NCR SPECIAL
COPING WITH TRAFFIC CHAOS
HC’s parking recipe: One man’s meat, 
other’s poison
Cecil Victor

New Delhi, August 15
The suggestion by the Delhi High Court that the municipalities should charge a fee for parking on the roads throughout the National Capital Territory has whetted the commercial appetite of local self-governing bodies and this could well encourage anarchy in the form of change in land-use and double-parking in the already overcrowded arterial roads and bylanes of both the business and residential districts of Delhi.

A glaring example of the tendency among both the municipalities in the NCT –the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council – to change the land-use and pander to the insatiable demand for parking space is the conversion of a portion of Pul Mithai into a parking lot. The bridge over the railway lines outside the Tis Hazari courts was broadened some years ago to remove the bottlenecks to east/west and north/south traffic.

One side of the widened carriageway has been converted into an MCD-authorised parking lot and the west/east and south/east traffic has been diverted through Hamilton Road bordering the Tis Hazari complex. This road is lined throughout the day and most of the night with trucks being loaded with goods for inter-state distribution and, therefore, only half of the carriageway is being used for one-way traffic to Tis Hazari court on one side and the approach to the Delhi Main Railway Station on the other. It is jammed throughout the day, rendering infructuous the broadening of Pul Mithai, the raison d’etre of which was the smooth flow of traffic.

Within the MCD jurisdiction also is the example of the other obstacle to the smooth flow of traffic – double-parking – in authorised parking lots. Shraddhanand Marg, formerly G.B. Road, the approach to the Khari Baoli-Sadar Bazar commercial district from Connaught Place, is jammed throughout the day because parking attendants place two cars on the carriageway nose-to-cheek thereby constricting the passage. It brings in money for the parking lot owners and the MCD, but is a headache for commuters.

The problem of Shraddhanand Marg has been accentuated by the closure of the parking lot outside Ajmeri Gate as shopkeepers are now parking their cars on the road. The closure of the parking lots at the Red Fort and the Ramlila Ground has forced the MCD to think of setting up a multi-layered facility at the site of the defunct tourist transit camp opposite G.B. Pant Hospital.

However, it is not axiomatic that providing multi-layered parking lots will make for decongestion and smooth traffic flow. A case in point is the multi-storey car park in the Mayur Bhavan annexe opposite Shankar Market in the New Delhi Municipal Council jurisdiction. The dichotomy is that usually there is a vacancy for about 30 cars in the high-rise building but because of double-parking outside Shankar Market which is cheaper, traffic is a bit of a mess.

It is appropriate to point out at the very outset of the planning stage that the municipalities need to take a broader overview of the problem of transportation and bottlenecks caused by a surfeit of vehicles that need to be parked if they are to serve their purpose. They must, therefore, plan for an addition of approximately 10,000 cars per month to the vehicle population of the NCR. Given space constraints, multi-layered parking lots are the obvious answer.

There need to be many more (and those that exist like the underground one in Asaf Ali Road can be expanded upwards if civil engineering permits). Roads are meant to facilitate transportation not to hinder it by jamming them with stationary.

Medical education: One step forward, one backward
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, August 15
The BDS students of Baba Mastnath Dental College, Asthal Bohar, have taken to the streets following the stoppage of admissions by the Dental Council of India to this institute.

The students are demanding their mass transfer to the Government Dental College, Rohtak, as was done after the closure of Agroha Medical College in the case of the 150 MBBS students of that institute in 1999. They were transferred to Pt B D Sharma Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak.

The Department of Medical Education is considered one of the most sensitive departments and managed by highly educated administrators. However, a perusal of the policy decisions taken from time to time on matters related to medical education has a different story to tell.

The Agroha Medical College was started and then closed. The Haryana government provided free land, paid for 50 per cent of the recurring and 99 per cent of the non-recurring expenditure.

Still the management decided to close the college in 1999. It is now being restarted from this year.

Baba Mastnath Dental College was started with 60 admissions, but the admissions were stopped just after three years. The seats in the Government Dental College, Rohtak, were increased to 60 last year but have been reduced to the original 20 this year by the Dental Council of India.

A decision was taken to start a college of nursing in the PGIMS and the school of nursing was closed. After a moratorium on admissions to the nursing school for three years, it was restarted in 2000 following threats from the teaching staff of the school of nursing. The proposal to restart the college of nursing is again being processed.

