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July 20, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Khurana
says he won’t let Sheila sit in peace New Delhi, July 19 Addressing a meeting of labour and trade unions, Mr Khurana said the Capital had never before witnessed rampant power cut during summers. “The people of Delhi,” he said, “have been forced to face the gruesome power and water problem due to the lack of foresightedness and criminal negligence of the Congress government”. Chiding the Congress for rejecting the demand for complete statehood to the NCT of Delhi, Mr Khurana said BJP has taken the lead in mobilising public opinion for bringing all agencies under a unitary administrative system. “The Congress has exposed its dual policy by rejecting the demand for full statehood. The BJP will continue its agitation and fight the next Assembly election on this issue if the Congress declined to support our demand,” he added. |
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Sex education
in schools, at last New Delhi, July 19 To address questions as simple as changes in the body structure to the more complex ones like sexually transmitted diseases, the NCERT has brought out a series of five handbooks, comprising one on general framework, a guide on knowledge base, one containing frequently asked questions and their answers, another on student activities and a booklet giving details of the role of adults for school students. These
books, which are a part of the programme titled ‘Adolescence
Education in Schools’, are aimed at guiding the adolescents by
helping them answer questions that plague their minds and, through
exercises, impart sex education. The package has been designed to be
used meaningfully in training or orientation programmes for teachers.
It will include discussion on topics like emotional changes during
adolescence, gender roles, information on AIDS and HIV and the
physical development. These topics are likely to be covered by means of quiz contests, role-play, question box, group discussion and activities to be demonstrated in classroom situations. The
teaching method has also been chalked out keeping in mind the
sensitivity of the subject. Non-conventional and interactive methods
like audio-video aids and students’ activities will be used. The NCERT has already passed on the study material to the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERTs) and is awaiting the feedback from schools and educators. The
programme has been designed keeping in mind the students at the
primary stage as well as at the higher secondary stage. While at the
primary stage, the focus will remain on genital hygiene and physical
growth, at the upper primary stage, it will be on emotional changes,
puberty and sexual health. |
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Suburban
train derails New Delhi, July 19 There was complete panic as the passengers trapped inside the coaches tried to rush out. Several passengers sustained minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital for first aid. Most of the passengers were thrown off their seats and many were injured when they collided against the sides of the coaches. The traffic on the route was affected and restored after several hours. Relief teams from both the Tughlaqabad and the Nizamuddin railway stations reached the accident site within minutes. Hundreds of curious onlookers thronged the accident site. Senior police and railway officers arrived on the spot to carry out relief work. This resulted in considerable traffic snarls on the main Mathura Road and other adjoining roads during the morning rush hours. Senior police and railway officials, who reached the spot, said that the cause of the accident was being investigated and nothing was being ruled out. However, Divisional Railway Manager
V.K. Duggal and Divisional Sub-Officer R. P. Thakur said that they did not suspect any sabotage and attributed the cause to some technical fault. An enquiry committee has been set up to ascertain the cause of the accident. Visibly shaken, some of the passengers of the seven affected coaches said that the train was running smoothly and it had just passed the Tughlaqabad railway station when there was a sudden jolt and the coaches went off the tracks with an ear-shattering screech. “After that, there was utter confusion as passengers tried to rush out and many were hurt in the subsequent stampede,” one of the passengers said. The railway officials said that this stretch was a two-track line — one for local trains and another for long-distance trains. The track for local trains was damaged due to the derailment and local train services were affected for about 45 minutes. The long-distance trains ran as per schedule. The derailment caused a heavy traffic jam from Sarita Vihar to Okhla water tank on Mathura Road. |
