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CM for solar power
NCR needs Rs 1,500 cr for power security: ASSOCHAM
Boy drowns in Najafgarh
drain
NCERT book on marginalisation
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JNU students go on fast
MCD teachers meet LG
CRIME
Robbery in Preet Vihar
Chhatarpal held for threatening to kidnap Anant again
Bid to strangle youth on court premises
Owner of collapsed building arrested
Janhit Congress protests against Sonia’s Congress
BJP dharna against price rise
Slum women voice grievances
Tibetan protest today
197 blind murders solved
in 6 months: IG
Court issues notices on Uphaar cinema owners’plea
Delhi turns pleasent
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CM for solar power
New Delhi, April 3 All persons concerned would like Delhi to emerge as the greenest city not only due to greenery of trees but also due to paradigm shift to green energy, the Chief Minister said this while delivering an inaugural address in a two-day national seminar on “Solar Energy Development – Need of the Hour”, organised by Delhi Productivity Council as part of its Golden Jubilee Year 2008-09. The state government has been encouraging the installation of solar heaters in the Capital. It has made installation of heaters mandatory in hospitals, hotels and large government buildings. She expressed concern over the fact that the people are not aware of solar energy appliances. They are scared to go for these appliances as they feel that these appliances are costlier. There is a need to bring awareness on the benefits of solar energy appliances as these appliances provide recurring relief in electricity bills. She exhorted manufacturers to advertise their products well. The government may grant financial assistance for suitable propagation of solar energy appliances, the Chief Minister indicated. Addressing the gathering, she stated that heater water with electricity is most inefficient way of using energy and here there is an opportunity of harnessing solar energy. When a 1.5 ton airconditioner is added, it increases demand by 2 KW power. However, if a solar water heater is installed, it reduces demand by 2 KW and balances the increase due to airconditioner in the domestic sector. Power demand in Delhi has been steadily increasing every year with the per capita consumption at almost 50 per cent more than the national average. This has been due to increase in consumer goods like airconditioners, geysers, washing machines, ovens, food processors, etc in homes. Almost 50 per cent of electric consumption in Delhi is in residential sector. This two-day seminar has brought together several organizations to work as a team for a common cause of Delhi and would deliberate on the issues related to government policies.
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NCR needs Rs 1,500 cr for power security: ASSOCHAM
New Delhi, April 3 This is the conclusion of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) which has carried out a comprehensive survey of the power situation in the region. Currently, NCR suffers from power shortages which are estimated around 700 MW as against the power shortages of Delhi alone which conservatively are calculated around 600 MW. The ASSOCHAM estimates reveal that by 2010 when the Commonwealth Games are scheduled to begin and with no new projects in the central sector expected for commissioning, the pressure to supply power to Delhi and other parts of NCR would heavily fall on states like Punjab, Himachal, Uttaranchal and even North Eastern region of the country. Releasing the estimates, D S Rawat, secretary general ASSOCHAM, said that the future of Delhi and NCR becoming a power surplus region would remain a distant dream as nearly 1000 MW gas-based Bawana project, Pragati expansion of over 350 MW in Delhi and Dadri expansion in Uttar Pradesh would be completed not before 2012 and therefore, states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi would have to think in terms of putting up power plants with short gestation period so that the power requirement of Delhi is meted out. Rawat said that by 2012, as the three projects would be commissioned namely that of Bawana, Pragati and Dadri expansion, the NCR region would get some relief but to meet its immediate requirement, a minimum public investment of Rs 1500 crore would be needed which should go into small power plants which can be commissioned in next 2 years, having capacities ranging from 50 MW to 150 MW. The key factors which will contribute to increased power demand by 2010 in the NCR include 24 hours essential power for the Metros, creation of new townships, Rs 1800 crore p.a. loss due to power thefts, 70 lakh population and a large number of industrial units, hospitals, schools, BPOs, multiplexes, etc. The maximum power shortage within NCR will be seen in the Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Noida and Faridabad areas in view of the fact that in these regions, real estate development is taking place at faster pace with over 250 new satellite townships likely to come up including an international airport at Greater Noida. In the NCR, the year-on-year demand is growing between 15 and 25 per cent as the region is witnessing faster upgradation and modernization of its existing power stations including other infrastructure facilities. Therefore, the government concern will remain under heavy pressure to cull investment from planned allocations as private sector in particular, is unlikely to pour in its capital for building even captive power plants. Thus, it would be the prime responsibility of the state to organize for public money for processing power to the extent of 300 MW. |