Similarly, a trauma centre was constructed at a cost of Rs 3 crore and then abandoned. The building is lying unutilised. New departments have been started and equipment at huge costs purchased without even a single staff member being recruited (Nephrology Department being the latest example).

In a recent advertisement issued for 57 faculty posts, variations in age and minimum essential qualifications have been published in contravention of the statutory rules, even though executive instructions cannot override statutory rules.

According to insiders, the loopholes are deliberately left out so that those interested could easily get the advertisement stayed through courts. MBBS admissions are entrusted to different persons each year who are in no way connected with the PGIMS or its affiliating university.

All these decisions have the approval of the government and in many cases that of the university as well. It is clear that the decision-makers have taken these decisions hurriedly without policy planning.

However, the sufferers are the students and poor patients of the state. Even today, a large number of students from Haryana get admitted to private medical and dental colleges in south Indian states after paying a huge fee.

Catchword staff: An open sesame to free ride
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 15
The Haryana Roadways authorities seem to be fed up of free travelling by the ‘staff’ members, especially the employees who don khaki uniforms. A large number of free travellers are cops, not only from Haryana, but also from other adjoining states. To check the trend of free travelling, which costs a packet to the roadways annually, the state transport authorities have issued fresh directions in this connection.

According to the circular released recently, the authorities have asked the roadways staff not to allow the policemen of other states like Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to travel free in the state roadways buses.

The cops of neighbouring states have been found travelling without tickets and this trend has picked up in recent years.

The roadways authorities have warned that if a policeman of a state other than Haryana is found travelling without a ticket, the conductor of the bus concerned will be held responsible for it.

It may be stated that the state government has allowed the police staff of Haryana to travel free in roadways buses, as a monthly contribution is taken from their salaries, but the policemen of other states also avail themselves of this facility. Some of the staff of roadways may not be aware of the rules. So the directions have been issued to clarify the situation, said an official of the transport department.

It is also reported that although the roadways of other states, including the employees of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) are not allowed free travel on Haryana buses, it is noticed that a large number of the DTC staff have been travelling free.

To cap it all, it is noticed that the drivers and conductors of several buses have been taking even their relatives and friends with them—literally taking the Haryana roadways for a ride. “Free travelling has been one of the main reasons why the roadways department has been in the red,” said an employee.

Those magnificent men with their flying machines 
Smriti Kak

New Delhi, August 15
The firmament freckled with colourful kites, the surroundings echoed with shouts, some euphoric and some distressed, and the sun shimmered behind the clouds. It was a perfect time for kite flying.

Independence Day celebrations have always been incomplete without the customary kite flying and Delhiites kept their rendezvous with tradition. Children as well as adults could be seen flying kites from not just rooftops but also from flyovers, which seemed to have caught their fancy this year. And this despite warnings that kites should only be flown from open parks.

But with open spaces in the burgeoning metropolis hard to come by, people scoured for alternatives and the flyovers seemed too tempting to resist. The more enterprising were also seen pursuing their flight fancies from atop parked vehicles or any other elevated platform, today being a holiday.

Incidentally, the Delhi Police had banned kite flying while the Independence Day celebrations were on, but the diktat was hardly a deterrent. People were out with their fancy contraptions as soon as the celebration was over. The Capital also witnessed a special kite flying session near Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate, where students flew kites made by professional kite makers of Ahmedabad who have been hit by the recent communal violence in the state.

Kite makers for one let their imaginations run riot. Apart from the Tricolour, they offered kites of different shapes and designs. One could see kites designed like dragons and butterflies apart from faces inspired by cartoon characters “It is no longer just plain colourful kites made of paper. I bought a kite made of shiny plastic sheet with Chinese motifs on it”, said Vivek, a college student.

The oppressive heat and the delayed monsoon though have had an adverse effect on business this year. “ The business has been slack; first, it was too hot and, now, it is the rain. We also had to think of ingenious designs as children these days are hardly interested in kites. Even in the old city, where you have rooftops cheek by jowl, there is a discernible change”, said Rahmat Khan, a kite maker in the Walled City.

Bulldozer-hit residents of Lajpat Nagar
 breathe easy
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 15
With the approval of modification in the layout plan of Lajpat Nagar in respect of defining the Right of Way (RoW) of the roads in and around in C-Type tenement blocks, the MCD has given relief to the residents of the area living here since Independence.

