New Delhi, April 20
The national Capital and Mumbai are the two most unsafe cities in the country for women to live and work in.

A FICCI study on “Women in service industry” in five metropolitan cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad— based on responses from 3519 working women in the age group 20 to 40, says being a woman is a cause enough to feel unsafe outside the safety of home.

Working women in Delhi consider staying alone unsafe. And eve-teasing is amongst their worst fears. In all, the Capital’s score on safety is the lowest amongst the five metros, with single women also facing harassment from landlords. In comparison, Delhi women also find their male colleagues least cooperative.

Incidentally, the study rates Hyderabad the safest, adding that Chennai and Kolkata can learn from Hyderabad and upgrade facilities so that women feel safer while travelling to and from work.

Interestingly, of the 850 respondents in Delhi, 91.1 per cent women agreed to eve teasing being fairly common in the city “Eve-teasing is not about being alone on streets, how you dress or your strata in the society. It is all about being a woman, especially if you are young. The male mindset considers eve-teasing natural and an acceptable birth right.”

Delhi also tops the list with 30.5 per cent respondents terming its public security system inefficient and only 19 per cent women consider the authorities cooperative. In fact, the majority rated the authorities non-cooperative and inefficient.

However, Delhi has a couple of plus points. As despite all its minuses, besides Hyderabad, women consider it to be an easy-to-live-in city with fixed working hours.

Increasing crime against women makes it most unsafe. “Dark and lonely places are a haven for criminal elements and using personal vehicles for commuting is one way of ensuring personal safety,” the study carried out with the help of Germany-based Hanns Seidel Foundation states.

The study raises important questions on how well-equipped our cities are in providing a conducive and supportive environment to attract and retain women in the ever-growing service sector. Besides up-gradation of infrastructure facilities, it recommends attitudinal change in enforcement agencies, with an emphasis on gender sensitisation. Besides this, it recommends flexibility in work conditions, introduction of schemes like “career break”, more flexible work patterns, enhanced maternity schemes and arrangement for children.

It also stressed the need for major partnership between the industry and the civic authorities for designing and implementing policies to bridge gaps in infrastructure and facilities.

New Delhi, April 20
A day after she stormed out of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee’s meeting, the Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, today criticised the manner in which it was organised, saying “outsiders” had been allowed to attend the deliberations.

“Departing from tradition, a large number of outsiders were present in the meeting,” Mrs Dikshit told reporters here after the Cabinet meeting.

The Chief Minister said she was unhappy about a large number of non-members being allowed to attend the meeting.

“The DPCC’s executive committee meeting is usually held in a closed room, but yesterday it was open to outsiders,” she said.

Convened to discuss issues such as improvement in coordination between the ruling party and the state government and delimitation of constituencies, yesterday’s meeting was marred by some unpleasant scenes when some MLAs started pointing out “faults” in the functioning of the government.

Within 15 minutes, a fuming Mrs Dikshit walked out of the meeting that was being attended by all her six Cabinet colleagues, MLAs, all MPs from 
Delhi besides the AICC general secretary in-charge of Delhi, Mr Ashok 
Gehlot and Mr Janardhan Dwivedi.

Meanwhile, refuting the Chief Minister’s allegation that outsiders had been called to the party meeting from which she walked out yesterday, the Delhi Congress chief, Mr Ram Babu Sharma, hit back at her saying “she does not know who all are members of the executive.”

“The meeting was attended only by members and not outsiders. Dikshit should know who the members are,” Mr Sharma said.

The DPCC would report the matter to the party high command, he said, when asked about what action he would take against the Chief Minister.

The Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, will decide on the action to be taken, he said. Mr Sharma, however, parried queries about whether he had sought an appointment with Mrs Gandhi to report the incident.

New Delhi, April 20
The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police today claimed to have arrested the high- profile pimp, Kanwaljit Singh, who had been evading arrest. The sleuths also claimed to have arrested his close associate, identified as Arvinder Pal Singh, along with two call girls from a five-star hotel.

The kingpin of prostitution racket, Kanwaljit Singh (50), resident of Greater Kailash-II, has been involved in over 16 cases of ITP Act, rape and cheating. He has spread his network in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and even in foreign countries like Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok. The sleuths said that Kanwaljit operates only in five-star hotels of offer girls to only known clientele.

