New Delhi, July 3
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today announced that private Blueline buses would be taken off the roads in a phased manner.

A few weeks ago, a circular was issued by the transport department directing the officials concerned not to register any Bueline bus in the national Capital. The private buses can be used as inter-state buses. In Delhi, only low -floor buses would be allowed .

The Delhi Transport Corporation had ordered 500 low- floor buses, which were to be delivered by September, sources said.

The Chief Minister said that Blueline buses would be removed in a phased manner. She, however, did not specify any time-frame for the task.

The buses could not be taken off the roads immediately, as it would add to the problem of unemployment. The buses would be replaced by low-floor high-capacity buses.

The CM gave this statement after a teenager was crushed to death and at least two others were injured in a massive traffic pile-up triggered by an over-speeding Blueline bus on Sunday. About 12 vehicles, including cars, the bus and two-wheelers, were damaged in the pile-up in Rajouri Garden locality of West Delhi. 

New Delhi, July 3
Delhi transport minister Haroon Yusuf at a meeting here today warned the Blueline bus operators that the government would not tolerate any indiscipline on their part. This is the first warning given by the government to the bus operators after an accident in Rajouri Garden in which one school student was killed and a few injured.

He said that the government would formulate a policy for private transport operators in which frequency of the buses, their timing and a few other points would be mentioned. The government would take the help of cooperative societies and business houses to run bus service in Delhi.

A total of 4500 Blueline buses are running in Delhi. It is difficult to remove them at one go. Life of CNG buses is for 10 years only and thereafter they are removed. In Delhi CNG buses were launched in 2001. The CNG buses that complete their lives would be removed, he said when asked about the statement of the Chief Minister who said that the buses would be removed in a phased manner.

He said that Radio Taxis were being owned by big transport firms. So far no complaints have been received by the transport department. Likewise, Blueline buses would be handed over to big transporters and cooperative societies.

During the last six months the transport department has received 62000 challans of Blueline buses. The enforcement department has been directed to check the Blueline drivers.

When pointed that blue line buses were being driven on contract, the minister said that contract system would be abolished. At present the bus drivers keep photo copy of their licences. Now they would be directed to keep the original. 

Gurgaon, July 3
The collector rates of agricultural land in villages, where Residential Zones (R-Zone) have been approved by the government, the rates of land have been hiked by 200 to 300 per cent. The decision was taken in a meeting of revenue officers chaired by deputy commissioner Rakesh Gupta here today.

It was decided in the meeting that the rates in the villages falling in the purview of R-Zone be doubled or tripled depending upon the increase in market rates of the area.

An official in the administration informed that with the increase in the collector rates, the prices of the land acquired by the administration would also go up.

The collector rates of plots in urban areas have been increased by 10 to 15 per cent, whereas the rates of commercial plots have been increased by 20 to 25 per cent.

When contacted, Gupta informed that with the rise in the collector rates of the district, the revenue of the administration would increase. He said that the administration had no direct control on the land price but through implementation of collector rates the prices could be rationalised.

Gupta said that the revised collector rates were the reflection of the market rates of the land. He said that the revised collector rates of land would be applicable from July 4 onwards.

The collector rates of posh colonies like DLF and Sushant lok are also increased by about 10 per cent. In DLF Qutab Enclave Phase I and II, the rates for residential plots have been increased from Rs 15000 to Rs 16500 per square yard where as for commercial plots the rate has been increased to Rs 34000 from Rs 27000 per sq. yard. In phase III, IV and V, the rates for residential plots has been fixed at Rs 15,000 which is an increase of Rs 1500 per sq. yard, where as for commercial plots, the rate is Rs 30,000 which is an increase of Rs 6000 per sq. yard.

Similarly, in Sushant Lok Phase I collector rates for residential area have been increased from Rs 13500 to Rs 15000 per sq. yard where as for commercial plots, the rate has been increased from Rs 24000 to Rs 30000 per sq. yard. In Phase II and III of Sushant Lok the rates for residential plots are Rs 14000 per sq. yard registering an increase of Rs 2000 per sq. yard where as for commercial plot the rate has been fixed at Rs 27500 from Rs 22000 per sq. yard.

In Palam Vihar residential area, the rates have been increased from Rs 7000 to Rs 9000 where as in commercial area the rate were increased from Rs 18000 to Rs 22500 per sq. yard. In South City Phase I, the new rates for residential area are Rs 14000 and for commercial area Rs 30000 per sq. yard. Similarly, in Phase II Sushant Lok, Malibu Town, Uppal the rates for residential plots are Rs 13000 while in Greenwood city, Rosewood city, Mayfield Garden, Ardee City and other licensed colony, the rates for residential are Rs 13500 and for commercial Rs 27500 per sq. yard.

