Singh selected

Santiniketan, Sept. 21: Prime minister Manmohan Singh will be the next chancellor of Visva-Bharati University.

Singh was selected from a panel of three by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Varsity officials received the communique from both the PMO and the President?s office. The search for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee?s successor started in January when his term as chancellor ended.

Liquor permit

Calcutta: The government?s decision to issue more licenses for liquor offshops across the state suffered a jolt when it had to give an undertaking to the high court on Tuesday saying no permit will be issued in Birbhum till further orders from the court. Raghunath Mondal of Suri and Swapan Sarkar of Nalhati ? both in Birbhum ? had moved a petition challenging the government?s decision.

Flood fear

Howrah: The district may be the sixth to be added on the state?s floodmap with the level of the Mundeswari river rising alarmingly following discharge of 68,000 cusecs from the Damodar Valley Corporation dams. ?We have declared a possibility of flood in about 10 villages in Uluberia subdivision, about 60 km from Calcutta,? subdivisional officer Sukhomoy Mondal said.