New Delhi, June 14
Concerned over indiscriminate pasting of posters on walls in the national Capital, Delhi Government has initiated action for installation of uniform permanent notice boards to display proper non-commercial information on roads in a regulated manner.

This decision was taken today in a high-level meeting presided over by Delhi Urban Development and Public Works Department Minister Dr A K Walia. The meeting was attended by senior officials of Delhi Police, Urban Development, PWD, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Council.

Dr Walia, while expressing deep concern over pasting of posters on walls in most localities in the city, said this was defacing roads in a big way, which gave an ugly look.

He also stressed the need of a practical policy, which could regulate dissemination of non-commercial information in suitable manner.

Dr Walia instructed PWD, MCD and NDMC to identify places within three weeks time for construction of notice boards on roads.

The size of notice boards would be 5 x 15 ft. The notice board would be installed two and half ft above the ground level on one side of the road after the pedestrian way. The size and height would be such that it would be convenient for the common man to go through the message.

There would be no restriction on pasting of posters on such public notice boards. However, no commercial advertisement would be allowed to be pasted.

Dr Walia expressed confidence that this would go a long way in making Delhi a world-class city before commencement of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

This would also help in curbing haphazard pasting of posters and defacement of walls. Dr Walia has further directed all concerned agencies to strictly enforce the West Bengal Defacement Act in Delhi.

He has also instructed Department of Urban Development to examine necessity of bringing a new Bill on defacement in the Assembly to replace the existing West Bengal Defacement Act, which was enacted much earlier and may not suffice to deal with the present scenario of advertising on roads in Delhi.

New Delhi, June 14
Sleep like a log as far as possible for lack of it not only saps your energy, it may also result in irritability, blurred vision, slurred speech, memory lapses, overall confusion, hallucinations, nausea, psychosis, and, believe it or not, a greater cause of obesity.

Dr Atul Mittal, Consultant ENT Specialist, GM Modi Hospital, Saket, comments on the sleeping disorders triggered mainly by the airway obstruction.

A study of a nationally representative sample of about 10,000 adults, found that people between 32 and 49 years who sleep fewer than seven hours a night are more likely to be obese.

Scientists hold that the physical discomfort of obesity also reduces chances of getting a good night sleep.

Recent studies have shown that due to air obstruction during sleep, the child manifests a choking kind of phenomenon. This results in slow heartbeats, rise in blood pressure that arouses the brain, leading to disruption of sleep.

Obesity and sleep disorders have always complemented each other. The more obese a person is, the more will be his oxygen requirement, which is directly related to the deposition of fatty tissue in a person’s airway, which ultimately leads to a compromised airway.

“Airway obstruction that ultimately influences sleeping habits of a person may lead one to run the risk of rearing an obese child,” stresses Dr Atul Mittal.

New Delhi, June 14
The Election Commission has fixed June 21 as the date by which Congress MP from Outer Delhi Mr Sajjan Kumar and 18 MLAs must respond to a notice issued to them regarding the ‘office of profit’ issue.

The order was passed by the EC on Wednesday in response to a plea by the MP and the MLAs to extend the original date of May 22 notified by it. The notices were issued on the basis of a representation made by BJP MLA from Saket Mr Vijay Jolly to the President who forwarded it to the EC.

It may be recalled that the Delhi Assembly passed a Bill recently to exclude certain posts from the definition of ‘office of profit’ to bail out the MP and MLAs in question, but it is reportedly still being examined by the Ministry of Home Affairs and as such, yet to be notified.

A similar Bill was also passed in Parliament but has been sent back for reconsideration by the President.

New Delhi, June 14
Taking note of the role that universities can essay to highlight and combat the impact of population growth, which affects the environment apart from several other aspects of life, the University Grants Commission has planned under and postgraduate courses in Population Education.

Putting forth that the universities and institutions can play “a vital role by providing adequate knowledge and necessary awareness in relevant areas,” the UGC has urged for a need to mobilise students as soon as they enter the portals of higher education.