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From mangoes to desi ghee, a gala life in jail Meerut, July 19 The booty included 50 kg of mangoes, 7.5 kg of pure ghee, some brown sugar, a large number of petrol lighters and some blades. A television, two mini coolers and one table fan were also recovered. The authorities are still preparing the inventory. The raid was constituted by District Magistrate Jaganmohan on the request of the new jail superintendent, Mr V. P. Tripathi, who assumed charge recently. Three teams of district officials raided the barracks. Every inmate was searched. Petrol lighters and blades were found on many an inmate. In the barracks, officials were surprised to find the choicest of articles. Most of the inmates were found to possess pure ghee, fresh vegetables and mangoes, sufficient packets of good quality biscuits and namkeen snacks. Authorities were astonished to see barrack No 6 in which the notorious gangster of western UP, Ravindra Bhura, had been kept earlier. Apparently, the former jail authorities were extending him several special privileges. Smack and foils have been seized. An inmate reportedly told the authorities that one of their cell mates would arrange the smack. The ADM City himself found several inmates preparing food on gas stoves. The teams found ironed and starched clothes. A person was seen washing clothes for the inmates on premises. It is learnt that this was his daily chore. It was also found that special food was available to some inmates on the jail premises in exchange for money. While the Jail Superintendent told the ADM City that food was distributed among inmates at 12 noon and 6 pm, he found that it was still being prepared in the kitchen during the raid. The food was being made for one of the inmates, Pramod Bhadara. The Joint ADM ordered the kitchen to be closed down. When Pramod Bhadara and other inmates protested, the authorities used force to disperse them. |
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Few takers for excise policy within Cong New Delhi The unseemly incident started after Bhisham Sharma of the Congress wanted to know from the minister if liquor vends could be opened in an Assembly constituency in spite of the legislator’s refusal. The question, incidentally, was raised by Sahib Singh Chauhan of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP.) “Several legislators,” Sharma wanted to know of the minister, “have given it in writing that they are not in favour of liquor vends opening in their respective constituencies. What does the excise policy say in this regard since the provision of No Objection Certificate (NOC) of legislator concerned has been done away with.” Sharma was joined by other Congress legislators who wanted the minister to come out with a categorical response. Sensing that the minister was in no mood to satisfy their queries, Sharma accused him of lying to the CLP and going back on his promise to the party’s legislators. All the minister would say was suitable decision would be taken according to the guidelines spelt out in the excise policy. It was left to some of the ministers to pacify their colleagues and allow other questions to be taken up for discussion. |
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Sons of top families held, 10 cars seized Noida, July 19 Ten Maruti cars have been recovered from the student-thieves who were nabbed by a joint police team of Sector-20 and Sector 24 police stations. According to SP City, Vijay Bhushan, these boys operated in Noida and Delhi and used to steal cars just for the heck of it. They used a master key. On their tip-off, a Maruti car stolen on July 6 from the Ganga Shopping Centre and a Zen car stolen from Sector-19 on June 21 were recovered from Sector-25. Another gang member has facilitated the recovery of a Maruti stolen from opposite DPS on July 7 and another Maruti lifted from the Army Public School on July 17. These cars were also recovered from the Ganga Shopping Centre’s parking lot. One of the boys had passed his 12th standard while the others are still in schools. Two gang members were students of Sunrise Public School while one is studying in Air Force Balbharti School. |
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MDU to sack executive engineer Rohtak, July 19 The Executive Council of the university, which met under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor Maj Gen (Retd) Bhim Singh Suhag, also approved recommendations of the Academic Council on starting new courses through Distance Education Mode (DDE) and banning admissions to the MBA and MCA courses run by M.R.D.A.V. Institute of Management Studies, Hassangarh. The council also deferred a decision on transfer of 1400 meters of university land to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) for setting up a telephone exchange on the university campus. |
