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Flights grounded for nine hours, trains chug along New Delhi, December 24 After days, the minimum temperature went below normal to touch seven degrees today, as against the normal temperature of eight degrees Celsius. Though the fog cleared in the forenoon, a partly cloudy sky prevented the sun from shining in all its glory. The day temperature hovered around 13 degrees, ten degrees below normal. According to the Airport Authority of India spokesperson, the fog had reduced Runway Visibility Range to 175 metres, due to which flight operations had to be suspended after 0300 hrs. The last flight left at 2.58 hrs. The fog started clearing by 10.30 a.m. and the flights could take off only after 1100 hrs. A number of trains continued to run behind schedule due to poor visibility. According to a northern Railway spokesperson, the Lal Qila-Delhi Sealdah Express was late by 11 hours, the Farakkha Express, the Amritsar-Darbhanga and the Darbhanga-Amritsar Shaheed Express of yesterday were running late by 19, 19 and 28 hours, respectively. Besides, the Jammu Tawi Delhi Express and the Varanasi- New Delhi Kashivishwanath Express were late by seven hours. |
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BIG
CATCH New Delhi, December 24 According to Delhi Police, the airport police nabbed the 72-year-old, after he arrived here from Kabul on December 18 by an Ariana Airlines flight. Two Enfield pistols, made in 1858, two Enfield rifles, made in 1863, and other arms were recovered from the accused. The antique arms were worth several lakh in the international market. Raymond had been working with Afghanistan Infrastructure in Agriculture at Kabul since 1967 and was on his way to Frankfurt via India, where he planned to stay. The accused was coming out of the airport through the green channel when the customs officials intercepted him and forced him to get his luggage checked in the x-ray machine. Raymond was suspected of carrying contraband as his bag was unusually big. During investigation the staff found the arms and informed the police. The police registered a case against Raymond under various sections of the Arms Act and the Customs Act.
CBSE exam in march New Delhi: The Class X and Class XII examinations, conducted by the CBSE, will begin on March one. The date-sheet for the examinations has been released today.
TNS |
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Flashback ’03 New Delhi, December 24 Victory lap: Sheila Dikshit The same old story. Crime thrives. At the same time, continuity and stability got the mandate with the Congress-led Sheila Dikshit government being placed again in the hot seat, a virtual endorsement of the Delhi government’s poll promise to turn the Capital into a world class city. The general assembly elections also saw the exit of the patriarch of Delhi politics, Mr. Madan Lal Khurana, who failed to wrest power from the Congress as the president of the Delhi Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party. Mr. Khurana had to resign not only his Moti Nagar seat, which he had won with a convincing majority, but also from the post of the president of the Delhi BJP and as a Member of Parliament. But like all die-hard politicians, he is on his way to a gubernatorial posting which most agree is a reward for his long innings in the Capital’s politics. A big embarrassment for the citizenry and the police was the increase in the number of blatant and often brutal sexual assaults on women. The incident involving a Swiss diplomat outside the Sri Fort auditorium, and that of a college girl, who was gang raped, allegedly by army men posted at Rashtrapati Bhawan, are only two examples of more than two dozen such cases which rocked the city and to some extent the conscience of the people. There was a spontaneous manifestation of revulsion. People protested and demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrators. The Army men were nabbed, but those responsible for the attack on the Swiss diplomat continue to evade the police despite all the efforts and cash incentives announced to trace them. Contributing to the general feeling of insecurity were the increase in the number of incidents of robbery, dacoity, car jacking and kidnapping. The senior citizens, too, were not spared. There were at least half a dozen incidents of attacks on elderly persons, forcing the Delhi Police brass to devise ways to protect them. Patrolling was intensified and the area beat constables were activated. Some of the senior citizens, who were living alone, were also provided with electronic alarms, which could alert the area police in case of an emergency situation. Economically, the city continued to thrive. Thanks to the purchasing power of the Delhiites, markets and bazaars did brisk business while at the same time there was mushrooming of shopping malls and plazas, some of them comparable to those in the West. Entertainment and leisure activity, too, was brisk. New pubs, restaurants and multiplexes sprouted during the year, providing a variety of entertainment packages catering to every taste. Models and film stars were invited to launch some of these, adding to the glamour of the place – or so some thought. The construction activity also saw a boom, though only at the tail-end of the year, thanks to the apex court’s ruling allowing the construction of an additional floor (barasati) in the existing units. Of course, what additional strain this puts on the already teetering infrastructure is yet to be seen. Can schemes like the Sonia Vihar water project take the additional burden? Is there hope for the average Delhiite in the NEW Year? |
