Former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai, who heads the Supreme Court-appointed BCCI's Committee of Administrators (COA), refused to reveal the details of the panel's almost six-hour-long meeting which took place here on Friday.

Rai, who pledged to bring cricket to the doorsteps of the fans in an "undiluted form" on Thursday, preferred to remain tight-lipped on the minutes of the meeting, where Justice (Retd) R.M. Lodha panel's secretary Gopal Shankarnarayan was also present along with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri.

"We are not supposed to give the media every minute detail of the meeting," Rai told reporters.

The meeting, also attended by the other three COA members — former Indian women's team captain Diana Edulji, historian Ramachandra Guha and IDFC Bank Managing Director and CEO Vikram Limaye — revolved around Deloitte's audit report of various state associations.

This was also the first instance when the committee met after Limaye represented the BCCI at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meet where the global body led by former Indian cricket board president Shashank Manohar decided to curtail India's revenue.

According to sources privy to the meeting, the COA members will meet again at the BCCI Cricket Centre in Mumbai on February 25.

Former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai, who heads the Supreme Court-appointed BCCI's Committee of Administrators (COA), refused to reveal the details of the panel's almost six-hour-long meeting which took place here on Friday.

Rai, who pledged to bring cricket to the doorsteps of the fans in an "undiluted form" on Thursday, preferred to remain tight-lipped on the minutes of the meeting, where Justice (Retd) R.M. Lodha panel's secretary Gopal Shankarnarayan was also present along with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri.

"We are not supposed to give the media every minute detail of the meeting," Rai told reporters.

The meeting, also attended by the other three COA members — former Indian women's team captain Diana Edulji, historian Ramachandra Guha and IDFC Bank Managing Director and CEO Vikram Limaye — revolved around Deloitte's audit report of various state associations.

This was also the first instance when the committee met after Limaye represented the BCCI at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meet where the global body led by former Indian cricket board president Shashank Manohar decided to curtail India's revenue.

According to sources privy to the meeting, the COA members will meet again at the BCCI Cricket Centre in Mumbai on February 25.

Movie: John Wick: Chapter 2

Director: Chad Stahelski

Cast: Keanu Reaves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scmarcio and Ruby Rose

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) rarely makes a bad decision in John Wick: Chapter 2, and even when he does, it seems like he still did the right thing.

Continuing where we left off in the first film, John Wick (2014), we find the titular character tying up few loose ends in the typically-gruesome but initially satisfying to watch manner.

Officially considering himself retired for the second time after technically finishing off the Russian mafia, it is the Italian mafioso’s who turn their attention on the Boogeyman aka John Wick.

Of course our goody-two shoes hitman doesn't want the job but has his arm-twisted to go ahead and gets it over and done with. New York to Rome to New York again, the action is relentless to the point that the viewer feels the splatter is spraying onto themselves and isn't just confined to the screen.

Carnage-Incarnate himself is Keanu Reeves, comfortable severing limbs and hacking arteries as he is with a glass of bourbon in the aftermath. Seemingly never breaking a sweat, the assassin who just wants to be left alone (Where have we seen that before?) but can take on an army if need be, induces some jaw-dropping moments as he hacks and shoots his way to targets. The actor who isn't a stranger to action-films (The Matrix Trilogy in case you are wondering) is superb and his deadpan humour literally kills (pun unintended).

The problem is, there is too much of senseless action and while we knew that having seen the first film, John Wick: Chapter 2 seems to have too little motive as compared to the first. We get it, he is still unhinged and doesn't have much of a choice, but with C-grade villains getting way more screen time than required, this net-noir film flatters to deceive big time. 

Laurence Fishburne is wasted as the eccentric Bowery King and an actor of such talents probably should have been given a meatier role, perhaps even confronting Keanu head-on in what could have been an interesting fight.

And that’s the problem, as we know John Wick is going to mow down wave after wave of uzi-toting, knife wielding enemies and there is not a single scene in which you would say “Oh no, he’s in trouble now, please don’t die!” 

