 |
|
| Thursday,
March 7, 2002, Chandigarh, India
|
|
|||
|
Poll code violation seen in decision New Delhi, March 6 The shopkeepers of 10 markets in the Capital will be charged ground rent at the rate of 2.5 per cent of the concessional premium actually charged from them and not on 100 per cent premium of land. The shopkeepers in these 10 markets have been given ownership rights through a Cabinet decision on October 20, 1989 by charging 50 to 80 per cent of premium of land. The 10 markets which would be covered by Tuesday’s decision are Mehar Chand Market, Babu Market, INA Market, Ali Ganj Market, Kasturba Nagar Market Sectors VI, VIII, IX and XII, and INA platforms. “The announcement is a gross violation of Model Code of Conduct as the notification for the civic poll is already out,” Election Minister Deep Chand Bandhu told reporters. “The Central Government is trying to benefit the BJP ahead of the MCD polls,” he claimed. The Model of Conduct for the MCD elections, he said, was in operation which prohibited announcement of any concessions and taking up new schemes which would be viewed as giving sops to voters with a view to influencing them. “The Government of NCT of Delhi,” he added, “was observing the Code of Conduct so that no impression is given that voters are being influenced in any way by giving concessions to them.” Mr Bandhu said he has written to the Union Home Minister LK Advani, Urban Development Minister Ananth Kumar, Cabinet Secretary TR Prasad and Delhi State Election Commissioner MP Tyagi asking them to take “appropriate action” in the case. Asked what “appropriate action” should be taken, Bandhu said the nomination of the BJP candidates should be cancelled. |
|
Police plea for Yadav’s remand rejected Ghaziabad, March 6 The judge had reserved the decision after arguments in the day and pronounced it at about 4.30 pm. The CJM had earlier rejected the police plea last week for the remand of the two accused. The police team, which had gone to Deveria to nab the third accused Sukhdev alias Pehlwan, has not returned yet, a source said. Vikas Yadav, son of Rajya Sabha MP D. P. Yadav and his cousin were arrested from Dabra in Madhya Pradesh and brought here on transit remand. They have been accused of kidnapping and murdering Nitish Katara, son of a joint secretary in the Ministry of Shipping in New Delhi. During the one-day police remand given earlier, the Ghaziabad police had claimed to have recovered the murder weapon, a hammer and a wrist watch of the victim. The police said that they were still awaiting the report of a DNA test. Body
found:
Another youth was run over by a train near Sahibabad border checkpost. The police have sent the body of the unidentified youth for an autopsy. The police have recovered the body of a 25-year-old youth in Loni, identified as Syaram, son of Jabbar Singh, a resident of Gokulpuri area of Delhi. The body bore some wound marks, though it was not clear as to how lost his life. Manju, wife of Promode, who had been living with the family of her brother-in-law Dharampal in Bambhota village under Kavi Nagar police station area for sometime, suddenly went missing on Saturday evening. There is no trace of Manju till date.
