternal Morbidity in

our country. Using a sanitary napkin is extremely vital, simply because it is more hygienic. Using a piece of cloth, then washing it and re-using it in your next period just leaves it open to more infections. “Reusing cloth during the period can give rise to infections that go up the genital tract and manifest in the form of reproductive tract infections (RTIs) or pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID). These could then lead to the need for hysterectomies (removal of the uterus) later in life. Also using cloth instead of the more hygienic sanitary napkin could mean over bleeding, anaemia and general bad health. Sanitary napkins are not only cleaner and hygienic but they also facilitate better absorption,” explains Dr Anuradha Panda, senior consultant gynaecologist at Apollo Health City. Most women don’t realise the importance of hygiene during menstruation. According to the survey, most

women were not even aware of the rashes and infections they were suffering from due to lack of feminine hygiene. “Hygiene is of utmost importance during a woman’s period. Infections caused due to lack of proper hygiene can cause difficulty in

conceiving, infertility, chronic pelvic pain, menstrual disturbance and complications during pregnancy,” says Dr D Leela, consultant gynaecologist at Rainbow Hospital. Doctors advise using disposable sanitary napkins to ensure better feminine health. “But simply using a napkin is not enough. It should be changed once every eight hours at least to cut down on infections,” says Dr Anuradha. In case of tampons, they should be changed every four hours. Dr Leela advises using regular soap and water to wash the genital area and avoid all kinds of sprays.

Antibiotic resistance, the new threat

Dr P Raghu Ram

n addition to developing resistance, antibiotics disrupt the normal bacterial flora in the bowel leading to a multitude of problems like diarrhoea, flatulence and there is now evidence to suggest that bowel disorders like ulcerative colitis and even cancer can be caused by antibiotics abuse. Allergic reactions ranging from rash to shock and suppression of body’s immunity are some of the other penalties of antibiotic abuse. What can be done? n A legislation must be brought in to prevent sale of antibiotics in pharmacy. Outlets without a valid prescription – the commonest source of antibiotic abuse in India. The concept of General Practice (Family Physician), which is more or less extinct in India, must be revived. We, as a Country, must slowly and steadily switch from the doctrine of practicing the more aggressive ‘Americanized Medicine’ to ‘British Medicine’ which is far more conservative and evidence based. In Britain, the General Practitioner (GP) is the principal treating doctor who is able to manage most minor infections sensibly based on evidence prescribing antibiotics only where necessary thus acting as the first barrier to rampant misuse of antibiotics. With the GP based concept, patients will no longer be left to self refer themselves to large hospitals, which in many instances, is a ‘hot bed’ for antibiotic abuse. n Doctors should try and identify the causative organism before commencing antibiotics. This may not be possible always, however, when antibiotics are prescribed specific to the bacteria causing the infection, the incidence of antibiotic resistance can be lowered. n Frequent hand washing by healthcare professionals, prompt identification and isolation of patients with drug-resistant infections will most certainly minimise spread of multi drug resistant infections. (This column will continue next week. The writer is the director and consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon at KIMS-Ushalakshmi Centre for Breast Diseases, Hyderabad)

H‑Factor

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Holistic view of mind, body and soul

You might cheat on your wife, but...

SKIN DEEP

Dr G Jyotsna, Cosmetologist and trichologist, Chaitanya Tricho Dermatology Clinic

Researchers find men who die during sex more likely to be cheating David Trifunov

n affair of the heart has new meaning after researchers found men who die during sex are more likely to be cheating, a new American Heart Association study says. Published in the journal Circulation, the study analysed 6,000 autopsy reports of people who died of sudden heart attacks. Less than 1 per cent of those people died during sex; however, about 90 per cent were men and three-quarters of them were cheating. Prof Glenn Levine of Baylor College of Medicine, who led the study, was researching how long heart attack sufferers should wait before having sex again. While he found those who have recovered from mild heart attacks could hit the sheets with little risk of another attack (just talk with your doctor first), he also found the link to cheating. “I would not blow this too out of context,” he said, The

Daily Mail reported. “Without being sarcastic, I really can state

that I have not had a patient who asked me about the cardiac

risks of an extramarital affair.” Part of the problem is stress. Cheating men are often in unfamiliar settings and they’ve often eaten big meals and had lots to drink, Global News reported. Oh, and they’re with a younger woman. The study does have limitations. There’s little data on men who struggle to reach orgasm because of physical or psychological reasons. “In attempting to achieve a climax, it is possible that such individuals may exert themselves to a greater degree of exhaustion with relatively greater demand on their cardiovascular system,” says the study. Still, it’s an important conversation for doctors to have with their patients, said Chicago cardiologist Dr Dan Fintel. He told the Mail it’s the last thing he addresses with patients before discharging them from hospital. “Resuming sexual activity is safe and emotionally part of the healing process, with a few caveats,” he said. GLOBAL POST

Leukemia drugs may stop deadly virus

ome cancer drugs may also help stop the rare but deadly Ebola virus, which in up to 90 per cent of cases causes a sufferer to bleed to death. US researchers a pair of wellknown drugs used to treat leukemia — known as nolitinib and imatinib — appear to have had success in stopping the virus from replicating in human cells, News24.com reported. The drugs — nilotinib or imatinib, sold by Novartis as Tasigna and Gleevec — topped the release of viral particles from infected cells in lab dishes, researchers from the US

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases wrote in the journal Science Translational Medicine, according to Bloomberg.

The same result in a person might prevent Ebola from spreading in the body and give the immune system time to control it, the researchers led by Mayra Garcia wrote. According to NPR, the Ebola virus needs the help of cells it invades to reproduce, and Gleevec and Tasigna “tweak a human protein that new copies of the virus use to leave their host cells so they can infect others.” In other words, the researchers think the drugs “could turn off a transport protein and could keep new viruses bottled up inside cells.”

“Our results suggest that short-term administration of nilotinib or imatinib may be useful in treating Ebola virus infections,” the researchers wrote. Ebola, which emerged in Africa in the 1970s — and is believed to live in several species of fruit bat — is considered a potential weapon for bioterrorists because, News24 wrote, “it is so highly contagious, so lethal and has no standard treatment.” News24 cited the UN’s World Health Organisation as reporting about 1,850 cases of Ebola occurring since 1976, with about 1,200 deaths resulting.