This development is a major relief for the residents of Lajpat Nagar as hundreds of encroachments were demolished by the MCD itself following an order of the Supreme Court last year. The approval was given by the Standing Committee and it has received widespread appreciation from the residents of the South Delhi colony who had faced the bulldozers earlier this year. The large-scale demolition had subsequently taken a political hue. The C-Type houses were allotted to the refugees who came to the Capital from across the border after Partition. They were given one-room houses. Bathroom and toilet were not attached to these houses. There were public toilets only.

The members said there was enough open space in the area and the residents encroached on it to construct toilets, bathrooms and other appendages necessary in a house. The MCD wanted modification in the layout plan of the colony seeing the necessity of the residents. When the colony was established, the DDA did not exist. The DDA came into being in 1962, the Municipal Commissioner, Mr Rakesh Mehta, said.

Vijender Kumar Gupta, an opposition member in the corporation and BJP councillor, moved a proposal for amendment in the modification in layout plan of Lajpat Nagar in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Wednesday.

Treasure trove found on hillock
Parmindar Singh

Ghaziabad, August 15
Silver and copper coins of the 12th century have been found in a village of Garh Mukteshwar—the hallowed land of the Mahabharata saga. Some youths of Shankar Teela village inn Bahadurgarh area were digging on a hillock in the hope of locating a treasure as predicted by a sadhu, who had meditated near this site by the side of the Ganga a few years ago. The sadhu had forecast that a treasure could be dug out from this mound on Nagpanchmi day.

On August 13, the Nagpanchami day, a small mound of earth eroded due to the flow of the river. In the cavity were two earthen pots which contained hundreds of silver and copper coins with the year 1195 embossed on them. (A study of the coins by experts could possibly throw some light on the history of that period and area.)

One of the pots, full of period coins, was grabbed by two youths who are absconding. Three other youths, who took possession of the other pot, have been arrested and 551 coins recovered from them. The SSP and circle officer (DSP) were conducting a detailed inquiry into the matter at the site till late in the evening.

The river had changed its course slightly, washing away only a part of the mound. Otherwise, it is possible that a part of the treasure might have been swept away, the villagers said.

On getting the tip-off, the Bahadurgarh police visited the village and found the information to be correct. But by that time, two youths had absconded with one pot while the three others — Nanak, Nanhe and Pappan — had distributed thehe coins found in the other pot. The police took them to the police station for interrogation.

One side of the coin, the name of Al Mohd Shah Aam Badshah Shan-e-Fazal is embossed; they possibly belong to the Mughal period. Only experts can give a definite answer. Of the 551 seized coins, 30 are copper while the rest are silver. A large number of villagers are making a beeline for the site which has become famous overnight.

Two years ago, a treasure was unearthed in Mandi village of Muzaffarnagar. While some historians thought that the treasure belonged to the Krishna period, most of them felt it was a remnant of the Harrappan civilisation.

Political bigwigs skip I-Day celebrations
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, August 15
For the first time in many years, Gurgaon today got the skip from the political bosses with regard Independence Day celebrations, organised by the government.

It was left to the Commissioner, Gurgaon Division, Mr L.S.M. Salins to do the honours of unfurling the national flag and preside over the celebrations, organised at the local Police Lines ground.

At the non-official level Independence Day did not appear to be the flavour, at least in public, this season. The Gurgaon Industrial Association (GIA) was a prominent organisation, which celebrated with fanfare. The public function witnessed cultural programmes by children culminating into a collective vow by the audience, led by the GIA president, Mr J.N. Mangla, to be ready to make sacrifices to keep up the unity and integrity of the country. Also, that every individual will take upon him to contribute to the solution of problems faced by the country.

Speaking on the occasion at the Police Lines ground, Mr Salins reiterated the state government’s resolve to make Gurgaon one of the best destination, both for commerce, industry and for residential purposes in the country. The efforts made by Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to invite investors in Gurgaon were paying rich dividends, he added. Among the projects in the pipeline, Mr Salins mentioned the move of the state to set up a medi-city in Gurgaon. A lot of leading firms is vying to invest in the project. The firms will set up super-specialty hospitals in different streams in one complex.

Also, an Economic Zone was being set-up near Garhi Harsaru, near here, at the cost of about Rs 948 crores on 3000 acres of land. The Commissioner also awarded certificates acknowledging the distinguished services rendered by the government employees and the outstanding performance of students and sportsmen from Gurgaon.

