 |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
Power crisis leads to law and order problem Meerut, May 18 Uninterrupted power cuts in this terribly hot weather have made people furious. There has also been a potable water crisis in most of the towns and cities in the area. At the district headquarters, power cut has been increased to 12 to 15 hours a day while the situation is worst in the rural areas where most of the villages are facing power cut up to 20 hours a day. Ghaziabad also faced a power cut of over 10 hours a day. People from Meerut and nearby Muzaffarnagar districts, Saharanpur, Bijnore, Moradabad, Baghpat districts are worst hit. On Monday and Tuesday, Bijnore district had 13 hours’ power cut in town areas. Likewise, in Saharanpur, villagers suffered over 12 hours’ power cut while in the town it stretched for 10 hours a day. In Muzaffarnagar district, there has been a 12 to 13-hour power cut in urban areas while 18 to 20 hours in village feeders. At least 86 villages in Muzaffarnagar are facing a hard time due to the burning of transformers in the Budhana and Shamli areas. People are just getting two to three hours’ power supply a day. While Bulandshahr district is facing the worst ever power crisis where people even in the urban areas can get up to eight hours of power a day since last Friday. While in Dibai town of Bulandshahr, thousands of people went on the rampage over power cut, a frenzied mob took control of a 132 kv power substation of the town and disconnected all lines up to 32 km of the area. Several senior officials, including an SE, were also confined by the mob. The mob also blocked the Bareilly-Agra national highway. |
|
Stamp duty evasion: Rs 50 cr loss pa Ghaziabad, May 18 Development authorities, societies, banks, property experts are all involved in the criminal conspiracies. People buying and selling property are taking recourse to avoid the approved rate of stamp duty by opting for a deed of ‘power of attorney’. Rent deeds, partnership deeds and agreements on sale and purchase of property on a Rs 100 stamp paper are known to be a common practice. Under the rules, a rental deed for more than 12 months needs to be registered also. But the rental agreements of more than 10,000 properties in the district are never registered. The stamp and registration department has reportedly caught 300 such deeds and action against them has been initiated. There are about 100 corporate houses in Noida and Ghaziabad who have taken a number of premises on rental for their employees. Seventy-two rent agreements of a single company have been seized in which the government has lost revenue because these agreements were never registered. Many housing cooperative societies and builders have issued allotment deeds of their plots and houses on a Rs 100 stamp papers to their members without having them registered. The name of the member, who sells his property to some one else, is written on the back of the share certificate and he is made to sign under it and no transfer charge is levied from him. This way the government is deprived of its revenue. Partnership deeds are also got drawn on an Rs 50 or Rs 100 stamp paper. Similarly, bank guarantee is also made out on a Rs 100 stamp paper. Banks and financial institutions are following wrong procedures for disbursing loans. In Ghaziabad, transactions on the power of attorney are banned, but they are freely done in Seelampur, Delhi. |
|
|
Brothers feeling the soul of India New Delhi, May 18 Jeff Eagar along with his two younger brothers Chris and Steve have decided to experience the sights and the sounds of India as they travel across India all the way from Howrah to Pakistan. And while doing so also change the perceptions that people abroad have of India and her people. Covering the 3000 kms of the Grand Trunk Road across Northern India in an auto, the brothers are awed by what they see. To them the GTR is “desperation and thievery, honesty and trust, friendship and laughter, irrepressible hope, inexorable joy and absolute beauty that offers insights into a country united by history, but divided by religion, politics and language.” The purpose of the journey in an autorickshaw is “to expose the beauty, history and culture of India and the kindness of her people to the outside world”. The Eagar’s claim that, “people often have false perceptions of India. Too many people believe the country is dogged by poverty and danger. This is not always the case,” they say. Their aim is to “make people understand that India is a beautiful land of burning sunsets, delicious food, ancient religion, vital philosophy and colourful music and art. And most importantly, we want to show that Indians are warm and welcoming,” eulogise the trio. Having begun their trip on April 1, the trio are currently in the Capital and ready to make a move to the next stop. “We have allotted three months to complete the journey—April, May and June. And because of the spontaneous nature of the trip, specific dates and locations cannot be provided,,” they add. Avid travellers, having journeyed across the world, the Eagar brothers who have visited 70, 60 and 50 countries respectively believe, “Travel is nothing less than liberating and expanding, an education through action and interaction, through a stream of strange teachers and odd lessons. It is history, religion, politics and humanities in a single continual lesson. It gives perspective, test the body and pushes the mind.” While the oldest, Jeff, an MBA student has been travelling the globe for 10 years, having worked in seven countries, Chris who is with an international banking has been pursuing his love for travel for the last nine years. The youngest of the lot, Steve, who is soon to join the Roehampton University as a teacher, has worked in four countries in the last eight years of globe-trotting. |
|
Cable operator assaulted, robbed Sonepat, May 18 The police are investigating the case and no arrest has been made in this connection. A hunt is on to apprehend the culprits. According to another report, Mohinder Singh, a kabari, is reported to have been robbed of Rs 5,750 by four youths when he was going on his bicycle to Thana Kalan village about 15 km from here last night. The alleged miscreants snatched the cash and fled. The victim was also assaulted with iron rods. He was rushed to the local civil hospital and stated to be out of danger. The police are investigating the case. A hunt is on to apprehend the assailants.
