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July 13, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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ANALYSIS New Delhi, July 12 In order to give the former Chief Minister of Delhi a free hand, the party high command also accepted the resignations of the outgoing president of the party, Mr Mange Ram Garg, and his team of nine office-bearers. Political observers feel that this was a clear signal that Mr Khurana, who will take over formally on Monday in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, Mr L. K. Advani, would be given a carte blanche to choose his team. Mr Khurana, a senior vice-president of the party till recently, was given charge of the Delhi state after the party’s dismal performance in the corporation elections earlier this year. The poor show was basically attributed to the internal dissensions which kept some of the stalwarts like Mr Khurana and Mr Sahib Singh Verma, MP from Outer Delhi and now the Union Labour Minister, away from active campaigning. Though both the leaders repeatedly said publicly that they had no differences, yet it was a known fact that the two party bigwigs did not see eye to eye. Both Mr Khurana and Mr Verma have been the chief ministers of Delhi and enjoy considerable following in their areas. Observers feel that with Mr Verma having been rehabilitated, the chance of quelling internal bickering has improved a lot. However, the powers that be are not overlooking the fact that the exit of Mr Garg could leave a bitter taste in his and his followers’ mouth. Even though the outgoing state BJP president had proclaimed on Thursday that he had no problem in working with Mr Khurana or anyone else, yet there is an undercurrent of resentment in Mr Garg’s camp. The fact that the party failed to secure a respectable number of seats in the Delhi Municipal Corporation under his leadership could restrain him and his followers from voicing their resentment publicly. Pragmatic politician that Mr Khurana is, there is a view within the party that he may still involve his predecessor in reorganising the cadre at the ground level and, in the process, mollify him as well as his followers. Known for his street theatrics, no one is more aware than Mr Khurana that the state unit will have to show results fast before the state goes to the polls. His supporters are confident that Mr Khurana can deliver and thank the Congress Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi under Mrs Sheila Dikshit for giving him readymade agitational fodder – the privatisation of the Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) and the subsequent prolonged power cuts and the government’s inability to deal with the chaos. |
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BJP gets readymade fodder New Delhi, July 12 Alleging that privatisation of energy distribution was a Rs 10,000 crore scam, Mr Mukhi said: “On the floor of the Assembly, the party would expose the government’s murky deals with the private firms, which have resulted in long hours of power cuts for the residents of the Capital.” Mr Mukhi said the Capital continues to face long hours of power cut even though there is no shortage of electricity. “The problem lies with the distribution system and network. DVB has been purchasing substandard equipment, which is largely responsible for the faults,” he said, adding: “The distribution system cannot take a load greater than 2600 MW whereas the peak load crosses the 3200 MW-mark.” Taking objection to Ms Dikshit’s reported remarks that `power is not their headache, as it has gone into private hands,’ the BJP leader said that “because of the callous and evasive attitude of the Delhi government towards the power problem, specially after handing over the distribution to the private sector, the situation has worsened.” Stating that the water crisis in Delhi was linked to the paucity of power, Mr Mukhi said that “cases of water borne diseases are being reported in different parts of the Capital. |
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Bollywood
heartthrob all set to play Cupid New Delhi, July 12 Dixit’s glamorous appearance at Darbar Hall, Taj Palace, on Friday afternoon could not have been more timely as it coincided with the worldwide release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Devdas’, said to be the most expensive Hindi film ever made. As the CEO of SONY Entertainment Television announced the arrival of ‘Madhuri Dixit-Aapke dilon ki dhadkan’, photographers swung into action. There was no stopping them as they tried their best to outdo one another in a bid to get a picture worth a thousand words. Clad in a bright red saree embroidered with silver thread and jewellery, Madhuri looked radiant as she acquainted the audience with the concept of the show. While reading out from two leaves of paper, Madhuri said that the show is about the emotions and dreams of people. Speaking in Hindi and English, the cine-star said that her first TV show will enable her reach out to every household. As Madhuri expressed hope that she would fulfil the dreams and aspirations of the masses, a photographer tried to catch her attention by remarking, “Sapne tab poore honge jab dhuan band hoga”. He was pointing to the artificial smokescreen on the stage. Madhuri ignored the remark with a smile and looked towards the ceiling with wonder to enjoy the confetti in the smokescreen. As the