New Delhi, November 30
The introduction of user charges in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) from Tuesday has kicked up a storm, with the issue figuring in Lok Sabha and the BJP’s city unit decrying the move.

Expressing concern over the steep raise in charges for various investigation tests at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Members in Lok Sabha protested against the move and asked the Centre to immediately revoke the hike.

Raising the issue during Zero hour, Ram Kripal Yadav (RJD) said the increased rates would adversely affect the poor people coming from states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and others.

Most of the clinical investigations which were being done free of cost till now are being charged while prices for other advanced tests, that were hitherto nominal, have increased manifold making the facilities unaffordable for a large section of the population dependent on the state-run premier health institution, he said.

Yadav was also joined by few other members, who demanded immediate withdrawal of fees for clinical tests at AIIMS.

On its part, the Delhi Pradesh BJP unit said that the central government’s decision to commercialise the rates of different pathological tests at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) had restricted the access of poor patients to the hospital.

Delhi Pradesh president Harsh Vardhan has demanded that the Union Health Minister should take concrete steps to cancel this decision because health is the first right of every citizen of India.

In a statement today, Dr Vardhan said the rates of different tests, operation fees, admission fees had already been increased in all the hospitals of Delhi. Now, the administration was conspiring to make AIIMS a costly hospital like the private hospitals. It may be mentioned that the AIIMS is the only prestigious hospital in which serious patients from all over the country come for treatment. Every day, at least 2000 patients register themselves in the out-patient department and go for treatment in different wards. AIIMS is also an important hospital for the one and a half crore people of Delhi, he said.

Many tests were done free of cost in the AIIMS and some were done after charging only nominal rates. Recently, by issuing a circular, many important tests had been made very costly and the rates of some tests had been increased 16 times. Similarly, the rent of ward and beds for the serious patients had been made costlier like the private hospitals.

Now, the patients would have to pay Rs 20,000 for angioplasty and Rs 4,000 for digital subtraction angiography. For centralised thoracic body test, the patients would have to pay Rs 3,100 and for the tests related to asthma, heart, liver and heart diseases it was Rs 6,000. Even for general tests, the patients would have to pay Rs 30 to Rs 200, Dr Vardhan said.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said here today that the hike in prices of various tests at AIIMS is a “policy decision” taken to increase internal resource generation.

“It is a policy decision,” Ramadoss told reporters when asked why the rates of various tests at the premier institute had been raised.

There had not been a price revision at the institute for the last 10 years, he said. While, PGI, Chandigarh with a budget of Rs 280 crore, generated Rs 35 crore through internal means, AIIMS with a budget of about Rs 420 crore could generate only Rs 10-12 crore, the minister added.

New Delhi, November 30
In direct contravention of a well-established policy of inviting tenders for commercial publicity at the Railways prime locations in the Capital, the Northern Railways Commercial Publicity Department gave sanctions for putting up hoardings to an agency which was yet to be empanelled at the time of issuing of the letter of authority on March 23 this year.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr DCM) of Northern Railways issued a letter of acceptance of the proposal of M/s Pallavi Advertising Company on March 23, 2005, which permitted the agency to put Electronic Display Boards (EDBs) at Defence Colony flyover, ITO trans-Yamuna flyover, Pragati Maidan Outer Ring Road and Pandav Nagar. Incidentally, M/s Pallavi Advertising had applied for grant of permission for putting up EDBs at the four above-mentioned sites on March 22, 2005.

Not only this, M/s Pallavi’s letterhead, on which it filed an application for grant of permission of sites, did not even contain the firm’s telephone number or numbers.

It only carried its address in Jhandelwalan Ext and an email address which was not there on its March 22 application but was subsequently added. In its letter, signed by one Sahil Chopra on behalf of M/s Pallavi Advertising, the agency had admitted that it was yet to be empanelled as the written communication said that “we have already applied for registration in Delhi Division”.

Though the agency had asked for the allotment of contract for a period of five years, the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager chose to give permission for one year.

It is learnt that M/s Pallavi were subsequently allotted two more sites.

The authorities, in this case the Sr DCM, have been using the cover of the policy of “first come, first serve” which was evolved a decade ago when Railways had discovered that it was sitting on a gold mine. It only had to allot its vast space for advertising.

But what is surprising is that this policy has been used in New Delhi where tenders are being invited for allotting advertising space for years now, sources in the ministry said. In the light of the above facts, eyebrows are being raised as to how the Sr DCM could issue a letter bypassing the policy of inviting tenders before allotment of prime locations to a relatively new agency, rather an agency whose precedents are not much known.

