Gurgaon, August 2
A group of villagers in Haryana's Gurgaon today alleged that they were threatened by district officials in 2009 to lease their land to the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and a doctor and have now moved the high court to get the land back.

Officials concerned denied making any threats.

Residents of Ullawas village said a total of 49 canals (approx 6 acres) of their land has been given to the trust and a doctor close to Gandhi family. The trust was suppose to set up an eye hospital and research centre here.

"We were threaten to face dire consequences in case we refused to sign," said a resident

Villagers, led by ex-panchayat members Dharamveer, Surender Parkash, Hari Chand and Numberdar Sher Singh have filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get back their panchayati land.

"We were under lot of pressure from the local administration. The then deputy commissioner had Rajender Kataria called all the panchayat members in his office and forced us to sign the lease papers," said Surender Parkash. The lease is for 33 years.

He said some panchayat members were not ready to sign the lease papers and one of them was threatened by the block development officer (BDO)in the presence of Kataria.

"We were asked to sign the papers or face the suspension of complete panchayat with litigations," Parkash recalled.

However, Kataria has denied the allegations. "I don't remember any such incident," he said.

The present village headman Azad Singh said: "We have a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get our land back. We are getting Rs 15 lakh per annum against the lease and that is not sufficient, our land costs more than Rs 50 crore."

During the hearing of petition, it was revealed that the state government had released the land in the favour of the Rajiv Gandhi Trust in which United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka are trustees.

The Haryana government is facing charges of pick and choose policy in acquiring land in Gurgaon, according to a bunch of petitions filed by landowners in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. — IANS

New Delhi, August 2
Taking cognisance of the report appeared in various periodicals that the water supply of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) is contaminated, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today issued a notice to the DJB to explain what measures it has taken to ensure potable water in the city.

The reports were based on a survey conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the DJB. The survey report said that there were micro cracks in 67 major water pipelines because of which the water was being contaminated by mixing with sewage.

The commission asked the chairman of the DJB to submit a report within four weeks. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is the chairperson of the Delhi Jal Board.

The survey report disclosed that out of examined 200 areas, 67 major water pipelines had micro cracks and were being contaminated by sewage as the lines cross each other.

The survey also pointed out that the pipelines were quite old, some were as old as 100 years like those in Chandni Chowk, and have rusted, leading to major leakages.

"The commission is deeply concerned with the hazards posed to the citizens of Delhi due to supply of contaminated water. The commission observed that the contents of the report, if true, amounts to serious violation of right to health of the people of Delhi," spokesperson for the NHRC said.

DJB CEO Ramesh Negi yesterday at a conference admitted that due to old pipelines, there was leakage in certain areas resulting in sewage mixes with the potable water. The board felt that there was a dire need to correct this problem.

He appealed to the people that they should not be in panic as this would benefit the private water suppliers.

New Delhi, August 2
On the raging issue of contaminated water supply in the city, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) today said it had conducted a joint survey with Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials and had informed department concerned about the unfit water samples.

Arya said out of the 4,816 samples taken by the MCD in the joint survey this year, dirty water was found in 315 samples. "There is a signature of the DJB officials on the papers of the joint survey. In this regard, the statement by the DJB that they are not aware of the supply of dirty water is nothing but shirking its responsibility.

The MCD also provides information to the department concerned when the sample of drinking water is found to be dirty," he said.

"The MCD also informed the agency about those 642 pipelines that runs along with nullahs. Out of them, only seven pipelines have been repaired. Besides this, the DJB was also provided with the list of 23 cases of water linkages. However, only seven of them have been repaired and nothing concrete have done on the remaining 16 pipelines so far," he added.

He said 40 per cent of the population in the city got water supplied through 1,219 tubewells, out of which 526 tubewells of the DJB were without chlorinators. The rest 693 tubewells on which chlorinators were installed, chlorinators at some 113 tubewells were not functioning. These chlorinators were essential for cleaning the water.

"As a result of supply of dirty water by the DJB, various water-borne diseases such as typhoid, gastro-enteritis, cholera, etc. are spreading fast," he said.

Earlier, some reports like dirty water, water sample test failure and resulting in spread of water-borne diseases had appeared in some media sections.

Arya said the only desilting of storm water drains lied with the corporation while the DJB was responsible to clean the sewers. "To say that storm water drains and sewers are amalgamated at many places and are at same levels at some points that results in mixing of dirty water with clean drinking water, is wholly irresponsible comment. The whole system in this regard lies with the government," said Arya.