hand microphones were passed on by young ladies clad in crimson colour sarees, some journalists posed odd questions by asking why she had not planned to increase her family size. Seemingly vexed, Madhuri tried to brush aside the question with a smile and asked, “Aapko chinta ho rahi hai.” Another journalist wanted to know whether she was in favour of arranged or love marriage. To this, Madhuri said, “Arranged or love, mai marriage ke paksh mein hoon. (Be it arranged or love, I’m in favour of marriage). She used the opportunity to air her views on marriage. “Marriage is a must. I believe in the institution of marriage. Whether it succeeds or not depends on both the partners.” When a scribe sought her views on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajapyee and Presidential candidate, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam who had chosen to be single, Madhuri smiled and said, “No comments.” Asked how she chose her partner, Madhuri replied in a philosophical tone, “That is a big story but to cut it short, I met him through my brother. I believe in destiny and the fact that ‘kahin naa kahin koi hai’. The ways and the means by which you meet may be different but you do meet your partner.” When a journo asked whether she would announce the news of an addition to her family, the actress snubbed the former by saying, “Family and these kind of choices are very private decisions. It is totally my decision when I do what I want to do. The media has kept me permanently pregnant anyway.” The event management company, Wizcraft, took pains to create a memorable ambience with breathtaking embellishments and the options of sampling ‘itr’ at the threshold of Darbar Hall, consulting a palmist and purchasing colourful bangles from Rajasthan. |
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Fire in Alpana backyard New Delhi, July 12 Panic gripped the movie hall management and the theatre was evacuated. The fire broke out in one of the two transformers installed in the Delhi Vidyut Board Sub-station at the back of the hall. Two fire tenders were rushed to douse the fire, which was controlled within 15 minutes. No foul play was suspected in the incident, a spokesman of the Delhi Fire Service said. The fire rekindled the memories of Uphaar fire in which nearly 60 persons were killed. The fire broke out on June 30, 1997 on the first day of the screening of the Hindi blockbuster ‘Border’, exposing the shockingly inadequate fire-fighting backup systems in the cinema halls of the Capital. The Alpana cinema fire has again underscored the fact that little has changed since then. |
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MDU axes institute’s MBA course Rohtak, July 12 An emergent meeting of the Academic Council of the University, held here today, considered the reports of various Inspection Committees of the university and observed that the institute did not have proper buildings, faculty, library and hostel facilities. The students of the MCA and MBA of the institute also complained to the Vice-Chancellor on February 15, pinpointing the fact that the institute lacked the necessary infrastructure and other facilities on the campus. The Academic Council also advised the Vice-Chancellor to issue show-cause notice to the institute regarding its disaffiliation. The council took a serious view that the institute had shifted its campus from Hassangarh to a place on Jind Road at Rohtak without the approval of the AICTE, state government and the university. The meeting, however, decided that the students already admitted to the MBA and MCA courses at the institute should continue their studies there. But if the institute decided to close down, the university might consider migration of these students to other institutes. The Academic Council also approved the introduction of off-campus job integrated Bachelor’s degree courses through distance education mode (DDE) from the current academic session. These courses are BBA (Industry Integrated) Entrepreneurship, BBA Financial Services and Banking, BBA Insurance, BBA Sales and Marketing, BBA Information Technology and BBA (Computer-Aided Management). The council resolved to introduce the MCA and MBA courses, both for three years, through distance education mode. The university proposes to offer these courses through off-campus study centres of Maharshi Dayanand University. The university plans to charge a non-refundable registration fee of Rs 50,000 per course from each study centre. The fee proposed to be charged from the students and shared with the study centre is Rs 8,000 per semester, plus Rs 500 as enrolment fee (one time) for MCA students and Rs 6,000 per semester, plus Rs 500 as enrolment fee (one time) for MBA candidates. The engineering, management and other affiliated colleges and professional institutes of repute, having adequate infrastructure and faculty, may be granted the status of study centres for running the MBA and MCA courses. The Academic Council has deferred decision on according approval for setting up an Ayurvedic College at Charkhi-Dadri by the Dadri Education Trust as the institute has not yet obtained a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Central Council for Indian Medicines (CCIM). |
