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Pvt schools try
to skirt SC ruling on poor students
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Move to clear
confusion on farmhouse tax
Admission seekers throng KM College on the second day.
— Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal A house for MCD
chief, never mind the uprooted Municipal
Committees elect their chairpersons Shop looted;
livid traders block roads
Pirated software,
VCDs worth crores seized
Nephew, uncle
killed in two family feuds One-stop shop for
interior, exterior decor Delhi move to
expedite work on flyover Environment
magazine launched
Ex-CBI Director
is trustee of Sikh Society
Mushirul Hasan
to be Jamia VC
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Pvt schools try to skirt SC ruling on poor students New Delhi, June 4 These schools have been turning away students on the ground that there are no vacancies. “Many schools have refused admission to students from economically weaker sections, citing ‘no’ vacancy as the reason. Others claim to have already admitted the required number but are reluctant to prove it”, complained Rashmi Johri Swaroop, who has been actively working with the disadvantaged students. Disturbed by this phenomenon, several parents accompanied by their wards today staged a demonstration outside Somerville School in East Delhi. The agitated parents led by Social Jurists have also filed a complaint with the Directorate of Education against Evergreen Public School in Vasundhara Enclave for refusing admission to students. “The school Principal (in Somerville) told us that they cannot admit any students in the current academic session as they have no vacancies. This is irrational since these public schools, unlike the government run offices, are not limited to a maximum intake. They are schools which can admit more students without violating any laws”, pointed out the convenor of Social Jurists, Ashok Agarwal. He added, “If they can have 50 students in a class, they may as well include another five”. Alleging that “schools have begun to “ interpret the court’s ruling according to their own convenience”, Mr Agarwal said some schools had refused to admit students in preschool, which includes classes nursery and KG because they cannot put the students through an admission test. “Since they cannot ask them to take an admission test in nursery, some schools have opted to admit students from class I upwards”, he said. The Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi, had sent out notices in April to schools, listing the procedures for admitting students from the weaker sections but these are being violated, claim parents. “Some schools have been very clever with the notices, announcing admissions to their institutions. However, instead of advertising in Hindi dailies, they have chosen to announce the admissions in English dailies, which most of the people from this section of society don’t subscribe to. Besides these advertisements in fine print are inconspicuous and easy to miss”, pointed out Mr Agarwal. As per rules, schools which flout the conditions of land allotment can be de-recognised and taken over by the Department of Education or may have their lease orders cancelled by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
HC notices to Centre, CBI on deputation norms The Delhi High Court today issued notices to the Central Government and the CBI on a plea by a CBI official that officials who were sent on deputation to the premier agency did not meet the required qualifications. The plea by Mr P. C. Sharma, a CBI official, also challenged the postings of officials being sent and alleged that in most of the cases the officials did not have the qualifying pay scales. Justice R. C. Jain has issued notices to the Cabinet Secretary, the Ministry of Personnel, the UPSC and the CBI on a petition alleging that four officers, names of whom have been recently forwarded by the Union Home Ministry for the post of Superintendent of Police with the CBI on deputation, did not satisfy the required qualifications. Mr Jain stated that the court would not allow persons to assume office who were found not to possess the desired qualifications under the recruitment rules and directed the Centre to reply on an affidavit whether the four officers had the requisite qualifications. The petitioner, through counsel Kamini Jaiswal, also gave a list of 20 officials who had been appointed earlier as SP and Additional SP, but were not fully qualified under the rules. |
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Move to clear
confusion on farmhouse tax New Delhi, June 4 The committee has presented a report before the standing committee in this regard. Earlier, the position of categorisation of farmhouses was not clear. The committee has categorised farmhouses on the basis of their proximity to the neighbouring residential colonies, which would determine the different rates of property tax applicable to farmhouses. Reportedly, in several representations, farmhouse owners had complained that categorisation on the basis of proximity to neighbouring residential colonies would result in disputes in courts. However, the committee went ahead with the categorisation process. Sources said that the farmhouse owners had also reminded the authorities about Section 109 (2) of the DMC Act, under which no taxes can be levied after February 15. The decision had to be made public before the budget proposal was presented to the corporation. A senior official in the tax department said that this decision had been taken after consultation with the Hardship and Anomaly Committee, which had advised grouping of farmhouses in three categories- C, D and E, depending on the municipal zones in which they were geographically located. The MVC further recommended that the vacant land in the farmhouses be taxed as per the categorisation, that is, ‘F’ in South and Central Zones, ‘G’ in West and Najafgarh Zones and ‘H’ in Civil Lines, Shahdara (South and North), Narela and Rohini Zones. |