Acting on a secret information, the sleuths on April 19 contacted Kanwaljit’s manager, Arvinder Pal Singh, for ‘high-profile girls’. Accordingly Arvinder agreed to supply the girls for Rs 20,000 each and asked the decoy customers to reach a five-star hotel. A special team along with some independent witnesses reached the hotel and Arvinder asked them to choose the girls and demanded Rs 5,000 as advance.

When the decoy customer handed over the advance, the sleuths reached the spot and nabbed Arvinder along with the two girls.

During interrogation, the accused persons told the sleuths that they were operative at the behest of Kanwaljit Singh, who shared 60 per cent of the money earned through this illegal trade.

The sleuths said that Kanwaljit after graduating from Kanpur in English (Hons), obtained a Management degree from Food Craft Institute in Lucknow in 1981.

During this time he came into contact with a woman, who supported him financially and enticed him into the world of flesh trade. Since both Kanwaljit and the woman spoke fluently English, it was not difficult for them to attract customers.

According to the sleuths, Kanwaljit’s earnings reached about Rs 8-10 lakh per month in 1987-88. Taking advantage of the prohibition on dance bars in Maharashtra, Kanwaljit enrolled several girls from Mumbai and involved them in his nefarious activities.

New Delhi, April 20
A unique industrial complex built about an year back at a cost of several crore rupees by the Delhi Industrial Development Corporation (DSIDC) at Jhilmil Industrial Area in East Delhi has failed to attract entrepreneurs of this area basically because of total lack of even the most basic facilities.

Now the situation is that only 168 out of 378 unit holders of this area have shown any interest in shifting their units to this multi-storeyed complex. Of them, only 72 have recently taken the allotment letters, but they have still to start their operations.

According to the president of the Jhilmil Industrial Area, Mr Sanjay Khanna, “we were so happy at the time the DSIDC had presented its plan to shift all unit holders into a properly facilitated complex. It was a good plan as far as our convenience was concerned. Surprisingly, even after many months after the completion of that complex, we are deprived of even basic facilities like round-the-clock drinking water, electricity, sanitation, security etc. The DSIDC had also promised to start a separate facility centre comprising a bank, post office, canteen, etc., for the convenience of unit holders.”

Mr Khanna said that they had written so many times in this regard to the higher authorities but to no avail. “Even the DSIDC developed Udyog Sadan at Patparganj Industrial Area has not started so far.” The DSIDC officials, however, claimed that they were trying to provide all the promised facilities for the benefit of unit holders but all these have taken time because of various unforeseen factors. Efforts were being made to expedite the work.

New Delhi, April 20
The Delhi Cabinet today approved reduction in interest paid by the tax authorities in the Capital on refunds under VAT while also reducing the interest charged on late payments.

The city’s tax authorities would now be paying an interest of eight per cent on refunds as against 15 per cent while charging 15 per cent for late payments, which was also reduced from the earlier 18 per cent, on the lines of interest paid and charged by the Income Tax Department.

The Cabinet’s approval came in its meeting this morning after prior approval from Law and Finance Departments. A notification to this affect would be brought out soon.

The simple interest rates would be levied on the principle amounts to be paid by either the government or the trader/ businessman.

The Delhi Government was also expected to bring out in a day or two a notification to formally announce the roll back the increase in tax on 159 industrial inputs in the Capital.

The Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, told reporters that the Empowered Committee on VAT had been apprised that due to higher tax on diesel Delhi was suffering a loss of about Rs two crore a day and had lost about 40 per cent of trade on this account.

A special category under the VAT regime had been demanded for the Capital in view of its unique ‘distributive trade’ character rather than it being an industrial hub, she said.

The committee had also been told about problems being faced by the people in view of the hike in LPG prices in the city under VAT.

New Delhi, April 20
Coinciding with the visit of the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf this weekend, the Dilli Haat played host to another Parvez, the sitar maestro, who enthralled the audience with his recital here.

Organised by Spic Macay Foundation, which has now started to organise musical events at public places rather than educational institutions, the performance of Ustad Shahid Parvez was held in the presence of spiritual guru Morari Bapu, who is a well-known Indian classical music enthusiast.

Showing amazing control over the instrument, the maestro of the Imdadkhani Gharana began with Raga Gawati. One also witnessed his fertile imagination in the alaap, jod and jhala before he was joined by Sudhir Pandey on the tabla.