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Dyeing unit owners fret and fume over relocation decision Panipat, December 24 The Panipat Dyers Association puts the blame on government for trying to impose its arbitrary decisions on them and is not paying any heed to their difficulties particularly for water supply, as Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), the official authority to develop the industrial area with basic amenities, is planning to provide 15 cusecs water daily in the new set up of industrial estate for dyeing units in Panipat. Whereas the president of the Association, Mr Yash Pal Malik, in a meeting of dyers and HUDA authorities on December 21, said that at least 45 cusecs of water is required daily for their units. He also confirmed that as the exports are increasing and in this present trend, they need daily 50 to 60 cusecs water to run the dyeing show. After the meeting, Mr Malik said that they want transparency in dyes unit shifting programme from Panipat lanes, mohallas to the newly set up industrial sector for dyers. He also said that the shifting programme should be according to dyer convenience and the government should not impose any orders to them. Mr Malik also said that they need a meeting with the administrator of HUDA and authorities concerned assured them but the dyers want a written assurance. However, in another meeting of Managing Committee of Dyers Association, it was decided to arrange a general body meeting on December 25, and the fate of shifting of dye units with their genuine demands would be decided then. The president alleges that Panipat has witnessed tremendous growth of handloom units during last two decades and is becoming a leading industrial township of handlooms in the country. But the growth was unplanned and without any vision by the government machinery, as ad hocism prevails. As a dyeing unit is an essential part of the handloom sector, neither any specific sites were developed for these units nor anti-pollution measures were enforced for so many years. And now, if the government machinery wake up and asked to shift immediately, it would not be possible to dismantle their units at once and under arbitrary orders, he added. |
National Consumer Day observed with focus on the young New Delhi, December 24 “It is the younger generation which has to be made aware of consumer rights to ensure not only that they get the true value of the product purchased but also to spread the message among the public at large,” Consumer Affairs Minister Sharad Yadav said here. Launching the celebrations of National Consumer Day, he inaugurated consumer clubs in schools here and said children will have to be actively involved in the consumer movement. The clubs have been started under the Consumer Welfare Fund and must have a minimum of 50 members. Consumer Affairs Ministry will provide Rs 10,000 per club annually to promote the concept. Consumer movement has to be made people’s movement to ensure the consumers get the goods and services free from exploitation, he said. Mr Yadav also flagged off a rally of schoolchildren at the Talkatora Stadium here saying consumer awareness has to be spread in a multifarious way in every nook and corner of the country. It was on this day in 1986 that the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, received Presidential assent. It was declared National Consumer Day in 2000. |
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Unprecedented fog disrupts normal life Sonepat, December 24 The Delhi-bound Baroni Express passed through Sonepat five hours behind schedule. The Jammu Mail also ran behind schedule for more than three hours. The New Delhi-bound Shaheed Express and the Amritsar- bound Shaheed Express were running late by 19 hours and 26 hours respectively. Similarly, all other long-distance trains, including Jhelum Express, Bhatinda intercity and Amritsar Super passed through Sonepat behind schedule, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers. Vehicular traffic on the National Highway No. 1 and other state highways was also disrupted for several hours and the drivers of the vehicles had to use headlights during their journey. |
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‘Balidan Diwas’ of Swami Shradhanand held in Capital New Delhi, December 24 Mrs Sheila Dikshit, the Chief Minister of Delhi, was the chief guest on the occasion. While appreciating the work of Mr Anil Arya, national president, Kendriya Arya Yuvak Paishad, she said: “I am grateful to Mr Arya for having chosen my residence as the venue for the Balidan Diwas. This has made not just my home but this land holy”. “Swami Shradhanand was a true example of national unity and social welfare. The nation can never forget his contributions at the time of the freedom struggle. His ethics and values carry us forward in times of mental tension and help us face the challenges of today’s world. If we can maintain love and harmony, we would overcome the greatest challenge,” she added. Also present was Dr Ashok K. Chauhan, president, Kendriya Arya Yuvak Parishad and founder president, Amity group of institutions. He said: “Swami Shradhanand had also made an immense contribution in the field of education. He re-established the famous gurukul system of education. Every Arya Samaji is an atom, their children are creating a revolution in the entire world-Arya Samajis together are capable of transforming the nation”. The Delhi Health Minister, Mr Yoganand Shashri, said: “if you turn the pages of national history, there is no such leader with the caliber of Swami Shradhanand. His contributions are of key importance in the national movement.” “It is our duty to recognize the efforts and carry forward the legacy of great leaders like Swami Shradhanand. He was instrumental in educating women and opening the first girls school and college”, said Mr Anil Arya. Amongst the other dignitaries present were Mr Dharshan Agnihotri, Mr Ravindra Mehtra, Dr Om Prakash Mann, Mr Rakesh Bhatnagar, Ms Prabha Sethi, Shankerdev Arya and Yashoveer Arya. |