|
|
No CNG for vehicles over 5 years old New Delhi: There will be no CNG available to the vehicles more than five years old after June 1, unless they are re-certified by the Chief Controller of Explosives. The Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) today issued a notification which stated that the company would discontinue CNG supply to the vehicles that failed to comply with the regulations of the ‘Gas Cylinders Rules-1981’. According to the provisions of the rule, it is mandatory for CNG vehicle owners to get the CNG cylinder installed on the motor vehicle, re-tested and re-certified by the Chief Controller of Explosives, every five years, when the validity certification expires. According to IGL Managing Director, Mr A. K. De, ‘’pursuant to the public notice issued by the transport department on April 18, we will discontinue CNG supply to the vehicles that fail to produce the proof of re-certification of the CNG cylinders installed in their vehicles. “This is due to the fact that the non-renewal of such vehicles poses a threat not only to the vehicles but also the passengers and the public at large. We hope the public will extend cooperation in this regard,” he said. TNS
|
|
crime maze New Delhi, May 18 Suresh reportedly went to withdraw the money as he wanted to buy an RTV vehicle and also pay some instalments.
Cash, valuables worth
Rs 4 lakh looted Ghaziabad:
The criminals have decamped with Rs 6,000 plus jewellery, valuables worth Rs 2 lakh from the house of a Deputy Manager, Bharat Electronics Ltd, under Link Road police. They seemed to be making the most of police laxity in Mahanagar. In another case, from the house of an advocate and his tenants, goods worth Rs 2 lakh were stolen. The police have not registered the cases. Bharat Electronics Dy Manager Anand lives in Chander Nagar in Link Road police station area. He had gone to Farakhabad five days ago with his family. On Sunday night when he returned, he found that Rs 6,000, jewellery and valuables worth Rs 2 lakh had been stolen. Link Road police were informed, but they have not registered a case yet. In Sihani Gate police station area, the house of advocate Satish Kumar in Gali No. 3 of Daulat Pura was targeted by the thieves who decamped with valuables worth Rs 2 lakh. A power cut in the area had started at about 3 am forcing Satish Kumar and his family to go to the terrace. His tenant Babloo was already sleeping there. When they came down in the morning, Satish Kumar discovered the theft. A sum of Rs 25,000, jewellery and valuables worth Rs 1.70 lakh had been stolen. Even Babloo had also lost Rs 5,000 and goods worth Rs 50,000.
