14 FEBRUARY 2014

Ø  The Lok Sabha witnessed an unprecedented low on Thursday when Congress MP from Vijayawada L. Rajagopal used a can of pepper spray inside the House to protest against the tabling of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill. Modugula Venugopala Reddy of the Telugu Desam Party broke the glass and microphone on the table of the Lok Sabha Secretary-General while Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was introducing the Bill that seeks to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. Three MPs were rushed to hospital as they complained of uneasiness after inhaling pepper spray fumes while another fainted on the floor of the House after he complained of chest pain.

Ø  The Environment Ministry informed the National Green Tribunal on Thursday that a final decision on the implementation of the K. Kasturirangan committee report on the Western Ghats would be taken in a month. It clarified that the ban on new projects in the 6,000-square kilometre zone would continue.

Ø  Defence and security company Saab recently entered into a strategic alliance with Indian high technology multinational Kalyani Group to partner and address key Indian Army air defence projects. The pact has brought together Saab’s experience as a developer and supplier of high-technology radar and missile systems with the engineering and manufacturing capabilities of Kalyani. Chairman of Kalyani Group, Baba Kalyani, who signed the agreement with Saab’s CEO and President Hakan Buskhe, said the agreement was an important step in the “indigenisation efforts of the Indian defence sector.”

Ø  Major General Konsam Himalaya Singh, hailing from Manipur, has become the first officer of the Army from the Northeast to be promoted as Lieutenant General.