In Huda sectors, 9,9A,10,12 A the rates of residential plots have been lowered by Rs 1,000 and fixed at Rs 7,000 per sq. yard where as for commercial plots in these sectors the rate is Rs 15000 per sq. yard registering an increase of Rs 1000 per sq. yard. Similarly, in sector 38,45,46,47 the rate for residential plots has been fixed at Rs 12,000 where as for commercial plots the rate is Rs 27000 per sq. yard. In sector 55,56, the rates for residential plots is Rs 11000 and for commercial Rs 25000 per sq. yard. In addition to the collector rates, 10 per cent extra stamp duty will be levied on all preferential plots in all HUDA sectors.

According to the revised rates, the collector rate for land in Dharampur has been increased from Rs 13 lakh to 40 lakh per acre. In Gadolikalan, Daultabad, Dhankot, Gadolikhurd, Sikanderpur, Basai, Wazirpur and Dhanwapur, the rates of land have gone up to Rs 40 lakh from existing Rs 15 lakh per acre.

Similarly, the rates of land in villages Wazirabad, Samaspur, Gurgaon village, Shahpur, Sikanderpur Ghosi, Nathupur, Kanhai, Jharsa, Islampur, Dundahera, Chakerpur have been increased from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 70 Lakh per acre. Besides, 20 per cent extra stamp duty would be levied on land situated on Jaipur National Highway, Sohana road, Pataudi Road and Sultanpur Road. These charges shall be payable up to 2 acre depth from the main road. Also, 10 percent extra stamp duty would be levied on land falling on link roads. 

Greater Noida, July 3
Land mafia is busy carving out plots in the prestigious Night Safari project and selling them at Rs 800 per sq mt to gullible buyers. Surprisingly, the Greater Noida Authority is oblivious of this development.

The land mafia claims that it owns some 21 bighas in the area and is cutting plots with the cooperation of the locals. The authorities had some time ago warned that those found cutting plots in the project area would be sent to jail and the plots confiscated. Some of the buyers have gone ahead with the construction of their houses also.

Since the night safari is in the vicinity of Gautam Budh Nagar University and the Taj Express Way, the colonizers are able to convince the buyers . In Greater Noida preparation are on to have the world's 4th Night Safari which is under the active consideration of ZOO Authority of India and Central government. The state government has also fully geared up for the project covering 280 acres ,including jungles spread up to Dankore, Dharbara and Surgadpur.

But the land mafia is cutting the trees and clearing the area for plots. The road to GB Nagar University goes through the colony. The colonisers give references of respectable villagers in Mushadpur and Dankoretoto to allay fears of buyers. "No NOC is required as the Greater Noida Authority has nothing to do with it", they argue. GNIDA GM (Project) SSA Rizvi ,however, said any construction in the area was illegal. Any construction in the project area would be razed and the guilty sent  to jail.

New Delhi, July 3
The crime branch of the Delhi police today claimed to have worked out an inter-state kidnapping case with the arrest of three youths from Gurgaon. The police has also rescued the victim Raj Bhai Himat Ram Malvi (32).

Raj Bhai, the owner of H.K. Malvi Industries, Ahmedabad ,was abducted from Delhi airport after the alleged accused enticed him into a fake business deal. The alleged abductors called up the family members of Raj Bhai and demanded a ransom of Rs 1.5 crore. The family was also asked to come down to Delhi to deliver the money.

According to the police, the kidnappers also delivered a CD containing the visuals of chained and blindfolded Raj Bhai.

The police team allegedly tracked down the accused and the victim from a flat in Gurgaon. Three men, including Sandeep Parmar, a relative of Raj Bhai, have been arrested in this case.

The police claimed that the kidnappers posed themselves as members of a Pathan gang from Dubai and made calls to the Raj Bhai's family on the victim's phone, from different locations in the national Capital region. 

New Delhi, July 3
A man sentenced to three years in jail by a magistrate for treating his wife cruely over dowry got relief from a sessions court The quashed his conviction holding no allegations were specifically levelled or proved against him.

Terming the grounds on which the accused Satpal Singh was convicted as unsustainable, additional sessions judge N K Gupta reversed a metropolitan magistrate's order sentencing him for ill-treating his wife in the 19-year-old case. The lower court had in an order in April held that it has not been explained as to why the petitioner (wife) left the matrimonial home within six months of marriage, as such husband is guilty. This finding cannot be sustained, the judge held.

Finding no direct and specific accusation against Singh, a resident of north Delhi, the court in a recent order observed that a perusal of evidence shows that all the allegations were against the complainant's in-laws regarding the demand of dowry and not against the appellant.