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Photo identity cards issued to 89.91 % of electorate Sonepat, December 24 Baroda (R) Assembly constituency had 98,951 electorates, including 54,704 men and 44,247 women. The district administration had provided photo identity cards to 95,373 electorates, i.e. 96.38 per cent of the total Assembly electorates. According to the Deputy Commissioner, the Gohana Assembly constituency had 1,23,644 electorates, which included 67,716 men and 55,928 women. As many as 1,13,556 electorates were provided with photo identity cards, i.e. 91.84 per cent, said the Deputy commissioner. According to information provided, there were 1,52,220 electorates in Sonepat Assembly constituency, including 81,450 men and 70,750 women. The Election Department had issued photo identity cards to 1,33,485 electorates, thereby achieving a target of 87.69 per cent of the total electorates in the Assembly. According to the Deputy Commissioner, there were 346 villages in the entire Sonepat district and four towns namely Sonepat, Ganaur, Gohana and Kharkhauda. The district administration, he said, had set up as many as 836 polling stations, including 660 of general category and 176 for the weaker sections. According to the Deputy Commissioner, as many as 74,667 electorates had failed to turn up for photography inspite of repeated reminders issued to them from time to time. They would be photographed by the Election Department between January 14 and January 17, 2004. He also said that the revision of the electoral rolls had already been started since December 16. The last date for filing objections has been fixed for January 7,2004. The final publication of electoral rolls will be made on February 23, 2004. |
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SPECIAL
FOCUS ON PANIPAT Panipat, December 24 All thermal units of 110 MW each in which number 1 has completed its expected tenure and is now generating lesser power due to its being old. As unit number 1, 3 and 4 were installed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for their suggestions to improve its generating position. BHEL authorities suggested that in addition to modernisation, they would increase the production capacity of these four units from present 110 MW to 120 MW, which was accepted by CEA and Tau Devi Lal Thermal Plant. At the time of installation of these four units, about Rs 277 crore were spent and unit number five started operating in the year 1989 with Unit number six in 2001 for 210 MW capacity. The unit numbers 7 and 8 of 250 MW each are being constructed now a day in Thermal Station Panipat. Sources confirmed that on the one side new units are being constructed and on the other units from 1 to 4, which created disturbances and cases of tripping was a routine and production capacity not as per schedule, the CEA started assessing the lifetime of these thermal units and started studying its Residual Life Assessment (RLA). Out of these, four units which were constructed on Russian pattern, number 1 unit has completed its tenure, it was decided that all the four thermal units need renovation on modern system, sources confirmed. CEA, the technical advisor of Tau Devi Lal Thermal Power Generation Unit, to modernise them, conducted a high level meeting with engineers from BHEL. In the meeting, it was decided by CEA and confirmed to Tau Devi Lal Thermal Power Generation Corporation about the necessity of modernising these four units under RLA provisions and BHEL authorities assured them that they would increase the generation capacity of all the four thermal units from 110 MW to 120 MW also, besides modernising it. BHEL authorities also confirmed that in Andhra Pradesh, BHEL has done the modernisation of an old thermal unit and directors of Tau Devi Lal Thermal Power Generation Corporation and CEA could test check their performance in that state. Sources further confirmed that the authorities of CEA and Thermal Power Unit have checked and inspected the unit in Andhra Pradesh and certified their working in this regard. Now, the budget for modernisation of four thermal units numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 has been prepared and sent to the Government for sanction. |
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DELHI
DIGEST New Delhi, December 24 The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Swaran Kanta, also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 each on Satish and Ashok Kumar, who were found guilty of kidnapping the sixteen-and-half-year-old girl on March 14, 1998. The court, however, acquitted them of rape as medical evidence did not support the story of the victim, who alleged that she was raped by her neighbour, Ashok, in a house in Punjabi Bagh. Though she was examined immediately thereafter, doctors found no sign of injuries or abrasions on her body. The victim had stated that she was taken to Punjabi Bagh in an auto rickshaw by the accused, who threatened her at knife-point. The defence contended that her version could not be believed as the three-wheeler passed through thickly populated and busy areas, which had several traffic lights on the route. It also brought to the notice of the court that the victim had visited a studio to get a photograph clicked along with Ashok. The court, however, noted that the consent of the victim was of no consequence as she was a minor and convicted the accused for kidnapping her. The police charged the accused with kidnapping and raping the victim at an unknown place in Punjabi Bagh. The victim was unable to take the police to the site where she was allegedly taken by the accused.
