Delhi Govt dumps labour panel report
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 27
The Government of NCT of Delhi has dismissed the 1,775-page report of the Second Labour Commission as anti-labour and dubbed certain recommendations as “whimsical,” “arbitrary” and so “drastic” as to have far-reaching implications for social security of workers.

Addressing media persons on the eve of the national conference of labour ministers of states and Union Territories, Labour Minister Deep Chand Bandhu said it was a conspiracy hatched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA Government at the Centre.

“The intention, it seems, is to favour moneybags and multinational corporations (MNCs) … The report is silent on the interests of workers in the unorganised sector,” Bandhu said and listed some of the government’s concerns.

The draft Labour Management Relations Act 2002 provides for retrenchment of employees by enterprises where the number of employees is 300 or less. Under the existing law, enterprises employing 100 or less staff can retrench workforce but after approval.

“This,” the minister said, “is dangerous and diabolical …. If that is done almost all the establishments functioning in the NCT of Delhi will get affected adversely. The workforce in these small scale industries (SSIs) will be worst affected.”

The NCT of Delhi, the minister explained, had 10 lakh workforce in the organised sector and 33 lakh in the unorganised sector. This huge pool of labour would be left in the lurch if employers hired and fired without seeking the approval of the competent government.

The second objection was to reducing the number of statutes governing the organised sector from 28 to four. “Over-simplification of labour laws,” Bandhu said, “may render workers vulnerable to the greed and highhandedness of employers.”

Third, there is no provision in the Small Enterprises Act of a forum for redressal of workers’ grievances. “The thrust of labour law,” the minister said, “ought to be on providing qualitative employment and upholding the dignity of labour.”

And fourth, a certain provision of the draft Small Enterprises (Employment Relation) Act 2002 for enterprises in which not more than 19 workers are employed, which confers “arbitrary” powers on employer to lay off workers.

Last but not the least was the objection to the proposed Hours of Work, Leave and Other Working Conditions of the Work Place Act 2002 that, the minister alleged, leaves a scope for exploitation of workers by MNCs who, he added, generally favoured contract labour.

The minister however welcomed the setting up of state- and Central-level welfare boards and enactment of an umbrella legislation for social security of workers as recommended by the Ravinder Verma (Second Labour) Commission in its report.

The minister added that insofar as the Congress was concerned, its stand would be based on the recommendations of the committee constituted by party President Sonia Gandhi. “We will approach the leadership to air our concerns,” Bandhu said.

FORGET THEM NOT
One more Jhajjar son dies, braving enemy bullets
Our Correspondent

Jhajjar, September 27
Yet another brave son of this soil soldiered on despite enemy bullets and sacrificed his life while foiling the nefarious designs of the enemy across the borders who tried to infiltrate the country.

The body of grenadier Surender Singh Jakhar of 29 Rashtriya Rifles was consigned to flames this morning in his native Jharli village amid the civil and military officials who laid wreaths on the martyr’s remains. This is the fourth soldier from the district in a month who laid down his life fighting against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir during the ongoing ‘Operation Rakshak’.

Niab Subedar Babu Lal who accompanied the body from Jammu and Kashmir told that Surender was posted in Vogar village of Baramoola district.

He was working as a guide for his battalion during a search operation to catch militants hiding in the houses. When he entered a house, some militants opened fire. He along with other soldiers engaged in a fierce encounter with the Hizbul Mujahideen militants for about five hours on September 24.

During the exchange of fire, three bullets pierced his chest, forehead and knee, but Surender hunted down two militants before succumbing to injuries.

Three other soldiers were also killed in the encounter.

His father Havildar Hari singh, an ex-serviceman, told that Surender was injured last month also in an encounter, and arrived in the village for two days, mainly for treatment.

He joined duty on August 19. Twenty-two years old Surender was recruited in the army just three years ago and was unmarried.

His family members told they had fixed his wedding just a couple of months back, which was to be solemnised during his yearly holidays.

The entire family of the martyr has been employed in the army. His father and uncle were ex-servicemen. His grandfather was also in the army and coincidentally all of them were the jawans of 17 Grenadier.

The cortege was taken out in a touching atmosphere filled with nationalistic fervour, with schoolchildren joining the procession, shouting patriotic slogans. Thousands of people of Jharli and nearby villages attended the last rites. Elder brother of martyr, Azad Singh lit the pyre amid full military and state honours.

