0815 HRS.

24th June, 2013

THE HEADLINES

• Rescue operations intensified to evacuate 10000 people still stranded in Uttarakhand; Unmanned aerial vehicle Netra deployed for the first time to locate survivors; Bad weather predicted for today in the state.
• India and the US to hold a strategic dialogue in New Delhi to discuss cooperation in security and counter terrorism.
• American authorities trying to stop former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden from seeking political asylum in Ecuador.
• India clinches ICC Champions Trophy with a smashing victory over hosts England in Edgbaston; Shikhar Dhawan declared Man of the Series.

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Rescuers have intensified their efforts to evacuate the 10,000 people still stranded in flood and landslide affected areas of Uttarakhand. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau Neelam Kapoor said that a total of 83 aircrafts are being used in the relief and rescue operations being carried out by the army, the airforce, ITBP and the NDRF. She said, the main focus of today's operation will be Harsil where about 2,000 people are still stranded.

A total of 12,000 people have been evacuated. The Jungle Chatti area, which was a matter of concern yesterday that has been fully cleared by the joint efforts of the Army, the Air Force and the ITBP. About 125 persons have been evacuated from Gaurikund. 100 more are still there.

About 5,000 people are stranded in Badrinath. The NDRF has also deployed the unmanned aerial vehicle 'Netra' to locate survivors in the affected areas. NDRF DIG SS Guleria said that the UAV will operate today also to ensure that all survivors are located and then evacuated. The army, the ITBP and the NDRF will also launch a combing operation today in the affected areas to ensure that no one is left out in the devastated areas. Our correspondent reports that the two-day combing operations will be launched from Gauri Kund to the Kedarnath temple complex in Rudraprayag district.

Army has now focused its concentration for evacuating people by roads from Harsil, Gaurikund and Badrinath. As per their plan Army Commander accompanied by senior officers of flag rank will lead the road move by foot and take along all the people willing to walk up to the nearest road head. The operation has been planned keeping in view the weather conditions. ITBP has sped up its operation to evacuate about 350 people stranded at different villages in Pithoragarh district. The ITBP has also opened its temporary long bridge for evacuation of stranded villagers and people through Millam- Panchu- Mapa and Gangahar route in the district. The force has deployed its 1600 personnel for relief and rescue operation in Kedarnath, Gaurikund, Govindghat, Pandukeshwar, Karnprayag, Badrinath, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh. With Sanjeev Sundriyal this is Sunil Shukla, AIR News Dehradun.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had yesterday asked these agencies to initiate the combing operation.

In consultation with army officials and local administration, DIG Gunjaal has been authorised to remove dead bodies from Kedarnath temple and to perform their last rites. Home Minister has spoken to many Hindu saints and Shri Shankracharya. Cleansing process of Kedarnath will also start.

The BSNL has opened the toll free helpline numbers to trace the last location of BSNL mobile phones carried by tourists or pilgrims stuck in the hills. Helpline numbers are 1503 and 09412024365. The BSNL is also providing free phone facilities at all its telephone exchanges, telephone and control rooms at various locations to enable people to contact their families. With the Meteorological Department predicting bad weather today, rescuers are making all out efforts to evacuate the stranded people before the rain.

Meanwhile, former Home Secretary V.K. Duggal has called a meeting of all agencies involved in relief and rescue work in Dehradun today. Mr. Duggal, who is a member of NDMA, has been asked by the Home Ministry to coordinate the rescue and relief efforts being carried out by multiple agencies.

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Relief and rescue works in the rain and untimely snowfall hit tribal districts of Kinnaur are on in full swing. Vehicular traffic was restored last evening on the important Hindustan-Tibbet National Highway linking the district headquarter of Reckong Peo with the state capital Shimla. More from our correspondent:

The weather is foggy in the district today and some parts even lashed with rain in last night. Authorities are focussing their attention on evacuation of people stranded in Pooh Sub-Division now. Along with Sangla several people are waiting to airlift them from Nako and Gyabung. The road towards Sangla, Pooh, Samdoh and other places in the interior parts of the district would take still several days to open for vehicular traffic. Shishu Sharma Shantal, AIR News, Shimla.

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In Uttar Pradesh, one hundred twenty four villages in Lakhimpur Kheri are still reeling under the impact of the flood water. A release from the state relief commissioner's office says more than one lakh people in the district are affected by the flood. Our correspondent reports that barring a few places, most of the major rivers are flowing below the danger mark.

"In Sitapur, around 1.2 lakh population of 32 villages is still under the influence of flood, where 30 houses have been washed away in the flow of Sharda. Much damage has been caused by Ghaghra in Bharaich, where 159 houses and 85 thatched huts have been washed away in the flood waters. At present around 45 thousand of 22 villages is affected by the floods in the district. Merajuddin AIR NEWS Lucknow''

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India and the United States will hold the 4th Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi today. US Secretary of State John Kerry will co-chair the dialogue with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. Mr. Kerry arrived in New Delhi last evening, accompanied by a high level delegation, on a three-day visit to India. This is the first high level political interaction with New Delhi in the second term of the Obama Presidency and is expected to push forward the India-US relationship.