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Boy drowns in Najafgarh
drain
New Delhi, April 3 Deepak fell into the drain while trying to recover the ball he was playing with along with his friends. A student of UKG in Amar Convent School, Deepak had bunked the school with his friends Anshu and Deepu. These children informed Deepak’s parent+as about the accident, two hours after Deepak fell in the drain. According to Anshu, “I saw Deepak going to take the ball out of the drain but he slipped and never came out”. Deepak’s father Hari Shankar Dubey works in the Relaxo footwear company. He called the police which came only after an hour and kept dilly dallying the rescue operation “till about 200 residents of the area blocked the Najafgarh road ”. Besides police personnel, three professional divers, a disaster management team and four fire tenders were pressed into service to rescue the boy. However, by the time body was recovered it was lifeless. “The flow of water was too strong and so I went to Chander Vihar pumping station to get the water stopped. It was only when we pressed them that the water was stopped did the police act”, said V K Pandey, relative of Deepak. Deepak was the only son of Hari Shanker Dubey. |
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NCERT book on marginalisation
New Delhi, April 3 The book is available online on NCERT website www.ncert.nic.in and would be available at bookshops by mid-April. The book covers findings of the Sachar Committee. The committee had examined the social, economic and educational status of Muslims in the country. Speaking on the development, MVSV Prasad, lecturer of the department of social sciences and humanities at the NCERT and co-ordinator of the new series of books said, “The unit on marginalisation has been introduced for the first time in the syllabus of class VIII. The idea is to talk about the concept of marginalisation.”
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JNU students go on fast
New Delhi, April 3 Two persons from each school have been fasting for one full day since last three days in the university. “It is very difficult for researchers from SIS to complete their courses without referring to the library material,” said Tiainla, councillor SIS. “As many students are due to submit their theses and dissertations by July, they should be granted access to the library facilities immediately,” she added. Despite repeated applications and representations of the students and the university union, no consensus has been achieved in this regard. “We do not believe that any substantial success could be achieved without struggling and so we have taken to a relay hunger strike,” she said. “We have had informal interaction with the faculty members. I think they understand the sensitivity of the issue, but no assurance has been given by the IDSA authorities as yet,” she said. JNU students were quite frequent at the IDSA library when it was situated in the JNU old campus area. However, in an alleged arbitrary move, the IDSA administration has altogether stopped the students from accessing the library facilities after it was shifted from JNU. Even those students with recommendations from faculty have been denied access.
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MCD teachers meet LG
New Delhi, April 3 Agarwal requested the Lt. Governor to direct the BJP-ruled MCD to regularise their jobs. |
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CRIME
New Delhi, April 3 According to the police, a raid was conducted at shop no.183, Palika Bazar, and 1645 pirated DVDs/VCDs of Hindi and English movies along with religious serials were recovered. Shopkeeper Dinesh Kapoor disclosed the name of Vinod Kaushik as the supplier of these DVDs/VCDs. A raid was conducted at E-1/12, Main Market, Inderpuri and a total of 1078 pirated DVDs, VCDs, MP-3, obscene DVDs and cartoon films were recovered from the possession of Vinod Kaushik. One CD writer was also recovered. At his instance further raids were conducted at A-Block, Connaught Place, which led to the arrest of Chandresh Tiwari who supplied the pirated DVDs to the shopkeepers of Palika Bazar. He was caught red handed along with his accomplice Saurab Juneja. About 1000 DVDs of just released Hindi Film ‘One two three’ were recovered from their possession. These DVDs were received by them through a courier agency namely Speed King Forwarders from Kolkata for distribution to shopkeepers in Palika Bazar and other places in Delhi. Two of the accused are in two-days police remand and further raids will be conducted as the police gets more information.
