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| Friday,
September 13, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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CM scans ‘Delhi 21’ papers for a cure-all New Delhi, September 12 She quotes the “Delhi 21” document prepared by the Department of Planning of the Government of NCT of Delhi in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to underscore her point. Although the Delhi Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution for granting of “statehood”, Mrs Dikshit reiterates that a state complete with unbridled powers would be a utopia. It is imperative to understand what powers one can seek and get and what powers one can only seek but never get, she reiterates, and feels that the “Delhi 21” document could offer certain solutions to Delhi’s ills. The document envisages major changes in the institutional framework including: *
full control by the NCT of Delhi over the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA); *
full control over land; * constitution of a Metropolitan Planning Committee as mandated by the 74th Constitution Amendment; *
restructuring of the MCD into smaller bodies; * restructuring of the DDA with the planning wing being brought under the Metropolitan Planning Committee; and *
setting up of a unified Metropolitan Transport Planning and Co-ordination Mechanism The document also identifies major policy gaps insofar as housing policy, policy for jhuggi jhopri (JJ) clusters, redevelopment strategies for degraded areas, and preservation of green belts and rural areas are concerned. The document also outlines the policy initiatives required to be taken in these areas. Why institutional reform? To which officials refer to the letter the Chief Minister wrote to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee sometime last year. It states that fragmented decision making and multiplicity of policy making agencies has resulted in blurring the lines of authority, accountability and responsibility and the citizens of Delhi. The situation, they say, could be remedied by undertaking comprehensive reforms, particularly because the “three pillars” of the legal framework for governing Delhi – the Government of NCT of Delhi Act, the DDA Act and the MCD Act – have “outlived” their utility. Doing so, they add, could address the problem of urban planning and pace of infrastructure development being overtaken by the relentless pressure of population. The document goes on to appreciate that the “fundamental changes are political in nature” and their acceptability and implementation will take sometime. Mapping the course, it suggests certain immediate changes: *
framing of an environment policy; * strengthening of Rules of Business to ensure no development project beyond a certain size gets financial or administrative approval without environmental clearance; and *
pending the establishment of the Delhi Urban Metropolitan Transport Authority (DUMTA) and a unifying metropolitan transport mechanism with supportive teams be set up for policy planning, transport, traffic management and enforcement. |
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Sheila wants to meet PM, Advani New Delhi, September 12 One resolution that has been passed unanimously demands granting of statehood for the Government of NCT of Delhi by bringing about institutional and structural reforms based a broad consensus. The other, passed by voice vote, seeks withdrawal of the July 25 and August 29 circulars issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which aim at curtailing the powers of the elected government.
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Sharma, a will-o’-the-wisp New Delhi, September 12 This is despite the claims of the Delhi Police that several teams had been scouring the neighbouring states for him. The inability of the police teams to trace the former high profile Haryana police officer has left several red faces among the police brass in the Capital. But, they claim, that the proverbial long arm of the law would eventually get him. Senior police officers, including those from the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police, admit that the absconding officer has proved better so far and has managed to remain several steps ahead of those hunting him. This, they claim, is because of his police training and enormous contacts built over the years. Several police officers, when contacted by the ‘NCR Tribune’, admitted that they were really not sure where Sharma had been hiding and could not even speculate if he had managed to leave the country as claimed by the prosecutor during one of the hearings on his anticipatory bail pleas in the Delhi courts. While this claim by the prosecutor had caused some sensation, the Delhi Police were quick to deny it officially. Now, almost two weeks later, the police have formally asked the Ministry of External Affairs to revoke his passport, again raising speculation about his having left the country. Highly placed police sources said that a team of the Crime Branch sleuths had checked the records at the immigration counters of several airports, including those at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here, to ascertain if he had left the country. The investigations were still continuing, these sources said. The Delhi Police had earlier claimed to have alerted all the police personnel posted at airports. |
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Season’s highest rainfall recorded Faridabad, September 12 The rain has been widespread in the region, putting farmers on cloud nine, though it has also left various law-lying areas flooded. A resident of nearby village, Shyam Singh said the rainfall recorded in the past few days was a welcome development as the area had been reeling from drought. He said while the farmers had been awaiting relief from the state government, the rain could compensate some loss to the farmers as they could go in for sowing of some late variety of crops. According to weather pundits, the delayed rainfall was unexpected though it was a positive development for the agriculture sector. It is learnt that the prices of vegetables and milk that had started rising in July and August, have become stable due to rains in the past fortnight. The district administration also seems happy as it feels that the target of planting 13 lakh saplings in the district could be achieved now. |