Deputy Commissioner Mohinder Kumar announced an ex gratia of Rs 11,000 from the Red Cross to the next of kin. His army unit also gave Rs 20,000 to the father of the braveheart.

DC Mohinder Kumar, MP from Rohtak, Capt Inder Singh, MLA from Salawas Anita Yadav, Former Deputy Speaker Manphool Singh, DPRO and other district officials attended the funeral service.

Micro cities within NCR: Urban renewal or recipe for decay?
Cecil Victor

New Delhi, September 27
The indication by the Government of India that it is willing to change the landuse of plots where polluting/nonconforming industries once stood to allow for construction of a mix of residential and commercial structures has raised visions of urban renewal on scores of plots ranging from 20 to 120 acres in the heart of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Some of these plots have lain fallow for decades like the Keventer’s Dairy owned by the Dalmias in perhaps the primmest of real estates on the fringe of the Diplomatic Enclave in Chanakyapuri. Litigation over the conversion charges for change of landuse to conform to the residential nature of this portion of the NCR has been going on for the past 26 years and trees have overtaken most of the 22-acre plot, converting it into a dense forest in the heart of the Capital.

Also litigation-bound are two defunct cloth mills – the 112-acre Swatantra Bharat Mills in the Najafgarh Industrial Area in west Delhi and the 52-acre Delhi Cloth Mills owned by the House of Bharat Ram – both of which contributed to the industrial ambiance even before India attained Independence.

The owners of these plots, which do not conform to the landuse in the Master Plan, are now looking forward to urban renewal programmes that will allow for “combos” of residential houses and flatted factories. However, the Government in its headlong rush towards “urban renewal” cannot but be acutely aware that Alvin Toffler’s prognostication in “Future Shock” of catastrophic urban decay is already a fact of life.

Already people are killing each other over parking space and it is expected that the “water wars” between nations quarrelling over riparian rights will percolate down to the “mohalla” level where residents will riot over sparse water supply.

The Delhi Development Authority and the two municipalities within the National Capital Territory of Delhi know that a lack of foresight on their part has directly contributed to the current crisis of urban clogging and shortages. Tentative reform has been set afoot by the inscription of the diktat in the building by-laws that all new structures must incorporate rainwater harvesting so that groundwater depletion is stopped and, hopefully, reversed in coming decades.

Mumbai has gone a step further only recently and made it mandatory that buildings incorporate the “red” and “blue” tap system by which household/industrial wastewater can be recycled within the complex itself and the drinking water be drawn from a separate tap.

It will be in the fitness of things that municipalities also look at what the Defence Research and Development Organisation has been experimenting on in the recycling of toilette waste with cultured bacteria in its laboratory in Dighe Road near Pune (prompted by pollution of the Siachen Glacier by human excreta which does not degenerate in the permafrost in the high Himalayas.)

This water can be re-used in the flush system, a boon for the residents of south-west Delhi because of the crisis they have had to endure in recent years.

Many plot owners themselves have suggested that building by-laws need to be redrafted to make it mandatory that parking be an integral part of the structure. Mr Sumant Bharat Ram of DCM who is preparing to build “Techno Plaza” on the old Delhi Cloth Mills premises sandwiched between crowded Sadar Bazar and the railway line to Shakurbasti has suggested all buildings must have basements for underground parking lots.

To ensure optimum utilisation of underground space, he has suggested that the municipalities must allow the underground structure to cover the entire plot instead of being a continuation of the plinth of the built-up area. Thus underground water tanks, fire-fighting systems, air-conditioning plants and lifts will share space with motor vehicles of which the urban elite have more than one per family.

The Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Region of Delhi must, between them, ensure that the proposed “cities within a city” do not become parasites but create an urban habitat that is self-reliant and self-sustaining.

Surajkund to be showcase for industry, trade
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, September 27
Surajkund, a well-known tourist spot famous for its internationally acclaimed arts and crafts fair, will now showcase commercial and industrial activities.

The district administration has decided to hold a ‘multi-faceted fair’ on the pattern of the India International Trade Fair held in Delhi every year. According to Deputy Commissioner Anil Malik, the fair will be held in the last week of December this year.

He and other officials toured the place and found Surajkund an ideal spot for holding such functions which may not only attract businessmen, but also the common man. Besides, industrial groups, consumer and household products would be available in the fair.

It may be recalled that an annual industrial fair, dubbed the ‘Far Index,’ had been initiated in 1993 and held regularly till 2000.

