New Delhi, September 14
With the September 16 Supreme Court deadline for sealing shops in residential areas two days away and final notification of nearly 2,000 roads, designated by MCD on Monday as commercial and mixed use areas still awaited, uncertainty continues over the fate of lakhs of shops in the Capital.

MCD councillors, cutting across party lines at the Standing Committee meeting, urged the Delhi Government and Lt Governor B L Joshi to notify the roads designated by the Corporation as commercial or for mixed land use before September 16 so as to provide relief to shopkeepers in Delhi living under the fear of sealing on the expiry of the court’s deadline.

The concern was voiced even as the Standing Committee today notified another 204 roads as commercial and mixed use areas, which included 185 roads in C and D colonies and additional 19 roads in E, F and G colonies.

Speaking at the meeting, chairman of the Standing committee Jai Kishen Sharma said, “Our utmost efforts will be to ensure that the 2000 roads designated on Monday and those cleared today were notified by the Lt Governor at the earliest”.

”We are trying to ensure that the notification, also containing the list of roads notified today, comes before the September 16 deadline fixed by the Supreme Court,” Mr Sharma said.

Leader of the House Mr Jitender Kochar said he had met members of the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee on Tuesday to urge them to take a decision before September 16 on desealing shops of traders who had submitted affidavits that they would shift to trades which were exempted under the Amended Master Plan.

Mr Kochar said he also suggested that the Deputy Commissioners of various zones in Delhi be given the power to deseal such shops after carrying out a survey of the areas falling under their respective zones.

He said he had also urged the committee to make clear the situation on whether commercial activities could be carried out in the basement of residential premises.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Sharma said MCD leaders would meet Lt Governor Joshi today to urge him to issue a notification of commercial/mixed use areas at the earliest.

Standing Committee member Vijender Gupta said the delay in the issuance of notification by the LG had led to an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among traders, who feared the arrival of MCD sealing squads at their shops on the expiry of the Supreme Court deadline.

”This state of fear and uncertainty should come to an end and the notification issued at the earliest,” he said. Meanwhile, former Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government Omesh Saigal on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court challenging the Union Urban Development Ministry’s notification which amended the Master Plan for Delhi, 2001 to provide for major changes in land uses and FARs.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice and Justice Kailash Ghambir posted the matter for further hearing to September 15 after the Centre’s counsel sought time to seek clarification on the petition as a similar writ he claimed was pending before the Apex Court.

Saigal, who filed the petition in person, assailed the September 7 notification on the ground that if allowed to be implemented, the new policy, which permitted commercial use of residential areas, would lead to further destruction of the Capital’s quality life and environment.

The petition alleged that the notification was aimed at circumventing the recent sealing and demolition drive ordered against all unauthorised commercial and residential premises by the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court.

It was stated that the notification which seeks to make major changes in land uses and FARs without any consideration of the effect it may have on civic services, will negate all steps taken by the National Capital Region Planning Board to control the alarming population increase in the Capital.

New Delhi, September 14
Even as hectic political activity continued in the Capital to get the roads designated as commercial notified, the sealing operation of MCD continued though it seemed to have lost steam.

In Central Zone, nine properties were sealed while demolition action was carried out at Gobind Puri where unauthorized construction was going on.

In Rohini Zone, demolition action was carried out at three properties while seven properties sealed for misuse. In Shahdara North Zone, tinsheds of 200 shops 
at Main Wazirabad Road to Sonia Vihar were removed.

In Najafgarh Zone three properties were sealed for misuse while demolition action was carried out at eight properties.

In South Zone, 15 shops were sealed while in Karol Bagh, 13 properties were sealed. In Sadar Paharganj Zone, 13 tyre-retreading shops were sealed at Goshala Road. In Shahdara (South) Zone, 30 shops were sealed in Jawalapur, and Lalita Park. – UNI

New Delhi, September 14
The Capital is back in the grip of dengue which has already claimed six lives and infected hundreds of residents.

Health experts have cautioned that the disease is likely to peak in October. The city has so far reported more dengue cases than last year.