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SC gives a green light to NCERT New Delhi, September 12 Following a petition, the Supreme Court had issued a stay order on the printing of the social sciences’ textbooks, including those of history and Hindi. The curriculum, framed by the NCERT, became controversial following allegations that the syllabi reflected the government’s so-called saffron agenda. Speaking to the ‘NCR Tribune’, the Director of the NCERT, Prof J. S. Rajput, said, “I have three books of Hindi ready with me. There are some copies of these books, which will be sent to the sales counters tomorrow. As for the rest of the texts like history textbooks for class XI and social science for class VI, the manuscripts are ready”. He added, “The court’s verdict has made me and my colleagues feel that we are on the right track. Our responsibility has now increased and we are looking forward to finishing the tasks as soon as we can. As per our plan, we should be able to deliver all the books in three weeks’ time.” The Supreme Court’s decision will bring relief to lakhs of students who have been facing difficulties in the absence of textbooks. The three-member Bench has, however, directed the government to constitute the Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE) for guiding the government in evolving its future educational policy and cautioned that in the name of religious study, the school syllabi could not contain religious dogmas. |
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BJP picks holes in drought relief policy Dharuhera (Rewari), September 12 The Kisan Morcha of the Haryana unit of the BJP has faulted the government's policy of providing compensation to only those farmers whose crops were damaged on account of no rainfall in the middle of July. The BJP leaders also has taken up the matter with the party's national general secretary and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr Rajnath Singh, who was here a couple of days ago. Prominent among the Haryana leaders present on the occasion were the president of the state unit of the Kisan Morcha, Mr Mahavir Singh Yadav, the former state president of the party, Mr Om Prakash Grover, Rao Shiv Rattan Singh and Mr Dashrath Singh Chauhan. The BJP leaders urged Mr Rajnath Singh to take up the issue at the highest level of the party and to impress upon the Centre to provide relief to the farmers of South Haryana. Their demand is to provide relief to the farmers across the board as the entire farming community has been at a loss on account of delayed rains. According to Mr Mahavir Singh Yadav, during the summer months of May and June, the farmers sow bajra and jowar in southern parts of Haryana, comprising Gurgaon, Rewari, Mahendragarh, Faridabad districts and parts of Bhiwani district. As there was no rain, thousands of farmers from the area could not go in for sowing during the period. The BJP leaders alleged that the government had announced a policy to get the damage to the crops assessed on account of no rainfall in the middle of July. It means that only those farmers would be entitled for compensation who dared to go in for un-seasonal sowing. |
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Bansi promises 24-hour power if elected Sonepat, September 12 Addressing public meetings at Larsauli and Kakroi villages near here last evening, he said that free plots of land would be given to the people belonging to weaker sections for constructing houses. He alleged that the law and order situation in the state was deteriorating and the people were feeling unsafe on account of repeated incidents of crimes. He also alleged that the ‘jungle raj’ had been prevailing as the police had utterly failed to check the crimes. Mr Bansi Lal said that Mr Chautala was never a well wisher of the farmers and he had always followed anti-farmer policies and coercive methods to curb the farmers’ agitation in the state. He ruled out any electoral alliance with any political party and said that his party would fight the next assembly elections on its own. He said his party would give tickets to only deserving persons after consultation with the workers of each constituency. Lashing out at the AICC president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, he warned that if a person of foreign origin became the Prime Minister of the country, the country would become a slave once again. He cautioned the people against the evil designs of the Congress and said that the Congress would never succeed in coming to power in the country. Mr Jagbir Singh Malik, a former state minister, Mr Rajiv Jain, general secretary of the HVP, and others also addressed these meetings and criticised the Chautala government for “be-fooling” the farmers on some pretext or the other. They also called upon the people to continue their struggle against the “anti-people Chautala government” till it was dislodged from power. |
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Rs 11-cr water supply project for Jhajjar Jhajjar, September 12 Mrs Asha Sharma, Finance Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Manpower Department, announced this during her visit to the district here today. She asked the people to adopt traditional water harvesting systems to spare the precious commodity and called upon the officials of the departments concerned to take the water crisis as a challenge which is to be overcome by their collective efforts. Earlier, the Financial Commissioner made surprise visits to various government departments and schools to inspect the attendance in the offices. She visited the offices of the DPRO, DFSC, DETC and Government Senior Secondary Schools for Girls and Boys. Only one employee was found absent in the DPR office while attendance was complete in other offices. Expressing unhappiness over the condition of the science laboratories in the schools, she directed the school authorities to ensure cleanliness in the school. The school authorities, however, complain that there is a shortage of six lecturers and three attendants due to which the laboratories are not being maintained properly. She asked the students to engage in the cleanliness drive in the school. She was also not satisfied with the state of ventilation and lighting in the schools. She also visited Bambulia, Jamalpur, Nilo Kheri, Sunderheti and some other remote villages to review the development work being carried out there. |
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Short Assembly session just an eyewash: Vidrohi
Sonepat, September 12 In a signed press statement issued here today, he described the present three-day session of the Haryana Assembly as a formality to fulfil the requirement of the constitution. He alleged that all the successive chief ministers and the present Chief Minister have made it a habit of misusing the office of the Speaker in the Assembly, and put restrictions on the legislators taking part in the discussion in the Assembly sessions.