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Day two: DU continues to wallow in confusion New Delhi, June 4 The students were on the horns of dilemma: Should they fill both the ICR and the individual forms or not? The students were not sure why the colleges were selling individual forms in the first place. Result: They had to stand in two queues — one for the centralised form and the other for the individual form. When contacted, the university authorities maintained that the students were being duly instructed not to fill both the forms. Claiming that the concept of ICR forms, that had been initiated this year itself, had turned out to be successful, the authorities said the students will not have to stand in long queues as more ICR counters would be opened next year. The North Campus, too, witnessed similar chaos, with heavily crowded roads and students standing in queues in the scorching heat the norm. Around 40,000 forms were sold on the second day of admissions in DU, informed the university authorities. These forms are available at 12 centres across the city. Colleges like Kirori Mal, St. Stephen’s, Hindu College, LSR and Sri Venkateswara College attracted students in large numbers. In Kirori Mal College, due to more demand, there was a shortage of ICR forms and the students had to wait for around 45 minutes to get forms. With students turning out in large numbers, the traffic police has been deployed in the university area. |
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A house for MCD chief, never mind the uprooted New Delhi, June 4 The MCD has identified a plot behind Savitri Cinema, measuring 2000 sq feet, for building a house for its commissioner. The hitch, however, is the dislocation of three pre-primary schools, one basic primary school and a religious building. The land was allotted to the schools and the religious institution. The MCD Standing Committee recently approved a proposal to build the commissioner’s bungalow and a recreation club in the city’s posh Greater Kailash. The MCD’s Chief Architect will develop the identified plot, sources said. The MCD justifies the choice of land on the grounds that if it is left as it is there are chances of it being encroached upon. Therefore, the commissioner’s new house will be built on the land. Also, the MCD claims that there are enough schools in Greater Kailash and there is no apparent need to let these three schools occupy space, which can be used in a more productive manner otherwise. And while the preparations for the new bungalow are under way, the present commissioner will have to bide his time in the central government quarters meant for IAS officers. |
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Municipal Committees elect their chairpersons New Delhi, June 4 The election of vice-chairman of the high powered Property Taxes Committee could not be held after Suresh Yadav withdrew from the contest. The election will now be held after due notification by the secretary’s office. Jagdish Pradhan and Anita Babbar were elected chairman and vice-chairperson of the Special Medical Relief and Public Health Committee, respectively. Parma Bhai Solanki and Kiranwati Tank will be the chairman and vice-chairperson of the Ad Hoc (Welfare of SCs and Implementation of SC Candidates Quota) Committee. Ramesh Pandit and Khavinder Singh will be the chairman and vice-chairman of the Special Works Committee, respectively The deputy mayor will be the chairman of the Special (Sports Promotion and Allied Matters) Committee with Yashwanti Dagar as vice-chairperson. The Standing Committee chairman will also be the chairman of the Special (Municipal Accounts) Committee with Sugreev Singh as vice-chairman. While Nirmala Vats will be the chairperson of the Ad Hoc (Women Welfare and Child Development) Committee, Santosh Dahiya will be the vice-chairperson of the Ad Hoc (Anti-Malaria Measures) Committee. The elections of vice-chairmen of four other committees — Special Community Services, Special Law and General Purpose, Ad Hoc Women Welfare and Child Development and Ad Hoc Grievances Redressal — will be held on Tuesday. |
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Shop looted; livid traders block roads Ghaziabad, June 4 Protesting against the rise in crime, the Ghaziabad traders today went on an indefinite dharna at Kirana Mandi here. The criminals looted cash and jewellery from the same merchant’s house 10 days earlier also. The angry traders blocked the roads at two important places in the Mahanagar in protest against the looting incident. The senior police officers, including the SSP, the SP City and Circle Officers (DSPs), were patrolling the city and special checking campaign had been mounted till late at the night. However, despite the strict police vigil, the criminals had burgled the merchant’s shop. On May 25, the criminals had looted cash, jewellery, etc from the house of the same trader in Lok Nath Gali in Chopala. They targeted Garg’s shop yesterday, entering it via a tinshed atop by removing a few bricks from the wall and opened the doors with the help of iron rods. They decamped with Rs 72,000, gold and silver artefacts worth Rs 40,000 from the safe and gold chains worth Rs 20,000 kept in the shop. The thieves failed to break open the steel almirah, otherwise the loss would have been higher. Garg’s licensed gun, cash and gold ornaments were also kept in the almirah. The police have lifted fingerprints from Garg’s shop and examined the site minutely. It seems that the traders’ protests and the subsequent special checking by the police till late at night had no deterring effect on the criminals. Sajjan Kumar Garg, president of the Kirana Committee, said that numerous loot incidents in the past two months had made it tough for the traders to even work. Such incidents had created a feeling of insecurity among the business community, he said. Mahesh Chand Sharma of Kirana Chemical Vapar Mandal said the incidents of loots and assaults had left the traders terror-struck. “There is seldom a follow-up action to nab the criminals and restore our confidence,” he said. General secretary of Kirana Chemical Vapar Mandal Sushil Kumar Jain has threatened to immolate himself if the culprits involved in the loot incident were not nabbed within 72 hours.
