New Delhi, November 17
A 38-year-old businessman was crushed to death yesterday when he fell on the railway track after he slipped from a train he was trying to board from platform No. 5 of the Nizammudin railway station.

The man has been identified as Bhagwan Puruwal, a resident of Kota, Rajasthan. He was operated a business in bags. Bhagwan had arrived at Delhi on Tuesday for a business transaction.

The police said he was boarding the Indore Intercity Express train yesterday, which was heading to Kota. The incident happened around 9.35 pm. "Passengers had thronged platform No. 5 when the train arrived. Bhagwan had a ticket of the general compartment. He was trying to board the train. But due to people rushing inside the coach he lost his balance and fell between two compartments. When he stood up, he was stuck between the platform and the train. Although the train was moving slowly, Bhagwan was critically wounded. He sustained several internal injuries," said a police official.

Bhagwan was rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre, where doctors declared him brought dead.

His younger brother, Purshotam was contacted by the police after it retrieved his number from Bhagwan's mobile phone.

"We were waiting for his brother, who arrived at Delhi today," added the official.

Manoj, a shopkeeper who witnessed the gruesome incident, said a gas-cutter was used to rescue Bhagwan.

"I had closed my shop, when I heard a lot of people shouting. When I went to check what had happened, I saw that Bhagwan was stuck between the platform and the train. He didn't have any space to budge," added Manoj.

There is an inadequate safety for passengers while they board trains at the Nizamuddin railway station. The reason to this is that there is a lack of order among people who are boarding the trains.

Although, the police official said, "We have guards who tell people to board the train without pushing anyone. But, no passenger listens to them. There is also a lack of manpower to maintain order in the crowd," added the official.

New Delhi, November 17
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has now been directed to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the phase IV which will be approximately 104 km.

The DPR is being expected to be ready within the next 18 months.

The phase IV project will make the Delhi Metro network even bigger than the London underground network.

"Once the DPR is prepared, bases on ground realities, the corridors will be firmed up. With the completion of phase IV by 2021, the Delhi Metro network will grow up to about 440 km.

The network will then surpass the London underground network," said Kamal Nath, union minister for urban development today.

The corridors tentatively will include Yamuna bank to Loni border (11.97 km), Janakpuri west to Mukundpur (18.74 km), Mukundpur to Dilshad Garden (17.54 km), Kirti Nagar to Dwarka Sector 28 (18.17 km), Badarpur to Delhi Aerocity (NH-8) (20.79 km), Lajpat Nagar to Mandangir (7.33 km).

The ministry has also directed the DMRC to conduct surveys for additional lines, namely Dwarka Sector 21 to Gurgaon Sector 29 (12 km) (IFFCO Chowk), Shiv Vihar to Mukundpur (18 km) and the extension of the Metro from Rithala to Bawana under the phase III Metro construction.

Work on the Delhi Metro phase III will begin shortly in the national Capital. Sanction has been accorded for phase III of the Delhi Metro for 103 km at a total cost of Rs 35,242 crore with 67 stations and three depots consisting of Mukundpur-Rajouri Garden- Dhaula Kuan - Anand Vihar-Yamuna Vihar corridor (55.7 km), Janakpuri west-Munirka-Kalkaji-Kalindi Kunj corridor (33.5 km), Central Secretariat-Mandi House-Kashmere Gate corridor (9.37 km) and Jahangirpuri-Badli corridor (4.5 km).

In addition, the Metro expansion to Faridabad from Badarpur to YMCA Chowk for 13.87 km at a total cost of Rs 253 crore has also been sanctioned. The Faridabad extension under phase III will be up and running by August 2014. The phase III is likely to be completed by 2016.

By the end of phase III, the Metro would have a total network of 312 km with a total ridership of about 40 lakh passengers per day.

Noida, November 17
An attempt to defraud Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (Kribhco), a national fertilizer company in the co-operative sector under the ministry of agriculture and fertilizer, has come to light.

Two large companies in Dubai had tried to export DAP fertilizers to Kribhco by furnishing a fake draft of Rs 9.1 crore as a bank guarantee.

Finding something fishy, Kribhco's chief general manager in charge of port operations, B. Prasad cancelled the agreement and lodged a written complaint of the matter in Sector-20 police station, Noida.

According to sources, Kribhco had signed an agreement with ELF Energy General Trading Company, Dubai, on March 7, for the purchase of 6 lakh tonnes of DAP fertilizers.