TNS |
|
Tihar to house Arundhati for a day High profile author and Booker prize winner Arundhati Roy was today lodged in jail number six of high security Tihar Jail, where she was brought by the personnel of the Delhi Police. The Supreme Court for contempt of court had sentenced her to one day’s simple imprisonment. Ms Roy was brought to Tihar Jail at about 12.30 pm and taken to the recently opened jail number six, also called the female jail, jail sources said. The author of the much-acclaimed, “God of Small Things”, is likely to be lodged in a separate room. However, according to the Law Officer, Tihar Prisons, Sunil Gupta, there has been no special facilities provided to Arundhati Roy. She will be treated as a normal person, and is lodged in a general barracks with others. Food prepared generally for the prisoners will be offered to her, and there is no special dish cooked for her. Meanwhile, 2,000 Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists led by their leader Medha Patkar blocked the Parliament Street, demanding that they also should be taken to Tihar. The activists, who were brought to the Parliament Street police station from the Supreme Court where they had been protesting since early morning, refused to disperse and said they would continue their dharna if they were not taken to Tihar Jail. “This is a murder of freedom of speech and expression granted by our Constitution. The activists refusing to get off from the police vehicle at Parliament Street police station were yanked down with great force,” an NBA activist sitting on dharna said. TNS
|
|
|
Speed guns deployed on Delhi-Jaipur stretch Gurgaon, March 6 Mr Dalal advised the public not to breach the limit. The driver shall be fined Rs. 400 the first time and Rs. 1000 for subsequent violations. The Gurgaon Range has recommended to the State government that it should appoint an officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police for monitoring the traffic. At present, an inspector does the needful. The supervision of the highway police patrol has been handed over to the State Transport Commission. The highway police have been delegated the power to fine drivers on the spot, as is the case in the national Capital. Mr Dalal disclosed that the casualties in road accidents have increased this year in Gurgaon and Faridabad compared to that in the corresponding period last year. Fifty persons had died till March 5, 2002, in Gurgaon whereas in 2001, 45 persons were killed in road accidents. In Faridabad, there have been 49 casualties this year as against 45 deaths last year. |
|
Will Kotla repeat itself at Nahar? Faridabad, march 6 While the district authorities and the officials of Haryana Cricket Association were busy with last-minute preparations, there was a scramble for complimentary passes at the stadium. Hundreds of policemen have already been posted near the stadium to restrict the movement of private vehicles. As the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, will be the Chief guest at the opening match tomorrow, the area has been turned into a police cantonment. According to the district Police Chief, a three-tier security network has been put in place and police jawans from other districts have also been deployed for match duty. The parking arrangements for the spectators and visitors have been made at the Dussehra ground in the NIT, which is about 500 metres away from the venue. Controversy and allegations of irregularities have marked the distribution of passes, including those intended for the media. It is alleged that a large number of VIP passes have been given to favourites and even press passes have been passed on. While an official of the District Cricket Association denied the allegation, there were some Press reporters who did not receive their passes and were instead given only duty cards, normally given to staff on duty around the stadium. All kind of conspiratorial theories seemed to be doing the rounds. Some of the youths alleged that the free passes were on sale. Allegations of black marketing of tickets were also rife. But the Deputy Director, Sports (Cricket), Mr Sarkar Talwar, denied that tickets had been over-sold. Meanwhile, players of both the teams had net practice at the stadium. Saurav Ganguly and coach John Wright inspected the pitch. while the main pitch is hard and bald, the outfield is green. Metal detectors have been fitted at every gate and trained sniffer dogs deployed. There were some anxious moments last night after a body was found near the Nahar Singh Cricket Stadium. The unidentified body has been kept in the post-mortem house of the civil hospital here. Police investigation is on. |
|
Pay scale anomalies irk school lecturers Panipat, March 6 The lecturers are seething with rage since the pay scales of every cadre of the state government, including the JBT teachers, masters/mistresses and headmasters/headmistresses, had been increased. The problem started with the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission in 1998 as the lecturers were placed in the pay scale of Rs 6,500-10,000, below those of headmasters, who had been placed in the pay scale of Rs 7,500-12,500. Traditionally, both the categories had been on an equal footing even though the minimum qualification for the post of headmaster was B.A., B.Ed and that of lecturer M.A. The anomaly was brought to the notice of the then Bansi lal Government, who promised to look into the matter but of no avail, alleged Mr Satbir Singh Malik, president of the Panipat district unit of the Haryana School
