New Delhi, February 14
The Delhi cabinet has given its nod to the setting up of 750 mega watt Pragati-II plant to be run on bio-gas, an official spokesperson said today, adding that it would go a long way in promotion of bio-gas production from bio-degradable waste.

The cabinet also accorded in principle approval for closure of Raj Ghat power plant.

Speaking to the media after the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said most of the formalities for setting up of a gas-based power plant at Bamnauli had been completed.

The cabinet has recommended sufficient gas allocation to the Union government which would, she hoped, take an appropriate decision.

Dikshit said the NTPC had been appointed as project management consultant on terms and conditions similar to Bawana power project whereas the BHEL would set up the combined 750 MW project.

The final negotiated price is Rs 2.20 crore per MW. A penalty clause is also being incorporated to overcome delay in setting up the plant by BHEL, she said.

The commissioning of Bamnauli project would improve the power situation in southwest district, Dwarka and the IGI Airport area.

The project has started generating 250 MW power in the first phase.

The cabinet also took the decision for closure of Raj Ghat power plant and restructuring of the Indraprastha Power Generation Corporation Ltd (IPGCL). The Raj Ghat plant, set up in 1989 as a coal-based plant, is currently generating around 130 MW of electricity.

The decision to close it down was taken due to its rising maintenance cost. Besides, it added pollution to the environment.

This plant will, however, continue to generate power till the generation of power from Bawana project touches 750 MW mark.

The 46 acres of Raj Ghat power plant area would be developed as a green belt with the inclusion of a city forest, parking cluster for buses, conversion of the existing railway line into a cycle track and re-development of existing structures.

The cabinet has also given its nod to a proposal for the promotion of bio-gas production from bio-degradable waste, Dikshit added.

New Delhi, February 14
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi today adopted the Rs 6943.63-crore for 2011-12 which laid special focus on bringing in more people under the house tax net by providing unique identification numbers to property owners.

Presenting the budget at a special meeting of the MCD, Leader of the House Subhash Arya said that to help MCD track defaulters, a detailed survey was conducted that identified 12 lakh property owners in the city.

Arya said that all these property owners had already been provided with unique property identification codes (UPICs) and their details had been put on the corporation's website as well.

At present, only nine lakh property owners are paying tax to MCD and by using UPIC list, it can bring three lakh more people under the house tax net. The numbers will go up to 15 lakh in three months, Arya later told reporters.

Among other new proposals were plans to provide 20 open tehbazari kiosks of 6x4 size in each ward, the distribution of which will be given to local residents on priority.

"This will help citizens get fresh items at cheap rates near their homes. Weekly markets are being held in many areas, but the MCD is not getting revenue from most of them. This scheme, which will be launched from April 1, will help increase our revenue," Arya said.

After the initial presentation of the budget proposal by the MCD commissioner on December 9, 2010, the MCD budget was finally passed today after a month and a half.

The corporation today rejected the five per cent across-the-board increase in property tax. However, it effected a 17 to 28 per cent hike in toll tax in various categories.

The MCD also passed a proposal to forward a recommendation to the Centre to sanction Rs 10, 000 monthly salaries for councillors and Rs 15,000 monthly honorarium for Mayor, Deputy Mayor, the Leader of the House and the Opposition and Standing Committee chairman.

The MCD also sought Rs 16,000 per month more for all the councillors. The civic body has been demanding fixed salary for them for quite some time, but this is for the first time that such a proposal has been mentioned in the budget.

Noida, February 14
An open top double decker tourist bus which had become a white elephant for the UPSRTC has got a film assignment and will be used for shooting for two days.

"Producer Boney Kapoor has asked for the bus for two days. The charges are Rs 14,000 per day. We expect to get the scheduled date soon. This is the second film assignment for the bus which otherwise was lying at the bus depot," said, PR Belwariar, regional manager, Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC).

"This tourist bus was initially launched at Lucknow. Due to low overhead wiring, it could not operate long in the capital city. From there it was shifted to Noida in 2007," said Belwariar.

"It started running between Noida and Greater Noida in November 2007, but due to low turnout of passengers, the service was shelved within a month. Since then it had been lying at the depot. It is a 72-seater bus. The top floor is open," said Belwariar.

"In 2007, the bus was repainted and the seats were replaced. Around Rs 65,000 was spent for reshaping the bus. We had expected that the corporate groups would use the bus for picnics or ferrying their overseas staff or delegates along Expressway, Pari Chowk, I.T.Park, SEZ, Amity University or Electronic City.