It held the Delhi government responsible for providing contaminated water to the people of Delhi.

"We want to know when the DJB will be able to provide safe and clean drinking water to the people. The Chief Minister also happens to be the chairman of the Delhi Jal Board for the last more than 12 years and even then clean and safe drinking water is not available to people," said Subhash Arya, Leader of the House.

New Delhi, August 2
With the sun beating mercilessly, the city's power consumption today crossed the mark of 5000 MW and made a new record with the demand touching an all-time high of 5028 MW at 3 pm.

The power demand has been rising frequently every year making new records. This is a clear indication that nearly every household in the city is using an air conditioner," said a senior power department official.

The consumption of power which was 3097 MW in July 2002 has now reached 5028 MW.

The officials said that the power demand over the years has shown significant growth which is a clear indication of the increasing prosperity. "The demand is increasing rapidly every year. The power sector has gone through a massive change over the last decade. The purchasing power has increased and people are buying more gadgets operating on electricity," said a senior Transco official.

However, the experts in the power sector also attributed this rising demand to hot and humid weather. They say the demand is likely to stay in the same range in the coming days till the passing of the monsoon.

Normally, discoms project the demand to rise 10-15 per cent every year, but in recent years the demand has increased by more than 20 per cent, said a discom official.

While there were few reports of power cuts today, the officials said the demand was met successfully.

Meanwhile, there seems to be no respite from the scorching heat this season, with the maximum temperature today at 38.2 degree Celsius, the highest in the last five years in August so far.

While the maximum temperature was four notches above average for this time of the season, the minimum settled at 28.9 degrees, two degrees above average.

New Delhi, August 2
Delhi power minister Haroon Yusuf today said the Bawana power plant might start functioning from next month as the union government agreed to provide natural gas.

The plant was built at a cost of Rs 4,500 crore.

The government had sought last month intervention of the Prime Minister's Office to help get natural gas for the plant following refusal of Reliance Industries Ltd to supply the fuel.

Yusuf said the Centre assured the government to arrange gas for the Bawana power plant that would start 750 MW power next month. This was disclosed at a power review meeting that was chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

The Centre had allocated 0.93-million cubic meter per day of gas from Reliance's Andhra offshore KG-D6 fields for the Bawana plant for 2009-10 and 2010-11, he said.

However, Pragati Power Corp, the Delhi government entity running the plant, could not sign the Gas Sales Purchase Agreement with the Reliance Industries as the company was not in position to sign any fresh contract since output has reduced to a great extent.

The 1,500 MW capacity Bawana power plant's three turbines out of the total six have already been synchronised. The construction of the third turbine has been completed this month.

These three turbines have a combined capacity to produce 750 MW of power and they were lying unused due to non-availability of gas, Haroon said.

New Delhi, August 2
The GRE launched its revised general test today.

It has been restructured radically in its new version and this should prove challenging for the scores of students who appear for the GRE yearly in a bid to study overseas.

The revised test has a new score scale and an advanced student-friendly pattern for setting questions and the paper.

The GRE revised version offers applicants a technically advanced test that is designed to provide graduates and business schools more reliable results. Students now have the freedom to move back and forth while taking the test. They can edit or change answers, and skip and return to questions all within a section.

The revised test offers an array of new questions that emphasize a real world scenario and there is less reliance on vocabulary out of context. The style of questions and the pattern of GRE questions have changed in the revised test.

Nakul Vyas, a GRE test-taker, said, "The new revised test is a big improvement. For instance, moving back and forth while writing the test is a pleasure and gives you flexibility. I found the new score system intriguing."

Another student Shalini Seth said, "Being able to flag questions and go back to them in the review section is definitely a unique asset for the student taking the test. I was able to go back and work on the questions I was not sure about. I also found the on-screen calculator a major asset. I used it a lot and it was really helpful."

Meanwhile, nine new scholarship programmes are being offered by the TOEPHL education service for Indian students. All the scholarships are targeted at undergraduate students, three of these scholarships are for US$10,000 and are available for higher education in a college or university in the UK, the US or Canada and six of these scholarships are for $5,000 and are available for undergraduate level study in the UK, the US and Canada.

The eligibility conditions for the scholarship programme include that the student must be living in India, must begin undergraduate study in a college or university listed in the TOEPHL destinations directory, student must hold a grade point average (GPA) of 80 or higher on a 100-point scale or 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, student must have a valid TOEFL score. He or she must return a completed application form with TOEFL test scores, written essay and official transcript in a sealed 
envelope. 