If the first-half feels a bit moronic, with silly fight sequences that evoke yawns more than gasps, things do pick up after the interval but the damage has been done and it’s too little too late.

Neo-noir films generally go down as masterpieces or as complete disasters, such is the consequence of playing with fire. John Wick: Chapter 2, unfortunately falls into the latter category and one prays a third instalment will not be green-lit.

Movie: John Wick: Chapter 2

Director: Chad Stahelski

Cast: Keanu Reaves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scmarcio and Ruby Rose

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

John Wick (Keanu Reeves) rarely makes a bad decision in John Wick: Chapter 2, and even when he does, it seems like he still did the right thing.

Continuing where we left off in the first film, John Wick (2014), we find the titular character tying up few loose ends in the typically-gruesome but initially satisfying to watch manner.

Officially considering himself retired for the second time after technically finishing off the Russian mafia, it is the Italian mafioso’s who turn their attention on the Boogeyman aka John Wick.

Of course our goody-two shoes hitman doesn't want the job but has his arm-twisted to go ahead and gets it over and done with. New York to Rome to New York again, the action is relentless to the point that the viewer feels the splatter is spraying onto themselves and isn't just confined to the screen.

Carnage-Incarnate himself is Keanu Reeves, comfortable severing limbs and hacking arteries as he is with a glass of bourbon in the aftermath. Seemingly never breaking a sweat, the assassin who just wants to be left alone (Where have we seen that before?) but can take on an army if need be, induces some jaw-dropping moments as he hacks and shoots his way to targets. The actor who isn't a stranger to action-films (The Matrix Trilogy in case you are wondering) is superb and his deadpan humour literally kills (pun unintended).

The problem is, there is too much of senseless action and while we knew that having seen the first film, John Wick: Chapter 2 seems to have too little motive as compared to the first. We get it, he is still unhinged and doesn't have much of a choice, but with C-grade villains getting way more screen time than required, this net-noir film flatters to deceive big time. 

Laurence Fishburne is wasted as the eccentric Bowery King and an actor of such talents probably should have been given a meatier role, perhaps even confronting Keanu head-on in what could have been an interesting fight.

And that’s the problem, as we know John Wick is going to mow down wave after wave of uzi-toting, knife wielding enemies and there is not a single scene in which you would say “Oh no, he’s in trouble now, please don’t die!” 

If the first-half feels a bit moronic, with silly fight sequences that evoke yawns more than gasps, things do pick up after the interval but the damage has been done and it’s too little too late.

Neo-noir films generally go down as masterpieces or as complete disasters, such is the consequence of playing with fire. John Wick: Chapter 2, unfortunately falls into the latter category and one prays a third instalment will not be green-lit.

Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar has proposed creation of G20 working group on terrorism and called for a people-centric approach by the grouping for Africa.

Akbar, who was on a three-day visit to Germany starting Feb 15 to attend G20 foreign ministers' informal meeting, discussed issues relating to rule-based international order.

A press release from the Indian Embassy in Berlin said that the ministerial meetings are being convened by the German G20 presidency for holding deliberations in various areas. 

It said the themes of the meeting were 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, maintaining peace in a complex world and cooperation with Africa.

"They exchanged views on crisis prevention, addressing global imbalances and poverty, and help build peaceful, fair and sustainable world order. The need to reform institutions of global governance like the United Nations to reflect the contemporary realities was also discussed. (The) Minister proposed creation of a G20 Working Group on Terrorism," the release said.

Akbar said focus of countries should be on the 'African' rather than on Africa only.

He called for a people-centric approach for Africa by G20, and concentrating on education, skill development and gender empowerment as priorities. 

On the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, the minister said that the key question was the crisis of poverty.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made poverty elimination rather than poverty-alleviation as the principal goal of governance. 

The minister also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20 meeting.

Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar has proposed creation of G20 working group on terrorism and called for a people-centric approach by the grouping for Africa.

Akbar, who was on a three-day visit to Germany starting Feb 15 to attend G20 foreign ministers' informal meeting, discussed issues relating to rule-based international order.

A press release from the Indian Embassy in Berlin said that the ministerial meetings are being convened by the German G20 presidency for holding deliberations in various areas. 

It said the themes of the meeting were 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, maintaining peace in a complex world and cooperation with Africa.

"They exchanged views on crisis prevention, addressing global imbalances and poverty, and help build peaceful, fair and sustainable world order. The need to reform institutions of global governance like the United Nations to reflect the contemporary realities was also discussed. (The) Minister proposed creation of a G20 Working Group on Terrorism," the release said.

Akbar said focus of countries should be on the 'African' rather than on Africa only.

He called for a people-centric approach for Africa by G20, and concentrating on education, skill development and gender empowerment as priorities. 

On the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, the minister said that the key question was the crisis of poverty.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made poverty elimination rather than poverty-alleviation as the principal goal of governance. 

The minister also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G20 meeting.

The Raghubar Das government in Jharkhand on Friday signed a total of 209 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with various companies as the curtains fell on the two-day Global Investors’ Summit widely publicised as “Momentum Jharkhand”.

The signing of MoU which will bring a proposed investments of Rs 3,03,987 crore to the state is also set to open floodgates of employments for the youths who migrate to other states in search of livelihood.

Of the total investment proposals, a maximum of 121 came for the department of industries, mines and geology. The department of IT and e-governance remained the second most preference of the investors with altogether 30 proposals coming to this sector.

The other departments which attracted the attention of investors include urban development & housing, higher & technical education, energy, arts, culture, sports & youth affairs and health, medical education and family welfare.

Authorities claimed the forthcoming investments would be providing a direct employment to more than two lacks people, apart from creating indirect employment for another around four lakh people.

One of the key highlights of the day was the signing of the MoU between Jharkhand and Institute of Technical Education, Singapore for skill development, repots said. Likewise, a delegation of China Trade Forum reportedly expressed their willingness to set up a plant for manufacturing POS machines.

Speaking on this occasion, Union minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) Rajiv Pratap Rudy described Jharkhand having huge investment potentials and announced to set up India International Skill Centre in the state.

The proposed centre will come up in an area of 23 acre. He added the Union government was working hard to set up motor driving school of international standard in the state.

He described the state government’s move of hosting the global investors summit a very significant move would give a new push to the state’s growth. “It’s very good to see that today Jharkhand is attracting the attention of the world,” the minister remarked.

Jharkhand carved out of Bihar in November 2000, is one of the most competitive and investment-ready state in the country. While the state’s unparalleled reserve of mineral resources and established industries makes it a key contributor to the ‘Make In India’ mission, the services sector too has kept up the pace.

The latter’s contribution to the GSDP of Jharkhand has grown from 33 per cent in 2004-05 to about 49 percent in 2015-16. Jharkhand is steadily diversifying its economy and offers a very congenial social atmosphere to live in, claims the government.

The Raghubar Das government in Jharkhand on Friday signed a total of 209 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with various companies as the curtains fell on the two-day Global Investors’ Summit widely publicised as “Momentum Jharkhand”.

The signing of MoU which will bring a proposed investments of Rs 3,03,987 crore to the state is also set to open floodgates of employments for the youths who migrate to other states in search of livelihood.

Of the total investment proposals, a maximum of 121 came for the department of industries, mines and geology. The department of IT and e-governance remained the second most preference of the investors with altogether 30 proposals coming to this sector.

The other departments which attracted the attention of investors include urban development & housing, higher & technical education, energy, arts, culture, sports & youth affairs and health, medical education and family welfare.

Authorities claimed the forthcoming investments would be providing a direct employment to more than two lacks people, apart from creating indirect employment for another around four lakh people.