However, the ‘mela’ held in 2000 had drawn flak from various social organisations for showing kitsch under the garb of culture. The fair was criticised for a ‘dance and fashion show’ and other razzmatazz.

Now, the district administration and the Tourism Department of Haryana have decided to organise the `Far Index’ fair at a new venue. The tourism officials have claimed that such activities would not only promote business but also attract tourists from other states.

The site of the Surajkund Arts and Crafts Fair is not utilised for almost 11 months in a year as the mela lasts only a fortnight.

Some officials had suggested that the site, which is spread over several acres, could be used for other lucrative activities.

The authorities had disbanded the annual ‘Kartik Mela’ at Raja Nahar Singh place at Ballabgarh about two years ago. The decision to hold an industrial fair at Surajkund has come as a surprise to many.

MDU thrust to job-oriented courses
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, September 27
The Maharshi Dayanand University has plans to introduce job-oriented courses like nursing and para-medical through the Distance Mode of Education from the coming academic year.

The Vice-Chancellor, Maj-Gen (Rtd) Bhim Singh Suhag, told the ‘NCR Tribune’ here on Thursday that he was considering proposals to begin specialised courses through the Distance Mode of Education. The nursing and para-medical courses, he said, were the most job-oriented courses today. There was great demand for trained nurses and para-medical staff not only in India but in European and Far East countries also. The university has also finalised proposals to start foreign languages courses from the next academic session.Gen Suhag said that initially he plans to start capsule courses in French, German and Japanese in Gurgaon to assess the response. If the courses get an encouraging response, then a new department of foreign languages may be set up in the university.

A Buddhist studies centre on the campus is also on the anvil. There will be no shortage of funds and space for the centre, he told the ‘NCR Tribune’. The V-C is planning to seek assistance of the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad, in establishing the foreign languages department. The Vice-Chancellor said that the university has already introduced MBA and MCA courses through the Distance Mode of Education and was considering proposals to start regular under-graduate courses also through correspondence.

Briefly.....

Body seized
Faridabad: The police on Friday seized a body from the cremation ground, on the suspicion that the deceased had been murder. The body has been sent for post-mortem in the local civil hospital here. It is reported Ramesh alias Pankaj, a resident of Shiv colony of Ballabgarh town, had died in mysterious circumstances in his house last night. He was declared dead as soon he reached hospital. While the relatives were preparing to cremate the body this morning, some person informed the police that Ramesh had been murdered. TNS

Case against cops
Ghaziabad: A city court has passed orders that a case be registered against an SI and two cops for having beaten up Gopal Singh Jindal, a building material supplier of village Galind under Mussori police station, and looting Rs. 5,000 from him on June 25, 2002. Jindal runs a building material shop near the local bus stand. In the report called for by the court from the police, the then SSP and SO had termed Jindal's complaint as motivated with view to exert pressure on the police. But the court has taken the decision on the basis of affidavits submitted by Jindal's neighbours.

Jindal had filed a case in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ghaziabad, under section 156-3, in which he had alleged that an SI and two cops had come to his shop at 12 noon on June 25 and beat him up by putting a revolver on his head and threatened that he would be eliminated in a fake encounter, in case he took any action or filed a report against them.

The cops had also pushed him into their jeep and took him to the police station where he was illegally detained till 7 p.m. They also made him sign some blank paper in the police station, while threatening him of dire consequences. OC

Haryana pays big price for illegal brick exports
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, September 27
The Haryana Government has been suffering a huge loss of revenue because of the unauthorised export of bricks to Delhi from Sonepat district.

According to a report, at least 80 to 100 truckloads of bricks are being sent to Delhi by certain brick owners and they charge around Rs 2,000 for 1,000 bricks against Rs 1,350 fixed by the district authorities. It is alleged that some officials of the Food and Supplies Department and the police are in alliance with the brick kiln owners and they have been minting money by allowing their vehicles loaded with bricks towards Delhi in contravention of the ban on the export of bricks.

It is stated that the bricks kiln owners of Delhi had shifted their business to the border areas of Sonepat district after the Delhi Government ordered the closure of brick kilns to prevent pollution. After this order, they purchased the land near the Delhi-Haryana border and set up the brick kilns in it. Later, they started their business and exporting the bricks to Delhi.

Repeated public complaints to the authorities of the Food and Supplies Department as well as the police in this regard have fallen on deaf ears.

Representatives of various political parties including the Congress, the HVP and the Janata Dal (U), have urged the State Government to order a high-level probe into the racket and punish the erring officials.