Stress can play a role in skin ageing Ranjani Rajendra

ine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, pigmentation and dullness are some of the first signs of ageing. “While usually these signs begin to set in by age 30, a lot also depends on a person’s skin type, exposure to the sun, work patterns and stress levels,” says Dr G Jyotsna, cosmetologist and trichologist at Chaitanya Tricho Dermatology Centre. Although there are several anti-ageing creams and formulae available in the market, they don’t really erase those signs. “What they do is prime the skin,” she says. There are also procedural treatments available to help minimise those signs of ageing — there are devices to tighten the skin, peels to brighten the skin, botox for crow feet and fillers for sunken eyes, drooping mouth, volumnise lips and also to ease nasolabial folds. “Some of the most sought after procedures are chemical peels and skin tightening procedures. This is because these are non-invasive, don’t involve injectibles and are comparatively more economical,” says Dr Jyotsna, adding, “however, it is not advisable to get too many peels done as this can make the skin very sensitive. .” The effects of peels usually emerge after two or three days and last up to 10-15 days, explains Dr Jyotsna. “The results are usually better after three or four peels. Laser resurfacing is more advanced and works better on wrinkles and acne scars,” says Dr Jyotsna. Since most of these procedures leave the skin very sensitive, Dr Jyotsna advises protecting the skin by using a broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) sunscreen and also covering the face. “It would be ideal to avoid any sun exposure for the first two or three days. Using a sunscreen should anyway be a part of everybody’s skin care regime. In case one is acne-prone they can use gel-based products. It is important to be aware of one’s skin type before choosing any product. Skin types tend to change with age and hormonal influence. During the teens skin can be oily and as one grows older it is dry,” she says.

Spotlight

Vijay & Banda Kartika Reddy

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Shilpa Reddy

Lavanya Reddy Kavya & Dr Karan

Supriya & Aravind Krishna

Katherine Dhanani

DEEPAK DESHPANDE

Lobhana & Dr Athar

Shilpa Reddy

Dinaz Vervatwala

Atulya & Padma Reddy

Samantha

Putting for charity Katherine Dhanani

The annual golf tournament Cancer Crusaders Invitation Cup-2012 to raise funds for cancer patients was held at the Emaar MGF Boulder Hills Golf Club, Gachibowli from March 3 to March 4.The second day belonged to the ladies, as a woman celebrity playoff match was held.The event was sponsored by the Cure foundation.

Manati (R)

Visitors engrossed in shopping at Weaves â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Cotton and Silk spectrum exhibition being held at the Imperial Gardens, Sikh Village, Secunderabad

Magic Screen

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

The glamour behind the glitz

Ravi Teja, Puri Jagannadh’s

film goes on floors R

avi Teja and Puri Jagannadh are teaming up for the fifth time, for a new film titled Devudu Chesina Manushulu. Ileana is the lead actor in the film. She had acted with Ravi Teja previously in Kick and Khatarnak. The principal shooting of Devudu Chesina Manushulu began a couple of days ago in Ramoji Film City and we hear that Puri Jagannadh is planning to wrap up the entire shoot by May 15. BVSN Prasad is producing the film and Reliance Entertainment is presenting the film. “I have been dreaming about producing a film with Ravi Teja and Puri Jagannadh ever since I saw Idiot and I am glad that my dream is finally coming true. We are planning to release the film in June,” BVSN Prasad said. Raghu Kunche is composing the music and has already begun recording the songs for the film.

T-TOWN TWEETIES

@shraddhadas43 I am not able to reply to each of u personally, but have read each msg..n i cant stop smiling!!! my dimples go deeper with every msg! love!!!

@actressanjjanaa Done with mumbai, lov tat city done with shopping n greeting my cousins birthday now enroute gulbarga, for a day n then bac home,xausted!!

@shrutihaasan Most things in life and most ppl are never what they appear to be that's hy its important to hold on to the real deal and value it always:)

@richyricha Shooting 2day & tom for song #2 (bengali film) in the desserts of Wadi Rum in South Jordan. freezing in 4degree weather and extreme winds!

@sundeepkishan

Nuvva Nena to release in March A

llari Naresh, Sharwanand and Shriya Saran starrer Nuvva Nena is expected to hit the screens on March 16. In November, 2011 the film's shooting was targeted by T-activists on the outskirts of Hyderabad and Shriya narrowly escaped from getting hurt. Narayana has directed the film and Vamshi

Krishna has produced the film on SVK Cinema banner. The film is said to be a remake of Deewana Mastana. For the first time after Gamyam, Allari Naresh and Sharwanand are teaming up for a film. Vimala Raman is also playing an important role in the film. Bheems has composed the music.

Bazelevs Studios works on Rajamouli’s Eega B

azelevs Studios, a leading Russian VFX company, has teamed up with S S Rajamouli for his upcoming magnum opus. In the past, Bazelevs had created visual effects for Angelina Jolie’s Wanted which brought them instant fame. Although the studio worked on only a small sequence for Eega, Rajamouli couldn’t stop raving about them. “A small seq in eega is handled by a Russian Vfx joint. they sent a few shots. amazed by the quality of animation and composition. feels good.:)” Rajamouli posted on Twitter. Eega is making waves in both Telugu and Tamil, thanks to the amount of CGI being used in the film. Senthil, the cinematographer of the film, has reportedly used Phantom Camera and Weisscam to shoot few scenes and a high speed Scorpio crane has been used to film some key portions. The film has Nani, Samantha and Sudeep in lead roles. The film will hit the screens on April 5.

Vellipoke from Tanish's Memu Vayasuki Vachemu on loop since morning... Shekar Chandra has outdone himself :) Tanish is back back guys :)

@RanaDaggubati Launched the Audio and fist promo of #NaaIshtam at the GRIT college yesterday. Music will be available in stores by tonight. Promos on soon!

@sneha_ullal Its such a unimaginable feeling when ur work is appreciated and talked out... Happy Heart.

@LakshmiManchu A terrible day at work. Got caught up something and couldn't shake it off. Arrghh. Felt like I was a stone :( my Angels better get me thru .

Magic Screen Hemanth Kumar hemanth.k@postnoon.com

conversation with Nandita Das reinforces your first impression about her. She’s a non conformist, opinionated and prefers living life on her own terms. Even after acting in close to 30 films in 10 languages and winning several awards, she confesses that her life will go on even if she doesn’t get a chance to ever act again. “My father has had a great influence on my life. When I was growing up, I was told to always do what I believed in and loved doing. Till date, acting and directing have remained as interests because I get a chance to tell a story which I like. I don’t think anything will change if I don’t get a chance to act or direct again because I would have moved on to do something which interests me. At one point of time, I wanted to be a Odissi dancer, but I eventually got into street theatre and now it’s films,” Nandita Das says. Over the past few years, with films like Kannathil Mutthamittal, Kamli, Firaaq and I Am, she has become a prominent face of independent cinema in India. We ask her if independent cinema really has space to thrive in India. “I feel that things are slowly changing. If a filmmaker is allowed to experiment with the form and content, that’s when the language of cinema can expand. But in India, economics interferes a lot with art. Everything is looked at from a commercial angle. Independent cinema will not replace mainstream cinema but it’ll only thrive when there’s support from the industry, media and the audience,” she replies. Her tryst with the Children’s Film Society of India, as the Chairperson, is going to end this August and she’s extremely happy that Gattu, one of the films that CSFI had produced, won an award at the Berlin Film Festival. “We are also making the animated version of Satyajit Ray’s Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne and I am quite excited about it. I wish such films are encouraged by big production houses because it’ll provide at least some alternative to children. Today, the amount of violence which the children are exposed to in our films is unbelievable and we can’t do anything about it,” Nandita says and adds, “I have nothing against escapist cinema, but films these days have no connect with our lives.” Her debut film as a director, Firaaq won several awards at the national and international levels. However, she has had her share of problems to deal with. “It was quite challenging to direct a film like Firaaq, but I learnt a lot while making that film. As a director you have so much freedom to tell the stories you want to,” she says. So is she already planning to make her next film? “I wish I do,” she chuckles, adding, “my next film will most probably about the common people. Thanks to my experiences as a social activist, I have had the privilege of meeting several amazing people who have done a lot for the society. And each one of them have an unique story to tell.”