One of the key highlights of the day was the signing of the MoU between Jharkhand and Institute of Technical Education, Singapore for skill development, repots said. Likewise, a delegation of China Trade Forum reportedly expressed their willingness to set up a plant for manufacturing POS machines.

Speaking on this occasion, Union minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) Rajiv Pratap Rudy described Jharkhand having huge investment potentials and announced to set up India International Skill Centre in the state.

The proposed centre will come up in an area of 23 acre. He added the Union government was working hard to set up motor driving school of international standard in the state.

He described the state government’s move of hosting the global investors summit a very significant move would give a new push to the state’s growth. “It’s very good to see that today Jharkhand is attracting the attention of the world,” the minister remarked.

Jharkhand carved out of Bihar in November 2000, is one of the most competitive and investment-ready state in the country. While the state’s unparalleled reserve of mineral resources and established industries makes it a key contributor to the ‘Make In India’ mission, the services sector too has kept up the pace.

The latter’s contribution to the GSDP of Jharkhand has grown from 33 per cent in 2004-05 to about 49 percent in 2015-16. Jharkhand is steadily diversifying its economy and offers a very congenial social atmosphere to live in, claims the government.

Turning down fresh plea of Haryana government for holding a meeting, Jat community leaders on Friday announced to intensify the ongoing agitation of the community after February 19. 

Jat representatives who are heading the agitations at various places, on Friday held a meeting at Jassia village in Rohtak under the leadership of Akhil Bharatiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS) president Yashpal Malik, chalking out the further plan.

"Today we had a meeting at Jassia attended by our representatives from various districts. It was decided that the plan that was chalked out today to intensify the protest would be formally announced on February 19,” Malik told The Statesman ober phone.

"Additional director general of police (ADGP) (law and order), Mohammad Akil approached us today for fresh talk, however, we declined the same as no meeting would be held before February 19. Any meeting in this regard would be fixed after coming Sunday," he added.

Agitating Jats have announced to observe February 19 as ‘Balidan Diwas’ (martyr day) across the state in memory of the community members killed during the agitation last year. Keeping in view the situation, the state government today deputed senior IAS officers to guide and support the deputy commissioners in eight districts.

These senior officers have been asked to reach the respective district latest by the noon of February 18 and remain present there till the forenoon of February 20 to appropriately guide and support the Deputy Commissioners as per their needs and based on any input that might independently be received by them. Meanwhile, the ongoing agitation in 20 districts of the state led by Malik today completed peaceful 20 days.

The state government has put the civil and police administration in all the districts on high alert. Apart from heavy deployment of state police personnel, a total 37 companies of paramilitary forces and nearly 7000 home guard personnel have been put into positions in the state to avoid any untoward incident likewise the previous year.

The Jat agitation in February last year left nearly 31 people dead while more than 200 injured. During the violence erupted last year, government and private properties were damaged and set on fire.

Turning down fresh plea of Haryana government for holding a meeting, Jat community leaders on Friday announced to intensify the ongoing agitation of the community after February 19. 

Jat representatives who are heading the agitations at various places, on Friday held a meeting at Jassia village in Rohtak under the leadership of Akhil Bharatiya Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (ABJASS) president Yashpal Malik, chalking out the further plan.

"Today we had a meeting at Jassia attended by our representatives from various districts. It was decided that the plan that was chalked out today to intensify the protest would be formally announced on February 19,” Malik told The Statesman ober phone.

"Additional director general of police (ADGP) (law and order), Mohammad Akil approached us today for fresh talk, however, we declined the same as no meeting would be held before February 19. Any meeting in this regard would be fixed after coming Sunday," he added.

Agitating Jats have announced to observe February 19 as ‘Balidan Diwas’ (martyr day) across the state in memory of the community members killed during the agitation last year. Keeping in view the situation, the state government today deputed senior IAS officers to guide and support the deputy commissioners in eight districts.