Lectures Association, which had been fighting for the lecturers for years now. With the change of guards in Haryana, the lecturers saw a ray of hope as the Chautala Government assumed the charge. In fact, Mr Chautala announced at a state-level convention of the association in Hissar on November 5, 2000 that the long-pending demand of the association for the grant of Class II had been accepted with immediate effect. But, like other decisions of the Chautala Government, this notification is yet to be implemented. Regarding the revised pay scales for the lecturers, Mr Chautala announced that this demand would also be met shortly, but in vain. Earlier, Mr Bhajan Lal had also announced the grant of Class II status to the lecturers. The lecturers’ litany of complaints does not end here. Mr Malik alleged that like other government employees they were not being given assured career progression (ACP), thus blocking their promotional avenues. To cap it all, the minimum qualification for the post of the Principal is M.A., B.Ed., whereas the essential qualification for the post of lecturer is M.A., putting them to disadvantage vis-à-vis the headmaster for promotion to the level of principal-the only promotional avenue open to them. Demanding the study leave for lecturers on the pattern of the college lecturers, Mr Malik demanded that the condition of B.Ed. for the newly-advertised post of principals in the Haryana school be done away with. Otherwise the association will move court, he added. |
|
Motorists in a real jam New Delhi, March 6 About three weeks ago, the construction to widen the divider began on the Shiekh Sarai Road in south Delhi. But since the past one week, no one from the Public Works Department (PWD) has been seen working there. The bricks and other construction material have been left behind on the main road and no board whatsoever has been put up to caution the motorists of it. Nearby shopkeepers said several times in the past week, the vehicles have rammed the huge pile of bricks, but luckily no major mishap has taken place. “But if the authorities do not complete the half-finished work, a major accident can take place,” said Kasturi Lal, who owns a cigarette shop along the road. The road is even otherwise busy with traffic rushing from the Madan Gir area and Saket. Earlier, the traffic would be congested just during the rush hours as the office-goers coming from the fast-developing Gurgaon, Saket, Madan Gir and Khan Pur have to take this road to reach the major office hubs like Nehru Place, Lajpat Nagar or ITO. But the residents said that ever since the work to widen the divider was started, there was “a traffic jam 24 hours of the day”. A resident of Sheikh Sarai, Mr S.K. Chauhan, said: “This just goes to show that the governmental agencies don’t give a damn about the residents of the city. If they thought the divider needed to be widened, fair enough. But they should have completed the work. Why have they left it mid-way? They are Mr Mukherjee said that minor accidents had already taken place on the Sheikh Sarai road. A major mishap was just round the corner if the authorities did not take prompt action to complete the work that they had begun. Mr Mohit Malhotra, a resident of Saket, who drives down this road regularly to reach his office in Nehru Place, said that he had been seeing the stones and other building material lying in the middle of the road for a week. “The least the authorities could do was to put a sign board. It’s shameful,” he remarked. He went on to add that everyday he got stuck in the traffic jam because of the construction material lying in the middle. “I just don’t understand their (government’s) psychology. When the agencies don’t know if they would turn up for work the next day, why do they leave the construction material on the sides,” Mr Malhotra said. However, a PWD official said the work had just stopped for a couple of days because of shortage of labour. “We are widening the divider to make the road look cleaner and neater. The work will be completed in a day or two,” the official told the ‘NCR Tribune’. But the residents of the area are worried as widening the divider would further narrow down the road. And with the Monday mart and the unauthorized ‘thelewallahs’ (cart-pullers) taking the corner chunk of the road, there would be nothing left of it. |
|