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DDA to develop bio-diversity park New Delhi, September 12 The bio-diversity park will be established in an area of 156 acres. It will be named the Yamuna Bio-Diversity Park. The progress of the project was reviewed today by the Lt-Governor, Mr Vijay Kapoor, along with senior officers of the DDA. Making a presentation of the detailed proposal, Dr C.R. Babu, Director of the CEMDE, highlighted that the Yamuna Bio-Diversity Park would serve as a heritage site of bio-diversity that thrives in the river basin, stretching from Shivaliks at the foothills of Himalayas to the Gangetic plains of Allahabad where thew Yamuna merges into the Ganges. Being first of its kind in the national Capital, the park would have the distinction of providing home to over 5,000 species of flora and fauna of this region. Fifty threatened communities of the Yamuna basin are sought to be revived. It would also serve as an ideal alternative heritage for migratory and resident birds and help in preservation of wild genetic resources of agriculture crops. Both groundwater recharge and augmentation of fresh water are anticipated with the execution of the project, which will have cultivation area under wetland. The impact of conserving the ecosystem of the region would be extremely positive and would have its benign impact on local weather patterns and temperature. Besides enhancing the aesthetic value of the city, the park will also serve as an important venue for eco-tourism in the city. Linkages with other parks and botanic gardens for promoting conservation efforts at national and international level were also expected, Dr C. R. Babu said. |
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A flyover that adds to parking woes New Delhi, September 12 The residents allege that the flyover, which was supposed to bring some welcome changes in the traffic scenario, has added more to their existing problems. “No argument can hold water to justify the second flyover on Station Road. The DDA has to explain as to why they did not build a flyover on Mayapuri road,” alleged the President of the Nangal Raya Welfare Association. The new flyover, in fact, according to the residents, ruined the entire market, thereby creating a major problem for parking vehicles. “We lost our parking spaces to the flyovers and the space provided beneath the flyover for parking is not adequate. Even the traffic police had unnecessarily deployed traffic cranes, posing problems to the residents. This is a small market and the government should understand this local market is not huge like central markets, Connaught Place, Karol Bagh and South Extension,” added a shop keeper. “While free parking spaces were provided in Tilak Nagar and Raja Garden local markets why is the same not being done for us,” asks another resident. |
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DELHI DIGEST New Delhi, September 12 FMS seminar The Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, is organising a seminar on ‘Branding and its Strategy’ on September 14, in which top marketing experts like Mr Shunu Sen, CEO, Quadra Advisory Services, Mr Rajan Chibba, MD, KSA Technopak, and Mr Mahendra Swarup, CEO, Indiatimes.com, are participating. The seminar will be held at Marriott Welcome Hotel, New Delhi, which is co-sponsoring the event. Divided into three sessions, the seminar looks to trace the graph of a brand. The three sessions of the seminar will, by turn, focus on brand creation, brand sustenance and reinvention of a brand. The last session will also include segments on the branding of services, multi-level marketing and so on. The panel of speakers will also include Mr Akshay Kumar, head of marketing and e-commerce, Standard Chartered Bank, Mr Santosh Desai, VP, McCann Erickson, Mr Swapan Seth, CEO, Equus Ads, Ms Sucheta Govil, GM, Nutritional Healthcare, GSK, and a host of other luminaries from the industry. The Faculty of Management Studies, more popularly known as the FMS, is a pioneer in the field of management education in India and takes pride in being a centre of excellence for management learning. Founded in 1954, the FMS was the first institute in the country to offer management training for professional managers in the form of a part-time MBA programme. The full-time programme of the FMS started in 1967 in response to the recognition received by FMS-trained managers within the industry. Today, the FMS is rated among the top management schools in the country. |
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NCR BRIEFS Faridabad, September 12 It is reported that the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad (MCF) has developed a market under the Neelam flyover here and has decided to make it the `meat market’. The authorities have now given two months’ time to the owners of the meat shops to get shops allotted in the proposed site or strict action could be taken against them if they were found operating in residential areas after the given time period. According to district officials, the shops in the proposed market would be auctioned on September 17.
