Bomb balsts rip apart Mumbai local trains
Mumbai: Seven high intensity bomb blasts ripped apart the compartments of suburban trains around 6PM during peak hour traffic here. The blasts ripped apart the roofs and sides of the train compartments, and killed an estimated 146 people and injured at least 400 people. The blasts occured between 6 p.m. and 6.30 p.m at Mahim, Bandra, Matunga, Borivili, Mira Road, Jogeshwari and Khar stations when people from offices were returning home.

Subsequently Western Railway local train services were brought to a halt and resumed services after four hours of non-operation.

Cellular phones and road traffic came to a standstill after the blast and resumed operations four to five hours later.
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Eemployees of small industries oppose land sale to Reliance
New Delhi: Employees of the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) are opposing the Punjab government's decision to sell PSIEC land to Reliance Industries controlled by Mukesh Ambani. The corporation alleges that land has been sold at "throwaway prices" and that the PSIEC would lose Rs167.85 crore in the deal.

The land comprises 347.22 acres in Malout, Tanda, Muktsar, Abohar and Mansa, which is being sold for Rs41.27 crore, against the reserve price of Rs188.81 crore. Another 169.49 acres of land at Goindwal Sahib is also being sold for Rs2.53 lakh per acre, against the reserve price of Rs24.60 lakh per acre.

PSIEC Staff Association chairman GS Oberoi said, besides getting the land at a throw away price Reliance does not want to pay compensation as decided by court in cases filed by the land owners.

He said this will reduce the activities of the corporation to a large extent and will ultimately lead to its closure. As a result more than 1200 PSIEC employees would be rendered jobless.
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Karnataka mulls total ban on mining activity
Bangalore: Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said he was contemplating imposing a total ban on mining activities in the state. He said he would discuss the issue with his coalition partner BJP.

He said only a few families benefited from the mining sector in the state.

Last week, BJP MLC Janardhana Reddy claimed that the chief minister was the recipient of Rs150 crore allegedly collected from illegal mine owners in Bellary.
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India to buy wheat from US cos
New Delhi: Cargill Inc. and Archer Daniels Midland Co have been awarded $141 million worth of contracts to supply India with 705,000 tonnes of wheat, according to government officials.

Decatur, Illinois-based ADM will supply 300,000 tonnes of wheat for $59.5 million while privately owned Cargill will supply 405,000 tonnes for $81.6 million.

The purchases were part of a recently concluded tender by India to import 2.2 million tonnes of wheat between September 2006 and January 2007 to replenish stocks and rein in prices.

U.S. grain exporters said Canada would supply nearly half of the 2.2 million tonnes valued at $435 million, with the rest would come from Europe, Russia and Argentina.
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