The glamour behind the glitz

Confessions

of a free

spirit Nandita Das has been a free spirit all her life and confesses that she’s happy with the choices she has made. During her recent visit to the city, she got talking about her films and life in general

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

B-TOWN TWEETIES

@NeilNMukesh Got news! My friend and super model/actor Bunty Garewal and wifey Carolina have become parents to a beautiful baby girl. GOD BLESS the family.

@bipsluvurself “Freedom isn’t worth having if it doesn’t include the freedom to make mistakes.” - Mahatma Gandhi.

@imarshadwarsi There r 7 films being shot in n around Delhi. It just shows how difficult the authorities have made it to shoot in Mumbai...

@SrBachchan T 673 - Many ask how I am doing .. I am repairing well and gradually, but it does take time, is all I can say... will persevere to hasten it.

@iamsrk Raindrops on my window pane... missing family. Happy wife & babies will be in london soon. The heart needs some warmth.

@AnupamPkher Have come to World Book Fair many times but never thought will be here as an Author one day. Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai. Jai Ho. :)

@DuttaLara As wonderful as it feels to drive through the studio gates again(taping show 4 husband), it tough leaving the little one at home! :-(

@priyankachopra Got some news!! Im off on a twitter vacation... Just for a bit..so for all bdays exams n Annivs..lotsa love..and remember ur truth makes u who u r... Love n hugs guys...

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Magic Screen

The glamour behind the glitz

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Chai Time

KAKURO

How to Play Kakuro Kakuro is a popular game similar to sudoku in some ways. But is also suitably different. The key question: “How do you play Kakuro?”, well here are the rules of kakuro. The answer: The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some cells will contain two numbers. However, in a crossword the numbers reference clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! They denote the total of the digits in the row or column referenced by the number. Within each collection of cells - called a run - any of the numbers 1 to 9 may be used but, like sudoku, each number may only be used once. Let’s have an example to explain this concept more clearly: In the image above, which shows a section of a kakuro puzzle, you will see the numbers ‘26’ and ‘14’ in the top row. Look at the 14. This means that the total of the three cells underneath must sum to 14. Therefore 9, 4, 1 could be the answer, or perhaps 7, 4, 3 and so on... So, how do you work out the actual combination? Well, this is done through elimination and cross-referencing. For instance, as you work out the answers for other kakuro clues, this will naturally limit the valid combinations, and hence the answer for this particular run. Note the second cell in row two - it contains two numbers, 30 and 11. The 30 refers to the vertical run underneath the number 30 and the 11 refers to the two cells to the right, horizontally, of the number 11.

SCRIBBLING PAD

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Take a shot at the brain game while sipping your cuppa

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Prepare for a boxing match 5 Delivery result 10 Places for props 14 "Major" animal 15 Bomber Gay 16 "The Last of the Mohicans" heroine 17 Spice girl that sang "Come On-A My House''? 20 "Green Acres" star Gabor 21 It's found in rinks and drinks 22 Estate lawyer's specialties 23 Cheese made from ewe's milk 25 Use a rudder 27 Spice girl that danced with Fred Astaire? 32 Autumn need 35 Kills, as a beast 36 Part of HOMES 37 Music to a matador's ears 38 Hero in Zaire, 1974 39 Well-placed serve 40 Cigarette substances 42 "It's ___ world ...'' (male chauvinist's claim) 44 Kind of collar 45 Neil Young classic about a spice girl? 48 Earthly pigment 49 One often found playing a round 53 Prepare apples, in a way 56 Meditation syllable for an electrician? 57 Pompeii fallout 58 Spice Gal called "Sir'' by Marcie 62 Bottom of the foot 63 From then on 64 Pipe part 65 Made a tax valuation (Abbr.) 66 Cornered in branches 67 Funeral fire DOWN 1 More likely 2 Brigham Young

University's home 3 Indian state 4 "Norma ___" (1979 movie) 5 Guidance signals 6 Concerning, in memos 7 Orbison who sang "Oh, Pretty Woman" 8 Pampering, for short 9 Bare-back blouses 10 Source of widespread devastation 11 Billions of years 12 Shipping weight allowance 13 "Simon ___" 18 Short skirt 19 Two-toned cookie 24 Mature, as cheese 25 Established water route 26 Making an effort 28 Alluring beauty (Var.) 29 "E'' in QED 30 Puerto ___

31 Observed 32 Military training program 33 Jai ___ (fast court game) 34 Tighten up type 41 Got nosy 42 Massachusetts college 43 See 31-Down 44 Right-angled building addition 46 Land measure 47 Cakewalk 50 Like some acids 51 Fragrant compound 52 Limerick characteristic 53 "___daisy!" (cry

SUDOKU

to a baby) 54 Ultramodernists 55 Pfc's superiors 56 Fairy tale starter 59 Bygone Russian space station 60 "Medic" ending 61 Venomous snake PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

THOUGHT OF THE DAY Painting is easy when you don't know how, but difficult when you do. – Edgar D

Chai Time STAR POWER

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Your tomorrow today̶Star Power and Tarot THIRUVAIKUMAR

As per Hindu panchang

FOR 6-3-2012

thiruvaikumar@yahoo.co.in 040-27177230 / 9177596118

TAURUS

GEMINI

Your career graph will be gradually pic‑ king up in multiple directions. Opportu‑ nities will be available to you in plenty. Happy events planned at home might get delayed. Express opinion cautiously.

Your focus will have a good concentra‑ tion and help you increase your income, multifold. Differences might arise betw‑ een family members, but get resolved soon. Some have chances to add assets.

Your hard work will pay rich dividends and get recognition. Friends and relatives will extend help. Students will excel in studies. Expected ﬁnancial help will come. Businessmen can earn higher proﬁts.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Financial position looks strong. Bitter experiences of past will disappear. You will be relieved of struggles that you faced. Maintain a soft approach with all. Mother's health is a cause of concern.