Despite the warning issued by health experts, many continue to mistake the symptoms of dengue for viral fever. The rise in the number of cases this year has caused considerable worry. Only 86 cases were reported by this time last year as against 136 this year. Hundreds of people with symptoms of dengue have been coming to government and private hospitals.

Doctors point out that many patients who have dengue fail to read their symptoms correctly and thereby delay treatment.

The municipal authorities having taken cognisance of the situation claim to have deputed health teams to inspect homes and market places for the presence of dengue-causing mosquitoes.

The MCD and the NDMC have also started fogging operation across the city to stop the breeding of the Aedes mosquito that usually starts after the monsoon. Incidentally, the Aedes mosquito does not breed in dirty water.

The symptoms of the disease include high fever, body pain, vomiting and rashes. Doctors warn that the fever can be fatal if not treated immediately.

The blood platelet levels also drop, doctors point out. 

New Delhi, September 14
India currently has the highest estimated maternal mortality rate in the world, according to data given out by the UNICEF at a workshop organized by the Indian Council for Social Science Research recently.

A paper presented by the Indian Council for Social Science Research indicates that approximately 1 in 5 women dies during child birth in India and such deaths account for more than 20 per cent of the global maternal deaths.

Further, the sad status of women in India can be judged by the estimates for 2000 that the nation registers some 1,37,000 maternal deaths per year. This happens to be the highest number in any nation in the world.

The second highest is Nigeria which has about a 1,00,000 fewer cases of maternal mortality than India.

Women’s groups across India are now demanding the redressal of serious problem faced by Indian women due to bad post-natal care.

Dr Ranjana Kumari, Director, Center of Social Research, says that “The high rate of MMR is not just a public services failure; it is a selective discrimination against females who are not valued as highly as their male counterparts. The statistics on maternal deaths are alarming. Yet, it is the same data which tells us that safe motherhood in India is achievable as it has been elsewhere.”

Recent figures released by UNICEF further indicate that in India, approximately 30 million women experience pregnancy annually and 27 million have live births.

The country has an estimated 540 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births and in rural India the figure is even higher at 619 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

The paper further indicates that although on paper the government has made a commitment to reduce the MMR, there has been no real significant progress in achieving this and 
most women in India are “ill-fated, illiterate, ill-treated and ill-nourished, and suffer disproportionate ill health, because of the low priority given to their well-being.”

New Delhi, September 14
Depressed over her repeated failure in exams, a 20-year-old girl allegedly jumped to her death from the CBSE building in Preet Vihar area of East Delhi this afternoon.

Khushboo, a resident of Mayapuri, had perhaps come prepared for the drastic step as her suicide note suggested, said a police official adding that she straightaway went to the 9th floor of the CBSE building at about 12.15 pm and jumped from there.

She had repeatedly failed in her Class 10th exam since 2004. She had been depressed for sometime which perhaps made her take the extreme step, said the police official.

She did not meet anyone at the CBSE office, but straightaway went to the 9th floor, he added. In her suicide note, found in her bag, Khusboo said she was disturbed over her failure in Class 10th, whose paper was too lengthy and could not be completed in the allotted three hours.

In another incident in Mansarovar Park area of North-East Delhi, a 45-year-old doctor hanged himself at his Ashok Nagar residence.

Omender Pal Singh Tomar, BAMS (Ayurveda), was found hanging by his family at about 9.30 in the morning today following which the police were called, sources said. Tomar was allegedly an alcoholic and did not leave any suicide note.

New Delhi, September 14
The Delhi High Court has directed the Medical Council of India (MCI) to allow all doctors of Indian origin having degrees from foreign universities to practise in India if the name of the university or college is recorded in the World Directory of Medical Schools. This directory is published by the World Health Organization.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Kailash Gambhir in its order dated September 5 directed the MCI to issue amended forms in consonance with the existing forms except that they would add the disclosure of information by students about the name and status of the university.

Adjourning the hearing of the case till September 27,the court directed MCI to issue amended forms within a week. The form has to be compulsorily filled by every medical science student who wants to practise in India after studying in a foreign university or college.