OC |
Bhajan seeks report on Malik’s election ‘sabotage’ Sonepat, May 18 According to party sources, a list of those Congressmen who had worked against the party nominee is being prepared and shortly it will be sent to the in-charge of party affairs in Haryana, Mr R. K. Dhawan, and the HPCC president, Mr Bhajan Lal. The sources disclosed that many Congress local leaders tried to show that they had been campaigning for the Congress candidate earnestly but they opposed him by conveying a message among their supporters and people in the areas of their influence to vote against the party nominee. Interestingly, two constituencies, Kailana and Julana, are represented by Congress MLAs Jitender Malik and Sher Singh, respectively, but the Congress candidate lost by nearly 8200 in Kailana and by more than 9400 in Julana assembly constituency to INLD nominee Krishna Malik who remained at third position in the election. The district president of the sports cell of the party and municipal councillor, Mr Dharambir Khatri, has even alleged that former ministers Shanti Rathi and Ramesh Kaushik, MLA and DCC (Rural) president Jitender Malik and senior Congress leader Satpal Singh Chauhan worked against the party candidate in Rai and Kailana assembly constituencies. In support of his allegations, Mr Khatri said though Ramesh Kaushik had been moving along with Mr Dharampal Singh Malik during the campaigning he welcomed BJP candidate Kishan Singh Sangwan with currency notes. “Jitender Malik, MLA from Kailana, did not visit the constituency for even a day and the Congress candidate could not win from the parental village of Satpal Singh Chauhan,” he added. |
|
Hooda worked against me, alleges Malik Sonepat, May 18 While talking to mediapersons at Gohana this
evening, Mr Malik said Mr Hooda was suffering from an inferiority
complex, thinking that if he (Mr Dharampal Singh Malik) was elected
his (Mr Hooda’s) status would be lowered. And only because of that
Mr Hooda made every effort to block his candidature from Sonepat
constituency and even remarked in the Central Election Committee that
if Mr Dharampal Singh won the election he would resign from his post,
Mr Malik said. He also maintained that if Mr Hooda’s supporters did
not help him it would not have made any difference but during the last
days of electioneering they changed their stance. They started saying
sometimes that INLD candidate Krishna Malik could defeat him and
sometimes that BJP candidate Kishan Singh Sangwan would defeat him and
vote for them. “I was denied the party ticket two times during the
1998 and 1999 elections but I did not oppose any one,” he said but
added that during the last assembly elections when Mr Hooda was HPCC
president every Congress candidate was given financial assistance for
poll expenses “but I was the only Congress candidate who was not
given any poll expenses.” He also disclosed that DGP Mahender
Singh Malik had launched “Operation Capsule” to get his wife
Krishna Malik elected and the DGP was camping at Hiran Kudna village
in Delhi and adjacent to the Sonepat area. Ganga International School
was the headquarters of “Operation Capsule”, he added. He
informed that he was going to form a “dharam brigade” in Haryana
with a membership of 10,000 activists and they would be issued with
photo-identity cards. |
|
|
Sushma trying to revive her political fortune: Tytler New Delhi, May 18 “Why is Ms Swaraj now protesting against Soniaji. She had herself contested against Soniaji in Bellary… and where was she when Ms Gandhi sat just opposite Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Parliament as the leader of the opposition?” Mr Tytler remarked. He said Ms Swaraj had been side-tracked by Pramod Mahajan and Venkaiah Naidu and prevented from contesting the election. “So, now by raising the bandwagon of Sonia Gandhi’s origin, she is trying to find her space in the BJP set-up.” “You can witness this in my constituency where I asked for votes in the name of Ms Gandhi,” he said and added that the INC president was serious about tackling problems faced by the people. |
|
|
Congress rule won’t last long: Sangwan
Sonepat, May 18 Addressing meetings of party workers at Ganaur and at other places, Mr Sangwan said that the Congress government, led by Mrs Sonia Gandhi, would fall on its own as it had fallen in the past. He said Mrs Gandhi will not be able to run the alliance government, particularly with the Leftists. He also stated that if mid-term Lok Sabha elections were conducted, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee would certainly get the people’s mandate and would become the Prime Minister of the country again. He also said it was very unfortunate that Mrs Gandhi, with her foreign origin, was about to become the Prime Minister of the country. OC
|
|
|