SSIs demand increase in limit New Delhi:
Ahead of the first budget of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the representatives of the small- scale industry have called for an increase in basic exemption limit for the sector from Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore. “The basic exemption limit for SSI units should be increased from Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore as there has been an overall increase in the cost of all inputs including wages,” Laghu Udyog Bharti, the apex association of the SSI sector the country said in a pre-budget memorandum submitted to the Union Finance Minister here today. The association has also called for abolition of the central excise duty on SSI units and suggested changes in the slab structure in excise duty. Laghu Udyog Bharti is of the opinion that the tariff schedule should be five per cent upto Rs 2 crore, and 10 per cent between Rs 2 crore and Rs five crore. “The taxable items produced by the SSI units should be withdrawn from the scope of MRP based excise duty. It will save them from the harassment of inspector”, the association said.
— TNS |
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Pirated software, VCDs
worth crores seized New Delhi, June 4 The sleuths had received a tip-off that some persons were involved in selling pirated software, MP3s and VCDs in Nehru Place, Palika Bazar and Lajpat Nagar areas and, accordingly, raided these places along with representatives of music industries. During a raid in Nehru Place, at a sale counter in Vishal Bhawan, the sleuths seized 1,301 pirated software packages and MP3 CDs and arrested one person, Rahul Kumar Sharma. In the second raid, conducted in Lajpat Nagar, the sleuths arrested two persons – Ajay, alias Bhumi, and Naresh and recovered 587 and 253 pirated CDs, respectively, from their possession. In another raid in Palika Bazar, the sleuths arrested two persons, Kamal Sharma and Ritesh Kataria, and recovered 4,044 pirated audio CDs of English and Hindi movies from their possession. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (EOW) K. K. Vyas said the sleuths had conducted several raids in the last 12 days and seized pirated software, including Scala 200, MS-Office 2003, Corel Draw, Photoshop, Ideas 9.0 and Protel.
SHO in CBI custody A city court today remanded Delhi Police Inspector Virender Chauhan in CBI custody in connection with graft charges against him. Mr Chauhan, the Station House Officer (SHO), Kalyanpuri, was remanded to three-day CBI custody till June 7 by Special Judge Aruna Suresh. Mr Chauhan had been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a businessman for showing some favour to the latter. The businessman had allegedly encroached upon public land for setting up his shop. Acting on the complaint of the businessman, the CBI had laid a trap and arrested the accused.
Rich opium haul The Delhi Police Narcotics Branch claims to have arrested four persons and recovered 16 kg of opium from their possession near the Mori Gate area. Based on a tip-off that some persons would come near Mori Gate area to deliver the consignment, the sleuths arrested Radhey Shyam (35), Bagdi Ram (58), Bheru Lal (20) and Chhote Lal (19), all residents of Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh. During interrogation, the accused confessed that they had procured opium from one Anil Master, a resident of Neemuch, at the rate of Rs 12,000 per kg and were trying to sell it for Rs 20,000 per kg in Delhi.
Cases solved With the arrest of one Vinod Sharma (48), a resident of Badarpur, the Anti-Kidnapping section of the Crime Branch claims to have solved nine cases of container theft. |
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Nephew, uncle killed in two family feuds Ghaziabad, June 4 In another family feud over property, a nephew strangled his uncle, elder brother of his father in Gulawatti village. The irrigation row had erupted in the same family between Budh Singh and Rane on watering their respective fields. Rane had attacked Budh Singh with his hack. Budh Singh’s mother Sudesh and another woman were also injured. The injured were rushed to a Meerut hospital where Budh Singh succumbed to his injuries. Victim’s father Devi Sharan had lodged a report against Rane, Vinode and Sudesh. CO Ummed Singh said that the SO police station had been instructed to nab the culprits. In Mohalla Peerkha Gulawatti, a nephew strangled his father’s elder brother after a dispute over property. Bahau Din of Mohalla Ek Minar Masjid had no issue of his own. He used to live in his own house along with the widow of his younger brother and her family. After a dispute over property on Wednesday, Bahau Din was strangled by his nephew, niece and sister in-law. In the morning, his nephew told the neighbours that his uncle had died after a heart attack at night. However, some people informed the police. The police immediately came over and arrested the deceased’s nephew Riazudin, niece Shahna and sister in-law Raieesa, all of whom confessed to Bahau Din’s murder during interrogation. The victim’s body has been sent for a postmortem. |
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One-stop shop for interior, exterior decor New Delhi, June 4 The exhibition was inaugurated by Super Model Alexia Sorokina from