Directive to MDU Ms Rajni Yadav, Civil Judge (Junior Division), today directed the Maharshi Dayanand University administration to allow an applicant to appear in the counselling to be held tomorrow for admission to BEd (regular) course. The plaintiff, Prem Singh, had stated that he received a registered letter for attending the counselling for admission to BEd course for the session 2002-2003 against paid seat on August 29 while the counselling was fixed for August 26. He said a representation was given to the Registrar of the university who took no satisfactory action. After hearing arguments of both the parties, the court ordered the university authorities to allow the plaintiff to appear in the counselling.
1 killed in bus-truck collision Sonepat: One person was killed and another two sustained serious injuries when a truck collided with a bus on the G T Road near Pio Munayri Chowk, about 15 km from here, on
Tuesday. According to a report, the deceased has been identified as Abdullah. He was from UP. The injured, identified as Kuldeep Singh and Sajjan Singh, were from Punjab. The police are still conducting investigations. Both the injured persons were rushed to the local civil hospital where they were referred to a trauma centre at Delhi. Rain disrupts life Sonepat city and its surrounding areas were lashed with heavy showers on Thursday morning again, inundating the low-lying areas and disrupting normal life. According to a report, all main roads and streets were submerged in knee-deep water and many vehicles, including cars and two-wheelers, were stranded in the rainwater. Schoolchildren were the most hit as they had to wade through rainwater to reach their schools on time. Demonstration Braving the heavy showers, a large number of residents assembled at various chowks in Ram Bazaar, Mohalla Kalan and other areas of the old section of the city on Thursday morning and held demonstrations to register their protest against the non-supply of drinking water on Wednesday evening by the Public Health Department. According to a report, the residents also shouted slogans against the officials of the PHD who had adopted an indifferent attitude towards their complaints against the officials responsible. Meanwhile, the Residents Welfare Association and the Sonepat Citizens Council have demanded immediate action against officials of the PHD who are found responsible for the mess. Representatives of these bodies have also threatened to gherao the officials if steps are not taken to ensure regular water supply in the old section of the city.
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JHAJJAR Jhajjar, September 12 All looting incidents were similar in nature and the modus operandi of the robbers was the same. The employees of the firms going to deposit or returning after withdrawing cash from the MIE branch of the State Bank of India are the soft targets of the robbers. However, the police have failed to solve any of these robberies. Paradoxically, the police are alleged to have kept the victims at bay by refusing to either lodge FIRs, terming them as false or registering them in under the IPC Section pertaining to theft. The police have reported no breakthrough in any case so far. The latest daring incident occurred on Tuesday in which Rs 1.34 lakh was looted from two employees of Reliance Footwear Private Ltd, in the middle of a 55-feet wide road in the MIE near the park at 1 pm. This is the third case of daylight looting within a month. The police registered the latest incident as a theft case under Section 379 of the IPC even though many eyewitnesses had stated that three armed youths snatched the cash from the duo and also took away their scooter after brandishing a pistol and a knife at them. Earlier, Rs 1.30 lakh was looted from two employees of a service station owned by former local MLA of the Congress Suraj Mal by three motorcycle-borne armed desperadoes on the National Highway No 10 when they were going to the SBI branch to deposit it. The robbers had reportedly fired three shots in the air to clear the way after which they snatched the moneybag from them. Surprisingly, the police refused to register the case terming it as false and a stage-managed show. Thankfully, the police showed enough kindness to register another incident of looting that took place on August 19 under Section 392 of the IPC. The robbers had put a firearm on the head of one of the employees of Tikari Service Station and snatched Rs 2 lakh from them when they were alighting from their Maruti car in front of the same bank. Though the victims reportedly tried to chase the three assailants along with the security man of the bank, they could not track them. They fled on a scooter towards Delhi. In this case too, the police have not been able to make any headway. Another looting case, in which Rs 1.65 lakh was snatched from employees of the Suraj Mal's service station at pistol point, was registered at the first instance. But the police later cancelled the FIR terming that the incident as fake. The Superintendent of Police and the DSP at Bahadurgarh could not be contacted despite repeated calls to their offices. The Reader to the SP said that a case regarding Tuesday's looting had been under Section 379, IPC. He also admitted that the police had no clue about any of these looting cases.