Meanwhile, most of the brick kiln owners have been selling bricks at the rate between Rs 1,600 and Rs 1,700 for 1,000 bricks in Sonepat city as compared to Rs 1,350 and Rs. 1,450 fixed by the District Magistrate of Sonepat.

Many people alleged that the authorities of the Food and Supplies Department have utterly failed to check the profiteering by the brick kilns.

The Residents Welfare Association (RAW) and the Sonepat Citizens Forum, have protested against the over-charging of the price of bricks by certain brick kiln owners in this city and elsewhere in the district and urged the district authorities to take stern action against them immediately.

SPEAKING OUT

One who is underprivileged or is not so fortunate as to have been born with a silver spoon in his or her mouth and at the same time does not want windfalls to be turned into millions overnight treads the path of righteousness and saves some money for a rainy day. The trusted financial institutions rope in small and innocent investors but what happens midway to the much touted schemes makes a sad commentary on the fluctuating fortunes of those who make modest investments. They pay through their nose and are inevitably taken for a ride.

The dreams woven by these hapless souls do not get realised and they are left wringing their hands in despair. It jolts their fortunes beyond repair. They can just do nothing about the situation they get caught in.

Two years ago, the prestigious mega financial institution, the Unit Trust of India, cheated the girl child in the name of the Rajlakshmi scheme. Investors were lured by the promise of attractive returns in 1992. The grandparents who could not have put huge sums of money in a lump sum made modest investments for their grandchildren as a token of their love in the event of their death but all their high hopes were dashed to the ground. The affected persons pocketed the loss and insult with dismay. It was not the Unit Trust of India alone that played a dirty game. Other institutions with a good record and reputation have also been resorting to tricks. But one wonders why there are there no checks and balances to offset this kind of a `commercial fraud' being perpetrated on the have-nots?

Early redemption by reputed companies at will upsets money matters for the small investors who feel they have been hit by a thunderbolt from the skies.

Another case is the one that pertains to a well-known company having a standing of its own even in the global market. The ICICI issued the Ashirvad bonds, promising attractive returns on the expiry of 25 years, but just after five years they offered an early redemption value or an alternative to invest in other schemes like fixed deposits at a good rate of interest.

Why could they not announce the fixed deposit scheme separately and/or independent of the well-defined ongoing ones?

Now, is this downright cheating or not? The company could offer any number of other schemes or even early redemption but that should have been separate from the existing schemes that should not have been mixed up. Those who wanted to go forward with the ‘original agreement’ should have been allowed to continue further. In the absence of a guarantee needed for monetary transactions, who will invest with such companies, only to be led up the garden path? If someone were to ask them who can waste time in switching over from one scheme to the other? The worst sufferer is the small investor.

Be it fixed deposits, mutual funds, insurance, bonds or any other instrument of saving, confidence in the venture is imperative and it must be guaranteed. It is the bounden duty of the RBI/SEBI and other controlling departments to ensure that no such foul play occurs. If the poor investor is duped it warrants a purposeful inquest.

In the olden days big transactions were made verbally and they were honoured to the end and rarely ever anything untoward or unseemly took place. Strangely, the new order, which is claimed to be superior in all respects, carries so many snags and shortcomings in its wake.

This shows utter disregard for the agreements and gentleman's word, which has forced the investor to take the backseat and be compelled to suffer.

We have heard about cases when the borrower died before paying off the principal amount even but the lender knew his stakes were in no danger. He knew the borrower’s heirs would settle the matter. In some cases though, the lender tried to fleece the party. But now it seems the matter has taken the better of man and the commercial nod and rod rule everything. That is why the investors are being cheated at every step by the glamour of deceptive ads. The investor falls an easy prey to such ads as he wishes to grow rich by the very touch of Midas. Schemes originally initiated should neither be withdrawn midway, nor need they be revised or altered. This only baffles the investor and he is left engaged in a perpetual dilemma — what to do or not to do.

R L PATHAK, New Delhi

Railway halt

I endorse the views expressed by Mr H. L. Pawan of Rohtak who has said in his letter "Railways Halt" (NCR Tribune dated September 7, 2002) that there is a popular demand for a railways halt between the Civil Lines road and the Sonepat road railway crossing on the Rohtak-Gohana-Panipat-Ambala-Chandigarh line.

As per my knowledge, when Rohtak station was built about 95 per cent population of the town might have had easy access to the railway station whereas now only about 20 per cent population has an easy reach to the railway station.