Use of “first come, first serve” principle in case of M/s Pallavi was not an exception but was being used frequently to grant “favours” resulting in heavy revenue loss to the Railways, sources pointed out.

In a letter dated to July 9, 2005, to the Chief Vigilance Officer, the Northern Railways, Delhi Outdoor Advertisers Association said not only that M/s Pallavi had been given permission in defiance of the Supreme Court order of 1997 but “no tender was called for these sites”.

“In today’s world of transparency and accountability, a government authority is allowed to allot contracts on application basis without calling for tender, involving crores of rupees whereas other media (agencies)” are allotted advertising space on the basis of tenders which fetches Railways “Rs 10 crore annually”.

While M/s Pallavi were given permission to put EDBs at 4 sites, a tender for advertisements on overbridges of Railways, issued on March 23, 2005, is yet to be finalised causing hardships to many advertisers.

The Delhi Outdoor Advertisers Association alleged that tender was not being finalised to favour M/s Pioneer Publicity. By not finalising the tender, earnest money of several agencies amounting to lakhs of rupees is blocked, the letter to Chief Vigilance Officer said.

M/s Pallavi were sent an email with some questions but there has been no response.

New Delhi, November 30
The Delhi Government today placed before the Supreme Court its ambitious plan of creating seven High Capacity Bus System (HCBS) corridors in the Capital before the Commonwealth games to provide fast track commuting system to people with a promise that the first phase of it will be completed by August 2007.

Delhi Government Transport Commissioner V K Madan placed the details of the project before a three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal¸ Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice S H Kapadia, monitoring the progress on traffic regulations in the city, implementation of CNG bus system in the entire National Capital Region (NCR) and construction of Eastern and Western Express Corridors. The Court directed a Central Committee, headed by former bureaucrat Bhure Lal, appointed by it to coordinate and oversee progress in various transportation projects, to examine the HCBS corridor scheme in the light of the mono-rail and light-rail projects. As per the project, the total length of the seven HCBS corridors will be 103 km and the last phase of it would be in place by December 2009, just before the 2010 Commonwealth games.

The seven proposed corridors include Ambedkar Nagar-Delhi Gate (16 km), Rajender Nagar-Pragati Maidan (8 km), Ashram-Nandnagari via Sarai Kale Khan, Gazipur and Dilshad Garden (18 km), Moolchand Hospital-Jhangirpuri parallel to the eastern side of Ring Road (20 km), Kondli-Gokulpuri (14 km), Shastri Park-Karaval Nagar via Bhajanpura (7 km) and Jamia Nagar-Tilak Nagar through Okhla, IIT Gate parallel to Outer Ring Road (20 km).The Government, however, made it clear that where the proposed HCBS project would face feasibility problem, another corridor project would be added to it.

It said that the proposals for mono-rail and light-rail projects would be placed before the court in a separate report.

While the feasibility and design of the first phase has already been completed, the Government said the prospective period for completing the same in respect of other six had been projected between 3 months and 12 months.

New Delhi, November 30
There has been constant decline in the number of dowry deaths in Delhi in the past three years, Home Minister Shivraj Patil told the Lok Sabha.

In reply to a question, Mr Patil said 497 dowry deaths had been reported since 2002, with 103 reported this year alone till November 15. While there were 136 deaths in 2002 and 132 in 2003, in 2004 126 cases came to light.

The National Commission for Women was reviewing the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 to suggest suitable amendments to make the law more effective, he added.

Minister of State for Home S. Regupathy said 75 senior citizens were killed in the Capital since 2002, 16 of them during this year (till November 15), in reply to a question. Of the 69 cases reported, 60 had been worked out and over 101 people arrested in this connection. A Senior Citizen Security Cell had been set up to look into their concerns, he added. To a question about whether Delhi was becoming a Lashkar-e-Toiba base, as reported in a local newspaper, Mr Regupathy said effective steps had been taken against those suspected to be involved in terrorist activities. At least 45 persons had been arrested so far in this regard, the minister said.

Up to 44 challans had been issued till November 15 for unauthorised use of red beacons on vehicles, Mr Regupathy told the Lok Sabha answering another question.

In reply to another question, the Rajya Sabha was informed that a task force set up to identify work areas for a proposed unified traffic management authority for Delhi is finalising its report.

In its 73rd report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has recommended a unified authority be set up in Delhi for traffic management.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs S Regupathy told the House in a reply that a task force created to identify specific functions for the proposed authority was empowered to suggest institutional mechanisms for better coordiation in policy formation and regulation and planning of Delhi’s traffic.

The task force, he said, was in the process of finalising its report. Police Modernisation: Proposals worth Rs 17.54 crore were in the pipeline for modernisation of Delhi Police, the Minister told the House in a separate reply.