The district administration also organised a get-together of war widows, war veterans and ex-service personnel at local Joan Hall on the occasion.

Chautala dwells on peace, harmony 
and brotherhood
Nawal Kishore Rastogi

Rewari, August 15
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, unfurled the National flag at a state-level function held to celebrate the 56th Independence Day in Rao Tula Ram Stadium here today. He inspected a joint parade of the contingents of the HAP, Haryana Police, Home Guards, NCC Cadets, Scouts, Girls Guides and cubs.

It was for the first time that a chief minister hoisted the National flag on the Independence Day in Rewari since Haryana’s inception in 1966.

Delivering his keynote address, the Chief Minister paid his reverential homage to all those known and unknown martyrs who had made supreme sacrifices for the freedom of the country. He made a specific mention of the valiant contribution made by two prominent heroes of Ahirwal - Rao Krishan Gopal and Rao Tula Ram, during the first war of Independence in 1857.

He called upon the people to give their fullest cooperation and support to him in making Haryana of 21st century -a land comparable with the best in the world in every sphere of development.

Then recalling the trials and tribulations suffered by crores of Indians during the freedom movement under the inspiring stewardship of Mahatma Gandhi, Mr Chautala highlighted Haryana’s significant role played in the freedom struggle by Pt Naki Ram Sharma, Pt Shri Ram Sharma, Ch. Devi Lal and others.

Making a specific mention of the crushing defeats inflicted upon the enemy by our gallant jawans during the Indo-Pak wars of 1965, 1971 and the Kargil battle of 1999, he remarked that in spite of all this, the neighbour (without naming Pakistan) was still bent upon creating trouble.

Simultaneously, he underlined the urgency of mutual harmony and brotherhood to secure a decisive victory in our fight against such forces.

Turning to Haryana, the Chief minister said that on account of the failure of the monsoon the entire state had been declared drought-affected and they had sought a financial assistance of Rs 1100 crore as well as 7 lakh metric tonnes of wheat from the union government to tide over this natural calamity. He also said that it was a matter of relief that recent rains had brought cheer to the farmers of twelve districts of the state but the remaining seven districts were still in the grip of a dry spell.

He also mentioned of certain relief measures initiated by his government to provide substantial relief to the affected farmers.

Enumerating the significant achievements made by his government during the last three years, the Chief Minister specifically said that the installed capacity of power generation had increased by 621 mw. Besides, the state government had initiated work on 250 MW each seventh and eighth unit at Devi Lal Thermal Power Plant at Panipat, the foundation of which would be laid by the Union Energy Minister, Mr Suresh Prabhu on August 17, 2002.

The Chief Minister also said that his government was making all out efforts for the completion of the SYL canal by January 15, 2003 as per the verdict of the Apex Court following which canal water would flow in abundance into the fields of South Haryana as well.

As for the rapid strides made in the domains of industry, the Chief Minister said that 120 large and medium scale industrial units and 4000 small-scale units involving an investment of Rs 2,200 crore had been set up while new industrial projects of Rs 27,000 crore were in the pipeline.

Besides, the industrial exports of the state had touched a new high of Rs 8,000 crore. He also said that the exports of IT (Information Technology) related industries had reached Rs 3,000 crore, which was quite stupendous.

Making a special mention of Ch Devi Lal’s golden aphorism of governance titled “Elimination of corruption and provision of power and water” (Bhrashtachar Bandh, Bijli Pani Ka Prabandh), Mr Chautala proudly said that gone were the days when government jobs were openly sold and auctioned in Haryana, which were now being given purely on the basis of merit.

Gurukul students gave a fine display of yogic exercises while Haryana police commandos displayed fantastic feats on mobikes and schoolchildren presented a colourful cultural programme.

The Chief Minister gave prizes to distinguished officials, employees and students and distributed 41 tricycles and 110 hearing aids to disabled programme.

Later, the Mr Chautala also paid floral tributes at the Rezangla War Memorial at Dharuhar Chowk, the war memorial at Pragati Chowk and the martyrs’ memorial in Rao Tula Ram Park.

He also handed over the keys of an ambulance to the civil surgeon Dr B. M. Kapoor in the Civil Hospital where he also distributed fruits among the patients.

Incident-free I-Day in Capital
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 15
Thousands of Delhi Police personnel and other security personnel were out on the streets providing an impregnable security cover, making the Capital less crime prone on the Independence Day.