However, it did not happen," he said. "Noida is not a tourist place. The bus will be useful around tourist spots only," he added.

New Delhi, February 14
The Delhi High Court today asked the government to grant driving licences to deaf people, so far prohibited from driving under the Motor Vehicles Act, if they satisfy other necessary criteria.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna said: "We are obliged to certify that if an applicant is totally deaf, he has to be called for the test if he applies for a learner's licence without medical certificate and if he passes the test as required under the rule, then he shall be granted the learner's licence as that is the statutory requirement."

"Similarly if a person is totally deaf but satisfies the necessary criteria, he shall be allowed to obtain the (permanent) driving licence," said the bench.The Motor Vehicle Act currently prohibits hearing-impaired persons from driving on the ground that they may pose danger to others.

The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) seeking the court's direction to quash the "no hearing impairment" stipulation for issuing a driving licence.

In its petition, the association contended that the deaf are allowed to drive all over the world except in 26 countries, including India, as Indian vehicles lack gadgets that vehicles in other countries are equipped with to aid deaf people drive.

The court, however, declined to direct the central government to label deaf persons as "special category" persons in the act and issue directions for fitting vehicles with special gadgets for deaf to avoid accident, and said the legislature is empowered to make such provision in the law.

"We are not inclined to direct that the special conditions which are permitted by other countries for grant of licence to the persons who are completely deaf as the same, we are disposed to think, is in the domain of the legislature, for the legislature understands the prevalent conditions in a set up where separation of power is an insegregable facet of the basic structure of the Constitution of India," said the bench.

The petitioners submitted a representation on February 22, 2007, to the surface transport secretary asking for issuance of driving licence to the deaf.

In response, the ministry April 10, 2007, said it was considering issuing driving licence to the deaf with the Automotive Research Association of India, the director general of health services and the National Road Safety Council. It said it was taking note of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, and discussing the measure with the Technical Standing Committee.Various other communications were sent to the ministry afterwards but no further response was obtained. IANS

New Delhi, February 14
A Delhi court today sentenced a man to one-year rigorous imprisonment for flying to New Delhi from Sharjah with a dagger in his baggage eight years ago. The convict, Hafizullah from Bihar, had come to New Delhi from Sharjah on July 31, 2003. He was on his way to catch a connecting flight to Patna when during the checking of his luggage, a dagger was detected.

Hafizullah's counsel had contended that there could be no question of him carrying a dagger in his baggage as he had flown in from Sharjah where he had gone through all security checks.

However, the court dismissed the contention, saying that possessing a dagger may not be an offence in Sharjah, but it is an offence as per the Indian law.

As Hafizullah's counsel raised doubts over prosecution's story due to lack of witness, the court dismissed the contention, saying that the police could not always be doubted.

The additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Rajesh Kumar Goel, said, "I do not find any merit in the argument of the defence counsel that in absence of public witness to discovery of the dagger, the testimony of police officials is liable to be rejected."

He then held Hafizullah guilty under the Arms Act and refused to release him on probation.

Quoting an observation of the Supreme Court, Goel said, "We feel that it is an archaic notion that actions of the police should be approached with initial distrust. The court cannot start with the presumption that police records are untrustworthy."

Refusing to discard the police version in the absence of any witness, the court said, "It is a common knowledge that in the airport lounge area, only travellers and airport staff would be present. Everybody is in a hurry and nobody will be interested to join an investigation or become a witness to the recovery." 

New Delhi, February 14
As per the CBSE's Continuous Comprehensive Education system (CCE), the subject-wise grades of a student at the end of the year have to be calculated on the basis of their performance in all the formative and summative assessments in scholastic as well as co-curricular activities.

This promotion policy for CBSE students of class IX was announced recently in a circular addressed to school principals.

A CBSE official said, "A circular was sent out to all the school principals, outlining the CBSE's policy on students' promotions for class IX. The CBSE has listed several points in the circular that apply for the assessment of students under the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system and that would have direct impact on the students' promotion to the next grade. The promotion will depend on total points that will be calculated by adding up grade points for all formative and summative assessments that have occurred through the year."

The details of the marking scheme are intricate.

The circular lists out that students who have achieved total grade points in the range of 34-42 would be allotted the next higher grade in two subjects of the curriculum and students that have total grade points between the ranges of 19-33 will be given the next higher grade in one subject of the curriculum only.

However, if a student receives a grade point below 19, the teacher would be expected to write a separate note for improvement and this would have a direct impact on the student's promotion in the next grade.

