Quicktakes

Nation-wide strike
CHANDIGARH: The Central governmentemployees will go on a one-day nation-wide strike on December 11 to protest the alleged “anti-workers policies” of the government, Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers Secretary General S K Vyas said.

Sairaj case
THANE: Additional Sessions Judge R D Patil today rejected the bail application of prime accused in the Sairaj building collapse case, Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Thane Sudhir Bhatnagar and senior Congress leader B B More, here today. The Sairaj building collapse have so far claimed 17 lives.

Pension hike
NEW DELHI: Government has decided to increase pension by 50 per cent and family pension by 30 per cent if they fell short of the minimum of the revised pay, Minister of State for Personnel and Pensions K M R Janarthanan said today.

Rail services hit
SURAT: Long-distance train services on the Delhi-Ahmedabad-Mumbai section were affected today following derailment of some wagons of a goods train on the Mathura section of the NorthernRailway. The Delhi-Mumbai August Kranti Express, Ferozpur Janta Express, the Amritsar-Mumbai Paschim Express and the Jammu-Mumbai Swaraj Express were delayed till further notice.

50,000 evacuated
CALCUTTA: About 50,000 people have been evacuated from three coastal districts of West Bengal in view of an impending severe cyclonic storm, early tomorrow.

Official sources said tonight that Midnapore, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts hadve been put on maximum alert.

Cyclone alert
CALCUTTA: All the coastal districts of West Bengal have been put on `maximum alert’ in view of the threat of a severe cyclonic storm which is likely to hit the State in the early hours tomorrow.

“Interpol help is being sought to investigate Sharma’s alleged connections in various foreign countries,” IDG sources said here today.