New Delhi, June 11
First powerful waves, then destruction, an image that no rhinestone words can describe. Devastation, death and doom, all in a flash, but etched forever, at least in the folds of the human mind. When the shock subsided, the immediate concern was a roof over the head.

“A stable roof over the head leads to stability in life,” says Nilesh J Gupte, an architect, who has been, post-tsunami, struggling to erect that “one stable roof that promises dignity as much as safety”.

Gupte along with American architect Michael Reynolds has embarked on the goal to provide the shelterless people of Hut Bay in Andaman and Nicobar Islands with a roof over their heads, which is not just habitable, eco-friendly and easy to build, but also self-sustainable.

“It is called the Earthship, which has been developed 30 years ago in America by Reynolds. I spoke to him about the possibility of replicating it in India,” says Gupte of the project, which uses “refuse like plastics and glass bottles and tyres to construct houses that are earthquake-resistant and can withstand the impact of a tsunami”.

The round structure, which enables one to harvest water and through the use of photo cells provide electricity, has been designed with attention paid to details. “The round structure when hit by a wave does not collapse like a square structure, it breaks the wave, and the tyres filled with rubble and mud, that make the foundation, absorb the tremors and prevent the house from trembling during a quake,” Mr Gupte points out.

Buttressing the environment-friendly aspect of the structure, which involved people from the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan, are the bio-toilets where sand and bottles filter the sewage water enough to make it fit for reuse.

“The water is so clean that it can actually be used for washing and the soil that we cover the pit with can prove an excellent patch for growing a kitchen garden,” he adds.

The structure, which can be duplicated anywhere in the country, also scores on the time and fiscal fronts. “It takes one fourth of the time required to build an average house and half of the money. It is economical and can be aesthetic too. Each structure can store up to 10,000 litres of water underground, free from stagnation and with the skylight made of tin-sheeting that allows heating and causes convection currents, thus resulting in efficient ventilation, one does not even need fans inside,” Mr Gupte elaborates.

Impressed by the sheer innovative use of what is otherwise waste and the quality of the product that has emerged, thanks to “ humane thinking, teamwork and use of technology”, Earthship will be replicated in Hut Bay.

“The Inspector General of Police has asked us to erect five police posts for them. We are also keen to build a memorial for the tsunami victims along the shore, which can be a tourist attraction as well as provide space for jogging tracks,” he says.

Hopeful that the administration would consider these Earthships for the second phase of rehabilitation, he says, “We do hope that these structures will be considered effective permanent homes. It is unthinkable to make the local people stay in tin shed or modern housing. The construction has to be in keeping with the local climate and needs.”

“What’s more, the building process can be a community exercise, wherein everyone contributes, and this involvement of the people to produce a shelter that can be home, would be true rehabilitation,” he added.

New Delhi, June 11
The Central district police today claimed to have nabbed a criminal, who carried a reward of Rs 5000. The accused, identified as Shoba Ram, resident of Murad Nagar, was wanted in four sensational murder cases in Muzaffar Nagar.

Acting on a tip-off that the accused would be coming to the New Delhi Railway Station via Ajmeri Gate, the police laid a trap and nabbed him. During interrogation, Shoba Ram told the police that his son, Sukhpal, was murdered by some villagers due to enmity. Nursing a grudge against them, Shoba Ram along with his other associates, Jitendra and Satendra, committed three murders. Later they committed the fourth murder at Faguna, Muzaffar Nagar and went absconding.

Meanwhile, with the arrest of three persons, the North district police claimed to have seized a huge quantity of illicit liquor on the Singhu border.

New Delhi, June 11
The students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, NFL Campus, Panipat, are a worried lot. These students have been left in the lurch by the National Fertilizers Limited’s (NFL) decision to hand over the Kendriya Vidyalaya to CAEPSI, a private organisation.

The school, which has been in the thick of controversy owing to the management changing hands, stands closed today with no attention being paid to the future of children, especially those who will take the Board exams in 2006.

These students along with their parents today staged a protest outside Jantar Mantar here. It was pointed out that NFL handed over the management of the school to CAEPSI, and later following protests the school was closed.

It was alleged that the school was first closed after it was handing over to CAEPSI in April, but following opposition it was reopened immediately. The school was closed for the second time on May 2, but after the Minister of Fertilizers and Chemicals directed the opening of the school, it was reopened.