Earlier, students taking degrees from the universities in China, Mauritius and Nepal were not permitted to practise in India as the names of these countries were not mentioned in MCI Act 1956.

New Delhi, September 14
The AIIMS Progressive Medicos and Scientists’ Forum (PMAF), which recently reported a complaint of caste discrimination, today alleged that SC/ST students are being threatened in the institute and pressurised to take back their complaint.

“Students have been threatened to step back or face the wrath of their peers,” PMAF spokesperson Ajay Kumar Singh said in a statement.

He alleged that the institute management has not taken any concrete action on the complaint, filed in Director P Venugopal’s office on September 8, and no efforts had been made to form the Students’ Grievances Cell.

“The unofficial committee under Dr T D Dogra has been mere eyewash.... It has been trying to force a compromise rather than investigate and dispense justice,” he added.

Coming down heavily on the institute management, Mr Singh alleged that the administration was ‘patronising’ caste discrimination in the world renowned healthcare institute and it was impossible to ensure security for minorities in AIIMS.

Claiming that the committee has been “highly unsympathetic” towards the SC/ST students, the PMAF spokesperson said the ‘trend’ shows a bias prevailing in the administration. “Contrary to the norm, the names of the complainants have been made public which has jeopardised our struggle,” he added.

“Such unconstitutional behaviour could not be expected from the elite office of the Director.

Almost a week has passed without action, which has allowed the guilty to employ pressure tactics,” Mr Singh alleged.

Members of the Forum and some faculty members staged a silent protest in the institute and are demanding a transparent and impartial inquiry into the complaints of the students. – TNS

Gurgaon, September 14
The residents here are frustrated by the failure of the Hooda government to set up Gurgaon Development Authority (GDA), leaving the field free for private developers to exploit them by charging exorbitantly for basic amenities.

Mr R. S. Rathi, president of Gurgaon Citizen Council (GCC), an umbrella body consisting of resident welfare associations of various colonies, said the city had a population of around four lakh, but there was no proper authority to redress the problems and grievances of the residents here.

There is no direct authority in the city to maintain the basic amenities and infrastructure in these areas.

Thus, private developers who had developed the colonies, were exploiting residents by charging exorbitant rates for providing the services, he alleged. The developers charged heavily for providing water supply, security guards, sewerage system, scavenging work, etc, though these were not up to the mark, he claimed. Whenever they were told about the problems being faced by the residents, they put the blame on the state or Central government agencies, he added.

The GCC president informed that a delegation of the council would meet Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and apprise him of the problems. They would put up their demand of forming of GDA before the Chief Minister.

“If there is some technical problem in forming the GDA presently, the government must delegate some power to local level to streamline the work,” he suggested.

He said that there was no government official in Gurgaon to monitor the change of land use (CLU). “If one wants to apply for the CLU, one has to submit the file with the Director, Town and Country Planning Department.

It is very surprising that the local HUDA office does not have the power to approve the demarcation plan and zoning plan for its sectors. All related files have to be sent to Punchkula for approval which delays the whole process, causing harassment to the local residents,” he claimed.

According to sources, local HUDA office was delegated the power to accord administrative approval for execution of development work up to Rs 50 lakh from the existing Rs 10 lakh.

However, even this power was not practically implemented, as all related files are still sent to Chandigarh for technical approval, lamented a senior official on the condition of anonymity.

Presently, there is no enforcement wing in the HUDA department to curb encroachments, commercial activities, unauthorised constructions and misuse of property.

Sub Divisional Engineer (Survey) and other senior officials had been directed to supervise the illegal use of property, added the officer.

The workload in Estate Office, HUDA, has increased manifold as there are approximately 44,000 plot holders in 57 sectors at present, but the strength of staff in the office has decreased, affecting its efficiency.

HUDA had given an undertaking in the Punjab and Haryan High Court that the department would spend Rs 776 crore in three years, along with usual development activities in Gurgaon for developing basic amenities. This amount was collected from the developers on account of External Development Charges.