Delhi Police were considering introduction of GIS/GPS-based vehicle tracking system and installation of high-resolution traffic cameras as part of the proposals, he said. Also, 20 Delhi Police personnel were given disaster management training during 2004-05, the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Cine star and Rajya Sabha member Hema Malini today forcefully took up the issue of fast-running electronic meters in Delhi and asked Union Power P M Sayeed whether rumours that as much as Rs 12,500 crore had changed hands in the privatisation of power distribution in the national Capital were true.

“Is it a fact that there was corruption of Rs 12,500 crore in privatisation of electricity in Delhi?” she asked, amid cheers from the members of the BJP and the Left parties in the Rajya Sabha during question hour.

The noted actress was joined by CPM member Dipankar Mukherjee who protested at the minister’s reply that the Delhi Government was providing subsidy to fill the shortfall arising out of reversing of the tariff hike.

“This means the private companies are being paid subsidies out of public funds,” he said.

The government today said the mixed land use policy adopted in respect of Delhi had been dictated by the present socio-economic conditions in the Capital.

The aim of allowing mixed land use is to meet the requirements of the people residing in the city while reducing their transportation needs, Minister of Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy told the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.

Faridabad, November 30
A policeman has been arrested in connection with the rape of a woman living in the jhuggi colony in Sector- 31 here. The accused, who had been placed under suspension and a case booked against him about four weeks ago, had been absconding.

The case was registered after the crime had been brought to the notice of the National Human Rights Commission and some senior police officials.

According to the complaint, the accused, posted in the police station in Sector- 31 here, raped a widow in the jhuggi colony of the area. The victim had come to the police station in connection with lodging a complaint against some anti-social elements early this year.

It is reported that the policeman went to her house several times on pretext of investigating. He would tell her not to worry about anything as he would fix the persons troubling her. Thus having enticed her, he violated her one day. It is learnt that the matter got serious after the widow became pregnant and asked the accused to marry her. But the cop used threatening tactics and asked her to shift to anther place. The victim then sought help of some voluntary bodies. Soon after, she delivered a girl child.

The matter was also brought to the notice of the IGP Gurgaon range, who reportedly ordered the police to book a case. The accused was arrested yesterday.

Ghaziabad, November 30
Twenty days after the Allahabad High Court orders, a case has been registered against Dr P. Mahalingam, Chairman of Santosh Medical College and Dental Hospital, Ghaziabad, and three policemen, including SO Vijay Nagar police station, his two cops and Mahalingam’s driver. CO-I, it is learnt, has been designated as the inquiry officer in the case.

It may be recalled that Dr Monika Kumar, an American citizen of India origin, had sought the help of the Allahabad High Court against S.O. Vijay Nagar, Anil Somanya, his two constables for having illegally detained him at the Vijay

Nagar police station on the basis of Dr Monika’s petition.

The High Court had ordered the SSP Ghaziabad to register a case against the cops for having beaten up the Indian American citizen at thebehest of Dr P. Mahalingam, Chairman of Santosh Medical College in May last. Dr Maneka had also alleged that when his brother came to his rescue, he was also beaten

up by the policemen and he was threatened that he would be implicated in false cases, again at Dr Mahalingam’s behest.

But in spite of instructions from senior police officers, it took Ghaziabad police about 20 days to register a case against SO, three cops and Dr Mahalingam and his driver.

The report has finally been registered in Kotwali police station, Ghaziabad, 20 days after the Allahabad High Court orders.

Noida, November 30
In an effort to improve the security environment in Sector-18 market, it has been decided to install computerised gadgets outside the shops and department stores. It will also keep the security guards alert while on duty and record any untoward incidents outside the commercial establishments, the police said.

This decision was taken in a meeting between Sunil Garg, district representative of UP Vapar Udyog Mandal, Senior Superintendent of Police Piyush Mordia and the representatives of the concerned security agencies. A security supervisor will be incharge of inspecting the commercial establishments during the night. A computerised report will also be sent to the shop owner, the police said.

Mr Piyush Morida felt it will strengthen the security environment in the market complex. The SSP directed the police department to get the surveillance cameras fitted in the sector into the working orders.

New Delhi, November 30
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to distribute money to 
primary school students to purchase woollen cloth instead of providing them jerseys.

The Congress-led corporation today announced at the Standing Committee meeting that the education department would distribute Rs 100 to each student to buy a jersey.

A total of Rs 4 crore will be distributed. However, Leader of Opposition in the Standing Committee Vijender Gupta criticised the Congress for taking this decision.

He said there was provision in the corporation to provide goods instead of money. Secondly, woollen cloths were costly. Nobody could purchase a jersey for Rs 100.