The chief general manager, Port Operations, Kribhco, confirmed that the Dubai-based company had signed an agreement with Kribhco for the supply of two vessels of fertilizers.

The fertilizers were to be unloaded at an Indian port in April 2011. But no consignment was sent by the Dubai company. When Kribhco officer, B. Prasad asked the reason, he was told that due to riots in Bahrain, the fertilizers could not be despatched.

In May again, the company failed to despatch the fertilizers, citing disturbance in Bahrain as the reason.

The bank draft for Rs 9.1 crore sent by the Qatar's United, an associate company of ELF General Trading Company, was received by Kribhco on September 2. On September 26, the Kribhco office in Sector-1 Noida got the verification of the draft done, the bank concerned then reported that the guarantee draft was fake.

Kribhco officials lodged a report of fraud and cheating against both the Dubai companies in Sector-20 police station, Noida.

The police is investigating the matter while officials said if need be, they would contact the Dubai embassy officials in New Delhi.

New Delhi, November 17
Looking at the thread paintings hung on the pillars, a running loom and display of the latest carpets would hardly show how Khemraj Sundriyal stands out in the world of handicrafts.

Sitting just at the entrance of the Haryana pavilion, Sundriyal preserves one of the rarest art called 'tepastry' which is to weave paintings through thread. He has worked with as famous artists as MF Husain, Satish Gujral and Satish Gupta.

He has recreated the magic of Husain by making paintings with thread. "Husain used to give me designs which I weaved with threads. It used to take a month to complete one painting," said Sundriyal.

A retired government employee from the ministry of textiles, 70-year old Sundriyal took tapestry as a hobby by making paintings of gods and goddesses. Though the paintings might not give an instant appeal to a customer, they are priced according to the effort and time that has been put in it. A single painting fetches him somewhere between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000.

"They are only liked by people who know the value of art. They are parallel to the canvas paintings. It is just that these are woven with thread," said Sundriya.

Though he has been a visiting lecturer at Delhi College of Art since 2001, his children do not find much interest in the art.

"It needs immense patience. It takes not fewer than 30 to 35 days to make a painting. My younger son knows a little bit of it," he added.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda's wife and vice-president of the Haryana State Child Welfare Council visited the Haryana Pavilion today. Her daughter Anjali was also accompanying her. Mrs Hooda took a keen interest in the products made by artisans, particularly about the clay products made by Budhi Ram Prajapat.

Noida, November 17
The NCR unit of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) has offered some relief to the home buyers of Noida Extension by directing all the developers not to charge any interest on pending EMIs of those who have paid the 10 per cent booking amount.

The buyers who have just paid the token amount and not signed the agreements have been asked to book their flats and pay the 10 per cent booking amount soon.

Representatives of several buyers' associations had met CREDAI (NCR) vice-president Anil Sharma two days ago to dispel apprehensions regarding the status of their homes as even after three weeks of the Allahabad High Court verdict on land acquisition, the ground situation remained far from clear.

CREDAI NCR will soon issue a "formal direction" to all the developers of Noida Extension.

"We have agreed in principle over almost all the issues that the buyers raised, including interest on EMIs," said Sharma.

"We will now get in touch with all the developers with upcoming projects in the Noida Extension area and take up the matter at the all-India CREDAI convention scheduled for November 24 and 25. Subsequently, a general consensus will be drafted for the all developers," he added.

Soon after the HC order, some developers had sent off demand letters, asking the buyers to pay interest on their pending instalments. Buyers also feared that the quality of their houses may be compromised if the developers chose to increase the floor area ration (FAR) of their projects and construct new towers or floors.

Sharma has now assured the buyers that not only will the developers be asked to withdraw their demand letters, but they will also not make any major changes in the layouts, the reserved green area of the buildings, and FARs of the buildings.

New Delhi, November 17
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today assured that recommendations given by the President, Partibha Patil, in connection with the low-cost flats would be followed.

She gave this statement when some scribes asked her about her views in connection with the President's recommendations.

She said, "We respect the views and would follow whatever the President has said.

President's views came on the lokayukta recommendation on the announcements made by the Chief Minister related to construction of low-cost flats ahead of the 2008 Assembly election.

In its order, Delhi lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin had recommended to the President in July saying that Dikshit should be cautioned for misrepresenting facts by announcing that 60,000 low-cost flats were ready for handing over, though the flats were not ready.

