New Delhi, September 10
With the water and electricity shortage hitting the city, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said it was not scarcity of resources but mismanagement of resources in the Capital that had created problems for Delhiites.

Stating this at the inaugural function of the PHDCCI Centenary Partnership Summit on Delhi, Ms Dikshit said: “In a city of over 15 million people, it is not easy to cope with the rising demand and increased stress on the existing civic amenities. There isn’t really a shortage of power and water. What we are lacking is management of these resources.

The multiplicity of authority existent in the city compounds the situation further. This leads to inordinate delays in implementing the desired policy initiatives to alleviate the problems faced by the citizens of the city.”

Talking about high transmission and distribution (T&D) losses and power theft in the Capital, Ms Dikshit said that it was not possible to recoup the cost of utilities in circumstances where about 37 per cent of the power supplied was pilfered.

She said that Delhi had the highest per capita consumption of water in the world, with the total requirement hitting 900 million gallons per day. Against this, only 680 mng was supplied currently.

She announced that water would start flowing from the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant by December 2005.

“Responsible civil society is a prerequisite for sustained growth of the state. We need to put our act together and come forward to put forth our disagreement on the inadequate civic amenities to make the state government to take note. The recent rollback of electric power tariff hike is a shining example of people’s power to demand what is rightfully theirs,” Ms Dikshit said.

The people should show the same spirit for other causes too, said Ms Dikshit, who had initially asked the consumers to pay up before her government announced a rollback of the tariff.

Mr S Reghunathan, Chief Secretary, Delhi, said the state government had taken a series of initiatives to improve the civic amenities in the state. In the health care sector, 13 new hospitals, including two super-speciality hospitals, would be constructed. The Oncology Hospital at GTB would be operational by the year-end and another Liver and Bile Institute, which is one of its kind in Asia, would start its OPD by mid 2006.

He said three specialised industrial parks for gems and jewellery, textiles and leather garments are on the anvil. Also, a draft policy for senior citizens for their safety and dignity had been formulated and would soon be announced. Another policy for skill upgradation and self-employment for youth was being formulated.

Regarding education, Mr Reghunathan said the aim was to achieve 100 per cent literacy and improve the general standard of education in government schools. All schools in the state would be e-connected with other schools within the state and also with schools in other states.

New Delhi, September 10
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has given an assurance that alternate sites would be allotted to the shopkeepers trading near the Jama Masjid area. This assurance was made yesterday following a discussion between the department concerned of the corporation and association members of the market, the Imam of Jama Masjid, the DDA and the Delhi Police.

The MCD had asked the market association members to remove their kiosks by September 13 following High Court directions to demolish the temporary shops established around Jama Masjid, sources said. The shopkeepers would be allotted commercial plots of 24 square feet on the GT Road after the old Yamuna Bridge near Shastri Park.

Following this assurance of the corporation, the shopkeepers had started removing their kiosks from the tools market, the second-hand clothes market and the date market.

The traders were issued tehbazari ( trading licence) by the MCD but they had to pay monthly rent to one of the influential men of the Jama Masjid area who allegedly assured them that their kiosks would not be removed. The Imam of Jama Masjid and the Delhi Wakf Board were responsible for their removal from the market, the association members alleged.

Earlier, the corporation had decided to allot commercial plots on 100 Foota Road in Seelampur but the local MLA, Chaudhary Mateen, had opposed this. That was a better commercial site. The present site is on the bank of a drain coming from Kardampuri. This is not a good business place.

They alleged a fight between two influential persons of one family of the area had become the cause of removal of the poor shopkeepers. They had allegedly fought on the issue of fleecing money from the traders. The Delhi High Court issued directions after a PIL was filed by an NGO, appealing the kiosks had diminished the beauty of the historic Jama Masjid built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan. The PIL appealed to remove the kiosks from the historic place.

The Chairman of Delhi Wakf Board, Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed, and Chief Executive Officer, Mr F.O. Hashmi, were not available for comments.

New Delhi, September 10
The Food and Technology Expo-2005 was inaugurated by the union state minister for Food and Public Distribution Dr Akhilesh Prasad Singh at Pragati Maidan on Friday.

Jointly organised by NNS Group and apex body of manufacturer units, All India Manufactures Organisation and supported by Indian Export Inspection Council, a body under the Union Commerce and Industries Ministry, the expo is being held from September 9 to 11 at Hall No. 4 and 5 at Pragati Maidan. The expo also has support from All India Bread Manufacturers Association and Indian Dehydrated Foods Industries Association.

It provides an excellent opportunity to the manufacturers, processors, packagers and exporters from different sectors, including pulses, spices, herbs, edible oil, dairy products, processed foods, tea, namkeen, bakery and confectionery to showcase their branded products, said Mr Rajesh Gupta, Managing Director, NNS Group.

He said latest processing, packaging machines and food processing millers are on show in the expo.

Mr Sudarshan Sarin, Chairman, All India Manufacturers Organisiation, said that apart from thousands of representatives of agri-based industries and trade, the expo has witnessed participation from abroad, including business delegates from Iraq, Germany and Nepal.

He said the expo is committed to doing business, and therefore, special arrangements for meetings between the buyers and sellers have been made.

New Delhi, September 10
It is an attempt to empower women and motivate them to become agents of change. With the Capital continually beleaguered by water, electricity and other civic woes, residents welfare associations in various parts of the city are left to not just voice their concerns, but also push for an end to these problems.

Aiming to initiate women in the process of seeking change, the Delhi RWA Association Joint Front has announced the setting up of a Women’s Task Force, which will work in coordination with the RWAs.