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Robbery in Preet Vihar
New Delhi, April 3 The incident took place around 2 p.m, when the owner of the house, Mohammad Sayeed, who runs an almirah manufacturing unit, had gone out. The robbers held the family members including Sayeeds’s wife Sanjeeda Begum, her five children and maid Ishrat hostage for about 40 minutes. Sanjeeda claims that Rs 20 lakh in cash and jewellery worth Rs 40 lakh was taken away by the robbers. According to the police, it is the handiwork of some insider of the family. “The robbers knew about the cash and also that the owner would not be in the house. It could be the work of someone close to the family”, said a police official. A case has been lodged and investigation is on. |
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Chhatarpal held for threatening to kidnap Anant again
Noida, April 3 He was arrested from village Falauda under Rabupura police station after an encounter. The police had recovered a .315 bore revolver and 5 live cartridges from Chhatarpal. A case under Section 307, 3/25 of Arms Act has been registered against him. According to IG police, Meerut Zone, V.K. Gupta, who had specially come to Noida, told the press that the fugitive was living in the garb of a sadhu. It may be mentioned that Chhatarpal had threatened to kidnap Anant, son of Naresh, again. After his escape from the police custody in Phase-II court premises, lock-up in-charge HCP Govind Sharma, had registered a case under Sections 223, 224, 225A and 120 against Chhatarpal, and two security guards. Both the guards were dismissed for negligence, while Muharar Govind Sharma was suspended for negligence, IG police said Some 23 persons were arrested for giving shelter to Chhatarpal along with two security guards.SSP GB Nagar had announced a reward of Rs 2,500 while IG police announced a reward of Rs 5,000 for the arrest of the fugitive. It may be added that child Anant was recovered on November 17, 2006 from village Salarpur’s jungle.
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Bid to strangle youth on court premises
Ghaziabad, April 3 While a murderous attack was made on a young litigant’s life, the police did not get a wind of it. Interestingly, Wali Ullaha, an accused in Banaras bus case, had also been brought to the Ghaziabad courts for which strict police arrangements had been made on the court premises. SO Ranji Lal of Kavi Nagar police said he had received no complaint about it. “We shall certainly take action if the victims approach us with a written complaint.” A dowry harassment case against Manoj, son of SBL Saxena, of Vivekanand Colony under Kavi Nagar police station area, is under consideration of the court. Manoj had come to court at 1 p.m. on Wednesday along with his mother, Shashi Devi. As he reached the court gate, some people waiting for him pounced upon Manoj and badly beat him up. Some of the assailants tried to strangle him. Shashi Devi said the assailants were from Manoj’s in-laws family. |
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Owner of collapsed building arrested
New Delhi, April 3 “We arrested Garg from the New Usmanpur area late Wednesday under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),” said a police official. Garg, a local builder-cum-real estate agent, had been on the run since the under-construction illegal complex caved in Brahmpuri area early Saturday. Nine people, including two minors, were killed and 17 others were injured.
—IANS |
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Janhit Congress protests against Sonia’s Congress
Faridabad, April 3 The protests were simultaneously staged by the urban and the rural units of the district unit of Haryana Janhit Congress(BL), respectively in Faridabad city outside the mini secretariat and in Ballabgarh. The notable feature of the demonstrations at both the places was burning of effigies of Congress president and chairperson of the UPA coalition, Sonia Gandhi, and Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The leaders addressing the gathering at both the places alleged that the Congress -led governments had failed to control the rise in prices and the common man was reeling under its pressure. The leaders cautioned that in case the rise in prices were not arrested and the standard of governance in Haryana did not improve their party would be constrained to resort to direct action, including “Chakka Jam” in the state. Referring to the Budget in which bank loans of small farmers were waived, the leaders said it was a hoax as the Congress party was in “league” with moneybags, hoarders and blackmarketeers. The unholy nexus between the Congress and sharp operators in the market had led to general and steep increase in prices of commodities. The farmers of the country along with all sections of the societies were just finding it difficult to survive. It appears that the Congress party has entered into a league with certain affluent sections of the society to promote their cause at the expense of the middle and lower classes. Referring to the Congress government in Haryana, the leaders alleged that the ruling party had reneged on all the poll promises made to the public. There was acute shortage of power and water in the state causing immense damage to the farming in the state. This coupled with price hike had hit the farmers. The ruling Congress had come to power assuring the people to provide better law and order but its tall claim has fallen flat and the general masses are gripped with fear and large bouts of corruption on the part of functionaries of the government. The corrupt practices has started from the highest echelons of the government. The fuctionaries of the government are much busy in real estate business to subserve their personal interests.
