New Delhi, May 8
The Supreme Court today asked the Delhi government to explain its failure to implement a central law against manual scavenging that provides for elimination of dry latrines and rehabilitation of scavengers.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan issued the notice after the Safai Karmachari Andolan proved there were at least 15 dry latrines in North East Delhi with at least five persons engaged in manual scavenging.

The petitioner, through a government reply under transparency law on the number of dry latrines in Delhi, demonstrated that the state government itself had acknowledged the existence of 1,085 manual scavengers in Delhi.

The petitioner had earlier told the court, on the basis of its own survey, that there were 14,479 manual scavengers to be rehabilitated in Delhi after their job loss following elimination of dry latrines.

The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act was passed in 1993 to end the profession of carrying night soil on head and rehabilitate scavengers.

The petitioner said though most states were abiding by the law, Delhi, apparently under the impression that it had no dry latrines or manual scavengers in its territory, had shown no hurry in adopting it.

In fact, an affidavit filed by the Delhi government in March 2008 “categorically denied the existence of any such latrine from where scavengers lift night soil manually and carry on their heads to the sites of disposal.”

The government, however, had admitted in its affidavit there were latrines from where night soil flows into open drains and scavengers push the night soil with the help of brooms.”

Upset by the revelation, the court issued notice to the Delhi government for its failure to implement the anti-scavenging law till now.

Earlier on April 30, the court had also sent to district magistrates the details of over 2,000 dry latrine owners in over 25 districts all over Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan seeking their explanation for their failure in demolishing the latrines and prosecuting the owners.

The Safai Karmachari Andolan has been waging a relentless legal battle since 2003 seeking implementation of the 1993 law against scavenging and elimination of the profession, undermining human dignity. — IANS

Controlling lights at traffic signal
The most attractive feature of this system would be that it would control the lights at the traffic signal. The duration of red or green lights would depend upon the traffic flow from particular direction. If heavy traffic is coming from one particular direction then the green light would remain operational for a longer time and change accordingly if traffic increases from some other road sometime later

Faridabad, May 8
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been roped in by the Congress to campaign for party’s nominees in the key states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal which are scheduled to go to poll in the fifth phase of the ongoing parliamentary election.

The Congress strategists at the national headquarters have chalked out a tour for Hooda to canvass for the nominees in some constituencies in western Uttar Pradesh and areas of Uttranchal, like Haridwar, which were part of western Uttar Pradesh before the division of the state.

According to a senior Congress leader of Haryana, Hooda has been roped in for campaigning following demands from leaders in the two states. Also, the poll managers of the Congress are very impressed with the good response that Hooda’s visit evinced among the party workers and voters in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan a few days ago.

Hooda addressed a number of public meetings in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in the areas preponderated by the farming community.

The Congress is making desperate efforts to revive party’s status in Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of its young star and general secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Rahul Gandhi.

Sources in Congress said that the party wanted to use the pro-farmer policies introduced by the Haryana government as an illustration to prove that it cared for the farmers. Haryana government’s policies like fixing floor rates for agricultural land to prevent farmers from being exploited by land sharks and the decision that lands of the farmers who fail to pay back the loans of cooperative banks would not be auctioned have been marveled by the Congress camp. Also, the Haryana government’s move to waive farmers’ power tariff dues to the tune of Rs. 1600 crore, among others, is said to have come in handy for the Congress to convince the voters of Uttar Pradesh that the states ruled by it followed “pro-people” policies.

The Congress camp is also said to have picked up the Haryana government’s decision to provide 100 sq yards land to Scheduled Castes free of cost as a selling point among voters during the proposed visit of Hooda in Uttar Pradesh to make an impression among the Dalits.

The Congress feels that Hooda’s visit to Uttar Pradesh would provide added ammunition to the party’s campaign in the state and would act as a counter point to the campaign of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Gurgaon, May 8
After a long hectic schedule due to the Lok Sabha polls, many aspiring MPs preferred to relax before taking any assignment. However, a few carried out their regular work, even a day after voting ended.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate from Gurgaon parliamentary constituency Zakir Hussian kept a low profile today, as he preferred to enjoy the day with his family.

Hussain said, “After four months of tedious work, I finally, got some time to relax with my family. We had lunch together. I also met the party workers in the area.” He added, “Though the work here has almost finished, I will go to Chandigarh to support our party candidate. I will be free only after May 13.”