No major crimes and untoward incidents were reported on Thursday following the security personnel’s virtual security cover in and around the city making it too difficult for the criminals and their dubious activities.

“Criminals may have realised that it would be too difficult for them to operate today as there is heavy presence of police and security personnel around the city. And that could have been the reason why not much crimes were reported all throughout the day,” said a police officer.

“As the security arrangements were tightened even in common public places like railway stations, inter-state bus terminuses, crowded market places and cinemas halls, the criminals were forced to seize their operation,” added he.

Even commandos and sharp-shooters from police and para-military forces maintained a strict vigil from the ground and high-rise positions. As the intelligence agencies had warned of possibility of a “determined” bid by terrorists to carry out a strike, including suicide attack, to target the VVIPs, a thick security blanket was thrown around the Red Fort and other places in the city.

Security pickets had been erected all around the city and vehicles were subjected to intense checking. Police Control Room (PCR) vans were also pressed into service for patrols around the city.

Police had received specific inputs that Pakistan-backed terrorist groups like Lashker-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad may travel in the form of a VIP carcade and attack targets including the VVIPs and vital installations.

Bulandshahr cops reap the whirlwind
Parmindar Singh

Noida, August 15
Hell seems to have been let loose on the Bulandshahr Police as a fallout of Senior Sub-Inspector C.P. Singh having thrashed the driver of Ms Mayawati’s father on August 9.

Apart from 25 Sub-Inspectors, who have been already transferred out, 18 more Sub-Inspectors have been transferred out of Bulandshahar. The SSP, Mr Avinash Chandra, the CO, Khurja, Mr Subhash Chander, the CO, City, Mr S.K. Singh, had earlier been transferred while SSI C.P. Singh and in-charge of the Khurja Kotwali, Mr Ramanpal Singh, were suspended. SSI C.P. Singh, with his action perhaps did not sow a wind, but the whole Western UP Police have reaped a whirlwind of suspensions, transfers, censures etc.

Two Station Officers were suspended and four transferred in Noida on August 11 in a related development, with a view to inject a fear psychosis among police officials about the bosses and the powers that be.

Yesterday, seven Noida Police SIs were transferred to Bulandshahr to partly augment the depleting force where 40 posts of SI have fallen vacant.

Interestingly, the IG (Administration) had called for the list of SIs and Inspectors in the district. After its receipt, SIs and Inspectors of belonging to the Jat and the Rajput communities were hand-picked for punishment.

The 18 Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors transferred yesterday also fall in the same caste bracket, it is learnt.

As the police administration has not taken kindly to newspaper stories about this “reign of terror unleashed on policemen”, the list of 18 cops transferred yesterday was not made available to the press.

Those SIs, who have been transferred in the second batch are Parbhat Sharma of Debai, C.P. Singh Yadav of Syana, Pritam Singh of Kotwali (rural), SO Sanjeev Tyagi of Salempur, Pahasu SO, Satish Tyagi. Fourteen out of 24 police station in the district have been affected by this action.

Two Circle Officers (DSPs), Mr Nepal Singh and Mr V. S. Anand, have been transferred here but the latter has not so far assumed office in Bulandshahr to meet the drought of cops there.

Farmers’ losses to be assessed by Aug 20

Rohtak, August 15
The Haryana Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Kumar, said that the government directed the authorities to complete the process of special ‘girdwari’ by August 20 to assess the losses to farmers caused by the unusual long dry spell in the region.

Bansi promises doles to educated youth
Our Correspondent

Panipat, August 15
Former Chief Minister and Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) chief Bansi Lal today reiterated his commitment to give unemployment allowance to all educated unemployed persons registered with the employment exchanges in the eventuality of his party coming to power in the next Assembly elections.

Talking to mediapersons here at the residence of Mr Dharam Pal Gupta, state president of the HVP’s Beopar Cell, Mr Bansi Lal said as on March 31 this year the number of unemployed persons stood at 6,91,000. Matric and senior secondary pass youth would be given monthly allowance of Rs 200. A sum of Rs 250 would be given to graduate and postgraduate unemployed persons, he said. He disclosed this would involve an expenditure of around Rs 300 crore every year. This could be arranged by enhancing tax recoveries.

When asked to clarify his party’s reported help to the Congress in toppling the Chautala government, Mr Bansi Lal said, “I have not given any such statement. But I do not want to see Chautala in power even for a minute.” However, he added, “Let the opportunity come on the floor of the House. Then, we will see how things go”.