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Delhi cop faces rap in grisly murder case Rewari, July 12 Mr Hanif Qureshi, S.P., Rewari, told the ‘NCR Tribune’ today that the skull, which had been identified by the complainant Mrs Kamlesh Devi as that of her husband Ravinder Kumar (30), was being sent to the forensic laboratory, Madhuban (Karnal), for necessary tests, etc. Besides, intensive investigation by senior police officials was also on to ascertain the facts, he added. It all started on June 2, 2002, when a fire broke out in the official residence of Mrs Kanta Devi, auxiliary nurse-cum-midwife (ANM) of the sub-health centre at Karoli, about 35 km from Rewari. On the basis of a complaint lodged by Mrs Kanta Devi, who accused Ravinder Kumar of setting the fire, the police registered a case under Section 436 of the IPC (Mischief by fire) with the intent to destroy house etc. Meanwhile, Mrs Kanta Devi’s husband Kashmir Singh, along with three or four associates, allegedly visited the house of Ravinder Kumar and threatened to teach him a lesson for the ‘mischief’. What happened next to Ravinder Kumar is shrouded in mystery. He was never seen in the village after that, that is after June 6, 2002. The police too could not interrogate him in the above case. Mrs Kamlesh Devi, widow and Mr Indraj, father of the deceased, and other members of the family searched for Ravinder Kumar for weeks together. Even as their efforts to trace him came to a naught, a human skull and some undergarments were found scattered in a field near the village. This revelation brought Kamlesh Devi to the conclusion that the killers had thrown the skull and certain parts of the body of her husband into the field after hacking it into pieces. Mrs Kamlesh Devi and Mr Indraj met the SP, Mr Hanif Qureshi, here on July 10 who directed the Kosli police to register a case of murder and proceed accordingly. Meanwhile, Mrs Kanta Devi, ANM, wife of the main accused Kashmir Singh, has also abandoned Karoli village. She is stated to have been absent from duty for past several days. It could not be known whether she had gone to her husband’s house at Machhroli village (near Jhajjar) or somewhere else. The episode is now the talk of the residents of Karoli and numerous other surrounding villages.
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Question of Congress leadership resurfaces Rewari, July 12 Certain notable points emerged from discussions held by NCR Tribune with prominent Congress activists and others. First, there seems to be a broad consensus among party activists here that at this critical juncture, when the party is virtually at the crossroads of history in Haryana, that the much publicised question of whether to hand over the reins of the party to a Jat or a non-Jat is of inconsequential importance. Contrary to this, the most important thing in this regard, they opine, is the all-round capability of the prospective incumbent (irrespective of the fact whether he is a Jat or a non-Jat) to deliver the goods at this critical juncture. This, they feel, should be given the maximum weightage. Secondly, with regard to Mr Birender Singh, a former president of the HPCC, whose prospective incumbency had reportedly been making rounds in the corridors of the party, there is a strong feeling in party circles here that if the mantle of HPCC presidentship is conferred on Mr Birender Singh, just because he happens to be a Jat, by ignoring the claim of former Chief Minister and party stalwart Bhajan Lal, who happens to be a non-Jat, it will not only demoralise countless party workers but also make them feel that their sentiments had been ignored by the party high command. Thirdly, with emphasis on the efficacy of the stewardship of Mr Bhajan Lal, who has already played several successful innings as Chief Minister of the state and who has been an invaluable asset to the party, there seems to be an all-pervading perception that if the next assembly elections are contested with Mr Bhajan Lal at the helm of affairs the party will in all probability sweep the polls by cornering most of the 55 urban and semi-urban seats as well as the 14 Dalit-dominated seats in Haryana. Fourthly, party activists here have a robust optimism that this time the blunder, which had occurred after the party high command had extended the party’s support to the then sinking ship of the Bansi Lal government in Haryana, will not be allowed to be repeated in the appointment of the new party chief in Haryana. Weightage will be given to the sentiments of the party workers as well as the wishes of the masses who are fed up with the “misrule” of the present state government. |
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Stray animals have a merry meal in public parks Faridabad, July 12 The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has already constructed as many as 60 residential sectors in this town, which is a kind of record in Haryana. It provided several parks in each of the sectors unveiled for the benefit of the residents. After development of these sectors the work of maintenance of civic facilities and upkeep of parks was handed over to the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad (MCF). But the civic body hardly took the matter seriously. As a result, the parks present a picture of abysmal neglect. Most residents in the urban sectors have not the foggiest idea about which authority is responsible for the maintenance of parks. Complaints about misuse of parks or lack of upkeep keep pouring in to the office of the Administrator, HUDA, here. HUDA officials claim that the work of maintenance of