Major fire breaks in India

NEW DELHI, July 28 (UPI) -- NEWSTRACK

Fire breaks in India's oil-drilling platform

New Delhi, July 28 (UPI): Four people died and 40 went missing when fire broke in India's oil-drilling platform at country's industrial capital of Mumbai in western state of Maharashtra, The Hindustan Times newspaper said Thursday.

"Up to 385 people were on board the platform which was gutted in the massive fire that also consumed a multi-purpose support vessel," the newspaper said.

Quoting India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation officials, coastguards had rescued 335 people and navy ships, the newspaper said. Several persons abandoned the platform and jumped into the sea.

The economic losses are also immense as nearly 15 per cent of India's total daily crude oil output of around 660,000 barrels per day is now out of production. The destroyed platform produced 80,000 to 100,000 barrels of oil per day.

Eon.

Flood toll touches 100 in India's industrial capital

New Delhi, July 28 (UPI): The commercial capital of India Mumbai in western Maharashtra remained cut off from the rest of the world as heavy rained continued with death toll touching 100, said The Indian Express newspaper Thursday.

It reported no plane landed or took off, no train moved and no one drove in, the newspaper said. Navy was called for rescue work.

"The situation in the districts of western Maharashtra was worse. At least 100 people were reported dead, including 69 in Mumbai," the newspaper said.

The Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh blaming rain for the flooding said the drainage system was not at fault. He said it was capable of carrying 25 mm of rainwater in an hour, while it has rained much more than that in the past two days, the newspaper said.

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India's main battle tank system not up to the mark

New Delhi, July 28 (UPI): India admitted that certain systems of the indigenously developed main battle tank Arjun has not met Army's acceptance criteria, the Hindu newspaper said Thursday.

"These units were being rectified and more ruggedisation was being introduced to withstand abnormal peak temperatures, Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Parliament.

Quoting army sources the newspaper said last month's comparative trials of he Arjun with the T-90 tanks at Mahajan range in northern Rajashthan had to be postponed and the Chief of the Army staff JJ Singh cancelled his visit after its crucial fire control system developed snag.

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India, Pakistan open road trade

New Delhi, July 28 (UPI): India and Pakistan opened trade by road for the first time in decades as Indian trucks with vegetables rolled into Pakistan through northern Wagah border, The Times of India newspaper reported Thursday.

"The two countries have had some trade by rail, but this is the first time the land route has been opened for trucks," the newspaper said.

It reported the vegetables, fruit and meat from India will now be on the shelves in northern Pakistani city of Lahore. Earlier it took 2-3 days before goods reached Pakistani markets by train

"This is the first step in opening of land trade routes, Indian Commerce Minister Kamalnath said.

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