Indian Ambassador to the US, Nirupama Rao has said that India and the United States will set the pace and direction for stronger bilateral ties at the strategic dialogue. In an exclusive interview to All India Radio, Mrs. Rao said, besides security and defence, the strategic dialogue will also deliberate upon enhancing cooperation in counter-terrorism. She said, Indo-US relations are people-centric and New Delhiis looking forward to cooperation in sectors like Health, Education, Science and Technology and the peaceful use of outer space.

We are able not only to take stock of the extent of cooperation, the numbers of projects that we have been engaged in but also to set the pace in direction for the future. So, the strategic dialogue certainly has a very significant utility. The areas of focus are multi-dimensional today and that is what sets the strategic partnership apart in many ways from any other relationships anywhere in the world.

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Diplomats in the United States are scrambling to stop former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, from reaching Ecuador and claiming political asylum there. Officials in Washington say Snowden is a national security threat and must come home, to answer charges of espionage. Snowden is at a transit hotel at an airport in Moscow and is reported to have reserved a ticket for Cuba today.

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The condition of former South African President, Nelson Mandela has turned critical. The South African presidency has announced that doctors are doing everything possible to improve his condition that has worsened during the past 24 hours.

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An estimated 35 thousand children are born every year in India with cleft lips and palates. The problem is most prevalent in eastern India with a total of around 1 lakh cases. Our correspondent reports that poor children born with cleft lips and palates have a new ray of hope from Darpan.

Cleft Lips and Palates also known as CLAP, can be totally cured with a Simple Surgical Operation and this is exactly where Darpan comes in. Darpan is an initiative for free of cost Surgery for the CLAP patients. Under the Programme the BSF identifies patients from the remotest part of the International Border’s and brings them to the Surgical Point. The Tripura Leg of the Darpan which is inaugurated recently saw operations of 9 such patients with CLAP disorder. This initiative is part of the Civic Action Programme of the Force apart from manning the International Border. With Sudipta Kar from Agartala, this is Kona Madhusudan Rao for Air News.

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An Army medical team helped deliver two babies at a makeshift centre in Sabola area of rain-hit Uttarakhand. After trekking for almost 15 kms, the team reached Tijan village which has a population of nearly 400 people. When the team led by Capt R Patil found that two pregnant women required urgent medical attention, they requisitioned a lady doctor who helped deliver two babies - a boy and a girl - at the makeshift medical centre.

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The News Services Division of All India Radio in its weekly "PUBLIC SPEAK" programme will bring you a discussion tonight on "Strengthening the mid-day meal scheme." This can be heard on the FM Gold Channel and on additional frequencies at 9.30 p.m. Listeners can ask questions from experts in our studio on telephone number: 011-2331-4444. This programme is also available on Doordarshan DTH.

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India clinched the ICC Champions Trophy with a smashing five-run victory over hosts England in a rain-hit final at Edgbaston in Birmingham last night. After frustrating showers reduced the contest to 20 overs, India first scored 129 for seven and then restricted England to 124 for eight. Ravindra Jadeja, who took two wickets and scored an unbeaten 33 runs, was declared Man of the Match as well as awarded the Golden ball for taking the most number of wickets in the series. Sikhar Dhawan was adjudged Man of the Series, he dedicated his award to the flood victims of Uttarakhand.

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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES

News about the Kedarnath valley in Uttarakhand being cleared of all stranded pilgrims and the rescue focus now shifting to Badrinath and Harsil, dominate the press. "Rescue goes into Battle Mode" reads the Hindu headline. Quoting theUttarakhand Disaster Mitigation Center, the paper writes that 94,000 people have been rescued so far and that 9,000 are still stranded.

The Tribune reports that with rain predicted, the third phase of the ongoing rescue efforts is set to roll today. This will involve a unique effort in which brigadier-level officers of the army will lead pilgrims to walk across mountain paths, bringing them to the nearest road head for onward travel.

On John Kerry's India visit Hindustan Times writes that the US Secretary of State has walked half-way in addressing Indian concerns on the proposed 'direct talks' with the Taliban. He also hoped for greater Indo-Pak economic ties and skipping of the contentious Kashmir issue.

Pictures of the Indian cricket team celebrating after beating England in the ICC Champions Trophy, can be seen in several papers. The Tribune shows the Men in Blue in smart white colored blazers.

With an eye on Southeast Asia, Manipur is set to get its first International Airport, reports the Indian Express .

The Power Ministry has set an ambitious target of building the world's largest transmission grid by the end of the 12th Plan period, as per the Indian Express.

And finally, Plants do complex arithmetic to make sure they have enough food for the night informs The Times of India citing a London based study. The paper reports that Plant feed themselves during the day by using energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide into starch and once the sun has set, they calculate how to use their reserves at a constant rate so that they run out of starch almost precisely at dawn