Power cuts leave DLF residents sleepless Gurgaon, July 19 A senior officer of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), who looks after the DLF area, informed NCR Tribune on condition of anonymity that all power lines in DLF City were highly overloaded. As per the guidelines of the department, more than 90 new transformers were to be installed before the onset of summer but the DLF authority had installed only two new ones and augmented and upgraded around 20 existing transformers, said the officer. He further revealed that as per the norms the power supply on lines should not exceed 200 amperes but on almost all lines the power supplied was around 300 amperes. A letter written by the then Superintending Engineer, DHBVN, Gurgaon, (memo no. 49/SS-DLF) dated June 6, 2002, a photocopy of which is in the possession of NCR Tribune, mentions, “DLF was supposed to complete the strengthening by the end of April, but for certain reasons the same has got delayed”. As per the memorandum of understanding signed between DLF, DHBVN and HVPN on January 9, 2002, DLF had agreed to strengthen the existing system in keeping with the requirement in the next five years. The details with regard to the distribution problems as well as other improvement required for strengthening the system in the area had been submitted to DLF by the XEN, Suburban Division, DHBVN, Gurgaon, the letter stated. According to sources, DLF had to spend crores of rupees in changing and laying more power lines and installing the requisite number of transformers. The developer was supposed to provide three 66 KVA substations for the required supply of power in DLF City but it had installed only one 66 KVA sub station. However, the electricity in-charge of DLF City, Col J. S. Sahru, informed that one transformer of 16 MVA was burnt during Sunday night. It was only after this that the problem of shortage of power surfaced in the area. The transformer was being repaired on a war footing. This would ultimately be replaced within a couple of days, added Colonel Sahru. On the question of poor power infrastructure in DLF City, Colonel Sahru said the whole system in DLF Phase 1 and 2 was designed and laid by the state government’s Electricity Department when the colony was being developed. DLF paid the government for the services, added the officer. If the government directed DLF to improve the basic infrastructure as per the requirement, DLF was always ready for it. However, people were upset as there was a power cut of five to seven hours regularly in the area, lamented a resident, Mr Sandeep Sharma. Recently, there was no power throughout the night for two consecutive days in most of the areas of DLF City, said Mr Satheesan. The Chairman of the DLF City Phase 3 Association, Mr Inderjit Sagar, remarked there were not only frequent cuts in power in their areas, but also the voltage was extremely low. This resulted in poor functioning of electronic gadgets. There were a lot of regular complaints of electronic equipment being damaged due to poor power supply, said Mr Sagar. With the infrastructure put up by the DLF authorities, the power situation in DLF City could not improve, concluded office-bearers of these two resident welfare associations. |
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IN PARLIAMENT New Delhi, July 19 In a written reply, the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Ms Rita Verma said “there is no proposal with the government for introducing the system of re-evaluation in CBSE”. The minister acknowledged that a “few cases of suicides related to examinations were reported in the newspapers after the declaration of Board results this year. However, statistics in this regard are not reported to this ministry”. She, however, sought to delink re-evaluation from suicides, adding as per examination bye laws, the board makes a provision for verification of marks in any particular subject. But this is restricted to checking whether all the answers have been evaluated and that there has been no mistake in the totalling of marks for each question in that subject and that the marks have been transferred correctly on the title page of the answer book and to the award list and whether the supplementary answer book attached with the answer book, mentioned by the candidate, are intact. “It would be too simplistic to assume that suicide cases take place due to the non-availability of the facility of re-evaluation of answer books. In fact, the cases relating to suicide are linked to a number of factors including individual personality, fast changing social dynamics, home environment, inability of children to cope with the demands and expectations of family etc,” Ms Verma said In reply to another question, the minister said the Delhi University is not charging any additional fee from the students coming from other states. She said the university has informed that there is no discrimination between the students of Delhi and those coming from other states in the sale of admission forms. A Rs 2,000 core project for treatment and cleaning of Yamuna river under the Yamuna Action Plan Phase II will be finalised with the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation within the next few months, Rajya Sabha was informed today. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, the Environment and Forest Minister, Mr
T.R. Baalu, said the completion of the project would go a long way in dealing with the pollution problem of Yamuna. “The Rs 2000 crore project with assistance from Bank of Japan is in the offing,” he said, adding it is expected to be finalised by September. The project envisages creation of additional 975 million litres per day
(MLD) capacity for treatment of sewage, the Minister said, adding as against the requirement of 3,300