Chamber moots panel to prune workforce New Delhi, March 6 On downsizing, the chamber cites the example of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation that is managed by an executive staff of 300 persons only. Similarly, the memorandum has sought the redefining of Public Works Department (PWD) and restricting its domain of activity to monitoring only, leaving the implementation work to private players. Further, the chamber has expressed concern over the infringement on the Master Plan and unchecked growth of population. Since the economy of neighbouring towns is closely linked with Delhi, says the chamber, coordination with the NCR Planning Board for holistic development of the region is essential. It may include co-operation with the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and facilitation of two-way flow of traffic by way of MRTS (mass rapid transport system) etc. Seeking a 50 per cent ceiling on subsidy for relocating JJ clusters, the PHDCCI has suggested that slums must not be allowed to come up. It also suggests that steps must ensure that unauthorised colonies do not come up on rural agricultural land. |
|
AIATF asks Muslims to allow temple at Ayodhya Panipat, March 6 Talking to reporters here today, Dr Shandilya, said if the Muslims considered themselves to be the Indian citizens, they should hand over the disputed site to Hindus. However, replying to a query, he denied that the front was adopting any “pro-Hindu” stance. On the other hand, he hastened to demand the imposition of the President’s rule in the riot-affected Gujarat. He informed that he would lead a delegation to Gujarat on March 11 and after that to the “most-sensitive” areas of Jammu to have an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. Meanwhile, the following have been appointed office-bearers of the Panipat district unit of the front: president - Mr Rajnish Gupta; president (urban) - Mr Sachin Sandwan; vice-president - Mr Megh Raj Gupta; and general secretary - Mr Ramesh Gupta. |
|
Death of ‘master kidnapper’ brings relief Ghaziabad, March 6 Sarpanch, whose gang of the same name had wrought havoc in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and many other states with its operations, was killed in an encounter with the Pilkhua police Tuesday night. He had kidnapped Shashi, the businessman son of Pilkhua’s well-known social worker and philanthropist Lala Balmukund, in November last year when the victim was taking his morning walk on the Sikhoda road. He was released only after Sarpanch had collected a ransom of Rs 35 lakh from the family of Shashi on November 30. The businessman was reportedly detained in bunkers constructed in various villages of Muzzafarnagar district. The truth in this case had come to light only after a number of Sarpanch’s companions were arrested by the Saharanpur police. The real name of Sarpanch was Bhagwan who hailed from Haryana. He had also been responsible for the kidnapping of a Sessions Judge of Sonepat in Haryana, Mr P. C. Narwala, in 1990. The Sessions Judge was also released after Sarpanch had collected a ransom of Rs 10 lakh, it is learnt. The Sikandrabad police have already killed some of Sarpanch’s companions — Rambeer, Chaohan, Dharma Gujrar and Anil — in encounters. Now with Sarpanch’s death, people are feeling much relieved. |
|
NCR BRIEFS Rohtak, March 6 A spokesman of the police today said that five youths — Narender, Virender, Sumit, Hari Prakash and Ashok, who were arrested by the police last month, admitted their involvement in seven cases of theft. He said these youths had opened fire on the police party when it raided the spot where they were planning to loot bus passengers. The police had recovered a country-made pistol, a live cartridge and two knives from their possession and a case under Sections 399, 402 and 307 of the IPC and Section 25/54/59 of the Arms Act was registered against them.. On women’s rights Change in the behavioural patterns of the society and its social structure is necessary for establishing women’s rights as human rights. This was stated by eminent sociologist Prof P. N. Pimpley in his valedictory address at the UGC-sponsored national seminar on ‘Women and Human Rights’ organised by the Sociology Department of Maharshi Dayanand University here today. Prof Pimpley, president of the North West India Sociologists Association, said that though there were sufficient legislation vis-a-vis women’ rights, the implementation part had been floundering due to the rigid mindset. He suggested that the problem had to be tackled at the grass root level, especially at the familial and societal level. Refresher course A UGC refresher course in history commenced at Maharshi Dayanand University here today. Dr S. B. Dahiya, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, inaugurated the course. Nearly 40 teachers are taking part in the course which would continue till March 26. Mishap victim dies Faridabad Cyclist killed Panipat Bar Association Sonepat Fake drug dealers held Faridabad IG gets a taste of high-handedness Rohtak |
|
Five hurt in fire
at export unit New Delhi, March 6Five persons, including three women,
were reportedly injured in a minor fire that broke out in a factory in
Taimur Nagar in the New Friends Colony area today afternoon. While two
of the injured employees, Seema (18) and Abdul Shezaf (35), were
admitted in Jeevan Nursing Home, Sudha (16), Anju (20) and Nanak (28)
were admitted in Safdarjung Hospital. All are reported to be out of
danger. The police said that the fire broke out around 1 pm in the
export factory assembling synthetic bags and chappals. The factory
belonged to Mr Ajay Kumar. The injured laborers were packing the
material when the incident occurred. The exact cause of the fire is