Biggest works also will be completed without much difﬁculty. You will keep receiving dues to you without much efforts. Expected help from paternal relatives will come through.

Those who are in search of a job will receive favourable reply. Artists will attain great success and their income is set to increase. Blood relatives might not extend support. Peace prevails.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Wanderings and health problem likely. Unexpected huge expenses on the cards; be prepared. Marriages will be settled for those who are in the process of ﬁnd‑ ing a match. Problems in family will go.

Family will remain in harmony and peace. Businessmen will keep up a steady growth and ﬁnancially a very comfortable position is seen. Artists will get new and promising opportunities.

Opportunities will knock at the door and itʼs your turn to make use of them properly. Enemies will disappear. Fresh graduates will get a permanent job with lucrative emoluments.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You will help others in need and feel happy about the same. Be adjustable with the family members and avoid misunderstanding. Businessmen will see a good growth in turnover and proﬁts.

Employees can expect promotion soon. Frequent travels to be undertaken; they will beneﬁt. Women will be responsible and take care of family wholeheartedly. Employeesʼ elevation and transfer likely.

Some have bright chances to buy a new house or land. You will fulﬁl commitme‑ nts made by you. But it is better to avo‑ id interfering in others' issues. You will feel cheerful and be successful.

SUMAA TEKUR

FOR 6-3-2012

tarotreadhyd@gmail.com

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Three of Wands – The wait is over. Finally, that project youʼve been eyeing is yours and things move at a rapid pace now. Youʼre conﬁdent of working on it successfully.

Five of Swords – Someone may try to put a spoke in the wheels to derail your plans. Donʼt get emo‑ tional about anything and donʼt let your guard down any time.

Eight of Wands – Youʼre feeling lucky because you get what you need at this point in time. Being at the right place at the right time brings immense amount of luck.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Two of Pentacles – Wo‑ rk‑life balance has gone off‑kilter. You need to work a little more to gain that balance back. Just stop working after ofﬁce hours and head home to family.

The Wheel of Fortune – What goes around comes around. Itʼs difﬁ‑ cult to live life wonder‑ ing what consequences your actions will have later. But you need to pay attention anyway.

Death – This is not the card of physical death. So donʼt worry. It means change, renewal and regener‑ ation. You will be forced to get used to a new environment.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

For Better or for Worse Stone soup

The Tower – There are changes happen‑ ing around you. The sooner you accept them, the better. Get rid of any self‑doubt as it will only get you down. Be conﬁdent.

The World – There are times when every‑ thing seems to be going right, and you have all that you need. Yet, you feel as though something is missing. Worry not.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

Two of Swords – Youʼre getting into desiring the extremes and that makes you get stuck in a rut. Make some compro‑ mises and toe the mid‑ dle path for a change.

Ten of Wands – Youʼre overburdened by someone elseʼs (and your own) expecta‑ tions. Release the pressure; think differ‑ ently; act conﬁdently and march ahead.

The Magician – Intuition is heightened. Youʼre at the right place at the right time and things move along pretty well. It might be a good time to ask for a raise.

PISCES

Page of Swords – Ga‑ uge the requirement in a particular situa‑ tion and act accord‑ ingly. Does it require you to be more intel‑ lectual or emotional? Go with the ﬂow.

SOLUTIONS

Boggle BANJO CELLO VIOLION MANDOLIN

Number game

Suduko

Scrabble

Ink pen

COMICS

Fred Basset

ARIES

TAROT READ

Vol: 1, No 232 RNI No: APENG/2011/39337 Published for the proprietors, Scribble Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, by V Harshavardhan Reddy, at #1246, Level 3, Jubilee Casa, Road No 62, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 500033 and printed by him at Jagati Publications Ltd, Plot No D-75&E-52, APIE Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Ranga Reddy Dist, Hyderabad – 500037, Editor: Dean Williams – Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. For feedback, please write to: feedback@postnoon.com and for subscription, please call 040-4067 2222, Fax: 040-4067 2211

Chai Time 1400 Naadi Aadajanme 1430 Pavitra 1500 Movie 1800 Kodala Kodala Koduku Pellama 1830 Vasantha Kokila 1900 Chinnari Pelli Kuturu 1930 Anna Chellelu 2000 Missamma 2030 Edureetha 2100 Bhale Chancele 2200 CID 2300 Challenge 0730 Maa Gramadevatalu 0800 Ayurvedam 0830 Chaganti Sanatana Dharmam 0900 Challenge 1100 CID

1400 Kannavaari Kalalu 1430 Maavichiguru 1500 Sumangali 1530 Movie 1800 Jai Shri Krishna 1830 Shraavani Subramaniam 1900 Mandhara 1930 Auto Bharthi 2000 Swathi 2030 Mogali Rekulu 2100 Aparanji 2130 Devatha 2200 Mamathala Kovela 2230 Heartlo Battery 2300 Gemini Vaarthalu 0800 Gemini Talkies 0830 Movie 1130 Aha Emi Ruchi 1200 Jeevitha Chakram 1230 Maa Inti Aada Paduchu 1300 Chittemmaa 1330 Gorintaku

1400 [V] Vignettes 1430 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1500 [V] Humse Hai Life 1530 [V] Trailers 1600 [V] Steal Ur Girlfriend 1700 [V] Zabardast Hits 1800 [V] Fresh Songs 1830 [V] Humse Hai Life 1900 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 1930 [V] Humse Hai Life 2000 [V] Steal Ur Girlfriend 2100 [V] Vignettes 2130 [V] Trailers 2155 [V] Fresh Songs 2200 [V] Nokia India Fest 2012 2300 [V] Humse Hai Life 2330 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance 0700 [V] Trailers 0730 [V] Zabardast Hits 0800 [V] Mind Blasting Mornings 1100 [V] Fresh Songs 1200 [V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance

‘[V] D3 Dil Dosti Dance’ at 1900 Hrs on CHANNEL [V]

1300 News Now At 1 1330 News Now 1800 6 Pm 1830 Live Report 1900 Primetime 1930 The Game 2000 News Now At 8 2030 Live Report 2100 The Newshour 2200 The Newshour - Plus 2230 E Now 2300 News Now At 11 0800 The Morning News 0900 News Now 1200 Live Report 1230 News Now

‘The Game’ at 1930 Hrs only on TIMES NOW

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

Telly sitcoms, news and movie listings

1400 Abhishekam 1430 Aadade Aadharam 1500 Antahpuram 1530 Aakasa Ganga 1600 Prema Mandiram 1630 Jagadeeswari 1700 Adurs 1800 Devimahathyam 1830 Puttadi Bomma 1900 Kumkuma Rekha 1930 Manasu Mamata 2000 Chandra Mukhi 2030 Bharyamani 2100 Etv News 2130 Paduta Teeyaga 2245 Movie 0800 Jeevana Jyothi 0830 Tollywood Time 0900 Movie 1130 Abhiruchi 1230 Star Mahila