About 25 per cent of the population residing in or around this proposed Civil Lines railway halt (ie Mansarovar Colony, Jhang Colony, Jawahar Nagar, Subhash Nagar, Arjun Nagar, Adarsh Nagar, Model Town, MDU University campus, Sector 14 etc) has been commuting to Delhi, 10 per cent to Gohana, Panipat, Karnal, Ambala, Chandigarh (the number of daily passengers on this route is bound to increase), 5 per cent to Bhiwani and 5 per cent to Jind daily.

This proposed halt would have railway crossings and signals on both sides. These are already there. Personnel working on these railway crossings have a working place and also residential quarters.

The proposed halt will reduce the air and noise pollution, especially that being contributed by the 5-km-long chain of three-wheelers operating daily in the Civil Lines. Some time back there was news from the district administration, Rohtak, that about 3,000 autorickshaws operate daily on this stretch. Assuming one autorickshaw requires a road length of about two metres then 3,000 autorickshaws shall occupy about 6000 metres or in other words 6 km. The point has not been elaborated further.

People of these above mentioned localities are wasting their time, money and energy besides polluting the city while travelling from their residences to the present railway station which is at a distance of 6 km. For example, a family wishing to travel to Chandigarh from MDU campus or Model Town or Sector 14 have to leave their residence at about 4.30 am to board the train departing from Rohtak railway station at 5.27 am. If they want to travel from Rohtak railway station to Chandigarh railway station by the Ekta-Himalyan Queen Express the fare of the train comes to about Rs 60 whereas the bus fare is about Rs 105.

It is further submitted that when a "Rukhi-halt" can be there between Rohtak and Gohana on which route not even 10 passengers travel in a day then why can’t there be a Civil Lines railway halt which will benefit thousands of passengers who travel daily.

By building a railway halt or in due course of time a small Rohtak City station, the railway authorities can also breathe easy. All trains going to Gohana, Panipat, Ambala, Chandigarh and Kalka from the Rohtak railway station should stop for two minutes at the proposed railway halt.

A private ticket agency in a mohalla near the railway road, Rohtak, has set up shop since a few years. For the sale of tickets, a private agency can be engaged in a locality adjoining this proposed Civil Lines halt.

The proposed railway halt has railway crossings (ie phataks) and signals to stop the trains whereas the "Rukhi halt" neither has railway ‘phataks’ nor railway signals.

OM PRAKASH WADHWA, Lecturer, Government College, Sonepat

Medical allowance

I am a retired railway pensioner and 77 years’ old. A fixed medical allowance of Rs 100 per month is admissible to railway pensioners as a result of the recommendation of the Fifth Pay Commission. But it is not given to those pensioners who reside within the municipal limits where a railway dispensary/health unit exists. These health units/railway dispensaries are started at far off places, say about three and a half km away. At least Rs 40 is spent on travelling and has to stand in a queue for hours together.

Who would like to avail such medical aid in old age after spending Rs 40 on fare? The working of CGHS hospital/health units is well known. Pray restore the medical allowance to the retires on option basis irrespective of the place of residence of the pensioner if the government really wants to help these old and sick pensioners in the last stage of their life. There are thousands of aggrieved pensioners like me.

M R DUA, Panipat

Wrong impression

The government has banned TV ads of cigarettes, cigars and liquor on TV channels. However, while taking this decision it has not been realised that a majority of the films and serials shown on TV channels have scenes showing men and women smoking and drinking. Whenever there is a scene that requires a person to look tense or worried he/she is shown smoking or drinking. The viewers are thus made to believe that drinking/smoking relieves tension, stress, worry and anxiety.

This wrong impression is adversely affecting the psyche of young viewers, who suffer from a variety of stresses relating to their studies, exams, finance and employment

etc. This gross tendency to encourage viewers to believe that smoking and drinking provide relief from tension, worry, stress and strain needs to be curbed. The government should tell film producers and TV serial makers to desist from showing smoking/drinking scenes in films/TV serials.

Mere banning of tobacco/liquor ads on TV is not going to discourage people from smoking/drinking till such scenes continue to be shown in TV serials/films by the producers. Can't the serial producers show the characters under stress through body language rather than showing them taking to smoking/drinking?

O P SHARMA, Faridabad

Wake-up call for gutsy lady, Sushma Swaraj

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj is a public-spirited lady. She is a hardworking and sincere person. She always exudes enthusiasm and confidence. She easily wins admiration for having been made of sterner stuff.