These senior officers have been asked to reach the respective district latest by the noon of February 18 and remain present there till the forenoon of February 20 to appropriately guide and support the Deputy Commissioners as per their needs and based on any input that might independently be received by them. Meanwhile, the ongoing agitation in 20 districts of the state led by Malik today completed peaceful 20 days.

The state government has put the civil and police administration in all the districts on high alert. Apart from heavy deployment of state police personnel, a total 37 companies of paramilitary forces and nearly 7000 home guard personnel have been put into positions in the state to avoid any untoward incident likewise the previous year.

The Jat agitation in February last year left nearly 31 people dead while more than 200 injured. During the violence erupted last year, government and private properties were damaged and set on fire.

To put Haryana on the world aviation map, the state government has invited global “expression of interest” for
development of an integrated aviation hub in Hisar.
An official spokesman said that this hub would be developed through
private participation on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer
(DBFOT) basis.
He said this ambitious project will include passenger airport, fixed
base operation, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), cargo, defense
manufacturing, aerospace manufacturing, aviation training centre,
aviation university, aerotropolis – commercial and aerotropolis –
residential.
The spokesman said these facilities would propel the economic growth
in the state in general and in the region in particular. He said that
the project is intended to be developed through Indian and overseas
companies either as a single entity or as a consortium for a period of
30 years.
The government owned available land measuring about 3,000 acres
adjoining the Hisar airfield has been earmarked for this project. The
suitable applicants will be short-listed who would be eligible for
participation in the bid stage, for awarding the project through an
open international competitive bidding process in accordance with the
prescribed procedure.
The applicant can be a Single Business Entity or a consortium, with a
maximum of two members in a consortium. The documents of Expression of
Interest could be downloaded from the department’s website, the
spokesman said.

To put Haryana on the world aviation map, the state government has invited global “expression of interest” for
development of an integrated aviation hub in Hisar.
An official spokesman said that this hub would be developed through
private participation on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer
(DBFOT) basis.
He said this ambitious project will include passenger airport, fixed
base operation, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), cargo, defense
manufacturing, aerospace manufacturing, aviation training centre,
aviation university, aerotropolis – commercial and aerotropolis –
residential.
The spokesman said these facilities would propel the economic growth
in the state in general and in the region in particular. He said that
the project is intended to be developed through Indian and overseas
companies either as a single entity or as a consortium for a period of
30 years.
The government owned available land measuring about 3,000 acres
adjoining the Hisar airfield has been earmarked for this project. The
suitable applicants will be short-listed who would be eligible for
participation in the bid stage, for awarding the project through an
open international competitive bidding process in accordance with the
prescribed procedure.
The applicant can be a Single Business Entity or a consortium, with a
maximum of two members in a consortium. The documents of Expression of
Interest could be downloaded from the department’s website, the
spokesman said.

The apex consumer commission has asked the central government and the aviation regulator to formulate a rational policy to prevent harassment of passengers left out from over-booked flights.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) bench presided over by B C Gupta also directed Jet Airways to pay a compensation of 600 Euros (around Rs.42,000) to Kolkata resident Radha Kinkari Kejriwal, who was not allowed to travel in a New Delhi-bound flight from London by the airline staff who said she was late. 

Besides 600 Euros, it also asked the airline to pay the woman Rs.83,292 which she had spent for buying an Air India ticket for her journey. The commission observed that airlines do indulge in over-booking so as to ensure that seats in the flights do not go vacant in the event of certain passengers not showing up at the appointed time. "This practice causes a lot of hardship and inconvenience to the passengers who are left out from their scheduled flights, despite the fact that they had confirmed reservation for the flight," the bench said.

"The matter needs to be studied in detail by the Aviation Regulator, that is, the Director General, Civil Aviation, Government of India, and a rational policy needs to be evolved so that the harassment/inconvenience to the passengers left out from the over-booked flights is reduced to the minimum possible," the bench added.