1400 Nagani 1430 Movie 1800 Meera 1830 Kalavari Kodallu 1900 Chinna Kodalu 1930 Pasupu Kunkuma 2000 Muddu Bidda 2030 Radha Kalyanam 2100 Kanyadanam 2130 Comedy Club 2230 Shree 2300 Bindas 2330 Latest Songs 0800 Gopuram 0830 Bhakti Samacharam 0900 Sri Raghavendra Vybhavam 0930 Mahadevi 1000 Bindass 1030 Luckku Kickku 1130 Jeevana Vignanam 1200 Mee Inti Vanta

‘Business Tonight’ at 2100 Hrs only on ET NOW 1400 The F And O Show 1430 Closing Trades 1530 Tomorrow's Trades 1600 Business Day 1730 Markets Tomorrow 1800 Rush Hour 1900 Global Business Report 1930 Business Express 2000 Business First 2030 Markets Tomorrow 2100 Business Tonight 2200 Top 10 At 10 2230 Investor's Guide 2300 Zigwheels 0900 First Trades 1000 Hot Stocks 1100 Buy Now Sell Now - The Stock Game 1130 Buy Now Sell Now 1200 Market Sense 1300 Business Day 1330 Markets Now

‘Deception With Keith Barry’ at 2100 Hrs on DISCOVERY 1400 Human Body 1500 My Naked Secret 1600 Swamp Brothers 1630 Factory Made 1700 Rhodes Across India 1800 Wild Discovery 1900 I Almost Got Away With It? 2000 Food Detectives 2030 Massive Engines With Chris Barrie 2100 Deception With Keith Barry 2200 Dual Survival 2300 Tattoo Hunter

1300 Movie - Zodiac 1605 The Challenger Muaythai 1700 Breaking The Magician's Code - Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed 1800 Chuck 1900 Wipeout 2000 Supernatural 2100 Minute To Win It 2200 Fear Factor 2300 Top 20 Countdown 0730 Sky Teleshopping 0830 Infomercial/30 Min 0900 Sky Teleshopping 0930 Whacked Out Sports 1000 Dating In The Dark 1100 Minute To Win It 1200 Got To Dance 1310 Movie - Hotel For Dogs

‘Hotel For Dogs’ at 1310 Hrs on AXN

‘Haar Jeet’ at 1900 Hrs on IMAGINE 1400 Haar Jeet 1430 Jamuna Paar 1500 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 1600 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1630 Jamuna Paar 1700 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1730 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 1800 Jamuna Paar 1830 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 1900 Haar Jeet 1930 Gyaan Guru 2000 Dwarkadheesh - Bhagwan Shri Krishn 2030 Sawaare Sabke Sapne – Preeto 2100 Jamuna Paar 2130 Mi Aaji Aur Saheb 2200 Baba Aisa Varr Dhoondo 2230 Haar Jeet 2300 Jamuna Paar

1400 Parichay 1430 Balika Vadhu 1500 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1530 Uttaran 1630 Parichay 1700 Sasural Simar Ka 1730 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 1800 Uttaran 1830 Balika Vadhu 1900 Hawan 1930 Sasural Simar Ka 2000 Balika Vadhu 2030 Veer Shivaji 2100 Phulwa 2130 Parichay - Nayee Zindagi Kay Sapno Ka 2200 Uttaran 2230 Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2300 Na Aana Is Des Laado

‘Hawan’ at 1900 Hrs on COLORS

‘Y M G G K’ at 2030 Hrs on ZEE TV 1400 Hitler Didi 1430 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1500 Afsar Bitiya 1530 Chhoti Bahu 2 1600 Pavitra Rishta 1630 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 1800 Hitler Didi 1830 Punarvivah 1900 Afsar Bitiya 1930 Chhoti Bahu 2 2000 Hitler Didi 2030 Yahaaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 2100 Pavitra Rishta 2130 Ram Milaye Jodi 2200 Mrs. Kaushik Ki Paanch Bahuein 2230 Punarvivah 2300 Afsar Bitiya 1000 Chhoti Bahu 2

1400 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1430 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1500 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 1530 Crime Patrol - 4 1730 Crime Patrol - 3 1800 Saas Bina Sasuraal 1830 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 1900 Crime Patrol - 2 1930 Shubh Vivah 2000 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2030 Dekha Ek Khwaab 2100 Saas Bina Sasuraal 2130 Parvarrish - Kuchh Khatti Kuchh Meethi 2200 Kyaa Hua Tera Vaada 2230 Bade Achhe Lagte Hai 2300 Kuch Toh Log Kahenge 2330 Crime Patrol - Dastak 0900 Kahani Comedy Circus Ki 1030 CID 1200 Shubh Vivah 1230 Dekha Ek Khwaab

‘Bade Achhe Lagte Hai’ at 2230 Hrs on SONY

‘Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?’ at 2300 Hrs on STAR PLUS 1400 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 1430 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 1500 Navya 1600 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 1630 Sasuraal Genda Phool 1700 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1730 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 1800 Navya 1830 Ruk Jana Nahin 1900 Saath Nibhaana Saathiya 1930 Sasuraal Genda Phool 2000 Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon 2030 Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behnaa Hai 2100 Diya Aur Bati Hum 2130 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 2200 Sajda Tere Pyaar Mein 2230 Mann Ki Awaaz… Pratigya 2300 Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak?

MOVIES OF THE DAY AND OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

1210 The Devil's Advocate 1445 Blade 1645 Demolition Man 1900 Outsourced 2100 Batman Forever 2325 Get Smart 0800 Dark City 0955 The Devil's Advocate 1225 Outsourced 1420 The Matrix Revolutions

1335 Superman Returns 1650 The Losers 1855 Bangkok Dangerous 2100 Devil 2245 Cop Out 0715 Enid 0930 Changing Lanes 1130 The Spy Who Loved Me 1415 Transporter 3

1400 My Kitchen Rules 1500 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 1530 America's Funniest Home Videos 1600 My Wife And Kids 1630 The Big Bang Theory 1700 Rookie Blue 1800 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 1900 Outsourced 1930 The Big Bang Theory 2000 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 2030 America's Funniest Home Videos 2100 My Kitchen Rules 2200 Rookie Blue 2300 Outsourced 2330 My Wife And Kids 0900 America's Funniest Home Videos 1000 Outsourced 1030 My Wife And Kids 1100 My Kitchen Rules 1200 Rookie Blue

‘Outsourced’ at 2300 Hrs on ZEE CAFE

Yeh Rishta Kya Balika Vadhu Kehlata Hai Storyline - While Holi celeStoryline - The Singhania family feels that Rashmi and Naitik are immature to think of divorce, and their issues can be sorted out. However Naitik supports Rashmi. ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’ at 2130 Hrs on STAR PLUS