Responding to the recommendation of the lokayukta, Patil in a communication to Sarin said the urban development department of the Delhi government should be advised to be careful in making announcements.

The department is the nodal agency for distribution of low-cost flats to the poor.

New Delhi, November 17
In an attempt to make its students computer-savvy, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has planned to provide computers free of charge to 1,98,000 municipal students of class IV in the current academic year.

Chairman of MCD Education Committee, Dr Mahendra Nagpal said the idea is to empower them with computer knowledge and bridge the gap between the students of municipal schools and public schools. Each computer will cost Rs 2,000.

He said that the MCD will start distributing computers to class IV students in the next couple of months. It will cost Rs 30 crore to the state exchequer.

Speaking at a function, 'Let's make efforts towards safer schools', organized by Plan India and Society for All-Round Development (SARD), Dr Nagpal said that they want to give computers to class V students as well which would be done in the next academic session.

During the function, 50 schools from Najafgarh and West Zone took part and displayed their paintings.

On safe drinking water, Dr Nagpal said that he has written a letter to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit ten days ago, requesting her to provide safe drinking water facility in 63 municipal schools.

Located in different parts of Delhi, there are 98,000 students studying in these schools.

Dr Nagpal said that these schools do not have any water connection till date which has exposed them to various water-borne diseases.

Former MCD Mayor Prithvi Raj Sawhney, however, lauded the contribution of SARD and Plan India for improving drinking water facilities in some municipal schools.

The former MCD Mayor said that efforts should be made to make education for all by 2013.

He added that NGOs should help the government bring all the children, including street children and child labourers, to schools in two years' time.

"There are one lakh children in Delhi who have not been going to schools. The responsibility of principals and teachers is to ensure violence-free atmosphere in schools.

The extent of children's exploitation has gone down because of the concerted efforts of the government and non- governmental organizations in the last few

years," said Premlata Kataria, Director Education, MCD.

New Delhi, November 17
Public land at Taimur Nagar Extension is being sold at the rate of Rs 4 lakh per sq yard by influential people. The land is being sold through middlemen, said chief of the BJP Delhi unit Vijender Gupta.

He has demanded that the government should take appropriate steps to stop alleged illegal sale and purchase of the land in Taimur Nagar Extension and handing over the inquiry of the case to the Economic Offence Wing.

Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has taken over the possession of the land in Taimur Nagar Extension after completing the process of its acquisition. The original owners of the land, farmers, have been paid compensation.

He said the land was acquired under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act of the city government by the DDA on June 23, 1989.

The DDA had also taken over the possession of the land after paying compensation at the rate of Rs 27 per sq m on June 22, 1992, under Section 6 and 17 of the Act.

Farmers felt that the compensation was not adequate and they went to the Additional District Judge against the rate of compensation.

In June 2011, the court increased the compensation of land from Rs 27 to Rs 89 per sq m and ordered the DDA to pay at this rate.

The original owners of the land were paid compensation at the rate of Rs 89 per sq m.

Today the price of the land is Rs 4 lakh per yard, Gupta said in a statement.

He said town planner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had two years ago complained the government in writing that about 150 colonies were non-existent in the list of colonies to which provisional certificates were granted. These colonies were shown to be inhabited in papers and provisional certificates were issued on false basis to them on false names.

The Delhi government had not submitted any records of aerial survey or other to the MCD of these colonies.

The government continued to remain silent on the written complaint of town planner, Gupta added.

Noida, November 17
Denied admission in the emergency ward, a woman delivered a baby outside the elevator of a district hospital in Noida on Thursday morning, her husband said. Karuna, a resident of Sector 8 in Noida, gave birth to a boy while she was being taken to the out-patient department (OPD) from the emergency ward. The hospital administration has formed a committee to probe the incident.

“The case will be properly investigated from all angles. We are yet to record the statements of the patient’s family.

“A report will be submitted to the additional director of state health department soon,” said Chief Medical Superintendent Meena Mishra. The woman’s husband Bashir said: “We first went to the emergency ward situated on the fourth floor.

“We told the doctors that her condition was bad, but they refused to hear us and asked us to take her to the out-patient department.” “While we were bringing her down in the lift, her pain suddenly intensified and she started screaming.

