New Delhi, April 12
Two children and a number of animals were charred to death and about 1,000 jhuggies gutted in a fire that broke out in a slum area in Bawana, outer Delhi, at 1.25 pm today. Some persons sustained injuries. The children were identified as Sartaj (5) and Manish (4). Injured were rushed to Maharishi Balmiki Hospital.

Angry residents pelted stones at fire brigade personnel and damaged a vehicle as they said that had the vehicles of the Delhi Fire Service come timely, the loss of life and property could have been averted. However, the mob was controlled by the elderly people of the area. They also helped the firefighters to douse the fire.

However, a senior fire official said that fire vehicles reached the spot just within 10 minutes. It was a hot day and jhuggies were made of tarpaulin and other combustible material. A minor fire had caught in a jhuggy that had engulfed the entire slum within a few minutes due to blowing wind and the hot weather. This is the first devastating fire in the onset of this summer season.

The official said that by 4 pm the fire was doused. It was a major fire and 21 fire vehicles were pressed to the services. Though cause of fire has yet not been established, it would have been caused of short-circuit. As it was a congested area and each jhuggy is attached with each other, it took no time to spread the fire during the summer season. Some people had animals in their jhuggies. Due to narrow streets, the animals could not run away. They were trapped in the fire and died.

New Delhi, April 12
Pitching in to hike parking rates in the capital, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said that people buying high-end cars can afford to pay more money for parking their vehicles.

Her comments came against the backdrop of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) deciding to double the parking rates in VVIP areas from June. "In the city, every rate has gone up. Cost has gone up. Those who can pay more money to buy high-end cars, they can afford to pay Rs 10 to 20 more for parking," said Dikshit while talking to reporters on the sidelines of the India Gem and Jewellery Fair here.

Asked about the scheme for providing houses for the poor, she said there was a need for framing policies. "There is a need for cut-off date. We cannot provide houses for everyone. We need to frame policies," she said.

On the Supreme Court dismissing death row of convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar's plea for commuting his capital punishment to life imprisonment, Dikshit refused to make any comment.

New Delhi, April 12
For Sanil Sachar, a poet by passion, poetry is a means to express those thoughts that one does not speak out loud but wants to. It is a medium to communicate and reach out to as many people as one can.

"Summer Promises and Other Poems" is not only an insight of the poet's life, but also his perspective on life and various experiences it offers.

His poems traverse a wide range of subjects, from everyday emotions such as love, fame and failure to the occasional transformative moment.

Through this collection of poems, Sachar has lent voice to feelings and emotions experienced by people from all walks of life. "This is a mature literary and my debut that will find a connection with many poetry lovers, whether young or old," said Sachar.

A student of sport business management at Sheffi eld Hallam University, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom, Sachar loves penning down his thoughts and articulating his everyday experiences in the form of verse.

"It is a diary of living life in all its simplicity and immediacy. It is about growing to know things in the process of growing up with things," said eminent poet Javed Akhtar, who was the chief guest at the book launch function.

Minister of Union for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tiwari was the guest of honour on the occasion.

In a direct style, Sachar has expressed what he feels, without inhibitions or restraints.

"He keeps setting things right as they seem to go wrong for the world and for him," he said.

New Delhi, April 12
In a great relief to the family of the acid attack victim from Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, 80 per cent of her eyesight has been restored and the rest will be back gradually with time, said a team of five doctors, comprising two eye specialists and two from plastic surgery, of Sir Ganga Ram Hsopital, where she was brought on April 2 late night.

Chairman of the board of management of the hospital Dr D.S. Rana said that the victim was admitted to the hospital with severe burns on face, neck and chest and eye and was discharged today after 10 days of treatment.

Chairperson of the opthalmology department Dr A.K. Grover said that there was nearly total loss of surface epithelium, loss of blood supply to 2/3rd of the area around the cornea and severe haze of the cornea due to which vision was limited to hand movements close to face.

"There was an imminent risk of corneal melting and severe opacification and growth of vessels on cornea. This, if not tackled properly, would have led to total loss of vision. So, we performed a unique procedure called amniotic membrane transplantation in which an amniotic membrane was obtained from one of the prospective donors undergoing caesarean section," he explained.

"After eight days of surgery, she has shown a remarkable recovery. Almost 3/4th of the surface has been covered by epithelium and corneal haze has significantly improved," Dr Mahesh Mangal, the chairperson of the plastic surgery department said.

Dr Grover said, "The surgery has helped prevent serious disability and results are good. This has resulted in the vision of counting fingers at more than 3 m."

While leaving the hospital the victim called for a change in attitude in society towards women. "I pray to god that what happened to me should not happen to anyone. When I came to this hospital, I was very scared and tensed that I may not be able to see whole of my life. It was all so dark. But now, due to efforts of doctors that I am able to see and my confidence has returned."

Sharing her future plans she said, "I will join my teaching job. My students of Class VI, VII and VIII have been praying for my fast recovery and quick return. I want to meet them."

Jahan Araa, her elder sister said, "It will take my sister some time to gain confidence. But I am pleased to see her smile and talking."

New Delhi, April 12
Addressing the 26th Convocation of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the President, Pranab Mukherjee said the establishment of the university was a huge moment in the history of Indian education.

Beyond doubt, IGNOU in a span of 27 years has become a pioneer for open and distance learning in the country opening avenues for those who may not be lucky enough to have access to formal schools.

"It has provided opportunities to a large number of people who were unable to access formal education or who wanted to diversify their academic portfolio or those who wanted to study for self-enrichment and up-gradation. It has taken higher education to the masses and has learners from a wide range of age groups, including school-dropouts and working adults," he added.

Mukherjee said that life-long learning is imperative in today's demanding world. "The higher education sector must respond to this new opportunity. As learning has no terminal point, 'career learners' would be a new demand entity. Our universities should design programmes that assist such life-long learners," he said, while congratulating around 1.5 lakh learners of the university who received their degrees, diplomas and certificates today.

Among them were nearly 11 students who were awarded doctoral degrees including a gold medal for an international student and three students were given the PhD outside headquarters. This is for the first time that all gold medalists belonging to regional centres other than those in Delhi where similar prorgrammes were organised at two other places received their laurels in their respective regional centers only.

On the occasion, Minister of State for HRD Jitin Prasada said that the technology-enabled education promoted by the university is most suitably positioned to respond to the new challenges and demands, especially those of young aspirants.

The Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU, Prof. M. Aslam, said, "The university has made a meaningful and significant presence in 43 countries with a network of 80 partner institutions having around 54,000 international students. Besides, through the Pan Africa e-Network Project, IGNOU offers a range of programmes to around 30 African countries."