New Delhi, May 2 (PTI) Auto maker Ford India today reported a 6.9 per cent increase in its total sales at 14,215 units in April.

It had sold 13,297 units in April 2014.

Ford India’s domestic sales were at 4,931 units last month, down 25.86 per cent from 6,651 units a year ago, the company said in a statement.

It said exports during the month stood at 9,284 units as compared to 6,646 units in April 2014, up 39.69 per cent.

Commenting on the sales performance, Ford India Executive Director Marketing, Sales and Service Anurag Mehrotra said: “The current economic environment is still a mixed bag with inflation easing but weak monsoon, coupled with high interest rates, can potentially put pressure on vehicle sales in the coming months.”

He, however, said: “We expect the demand to improve towards the last quarter of 2015 and are geared to make the most of this improvement with plans to introduce three new products in the next 12-15 months.

Nepal’s death toll reaches 6,200 which is most likely to increase by the day. Rescue operations are getting extremely difficult in remote regions due to its topography and bad weather conditions.

Official statics show 13,932 injured but people in the mountain regions are unaccounted of with no access of roads or helicopter reach.

The stench of dead bodies under the rubble and large numbers of dead bodies could lead to an epidemic. Immediate cremation is required but waiting for the dead’s kin to claim the body is equally important.

Adverse conditions power cut, fuel shortage, communications blackout are making rescue operations more difficult.

A team of Gurkha engineers arrived in the Himalayan country yesterday aboard a C-17 aircraft, along with 18 tonnes of aid supplies that included shelter kits and solar lanterns.
Aid is slowly beginning to reach remote towns and villages nestled in the mountains and foothills but the overpowering smell of bodies trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in the capital is making it hard for residents to return to their homes.
IMMEDIATE CREMATIONS ORDERED
The vast number of dead and stench of rotting bodies has led officials to demand immediate cremations.
Disposal of the hundreds of bodies still being found six days after the 7.9 magnitude quake devastated the Himalayan nation of 28 million people, was causing a problem.
Raman Lal, an Indian paramilitary force official working in coordination with Nepali forces, said they had been ordered to take swift action.
‘Morgues are full beyond capacity and we have been given instruction to incinerate bodies immediately after they are pulled out,’ he said.
Thousands of houses and other buildings have been destroyed, and the country has been plagued by more than 70 aftershocks since the disaster.
Now hopes of finding people alive in the cities or remote regions are starting to dwindle, despite a temporary boost when two people were pulled from the rubble five days after the disaster.
Dramatic footage yesterday showed crowds cheering as Nepalese rescuers freed 15-year-old Pemba Tamang from the debris of a seven-storey building which had collapsed in the capital.
Hours later Krishna Devi Khadka, aged in her 20s, was rescued in an area near Kathmandu’s main bus terminal.
Information Minister Minendra Rijal said the government would provide 100,000 rupees (£655) in immediate assistance to the families of those killed, as well as 40,000 rupees (£260) for cremation or burial.
But reports also say officials have ordered the immediate cremation of any bodies found as the stench and risk of disease is growing while the nation’s morgues are at capacity.
Nepalese finance minister Ram Sharan Mahat said it at least $2bn would be needed to rebuild homes, hospitals, government offices and historic buildings and he appealed for help from international donors. Others predict it will be far more.
He said: ‘This is just an initial estimate and it will take time to assess the extent of damage and calculate the cost of rebuilding.’
The last disaster on this scale to hit the Himalayan nation, sandwiched between India and China, was in 1934 when 8,500 died.
Home ministry official Laxmi Prasad Dhakal said that, even though the previous quake was more powerful, there were fewer people living in the Kathmandu valley then.
‘The scale of reconstruction will be unprecedented,’ Dhakal said. ‘We have still not even been able to assess the damage in remote areas, which have been completely devastated.

Baghpat(UP), May 2 (PTI) A minor girl was allegedly abducted and raped by her two cousins in Balauni police station area here, police said today.

The 16-year-old girl in her complaint alleged that on the night of April 21, her cousins Arif and Shahzad abducted and raped her, Incharge of Balauni police station Dharmendra Panwar said.

The accused abducted her on the pretext of taking her to a marriage function which was being attended by her family members as well, he said.

The duo then took the girl to Loni where they allegedly raped her following which they dumped her outside the village the next day, Panwar said.

The girl was admitted to a hospital and after recovery she lodged a complaint with the police yesterday, the police official said.

An FIR has been registered in the matter, he said, adding that efforts are on to nab the accused.