MLD, currently 2,300 MLD treatment capacity has been installed. Elaborating on the reasons for pollution in river Yamuna, Mr Baalu said of 125 kms of trunk drains, 91 kms are non-functional and the Delhi Government has rehabilitated only 18 kms of sewage trunks in the last two years. He said the Committee of Secretaries yesterday reviewed the matter and an action plan is being finalised for controlling pollution in the river. In reply to another question, the minister said the noise levels in few locations around IGI Airport have been found to be higher than the internationally accepted limit of 45 noise and number index. The Central Pollution Control Board in association with the Indian Institute of Technology,
Roorkee, conducted a study to assess the noise pollution around IGI Airport, Mr Baalu said. He said no complaint has been received about the noise pollution adversely affecting the residents of camps of para-military forces and other residential colonies located in adjoining areas. In reply to another question in Rajya Sabha, the Minister said there is no conclusive data available to confirm mortality attributable to air pollution. He said a study by AIIMS indicates manifestation of respiratory and cardio-vascular diseases attributable to air pollution. Degree of relationship amongst levels of pollution, temperature, humidity was assessed by using statistical models. The study did not investigate mortality due to air pollution, Mr Baalu added. The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ms Uma Bharti, informed the Rajya Sabha that a total of Rs 13,640.09 lakh had been spent on maintenance of SAI stadia and building from 1984-85 to 2001-02. She said the routine maintenance of stadia of the SAI in Delhi was carried out on regular basis. However, following availability of funds for preparation for Afro-Asian games, the SAI stadia in Delhi were upgraded to meet international standard. In addition, some other stadia belonging to other agencies were also upgraded. |
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Meeting
with CM fails to enthuse entrepreneurs Faridabad, July 19 Various prominent organisations, including the Faridabad Industries Association (FIA), the Manufacturers Association (MA), the Faridabad Small Industries Association (FSIA), the Faridabad Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Laghu Udyog Bharti, the Plastic Industries Association and representatives of the Lakhani group had held a meeting with the district administration to discuss the issues which could be highlighted at the meeting with the Chief Minister. Although the organisations expressed happiness over the move made by the state government, they were unanimous in their resentment over the tardy pace of development work in industrial areas in the district. Representatives of the industries held the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, (MCF) responsible for poor development of infrastructure and basic facilities required despite the fact that the units had been paying various taxes. The Deputy Commissioner has asked the MCF to set up a committee for redressing such grievances. This committee should have a representative of the industries. The meeting stressed upon the need for better communication and co-ordination and action against corrupt and inefficient officials, it is learnt. The FSIA, which had also taken up various problems with the higher authorities earlier, has now prepared a memorandum to be submitted to the Chief Minister. According to Mr Rajiv Chawla, General Secretary of the FSIA, small-scale units and entrepreneurs at large were facing various problems that required prompt attention and solution. He said many issues were related to the MCF. There was hardly any maintenance or upgradation of infrastructure in the industrial pockets. He said choked sewers, potholed roads, absence of streetlights, ailing parks and public transport had been pressing problems. He said the MCF had a tendency to impose a new tax on industrial units every other day without caring to provide the basic
facilities. The department concerned so far had not registered hundreds of factories functioning in non- conforming areas. Demanding that these units and the areas be regularised on payment of development charges, he claimed that such units had been employing thousands of workers and the government should recognise the units immediately. The FSIA has demanded that the process of the change of land use (CLU) be simplified and charges be reduced with the district administration authorised to decide it locally. It has also demanded the external development charges (EDC) and rationalisation of sales tax should be made more simple and brought on a par with other states on various items. The sales tax on several items, including plastic goods, was higher in Haryana. The construction of a flyover at Badarpur
border, speedy construction of the bypass, flyovers at congested spots like old Faridabad, Ballabgarh on Mathura Road, repair of all roads in industrial sectors, reduction in stamp duty and declaration of Faridabad as an export promoting zone are some of the demands which are likely to be taken up at the July 23 meeting. |