parks, roads, streetlights, sewerage and tubewells lies with the MCF. They often tell the residents about this. A resident of Sector 14 here claimed HUDA officials often visit the area and take action if they come across any encroachment or any structure which has come up against the rules of the development authority. However, he also charged that the officials collect bribe on a monthly basis from hawkers and vendors who sell various items by stationing themselves in the green belt of sectors. He queried that if the MCF was responsible for maintenance then how could HUDA authorities take action against encroachers. It is also learnt that several plots earlier advertised by HUDA as parks were later sold to schools or other institutions. While many parks have become garbage dumping sites or a place for stray animals to roam about and rummage for food, the RWAs of several sectors have come forward to adopt these parks by collecting funds from the local residents. In a laudable gesture, these RWAs have appointed gardeners and helpers to maintain the parks. The parks in Sectors 14 and 15 are such examples. Even lights and benches have been provided by the RWAs. HUDA has developed and maintained only one park in Sector 12 here. Known as Town Park, it attracts thousands of visitors every month. Spread over several acres, it has been efficiently maintained. The state of public parks in the NIT area, which is one of the heavily populated areas of the town, is poor, to say the least. A majority of the parks have no greenery or grass. Often, stray animals like pigs, cows and dogs can be seen roaming here as residents use many parks as dustbins. Although the MCF has a budget for parks and a large number of `malis’ (gardeners) are on its roll the upkeep of these public spots is woeful. It is alleged that `malis’ are normally assigned the duty of maintaining the gardens of the officers’ residences. They hardly find time to work at parks. Rose Garden is a famous spot in the NIT area but according to some residents they have never come across a rose here. It is learnt that shortage of water and poor maintenance are the bane of this garden. A fountain here has not functioned since it was inaugurated, said a resident of the NH-II locality here. Lack of proper lighting and security have given rise to cases of molestation. Snatching of purses of women has also been reported. There are several parks in the industrial sectors also but the story there is no different. Jhuggis and temporary sheds have also come up in some of the parks. |
This is in reference to the article “Delhi slums breed young mothers, frail kids” (NCR Tribune, June 24, 2002). In a religious country like India, where Lakshmi and Durga are worshipped as mothers, it is a strange paradox that women are the worst affected victims at the hands of society. In our patriarchal society, women are treated like subordinates, though they share equal role with men. Stories of exploitation of women are indeed heartrending. They are also easily vulnerable to violence. Added to them are the sad stories of female infanticide. The exploitation of women in slums is clear proof if any is needed. The percentage of teenage mothers in slums are rapidly increasing. And due to the increasing number of teenage mothers, infant mortality rate is also on the rise. According to a study done by the Society for Development, the child mortality rate in slum areas is 111 per 1000. Sadly, about 75 per cent of the mothers in the slums of the Capital are under 18 years. And the woeful story does not end there. Nearly 18 per cent of these teenage mothers are just 12 years. Early marriage leads to the increase in the number of teenage mothers which results in physical stress on them. Illiteracy, poverty, lack of awareness and inequality of economic opportunities are some of the reasons for the exploitation of women at social, economic and physical level. In the worst cases, they are even compelled to compromise their basic human dignity and are forced into dehumanising activities. Trafficking in women is one of the extreme form of violence against women’s self-respect and human dignity. India has the largest number of illiterates in the world, two-third of them are women. Due to the denial of equal opportunity and proper education, the progress in female literacy is very slow and consequently women suffer. Without adequate education, training, health, nutrition and decision-making powers, women will not able to contribute or gain effectively from the developments in our society. No doubt, they are excluded from the benefits of growth. Discrimination against women is rampant in our society. The Hindu religion depicts God in the form of woman. That means both men and women are equal. Then, how are the women in our society discriminated, shown disrespect, exploited and tortured in all possible ways? Half of the population in India is women. Therefore, there is an urgent need that we rise above the deep-rooted prejudices against women at all levels. No nation can develop by ignoring this vital half of its population. The development of women, therefore, is most important for the holistic development of a society and nation. Many institutions are running development programmes for women but the society as a whole has to stand up to protect the basic human right of our women. Only then will these institutions or agencies succeed in their ultimate goal. SHWETA KOHLI,
Shahdara, Delhi.