Russia. Zak Interior Exterior Expo 2004 is the most popular design exposition, showcasing the best in interior and exterior design products, furniture and accessories, and construction materials. It is also the largest trade-cum-consumer exhibition, organised in the Capital so far. The long-awaited event, planned to be a one-stop shop to know the who’s who of the interior- exterior arena, will make its presence felt for the benefit of the interior exterior designers, architects, builders and the ultimate consumers. The exhibition is showcasing the largest collection of furniture designs and accessories from India and neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Germany, Malaysia and China. Syed Zakir Ahmed, Managing Director, Zak Trade Fairs & Exhibitions, said: “We received an overwhelming response to our earlier exhibitions held in New Delhi and Chennai. The exhibition would be a unique platform for housing and displaying the largest collection ever of furniture designs and decorative accessories—both from India and abroad.”" Hence, architects and interior decorators are having a relook at their layouts to provide
capacity utilisation of space without compromising on the comfort level of the users or the ambience of the surroundings. The ZAK Expo is showcasing the best in decor for offices and homes. The consumers can locate the items according to their choice and liking and will have an opportunity to give a feedback on the products displayed. Special discounts and deals are also being offered. |
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Delhi move to expedite work on flyover New Delhi, June 4 The
work on the flyover at Dhaula Kuan came to a halt after Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Construction Corporation ran out of funds. The flyover should have been completed last year. The pace of construction work is expected to pick up now, with more funds at its disposal. |
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Environment magazine launched Gurgaon, June 4 The magazine was inaugurated by the Secretary, Environment and Forest, Government of India, Dr Prodipto Ghosh. Aiming to focus on innovative business solutions for a greener world, the bi-annual magazine would provide news on varied aspects related to the environment. Teri focuses on energy, environment and sustainable development. It also provides inputs to corporate houses and governments for effective policy making. The Director-General of Teri and a Padma Bhushan awardee, Mr R.K.Pachauri, said that environment and development were two faces of the same coin. Developmental plans could be undertaken while protecting the environment, he added.
An open sesame to the art of joyful living New Delhi:
The Himalayan Institute Publications today released “The Art of Joyful Living”, a book by Swami Rama. Swami Rama conferred his love on all—irrespective of gender, caste, creed or other worldly considerations. His life was dedicated to the prosperity of mankind, a release said. Swami Rama was born in 1925 in Uttar Pradesh and brought up in the Himalayas under the guidance of his master ‘Bengali Baba’. He was educated in Prayaga, Varanasi and Oxford University of England. At the young age of 24, Swami Ji became a Shankaracharya. Finally in 1969, he settled in the USA following his master’s instructions to bring the wisdom of the sages to the West. According to him, “I am a messenger delivering the wisdom of the Himalayan sages of my tradition. My job is to introduce you to the teacher within.” In 1971, he founded the non-profit organisation, the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, to bridge the gap between the modern technology and the scientific approach of the West, and the ancient wisdom and spirituality of the East. In 1989, he established the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust in Dehradun, Uttaranchal.
— TNS |
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Ex-CBI Director is trustee of Sikh Society New Delhi, June 4 The Sikh Welfare Society is registered in the NCT of Delhi and has its office at Gandhi Market in Sadar Bazar. It conducts classes in Punjabi language for children. A majority of the students belong to the economically challenged families.
Women throng self-defence camp A self-defence camp, organised by
Sampurna, a social welfare organisation, in association with the Delhi Police, was held today at Community Hall, D-Block, Sector 18, Rohini.
Sampurna is already running a “Bal Sanskar Shivir” from morning to evening. In the ‘shivir,’ children are given integrated input to enhance their psychological, social and physical strength by eminent psychologists, professional social workers and teachers. |
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Mushirul Hasan to be Jamia VC New Delhi, June 4 The President, in his capacity as the Visitor of Jamia Millia Islamia, has approved the appointment of Prof Mushirul Hasan as the Vice- Chancellor of the University for five years with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office. The office of the Vice-Chancellor of the university will fall vacant on June 6, 2004, as the present Vice-Chancellor, Syed Shahid Mahdi, retires on June 5, 2004. Professor Hasan, an outstanding academician, is currently working as Professor of Modern Indian History and Director, Academy of Third World Studies, in Jamia Millia Islamia itself. He has also held other important administrative assignments. |
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Eve-teasers held New Delhi:
The police rounded up five eve-teasers in Roop Nagar and Maurice Nagar areas today. The police arrested the two labourers, Sandeep Kumar (19), and Jaswant Singh (22), both residents of Subzi Mandi, from bus route No 114.
—TNS |
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