BHOPAL, June 2 (UNI) Distribution of water using siphon technique and use of fountains was practised nearly four centuries back, archaeological excavations have revealed.
Archaeologists of State Archaeology and Museum Department recently unearthed massive tanks of sandstone with embedded pipes and fountains of terracotta and copper during excavations in Gond Mahal.
State archaeology commissioner I M Chahal told UNI that the excavations which had begun in February had unearthed large number of terracotta pipe tanks besides some valuable pottery.
A unique hamam having around 40 fountains has also been unveiled, she said.
The roof of the mahal has a tank and behind the mahal is a well.
Water from the well was used for filling the tank.
The dilapidated mahal, situated at Islamnagar, nearly 15 KM from the state capital, was built by the Gond king Narsinghdev in the 16th century.
Islamnagar was earlier known as Jagdishpur, which was a bastion of Dewada Rajputs.
Towards the beginning of 18th century, Jagdishpur was captured by the Sansthapak of Bhopal estate Dost Mohammad Khan and re-christened as Islamnagar.
Adjoining the Gond Mahal, is the beautiful Chaman Mahal, which was built by Dost Mohammad Khan.
The mahal built in the charbaag style of architecture, boasts of an impeccable water distribution system.
The Chaman mahal, built some 300 years ago, has a water distribution system based on siphon technology.
Its roof has a huge water tank which was filled with water from a well situated just behind the mahal.
The water was then disbursed through fountains.
A shahi hamam having copper plates is also located in the mahal.
Chahal said plans were afoot to tap the tourist potential of the mahal.
India-Pakistan traded goods worth 7700 mn NEW DELHI, June 2 (UNI) Notwithstanding volatile and tense relations between India and Pakistan and disruption of direct air and land communication after Parliament attacks, Rs 7700 million worth of goods were exchanged between the two countries in the past 18 months.
The trade was conducted directly and through third countries by sea as air, rail and bus traffic was suspended between the two countries after a suicide attack on the Indian Parliament The balance of trade remained in India's favour with New Delhi exporting goods worth Rs 4830 million to Pakistan.
The main items exported to Pakistan were chemicals, tea and coffee, paints, plastic items and machine tools, according to the Central Board of Revenue of Pakistan.
Pakistan exported fruits, vegetables, cotton and other items worth Rs 2240 million to India.
The trade is expected to increase manifold if the relations between the two countries were normalised.
India had granted Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan as per its obligations under WTO but Pakistan is yet to reciprocate.
India had granted tariff concessions on 597 items to Pakistan, but Islamabad has not taken any similar step so far.
Once the Pakistan government grants MFN to India, it will give required push to the trade ties between the two countries.
A high level meeting was held in Pakistan recently to take a decision on this sensitive issue.
However, no consensus could be reached on this issue.
India has often asked Pakistan to fulfil its obligations under WTO by removing restrictions on Indian goods and treating them at par with imports from other countries.
This issue has been raised through various fora, including Indian business bodies.
The trade and economic issues are expected to form an important component of future dialogue between India and Pakistan.
Madhumita case CID to collect samples of male suspects for DNA test LUCKNOW, Jun 2 (UNI) The CB-CID will soon collect samples for DNA test of all the male suspects who had 'any links' with the slain poetess Madhumita Shukla.
According to sources, samples of all the suspects including a former minister and some top-shots in the Uttar Pradesh government would be collected so that it could be matched with the DNA of Madhumita's foetus.
Sources, meanwhile, said interrogation of sacked minister Amarmani Tripathi along with a few others was also on the cards.
Shanti Devi, the deceased's mother, had demanded a CBI probe into the killing of her daughter alleging the CID was only doing a cover-up job to save people involved in the crime.
Meanwhile, the CB-CID had urged the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) in Hyderabad for an early report of the foetus sample of the slain poetess.
In a letter to the institute, the CID officials said the test report was vital for progress in the probe into the murder case.
Sources maintained the authorities at Hyderabad had earlier said it would take at least three months to get the report as there was a long queue of samples from all over the country.
"The CDFD can give priority to the test only if a specific court order on expediting the process of the DNA finger-printing was sent," sources added.
Meanwhile, the agency is all set to seek more time for completing the probe as the DNA test would take time.
Earlier, the CID had to submit its report to the state government by June 17.
During investigations, the CID came across two bank accounts of Madhumita in the state capital.
In both the accounts, the balances reportedly ran into several lakhs of rupees.
The sleuths were also expected to interrogate two senior police officials, who had close association with the murdered poetess.
A CID team camping in Gorakhpur also got hold of some vital clues through which it was ascertained that Madhumita had mediated between a local influential person and Tripathi over a land dispute.
Madhumita was found murdered at her Paper Mill colony residence here on May 9.
BSP minister Amarmani Tripathi was sacked by chief minister Mayawati on May 17 on his alleged links with the deceased.
RLD MLAs appear before media BHOPAL, June 2 (UNI) Twelve Rashtriya Lok Dal legislators housed in a hotel here appeared before the media today and claimed that they would shortly be going to New Delhi.
Talking to newspersons, MLA Virendra Singh said their leader Ajit Singh and Rashtriya Kranti Party chief Kalyan Singh were already in New Delhi while Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh was expected to reach the national capital later today.
Stating that the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh was not not in position to prove its majority on the floor of the house, Singh expressed hope that the new government in the state would be formed with the alliance of four parties.
After talking to media they left for an unknown destination.
The RLD legislators had arrived here on May 25 and stayed for three days before leaving for the hill resort of Panchmari.