However, countrymen have a serious complaint against her. It is being made with the purpose that it will not go waste and bring fruitful results. Ever since the cable TV culture became a fad in urban and suburban areas, Doordarshan has gone out of the reach of most of its viewers. The cable people rule the roost. Middle class people are completely at their mercy. The cable operators charge exorbitant amount for a cable connection. While it is a fact that the middle class people are least concerned about getting so many channels as are being offered they have limited choice for selective national and entertainment programmes. The cable people are parasites.

The people of India have a fundamental right to promote and preserve their culture and watch it on DD.

If the Government of India wants to efficiently perform its duty towards people, it may introduce a small token fee like in the past radio and television licence fee was charged for providing them the facility of broadcasting and telecasting the programmes through All India Radio and Doordarshan. But to impose on every viewer a private cable operator through private cable companies is tantamount to depriving the people of their right to freedom and equality.

The Government of India is duty-bound to give access to right of information to its citizens as well. All these crucial rights of the people bind the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to do its duty sincerely. It is mandatory for the government to bring access to DD to its viewers at an affordable fee by any arrangement, mode or advance technology. To black out DD national network from those who cannot afford private channels is a draconian measure in a democratic country.

Let us wake up the Union Government, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and others concerned from their indifferent slumber.

Ujjal Pal Singh, Faridabad

Drunkard ends it all
Our Correspondent

Noida, September 27
Addiction to liquor and drugs have ruined many homes and families. In some cases, wives, fed up with drunkard husband, have committed suicide while in some other cases, it has forced people to steal money and even commit crimes including murder.

Totaram, an old man, was habitually beaten up by his drunkard son under the influence.

Totaram (70), tolerated all this in the hope that some day, better sense may prevail on his young son and he will abandon his drinking habit.

However, under the influence of liquor, his son, Pramod, sprinkled kerosene on himself and committed suicide.

Totaram said, “Three years ago Promod had became addicted to liquor and in spite of our best efforts to persuade him to leave the habit, he could not withdraw from it. The liquor not only killed him but ruined the family.”

Old Totaram had accepted the humiliation in the hope that some day his son might save himself from the scourge.

He said that his son would forcibly snatch his daily earnings and spend it on liquor.

Now with the death of their only son, the old man is yet to come to terms with the harsh realities of life. 

NCR BRIEFS
Woman files case for dowry harassment
Our Correspondent

Ghaziabad, September 27
The daughter-in-law of a businessman, Satish Chand, resident of Chandi Road here, has filed a case in Kotwali police station against him, his wife and some neighbours under the Anti-dowry Act. The police have arrested the mother-in-law and a couple from the neighbourhood in this connection.

Anju, daughter of Babulal of Dabri village in Delhi, had filed a report in Kotwali police station here against her husband Gopal, father-in-law Satish Chand, brother-in-law Kamal, and Satish Chand’s neighbours, Naresh and his wife Sandhya, for harassment and exploitation.

Anju had been married to Satish Chand’s son, Gopal, one and a half year ago. Soon after the marriage, Gopal’s family had asked Anju to bring Rs 2 lakh in cash and a Maruti Zen car as additional dowry.

Gopal, his father and mother have been accused by Anju of beating her everyday and even attempting to burn her by sprinkling kerosene oil on her.

In the meanwhile, Anju stated that she was able to escape to her father’s house. Soon, however, Anju went back to her in-laws house on the intervention of her relatives. However, they continued to demand more dowry and beat her regularly. As such, she informed her parents and her brothers, who came from Delhi to sort out the matter. During the course of an altercation between Anju’s in-laws and her parents and brothers, Anju’s relatives reportedly beat up Satish Chand, his wife Omwati and neighbour Sandhya. The police have arrested Anju’s mother-in-law Omwati, neighbour Kamal and his wife Sandhya and registered a case under the Anti-dowry Act.

Welfare schemes

Rohtak: The Haryana Government has allocated an amount of Rs 447 crore to carry out various welfare schemes for the Scheduled Caste and Backward Class people. Mr Fateh Singh Dagar, Director, Social Justice and Empowerment Department said this after inaugurating a computer centre at the office of the District Social Welfare Officer here this afternoon. Divulging the details of the scheme, he said amount had been allocated for the distribution of pension to the aged, widows and handicap. He said computers would soon be installed in the offices concerned in all the 19 districts in the state.