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BJP dharna against price rise
New Delhi, April 3 Addressing the gathering, Delhi unit chief of the BJP, Harsh Vardhan said that price spiral has broken all the records of last 60 years. It seems the government has no control over bulk and retail market. Mahila Morcha president Vishakha Shailani said the price of mustard oil has increased from Rs 70 to Rs 85 per litre. The price of vanaspati ghee has increased from Rs 70 to Rs 75 per kg. Price of other commodities has also risen. Housewives are facing difficulty in managing their kitchen. District president Manoj Shaukeen and Mahila Morcha district president Monika Goel said Congress governments at the Centre as well as in state have failed to curb price spiral. The condition is so bad that people are just doing with curries full of water. Income of about 70 per cent citizens in the Capital is less than Rs 10,000 per month. On an average, six persons live in a family. About Rs 4,000 are spent on rent. It has become difficult to manage the expenses of kitchen and transport in Rs 6000 only. Nobody knows how the expenses on education and medical treatment of the children will be met, asked the BJP activists.
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Slum women voice grievances
New Delhi, April 3 These are a few grievances of women from cluster settlements in East and South Delhi which were voiced at a public hearing held here on Tuesday by the Mahila Pragati Manch,set up by the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) . The initiative had the support of the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). The women raised issues relating to access to basic amenities – public distribution system, public toilets, welfare schemes for widows and disabled women. They also raised issues of domestic violence and dowry harassment. The Mahila Pragati Manch, formed in May 2006, comprises women from cluster settlements in Tigri, South Delhi; Kalyanpuri, Sunlight Colony and Janta Mazdoor colony in East Delhi. The jury comprised Syeda Hameed, member, Planning Commission; Malini Bhattacharya, member, NCW; Reny Jacob, member, DCW; Kirti Singh, lawyer, Dipa Sinha from Right to Food Campaign and Annie Raja, president, National Federation for Indian Women. Malini Bhattacharya said, “On many issues, particularly, access to public toilets, the administration needs to respond with utmost urgency. All individual complains such as domestic violence and widows’ pension must be immediately addressed.” Reny Jacob from the DCW said, “The time has come for proper co-ordination and convergence of all services provided to juggis and settlements so that quality of services for urban poor can improve.” Many women complained of domestic violence. Baby, from Kalyanpuri, married for five years said that she suffered intense physical and verbal abuse. She had filed an FIR in the matter but nothing came out of it. Another woman from Sunlight Colony in Seemapuri said that physical abuse relating to dowry harassment began barely a month after her marriage in May 2006. She had filed an FIR and has been living with her mother since then. Another woman, deserted by in-laws, delivered her child in her natal home and has been living there for the last few months. Her in-laws have not come to see the child, she said. Her plea was to return to her husband’s home. Women complained of abuse from in-laws – denied adequate food, clothes, money and being constantly abused and humiliated for not bringing enough dowry.
