Valley ‘go slow’ on Gulmarg

Srinagar : The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to “go slow” on the privatisation of Gulmarg after a spate of protests against the leasing out of land, reports our special correspondent.

“We are going slow on the issue due to the protests,” tourism minister Dilawar Mir said. “The Hizb-ul Mujahideen has issued threats....”

The state decided to auction around 70 acres at Gulmarg in October. The move involves leasing out the land to state subjects but allows joint ventures with private investors from outside the state for infrastructure development.

An auction committee, headed by the Baramulla district development commissioner, was formed to expedite the process. But official sources said the committee has not made any progress.

Prodigy hits high note

Mumbai: Barely a month after she won Zee’s ‘Li’ Champ’ contest, Sanchita Bhattacharya is on song. She has recorded a number for Neha Dhupia in Mithya, reports our correspondent.

The 14-year-old (in picture) from Shibpur, near Calcutta, has belted out a sizzling number in the film. “When the film’s producers Planman Motion Pictures suggested the song be done by Sanchita, I was excited. When I heard her at the studio, I was convinced that she’s the voice we were looking for,” says actor-director Rajat Kapur.

The music for Mithya has been composed by Sagar Desai, a Chicago-based composer. The song is a dance track.

DD health deal

New Delhi: The health and family welfare ministry has signed a Rs 25 crore agreement with Doordarshan for health capsules its producers claim are as popular in remote villages as cricket is elsewhere.

Most of the money will go into producing Kalyani, a half-hour programme telecast four days a week in nine states.

Women’s hostels

Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government is planning to construct 11 working women’s hostels before 2010 under the Tenth Plan and has approved an estimated budget of Rs 16 crore. The Delhi Development Authority has already identified nine sites for the hostels that will have 80-100 beds.

Rash driver jailed

New Delhi (PTI): A bus driver, who had rammed his vehicle into a wall while changing a cassette in a tape recorder, killing one and injuring many, has been sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment.

A silk sari, woven with 1,64,492 shades of threads by two Tamil Nadu cooperative societies and weighing 800 gm, has been put up for sale by chief minister M. Karunanidhi. It costs Rs 40,000.