Youths arrested for theft

Sonepat: The CIA staff has arrested four youths in connection with the alleged theft of pistols from the `Malkhana’ of the judicial courts in the mini secretariat of this city. According to a report, the police have recovered as many as 13 pistols from their possession. The arrested youths were identified as Naseem, Shahid, Jameel and Haroon.

However, the main suspect in this case, Papoo, was still at large and the police is on the lookout to apprehend him. It is stated that the culprit Naseem was arrested by the CIA staff following a recovery of a country-made pistol from him. However, during the course of interrogation, the culprit revealed the names of his associates who were involved in the theft of arms from the ‘Malkhana’ of the judicial courts. The police have registered cases under the Indian Arms Act and theft against the culprits arrested in the case. Further investigations were still in progress.

Meanwhile, the Gohana police have arrested Joginder Singh, a resident of Kutana village, following the alleged recovery of a country-made pistol from his possession. 

SONEPAT
Woman electrocuted in Bahalgarh
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, September 27
A married woman, Mrs Nirmala Devi, living in a rented house was electrocuted at Bahalgarh village about 10 km from here on Thursday.

According to a report, she was clearing water from the roof of her house when she touched live wires passing over her house. The victim belonged to Darbhanga, Bihar.

Body recovered

The police have recovered the body of an unidentified man lying on the road at Chauhan Joshi village, about 13 km from here last night. According to a report, the police have registered the case and further investigations were in progress. However, the police have been unable to identify the body.

Kisan rallies by BKU

The Haryana unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union has decided to organise kisan rallies on September 30 at Ganaur in Sonepat district and at Panipat on October 2 in support of its demands.

According to a report, the main demands include the increase in the support price of paddy and grant of compensation to the drought-hit farmers. Meanwhile, arrival of paddy has started in Sonepat and other markets of the district. However, the officials of the procurement agencies have so far failed to buy the paddy from the farmers.

The farmers have been forced to sell their produce at throwaway price to the rice traders.

Photo identity cards

The district administration has decided to prepare the photo identity cards of the electorates from October 7 to October 17 in the Sonepat Assembly Constituency. Mr S.N.Roy, Deputy Commissioner told mediapersons here today that a special team has been constituted who will remain on duty in the Chhotu Ram dharamshala opposite the Panchayat Bhawan on Gohana road for carrying out the photography work between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. everyday. He appealed to the electorates to avail this opportunity and reach the venue for the photography.

Electric wires stolen

Electric wires worth several thousand of rupees are reported to have been stolen from the farmers fields at Rajlu Garhi village, about 10 km from here last night. According to a report, this has led to the disruption of power supply in village and the non-functioning of tubewells in the fields.

The officials of the UHBVN have lodged an FIR with the Ganaur police in this connection and further investigations were in progress.

Repeated thefts of electricity wires in Ganaur, Gohana and Kharkhauda areas have caused panic among the residents of the villages in the district.

On voyage to spread peace and harmony
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, September 27
Ahimsa Vihar Apartments, Sector-9, Rohini, is witnessing religious discourses for the past two months, which will continue for another two months or so. One of the famous Munis of the Jain community ‘Rajesh Muniji’ has been residing here for two months, delivering pravachans and holding religious meetings. These pravachans are held to bring people towards religion for peace and harmony and also for promoting vegetarianism amongst the people.

Muniji, who took his diksha eighteen years ago, has been preaching these values since then. He has covered almost all of India inculcating peace and harmony among the people of India. He also calls himself and others – disciples of Vardhmaan (Lord Mahavira). He travels all through the year, but stays at one place these four months in a year till, Guru Purnima.

“A muni does not have a definite dwelling place, he stays wherever he gets place, be a temple or an ashram”. Rajesh Muniji, along with various other munis will head for Uttaranchal on Guru Purnima on his yet another voyage to spread peace and harmony in the society, which it is devoid of nowadays.

DELHI DIGEST
Gandhi Jayanti Mela at Red Fort from Sept 29
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 27
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will hold four days Gandhi Jayanti Mela from September 29 to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. The Gandhi Jayanti Mela will be organised at Red Fort ground and will remain open for public from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. The entry to the Gandhi Jayanti Mela will be free of charge. The Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Corporation, Mr Ashok Jain, said the Lt-Governor of Delhi, Mr Vijai Kapoor, will inaugurate the mela.

He said that education, health, horticulture, engineering, community services and various other departments of the Corporation will install their pavilions. Besides, various departments of the Delhi Government will also have their pavilions during the mela.