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FARIDABAD Faridabad, July 19 The accused identified as Vipin Kumar
'hacked' his wife 'Gudia' to death in his house after he suspected her of having illicit marital relationship with another man. It is learnt that the victim, who had been undergoing treatment at a hospital, was brought to the house by her husband before killing her. It is reported that the woman was first severely beaten up and then attacked with some hard object, which claimed her life. Subsequently, the husband went to the police station and surrendered himself. A case has been booked against him. In another case, a resident of Shahpur village was beaten to `death’ by a group of 14 people of the same village after a dispute over a piece of land in the village. The victim, identified as Jiya Ram, had objected to claims made by some people over a plot of land. The accused identified as Amar Singh Virpal, Veer Singh, Narayan, Amrit Sher Singh, Raju Vinesh, Pratap Yograj, Naresh Rakesh and Bhim Singh allegedly attacked him with lathis and other weapons. Jiya Ram died on the spot. |
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NHRC seeks report on torture of 18-yr-old boy New Delhi, July 19 The Police Commissioner has been asked to submit a report within a week on a news report, which stated the police allegedly picked up one Deepak from his grandfather’s house in South Delhi in some case of petty theft and carried out “unimaginable torture.” Sources said the NHRC has also asked its Director-General (Investigation) Y. N. Srivastva to collect “facts” about the incident. According to a report, the police allegedly asked Deepak to “confess” involvement in a case of petty theft and then demanded money for letting him go. When he denied involvement and refused to buy his freedom, at least five of them (police personnel) surrounded him and beat him up. “They stripped him to the accompaniment of abuses and highly derogatory comments. Then they forced him to lie on his stomach and injected a mixture of petrol and thinner into his rectum,” the report alleged. Later to “save their skins, because custodial death is a serious issue, the police took him to a nearby medical centre and got him admitted under the false name of ‘Ravi’,” the report claimed. |
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Govt may tap power from non-conventional sources New Delhi, July 19 This was stated by Mr Vijay Goel, Minister of State in the Prime Minister Office (PMO), at the National Conclave on Small Hydro Power organised jointly by the PHDCCI and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), here today. Mr Goel said the government is also considering an integrated Catchment Development Preservation Approach to facilitate smooth implementation of the small hydro projects and assure adequate and timely availability of finance at subsidised rates. The industry representatives also gave several recommendations regarding use of non-conventional resources. A joint task force of PHDCCI, ASSOCHAM and the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources will submit its report to the PMO shortly. Mr Goel said a meeting to implement the recommendations shall be convened soon after that and if necessary, changes shall be made in the legal framework to facilitate implementation. Mr Arun Kapur, president, PHDCCI said it is a matter of great concern that the country is grappling with shortages of power and maintenance of the power available. He said if the Indian industry is to survive global competition, the cost of power has to be brought down. Mr Ravi Wig, chairman, Energy Committee PHDCCI and ASSOCHAM said the states could be empowered to grant clearances for private sector projects. He said issues like sale of power also need to be addressed. |
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Admission
counselling session at MDU Rohtak, July 19 A spokesman for the university said today that counselling for free seats-Haryana (general) and All-India categories-would be held on July 30. Counselling for SC-A, SC-B, BC-A, BC-B,
FF/PH/ESM categories will be held on July 31. It was also announced that for all payment /sponsored seats, the counselling will take place on August 1.He said all eligible candidates should appear in person, along with all requisite certificates/documents, in original as well as the requisite fees.
Suicide pact After giving poison to their two-year-old daughter, a couple committed suicide by consuming poison at Gandhi Camp locality here last night. According to information, Om Prakash (35) and his wife, Neelam Devi (32) gave poison to their daughter, Pinku (2) at around 2 am on Friday and later, both of them consumed poison. While the infant died on the spot, the couple was admitted to the PGIMS in a serious condition. Later, the couple also died. The bodies were cremated after a post mortem-examination on Friday afternoon. It is learnt, the deceased was a rehri owner who used to sell clothes on Quilla road market here. He was reportedly under heavy debt, which forced him to take this extreme step.