Ahmedabad/Jammu, May 2 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed today promised action against those responsible for waving Pakistani flags at yesterday’s rally addressed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani even as rightwing Hindu organisations held a protest demanding the separatist leader’s arrest.

The Chief Minister also rejected Geelani’s demand to curtail the duration of the Amarnath Yatra to 30 days from the planned 59 days and said it will take place as scheduled.

“Some people were involved in such activities. Action will be taken against those involved in such an act,” Sayeed told journalists in Ahmedabad, recalling how separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat, who had himself raised pro-Pakistan slogans and waved Pakistani flags at a rally attended by Geelani was put behind bars.

“When Masarat Alam was released, he had already spent five years under PSA (Public Safety Act). Then, I myself saw him with Pakistani flag. We then took immediate action (against Alam, who was again arrested),” Sayeed, who is on a visit to Gujarat to promote tourism in his state, said, adding “law will take its course”.

At the April 15 rally Pakistani flags were waved by Geelani’s supporters which led to filing of case against him, his close aide Masarat Alam Bhat and others on sedition and other charges. Bhat was arrested the next day and booked under the stringent Public Safety Act a week later.

At yesterday’s rally, the first by him at militancy-hit Tral in south Kashmir, Geelani’s had demanded restricting the Amarnath Yatra to 30 days keeping in mind the safety of pilgrims and protection of environment. His supporters had chanted pro-Pakistan slogans and waved that country’s national flag.

The Mufti insisted that the yatra will be held as scheduled as “people of Jammu and Kashmir are in its favour.”

The Chief Minister appeared to share the view of Geelani against creating exclusive townships for Kashmiri Pandits who wanted to return to the Valley when he spoke about the “culture of living together”.

“They are part of our culture, a culture of living together. They had to leave (the Valley) in an atmosphere of militancy in 1990. In the past, we attempted to bring them back but did not succeed in our efforts,” Sayeed said.

“Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also made such attempts. Those (displaced) three lakh Kashmiri Pandits are intellectuals and learned. They should come back. My Government will make all possible effort to bring them back,” he said when asked about resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits.

London, May 2 (PTI) The wait for Prince William’s second baby was finally over as his wife Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, today gave birth to a baby girl.

The baby was “safely delivered” at 8:34 am local time (0734 GMT), Kensington Palace said in a statement.

The father, Duke of Cambridge, was present at the birth of his daughter, who weighs 8 pounds 3 ounces (3.7 kg).

The palace added that the mother and baby are “doing well”.

The new baby is fourth-in-line to the throne, behind her grandfather Prince Charles, father Prince William and brother Prince George.

The Duchess of Cambridge was earlier today admitted to the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London, where her first baby Prince George was also born in July 2013, with early stages of labour.

Kensington Palace had made the announcement in the early hours of today that the Duchess was driven to the hospital alongside her husband and later said the labour is “progressing as normally”.

Kate was being looked after by consultant obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston. He was joined in the delivery room by Alan Farthing, the Queen’s surgeon-gynaecologist.

There will be a traditional custom of placing a paper announcement outside Buckingham Palace of the new princess soon.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, who will be hoping for a baby bounce in the May 7 General Election which usually favours the ruling party, said: “One of the privileges of my job is you get to see them (Prince William and Kate) up front and they are a wonderful couple, they are loving parents.

“With the rest of the nation I’ll be wishing them well today, hoping for a healthy and happy outcome.”

The world’s media began rushing to the media pen outside the hospital as the news of the labour was announced.

Unlike at the time of Prince George’s birth, the world’s press have been stopped from camping outside.

Fans of the royal family have also been gathering near the hospital with flags and banners in recent days with some sleeping in the rough in sleeping bags.

Royal protection officers, who carry concealed weapons at all times, were stationed at the Lindo Wing in anticipation of Queen Elizabeth II’s newest great grandchild

Kathmandu, May 2 (PTI) Authorities in Nepal’s capital have asked residents not to slaughter or consume animals and birds over fears of a pandemic in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake that rocked the Himalayan nation.

Issuing a public notice, the Kathmandu District Administration has appealed to local people not to consume meat-related food items for the time being.

The authorities believe that the selling of meat would add to sanitation and health-related complications as several agencies fear the outbreak of a pandemic.

There had been epidemic of swine flu in Jajarkot district in western Nepal some time before the earthquake and few people have also been infected in Kathmandu with the deadly H1N1 virus.

Kathmandu District Administration chief Ek Narayan Aryal have issuing a public notice said, “We have urged the locals of Kathmandu not to slaughter animals and birds keeping in view the possibility of spread of pandemic and health of the local people”.