He played one composition in the Vilambit Jhaptaal followed by two in the Madhyalaya and Drut Teentaal, outlining an exhaustive presentation of the raga.

On Bapu’s request, Parvez also presented a brief Bhairavi. ‘’Not everyone can become a Tansen. It’s enough if today’s youth try to become an appreciative audience,’’ said Morari Bapu, a Ramkatha expert.

Lamenting that the youth were only interested in Science and Mathematics and were turning away from classical music, he said, ‘’Mathematics alone can sometimes fetch a zero but if music goes hand-in-hand, it will lead to a full life.’’

New Delhi, April 20
“Anger is a strong enemy which destroys human health, happiness and relationship. Use spiritual wisdom, positive thinking and rajyoga meditation to overcome inner vices like anger, ego and hatred for overcoming conflicts and for creating a culture of peace, love and harmony in society,” Rajyogini Dadi Prakashmani, the chief of Brahma Kumaris said after inaugurating ‘Om Shanti Studio’ in Tarun Enclave, Pitampura yesterday.

Rajyogini Dadi Hirdaya Mohini, the joint chief and Delhi zonal head of Brahma Kumaris said that the studio with its value-based programmes such as spiritual lectures, interviews, talk shows, panel discussions, divine songs, dance, drama and plays would not only spread the message of peace, love and cooperation but also would provide healthy entertainment to the people.

On the occasion, the Member of Parliament, Mr Ajay Maken, said that the studio would go a long way towards producing and telecasting quality programmes on value education, character building and healthy living for the benefit of the masses.

New Delhi, April 20
The councillor from Adarsh Nagar segment, Mr Mukesh Goel, has been re-elected the Chairman of the Standing Committee. He secured 16 seats, defeating his rival candidate, Vijender Gupta, the BJP councillor from 
Rohini, who polled only two votes.

Mr Goel was first time elected the Chairman of the Standing Committee when Mr Ram Babu Sharma resigned from the post after he won the Assembly election from Rohtas Nagar constituency in Trans-Yamuna area.

Addressing the mediapersons after his election, Mr Goel assured that he would try to reduce the cases of corruption in the Corporation.

He asked the District Health Officers to ensure that there is no illegal slaughtering on Mahavir Jayanti.

Mr Jai Kishan Sharma, who represents the Naya Bazar segment, has been elected the Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee.

Gurgaon, April 20
The Delhi Police arrested two police personnel, including the Station House Officer (SHO) of Ferozerpur Jhirka in this district last night in connection with a rape case.

The SHO of Jehangir Puri in Delhi, Mr Satpal Singh, said that the SHO was arrested at the Ferozepur Jhirka police station, but the local police authorities are reportedly denying it. The accused SHO, Mr Om Prakash, was on leave at the time of the arrest, a source said. The incident has thrown egg over the face of the Haryana police. The case pertains to a charge of rape of a woman by three police personnel, about a year ago, in their custody.

The three personnel, who were then staff members of local CIA of the Haryana police, had gone to the house of the complainant in Jehangir Puri in Delhi in connection with a loot case in Mewat area of the district.

Some milkmen had been looted of over Rs 2 lakh, and one of the accused in the dacoity was allegedly the brother-in-law of the complainant in the rape case.

While he was not at home, the CIA staff rounded up the complainant and brought her to the CIA office here and allegedly raped her. She was let off the next day.

After she was let off, she had been admitted at the Safdarjung Hospital where the rape was confirmed. Even while the rape was confirmed, the police failed to arrest the accused. In the mean time, the matter reached the court.

And subsequently, the FIR was registered against the three cops, including the SHO. The third police personnel is yet to be arrested.

Noida, April 20
Fed up with domestic discord, a pregnant woman is reported to have committed suicide under Sector-39 police station. On a complaint by the father of the deceased, a case has been registered against her husband and in-laws for harassment and dowry death.

The in-laws of the deceased are reported to be absconding.

According to the police, one Aslam, a resident of Chhalera village, had married Shabana of Ghaziabad, three years ago. Aslam is said to be a drunkard who used to beat his wife often. Agreements between both the families had been reached under the aegis of Panchayat a number of times.

On Monday night, Aslam is reported to have beaten up his wife Shabana with the result she was found hanging from a hook in the ceiling on the next morning. There was a rope noose around her neck, the police said. The police have seized the body and sent it for autopsy. Shabana’s in-laws are reported to be absconding.