Youth
strangled A youth reportedly strangled himself at Durga Colony here on Friday. According to sources, the deceased, identified as Roop Singh, a resident of
Chamarian village, committed suicide due to domestic disputes. |
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BRIEFLY... New Delhi Dissolution stayed Faridabad Sisters commit suicide Jhajjar |
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SPEAKING
OUT
HINDI medium examinees get a raw deal and Hindi medium students seem to come way down on the priority list of Delhi University (DU) officials.” Thus runs a news report. According to the report, of the 1,240-odd students belonging to the regular and correspondence categories of the Commerce Department of Delhi University, over 500 candidates enrolled for Mcom course are Hindi medium students. The report discloses that these Hindi medium students are not being provided question papers in Hindi in their examinations, while Hindi versions of some other question papers are supplied to them. The sad fact is that this has been going on for the past five years. Ominously, neither the university examination branch nor the Commerce Department takes the responsibility for this criminal lapse. These dons of the university do not know their guilt and how the faulty question papers can adversely affect the careers and life prospects of their victims, viz the Hindi medium students. Such a dismal state of affairs, especially in a central university like DU, speaks itself of the quality of examinations conducted, and the quality of education being imparted to these unfortunate students by the university. Strangely enough, the excuse offered in this respect is that some paper-setters are not proficient in Hindi and are not competent to set question papers in Hindi. The question arises why should the university appoint such paper-setters to set question papers for Hindi medium students and who is responsible for appointing them. Delhi is a Hindi-speaking state and thousands of students opt for Hindi as a medium of instruction and examination in their college and university studies at graduate and postgraduate levels every year. What quality of education could have been imparted in these colleges and departments if the teachers themselves are not competent and proficient to teach them in their language? There is definitely something wrong with the process of selection and recruitment of lecturers in the university, which caters to the educational needs of a large number of Hindi medium students. The malady mentioned above is not only confined to the Commerce Department of the university but pervades all other departments, especially in the case of Humanities and Social Sciences. This writer is afraid whether Delhi University has on its recommended list standard textbooks on any subject written in authentic Hindi or if the study material being provided by the university to its correspondence students opting for Hindi medium is of a standard quality befitting these courses. What is being emphasised here is that the university is imparting a low quality of education to Hindi medium students and is treating them as if they are second class citizens of this country. Again, this is the case not only with the University of Delhi but also in respect of almost all the universities in Hindi-speaking states, namely Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand. Most of the lecturers, readers and professors are not acquainted with the authentic Hindi terminology relating to their respective subjects and are not competent to teach through Hindi medium. And let us not forget that lakhs of students have opted and are opting for Hindi as a medium of their instruction and examination throughout the above mentioned states and this aspect of education can be ignored or dismissed only at the peril of the nation. The plight of students opting for other Indian languages, as specified in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, such as Tamil, Telegu, Bengali, Kannada, Oriya etc as the medium of education in their respective states is in no way better. The mindset of those who are at the helm of affairs in various states is also conditioned and oriented inimically towards promotion and development of their regional language as the medium of instruction as is that of the authorities concerned in the Department of Education, Government of India, University Grants Commission (UGC) and universities of Hindi-speaking states towards Hindi. This tendency is resulting in the imparting of substandard education to millions of students all over the country and playing havoc with their life and life prospects. The situation needs to be rectified urgently and immediately. The responsibility for setting the things right lies on the UGC. Till date, it has failed miserably in discharging its responsibility towards the development of Indian languages as effective media of education. The UGC was set up with the main purpose to promote and coordinate university education and determine and maintain the standards of teaching, examination and research in the universities, besides making appropriate grants to them. How can the UGC determine and maintain standards of teaching and examination in the university when the universities like DU can’t even provide question papers in authentic Hindi to lakhs of Hindi-medium students? Or does the UGC think it as a matter not pertaining to higher education? The failure of the UGC and universities in this respect needs to be investigated and immediate measures need to be taken to set things right. Sudarshan. K. Kapur,
Gurgaon