New Delhi, August 2
"I want to be a doctor," murmured five-year-old Guddu Kumari, flashing a shy smile and then hurrying to the rest of her classmates resting in the L-shaped playschool at the women's prison in the Tihar Jail.

Like Kumari, the other 29 kids at her play school, The Creche, cherish dreams of becoming doctors, journalists, police officers or engineers some day.

Beautifully decorated with colourful posters of cartoon characters on the walls and toys all over, the play school and a nursery at jail No 6 is spread out into two huge L-shaped rooms. It houses 39 children, including 10 who are less than two years old.

"The creche and the nursery are run with the assistance of NGO India Vision Foundation. There are proper recreational and educational facilities for the children," DIG RN Sharma said.

The children below two years of age are taken care of by NGO workers and are provided with food, medicine and clothes. "They are kept in a cosy environment, away from the cells," he said.

Children over two and a half years are given education at the creche. "It is a play school. We provide all the facilities," said counsellor Ruby Gupta.

Looking smart in their uniforms - white and pink checked shirt and shorts, white for boys and pink for girls - the children sit on benches and are taught subjects like maths, Hindi and English on a white board.

"They are taught while they play," Gupta added.

From 8 am till 5.30 pm, the children are involved in various activities, which include painting and dance classes. They also watch cartoon films on TV in the play school.

"They are provided breakfast, lunch and light snacks during evening," Sharma said.

Ruby Gupta and Tulika Kiran, counsellors-cum-teachers from the NGO, take care of the children. Two educated undertrial inmates also take a few classes.

Motherly affection sometimes attracts jailed DMK MP Kanimozhi to the children. "She spends some time teaching these kids when she is not away in the court," Kiran said.

The kids are also taken for educational exposure trips across the city.

"They have been taken to various monuments, embassies and gardens in Delhi. These regular visits make them feel they are not prisoners by default and they enjoy themselves," Gupta said.

Education not just helps them aspire to make it big some day but also comes as a big relief to their mothers who want their children to lead fulfilled lives.

"I am happy that my daughter is studying. Seeing your child grow in the jail is the worst thing for any mother, but I know better things are in store for her," said Dolly Agarwal, an undertrial in a murder case.

For the past 16 years, The Creche has served the purpose of imparting education and moral values to kids in the jail that houses 12,000 prisoners, almost twice its capacity, making it one of the largest prison complexes in the world.

"When the child is more than six years, with the consent of their mother prisoner, he or she is admitted to a boarding school with assistance of some NGOs," Sharma said.

So far, 193 kids, who have spent their early days at the creche, are now pursuing higher studies at various schools and colleges across the country.

"A few of them are doing management studies, journalism and engineering," said secretary of the India Vision Foundation organising Monica Dhawan.

A few are also preparing for the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 484 children of convict women prisoners and 1,639 children of undertrial prisoners were lodged in various jails across the country in 2008. - IANS

New Delhi, August 2
Days after the Delhi police refused permission to Anna Hazare to hold protest at Jantar Mantar for more than

one day on the grounds that the spot is unsuitable for gathering of a large crowd expected during his protest, team Anna has sought permission to hold protest at any of the five other spots in the city in an open letter to the Delhi police commissioner today.

"We are suggesting the following places in accordance of preference for the proposed fast: Jantar Mantar Road, Boat Club, Rajghat, Ramlila Maidan and Shaheed Park," said the letter written under the aegis of India Against Corruption (IAC), adding that if none of the above places is acceptable to the police, then they are ready to come and discuss any other venue for the proposed fast which is within 3 kms radius of Jantar Mantar and connected well by Metro or bus.

It has also been alleged in the letter that the Delhi police had given permission to Medha Patkar at Jantar Mantar for three days while they have been refused.

"When permission could be given to other groups, why can't it be given to us? Moreover, we have already informed you that the proposed fast is going to be for a month so it is wrong to say that we have not defined the time limit," said the letter.

Hazare has decided to go on fast from August 16 to protest against the government version of the anti-graft Lokpal Bill, likely to be introduced in Parliament's current session.

New Delhi, August 2
Water cannons were used to disperse the agitating BJP workers who staged a demonstration at Dabri-Palam Mod to protest against the alleged land scam of more than hundreds of crores of rupees by the Congress MP Mahabal Mishra.

The demonstrators were demanding that Mishra should resign from the membership of Parliament due to his alleged involvement in the land scam and a case be registered against him. They raised slogans such as "bhoo mafia ke sargana, Mahabal Mishra istifa do-istifa do".