Sensitise EC Through your newspaper, I would like to bring to the notice of the Election
Commission the problems that the law-abiding citizens have to face for obtaining a voter identity card. Contrary to the claims of the Election Commission that the voter identity card can be obtained in 15 minutes, my family members were harassed by the officials and were turned out of the centre on one pretext or the other when they went to obtain their voter identity card. First, the officials asked my family members to bring a residence proof document. Then they said that my family members should also bring the letter issued by the Election Commission. However, others who had the letter issued by the Election Commission were turned away on some other pretext. In crux, such officials by their indifferent attitude are sabotaging the whole process and threatening the roots of democracy itself. Since the Election Commission has stated that only those with the voter identity card would be eligible to vote, many citizens would be deprived of their right to exercise their franchise. I hope the Election Commission takes a serious look at this issue and sensitise the officials about their important role in the functioning of our democracy. RAJESH JOSHI,
Unjustified ‘Tamasha’ The huge publicity given to the politicians, bureaucrats and other VIPs, accused of corruption, scams, forgery, cheating, fraud and such other economic and criminal offences by the media, particularly TV channels, is hardly justified. Just witness the ‘tamasha’ outside the courtrooms when such persons are produced before the magistrates. The crews of various TV channels vie with each other to cover their appearance in the courts. At times, their over-enthusiasm has led to unnecessary inconvenience to other litigants and their lawyers. Further, the relatives and supporters of these influential people cause a melee outside the courtrooms, thereby hampering the working of the court. Unfortunately, these people feel flattered by the on-the-spot coverage of their trials by the TV channels. Sadly, in the presence of their supporters, they try to impress that they have been wrongly framed due to political considerations. Unfortunately, by giving huge coverage to these so called VIP’s, some of the TV channels have made heroes of them. These channels, sadly, give very little coverage to social, cultural and educational issues and the problems of the common man. As such, I would urge the TV channels to give substantial coverage O.P.SHARMA,
Aggrieved citizen The wrong doers in our society have been encouraged because they have realised that no one will stand up for the aggrieved. Everyone knows that the bureaucracy is expert at maintaining the status quo. Legislatures ignore such issues, considering them to be individual problems. Courts are out of the reach of the common man because they are just too costly and time consuming. Decades are wasted in courts due to the delay caused in pursuing cases. Thus, one is left wondering if there is any justice for the aggrieved in India. JARNAIL SINGH Registrar’s
tenure It is with reference to the unfortunate incident reported in your paper under the title “Free-for-all at midnight in MDU” (NCR Tribune June 30th, 2002). The university Registrar has been a brilliant scholar of English and an Associate Professor of English. Though an inquiry is underway, it is regrettable that such an incident took place at MDU. According to reports, the Registrar had been “removed from the chair on Thursday after a reported scuffle with the deputy security officer of the university on the campus at the dead of night” (NCR Tribune July 8, 2002) and Dr Ajay Rajan, a Reader in the Institute of Management Studies and Research (IMSAR) was appointed as Registrar of MDU. (NCR Tribune July 9, 2002). For a number of years, I have served with high-ranking officers of this university. I also have been familiar with university administration in India in general and MDU administration in particular for a number of years. At the incipient stage, the university was not given the necessary attention from Mr Rajinder Singh, IAS, the first Registrar of the university. In fact, Mr Singh remained with the university for a period of just 3-months and subsequently joined his parent department in Haryana. Dr Rao, a seasoned and a soft-spoken person with a doctorate in History and a former principal of the Government College of Haryana, did his level best for the university during his two terms. As per the direction of the Supreme Court of India, he also officiated as the vice-chancellor of the university for some time. Dr Bhim Singh Dahiya, who retired as the vice-chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, as the Registrar of Maharshi Dayanand University did not leave any significant mark on the development of this university. According to popular perception, Dr Dahiya was not in the good books of the then vice-chancellor, Mr Hardwari Lal and consequently, it was difficult for him to do much for the university in general. The hostile relationship between the vice-chancellor and the Registrar was an open-secret on the campus of Maharshi Dayanand University. Mr Hardwari Lal, the vice-chancellor brought Mr K.L.Guglani, an IRS officer at that time in Rohtak as the Registrar of Maharshi Dayanand