BJP, INLD hurt by lack of pact, anti-incumbency Faridabad, May 18 According to experts, there were certain factors that had been playing quite invisibly but had a strong effect and perhaps this was the reason that as many as 11 out of the total 14 candidates forfeited even their security deposit. Two time-MP from here, Mr Ram Chander Bainda, who initially appeared to be giving a tough fight, was relegated to the third spot after the INLD candidate, Mr Mohammad Ilyas, who surprisingly did well in the Mewat region, considered a major vote bank in this constituency. Mr Ilyas’s performance in the area also indicates that perhaps this was the only part of the constituency where the effect of anti-incumbency was the least. Although being a Muslim candidate, Mr Ilyas had some advantage but the people of Mewat, one of the most backward areas of the state, had perhaps other issues on their mind and the anti-incumbency wave sweeping all over the state failed to touch the voters here. This was the reason that the INLD candidate got as many as 2,05,355 votes, about 34000 votes more than the BJP candidate. The other very important aspect that proved quite advantageous for the Congress candidate was the break-up between the INLD and the BJP. Had there been a coalition between these two parties as in the last elections the Congress may have lost. The total votes polled by the BJP and the INLD here comes to 3,77,069, which is about 19,785 more than the votes polled by the winner here. Fighting independently this time brought doom to both the BJP and the INLD as both candidates had not only been facing incumbency disadvantage but as individuals their vote share had been reduced. As the issues of development and local factors proved deciding factors, the unhappiness of voters with the performance of both the INLD and BJP led to the drubbing, said a local politician. The victory margin of the winning candidate has left the calculations of even the Congress party activists upside down. A local leader of the party admitted that the margin was well beyond their expectations. He said the lead in various segments was astonishing and hardly anybody had anticipated such a result. He said the losers would have to start from scratch to find now exactly the things that went against them. He claimed that the factors that had emerged in favour of the winner could also play an effective role in the state assembly elections to be held in March next. While the parties losing are stated to be still shell-shocked and making preparations for their next strategy the Congress party insiders believe that if there was no infighting and inaction of certain leaders of the party due to internal division the winning margin could have been more handsome. |
|
Rs 1 crore plan for facelift of Sonepat rly station Sonepat, May 18 Northern Railway had already completed the work for the expansion of platform no 2 of the railway station. This platform was 457 meters in length and now it has been expanded by 80 meters and it is now 537 meters long. Platform no 1 is being expanded by 20 meters from the upside and 103 meters from the down side. The Railways has constructed a piao on platform no 2 but it is not being constructed on platform no 1 as it was not possible to construct a piao on it. However, an underground pipeline has been laid and whenever it would become necessary a piao would be constructed. At present, only the Paschim Express having 24 coaches is passing through the Sonepat railway station and the passengers travelling on it have been facing difficulties in boarding or getting down from those compartments which are stopped beyond the railway platform. Northern Railway is now contemplating running the Jhelum Express and the Kalka Mail with 24 coaches in the near future. Northern Railway has also started the construction work for another booking office on the mandi side to facilitate the passengers and the commuters living in this part of the city. With the commissioning of this booking office the passengers and the commuters would get relief in purchasing tickets and the monthly season tickets. This will also reduce the rush at the main booking office. |
|
ncr briefs Rewari, May 18 The Pooja Express as well as the Shatabdi Express coming from Delhi to Jaipur were kept in abeyance for about one-and-half hour near Khalilpur station, about 7 km. From Rewari station, while the morning passenger trains going from Rewari to Delhi also got delayed. Decks for the smooth running of the rail traffic on the Rewari-Delhi track were cleared only after the entrapped vehicles were removed from there with the help of a crane at about 8.30 am today. Besides, hundreds of other vehicles coming from Rohtak and Gurgaon on the one side and plying from Jaipur to Rohtak via Rewari on the other side were also trapped in an unprecedented jam, which lasted several hours causing considerable inconvenience to vehicle operators as well as the passengers and the public. It is reported that when a trailer and another vehicle collided on the Rewari-Jhajjar road this morning just near the railway crossing, the road became congested for vehicular traffic following which the above trailer (other than the one involved in the accident) and the truck (which were both coming from opposite directions) got entrapped into the rail track at the railway crossing in an apparent bid to have the first go.
Murder case solved New Delhi:
With the arrest of two persons, the South district police has claimed to have solved the murder case of a 21-year old businessman, who was stabbed to death on May 8 in the Madangir area. The victim, who was identified as Sachin Gupta alias Aashu, resident of Khanpur, was stabbed to death in ‘Sauce and Spice’ restaurant while he was with his girlfriend. The police said that the victim and the accused persons Mahesh Sharma alias Chintoo (24), resident of Ambedkar Nagar, and Jitender alias Jeetu (24), resident of Sangam Vihar, had some old enmity as the accused persons teased the victim’s girlfriend. Since Gupta had beaten one of the accused over this issue, the accused persons allegedly murdered him to teach a lesson.