The demonstration was led by Janakpuri MLA Jagdish Mukhi who said that if an impartial enquiry is conducted against Mahabal Mishra and his family members, land scam of crores of rupees will come to light.

Addressing the demonstrators, Mukhi alleged that dozens of civil and criminal cases related to land grabbing are pending against Mahabal Mishra and his family members.

He said, “Our movement will continue until the land is returned to the poor farmers and Mahabal Mishra resigns for misusing the office.”

New Delhi, August 2
A delegation of BJP women activists met Special Police Commissioner, Delhi police, Ranjit Narain, on the issue of women security in Delhi.

BJP national secretary Arti Mehra who was one of the delegation members said that the Special Commissioner listened to the views of the delegation patiently.

The delegation suggested that a workshop should be organized to discuss the security problems of housewives, working women and students.

The Special Commissioner said that the suggestions given by the delegation were good and assured it of a suitable action.

New Delhi, August 2
As Hindus gear up to celebrate naag panchami on Thursday, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) today urged them to discourage atrocities against the reptile and report snake charmers to authorities.

"Naag panchami, held in the honour of serpent god Naag Devta, instead of paying tribute to the snakes, becomes a mockery. It is a torture for these fascinating reptiles," PETA India chief functionary Poorva Joshipura said.

The PETA said captured snakes were often kept in suffocating bags or tiny boxes and starved. Their fangs are violently yanked out or their mouths painfully sewn shut. The snake's venom duct is often pierced with a hot needle, causing its glands to burst.

Some snakes have their eyes damaged when 'tikka' (vermillion) applied to their hoods during puja trickles into them.

The organisation said, "Many think snakes consume the milk offered to them. But, actually, milk is not part of their natural diet, and it dehydrates them and causes allergies and dysentery. Most die as a result."

"We are enlisting the public to show their compassion for these tormented animals by being snake guardians and reporting snake collectors and snake charmers to authorities," Joshipura said.

The snake charmers bring these snakes near temples and try to exhibit or sell them - both of which are illegal according to the Wildlife Protection Act.

Citizens can report snake charmers at 9810054077, a PETA number, as well as to the local police. They can also file a complaint under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 as well as the 1960 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. -- IANS

New Delhi, August 2
The south district police has arrested a 20-year-old girl, Ujjala, for allegedly stealing a girl's ATM card from a paying guest accommodation at South Extension and using it for shopping goods worth Rs 30,000.

Ujjala was arrested after the police analysed the CCTV footages of the shops where she had used the ATM card.

On July 29, Apeksha Khandelwal, who lives as a paying guest, lodged an FIR that someone had stolen her ATM card and purse from her room.

In her complaint, Khandelwal said that when she asked her bank to block the card, she was informed that someone had bought goods worth Rs 30,000 with it.

The police learnt that the accused resided in Dhundhehera village in Gurgaon. She was arrested from there.

Jewellery, three laptops, three mobile phones and several other items were seized from her house.

"During interrogation, Ujjala told the police that she and her accomplice Aarti had been stealing ATM, debit and credit cards for the past two years. They targeted only PGs for girls. They would visit PGs on the pretext of enquiring about rooms and steal handy things, especially bags, which normally contain ATM and credit cards," said Chhaya Sharma, DCP, (south).

New Delhi, August 2
Films can have an adverse influence on children and this became clear after the North District police arrested three schoolboys for extortion.

The boys told the police that they drew inspiration from the film: "Shootout at Lokhandwala". The accused were Puran Chand (20) and two juveniles, who studied in the same school and reside in the same locality.

They were arrested on July 31 for trying to extort Rs 1 lakh from one Parveen Kumar.

On July 30, Parveen Kumar complained to the police that he had received extortion calls on his mobile. He told the police that the extortionists demanded Rs 1 lakh within 24 hours and if it was not delivered, one of his family members would be killed.

On July 31, the extortionists also telephoned the complainant from a landline number. He told him to deliver the money near Roshanara Bagh in Ghantaghar and also specified to bring it in denominations of Rs 100.

The police and the complainant then reached near Roshanara Bagh. The complainant was sent to the extortionists with two packets of cash worth Rs 1 lakh. The police apprehended the extortionists who were wearing masks.

"During the interrogation, the accused Puran Chand disclosed that he and his friends planned to extort money after drawing inspiration from the movie, "Shootout at Lokhandwala". They required money for enjoyment. We have recovered the mobile phone which was used for making the extortion call," said I B Rani, Deputy Commissioner of Police, North District.