Coal India and ONGC in pact for coal gasification projects
Kolkata: Coal India Ltd (CIL) has agreed to join hands with ONGC to establish "in situ" coal gasification projects. An MoU for this is under formulation under which, both organisations will have equal participation, both in terms of investment and benefits, according to the CIL Chairman.

The coal gasification technology will be established in an area where coal mining may not be cost-effective due to geo-mining difficulties. The gas, which will be extracted, will be used by CIL for generating power. The generated power will be sold to the power grid.

It has been decided that the share of CIL in this venture will be in the form of land used and the coal resources utilised.

Incidentally, CIL and ONGC have formed another joint venture to produce coal bed methane (CBM). The Union Government has allocated two blocks, one in Raniganj and the other in Jharia coalfield on a nomination basis to the consortium of CIL and ONGC. Petroleum exploration licence for both the blocks have been obtained from the respective State Governments.

The Central Mine Planning and Design Institute will participate in this joint venture on behalf of CIL. Drilling of a "slimhole" is already in progress at one site.
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TRAI: Fresh show-cause notices to Tata Tele, Reliance and MTNL
New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued show-cause notice to Tata Teleservices, Reliance Infocomm and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), for `misleading' the consumers by positioning their fixed wireless phones as similar to mobiles.

The fresh missive from TRAI comes after the Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) had asked the telecom regulator to withdraw an earlier notice, which ordered the three operators to withdraw the `misleading' advertisements.

Tata Teleservices had approached the telecom tribunal against the TRAI order, on grounds that the company was not given any chance to explain its stand.

Tata Teleservices had told the TDSAT that there had been no notice from TRAI and there was nothing 'misleading' in its advertisement.

While Tata Tele has positioned its fixed wireless phone `Walky' as `Freedom of Mobility at Landline Rates', Reliance calls such a service `Unlimited Cordless' and MTNL's Garuda fixed wireless is called `Mobile bhi landline bhi'. TRAI has given them a time-period till January 24 to reply to the show-cause notice.

TRAI says that since the Interconnect Usage Charges (IUC) and the Access Deficit Charge (ADC) regimes treat calls from mobile and fixed line, differently, the operators need to advertise correctly on what they are offering. The regulator said that if they continued to claim the services as mobile telephony then it might have to charge the three operators rates that are applicable for cellular operators.
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Essar conteributes Rs. 6 crore to the PM relief fund
New Delhi: The Essar Group has contributed Rs6 crore to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund for the tsumani victims in India. The Essar Group Chairman, Sashi Ruia, handed over the cheques to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, at his residence here on Friday. He also handed over cheques on behalf of the Chairman of Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa (an associate of the group), Li Ka Shing.

The group's contribution comes from Essar Steel, Essar Power, Essar Shipping and its employees.
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Tommy Hilfiger store launched in AP
Hyderabad: Arvind Murjani Brands Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between the Murjani group and Arvind Brands Ltd, has launched a Tommy Hilfiger store in the city.

The 3,840-square feet store offers a wide range of apparel and also eye wear, hand bags, foot wear and home collection comprising the bed and bath range.
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Peak Telecom handsets launches Primus handsets
Kochi: Denmark-based Peak Telecom has launched its Primus mobile handsets in the market under the name Peak Mobiles India Pvt Ltd.

Andrew Reed, Managing Director, and John Eipe, Sales Director, said the operations of the company would be expanded to the whole of South India by the end of February. The company has introduced seven models with prices ranging up to Rs11,000. The popular model of Primus PTL 660 is priced at Rs1, 947.
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