‘Two And A Half Men’ at 2000 Hrs on STAR WORLD 1400 Supernatural 1500 The River 1600 The Big Bang Theory 1630 The Simpsons 1700 The Shield 1800 Supernatural 1900 Desperate Housewives 2000 Two And A Half Men 2030 The Simpsons 2100 Supernatural 2200 Dexter 2300 The Big Bang Theory 2330 Two And A Half Men 0700 Dexter 0800 Las Vegas 0900 Pan Am 1000 Dexter 1100 Desperate Housewives 1200 Two And A Half Men 1230 The Simpsons 1300 The Big Bang Theory 1330 Friends

brations are on full swing, Jagya comes home to meet Badi jiji. Jagya and Anandi are playing holi with each other just to make Badi jiji happy. ‘Balika Vadhu’ at 2000 Hrs on COLORS

1430 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1500 Lapataganj 1530 F.I.R 1600 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1630 I Luv My India 1700 Gutur Gu 1730 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 1900 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 1930 Lapataganj 2000 I Luv My India 2030 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2100 Chidiyaghar 2130 R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya 2200 Lapataganj 2230 F.I.R 2300 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 2330 Chidiyaghar 0900 Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 0945 Gutur Gu 1030 I Luv My India 1100 F.I.R 1130 Chidiyaghar

‘R.K. Laxman Ki Duniya’ at 2130 Hrs on SAB

‘Batman Forever’ at 2100 Hrs on WB

‘Planet Bollywood News’ at 1900 Hrs on ZOOM 1230 Silver Screen 1600 Letz Go! 1700 Business Of Bollywood 1730 Star Bonanza 1800 Letz Go! 1900 Planet Bollywood News 1930 Link'd 2000 Telly Talk 2030 Letz Go! 2100 Style Strip 2130 Link'd 2200 B - Tonite 2230 Business Of Bollywood 2300 Bollywood Bonanza 0700 Fresh Mornings 0800 Red Carpet 0805 Fresh Mornings 1100 Your Likes 1200 Planet Bollywood News 1230 Silver Screen

1430 How It's Made 1500 The New Inventors 1530 Discovery Science Classics 1630 Ufo 1730 Frontline Battle Machines With Mike Brewer 1930 Junkyard Wars 2030 Heavy Metal Taskforce 2130 Sports Science 2230 Weapon Masters 2330 Everything You Need To Know About 1030 Ufo 1130 How It's Made 1200 Dean Of Invention 1330 Junkyard Wars

‘Sports Science’ at 2130 Hrs on DISCOVERY SCIENCE

‘Survivor’ at 2300 Hrs on BIG CBS PRIME 1400 Frasier 1430 Jerry Springer 1530 Aspire 1600 Galileo Extreme 1700 Survivor 1800 Entertainment Tonight 1830 Galileo Extreme 1930 Frasier 2000 Entertainment Tonight 2030 Galileo Extreme 2100 Hawaii 5.0 2200 Jerry Springer 2300 Survivor 0700 Big Wheels 0730 Aspire 0830 Galileo Extreme 0900 Survivor 1000 Bellator 1100 Jerry Springer 1200 Aspire 1230 Entertainment Tonight 1300 Galileo Extreme

Playing Field

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

The games people play

Rory roars to number 1 spot

PALM BEACH GARDENS: Rory McIlroy (pictured) won the US PGA Tour’s Honda Classic on Sunday, holding off a hard-charging Tiger Woods to claim golf’s world number one ranking. Northern Ireland’s McIlroy carded a one-under par 69 for 12-under 268, keeping his nerve after Woods — who started the day nine adrift — surged to the clubhouse lead with an eight-under par 62 that eventually left the 14-time major champion tied for second place with Tom Gillis on 10-under 270. Woods, the former world number one who hasn’t won a tour level event in more than two years, delivered the lowest final round of his career, firing two eagles and four birdies without a bogey to put the heat on McIlroy. His birdie-eagle finish briefly moved him within one shot of McIlroy, who promptly responded with the second of his two birdies by sinking an eight-footer at the 13th hole. McIlroy made a series of clutch par saves, and with a two-shot lead at the 18th tee laid up for a textbook par at the par-five finishing hole. The victory that will see him supplant England’s Luke Donald at the top when the new rankings are announced. At 22 years old, McIlroy became the second-youngest player, behind Woods, to claim the number one

ranking. Woods was 21 when he first reached number one, after the 1997 US Open. “It was tough today, especially seeing Tiger make a charge,” McIlroy said. “I knew par golf would probably be good enough today, that’s what I was trying to do... I was just able to get the job done.” Woods was in sole possession of second place until Gillis, a journeyman who began the round tied for second two shots back, birdied the final hole to join him on 270. McIlroy earned the fifth official victory of his career. Three of those are US PGA Tour victories, including his record-setting US Open triumph at Congressional last year. Two others came on the European Tour. Since the PGA Championship last August McIlroy has finished outside the top five just once, when he was ill at the Dubai World Championship in December. He had to call on all his reserves this time. At the 14th, McIlroy fired a wedge out of deep rough to leave himself a four-footer for par. At the par-three 15th he had to blast out of a bunker toward the water, rolling it to six feet and making that for par. He got up and down for par from a bunker at the par-three 17th. “My short game all week has been very good, and it’s what you

need on a tough golf course like this,” said McIlroy, who hugged his father, Gerry, as he walked off the 18th green. His parents are staying with him in Florida through the Masters in April, when McIlroy figures to be among the contenders in the first major of 2012. Woods, chasing Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major titles, could well be among those contenders also if he maintains the form he showed Sunday. After an eagle and two birdies on the front nine, Woods birdied the par-four 11th. He rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt at 17 then belted his tee shot at 18 to leave himself a five-iron into the green. He stuck it eight feet from the pin and made it, drawing a roar from the gallery. Woods’s total of 270 was his lowest 72-hole total since a 265 at the 2009 BMW Championship — his last US PGA Tour victory. Later that year he was embroiled in a sex scandal that eventually led to his divorce. His return to form since then has been slowed by injury and his struggles with a retooled swing. “To me, it was the old Tiger back, the guy that I remember,” said South African Ernie Els, who played with Woods. “He never missed a shot or made a bad swing.”

Ireland end French grand slam hopes Pirate Irwin

PARIS: Ireland ended French hopes of the Six Nations Grand Slam on Sunday as they fought off a fierce France second-half comeback to draw 17-17. Two tries by Tommy Bowe — taking his tally to five for the tournament — and seven points from Jonathan Sexton with Morgan Parra kicking two penalties gave the Irish a 17-6 half-time lead. However, a try by Wesley Fofana — making it three in three matches — and two more penalties by Parra levelled the game and denied the Irish their first win here since 2000 and only third in 30 years. “To be ahead at half-time and then get that result is disappointing,” said Ireland captain Paul O’Connell. “It is frustrating not to win. We played good rugby in the first

half but in the second half there were a few penalties that I would like to have a look at. This was a great opportunity to win — we didn’t take it.”