Police reshuffle In a major reshuffle, the Delhi Lt-Governor, Mr Vijai Kapoor, ordered the transfer of Mr Deep Chand, Joint Commissioner of Police, who was looking after the Department of Provision and Logistics. The Additional Commissioner of Police, Mr Sudhir Yadav, will head the Special Investigation Team constituted to investigate the rape case of a Swiss national at the Siri Fort Auditorium. The posting of Karnal Singh, another Additional Commissioner of Police, was also awaited. |
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NCR
BRIEFS Jhajjar, December 24 According to information, one Shiv Murti, wife of Raj Singh, died in the accident, while Suren Sumitra Devi and Taisingh, the driver of maxi-cab were injured seriously. Two of the injured persons were rushed to the AIIMS at Delhi, while other injured were hospitalised elsewhere. The police have registered a case in this connection. In another incident, bodies a man and a woman were found lying in a canal near Gurukul here today. The bodies were unidentified and the police have started investigation in this connection.
SDO, office attacked Hundreds of residents from Sidipur Kalan and Sidipur Khurd villages attacked the HBVN Sub-division office at Bahadurgarh today. The mob also tried to put the vehicle of the SDO on fire. They were protesting against the disruption of power supply to their village for the last three days. According to information, a transformer was damaged in the village resulting in the blackout for the last three day. The villagers were enraged over the delay in replacing the transformer and rushed to the office of the SDO today. They manhandled the SDO, Mr R S Joon, and snatched his mobile and later, damaged his office and tried to put his jeep on fire. The police have registered a case against three persons on the complaint filed by the SDO. Those named in the FIR included Smarat, Dalbir and another of their accomplice.
Man sentenced to 2 yrs imprisonment Bhiwani: The Fast Track Court Judge, Ms Sarita Gupta, sentenced an accused to two years imprisonment for having shot at a trader of Charkhi Dadri grain market. One of the accused was still at large and had been declared a proclaimed offender. According to information, trader Ram Kumar Bilotia, working as a grain merchant in the market of Charkhi Dadri, 30 km from here, was assaulted by two assailants while he was returning home at about 8.30 p.m. on November 9, 2002. The assailants shot at him and fled away. The police arrested one of the assailants near a cement factory. He was identified as Sajjan Kumar of Sunaria village. The police had registered a case under Sections 307 and 120 B of the IPC. The other assailant, identified as Ravinder, was still absconding, sources said.
Soldier electrocuted A soldier, identified as Raj Kumar alias Balli Ram (30), was electrocuted in his village Bura, under Charkhi Dadri sub-division yesterday. He was repairing a faulty electric wire when the incident occurred, a report said. He was rushed to the civil hospital at Charkhi Dadri where doctors declared him brought dead. |
Fake driving licence racket busted, 3 held New Delhi, December 24 They were arrested from Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar. A number of fake driving licences, blank driving licence cards with fake stamps of various authorities including those of Faridabad, Hissar, Dehradun, Karnal, Una, Gwalior, Amritsar, Guwahati and other materials used in the exercise were seized, the police said. The police received a secret information that a notorious gang involved in making fake licences and permits was operating in Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar. The sleuths of the Crime Branch laid a trap, which led to the arrest of the suspects. During interrogation, they disclosed that they were members of Raju and Sunil gang. They charged Rs 500 to Rs 1000 from drivers for making a forged driving licence of other states and Rs 2000 for making fake national permits. The police suspect that a number of such gangs were operating from Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar and other areas of the Capital. They were causing a huge loss to the government, the police said. |
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Congo national held with fake travellers cheques New Delhi, December 24 The police arrested the suspect and the fake travellers cheques were transferred to the American Express, Gurgaon, who confirmed that the travellers cheques were fake. During interrogation, the suspect disclosed that the travellers cheques were given to him by his friend in Nairobi. The case was being investigated, the police said.