“On seeing her collapse in the lift, we stopped it on the first floor and took her out of it. Within a few minutes, she delivered the child,” he said. — IANS

New Delhi, November 17
An aged and destitute couple, apprehended while begging in the posh South Delhi area here and sent to a remand home for beggars for a year, has been let off by a sessions court after admonition.

Additional sessions judge (ASJ) Ajay Kumar Kuhar released the destitute couple Jethu Ram and his wife Laxmi from detention after warning them not to indulge in begging again.

The sessions court released the duo on their appeal against a magisterial court order for their detention for a year in a certified institution meant for beggars.

"The appellants are duly admonished for the act of begging and it is directed that they be released from the detention in the certified institution," Kuhar said.

Ajmer natives Jethu Ram and Laxmi were found begging from passersby at a traffic signal on Lodhi Road here earlier this year.

The police had recovered Rs 20 and Rs 18 from Laxmi and Jethu Ram, respectively, which they had received as alms.

The duo was convicted by the trial court under the provision of Bombay Prevention of Begging Act.

The couple approached the sessions court challenging the order of the magistrate regarding the period of detention.

The old couple pleaded before the court that they would not indulge in act of begging in future.

"Considering the circumstances of the appellants, the sentence of imprisonment by way of detention in the certified institution is modified," ASJ Kuhar said. — PTI

New Delhi, November 17
A 17-year-old maid allegedly committed suicide today by jumping from the balcony of her employer's apartment located on the fifth floor of a residential building in Sector 12, Dwarka.

The deceased is identified as Poonam who is a native of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. She was employed as a maid by one Amit Kumar on September 10.

Amit stays with his wife, one child and his mother-in-law at flat number 352, fifth floor, Abhinav Apartments in Dwarka Sector 12. He also belongs to Uttar Pradesh.

Amit and his wife are both employed. Amit works with a multinational company in Gurgaon.

The police said that the maid committed suicide when Amit and his wife were not present at home.

"Poonam had jumped from the balcony of her employer's apartment.

“Amit's mother-in-law was giving her grandson a bath when the incident happened about 12 pm today," said a police official.

Poonam was rushed to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where she was declared brought dead.

New Delhi, November 17
The 66th World Congress with the theme of "Homoeopathy for public health" will take up management of epidemics like dengue apart from pain management during childbirth, homeopathic approach to the treatment of HIV and AIDS, etc.

"Homeopathy is a cost-effective medical system which is proven safe and effective over the years. We are also exploring public health programmess," said organising secretary of LIGA Congress Dr R.K. Manchanda during a press briefing session today.

According to Dr Manchanda, the number of patients in homoeopathic dispensaries is increasing which indicates the growing popularity of the system.

The congress is expected to receive around 2,500 homeopathic physicians, clinicians and researchers from all over the world. It would be held from December 1-4 and organised by LMHI (Liga Medicorum Homepathica Internationalis), said Dr Ramjee Singh, chairperson of LIGA 2011.

Discussions would boost the field of homeopathy treatment in India where it has flourished significantly in the past few years. "India has emerged as the latest hub of homoeopathic activities and the congress promises to make a difference in the today's world of medicine," said Dr S. P. S. Bakshi, president of LIGA.

The same platform would also host a state-of-the -art trade exhibition. While exhibitors will come from India, Greece, Germany and the USA, there would be a list of international speakers with nearly 290 papers for the various sessions.

Noida, November 17
Around 98 per cent residents of Noida have voter identity cards, according to Tehsildar Satish Chander Shukla. The remaining 20 per cent will also get their cards soon.

During a voters' camp, organised by the Federation of Residents Welfare Associations, Noida, in Sector 52 on Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of residents deposited application forms for registration as voters. Another 100 pointed out errors in their already existing voter ID cards.

Tehsildar Satish Chander Shukla said 98 per cent of the residents in the Noida area had already got their voter photo identity cards prepared. Only those who were out of station had been left, he added.

According to the national average, only 18-20 per cent of the adult population in the county has voter identity cards.

Ideally, at least 62 per cent of the adult population should be in the voters' list. But in Noida, around 61 per cent residents of Noida have their names included in the voters' list. Within a week, 100 per cent adult population would be included in the list, the tehsildar said.

He said around 847 people submitted forms for registration as voters at the special camp on Sunday. About 105 people had handed over forms for corrections in their cards. In a camp organized in Dadri Tehsil, 534 had handed over the forms.