Ireland coach Declan Kidney praised his team’s efforts. “We have been in two close matches now, the boys put in a huge effort,” he said.

“We said at half-time that we needed to be true to ourselves and don’t try and do anything magical. These games are decided by tight margins.” Fofana was shattered at the seeing his team’s Grand Slam dream ended. “It’s great to score another try but it’s frustrating to end up with a draw which ends our Grand Slam hopes,” he said. Sexton was presented with a great chance to give the Irish the lead in the seventh minute but the Leinster fly-half completely fluffed the attempt in front of the posts. However, the Irish did break the deadlock shortly before the quarter-of-an-hour mark as Bowe intercepted Aurelien Rougerie’s long pass out to Clement Poitrenaud and ran in to touch down under the posts — Sexton made no mistake this

time to make it 7-0. The French took their time to break into Irish territory but when they did they carved out a good opening which was only stopped as Conor Murray went offside but Parra stepped up to kick the resulting penalty. However, the French were promptly penalised down their end and Sexton slotted it over to restore the seven point gap. Parra, though, quickly reduced it as the Clermont star converted a penalty from just inside the Irish half — the ball creeping over the bar and to add insult to injury hitting an unsuspecting Bowe on the head. Parra missed with another opportunity in the 35th minute aftar Cian Healy became the butt of the French fans frustration when coming back from an offside position he blocked what could well have been a try-scoring pass from Rougerie to Vincent Clerc. The Irish then fashioned a try out of nothing just before the break.

Playing Field

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

The games people play

Clarke slams bowling performance Andrew Dent

BRISBANE: Australian skipper Michael Clarke (right) berated his much-vaunted bowling attack as not good enough ahead of the second one-day international final against Sri Lanka in Adelaide. Australia beat Sri Lanka by just 15 runs in the first of the best-of-three finals series on Sunday in Brisbane despite setting 322 for victory, and Clarke

admitted his team’s bowling had been disappointing. “A win is a win, but we have a lot of work to do with our power play and death bowling,” a frustrated Clarke said after the match. “It hasn’t been good enough all series. It continues to let us down. We are the number one one-day team and we have to be better than that.” The tourists came close and only some tight bowling by Shane Watson in the final overs

denied the Sri Lankans an unlikely victory. “Hopefully that [scare] allows us to understand that we have to be better than that,” Clarke said. Clarke will be sweating on the fitness of opener David Warner, who suffered a groin injury during his magnificent 163 on Sunday. Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene also has had to deal with a raft of injury problems in his squad.

Rondo shows Knicks that Celtic spirit BOSTON: Rajon Rondo (right #9) delivered a mammoth “triple-double” to lead the Celtics to a 115-111 overtime victory over New York Sunday, spoiling Knicks guard Jeremy Lin’s return to Boston. Rondo poured in 18 points with a career-high 17 rebounds and 20 assists. It was the most impressive “triple-double” in the league since Magic Johnson’s 24-17-17 in 1989. Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 34 points, including a three-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation to force overtime, and Kevin Garnett had a “double-double” of 18 points and 10 rebounds. NBA sensation Lin -- a onetime bench-warmer who shot to prominence last month -had 14 points with five assists and four rebounds for the Knicks, who were led by Carmelo Anthony’s 25 points. Lin, who graduated from Harvard University in the Boston area and attended several Celtics games as a student, had hoped for more on his return. His last game at Boston, on February 3, preceded his February 4 break-out performance against New Jersey and the dawn of the “Linsanity” hoopla that gripped New York media and Knicks fans. The fact that Lin is AsianAmerican, born in California to

parents who moved from Taiwan, made him an international favorite as well and there were pockets of Lin supporters scattered among the Celtics faithful on Sunday. Lin’s Harvard coach -- and the university president -attended the game. Two quick fouls hindered Lin early, but in the fourth quarter he flashed the skills that have sparked the Knicks as New York tried to claw back. Lin connected on a layup off a loose ball and drained a wideopen three-pointer to narrow the gap to 96-95 with 2:07 left in the fourth. He scored six straight points late in the last period of regulation, but he also had six turnovers in his 31 total minutes. “The thing about Jeremy, he’s going to make some mistakes, and he’s got a learning curve,” said Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni. “There’s no way you can throw him in here, the first time he ever does it, and expect it to be perfect. But he finds a way to be very positive at the end of games.” The Celtics paid special attention to Lin. Like Miami a fortnight earlier, they didn’t want the rising star to beat them. “Definitely a target,” Lin said. “But I think that’s fine.”

Whatmore appointed Pak coach Shahid Hashmi

LAHORE: Former Australian batsman Dav Whatmore has been appointed Pakistan’s head coach for two years replacing Mohsin Khan who was serving on an interim basis, officials said Sunday. The 57-year-old coached Sri Lanka to the World Cup title in 1996 and also helped Bangladesh reach the second round in the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean. He will start his tenure with next week’s Asia Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh. “We have appointed Whatmore as the new coach of the Pakistan team for the next two years,” Pakistan Cricket Borad (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf told reporters. “We feel that a foreign coach can best exploit the talent available in Pakistan cricket.” Pakistan is known as a talented side that lacks consistency. They whitewashed world number one team England in three Tests but went down 4-0 in oneday matches and 2-1 in the Twenty20 series last month. Whatmore said he was looking forward to the challenge. “We will do our best to produce the best results with our available talent and I am confident of good results. I know this Pakistan team has talent but we have to deal with the inconsistency problem,” he said. Former England county player Julian Fountain will take over as fielding coach, one of the weakest areas of Pakistan’s game.

Playing Field

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

The games people play

Mourinho may halt decline and fall of Roman empire Steve Griffiths

LONDON, March 5, 2012 (AFP) — Roman Abramovich could be set to make his peace with Jose Mourinho after the former Chelsea boss was installed among the favourites to take charge at Stamford Bridge next season following Andre Villas-Boas’s dismissal. Abramovich axed Villas-Boas on Sunday less than 24 hours after a 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion left the Blues languishing in fifth place in the Premier League. Former Chelsea midfielder Roberto Di Matteo, who had been working as Villas-Boas’s assistant, has been named as interim manager until the end of the season. Di Matteo will hope to avoid an embarrassing FA Cup fifth round replay exit against Championship club Birmingham when his side travel to St Andrews’ for his first match in charge on Tuesday. After that the Italian will focus on lifting Chelsea back into the top

four — thus securing a place in next season’s Champions League — and maybe even overturn the 31 first leg deficit against Napoli in the last 16 of the Champions League. But the real intrigue at Chelsea now surrounds Abramovich’s search for an eighth manager in his eight years as owner of the west London club.