They should have invited a tender to purchase jerseys as the corporation had purchased them last year. This should have been discussed before commencement of the winter season.

At the last meeting, Leader of the House Jitender Kochhar had assured that this year the corporation would order for supply of jerseys to the trader who supplied last year.

He said that winter has already started so it would not be wise to delay it.

The corporation would purchase jerseys from the market immediately, he assured. 

New Delhi, November 30
After a substantial gap of eight years, Jamia Millia University is going to hold elections on campus and put together a much needed students union.

The last date for filing nomination papers is December 6 and polling will take place on December 15.

That this is an election with a difference becomes clear soon enough: the biggest glaring fact being that no political or religious parties are going to be allowed into the fray and no communal or ethnic canvassing is going to be tolerated on the Jamia campus. Elections will be held for the posts of president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and two members from each faculty centre. In addition, according to the Jamia Students Union (JSU) code of conduct, students are not allowed to use loudspeakers, mikes or drums for campaigning nor are they allowed to paste posters or write slogans on the university buildings. In addition, those canvassing are not allowed to force students to leave classrooms, libraries or laboratories to attend election related meetings or lectures. Definitely, the Jamia elections are promising to be novel in the university’s strong disciplinarian approach.

The elected students Cabinet will help formalise programmes and activities of the year in consultation with advisers, it will prepare the annual budget of the union, appoint committees to assist the university in matters pertaining to students welfare etc The aim of the JSU is to uphold high academic standards in the university jointly with the teachers, provide feedback to the university authorities on academic and other students issues, help the university in carrying out its teaching and curricular activities and promote mutual contact and democratic functioning among students. 

Faridabad, November 30
The All India Graduate Engineer Telecom Officers Association of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has called for constant upgradation of both the technology and the human resources in the department to meet the challenges in the field and come up to the expectations of the consumers.

At a meeting here yesterday, the association resolved that though the department had been recruiting graduate engineers to meet the demand of workforce, there were still some departments where the changes were awaited.

The association said the latest technologies being incorporated by the Nigam also required a number of highly qualified personnel.

According to the association, though the department had been recruiting mainly the graduate engineers to man several posts, it asked the government to formulate and implement a comprehensive policy to look after the career growth of such personnel.

Claiming that while the BSNL was one of the largest telecom companies in the world, the authorities concerned were quite slow in creating a corporate culture and better working conditions for the new workforce.

Demanding pay scales and perks to the graduate engineers of the telecom sector at par with the engineers working in the PSUs, the association has sought setting up of a separate cadre for the graduate engineers in the department.

It said while the engineering degree should be the minimum criterion for promotion in the department, there should be no recruitment of the management trainees.

The association also held elections of the body and Mr Y.B. Thipesh of Karnataka was elected as the president.

Noida, November 30
The land mafia and the revenue officials have come together to sell off Khadar land to unsuspecting buyers. It may be pointed out that the land rate in the area has been rising unexpectedly in the last few months. Farmhouses are coming up in Khadar area fast, despite the fact that they are illegal.

According to sources, district administration officials, politicians and other VIPs have been busy looking for available Khadar land. Some realtors had reportedly brought land from farmers in Raipur, Asgarpur, Rohillapur, Shahpur, Goverdhanpur Khadar and Chak Basantarpur and many other villages on this side of the river at cheap rates.

They had entered into sale deed agreements with farmers for purchase of land and are now selling the land at a higher rate.

It was alleged that dozens of farmhouses are being constructed with the help of realtors, Kanoongoes and revenue staff. However, the district administration appears oblivious of these developments, it was alleged.

New Delhi, November 30
More than 20 years after a Staff Selection Commission official was charged with forging documents to help a woman get the job of a stenographer, a Delhi court today acquitted him on grounds that the CBI had failed to obtain a proper sanction to prosecute him.

Special judge Dinesh Dayal acquitted Shakti Kapoor and beneficiary Alka Arora of all the charges.

Kapoor was charged with helping Arora join the job on the roll number of a successful candidate who had failed to join. 

New Delhi, November 30
The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, inaugurated the Operation Theatre Skills Centre at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital today.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ramadoss said, “I am very impressed with the concept of OT Skills Centre because it is by trial and error that the surgeons learn. It will help the surgeons a lot in improving their surgical capability. I have travelled in different countries and seen wonderful hospitals. But when you talk about technical skills you cannot beat an Indian doctor.”

According to Mr S. K. Sama, Chairman, Board of Management at Ganga Ram Hospital, the rich pay for the poor and it was a community hospital. With a turnover of Rs 200 crore and a surplus of Rs 50 crore it is a unique hospital being run by the doctors, he said.