University. Like Dr Rao, Mr Guglani also contributed significantly to the development of this university. Of the remaining Registrars, Dr L.N. Dahiya’s contribution to the development of the university is remembered. Later, Professor Dahiya became the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University and completed his two-terms successfully. From the non-teaching side, Mr R.K. Goyal, the present Deputy Registrar of MDU, was a competent person while officiating as the Registrar for a short period. It is indicative that of the 28 Registrars, including the present Dr Ajay Rajan, 14 were IAS officers. Clearly, IAS officers are quite competent and masters in the field of public administration. Unfortunately, except Mr Trilok Chand Gupta, others IAS officers have not had a reasonable tenure to serve the university. Hence, it is easy to understand their limited contribution to Maharshi Dayanand University. Having had a reasonable time to serve at the Maharshi Dayanand University, Mr Trilok streamlined the functioning of university in his first tenure. However, during his second short tenure, he (Mr Trilok) could not shoulder the responsibility adequately due to the constant friction between Mr Trilok and the then vice-chancellor, Mr Vivek Chand Sharma. Maharshi Dayanand University, a temple of learning for the people of the area, was established by the Haryana Act 25 of 1975 and came into being on April 19, 1976. The Registrar of the university gives permanency to the university administration. If the Registrar is not given a reasonable time of about 3-4 years to serve, the person cannot live up to the expectations of the university (teachers, students and non-teaching employees). The Maharshi Dayanand University has had 28 Registrars in 26-years. Clearly, Registrars need longer tenure if they are to contribute their mite to the development of Maharshi Dayanand University. O.P.WADHWA,
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Timely
reforms must to improve power
situation: PHDCCI New Delhi, July 12 While presenting the agenda for ‘Accelerating Economic Development of Delhi’, Mr Kapoor said despite the privatisation of power distribution, the situation remained grim even after a fortnight. He said that limited local generation, lack of additional capacity, increasing per capita consumption, weaknesses in the distribution network and institutional deficiencies had been some of the major impediments. Proposed additions to the generation capacities had not come through, with a number of private proposals pending clearances. To augment the power supply over the next decade, the state government needed to draw up a perspective plan. There was also a need for an action plan on broad-banding the distribution network in a given timeframe, he said. He also emphasised that effective maintenance and customer care services be provided by the private service providers. |
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Parishad
meeting climaxes in pandemonium Narnaul, July 12 Mr Kalan’s contention was that when the Chairman of the Zila Parishad had already condemned the lathi charge then how could he reject raising this issue at the meeting. Mr Jagdish Yadav, another member, supported him. However, he was not allowed to speak a word. This led to pandemonium. The Chairman, Bhai Ram Singh, said the during the one-hour meeting it was resolved that the DRDA and others, which had offices in the Zila Parishad building, should vacate it in case they did not pay the rent to the parishad. In another resolution passed, it was held the Anaj Mandi should be under the market committee and not the Municipal Committee, Narnaul. Also, only grain merchants should be allowed to run their business at the Anaj Mandi. |
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Commissioner
urges officials to speed up works Panipat, July 12 Addressing a meeting of the officials here on Thursday, Mr Banswal directed the District Forest Officer (DFO) to increase the pace of the afforestation drive in the district. The DFO, Mr D. K. Sinha, informed that the farmers, government agencies and various clubs had been involved in the drive and were being given free saplings. The target would be achieved by July 31, Mr Sinha added. Asking the Irrigation Department to get its act together in view of the monsoon, he also directed the Civil Surgeon and the Public Health Department to form a joint team and test water samples so as to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases. He also directed the Electricity Department to provide electricity on a regular basis. He also wanted the Transport Department and the PWD to help the district administration in greening Panipat. |
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ROHTAK Rohtak, July 12 The association had, in the past, sent many missives to the former Deputy Commissioners of Rohtak seeking demolition of encroachments near the railway station so that the problems of passengers could be redressed. But no Deputy Commissioner had showed any interest towards it, he said. The association has also urged the higher authorities of the Railways to provide separate ‘entrance and exit’ points at the Rohtak railway station as the road had now been widened and ample space was available there to build separate gates.