The NFL then wrote to the CAPESI to open the school, but CAEPSI declined to do so by not signing the documents required. It was pointed out that CAEPSI has got exparte status quo order from the court and the NFL is not filing an application for early hearing.

Consequently, the school now stands closed. The agitated parents have been running from pillar to post to register their grievance. They are angry that with the NFL being lax in taking up the issue, the future of hundreds of children will be affected and many stand to lose a year.

New Delhi, June 11
A sweltering sky kept Delhiites indoors as the mercury shot up to over 42 degrees Celsius today and the met office said it could get hotter in the coming days.

The day temperature was 42.5 degrees Celsius giving no respite to the residents of the city, who had experiences below 40 degree Celsius temperatures early this week.

The minimum temperature also rose by several degrees. The temperature at 5.30 a.m. today was 28.8 degrees Celsius, making it a long hot day.

The weather office said the temperatures would rise in the coming days. The maximum temperature tomorrow is likely to be around 42 degrees Celsius. Dust storm and thunderstorm are expected tomorrow as well, accompanied by squall in some parts of the city. —TNS

New Delhi, June 11
The BJP today warned the Delhi Government of sustained protest if the government decides to go ahead with its decision to increase power tariff in the Capital.

The Delhi BJP chief, Dr Harsh Vardhan, said at a press conference that the three private power companies have already made full preparations for increasing the power tariff.

He alleged that in order to make it ‘presentable’ they have fabricated the annual revenue records.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved the tariff hike without examining the records, he alleged.

As the Power Minister, Mr Haroon Yusuf, has announced the power tariff hike, it has become increasingly necessary for the BJP to protect the interests of the poor and the downtrodden, he claimed.

Ironically, even as the Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, has claimed that about 12 per cent power theft had been prevented in the national Capital, the power companies are increasing the power tariff, he said.

Dr Vardhan also alleged that Delhi has been facing severe water crisis due to load shedding.

The people living in the upper storeys are facing severe problem of water supply, and the conditions in the hospitals have grown worse, he alleged.

Faridabad, June 11
A sum of Rs 2.86 lakh was snatched at gunpoint from the employees of a petrol pump near Pali village this morning by three unidentified motorcycle-borne armed youths.

According to the complaint lodged with the police, the incident took place around 11 am, when two employees of a petrol pump near Dhauj village were on their way to bank to deposit the cash. The employees were on a two-wheeler when they were intercepted by the miscreants near Pali Chowk.

It is reported that the accused brandished a country-made revolver and asked for the money. The accused reportedly manhandled the employees and snatched the bag after overpowering them. They fled from the spot soon after. Though the senior police officials reached the spot, there was no clue to the robbers.

A case has been booked on the complaint lodged by the petrol pump staff. It is suspected that the incident could well be planned with the involvement of certain employees of the pump.

Noida, June 11
The tragedy at Dadri railway station yesterday could have been avoided with a little common sense. It was a rumour that seems to have triggered the situation.

According to some eyewitnesses, a youth slipped while boarding a moving train and was injured. Somebody spread the rumour that the police had killed him.

People who were already agitated on seeing RPF rounding up ticketless passengers and beating them up, caused a riot in no time at the railway station. Some anti-social elements indulged in loot and arson at the railway station and even the pelted the police force with stones.

In firing by the RPF, two persons were killed and about a dozen wounded. About a dozen cops were also injured. A loot of railway property worth Rs 20 crore has been estimated by the Chief General Manager, Northern Railway, Mr Thomas Verghese.

While ticketless travelling is rampant on this section, there were also reports of ticketless travellers teasing lady passengers. The need for better planning and caution was underlined by yesterday’s tragedy.

Along with DC Mishra, ATS railways, 20 TT, 17 RPF jawans had landed at Dadri from Aligarh for the special checking in Shab Kranti Express at 5.50 am. At Dadri station, this special team had checked seven trains–Puri Express, Delhi Dankaur EMU, Shiv Ganga, Delhi Khurja EMU, Vaishali Express, one after the other. About 60 ticketless passengers were nabbed from these trains.

The team apprehended 6 ticketless passengers from Aligarh–Delhi EMU train, in which mostly daily passengers travel. As this train started moving, one passenger slipped while boarding it. He was taken to the police post by cops. Meanwhile, someone spread the rumour that a passenger Santosh had died on platform during beating by checking team.

