Seven drown in flash flood

Nagpur (PTI): Seven persons drowned in flash floods in river Ghawanda in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra on Saturday.

The flood was triggered by a dam burst at Nandgaon that raised the river water to an unexpected level.

Thirteen people were swept away in the flood. While one person has been rescued, a search is on for the six missing.

The water level started rising at 8.30 pm on Saturday and receded by midnight. About 1,000 people from over 350 shanties along the river near Mallikarjun temple were shifted to safer places and offered first-aid, food and shelter.

The administration has announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for each of the deceased above eight years and Rs 50,000 for every child.

English for varsity teachers

Indore (PTI): The vice-chancellor of Devi Ahilyabai Vishwa Vidyalaya, C.S. Chaddha, has introduced English classes for teachers to check the declining language standard in the varsity.

“The knowledge of English and Hindi of the teachers and students is very poor as there is no emphasis here on learning the correct language with proper use of grammar,” Chaddha said.

“Therefore, I have decided to start English classes for the teachers for improving their language skills so that students get benefited.” The classes will commence from this academic session.

Chaddha blamed the government policy for not making English compulsory in Madhya Pradesh.

Rapist lover

New Delhi (PTI): A travel agent has been arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old.

The two had allegedly run away from their houses in Vasant Kunj a week ago and a case of kidnapping was registered. When the girl returned on Saturday, she was clinically examined, which confirmed that she was sexually assaulted.

Jailed foreigner

Varanasi (PTI): A citizen of the Netherlands, serving a life term for smuggling and peddling drugs, has allegedly committed suicide in his prison cell. Paul Wisional was arrested near the Nepal border in 2004.

Speaker meet

Chennai (PTI): Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has said a meeting of leaders of political parties will be held on July 22 at Delhi to discuss conduct of parliamentary proceedings in a peaceful and undisturbed manner. The monsoon session of Parliament begins on July 25.

The Tamil Nadu government has taken up the Education through computer programme to promote computer literacy among rural students in government and government-aided schools.