TNS
HVP to prepare for
next assembly election Bhiwani: Accepting the public mandate, the general secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party Mr. Surender Singh, has said that the party honoured people’s mandate in the parliamentary elections. Expressing gratitude towards the cooperation and love showed by the electors of Bhiwani Parliamentary constituency in a statement issued here today, he said that victory and defeat were common factors in elections. The public gave its verdict against the anti-people policies of the INLD, he said, adding that now the chief minister should honour the verdict and resign from his post. HVP leader said that a state level meeting of the party workers would be convened soon to contemplate the election results. He alleged that the INLD and the Congress attempted to influence the voters by unfair means. He went on the say that the INLD workers even indulged in booth capturing at Adampur, Hansi, Dadri, Badhra, Buwani Khera, Mundhal and Bhiwani. And the party will certainly have to bear the outcome in the next assembly election. Singh said that party workers would now prepare themselves with a new zeal for the forthcoming assembly elections.
OC |
|
delhi digest New Delhi, May 18 The MCD salary is disbursed on priority basis like fourth class employee, clerks and at last officers. Teachers in MCD schools are worst sufferers as they are never given their salaries timely. They are given salaries two months after. Other employees in education department of the corporation are given every month salaries. The employees hoped that this month they would receive their salaries timely as the corporation has received huge amount through the collection of property tax. But the situation is same. A few weeks back, the Mayor, Mr A. R. Verma, said that following implementation of new property tax assessment method, the corporation had received record amount within a few days. Sources in the MCD said that the money received through property tax collection spent in other work. Salary is not given priority in the corporation. However, a large number of employees planned to go on tour during the summer but they could not because they were not given salaries. A teacher in central zone said that she had got reserved ticket for her family members for Mumbai, but she had planned to cancel it, as she did not have money for expenses in Mumbai. ‘Administer polio drops to all kids’:
He was chairing the meeting of all the heads of departments and representatives of the central government offices and prominent voluntary organisations. Dr. Shastri informed in the meeting that no polio case had been reported in Delhi during the last 10 months. However, recently one case has been reported from the city, which is very unfortunate, he said. This should be taken as a warning and we should take the pulse polio programme very seriously, Mr Shastri added. Power shutdown:
|
Three cops held for demanding bribe Noida, May 18 The action was taken following DG’s (police) specific orders. Earlier, local police bosses had reportedly not viewed the incident very seriously, it is learnt. The case was registered on the complaint of Jatinder Tiwari, a factory owner in C-300, Sector-10 Noida. Jatinder’s brother, who was going on a cycle, was involved in an accident with another cyclist and Jatinder Tiwari had settled the matter amicably. But when SI Srinivas Pathak, in-charge of Jhundpura police post, came to know of it, he sent for Jatinder to police post through Constable Jagveer Singh. “How could you settle disputes like this without bothering for a feast for the police (chai pani) . No dispute could be settled like this by ignoring the police. What are we here for ?”, the local SI told Jatinder on phone. Constable Jagveer Singh advised Tiwari to shell out something to safeguard his status and self-respect. Jatinder, along with a friend, paid Rs 1,700 to the constable to rid himself from the nuisance. But the amount didn’t appease the greed of the SI. In spite of this, the SI kept on calling him on phone. When Jatinder went to the police post on February 18, the SI demanded a fat amount, which Jatindar Tiwari refused to pay. At this, the factory owner was beaten up black and blue at the police post and later on thrown into the police station lock up. On February 19, Jatinder was released on bail by City Magistrate. After a few days, SI Srinivas Pathak was again back to his usual game. He would ring up Tiwari to demand Rs 20,000 from him. On refusal, the factory owner was threatened that he will not be allowed to run his factory. When he complained to the senior police officers, no action was taken. Later, Jatinder contacted a news channel. The channel had managed to flash the news of SI accepting the bribe. Even after this, SI Srinivas and his companions continued to harass and threaten Jatinder. When he did not get any help from local police bosses, Jatinder Tiwari made a plea to the Director General Police, UP. On DGP’s specific orders, Noida police registered a case against SI Srinivas Pathak, SI Brahmpal Singh and constable Jagveer Singh on May 15, under Sections 323, 504 and 7 of Anti-Corruption Act. |