Mr Bansi Lal offered no comments on the issuance of a notice to the Haryana Public Service Commission by the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding selection of HCS (Executive Branch), candidates recently. He just came up with this: “The selection involves bungling but I do not know of what kind.”

Regarding the construction of the remaining portion of the Sutlej-Yamuna link (SYL) canal in Punjab territory, Mr Bansi Lal forcefully claimed that it might take time but the canal would be constructed definitely. The Punjab Chief Minister could not delay it as the matter had already been taken up by the Supreme Court.

The HVP chief also announced that if his party came to power there would not be any house tax for self-occupied homes. The formalities of Form-38 would also be withdrawn. He also claimed, “Let anyone be the president of the HPCC. The next government in Haryana will be mine.”

Tubewell water gets clean chit from IIT experts
Our Correspondent

Meerut, August 15
Hydrologists from the Indian institute of Technology, Roorkee, have approved of the hot water from a tubewell of F-block, Ganga Nagar, here. The water samples from this tubewell have been given a clean chit. These hydrologists have claimed that the water, with a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius, is potable, though they have advised the owner of the colony, the Meerut Development Authority, to get this water chlorinated.

This tubewell was sunk in F-Block, Ganga Nagar, under the plan of the Central water Resources Ministry. The Central Earth and Water Resources Board had sunk this tubewell. The Ganga Nagar tubewell was sunk to a depth of 364 metres. When water supply was started from this tubewell very hot water was found. This led to rumours in the area over the potability of the water.

The authorities found the temperature of the water to be more than 38.5 degrees Celsius.

The Meerut Development authorities stopped the water supply from the tubewell and got several tests of the water conducted but could not be satisfied. The MDA requested hydrologists from the Indian institute of Technology, Roorkee, to conduct tests and invited them to Meerut for further investigations.

Hydrologists took samples of the hot water on June 18. The Vice-Chairman of the MDA received the tests reports on Wednesday evening. The pH value of the water was found in accordance with the standard parameters. They have claimed that the water is potable but it has to be chlorinated. The authorities have ordered resumption of the supply after the receipt of the report.

Disabled lecturer alleges harassment
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 15
A lecturer of Business Administration in the Department of Training and Technical Education has charged senior officials of the department with “harassment and torture”.

In a communication to the Lt-Governor of Delhi, the lecturer, Mr Prakash Chandra, who is physically disabled following an accident, said he was not being paid salary since June 2002 without any “technical reason.”

Mr Chandra said he had been running from pillar to post to secure his remuneration but to no avail as there was “a nexus of officers who are creating unnecessarily problems misguiding the youth”.

He said his services had been terminated without specifying any reasons. He pointed out that under Section 47 of the Disability Act of 1995 “no establishment can dispense with or reduce in rank an employee who acquires disability or injured during service”.

Seeking the L-G’s intervention in the matter, Mr Chandra said there were several irregularities in the department and it ( the department) was being run on the “whims” of certain officials.

Interpol alerted on Jordanian ‘national’
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 15
The Delhi Police are now probing the actual identity of a Jordanian national, Robert Moore, who raped a doctor at his Sukdev Vihar house after both watched a movie at the PVR Saket.

The accused, who is at present in police custody, has been furnishing wrong information about his nationality and failed to provide any positive reply as to why he was illegally staying in India even after his visa expired. He came to India in 1995 with a tourist visa and started staying in posh areas in the Capital and befriended many girls.

The police are now understood to have sought the help of intelligence agencies and Interpol to ascertain the available details and identify his nationality. The Jordanian Embassy has been informed about his arrest and requested to provide details about him, if any.

A probe is also on to check whether the accused is linked with any terrorist organisation

Computers for the needy
Tribune News Service

Panipat, August 15
The dream of poor but deserving women to have computer education was fulfilled on Wednesday when the Mata Sita Rani Seva Sanstha in collaboration with the Women and Child Development Department of the Government of India opened a computer centre here.

Inaugurating the centre, the president of the local Municipal Council, Mr Sanjay Bhatia, lauded the role of the NGOs in bringing the schemes of the government to door steps of the needy and downtrodden. He termed the computer education for women as a milestone in their empowerment.

