In letter to PM Anna doubts govt's will on Lokpal Bill

New Delhi: Anna Hazare on Saturday wrote a fresh letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying doubts have arisen over whether Lokpal Bill will be passed by December 23 when Parliament session gets over and threatened to go ahead with his proposed fast and 'jail bharo' agitation. In a four-page letter, he alleged that the government's behaviour was "not at all right" and asked why Singh changed his stand on Citizens' Charter despite giving a written assurance that it will be part of the Lokpal bill.

He said in the past few months, Singh was giving him assurances through letters that a strong Lokpal Bill will be passed in the Winter Session of Parliament. Hazare said in the last one year, the government has given a lot of assurances on Lokpal Bill but every time they have betrayed the countrymen.
"We suspended all our agitations till Winter Session taking your word on face value. Reports published in media now says that the Winter Session will end on December 23. Will the Lokpal Bill be passed by then. We have doubts on this," he said. "Despite your promises, if a strong, independent and effective bill is not passed in the session, I will be forced to sit on a fast from December 27. Jail Bharo agitation will start from December 30," he said.
Demanding bringing CBI'a anti-corruption wing under Lokpal and make it its investigative agency, he said it appeared that no government wants to give away the control over CBI for political reasons. "Does it mean that Lokpal will not have an investigative agency. Without an investigative agency what will it do? Then it is better that we don't need a Lokpal," he said alleging irrespective of Congress or BJP, CBI was misused.

Hazare said he was surprised to see the Union Cabinet clearing a separate Citizens' Charter on December 13 when Parliament has already passed a resolution in which it is clearly mentioned that it will be under Lokpal. "You (Singh) yourself have written to me and now why are you changing your stand and say that it will be sent to the Standing Committee. That will take another four months. Don't you think that people are being cheated and cheated," Hazare said.
The activist also pointed out the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations on appointment of search and selection committee for Lokpal were fraught with deficiencies as politicians play a major role in it. Hazare alleged that Parliamentary Standing Committee chairman Abhishek Manu Singhvi insulted Parliament by not taking into cognisance the resolution passed by the House.
"Out of the three issues -- inclusion of lower bureaucracy, Citizens' Charter and state Lokayuktas, two of them have not been accepted. If a Standing Committee Chairman ignores Parliament's resolution, what is the future of our democracy," Hazare said in the letter. "The Standing Committee report (on Lokpal) is a betrayal of the countrymen," he said.
 

 

Source: www.in.msn.com

Have fun with furniture

Creativity knows no bounds for New York-based product designer Karim Rashid. A prolific designer, his out-of-the-box furniture concepts fit well in modern interiors and lend them a sheen of glamour. Pop art-inspired bookshelves Kubo are a case in point.

Made for Italian company Meritalia, the offbeat modular units are proof that all bookcases need not be flat, drab and straight. Made of laminated plastic cubes stacked on each other, the shelves sport interesting patterns and symbols and bright colour splashes, transforming their appeal.

Inspirational and thoughtprovoking, the units are definitely for those who love to experiment with their interiors. One useful tip: put these sleek and smart units in your child's room or in an urban-toned living room to add an element of boldness.

These bookshelves defy stereotypes and allow you to experiment with shape, form and colour. Perfect for a contemporary home that's looking to up its coolness quotient.

Italy-based OMC2 Design Studios creates products that work. Contemplative and holistic, the Beijing Opera dining set and Caroline Uno armchair; by the label show how new-age materials and designs can add charm to the space they are used in.

Let your house bask in the glory of these happy and cheerful pieces. Titled Smiley, the sunshine-hued tables and chairs are from French furniture manufacturer Acrila, known for its dramatic acrylic objects.

The collection consists of a few chairs, coffee table and a gueridon, and every item features images of the famous emoticon, the smiley. A fresh take on traditional wooden furniture where brown is the staple colour, these yellow and black lightweight pieces are what you need to brighten your interiors and give them a funky look.




Source : http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/

One-day diet plan to lose extra kilos

Attacked by killer calories? Here's how you can manage your daily nutrient content and still lose some kilos.

Gravity works double shifts. Cellulite pokes out from the sides. If you think a depressionbinge will help, sorry to burst your bubble.

Not a chance. Especially if the extra layers are a pre-condition of diabetes, poor metabloic system or menopause. It's the Attack of the Killer Calories and the metre will continue rising until you stop looking for a consolatory shoulder in your refrigerator.

You'll always find a hidden counsellor popout offering sweet words in the form of a juicy meaty steak or a scrumptious nuttychocolate brownie. That's your cue. Stop scratching the dates on your calendar and get your act together. Let today be the day.

Gear up girl. You'll need to be a fighter. Sitting pretty, waiting for the wind to blow away the calories might take a century. Forget Bridget Jones, her diary entries always increased with her weight. Now, a curvacious Sharon Stone is the flavour of the season.

Sure, you'll have to replace your favourite dessert with a healthy papaya or the stuffed pancakes with maple syrup and butter on the side with oats porridge and soy milk-but hey, a diet plan still means six meals a day. Small meals, but six nonetheless.

ONE-DAY DIET TO MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT

Early morning One or two glasses of lukewarm water

Breakfast Brown rice poha or porridge along with vegetables or oat poha plus a cup of tea, coffee or milk

Mid morning Vegetable juice or mixed vegetable soup and fruit

Lunch Two wheat bran chapattis or oat bran chapattis, vegetables, dal and fresh salad

Evening Fruit or juice, a roasted snack or two biscuits and tea

Dinner One bowl of dal or soy upma, two bowls of vegetables and fruit salad

Post dinner Papaya or apple or pomegranate

ONE-DAY DIET TO LOSE THE EXTRA KILOS

Early morning One or two glasses of lukewarm water

Breakfast Brown rice poha or porridge with vegetables or oat poha and a cup of herbal tea

Mid morning Vegetable juice or soup and fruit

Lunch Two wheat bran chapattis or oat bran chapattis, vegetables, dal and fresh salad

Evening Fruit or tea and a roasted snack

Dinner 1 medium-sized bowl of sweet porridge or oat porridge or fruit and milk

Post dinner Papaya or apple or pomegranate

Source: www.wonderwoman.in

           http://lifestyle.in.msn.com/health/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5432616&page=3

Shallow epicentre proved fatal in Sikkim earthquake

Aftershocks and rain aggravate damage caused due to the powerful quake that occurred at a shallow depth of 10km.

New Delhi: The quake that shook Sikkim and parts of east India on Sunday evening was as powerful as the Chamoli earthquake of 1999.

The quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, which explains the widespread tremors felt all over east and north India, including Delhi.

The intensity of the quake was recorded at 6.8 by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), while the US Geological Survey reported the magnitude as 6.9.

Aftershocks and bad weather in the region may have aggravated damage caused due to the quake, weather department officials said.

The quake was followed by aftershocks that measured 5.7 and 5.3 on the Richter scale.
"Quakes are not unusual in the region, which falls in the highest siesmicity zone of India,"IMD director general Dr Ajit Tyagi told Mail Today. Though the aftershocks were of a much lower intensity, they could have led to damage. Buildings that cracked during the quake could have collapsed as a result of vibrations caused by the aftershocks, he explained.

The rainy weather prevailing in the region too increased chances of landslides in the hilly areas, Tyagi said.

Sikkim falls in zone five, which is categorised as 'very severe intensity zone'. This zone covers nearly 12 per cent of India's landmass comprising the entire northeastern India, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.

Source: www.indiatoday.in

Killer quake hits India, Nepal

                         Two aftershocks, of magnitude 6.1 and 5.3 were also felt in Sikkim.