|
Crime Branch to investigate theft of paintings
New Delhi, May 18 Over 40 paintings and some sculptures were stolen from the fourth floor of the Parishad building, in the Delhi College of Art, at Tilak Marg yesterday. The paintings and sculptors were stored in the gallery-cum-store of the building. The store housed more than 1,000 paintings belonging to eminent painters like Satish Gujral, Laxman Pai, Rameshwar Broota, Arpana Caur, Jagdish Bawa and others. The theft was noticed when the attendant of the building opened the door of the storeroom. The burglars entered the building through the switch room. Blackmailers nabbed:
The Crime Branch today claimed to have arrested three extortionists who were trying to extort money from a person by blackmailing him of releasing his nude photographs with girls. The sleuths received a complaint from the complainant that one person, identifying him as Chief of Bureau of Kanchan Express, had been blackmailing him of releasing his nude photographs if he failed to pay Rs 20 lakh. The suspect also sent photocopies of the nude photographs to the complainant. The complainant informed the police that the suspect was demanding Rs 20,000 as token money and will come to collect it in Sunder Nagar. Accordingly, a raid was conducted and one Surender Kumar was nabbed and the nude photographs were also seized from his possession. Based on his information, two of his associates, Jawahar and Chander Pal, residents of Sangam Vihar, were also nabbed. One held:
|
|
Thefts spread panic in Sonepat Sonepat, May 18 According to a report, thieves entered the shop of Messrs Shyamlal Amit Kumar near the old subzimandi after breaking the roof of the shop and took away the goods worth about Rs 25,000 from it. Similarly, the thieves also scaled the wall of a house of Jeete at Gopalpur village about 25 km from here last night and took away cash, gold and silver ornaments and other goods worth several thousands of rupees from it. Similarly, the thieves also entered the house of one Naresh and decamped with the household goods, cash and other gold ornaments from it. The people here alleged that the police had not registered any case in this connection. However, the police secured the list of stolen goods and kept with them for further investigation. According to another report, thieves are reported to have entered the shop of a tailor master in Section 14 here last night and decamped with belts and clothes worth Rs 70,000 from it. The shopkeeper has lodged an FIR with the police in this connection. Meanwhile, the representatives of various political parties, social and voluntary organisations and trade unions have expressed their grave concern over the spate of thefts and looting incidents in the city and other parts of the district and alleged that the police had utterly failed to solve any case so far. They also demanded that the police should take immediate and effective measures to curb the activities of the anti-social elements and criminals with a strong hand and intensify night patrolling.
|
|
Theft in a thief’s house! Loni, May 18 Rakesh has been lodged in jail for the past 11 months in a theft case. A year ago, his wife had reportedly committed suicide. The arrested thief Deepak said that he and his accomplices had committed another theft five days ago. The people had then handed him over to the police. However, the cops had let him off because he looked like a ‘child’.
|
Multinational companies promoting beauty biz: Sayali Sayali, who was here to launch diploma
programmes to be offered by Annamalai University in technical collaboration with National Institute of Fashion Design(NIFD) by admitting first student to the course, rather attributed the growth in beauty contests to the growing urge for self expression among the females. “No, it is not on account of the cosmetic boom,” she added. This was her response regarding the general feeling that multinational companies and cosmetic product cartels were behind the push towards making some faces from the country a metaphor of beauty in order to make a dent in the burgeoning cosmetics market in India. Sayali, gearing up for the Miss World Contest to be held in December, said that if that had been the case of foreign companies promoting local beauties, they would not have been using alien faces to market brands in India. On the issue of feminism, she said she was not whole hog for it. She lamented that the idea of feminism is being widely misconstrued. She laid stress on the country’s cultural heritage and the family values. Sayali, who was the toast of assembled youth brigade on According to her, she became Sushmita’s fan during her school days, which inspired her to take to the career of
modeling. She supported the winners of beauty contests taking to social causes. |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | National Capital | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Gurgaon, May 18