Since buying Chelsea in 2003, Abramovich has dismissed Claudio Ranieri, Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Carlo Ancelotti and now Villas-Boas. Matching Abramovich’s demand for success with style increasingly seems like an impossible job, but the only man who has come close to achieving that daunting task seems likely to be

back on the market for a club by the end of the season. Real Madrid boss Mourinho has led his club to the top of La Liga despite fierce competition from Barcelona. Yet Mourinho feels unloved in Spain after troubled relationships with some of the club’s power-brokers and the media. He is still in contact via text

AVB was always on a hiding to nothing: Ferguson LONDON: Sir Alex Ferguson believes Andre Villas-Boas was always on a hiding to nothing at Chelsea after the Blues boss was sacked just eight months into his reign. Villas-Boas was axed less than 24 hours after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion following several weeks of speculation about his future. The former Porto boss only took charge at Chelsea in June last year but endured a miser-

able time, in large part due to a stormy relationship with the club’s leading players. Manchester United boss Ferguson, who enjoyed the support of his board through several trophy-less seasons at the start of his Old Trafford reign, hinted Villas-Boas was always likely to struggle at Chelsea, given his lack of experience and the demanding nature of owner Roman Abramovich. “The lad’s been under pres-

sure but what you need in this job is time,” Ferguson was quoted as saying on the BBC’s website. “His record at Porto shows he has got potential. But Chelsea was a big ask.” However, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said that some of Chelsea’s senior stars should apologise to Villas-Boas for failing to back his overhaul of the team’s style and playing staff.

with key figures at Chelsea and remains well loved at Stamford Bridge by players and fans alike. To add grist to the rumour mill, Mourinho was spotted on a very public trip to London last week to buy a new home in the English capital. Sources close to the Portuguese claim he is ready to return to England and it is said he is now on better terms with Abramovich after the rather bitter nature of his exit from Chelsea in September 2007. Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, currently out of work after leaving Inter Milan, was installed as 5/4 favourite with William Hill to become the next permanent Chelsea manager, but it is Mourinho — the 3/1 second favourite — who looks the best bet. Another contender is Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, who has a rolling one-year contract with the Spanish champions and maybe ready for a new challenge after so much success at the Nou Camp. Swapping the harmonious atmosphere and breath-taking football at Barcelona for the notoriously difficult dressing room at Stamford Bridge may seem to some an uninspiring move, but Guardiola has yet to put pen to paper on a deal for next season. Fabio Capello, who quit as England coach recently, has also been named among the leading candidates, while Everton boss David Moyes, Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers and former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet. Abramovich appeared prepared to be more patient with the 34-year-old than previous bosses. The Russian seemingly recognised the difficulties in overhauling the squad, but he opted to make yet another change with the club’s European ambitions in danger.

Playing Field

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012

The games people play

Fergie’s date with destiny Ian Winrow

LONDON: Sir Alex Ferguson believes the destiny of the Premier League title race will be decided by the outcome of Manchester United’s trip to face current leaders Manchester City at Eastlands on April 30. United manager Ferguson is convinced his side took a major step toward retaining the English crown with the hard-fought 3-1 victory at Tottenham on Sunday. The champions were outplayed for long periods but capitalised on two defensive errors by Spurs before Ashley Young capped victory with his second goal of the game. Ferguson admitted his side rode their luck, but believes the form shown by United since the turn of the year confirms they are stepping up the pressure on City, who currently sit two points clear at the head of the table. “We have had all the big teams since January including City and Liverpool in the FA Cup,” Ferguson said. “We have come through that and credit to the players. They have played well in most of the games. Today was a bit disappointing but the one thing we did do was show the determination to get the result. “We have had it in the past. No question we have come from certain games knowing we have had a bit of luck. “But Tottenham are a very good side and this is only their second defeat at home since the start of the season. Every game they play 58 per cent possession that’s a big, big percentage, that. “It was a massive result and a massive performance by our defenders.” United face City at the end of

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (2ndL) runs with the ball chased by Tottenham Hotspurs’ Jake Livermore (L) during the Premiership football match at White Hart Lane Park in London on March 4, 2012. Manchester United won the game 3-1. AFP/ADRIAN DENNIS April for their third last league game and Ferguson said: “I think it will be (the title decider), yeah. “It is difficult to say because things can happen. You can drop points. You can drop surprise points. I think that will happen. I think both teams will drop points. But the important thing is not to drop as many as you opponents. “We have the experience. We won’t get nervous. The battling performance we did today against a very, very good team tells you that we are well up for it.” Wayne Rooney put United ahead against the run of play just before half time before Young

struck in the 60th and 69th minutes to wrap up the points. Jermain Defoe produced an 87th minute reply but it was too late to affect the outcome. Back to back defeats have left Tottenham sitting in third place, just four points ahead of Arsenal, who lie fourth, but manager Harry Redknapp remains convinced his side will hold onto their position. “It’s going to be tight for the top four but I’d still rather be where we are than where Arsenal are,” Redknapp said. “They’re four points behind us and we’re going for third. I’d be

Real juggernaut rumbles on Dermot Ledwith

MADRID: Real Madrid crushed Espanyol 5-0 on Sunday to record a 10th straight league victory and restore their 10-point advantage over Barcelona at the top of La Liga. Two goals from Gonzalo Higuain, and one each from Cristiano Ronaldo, Sami Khedira, and Kaka gave Real victory after Barcelona had reduced the gap to seven points with a battling 3-1 victory over Sporting Gijon on Saturday. Madrid were dominant throughout and their quick passing and counter-

attacking play, together with world-class finishing, was too much for a disappointing Espanyol side. Valencia beat Granada 1-0 away from home thanks to a Sofiane Feghouli goal that strengthened their hold on third position. Markel Susaeta scored a goal in both halves for Athletic to move them level with Malaga on 37 points, two ahead of Levante who welcome Real Betis on Monday. Bottom club Zaragoza came from behind to beat Villarreal 2-1 at home with goals in the last five minutes.

disappointed if we finished fourth. I’d be more disappointed if we finished fifth.” Redknapp insisted he was satisfied with his side’s response to the 5-2 defeat at Arsenal the previous week. “I had a meeting with the players on Friday when they came back from international duty and said they’ve been a credit all season,” he added. “We’ve had one bad performance really, apart from the first two games of the season when it was not the team I wanted to field. “After that we have been on an incredible run of winning games

and turning in great performances. “We had a blip last week against Arsenal but I said I was proud of that they have done and want them to continue that. I felt we did that but needed a break.” Redknapp also denied the speculation linking him with the England job had affected Tottenham’s form. “You can’t say the focus has been lost,” he said. “I’m completely focused on this team and getting results here. “The players know that as well. I don’t have days off. I work all week for Tottenham.”