The Child Development Project Officer, Ms Nirmal Dahiya, who was the special guest, termed the rights of the women and children as human rights, which should be protected at all costs. The Prinicpal of the Vaish Girls College, Samalkha, Dr Madhu Dikshit, said the computer education was the first step towards employment and self-reliance for the poor women. Giving details of the project, the general secretary of the sanstha, Ms Krishna Kanta, informed that 60 women belonging poorer strata of society had been selected for the one-year course. Apart from advanced computer training, the trainees would be given a scholarship of Rs 250 per month. Prominent among, those present were president of the All-India Rachnatamik Samaj, Mr Deep Chander Nirmohi, the general secretary of the Harijan Sevak Sangh, Mr Ram Mohan Rai and treasurer of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, Mr Balraj Elabadi.

President’s Police Medal awarded
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 15
The following have been awarded President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service: Mr Daulat Singh Bisht, Deputy Commandant, 23 Bn, ITBP, and Mr Pratap Singh, Inspector/GD, Service and Supply Bn, ITBP.

The following have been awarded Police Medal for Meritorious Service: Mr P. K. Dhasmana, Commandant, ITBP Academy, Mussoorie, Mr Sardar Singh Harta, Second-in Command, Transport Bn, ITBP, Mr Jaswant Singh Tariyal, Assistant Commandant, Basic Training Centre, ITBP, Bhanu, Mr Kashmir Singh, Inspector/GD, Support Bn, ITBP, Mr Sher Singh, Sub-Inspector/GD, 12 Bn attached to Dte Gen, ITBP, and Mr P. N. Narayanan, Constable/GD, Service and Supply Bn, ITBP.

NCR BRIEFS
IRB employee booked for forgery
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, August 15
The civil lines police today registered a case against an employee of Indian Reserve Battalion at Bhaundsi village on the charge of producing forged documents during recruitment.

According to information, Ram Kishan allegedly produced forged documents at the time of interview for a post. An inquiry was held and the fraud was detected. The police have registered a case under section 419 and 420 of the IPC in this regard.

Computer education

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ashok Yadav, has directed the principals of government senior secondary schools to motivate students to adopt computer education as a part of new education policy of the state government. He was reviewing the computer education in a meeting with the principals of government senior secondary schools and delegates of Tata Infotec and HARTRON here today.

Mr Yadav claimed that 5309 students of 30 schools in the district, had been acquiring computer education at present and it would be started in another 24 schools during the current financial year. He said Tata Infotec and HARTRON had been imparting computer education in 25 and 5 schools in the district.

Veterinarians’ election

Dr Sher Singh, a veterinary surgeon of Rohtak, has recently been elected as treasurer of Indian Veterinary Association, highest elected body of veterinarians in the country. Dr O. P. Chhikara, co-chairman, Finance Committee of the Association, said that it was for the first time that Haryana got representation in the Association. The 28th Indian Veterinary conference and national seminar was recently organised at Ludhiana and delegates from 19 states participated in the conference from all over the nation, he said.

Woman killed

Jhajjar
A newly-married woman reportedly killed by the family of her husband in Kulasi village of the district.

In a complaint, Ishwar Singh, the father of the deceased, that his daughter Meena ((23), mother of 9-months kid, was hanged in the room by her in-laws after she was murdered. She was married to Subhash of Kulasi village.

Girl, youth kidnapped

Noida: A young girl and a youth have reportedly been abducted from Noida. According to the Kasna police, some eight persons had allegedly kidnapped Attar Singh, son of Charan Singh of Jamalpur village. Charan Singh had reportedly given his house and land for tilling to some people who refused to return the house and the land when he demanded them back.

Compliance certificate a must for companies
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service

Panipat, August 15
Following a significant amendment in the Companies Act, the companies, whose paid-up capital is Rs 10 lakh or more, will now have to obtain a compliance certificate from a company secretary.

According to sources, this had been necessitated following an amendment to Regulation 383-A of the Companies Act. This is part of the government’s efforts to bring transparency in the working of the corporate sector and reduce irregularities in its functioning.

The compliance certificate, which will have to be deposited with the company Registrar, would be a sort of guarantee that all provisions of the Companies Act had been complied with by the company concerned. In another major change in the Act, the companies, whose paid-up capital was Rs 2 crore or more, will compulsorily appoint a permanent company secretary. This has been done under the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Secretary) Amendment Rules, 2002.The earlier limit under this provision was Rs 50 lakh.