Clean water still a pipedream The problem of contamination and inadequate supply of piped water to several localities in the town do not seem to abate soon due to the apathy of the Public Health authorities. According to information, the district administration has repeatedly been directing the Public Health authorities to ensure adequate supply of potable water to all the authorised localities in the town. It has also been instructing the authorities concerned to rectify immediately the leakage that can cause contamination and lead to outbreak of various water-borne diseases. However, it is learnt, the Public Health authorities have often been misinforming the district administration regarding the supply of piped water. This fact came to light when dozens of infuriated residents of Adarsh Nagar locality here today complained that the Public Health authorities had so far failed to disconnect nearly 30 unauthorised water connections in the locality despite the assurance by the then Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Malik. The residents alleged that several people had used PVC (plastic) pipes in getting unauthorised water connections. These pipes had been broken at several places, resulting in seepage and mixing of sewer water with the potable water, they alleged. They claimed that the then Deputy Commissioner had assured them that unauthorised water connections would be disconnected the same evening but, they alleged, no action had been taken so far. They appealed to the Deputy
Commissioner, Mr Ashok Yadav, to take timely action in this regard.
Woman shot dead by two Two assailants shot dead a woman at Kamla Nagar locality here today. The deceased has been identified as Ms Sumitra who, estranged from her husband, had been living in a rented house along with her two sons and two daughters for the last nearly two-and-a-half months. According to information, Sandeep, a resident of Sheetal Nagar locality here, along with his one accomplice called the woman out of her house and opened fire on her. The victim died on the spot. The police have registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC and Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act in this connection. Meanwhile, a Maruti car was stolen from the PGIMS campus today. Dr Satish Sharma, a paediatrician, said he had parked his car (HR 12 B-0939) outside his house on the PGI campus. He said he found it missing after sometime. |
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Mango fest opens on July 13 in Noida Noida, July 12 Some 300 varieties of mango will be on display from different states, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Bihar apart from several parts of UP. The varieties will include Malika, Benggan Patti, Neelam, Ramani, Totapari, Kestan Bhog, Seekul, Kesar, Payari, Chausa, Nausa, Fazzali Rataul, Bombay Green, Summer Behisht, Disheheri etc. Mango growers from Muzaffar Nagar, Saharanpur and Bulandshahar in UP, Baghalpur, Patna, Nasik, Maharashtra, Chennai are expected to attend the festival. UP Tourism, Delhi Tourism, the National Horticulture Board and a number of restaurants and hotels have been roped in. They will offer prizes to winners of various competitions. In the mango eating competition for men, women and children, some 300 kg mangos are expected to be consumed. There will be a cultural programme by artistes from UP and a troupe of Punjabi folk and pop artists from 11.30 am. A quiz and slogan writing competition will be organised in Hindi and English at 12 pm. Mango recipes and a painting competition will be the highlights of the occasion. The festival will open at 11 am on July 13 and close at 8.30 pm on July 14 after the prize distribution. |
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NCR BRIEFS Jhajjar, July 12 13 gamblers held Rewari Cases have been registered against them under Section 13 of the Gambling Act. The district police chief said that strict surveillance would be kept on the lottery bazars running at various places in the town and none, if found running satta under its garb, would be spared.
Blood donation camp Faridabad Sapling planted The state Minister of Urban Development, Mr Subhash Goel, today launched the plantation drive of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) by planting a sapling. Mr Goel planted a neem sapling on the premises of the MCF Auditorium. The Secretary and Commissioner, Urban Development, Mr Manik Sonawana, the Mayor and the Commissioner of MCF also planted a sapling each. The MCF plans to plant as many as 41,000 saplings this season, said the authorities.
Youth murdered The police have found the body of a youth, who was allegedly murdered by some unidentified persons. The victim, Manoj, used to work with a group of eunuchs at old Faridabad. He was reported to be missing a few days ago. The police recovered his body from a place near Kondal village today. He was reported to have been strangled to death. A case has been booked on the complaint of the victim’s brother, who identified the body. Meanwhile, two motorcycles and a TV were stolen in separate incidents in the town in the past 24 hours.