“The objectives of incorporation of population education within the university and from there to the community are both academic and social. The objectives are to provide opportunities to the university/college youth and from there to the community for creating a relationship between the population and quality of life through access to information and transmission of knowledge,” the commission pointed out.

Courses at UG, PG, diploma, certificate and short-term basis will be prepared to augment and update university curricula commensurate with national and global department in the areas related to Population Education (PE) and to integrate it in the curriculum at all levels, including B.Ed/M.Ed and distance education.

Capsule course on core components of PE in training and orientation of teacher through Academic Staff College in widening the base of PE among teachers and through them among students, will also be carried out.

Through the implementation of the course, the commission is attempting to “bring desirable changes in the attitude, practices and values in society on gender-related issues, including equal opportunities for participation in social, economic political processes and national and globe developments”.

The commission will coordinate and collaborate with the inter-universities /institutions.

Population Education forms an important component of Population Studies, a recognised discipline at the PG level in several universities, the commission pointed out. The UGC’s vision and strategy for X plan document relates that the scheme on Population Education would be operational during the X Plan under the Non-Formal Education group.

New Delhi, June 14
A boat carrying five persons lost its balance and sank in the Yamuna river this afternoon. One person drowned while four were saved, though their condition is serious.

The incident took place at 4 pm near Nanaksar Wala Pushta. Police officials said that the five persons, all aged between 27 and 29 years, were sailing in the boat when the boat lost balance and toppled over.

The persons standing on the bank of the river noticed the incident and informed the fire and police department immediately.

The fire officials, with the help of local swimmers, rescued four persons while one died on the spot.

Faridabad, June 14
The largest bus depot of the Haryana transport department here appears to have been ignored when it comes to overall development with regard to basic facilities and amenities.

There has been no piped water supply and sewerage network for the bus stand located on National Highway 2 at Ballabhgarh town here. Moreover, a big part of the land belonging to the depot had been allegedly encroached upon and the bus stand faced security and safety risk. There was no boundary wall. Work on this had been pending due to some unavoidable reasons.

The authorities concerned, however, claimed the financial health of the depot and the department had improved due to improved functioning of the staff and machinery.

The bus depot started in 1980-81 had to acquire the necessary basic facilities, including water and sewerage connection. The authorities here have to manage water supply through mobile tankers which fill up the storage tanks daily.

But the passengers fail to find safe drinking water at the bus stand many a times, claim the employees working here. Admitting that there had been no piped supply to the bus stand and the depot, the General Manager of the Haryana Roadways here, Mr Pradeep Godara, said the issue had been taken with the authorities concerned several times but there was hardly any desired progress so far.

Stating that some part of the land of the depot had been under encroachment, he said the safety of the depot property had been the main cause of concern as the department could erect a proper boundary wall due to a court stay order over the matter for the past few years. He said a lot of effort was being used in providing basic amenities. Efforts were to provide maximum facilities despite the constraints.

Officials had put several grills to ensure safety of the depot property from outside elements who were responsible for several thefts. The depot had recently added the facility of waiting room for women. This had been started for the first time in the state.

Moreover, there was a shortage of roadways staff in the depot. It is learnt that this station requires at least 50 more drivers and conductors to efficiently run the buses. There had been no recruitment on regular basis for the past about 10 years, revealed sources. This affected the overall services provided by the department.

The government had decided to run about 12 CNG and two air-conditioned buses soon from here soon and this could be a burden on the existing staff strength. 

Noida, June 14
Fresh notices will be issued to those who want to register their complaints in the ‘fouled’ up Noida Residential Scheme 2004.

The Chairman of the Inquiry Commission of the Noida Residential Scheme 2004, retired Justice A. N Gupta, who visited Noida for the first time for a public hearing, said fresh notices will be issued to those who want to register a complaint about this scheme.

He hinted that at least 85 influential persons had been favoured in the ‘fouled’ up draw in 2004.

The Commission had summoned the Chairman of the Manav Sewa Samiti, U.K. Bhardwaj, to its make-shift office in Sector-6 Noida. Senior advocate Amit Khemka also presented a letter to Justice Gupta.

