New Delhi, April 29
The continual stalling of Parliament over the issues of Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G Spectrum and coal scam for five days has evoked sharp reaction from many in the Capital, including the street vendors' community whose representatives here today said, the opposition parties should not override the concerns of the poor in the name of protesting against scams.

Instead of scuttling the proceedings, they should engage in debates and allow Parliament to function, they said while demanding the immediate tabling for adoption of the much-awaited Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill. The Bill is yet to get a go-ahead from the Union Cabinet.

"Political parties have a right to protest and debate on the issues of scams, but it is not fair to stall the passage of crucial bills having serious bearings on the bread and butter of the working poor," said Ranjit Abhigyan, the programme manager of the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI).

Describing the Street Vendors Bill as a 'game changer' for the urban India, NASVI national coordinator Arbind Singh said that once enacted, the Street Vendors Bill would change the face of cities and towns across India. Besides protecting the livelihood of street vendors, the legislation would boost inclusive growth and empower the working poor, he said.

The revised Bill is much more strengthened and it also incorporates the issues of inclusion of vendors doing their business on railway lands unlike the previous version that had kept railway vendors out of its cover.

Singh called upon the Prime Minister to ensure that the Union Cabinet approves the revised Bill. "The enactment of such legislation would demonstrate to the world that India has the vision and will to set a model of inclusive urban development," he stated.

NASVI president Manali Shah questioned the delay by the Union Cabinet even after the Parliamentary Standing Committee tabled its report on Street Vendors Bill and demanded immediate tabling of the Bill in the House.

New Delhi, April 29
In the wake of Chinese intrusion across the Line of Actual Control, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) today launched a massive nationwide protest. Burning effigies and flag of the Chinese government and its army for its unprecedented act of trespass into the Indian territory, the BJP student wing today demonstrated on North Campus of Delhi University.

Delhi secretary Rohit Chahal said that the Indian government has failed on all fronts and blamed its foreign policy for this critical situation, citing the examples of beheading the Indian soldiers to the brutal attack on Sarabjit Singh.

It is an assault on the sovereignty of India and the government should act fast to deal with China, he said.

New Delhi, April 29
A 47-year-old pedestrian was killed and five others, including two children, were injured in a freak road accident in the Mehrauli area, south Delhi, last night.

The deceased is identified as Sanjeev Dutt Sharma. The injured persons are identified as Mahesh Kumar Sadan, a resident of Hari Nagar; Somadhar, Rajkumar, both residents of Ghitorni and two children.

According to the police, Sadan, Somadhar and Rajkumar were travelling in a Scorpio SUV. Rajkumar was driving the car. They were headed to Ghitorni after visiting the Executive Club near Chhattarpur Mandir in south Delhi about 10 pm.

Sharma was crossing a road at Mehrauli. Rajkumar lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into Sharma, killing him instantly. Rajkumar tried fleeing the spot, but rammed the SUV into a motorcycle. The two children who were riding with their father on the motorcycle were injured. Rajkumar could not control the vehicle and crashed into a container truck, injuring himself and his friends Sadan and Somadhar.

The injured and the deceased were taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital.

The police have registered a case of hit-and-run accident against Rajkumar. He was arrested today after being discharged from the hospital.

New Delhi, April 29
The Delhi government today claimed to be inching close to its target of a kerosene-free city scheme with distributing more than one lakh LPG connection with cylinder and gas burner to the Delhiites so far.

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Haroon Yusuf said that the government is making efforts to exhort the remaining kerosene users to quickly come forward to register themselves for the scheme so that the city can be tagged as kerosene-free in the next three months.

The scheme was approved by the Cabinet in the financial year 2012-13 and a budget of Rs 40 crore was allocated at that time. Yusuf today said that the scheme envisages to provide free LPG connections to those kerosene users who are in the category of below poverty line and Antyodaya Annshree Yojna and above poverty line ration card holders.

"The scheme was effectively implemented on December 2012 and within a short span of four months, the milestone of release of 'one lakh free gas connections' has been achieved," said Yusuf.

"As on date, around 1.45 lakh kerosene users have visited the circle offices to apply for a free LPG connection and already, around one lakh families have been benefited with it, bringing cheers to almost five lakhs citizens of the city, particularly the women of these families," he said.