"A copy of this order be therefore, sent to the Secretary, Department of Civil Aviation, Government of India as well as the Director General of Civil Aviation to hold deliberations on the issue and evolve a set of policy guidelines, so as to prevent avoidable harassment to the passengers/consumers in future," the bench said.

According to the complaint filed by Kejriwal, she was supposed to board the New Delhi-bound flight from London on 9 December 2009. It said that the woman reached the airport 70 minutes prior to departure but was denied the boarding pass saying she was supposed to report 90 minutes prior to departure.
It further said she was asked to wait near the counter and during that time, five other passengers were given boarding passes. She had to book another ticket for an Air India flight next day by paying Rs.83,292.

The airline, however, claimed there was no deficiency in service on their part. The district forum allowed the complaint and asked the airline to refund the value of the Jet Airways ticket of Rs.62,178 and also to pay the amount of Rs.83,292 spent by her on the Air India ticket, as well as directed the company to pay a compensation of Rs 8 lakh and litigation cost of Rs.5,000.
 

The apex consumer commission has asked the central government and the aviation regulator to formulate a rational policy to prevent harassment of passengers left out from over-booked flights.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) bench presided over by B C Gupta also directed Jet Airways to pay a compensation of 600 Euros (around Rs.42,000) to Kolkata resident Radha Kinkari Kejriwal, who was not allowed to travel in a New Delhi-bound flight from London by the airline staff who said she was late. 

Besides 600 Euros, it also asked the airline to pay the woman Rs.83,292 which she had spent for buying an Air India ticket for her journey. The commission observed that airlines do indulge in over-booking so as to ensure that seats in the flights do not go vacant in the event of certain passengers not showing up at the appointed time. "This practice causes a lot of hardship and inconvenience to the passengers who are left out from their scheduled flights, despite the fact that they had confirmed reservation for the flight," the bench said.

"The matter needs to be studied in detail by the Aviation Regulator, that is, the Director General, Civil Aviation, Government of India, and a rational policy needs to be evolved so that the harassment/inconvenience to the passengers left out from the over-booked flights is reduced to the minimum possible," the bench added.

"A copy of this order be therefore, sent to the Secretary, Department of Civil Aviation, Government of India as well as the Director General of Civil Aviation to hold deliberations on the issue and evolve a set of policy guidelines, so as to prevent avoidable harassment to the passengers/consumers in future," the bench said.

According to the complaint filed by Kejriwal, she was supposed to board the New Delhi-bound flight from London on 9 December 2009. It said that the woman reached the airport 70 minutes prior to departure but was denied the boarding pass saying she was supposed to report 90 minutes prior to departure.
It further said she was asked to wait near the counter and during that time, five other passengers were given boarding passes. She had to book another ticket for an Air India flight next day by paying Rs.83,292.

The airline, however, claimed there was no deficiency in service on their part. The district forum allowed the complaint and asked the airline to refund the value of the Jet Airways ticket of Rs.62,178 and also to pay the amount of Rs.83,292 spent by her on the Air India ticket, as well as directed the company to pay a compensation of Rs 8 lakh and litigation cost of Rs.5,000.
 

The Uttarakhand Forest Department staff were successful in reuniting a new born calf with mother elephant by conducting a special operation in Kotdwar on Thursday. The 26-hour-long exercise included tracing the real mother, who was trapped in a trench and digging pavement for creating a rescue path  to help her reunite with lost baby.

The elephant was grazing in the forest with her baby, but the mother accidentally fell into a narrow channel to get suck there. The calf moved away from the accident spot and was roaming in the jungle alone.  The Kotdwar forest range staff of Lansdowne Forest Division spotted the calf near the Gowai river on Wednesday evening. 

Many elephants herds passed thought the new born elephant of about 10-11 days, but the calf joined none to create a puzzle for the forest staff. 

The special operation began with the exercise to trace the real mother. Finally, the trapped elephant was discovered in a remote corner of forest. Taking the risk, the forest staff created a channel to help the elephant to come out of the trench. But, to the surprise of the staff, the elephant ran away and disappeared in the forest.