It has been alleged that Shabana, 24, had been tortured and forced to commit suicide by her husband Aslam, father in-law Illyas and mother in-law Wakila. Police are searching for the accused.

In another case, the body of a youth has been found hanging from a tree in a jungle in Sector-43 under Sector-39 police station. The body seems to be three days old and therefore decomposed.

The police feel the man had been murdered and then his body hung from the tree. Further investigations are on.

Noida, April 20
An LPG gas cylinder fitted in a Maruti van exploded near the Gole Chakkar, Noida. The impact of the explosion was so high that the van was fully gutted. No human casualties have been reported so far. The driver has been absconding.

The Noida fire service tender took at least half-an-hour to douse the flames, but by that time the van was reduced to a complete wreck.

The van had just taken petrol from Gulmohar market petrol pump and started moving towards Gole Chakkar in Sector-2. When the driver noticed some sparks, he jumped off seconds before the vehicle was blown up with the impact of the explosion.

Its ceiling had blown off some 15 metres away and explosion caused a scare 
at the busy traffic hour of 11 a.m.

Incidentally, this is not the first accident of its time, which had held up traffic on main Dadri road for about half an hour. Police said they will check out on illegal LPG cylinders being used in vehicles especially taxis, etc.

Noida, April 20
The students appearing for class XII examinations in the open school in Khora Makanpur created a ruckus on Tuesday evening by tearing their question papers as well as answer books. The students created commotion and also grabbed some 300 question papers and answer sheets of their fellow examinees’ and tore them into bits.

The incident took place in Raja Public School in Makanpur where agitating students alleged that the school staffs were helping some students in the 
examination for some consideration.

When the students tried to manhandle the teachers, Principal Yogesh had called in the police. According to the schoolteachers, the incident took place when only 20 minutes were left in the examination time.

Some students alleged that some examinees were being helped by the staff to help them to pass the examination, they were not allowed to copy. Some of the parents are also reported to have taken part in creating disturbances on the school premises.

Principal Yogesh said there was no truth in students’ allegation that teachers had taken money from some students to help them. The main reason for the commotion, he said, was that the students wanted to indulge in “copying” in the examination and also wanted the exam time to be extended. Both the conditions could not be agreed to, the principal said.

Faridabad, April 20
A legal notice has been served upon the Deputy Commissioner and the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) in connection with the alleged misuse of land allotted for social welfare activities.

The legal notice has also highlighted the growing number of encroachments on public land in the city and the “failure” of the authorities to take action in this regard.

The lawyer of the applicant, a social activist, has warned the authorities that he would file a PIL in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, making the officials a party to it, if the violations and encroachments were not removed within 15 days.

According to the notice served by Mr Krishan Lal Gera, through his legal counsel, a social body under the name of the ‘Sewa Samiti’ had been allotted a plot measuring 2400 sq. yards at concessional rate in 1959 for carrying out social activities with no profit motive.

It is alleged that the Samiti office-bearers had turned the place into a mini-market and had rented out the space by constructing shops in the plot located right in the middle of the market of the NIT.

It is claimed that the plot being used for commercial purpose was against the rules under which the plot was allotted.

It is stated that while the authorities concerned had not given any permission for its commercial use, certain officials of the MCF were in league with the office-bearers of the Samiti and had overlooked the commercial use of the land meant for social work.

Noida, April 20
The Gautam Budh Nagar (GBN) police force will soon be linked to the GPS (Global Positioning System) for improved communication purposes to assist the police in bringing down the crime rate in the district.

Reliance Infocomm has agreed to supply the software as well as allow the use of its optical fibre network free of cost to the police. The system will be connected to the Internet with the help of Reliance’s optical fibre network in the district.

GBN will become the country’s first model district. Negotiations for GPS are also on with the Noida Authority and the Greater Noida Authority for procuring cameras and other equipment for making the system viable.

The cameras will be fitted at all the important junctions, shopping complexes, residential areas, and parks.

New Delhi, April 20
With the arrest of a Proclaimed Offender identified as Shahida Khan, involved in at least 12 cases of attempt to murder, dacoity, robbery and rioting in Delhi and Haryana, the Crime Branch today claimed to have recovered as many as 250 base terminal batteries worth Rs 8 lakh from his possession.