While Congress candidate Rao Inderjeet Singh chose to meet party workers instead of resting. “Sahab to subah nau baje se ghar se nikle hain…ab tak laute nahi,” (Sir is out of house since nine in the morning and has not returned yet) said a worker at his residence.

Similarly, BJP-INLD candidate Sudha Yadav went to her office in the morning to meet people. However, she preferred to rest during the evening. “Madam is sleeping right now. You can talk to her after 7 p.m.,” said a worker at her house.

But the day was no different for Kushewar Bhagat, a paw-bhaji seller who contested as an Independent candidate from the constituency. He went to the market today and was back to his shop by evening. He confirmed, “I am getting both positive and negative response. People are happy with the fact that I contested the elections.” He added, “Politics require luck. Even crorepaties can lose. Everything is in god’s hand.”

New Delhi, May 8
Lawyers at the district courts today went on a day-long strike to press for the removal in the monetary ceiling of cases heard by these courts. At present, the district courts hear cases which involve amounts up to Rs 2 million. Civil matters involving property and other suits of more than Rs 2 million are heard by the Delhi High Court.

“There is a complete strike in all five district courts,” said Rajiv Khosla, spokesman for the coordination committee of all district bar associations.

He said the high courts of almost all states in the country were dealing in appellate and writ jurisdiction and the original jurisdiction of cases vests only with the district courts. “Even in Delhi, prior to the establishment of the Delhi High Court, the trial of cases of all amounts vested with the district court,” he added.

Khosla said it takes almost 16 years to decide a civil matter in the high court due to the huge pendency, and the process proves costly for the litigants. “Such disputes can be disposed of at district courts expeditiously at a lower cost,” he said.

The lawyers are demanding removal of the bar of Rs 2 million altogether, and putting no ceiling at all. The decision to raise the bar can be taken by the government only on the recommendation of the high court, they said.

“The present jurisdiction of district courts is not sufficient even to entertain a dispute of an Lower Income Group flat and the litigants are suffering because of this. Several meetings with the chief justice of the high court and numerous representations have also failed to yield any result,” said Mahesh Sharma, president of the committee.

The cases listed for hearing at district courts at Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, Rohini and Dwarka were adjourned due to the strike, said Jaiveer Singh Chauhan, secretary of the Delhi Bar Association.

Several litigants suffered due to the strike. Shanti Devi’s son died in an accident seven years back and the court was to pronounce the compensation order today, but could not as her lawyer could not file a necessary document.

“At this age I just can’t travel much but now the court has posted the matter for next date and I will have to come back. This is not fair on the part of lawyers. Why they left litigants abandoned for their causes? Are we supposed to be sufferers every time,” she asked. — IANS

New Delhi, April 8
Two students and a professor of Jamia Millia Islamia received awards at Cannes for photography and visual communication.Professor Farhat Basir Khan and two of his students, Neal Kartik and Pranab Kumar Aich, won the top honours from among 60 of the world’s top-notch universities.

The coveted prize includes high-end professional photography equipment worth over 50,000 Euros (35,00,000 lakh INR) courtesy Sony and the opportunity to showcase their work in the world’s prestigious galleries. The journey to the top was not easy by any means. This team from Jamia had to first beat the top 10 universities from Asia.

Six teams comprising 12 students and six tutors were shortlisted from six top institutions across the continents. The theme for this leg of the competition was environment. Subsequently, they were flown to Cannes in an all-expense paid-trip for a week to attend the prestigious Festival @ Sony World Photography Awards from April 14 to 19. 

Students went through work reviews and workshops with photography giants like Panos, National Geographic Magazine, Geo Germany and legendary photographers like Tom Ang and Mary Allen Mark. After completing a challenging photography assignment in Cannes, they received the award in front of some of the world’s highly acclaimed photographers on April 16.

The on-the-spot competition, called the ‘Waste and Want’ of Cannes, began on April 15. The team was asked to portray the opposing aspects of the city through two images; representing the glamour and wealth as well as the darker side that wealth can bring.

The city of Cannes though stunningly beautiful was in no way an easy choice and the students spent their day scouring its length and breadth with their professor capturing the images of the city and its residents.

By using a variety of photographic techniques, in both staged and natural environment, the team finally came up with two conceptual photographs, called the Cry of the Big Cat and Midas Touch.

The winning images were selected by a panel of esteemed figures from the photography world, including Tom Ang, leading digital photography specialist and chair of judges; Mary-Ellen Mark, documentary photographer; Adrian Evans, director of Panos Pictures; Gered Mankowitz, British photographer and the German photographer, Jurgen Schadeberg.