The task force will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, here tomorrow. The DRWAJF president, Mr V. C. Tandon, claims “it could be the first of its kind”.

“The task force at the state level will have seven members and three members at the individual RWA level. These women will work along with us and draw attention to their problems and concerns,” he said.

Conceding that the problems of inadequate water and electricity supply had a major adverse effect on the lives of women, Mr Tandon said, “Women are worst affected in such situations and it only makes sense to encourage them to come forwards and challenge the problems”.

Coming together under the task force these 500 to 600 volunteers would be expected to meet the authorities concerned, put forth their grievances and press for solutions.

“Participation of the housemakers in solving problems related to civic issues, security and even disputes with the neigbhours will prove to be a shot in the arm for the RWA movement. It will strengthen the cause of the RWA, which is seeking the status of an urban panchayat for itself,” summed up Tandon.

Ghaziabad, September 10
The UP Vigilance Department is likely to file cases against officials of Ghaziabad Ganga Jal Project, alleged involved in a “scam in league with contractors”. The sleuths of the Vigilance Department have reportedly seized some documents indicating the involvement of the officials of the GDA and the Jal Nigam in the scam.

It may be recalled that the administration had ordered a vigilance inquiry into the alleged bungling in the Rs 200 crore Ganga Jal Project covering Kaushamabi, Vaishali, Indira Puram and Vasundhra colonies.

The Vigilance Department is understood to be in possession of the rate lists offered by Joint Manager, State Construction Corporation and the GDA for the construction of underground and overhead water tanks of Ganga Jal Project. According to sources, the rate lists shows a number of discrepancies.

Moreover, it was found that the quality of work undertaken by the contractors was of poor quality. However, no action was taken against these contractors.

The probe also indicated that funds had been diverted to other heads fraudulently.

It is learnt that cases are being filed against those involved in the scam by the Vigilance Department.

Noida, September 10
The Dadri police have arrested two persons for having shot dead a man in Gagan Vihar colony, Dadri, on August 28. The police also recovered the pistol used in the murder.

The S.O. Dadri Kotwali, Mr Y.P. Alahawat, said that the victim, Promode, had been shot dead due to a money dispute.

The victim’s relatives had filed a report naming Arvind (son of Hukam Singh) and Sunil Kumar, alias Sonu (son of Nawab), resident of Badsha Nagar, Dadri, in the case.

The police received a tip-off on Wednesday that the two accused were in Gagan Vihar colony.

In a coordinated action, the police nabbed both the accused and recovered a pistol and a live cartridge from them.

Later during the interrogation, they confessed to their crime. Having absconded after the murder, they had come to Gagan Vihar to collect their belongings, they said.

New Delhi, September 10
Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are very close to signing the much-pending MoU on plying of buses between the two states, with a middle path being worked out on what should be the basis for the agreement — trips or kilometres covered.

This was revealed yesterday by Delhi Power and Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf, who said the two-day talks between transport officials of the two states that began yesterday had yielded positive results.

“Much of the confusion has been cleared and most of the differences between the two states have been resolved,” Yusuf said, adding that within 15 days, Delhi and UP would sign an MoU on plying of buses.

The Minister said the officials were now working out a ‘how many kilometres per trip’ formula to suit both the states. While Delhi has been insisting on trips being the basis of the agreement, UP is in favour of kilometres being the deciding factor.

Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) officials and a delegation from the Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) have held meetings yesterday and today to sort out issues between the two states to facilitate the agreement.

The transport officials had earlier met in Lucknow on September 2, but that meeting had remained inconclusive.

Ghaziabad, September 10
A woman, her lover and another accomplice were arrested on charges of murder of husband, police said today.

The woman, Kiran, fell in love with Akhilesh who often came to her house to meet her husband, Sher Singh, police said. On July 18, Kiran and Akhilesh accompanied Singh on a visit to a nearby village, police said adding that on the way near Hindon River the accused with the help of another accomplice strangled Singh to death and abandoned his body.

On a complaint by the victim’s brother police arrested all the three accused, who have confessed to the crime, they said. Kiran had deserted her three children and was living with Akhilesh in New Delhi, they added. — TNS

New Delhi, September 10
With the arrest of one Balbir, 20, a native of UP, the staff of North West District has rescued a seven-year-old child Akash.

On June 27, at about 5 pm, one Raja, son of Ballu Ram, resident of Gian Deep Public School, Khera Khurd, Delhi, reported that his son Akash went missing around 3.30 pm in front of the house of one Sardar Singh, Vill. Khera Khurd, where he was playing with his sister aged 3 years.

During investigation, it was found out that that one Balbir, a resident of Hardoi, UP, was last seen with the child. He had also worked as labourer for a short time with the father of the child. A police team was constituted immediately and dispatched to Hardoi from where the child was rescued.

On interrogation, the accused confessed that he was jobless and faced financial crisis. So, he kidnapped the child with the intention to sell him for money.

Noida, September 10
Five persons were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a teacher. Devinder Singh Rawal of Salempur Jat was murdered by Prem Sharma, Chhotu, Shiv Dutt, Subash, Ved Prakash, Veerpal and Chachuru in Sept ember 2001. — OC

New Delhi, September 10
Police today shot dead an alleged inter-state gangster wanted in more than a dozen cases, including murder and robbery, in Dwarka here.

Special Staff officers laid a trap to capture Sombir alias Kankhad, who carried a Rs 25,000 reward on his head, after a tip-off. He was shot dead during a resulting encounter. — TNS