CWG Joint Director General T S Darbari Mark Him as Scapegoat

T S Darbari, the CWG Joint Director General who was sacked in the wake of the corruption scandals, today sought to clear his name of any wrongdoing by saying that he was not involved in any of the dealings with A M Films and was being made a "scapegoat". "My role in the London QBR launch was ceremonial.

It had nothing to do with any negotiation of shortlisting of vendors or financial transaction or imbursement or recommendation of advance", he said. "This is a tragedy the way things has been projected.

Whatever has happened, it is unfortunate. I''m unnecessary being targetted and being made a scapegoat," he said.

Asked if he received a letter from A M Films dated August 22, 2009, an angry Darbari said, "If there is any letter send it to me, it should have my signature. If someone is concocting any letter it is his problem not mine.

" "I have already clarified that I am not a party to any contract, never I was a recommending person. There was a committee constituted for this purpose, which has recommended and competent authority has approaved it," he said.

Darbari further said that neither can he deny nor can he confirm the authencity of Raju Sebastian''s letter. "I can''t deny or confirm the authenticity of the letter since neither I was an addresser nor I was the addressee," he said.

Asked if Suresh Kalmadi was aware of the deal, Darbari said, "I do not know who was in the knowhow. I just know that Darbari was not in the knowhow.

I never knew Ashish Patel and I don''t want to have a discussion about a third person. I have to safeguard my self respect and I know I am not a party to anything.

" The e-mail, sent by an IHC protocol official Raju Sebastian, recommending various service providers for the London launch of the Queen''s Baton Relay stirred a hornest''s nest after Ministry of External Affairs declared that the mail could have been "doctored". The e-mail was made public by CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi to justify payments to a little-known UK-firm -- AM Films -- for its "services" during the event, which was also attended by President Pratibha Patil and British Queen Elizabeth II. The mail was originally sent to OC Director Raj Singh and later forwarded to suspended Deputy Director General Sanjay Mohindroo, who in turn sent it to Darbari.

However, Darbari, in his letter to probe panel head and Organising Committee CEO Jarnail Singh claimed he had nothing to do with the mail as he neither received it first-hand nor sent it to anybody else. Even Raj Singh also said he won''t be able to say whether the mail recommending A M Films is authentic or not.

Mohindroo, on his part, said he doesn''t want to comment till the investigation is over. "I wouldn''t want to make any comment as investigation is still on, he said.

Mumbai Oil Spill & It's Impact To Environment

NDTV travelled to Uran in Raigad district to find out the impact of the oil spill off the coast of Mumbai, and the situation is scary.

MSC Chitra

A snake which came in from the sea was covered in oil and chemicals and was struggling. Neither could it go back into the sea as it is filled with oil, nor could it remain in the open in the baking sun. The oil spill has turned deadly. And it's not just this one snake.

 "Our fishing nets in the sea are all covered with oil. Naturally no one is willing to buy such fish," said a concerned fisherman.

The marine life here is contaminated. This has been confirmed by initial reports carried out by the state government.

"Tests on some fish have been done. Some contamination has been detected," said Ashok Chavan, Chief Minister, Maharashtra.

The oil slick has even entered the sensitive mangrove belt. While the government is working towards a swift clean up, environmentalists fear it may be too late.

"My fear is that the oil slick will enter the mangroves and mudflats and once that happens we can't do anything to clean it up. Moreover I don't think India has the technology or the intent," said Bittu Sehgal, an environmentalist.

"Removing oil from the sea, the entire thing will take 45 days. Comprehensive detailed investigation on damage on mangrove forest will be done by Maharashtra Pollution Board," said the Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh.

And while the leak may have been plugged, going by the extent to which the slick has spread, it will be a while before the villagers can return to the seas for their livelihood.

Courtesy to : NDTV.com

The Giant Clock of Mecca Will Be Tested Before Ramadan

The Giant Clock of Mecca

Saudi Arabia will test what it is billing as the world's largest clock in the holy city of Mecca during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the official news agency reported Tuesday.

The four-faced clock tower will top a massive skyscraper that when completed will be around 1,970 feet (600 meters) tall, the second tallest in the world after Dubai's Burj Khalifa.

The clock will dwarf London's Big Ben, once the largest four-faced clock in the world, with dials more than five times greater in area.

The around 130 foot (40 meter) diameter Saudi clock dials are also bigger than the current world champion at the Cevahir Mall clock in Istanbul, which has a 36 meter face set in the transparent roof of the shopping complex.

The complex overlooks Mecca's famed Grand Mosque, which Muslims worldwide face during their five daily prayers and is part of Saudi efforts to develop the city visited by millions of pilgrims every year.

A three-month test run for the clock will start during the first week of Ramadan — the monthlong period of prayer, reflection and sunrise-to-sunset fasting, the report said. This year, Ramadan will begin Wednesday.

Only one of the clock's four faces has so far been completed and is covered with 98 million pieces of glass mosaics.

Each face will be inscribed with "God is greatest" in Arabic and fitted with thousands of colored lights. The clock will be visible from more than 16 miles (25 kilometers).

An observatory deck is planned at the base of the clock.

A huge golden crescent moon, 75 feet (23 meters) in diameter, will eventually rise above the clock on a 200 foot (61 meter) spire, from which some 15 beams will shoot up into the sky, the agency added. The entire clock, from the base up to the crescent, itself will be 820 feet (251 meters) high.

German and Swiss engineers designed the clock and according to the Ministry of Religious Endowments, the entire project will cost $800 million.

The seven tower complex is being built by developer Saudi Binladen Group, the press agency reported.

TGIYB’s Explicit Scene Leaked

Anurag Kashyap directorial project That Girl in Yellow Boots, may have won several accolades after being screened at the world premiere of the Venice International Film Festival and the North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, but he may have reason to worry now.

A few very explicit scenes of the film have been leaked on the Internet.

That Girl in Yellow Boots is co-scripted by Kalki Koechlin and boyfriend Anurag Kashyap. It is a thriller tracing Kalki’s search for her father, a man she hardly knew but cannot forget. Desperation drives her to work without a permit, at a massage parlour.

Three scenes that span five minutes of the film have been leaked online.

They have explicit, bold dialogues and some sexual scenes as well. It’s possible that the scenes leaked out post the screening of the film at the festivals.

But keeping Anurag’s natural proclivity to problematic content in mind, we should hope the news would not make him too uncomfortable. Will a private screening in your office help, Anurag?

Disaster Land Leh Coming Back in Life

As rescue and relief efforts continued for the fourth day in Leh, the death toll climbed to 165, with about 200 people, includes two French nationals, still remaining missing. Of the 165 people, 121 have been identified so far. The army has got in sniffer dogs by Indian Air Force aircraft to look for more bodies, besides using heavy-duty bulldozers and earthmovers.

At about 1.30 am on August 6, Leh in Ladakh experienced a cloudburst that triggered torrential rains, flash floods and mudslide in the region.

The survivors have been shifted to a medical camp set up at a nearby village above Chuglumsar village – where the mudslide hit first.

After days of despair, there was, however, some good news for the Leh residents. The government promised to restore the communication link soon as the IAF brought in BSNL equipment.

The BSNL network became non-functional, as the telecom equipment and towers were washed away in the flash flood.

The government also promised to restore the Leh-Manali highway in three days. But reopening of the Leh-Srinagar highway, according to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, might take seven to 10 days.

Abdullah also visited Leh for the second time after the calamity.

The highway which got swept away by flash floods is one of the two road links between the 'cold desert' and other parts of the country.