Think twice before privatising Seeing the poor performance of the Delhi Vidyut Board after the privatisation of electricity distribution in Delhi, I am afraid to say that the proposal to privatise the maintenance of streetlights would be suicidal. In these days, I am working as a coordinator in Rohini Mount Abu School and I am facing power cut in scorching heat from 1 pm to 3.30 pm. I am sure the proposal to privatise streetlight maintenance would multiply our plight. Since streetlights play a vital role at night, if the authorities fail to rectify faults in streetlights, there would be total darkness for a number of hours giving sufficient chance to anti-social elements to strike. Hence, I pray to the Chief Minister of Delhi to think wisely before giving the final nod to the proposal. Subhash C. Taneja,
MDU, Rohtak Remove time bar in litigation Government servants keep on representing for years to higher authorities like ministers, who again depend upon the unfair bureaucracy, for redressal of their grievances. The bureaucracy does not set up enquiries in these cases, apparently to hide the truth. Thus, with the lapse of even three years, cases become time-barred for courts to admit them. Neither the legislators bother for the abolition of this clause of time bar nor the high courts and the Supreme Court use their discretion to help the victim of injustice. There is so much rigidity among the judiciary that they want every matter to be presented through lawyers. I suggest the chief justices of the high courts and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to call meetings with the litigants as the Deputy Commissioners are doing in the districts and settle disputes. Jarnail Singh,
Delhi Pensioners pushed down the ladder The manner in which the issue of hike in the pension of the retired staff of the central government has been dealt with by the powers that be surely does not speak for their sophistication and sense of fair judgement. The much-hyped proposal died a premature death either, perhaps, due to the bureaucratic jugglers or the ministerial vengeance as if the pensioners were nobody’s cup of tea. However, some well-informed sources say that the proposal fell through because not many among the high officials category would have been covered by the proposed hike when they retire for the simple reason that they entered the service late (due to an all India competition) and hardly would serve beyond thirty-three years. At best, they are ‘border cases’ to derive much benefit out of the exercise. That is why the matter failed to elicit the attention and consideration, it deserved. Thus may or may not be true. But the failure to announce the hike has disappointed the poor lot of pensioners. It is like the snake and ladder game in which a person scales the ladder fast only to be bitten by a snake all of a sudden to push him back to impoverishment. Or else, how could it be explained that the Finance Minister prevailed upon the government to checkmate the just proposal that had crossed all the hurdles on the way to reach the top level only to be doomed? Are the pensioners not being treated as “beggars” and not the rightful claimants to such benefits at par with others? No, that’s really not so and it ought not be allowed. The curt rejection of the Fifth Pay Commission’s recommendation to the effect that the pension of those who had served the government for more than the prescribed thirty-three years of qualifying service would be given the benefit of upward revision in the ratio of 0.5 per cent for each enhanced six monthly period drowned the aspirations and fortunes of the retired government servants in the deep sea. To expect such anti-elderly deal of unfair treatment in the year 2000, supposed to be dedicated for the welfare of the elderly, deeply hurt and agonised this fraternity. The rejection of twin recommendations, viz the one pertaining to the restoration of commutation equivalent, after say, twelve years and the other pertaining to the proposed hike in pension at the rate of 1 per cent annum for each qualifying year’s service rendered in excess of minimum thirty-three years for the contemplated entitlement goes only to expose the government unto its populist gimmicks. Approximately, 38 lakh retired employees stand to lose on both the counts. The rejection of the second recommendation follows the Cabinet clearance of the DOPT note submitted to the government disfavouring any kind of new additional pension benefit to the central government employees. The pity is that staff unions and federations have all along urged the government for implementing the aforesaid recommendation. The government, however, turned a blind eye to this demand ostensibly finding ‘no merit’ in the recommendation and termed it ‘unjustified’. Can the government be absolved of the blame and folly to raise the retirement age from 58 to 60 years when it found that there was a shortfall of funds to pay to the then retiring staff? The government seems to befool the people by doing anything for its own motivated gains and refuse to do things, which bear the testimony of minute and detailed consideration of the high-powered commission that had weighed all the pros and cons including the financial aspect. The government also seems to please and appease the favoured ones by doling out lakhs to the serving lakhs but do nothing more than give lip sympathy to the ageing fraternity. The decision to raise the retirement age from 58 to 60 years was fraught with grave risks for the government, which, at that time, had ‘not enough’ to pay off even the retirement dues. Ironically, our the then Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, advanced the same arguments to say that the government could just not think of doing anything for the employees because now, instead of being unable to pay off the backlog for those who would have retired at 58 years, the government was beset with the responsibility to pay the retirement dues also to those who were at the point of retiring on