Lawyer dead Narnaul |
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CP police station to get a new building New Delhi, July 12 At present, the Connaught Place police station functions from a makeshift structure near Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib as the building of the old police station was pulled down because of its dilapidated condition. All police officers from the rank of DCP were present at the foundation stone laying ceremony in Connaught Place. |
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SKS
leader lashes out at govt Panipat:
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Five dreaded criminals held in Noida Noida, July 12 The gang, headed by Mehtab alias Ayub, resident of Shamli, had been active in Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Noida and Delhi and was wanted in 32 cases, including those of murder, kidnapping, loot, dacoity, theft etc. The five members of the gang were nabbed after an encounter on Thursday by a team, led by Sector 58 COI Ram Vadan Singh, at the Bank of India crossing in Sector 62 from a Maruti van. The police had been tipped off that a gang of criminals was likely to loot cash from a gas agency in the area at 5.15
pm. Mehtab was the ringleader and planner of all crimes. Other members included Shaqil alias, Mukarram, Shadin, Mohmood and Dilshad, SP City Vijay Bhushan said. Mehtab, Shaqil and Mohmood are all history-sheeters and had been externed from the district. They confessed to have committed several crimes, including a dacoity in Basai village a year ago, another two months ago in Khaura Pratap Vihar where they had looted a cloth merchant’s shop. They had also looted Rs 20,000 from a house after removing the window grills about 40 days back. Two years back, they had looted jewellery from a house in Sector 21. They were also involved in the looting of gold jewellery and household valuables from house No 520 in Sector 29 here 25 days ago. There were dozens of cases against Shaqil, the SP said. At least, four members of the gang are still at large.
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Notorious
gangster of UP arrested New Delhi, July 12 The Special Cell sleuths, acting on a tip-off that the accused, Rajesh Yadav alias Munna (29), resident of Kushi Nagar, UP, would come to meet someone near India Gate, nabbed him and recovered a loaded pistol with two live cartridges from his possession. During interrogation, the accused revealed that he along with his associates used to commit highway robberies in Kushi Nagar. He later developed some contacts in Bihar and got involved in a number of cases there too. In another case, the sleuths under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) L. N. Rao apprehended a gangster of Uttar Pradesh, Jaivir alias Fauzi (35), resident of Kannauj in that state, who was involved in more than 15 cases of murder and attempt to murder. The UP police have declared a reward of Rs 30,000 for his arrest. He was involved in the kidnapping of a farmer, Jitender Singh, from Bewara. He later handed over the victim to another gang. |
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Gang of Bangladeshi robbers smashed, New Delhi, July 12 He has been identified as Sharif. Two gold chains, silver coins and Rs 10,000 were recovered from his possession. He resided in Seemapuri in a rented house. During interrogation, he disclosed that he was involved in a robbery in Saraswati Vihar where he along with his other associates robbed jewellery and cash. They attacked Anand Prakash Goyal, a timber merchant, and robbed jewellery, mobile phone and Rs 1.50 lakh from his house in Saraswati Vihar. While investigating this case, the police received the information that Shairif was using the mobile phone of the timber merchant, He was arrested from his house in Seemapuri. The suspect and his associates had also committed a dacoity in the house of a resident of Sainik Vihar, Ramesh Aggarwal. Armed with sophisticated weapons, they beat up the victim and robbed cash and jewellery. He said that all members of his gang belonged to Bangladesh. They used to get information about their victim through maids. They used to recee the house and then commit the crime. The maids were also given their share from looted goods and cash. Four auto thieves held:
They would open the cars parked at specific places with the help of a steel scale and then cut the lock with the help of a drill machine. They used to replace the numberplates and locks and sell the vehicles. Ravi and Surender are residents of Garhi Lajpat Nagar and they used to steal motorcycles for joyriding. They used to leave the vehicles on the road after joyriding, the police said. Naraina
murder:
The police said that the motive of the murder was robbery. The suspects had information that the deceased was carrying money. When they could not rob the victim, they shot him dead, the police said. Burglar
nabbed:
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MTNL services to be paralysed on July 16 New Delhi, July 12 The one-day strike will be followed by an indefinite stir by the employees, demanding payment of pension from the government fund, stoppage of disinvestment of MTNL, finalisation of the promotion policy and removal of anomalies in pay scales. The MTNL Staff Union general secretary, Mr Sarup Singh, today said that if the government failed to resolve the issues, then the employees would have no other option but to proceed with an indefinite strike from July 23. “We have been fighting for these demands for the last two years and despite assurances from the MTNL management and the government, nothing concrete has been done,” Mr Singh said. |
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