New Delhi, February 14
On the Valentine's Day today, it was not just people in committed relationship who had a good time, but the singles in the city also had a blast with their friends, who say that the day is all about love and since they are searching for it, they can also celebrate.

During the day, all popular hangouts in the city-- Central Park at Connaught Place, PVR Priya, PVR Saket, Select City Walk mall, Rajouri Garden, Greater Kailash, South Extension and Dilli Haat-- were flooded with youngsters dressed in their best and having a ball of a time.

While in Delhi University's North Campus, Kamla Nagar market remained the ultimate hangout zone for students who flocked coffee shops and restaurants, students of South Campus headed to Lajpat Nagar, Saket and GK markets to celebrate the day with friends and partners.

"So what if I am single. I might just find someone today or maybe in the days to come. I am here to enjoy with my friends…I love them to the core and that's what the day is all about," said Preeti Thakur, a Delhi University student at Dilli Haat.

However, the night in the Capital seemed to be favouring the couples and single girls, as most parties did not allow entry to single men.

"Most of the parties today are not allowing stag entry (entry to single man) for fear of chaos. Most often young boys are seen getting involved in brawls inside and outside the club premises. So, generally, clubs in the city don't give entry to single boys. Single girls, on the other hand, are more than welcome to parties as they dress up to their best and add to the glamour," said Tej Anand or Andy, a leading party organiser in the Capital.

Annoyed as they will be, boys cannot stop complaining. However, they say that they have other plans.

"Partying at clubs would have been good, but since it is not possible today, I have organised a barbecue party at my place for friends. We will celebrate the day among ourselves. We are a group of 10-12 boys. We will party and then go for a drive on the Delhi - Jaipur highway," said Rohan Arya, a south Delhi- based choreographer.

Meanwhile, couples, who contributed to the huge sale of chocolates, flowers and cakes today, said unlike past years, they were relieved this time as there was no vandalism by "moral cops".

All in all, the Saint Valentine's Day in the Capital had something for everyone. 

Faridabad, February 14
A man today shot at his father and then himself in the Ballabgarh area, near here.

Keshav Gupta of Chawla Colony in Ballabgarh opened fire on his father, Munshi Ram Gupta, from a close range. Keshav fired two shots at Munshi Ram in the stomach. He then shot himself near his ear.

Keshav's son, Ankur Gupta, rushed the two to the Escorts Hospital here. While Keshav was declared brought dead, Munshi Ram was admitted to the ICU and his situation is stated to be critical.

Keshav had differences with his elder brother, Lucky Gupta, and wanted division of parental property. Not having his way, about 10 days back, he had locked up his father's motor spare parts shop on Delhi-Agra National Highway near Chawla Colony.

He had said that he would allow the shop to be reopened only after the parental property was divided between him and Lucky.

Today, around 8 am, Munshi Ram and Lucky went to the shop and opened the shop forcibly. Enraged, Keshav had a quarrel with his father outside the shop.

After the fight, he then went home, brought his licensed revolver and shot at his father and then himself. 

Greater Noida, February 14
Seven policemen, including a station house officer, have been suspended by senior superintendent of police Amitabh Yash on the charge of releasing a thief and instead implicating an innocent man.

"The suspended police officers are: SHO Amit Kumar; chowki in-charge Satbir Bhatti; head constables Gajinder Singh and Jaibir Singh; constables Ravinder Kumar and Parvinder Singh and driver Gulab Singh," said Atul Saxena, superintendent of police.

"A man was arrested for stealing a JCB tractor last month. It is alleged that the suspended policemen freed the thief and implicated an innocent person," said Saxena.

"An enquiry has been ordered by the SSP. If found guilty, further disciplinary action would be initiated against the suspended officers," said Saxena.

No replacements were announced for the suspended officers till late evening 

New Delhi, February 14
With the arrest of one youth, the south district police has solved three cases of snatching and recovered 13 mobile phones from him. According to the police, the arrested accused Suraj is a vagabond with no permanent address.

He was arrested about a week ago when he tried to run after snatching a mobile near Van Vigyan Bhawan, Sector-5, R. K. Puram.

During interrogation, it was revealed that accused along with his accomplice Rohit has committed several incidents of snatching. At his instance, three cases of snatchings committed in the area of police station R.K. Puram have been solved and 13 mobile phones recovered.

Raids are being conducted at various possible hideouts to arrest Rohit.According to the police, Suraj after the death of his father used to roam around. In order to meet his expenses, he started committing thefts/snatchings in the areas of R.K. Puram and Vasant Vihar.