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Tibetan protest today
New Delhi, April 3 In doing so, they are following the example set by Dawatsering, Penta Tsering, Karma Yeshi, Serpa Tsultrim, Tibetan MPs who represent the Utsang, Amdo amd Kham regions. The Tibetans who have been on a demonstration at Jantar Mantar here for three weeks under the banner `Tibetan Solidarity Committee’ will also take part in a freedom motorcycle rally, tomorrow afternoon. Fifty motor cycle riders will split into four groups and distribute literature across the National Capital, on the need for freedom in Tibet. Tseten Norbu, a member of the Tibetan Parliament in exile in Dharamsala, told TNS, “If people from Tibet living in exile shave their heads, this token gesture of solidarity may inpsire their pro -freedom brethren back home to do the same. This will convey a message of unity to the Chinese who are trying to create a rift in the Tibetan community and divide and rule.’’ Norbu who is the chief coordinator of the Tibetan Solidarity Committee in Delhi, drew attention to the deplorable condition of Tibetan monks in Lhasa. “We have reports from Lhasa that the Chinese Army has surrounded the Tibetan monstaries and don’t allow the monks to step out even to but daily essentials. The monks are starving to death. In the Ramoche monastry in Lhasa, one monk has already died.’’ He said that their Speaker Karma Choepel who is in Europe, has called for a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva to take up the Tibetan cause. Norbu, one of the ten MPs who reperesent the Central Utang region of Tibet, said that a few BJP leaders are expected to participate in a candle light vigil, at India Gate. Tempa Tsering, representative of the Dalai Lama in Delhi, told TNS, “Tibetans in exile in India are holding token protests and hunger strikes and are fortunate to have support of a cross-section of political leadership and religious groups in India as well as abroad. We hope to settle the issue to enable Tibetans return to their country with honour and dignity.’’
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197 blind murders solved
in 6 months: IG
Noida, April 3 According to V.K. Gupta, IG police, Meerut zone, the police has solved 197 blind murders, including 49 from Gautam Budh Nagar, 48 from Meerut and 35 from Muzzafar Nagar. Besides, 12 blind cases of dacoity in GB Nagar have been solved. This, IG claimed, was a significant achievement. Over 480 murders took place in Meerut zone in 2006. Out of the 807 murders in the zone last year, Ghaziabad accounted for 111, Meerut for 157, 100 were in Bulandshahr, 52 in GB Nagar, 100 in Bagpat and 49 in Saharanpur. IG Gupta said he considered GB Nagar and Ghaziabad the most important districts of the Meerut zone because of their proximity to the national Capital. As such out of Rs 40 crore special grants to Meerut zone police, Rs 15 crore will be spent on revamping Noida police in view of the Commonwealth Games in 2010. IG police said it was not correct to say a particular district was most crime-prone while another had least crime. It depends on variables like population of the district and the geographical area of each district. |
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Court issues notices on Uphaar cinema owners’plea
New Delhi, April 3 Justice HR Malhotra issued the notice to the Delhi government and the CBI to file reply by April 24, the next date of hearing. The Uphaar cinema hall was sealed following a fire in 1997 that killed 59 people. Theatre owners Sushil Ansal and his brother Gopal Ansal, who were sentenced to two years in jail by the trial court for causing death due to negligence, said in their application that the property should be handed over to them as the trial in the fire tragedy case was over. The Ansal brothers said the hall has not been used for several years and they want to put it to productive use. “We have been deprived of running our business by putting the property to any productive use,” they contended and said the revenue collected from the hall would contribute to the government exchequer.
— IANS |
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Delhi turns pleasent
New Delhi, April 3 Showers lashed the city from Wednesday night, and 2.8 mm of rainfall had been recorded by 8.30 a.m. on Thursday. The maximum temperature was 7 degrees below normal, at 27.3 degree Celsius. The minimum temperature was 18.3 degree Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the reason behind the sudden rainfall to what it said were “western disturbances” over north Pakistan. “In summers, generally, whenever there is sudden rainfall, it is because of the western disturbances. This sudden change of weather pattern here is because of the same reason,” an IMD official said.
—IANS |
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New Delhi, April 3
In protest against price spiral, the BJP Mahila Morcha staged a dharna at Nangloi Chowk and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in continuation of its movement in the Capital.
Addressing the gathering, Delhi unit chief of the BJP, Harsh Vardhan said that price spiral has broken all the records of last 60 years. It seems the government has no control over bulk and retail market.