It further observed that Singh's wife had specifically used the expression husband in her complaint in October, 1987 wherever she referred to him and hence, all the allegations could not be deemed to be against the appellant. 

New Delhi, July 3
JNU vice-chancellor B.B. Bhattacharya today defended his position on the recent rustification of students and fines imposed, due to the month-old protest by the students on the karamchari issue underway at the university.

The vice-chancellor said, "students have been engaged in highly provocative action" which "exceeded all tenets of civilized conduct in one of the premier centers of learning." He further mentioned that, "the unruly behaviour" of some students resulted in the "wrongful confinement of the university registrar in his official car in front of the administration block" on February 19. The vice -chancellor complained of there being a lot of "misrepresentation of facts" and "mischievious reports".

He further added that, "some of the reports have provided one-sided and distorted view of the so-called agitation at JNU. No care has been taken to cross check the facts or to obtain the JNU administration's viewpoint." Bhattacharya strongly criticized the press saying that, "such reports have sought to turn things upside down and seek to turn a handful of students into aggrieved beings. It amounts to diversionary effort to camouflage students gross misconduct and indiscipline."

Bhattacharya said, "these students have faced action for committing a willful criminal act by wrongfully confining the university registrar for more then six hours in his official car. The disciplinary action taken by the JNU administration is merely against those students who deliberately crossed the threshold that goes far beyond dissent and amounts to gross indiscipline as well as criminal offence of wrongful confinement under Section 340 of the IPC". The registrar came out strongly against the students saying that, "such inhuman conduct of the students has robbed them off any moral ground to claim injustice or so called harshness of punishment."

New Delhi, July 3
The Delhi High Court has directed the University Grant Commission to list Amity University of Uttar Pradesh in the list of universities on its website.

Allowing a petition filed by Amity seeking direction to the apex body to follow the UGC Act, Justice B D Ahmed yesterday asked the commission to conduct periodic inspection of the university and point out deficiencies if any. The "UGC is a public body and performs public functions and although it has discretion in maintaining or non-maintaining a list of universities, once the discretion is exercised, it must be reasonable and not arbitrary," the court observed.

The court also asked the UGC to include the university in the non-statutory category under Section 2(f) of the Act.

The order came on a petition filed by the Noida-based Amity University.—PTI

Faridabad, July 3
While dowry remains a social bane and a controversial issue, the Child and Women Welfare Department of the state government has been working on a campaign to make the people aware of the proper definition and legal framework that could help in containing the social menace. Officials claim that a list of the dowry items given to the bride at the time of marriage should be prepared and countersigned by both the groom and bride in presence of some eyewitnesses.

At a function organised by the department at nearby Nachauli village recently, the programme officer, while appealing to the people to restrain themselves from giving and accepting dowry, told the participants that the items and gifts given to the girl at the time of her marriage could be a part of her personal wealth (stridhan). But the bride's side should prepare the list of the items and hand over a copy of the list to the groom's side, she added.

She also said the list should be prepared in front of maximum number of persons and be countersigned by some of the eyewitnesses. She said that the list should be announced in open and it could be given a legal shape if signed by some persons.

Another speaker at the programme, however, described the system of giving and accepting the dowry as illegal, claimed that the law envisaged both penalty and punishment for violation of the anti-dowry law. The officials say while imprisonment up to five years and a penalty could be imposed on the violators, but the dowry given by following the legal norms would not be considered a crime.

Every year, hundreds of complaints of dowry harassment and dowry deaths are reported in the district.

But according to the cell set up at the police headquarters here to tackle with such complaints, there had been many instances when the complaint was found to be false and the law was being misused to settle other scores.

"Several complaints are settled by the cell every month, helping the families to continue the relationship," said a spokesperson of the department. 

New Delhi, July 3
Moderate to heavy showers cooled Delhi today, ending the dry spell since the onset of the monsoon on June 28. After a spell of light showers late last night, the Capital had moderate showers this afternoon. The showers, which followed an overcast sky since last night, brought down the mercury in the city by several degrees, providing respite to people from the warm and humid conditions they had been experiencing over the last three to four days.

The minimum temperature in the city dropped to 27.5 degrees celsius, one degree below normal. Though only about 15 mm of rainfall was recorded since last night till 2.30 pm, the rain led to water-logging and traffic jams in many areas, including Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh and Model Town. The rainy spell is expected to continue with weathermen forecasting a generally cloudy sky in Delhi during the next 24 hours and likelihood of a few spells of rain and thundershowers.

After the first monsoon showers hit Delhi on June 28, the city had been experiencing a dry spell with high humidity ,leaving the people sweltering.