Kotdwar forest division’s range officer, Satya Prakash Kandwal, said, “The mother was traced again after rescue work and the calf was taken near the elephant. As the mother saw her new born she started licking her darling.”

As on 15 February polling for the state assembly election was taking place and most of the forest staff were on duty, no major relief work was executed that day. The limited staff available in the range office had to spend their night in the forest, guarding the baby elephant and feeding milk to the little jumbo. On Thursday the special operation started early morning to conclude by 5.30 pm.

Divisional Forest Officer Mayank Shekhar said, “We are doing the monitoring  of the calf and even today we found the mother & baby together.”

The Uttarakhand Forest Department staff were successful in reuniting a new born calf with mother elephant by conducting a special operation in Kotdwar on Thursday. The 26-hour-long exercise included tracing the real mother, who was trapped in a trench and digging pavement for creating a rescue path  to help her reunite with lost baby.

The elephant was grazing in the forest with her baby, but the mother accidentally fell into a narrow channel to get suck there. The calf moved away from the accident spot and was roaming in the jungle alone.  The Kotdwar forest range staff of Lansdowne Forest Division spotted the calf near the Gowai river on Wednesday evening. 

Many elephants herds passed thought the new born elephant of about 10-11 days, but the calf joined none to create a puzzle for the forest staff. 

The special operation began with the exercise to trace the real mother. Finally, the trapped elephant was discovered in a remote corner of forest. Taking the risk, the forest staff created a channel to help the elephant to come out of the trench. But, to the surprise of the staff, the elephant ran away and disappeared in the forest.

Kotdwar forest division’s range officer, Satya Prakash Kandwal, said, “The mother was traced again after rescue work and the calf was taken near the elephant. As the mother saw her new born she started licking her darling.”

As on 15 February polling for the state assembly election was taking place and most of the forest staff were on duty, no major relief work was executed that day. The limited staff available in the range office had to spend their night in the forest, guarding the baby elephant and feeding milk to the little jumbo. On Thursday the special operation started early morning to conclude by 5.30 pm.

Divisional Forest Officer Mayank Shekhar said, “We are doing the monitoring  of the calf and even today we found the mother & baby together.”

Pakistan is boycotting the two-day South Asian Speakers’ Summit to be hosted by India at Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital of Indore from Saturday to discuss various social issues like gender equality, women empowerment and climate change.

The summit, being jointly organised by the Indian Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), will be inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Presiding officers of Parliament from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka will participate in it.

“The Indore Summit provides an international platform to the parliamentarians of the South Asian region to collectively discuss the developmental concerns of the area,” according to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Indian officials say Pakistan too was invited for the summit but it expressed its inability to attend the meet, saying National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq would be occupied with the ongoing session of Pakistan’s Lower House.

it is learnt that Pakistan decided to stay away from the summit in view of the current state of relations between the two countries and the fact that India had decided to boycott the SAARC Summit that was to be hosted by Islamabad in November last year, which eventually led to its indefinite postponement. Pakistan had also expressed its unwillingness to host a conference of Commonwealth countries’ speakers after India threatened to boycott it if Islamabad refused to invite the speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

Pakistan has also been upset with India for the ‘treatment’ meted out to Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs, when he visited Amritsar in December last year to attend the ‘Heart of Asia’ conference on Afghanistan.

Earlier in January 2016, Speakers of Parliament from South Asia had met for the first time in Dhaka and discussed ways and concrete action for the Parliaments of the region to help implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Dhaka Declaration highlighted the importance of strong Parliamentary action on the SDGs and established the South Asian Speakers' Forum. It was decided that the forum should meet once a year to discuss progress and implementation of the SDGs.

Apart from Pakistan, Myanmar expressed its inability to participate in the summit.

The summit will lay emphasis on sharing experiences and increasing understanding about how Parliaments in the region institutionalise the global goals, capture synergies and build coherence at the policy level.