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Racket
in appointing teachers in New Delhi, September 12 Based on the complaint from the Education Department, MCD, that five cases of bogus appointment of primary teachers in MCD schools had been detected, the crime branch officials during the course of investigation found that six teachers had joined in various MCD schools on the basis of bogus transfer orders. The accused also collected money from the job seekers. Heroin seized:
Murder solved:
Even though one of the accused, Sandeep, alias Pota, a resident of Punjabi Basti, Baljeet Nagar, was arrested the other two are still at large. The victim used to run a business and used to take the cash every day home after his business. The main accused, Sandeep, who stays in the same area, used to visit the victim’s shop and found he was carrying money to his house after closing the shop. Sandeep, who was jobless, hatched a conspiracy along with his two associates to kill Jainender and take away the money. According to the plan, on the fateful night the three stopped the victim who was on his scooter and stabbed hin from back and front. After committing the crime the three fled the spot with the money. Man held for wife’s death:
In another case, the police arrested Samishtha, who was allegedly involved in a dowry death case in Kalyanpuri in East district. In her dying statement before the SDM, the victim, Dyawati, had said that her husband Tilak Raj and her in-laws used to demand a Maruti car and other valuables. The suspect allegedly burnt her by pouring kerosene oil on her.
Faridabad
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Rail mishap victim’s body awaited Sonepat, September 12 According to a report, the parents of the victim have already arrived at the site of the accident to bring back the body of their son to this city. The victim belonged to Mashad Mohalla. He leaves behind his wife Prem Kumari (38), a son (16) and a daughter (19). The victim had three brothers. The victim was running an import-export business in flowers. According to another report, another youth of Sonepat who was travelling in this train along with the victim is still reported to be missing and his whereabouts are not known. The Railways have not sent any information to his parents about him so far. Meanwhile, the brother of this youth has left for the site of the train accident. He has been sending messages to his parents at Sonepat. The youth owned a tent house in this city. Triple
murder case:
Dowry death:
Rohtak
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Pragati Maidan going to break new ground New Delhi, September 12 The meeting was attended by representatives of 21 event organisers including Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), Tafcon Projects (India), Messe Frankfurt India Trade Fairs, Interads, Exhibitions India, Cidex, PlastIndia Foundation. ITE (India) Ltd. and other exhibition organisers. Mr Ranjan Chatterjee, Executive Director, India Trade Promotion Organisation assured the organisers of exhibitions that the ITPO would take necessary steps to improve services and facilities in Pragati Maidan. A single-window service for fair organisers would also be introduced shortly. In order to support fair organisers, rental of halls has not been revised since April 2000, tariff has been reduced to almost 1/3rd for lean period and 30 per cent discount is given for new exhibitions. Still the ITPO would consider lowering the tariffs for new exhibitions held during May, June, July and August. Most of the organisers emphasised the need for a large convention facility in Pragati maidan. Mr Chatterjee informed that the ITPO is looking into the feasibility of having such a facility. For the time being, the ITPO is considering offering a separate lower rate for halls if used for conventions, conferences, congresses and other similar non-trade events as the organisers have to spend a large amount of money on sound-proofing, dais etc. which they are unable to recover from the delegates. The ITPO would also consider networking of parking lots for the convenience of exhibitors and visitors. Electronic Boards displaying events in Pragati maidan would be put on the periphery of Pragati Maidan for convenience of visitors. Steps would also be taken to publicise Pragati Maidan in foreign countries so as to attract more overseas buyers, participants and visitors. Meanwhile, the ITPO will organise India’s participation at the 4th SAARC Trade Fair to be held at the prestigious Birendra International Convention Centre, Kathmandu (Nepal) from October 25-29, 2002 with the theme “Togetherness through trade”. While the exhibition is being held in Nepal, the scope and target will focus on the entire SAARC region as the profile of visitors and participants include senior government officials, decision-makers, industrialists, buyers and importers from all SAARC countries. Besides the host Nepal, other participating countries are India, Bangladesh Sri Lanka, Bhutan, the Maldives and Pakistan. The India pavilion is expected to be a big draw. Already good response has been received with confirmed participation of over 100 companies. |
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