The samiti has demanded that hearing should be held in Noida where the inquiry commission should have its office. The Commission has also asked the administration to provide him two senior advocates to assist the Commission in its work.

A Special Inquiry Commission was set up on July 14, 2005, to probe the bungling in the allotment of plots in Noida Authority’s 2004 residential scheme.

The Allahabad High Court had named retired Justice A N Gupta, as the Chairman of this one-member Commission.

Justice Gupta had been conducting the hearing of the Commission in his Lucknow office during the past 11 months.

He had issued notices to 35 persons to present themselves before the Commission, but none had responded to these notices. Now fresh notices will be issued.

According to Justice Gupta, his probe will determine whether rules and procedures had been followed and fix responsibility in case some bungling or foul play is detected.

The commission will also make recommendations as to how such mistakes could be avoided and the draws held in such a credible manner that people have full faith in similar draws in future. Justice Gupta said he will summon all the records from the Noida Authority. 

Noida, June 14
Two persons were killed in an accident on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway in which a Qualis jeep, a Tata-407 and a dumper coming from the wrong side were involved. Five others were seriously injured.

The bloody Expressway has so far claimed 35 lives in accidents while another 53 have been injured.

A Qualis going to drop workers of a call centre back home was hit by a dumper coming from the opposite direction on the wrong side.

A mini truck following the Quails also rammed into the two vehicles, which had already collided. The accident was so severe that the Qualis driver and a call centre lady employee were killed on the spot.

Five people including the truck driver were seriously injured. The accident took place on the service lane of Expressway.

The Qualis jeep was taking Ms Hellene Fernandez, Ms Sayed Noor, Ms Hina Jain, Amit and Shiv Raj back home from a call centre in Logix Park in Sector-127.

The dumper coming on the wrong side hit the Qualis jeep from the front and the Tata-407 following the jeep also rammed into it.

The Qualis driver Yogesh and Ms Hellene Ferandez on the front seat died on the spot. Apart from the other occupants of the Qualis, the Tata-407 driver Anvar was also injured seriously.

The injured were rushed to Prayag Hospital, Noida, by the police with the help of the villagers. Anvar, who is in a critical condition, has been shifted to LNJP Hospital, Delhi.

It may be pointed out that though a number of accidents have taken place on the Expressway in the past, no remedial action has been taken by the authorities
so far.

Gurgaon, June 14
The Congress member of Parliament from the Faridabad constituency, Mr Avtar Singh Bhadana, has suggested to his counterpart from Bhiwani constituency, Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi, not to air his grievances in public.

“If he has some different views and standing on any decision of Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led state government, he should raise the issue internally,” opined Mr Bhadana while speaking to mediapersons here last evening.

The Faridabad MP said that Mr Bishnoi, while speaking against the decision of the state government for clearing the Rs 25,000 crore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project of Reliance Industries in Gurgaon, had served the interests of the opposition in the form of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).

The INLD was raising the Reliance issue to serve their political interests as its senior leaders were hiding their faces in the wake of the CBI raids on their establishments following revelations of the disproportionate income case, added Mr Bhadana. He further said the SEZ, spread over Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts, would give an impetus to the development activities in the entire state of Haryana.

The state Cabinet had decided to give around 1700 acres of land to the private company. As per the agreement, 75 per cent land for the whole project would be directly purchased by the private company from the land owners and 25 per cent land would be provided by the state government.

He said that Mr Bishnoi should remember that more than 600 acres of land was given to Maruti Udyog Ltd for their second plant in IMT, Manesar, by the INLD-led previous government. The state Congress party did not make it a political issue as it might have created hindrances in the industrial development in the state. The different state governments in the country were offering various concessions, incentives and commissions to the industrialists to woo investments in their states, added Mr Bhadana. He said that he would soon meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and apprise her of public opinion in favour of the SEZ.

New Delhi, June 14
Displaced persons from Pak-Occupied Kashmir have urged the government to maintain a register of families of those who had been given ex gratia so as to maintain their entitlement for any compensation for their houses and property.