attaining 60 years of age. The pertinent question arises, if the government could not pay the retirement dues two years ago, how could it now garner resources to pay the accumulated dues for four years. But where there’s a will there’s way, they say. Because the government wanted to win over lakhs of pro-active employees by gifting them with two years additional booty at the maximum rate of pay, they justified their action. Now they advanced the same argument, which reflects the government’s abysmal failure to meet its obligation due to the misusing of the funds for some other purposes. Added to this is another argument, again funny though, that it would be fraught with legal and practical difficulties or that the biggest problem is how to locate the records of the pensioners to recalculate the additional benefits. Well, here again the government cannot be excused for gross mismanagement and to take recourse to the downright escape route. Does the government have an answer to how they are paying pension to them now when records are not available? Is it not a fraud on the exchequer to pay off without ascertaining whether payments are due or not simply because the records are not available? A couple of days after the move for hiking the pensions was rejected, the same government revised some allowances of the government servants, besides removing some other anomalies like restoring justice to those who retired between the period 1.1.96 and 30.9.96. This makes a sad commentary on the bona fides of the government to decide the pensioners’ case at its will. The Finance Minister seems to take pride only in rejecting the financial propositions most casually and most cruelly without even considering their prima facie justification voiced over a long period. Should he be allowed to treat everything like the musical chair race at his will? Is the Prime Minister or the Council of Ministers bound to accept the FM’s decision? If yes, it is not in good taste. Even if the government was facing some financial difficulties, it could well have kept the proposal in abeyance instead of rejecting it outright. In this event, should the elected representatives of the people maintain dubious silence by not intervening in the matter and checkmating the misdoing of the self-styled ‘do-all-nothing’ arbiters at will? The Opposition will do well to seek the explanation from the government why the justified hike in pensions was so cruelly rejected on flimsy and frivolous grounds. In case the Opposition were also to fail the poor lot of pensioners, only God will take care of our democracy, which is increasingly becoming anti-people day by day. The Opposition must expose the government for discriminating one segment of its employees against the other. R.
L. Pathak, New Delhi |
Pak national with fake currency to be deported New Delhi, July 19 The Special Cell sleuths arrested Mohammad Sulaiman (52), from Matia Mahal area of walled city on a tip-off and will be deported back to Pakistan. Sulaiman, a resident of Himar Khan district in Pakistan, was staying in the Capital without a valid passport and visa, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Mr Ashok Chand said. During interrogation Sulaiman disclosed that he had arrived in India by the Samjhauta Express on March 15, 2001, with Rs 23,000 counterfeit Indian currency in Rs 100 denomination. The counterfeit Indian currency was detected at the Attari border and he was arrested and jailed, Mr Chand said, adding he was released on April 11 this year. Subsequently, he came to Delhi and took up residence in the walled city area. Orders for his deportation have been obtained and he is being sent back, Mr Chand said. |
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Pregnant
woman commits suicide Rewari, July 19 It is stated that Ms Sushila, the daughter of Mr Ram Chander, resident of Chadhwana village, about 40 km from here, was married to Mr Umed Singh, the son of Uttam Singh, resident of Jhal village in May, 2001. She was allegedly subjected to harassment by her in-laws who demanded that she bring more dowry. When things became unbearable, she took this extreme step. On the basis of a complaint lodged by Mr Ram Chander, the Kosli police have registered a case of dowry death and harassment under Sections 498-A, 304-B and 34 of the IPC against Mr Umed Singh her husband), Mr Uttam Singh, her father-in-law, Ms Shakuntala Devi, her mother-in-law and Mr Karan Singh, brother-in-law. However, no arrest had been made by the police so far. After the post-mortem examination conducted at the civil hospital here, the body was handed over to her in-laws, who cremated her at Jhal village. |
Units decry DHBVN move on slab structure Gurgaon, July 19 Talking to the ‘NCR Tribune’, the president of the GIA, Mr Jagan
Nath Mangla, said that it had also been suggested to the department that concessions should be granted to the units, which were established many years ago. They had installed more than one meter without knowing that they would be penalised in the future. The rules should be applied post facto, he added. According to Mr Mangla, the setting up and maintenance of independent transformers would entail heavy investments for the units, especially the ones in the small-scale category. Also, the transformer would have to be set up the in the premises of the unit. This would need a separate room for security reasons. Sources in the DHBVN, however, said that the department was not likely to accept the proposal of the GIA. The reason being that this would open up new disputes by the consumers who would be deprived of this concession. Undeterred by the mood in the department, the GIA has decided to take up the matter afresh with it by putting forward a new set of suggestions on the issue. |
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