Mumbai, May 2 (PTI) Gold prices plunged sharply and closed below the psychological Rs 27,000 benchmark on the bullion market here following frantic unwinding by stockists and speculative traders marred by heightened global volatility.

Silver also endured heavy selling pressure to settle below the Rs 38,000 level amid sluggish industrial demand.

Domestic sentiment turned extremely bearish and volatile after the yellow-metal tanked to six-weeks low in worldwide trade as a slew of stronger than expected US macro data fueled speculation that the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates sooner than expected.

The bullion market was closed on Friday for the “May Day” holiday.

Standard gold (99.5 purity) tumbled by Rs 370 to end at Rs 26,635 per 10 grams from Thursday’s closing level of Rs 27,005.

Pure gold (99.9 purity) also slumped by a similar margin to conclude at Rs 26,785 per 10 grams as compared to Rs 27,155.

Silver (.999 fineness) tanked by Rs 585 to finish at Rs 37,500 per kilo against Rs 38,085 previously.

On the global front, gold for June delivery crashed to settle at USD 1,174.50 an ounce on the Comex division of the NYMEX late yesterday, while silver July contract closed at USD 16.135 an ounce.

New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) Price of non-subsidised LPG was today cut by Rs 5 per cylinder even as jet fuel (ATF) rates were marginally raised in step with global trend.

The price of non-subsidised or market-priced domestic cooking gas (LPG) was cut by Rs 5 to Rs 616 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi, state-owned fuel retailers said.

The reduction comes on the back of two successive hikes – Rs 5 on March 1 and Rs 11 on April 1.

Households are entitled to 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg each at subsidised rate of Rs 417 in Delhi. Any requirement beyond this has to be bought at the market price, which is now Rs 616 in Delhi.

In Mumbai, non-subsidised cooking gas has been cut by Rs 4.50 to Rs 627.50, while it will cost Rs 649 in Kolkata as against Rs 654.50, previously. Chennai will see a price cut of Rs 5.50 to Rs 608.50 per cylinder.

Rates vary from state-to-state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.

Oil companies raised price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, in Delhi by Rs 272 per kilolitre or 0.5 per cent to Rs 49,609.84 per kl.

The increase comes on the back of a 2 per cent reduction in rates last year.

Jet fuel constitutes over 40 per cent of an airline’s operating costs and the price cut will reduce the financial burden on cash-strapped carriers.

No immediate comment was available from airlines on the impact of the price hike on passenger fares.

State-owned fuel retailers, Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) revise jet fuel and non-subsidised LPG prices on the first of every month based on average imported cost and rupee-dollar exchange rate. The same on petrol and diesel is done on a fortnightly basis.

Mumbai, May 1 (PTI) Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao today sought the participation of corporates to help the government implement its ambitious integrated water conservation and management initiative, Jalyukta Shivar Abhiyan.

“The government has expressed its resolve to make Maharashtra drought?free. ‘More crop per drop’ will be the guiding motto of the government for using water efficiently,” he said addressing a gathering here on the occasion of Maharashtra Day celebration.

Maharashtra attained statehood on May 1, 1960.

Maharashtra Day is being celebrated today in various parts of the state.

On the occasion, Rao took salute of a ceremonial parade held at Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai.

“The state government is implementing the ‘Jalyukta Shivar Yojana’ under which water harvesting storages will be created in villages with the participation of gram sabhas. The government is also seeking the co-operation of corporates to take up this initiative as a part of corporate social responsibility,” he said.

He said that skill development will be a priority for the state government.

“The state will be launching the ‘Late Pramod Mahajan Skill Development Scheme’ to evaluate and integrate existing schemes of skill development and start new ones,” he said.

He said the government has decided to implement the Aamdar Adarsh Gaon Yojana on the lines of the Saansad Adarsha Gram Yojana.

“Around1,000 villages will be developed under this scheme,” he said.

“The state government has also decided to implement Mukhyamantri Gramin Marg Yojana under which good quality roads will be constructed to connect villages with growing population by 2019,” Rao said. .

Chennai, May 1 (PTI) Unidentified motorcycle-borne men today hurled a petrol bomb at an Andhra Bank branch here in the early hours of today, police said.

No one was injured in the incident.

The men threw the petrol bomb and fled from the scene, police said.

The incident is suspected to be linked with the gunning down of 20 woodcutters of Tamil Nadu in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh last month.

On April 10, some unidentified persons had pelted stones at three branches of Andhra Bank in Tamil Nadu and there were also widespread protests and demonstrations by political parties and right groups in the state against the gunning down of the woodcutters.