still not ascertained. In another incident, two persons, Nabbu Hussain
and Najeebul Sheikh, were injured in a fire that broke out in Sanjay
Amar Colony, a jhuggi cluster at Yamuna Pushta in North Delhi, this
afternoon. They were admitted to LNJP Hospital. The fire broke out at
3.15 pm and engulfed 25 jhuggis. Fourteen firefighters were rushed to
the area and they took half-an-hour to douse the flame, a spokesman of
the Delhi Fire Service said. |
|
|
Punjabi Sabha to open offices in 20 states
New Delhi, March 6
|
Crackdown yields heroin worth Rs 1.25 crore New Delhi, March 6 The police had been tipped off that one Murti Devi, resident of Karol Bagh, was selling heroin on a large scale. Immediately, she was put under surveillance by SI Bhoop Singh and his team. On March 1, information was received that Murti Devi will deliver heroin in the Karol Bagh area. The SI organised a raiding party and reached the appointed place — DDA Park, Faiz Road, Karol Bagh. At about 4.30 pm, Murti Devi walked into the trap laid by the Narcotics Branch. A personal search yielded 50 gm of heroin. She is alleged to be a veteran in the drug trade. She has been involved in seven other cases under the NDPS Act. In another case, the Delhi Police Narcotics Branch received a tip off that one Kailash Chand Bairagi, resident of Ganesh Nagar, was dealing in heroin. Immediately, SI Kuldeep Singh began processing the information. On March 4, he received a tip off that the suspect was going to deliver a huge consignment of heroin near Vikaspuri. The SI laid a trap at Keshopur depot, opposite Vikaspuri. At about 6.10 pm, the accused appeared on the scene and was caught red-handed by the Narcotics officers. A polythene bag was seized, which contained 1 kg heroin. Interrogation revealed that he was getting his supplies from his native place, Bhiwani Mandi. He was also dealing in readymade garments, but the lust for money had pitch-forked him into the world of narcotics. A police team has been dispatched to Bhiwani Mandi to trace the main supplier. The local customers are, however, still absconding. The value of the recovered heroin in both the cases is put at Rs 1.25 crore in the international market.
|
|
Staff of DJB contractor held for causing death New Delhi, March 6 Two burglars nabbed:
During interrogation, they confessed to have been involved in four other burglary cases. The modus operandi of the suspects was to first identify the factories, jewellery and electronic shops they would like to target and loot them in the night. They would first keep a watch over the target and hit in the night. They used to break windows and grills with the help of iron rods to gain entry. The accused have been sent to judicial custody. Further investigations are on. 4 held for stabbing man:
Chain snatcher held:
|
|
Two of auto lifters’ gang nabbed New Delhi, March 6 Both the accused, both residents of Madina village in Rohtak district, confessed to stealing cars from Punchkula near Chandigarh and later disposing them of in Delhi and other parts of Haryana. They were found involved in a number of crimes. While Subhash has been involved in a kidnapping and murder case in Gohana, Rajesh has two cases under the Excise Act and one assault case against him. Acting on a tip-off that the accused were coming in a stolen Indica, the police kept a surveillance near the T-point in Pratap Nagar and stopped them for questioning on March 1. They panicked when they were asked to produce the original papers of the car, following which the police took them to the station. Later, the car’s numberplate bearing number HR-16-C-551 was found to be fake. The Haryana police had been informed about their arrest and efforts were on to trace their associates, said the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), Mr Sanjay Baniwal. |
|
BSNL augments capacity of exchanges Sonepat, March 6 He disclosed that the six-digit numbering scheme had also been introduced for Kundli, Rai, Bahalgarh, Jakhauli, Murthal, Ganaur, Kharkhauda, Nahra and Mehlana telephone exchanges in the district. The remaining telephone exchanges in the district would be covered under the scheme by April 30. He said that the registration fees for booking new telephone connections had been reduced from Rs 2,000 to Rs 1,000 for the RSU Sector-15, Ganaur and Gohana telephone exchanges and this facility would be available by March 31. An online cash counter had started functioning at City Telecom Centre at Subhash Chowk, Sonepat where the subscribers could obtain India Telecom Card, he informed. |
|
Kit to improve mileage of old scooters designed New Delhi, March 6 The offer will be made available to Kinetic Honda customers through the company’s nationwide dealer network. The fuel efficiency improvement benefit is expected to last for several years. Announcing this remarkable servicing initiative, company officials said, “It gives us a great pleasure to be introducing this benefit to our valuable customers. After Kinetic’s joint venture with Honda was realigned, Kinetic has made many improvements in the engine and all Kinetic scooters since 1998 give very good fuel efficiency. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 122 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