But even after more than one year, the department was able to spend only around Rs 150 crore on different projects, revealed a government official. Mr Rathi said that the CM needed to pay attention to Gurgaon’s needs immediately.

The power, comparable to Noida where the masses need not to go to Lucknow for their petty work, should be delegated to Gurgaon officials, he said.

Noida, September 14
The UP government is understood to have approved the proposed multi-product special economic zone project of Reliance that will be developed on 2500 acres of land in Noida.

All the projects to be developed on more than 1000 acres of land, need government approval. This project has been cleared in a meeting of the UP state cabinet.

According to sources, the land would be given to Reliance Industries on lease. Reliance One World Ltd will set-up the multi product economic zone, which had already been approved by Noida Authority Board.

The sources said the Noida Authority Board had invited bids for the project on August 17, 2006, under the state government’s policy on special economic zone.

On August 22, a consortium of Reliance One World Ltd., Reliance Energy Ltd and Reliance Infocom Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. submitted a proposal for setting up a multi-product economic zone on 2500 acres.

This proposal was accepted by the Noida Board in its meeting on September 1 this year with some modifications and had recommended it for government approval. On September 5, the state government advised Noida Authority to seek clarifications from Reliance One World at its own level. The Noida Authority subsequently conveyed the needed information to state administration on September 8.

The state government has now given its approval to Reliance One World multi-product special economic zone project.

The sources said a time schedule would now be drawn within which this SEZ project would be completed by the Reliance One World. After the cost of the land is recovered as per the government policy on special economic zone, the 2500 acre land will be handed over to the party on lease.

With the setting up of this special economic zone, more facilities would be provided to the companies interested in setting up industries here, sources said.

This will be the first multi-product special economic zone under which it would be possible to set-up industries manufacturing a variety of products at one place. An Export Processing Zone and a Dry Port already exist in Noida and Greater Noida, respectively.

Gurgaon, September 14
Claiming that Haryana would be ahead of other states on all indices in the coming years, the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, today said the state would also try to excel in the field of sports.

Mr Hooda, who was here to preside over the opening ceremony of the 61st national football championship for Santosh Trophy, claimed that his government had already allocated Rs 40 crore exclusively for the purpose of setting up stadiums in several big villages of the state.

A multipurpose sports complex was being set up in Rohtak on an area of about 100 acres of land, he said.

He further said Haryana was also gearing up for Commonwealth Games to be hosted by India in 2010.

Referring to the Santosh Trophy being hosted by Haryana, he said that it was a matter of pride for the state to do so especially when several states were vying to host the event.

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was the chief guest on the occasion, lamented that although India was a country with one of the largest pool of youth population, the standard of sports in the country was below par.

“Countries smaller than Haryana do well, but India as a country on the whole is lagging behind,” he said.

Thirty three teams from various states are taking part in the championship. The tournament is being played in two phases in Gurgaon and Faridabad. However, the second phase would be played only in Gurgaon, starting from quarter finals.

New Delhi, September 14
Manipal Education Group and Appin, IT Security Education and Training provider have announced a tie-up to launch the Manipal Appin Security Expert (MASE) certification course.

This unique certification backed by distance learning and instructor-led training programme has been created by leading security professionals and alumni and professors from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, University of Texas at Austin USA and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Boston USA.

New Delhi, September 14
Delhiites got a respite from the hot and humid conditions prevailing for the last few weeks, waking up to pleasant weather as the city was lashed by early morning showers.

Heavy to moderate rains were received in different parts of the city since around 5:00 am and the temperature dropped by a few degrees, the Met department said. The city received about 28.4 mm of rain, weather officials said.

Noida, September 14
A man allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his house in sector 41.

Abhishek Phutnaurayal, hailing from Lucknow, was living alone in the house. He was working as a manager in government school of ettequette for the past two months. He was married to one Deviya from Delhi on January 21, 2006. According to police, the couple had developed sharp differences soon after their marriage.

They had applied for a divorce in a Lucknow court. But since a divorce cannot be granted before one year of marriage, their application was dismissed. – OC