After this news, local people from nearby colonies ascended on the railway station and a free-for-all ensured. None of the railway officials present tried to control the situation. Police firing in response to the stone-pelting by crowd added fuel to the fire. The railway station and the government vehicles were torched.

It took the additional police force and fire tenders more than two hours to control the situation.

Faridabad, June 11
An Assistant Sub-Inspector of Haryana Police was beaten up by a driver of a Haryana Roadways bus here this morning. The police officer was going to produce two undertrials in the district court. The victim identified as ASI Sheetal Ram and two constables who were escorting the undertrials from Sonepat had entered into a heated argument with the driver after the latter failed to halt the bus near the crossing of Sector- 12 here.

The policemen had boarded the bus from Sonepat and the bus was on its way to Agra.

It is reported that the bus was stopped at the Toll Tax barrier near Hodal about 55 km away. The driver

Gurgaon, June 11
The industry here today lauded the Haryana Budget for the current financial year. The Budget is not only in favour of industrialists but a document which would help eradicate poverty in the state, opines the industry.

The Gurgaon Industrial Association (GIA), while awarding high grade to the overall provisions in the Budget, made special mention of enhancement of compensation money to the farmers whose land would be acquired.

The floor price has been fixed at Rs 15 lakh per acre in Gurgaon and other areas in the National Capital Region, Rs 12.50 lakh in Panchkula, and Rs 5 lakh in the rest of the areas of the state. When handsome amount would be paid to the landowners, they would hesitate to agitate for further compensation. In this way, both the agriculture landowners and the industrialists would have cause for satisfaction and concentrate on industrial activities. The president of GIA, Mr V.P. Bajaj further hailed the Budget for rewarding the Ex-servicemen and the handicapped.

Attention has been given to the development of industry in the state. A target of Rs 20,000 crore has been fixed for export from the state and many incentives have been announced to achieve the target. 

Noida, June 11
A 15-day time has been given for a survey to be conducted in Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida for setting up 12 CNG stations by December 2005. This was disclosed by the UP Principal Secretary Environment, Vinod Molhotra who took a meeting with the officers of Indraprastha Gas Ltd, Noida authority and officers of two districts.

The idea is to set up CNG stations in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad on the pattern of Delhi. The authorities in Uttar Pradesh are apparently under pressure since the apex
court has directed them to expedite setting up of CNG stations.

In the first phase, eight CNG stations in Noida and four in Greater Noida will be set up. There is some problem relating to the price of CNG as there is no tax component in Delhi while UP

taxes make its price higher in the state. But in spite of all, efforts will be made to bring CNG to Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad at the earliest and latest by December 2005, Mr Malhotra said.

It may be recalled that in April, the Supreme Court had given six weeks to expedite the CNG programme in this area.

The Bhure Lal Committee had recommended the use of CNG in vehicles, homes and industrial establishments.

It was decided that Noida authority, Greater Noida authority and Indraprastha Gas Ltd will jointly get a survey done for laying the CNG pipelines in Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida and for setting up CNG stations.

Senior officials, including District Magistrate Santosh Yadav, Addl CEO M.M. Mishra of Noida authority and officers of Indraprastha Gas Ltd attended the meeting.

New Delhi, June 11
Child rights activists today demanded a ministry for children and implementation of the nearly two-decade-old law banning employment of children in hazardous industries on the eve of the Anti-Child Labour Day.

A charter of demands drawn up to help 17 million child workers in the country has put the formation of a ministry for children at the centre of the child rights campaign.

Implementation of the 1986 law against child labour to prevent employment of children below 14 years in hazardous occupations like

fire works and bangle-making has also been sought in the charter.

‘’We want that this law should be fully implemented,’’ said trade union activist Amarjeet Kaur, who has lent her support to the charter.

The child rights activists say the child workers should be given back their childhood and the opportunity to read, write and play instead of doing any kind of work.

“No work, no matter what the work is,” said Ms Kaur, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress.

Another demand is that those between 14 and 18 years should also be recognised as children as they are “easy prey” to exploitation and injustice. Child labourers also put forth a charter of demands at a function.

The six-point charter asks the government to ensure full implementation of the 1986 law banning child labour. The children have also demanded that the government should “suitably employ” their parents and ensure proper wages so that they do not have to work.