Security guard awarded An exemplary courage of a security guard deployed at Avenue Amaltas, a farmhouse near Rajokary, yesterday foiled a robbery bid. The owner of the farmhouse, Mr Virender Chopra, a garment exporter, was asleep inside the farmhouse when the incident occurred. When he heard his dog barking, he grew suspicious. He raised an alarm when he saw a man armed with a country-made pistol hiding in the dark. Subsequently, the guard, Bhagan Singh Yadav, arrived on the spot and managed to hold on to the man. Meanwhile, three other associates of the intruder arrived and beat up the guard. However, the guard did not loose his grip over the intruder. Soon other people reached the place, which made the associates of the intruder flee the place. Subsequently, the guard was admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital. The Delhi Police Commissioner, Mr R.S. Gupta, awarded a cash prize of Rs 5000 to the guard for his exemplary courage and bravery, the police said.
Auto lifters
arrested Two youths, involved in auto theft cases, were arrested by the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Crime Branch today. They were identified as Mohan Kumar and Manzoor Alam. Three stolen motorcycles were seized from their possession. Six motor vehicle theft cases were worked out as a result of their arrest. |
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Wheat racket unearthed Sonepat, December 24 According to information, the chairman of the block samiti, Mr Daryao, was sitting in his office on Tuesday evening, when he saw that the wheat was being loaded in the vehicles. He noticed that the wheat bags were being opened in the vehicles, whereas it was to be supplied in the villages in bags. He got suspicious and came out of his office to inquire from the drivers where the wheat was being taken. When he asked from one of the drivers whose vehicle had loaded, the driver did not give any satisfactory answer. The chairman got suspicious and he requisitioned a photographer to take snaps of the vehicles. On seeing the photographer, as stated by the chairman, the drivers of the vehicles started speeding away from the place. However, one of the vehicles, which was loaded, was followed by the chairman. But it managed to enter in Delhi and escaped. It is also learnt that the BDPO was out of his office at the time of incident. The chairman informed that he had succeeded in getting one vehicle photographed. The local police have been informed about the incident, the chairman said.
Two apprehended The police have arrested two persons, namely Ajay and Braham Parkash of Subhash Nagar, in connection with the alleged murder of Mr Vinod, a youth of the same area. According to a report, the police have recovered the body of the youth from a cement pipe in Sector 23, a residential colony of the HUDA on December 17. |
Business wants affordable plots to wean away units from residential areas Faridabad, December 24 Regularising the industrial units located in ‘‘non-conforming’’ areas is one of these nagging issues which has failed to get the attention it deserves, thus leaving the fate of thousands of small and medium scale units in the lurch. This has not only stymied the growth of the industry, but also robbed the government of crores each year in development charges. Nearly all leading industry associations have taken up the case of these units, but the response of the authorities is lukewarm. About 8,000 to 10,000 industrial units, mostly small and medium, are operating from the non-conforming areas in Faridabad district. Even though these units had been duly registered with the departments concerned, including Excise, Income Tax, the Municipal Corporation, Labour and Power, the infrastructure required for such units is non-existent. Although the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation and the Haryana Urban Development Authority have set up several industrial sectors, they cannot meet the demands of all the small units. It is reported that more than 14,000 units are registered in the town, but the number of plots in available in the industrial sectors is not more than 3000. According to the General Secretary of the Faridabad Small Industries Association, Mr Rajiv Chawla, there was an urgent need for creating industrial sectors for small and medium sized units in the district. It is pointed out that the size of the existing plots and their rates were not within reach of the small entrepreneurs, who normally start their business with borrowed capital. He claimed that at least 50 percent of the units located in the non-conforming areas were ready to shift to industrial sectors, if plots of smaller size were made available at affordable rates. The President of the Manufacturers Association, Faridabad, Mr Navdeep Chawla, also echoed these views when contacted. He said a large number of units had been awaiting regularisation for many years in the town. He claimed that liberalisation and simplification of norms would go a long way in bailing them out.  |
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