School in Gole Market

The NDMC has decided to construct a three-storied school building for Navyug in the Capital’s Gole Market. The vice-chairperson of the NDMC, Mr Ram Bhaj, disclosed that a plot area of 3.053 acres had been allotted for the purpose and that a budget of Rs 6.47 crore had been sanctioned for the same.

The council has also decided to construct a parking lot at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib as per the plans made by the DSGMC. It was also pointed out that improvement would be made in the colonies being inhabited by the NDMC employees at Lodhi Colony, Palika Nivas and Prithviraj Lane.

Mr Ram Bhaj informed that the date for filing of application for availing 50 per cent rebate on surcharge in respect of electricity and water bills had been extended up to October 31, 2002. The council has also approved an expenditure of Rs 1.25 crore for annual maintenance of parks and gardens and Rs 46.20 lakh for the running and maintenance of water pumps and tubewells.

Training for teachers

A 20- hour training programme was conducted by the NCERT for Sanskrit teachers here. The training programme was conducted with the objective of promoting the teaching of Sanskrit in schools.

The bridge course was to drive home the need to teach Sanskrit in schools and ensure its popularity. In his valedictory address, the Director, National Sanskrit Institute, Prof Kutumb Shastri, said that all modern educational aids had to be used to popularise the language and that there was a need for comprehensive programme to popularise the classical language.

Bansi flays Oppn for ignoring SYL

Rohtak, September 27
The Haryana Vikas Party supremo and the former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal has charged the Opposition parties with misleading the masses regarding the construction of Sutlej-Yaumna Link canal.

Mr Bansi Lal claimed that a large number of roads, canals, hospitals and educational institutions were constructed in the region during his tenure. OC

Pandits rally against temple attack
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 27
The members of the Pandit community from Kashmir staged a demonstration in the Capital today against the terrorist attack on the Akshardham temple in Gujarat.

Demanding an emergency session of Parliament, a delegation led by the Kashmiri Samiti submitted a memorandum to the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, urging him to direct the political leadership to evolve a more effective and efficacious methods to deal with the scourge of terrorism.

The president of the Kashmiri Samiti, Sunil Shakdher, pointed out that a special session of Parliament should be convened to formulate a policy to curb terrorism. He also demanded a full-fledged war against Pakistan besides diplomatic initiatives to have Pakistan declared as a terrorist state.

In the memorandum to the President, the Samiti said that if the government did not act now, it might be too late.

The memorandum stated that the people of India are waiting for positive action from the political leadership of the country.

CRIME

Leader of bus robber gang arrested from Uttaranchal
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 27
With the arrest of Charanjeet Singh Dabboo(30), son of Jagdish Kumar Chopra, of Maujpur, Delhi, and presently resident of Tulsi Niketan, Ghaziabad, UP, the North-East district police today claimed to have arrested the leader of the gang of bus robbers, who indulged in sensational bus robberies in the first week of September. Charanjeet has confessed to his involvement in Dhaula Kuan bus dacoity, Kashmere Gate bus robbery and his preparation for a dacoity in Hazarat Nizammudin.

Charanjeet, a bad character of Seelampur police station, came out of prison this year after being detained under the National Security Act.

In view of number of sensational cases of crimes in buses, a special team under the supervision of D K Gupta, ACP and Mr Anurag Kumar, Additional DCP was constituted.

This team started developing information about various criminal groups operating in buses. During this investigation, it found that Charanjeet had been indulging in such crimes.

On the basis of this investigation, five members of Charanjeet’s gang were apprehended by the North-East district police at different points of time earlier this month.

During their interrogation, various clues regarding the modus operandi and activities of Charanjeet was acquired.

On the basis of this information and sustained following up of leads, it was learnt that Charanjeet could be hiding in Uttaranchal.

Advance teams were sent to develop minor leads available and it was established that Charanjeet has been seen moving around in the areas of Vikas Pur, Dak Pather in Dehradun district. Special team led by Inspector Ombir Singh Bhati rushed to Dak Pather and checked various hotels and dharamshalas.

During this search operation, Dabboo was apprehended at about 2 pm on Thursday by this special team in Dak Pather.

Dabboo has been brought to Delhi after his arrested and will be produced before the concerned Magistrate in Karkardooma Court.

During this investigation, many startling facts have been revealed about their modus operandi, group organisation, number of groups operating in Delhi and their nexus with the bus drivers and other criminals.

Dabboo revealed that whenever there was pressure in Delhi to apprehend pickpockets, they moved to other places such as Banglore, Goa, Mumbai, Jaipur and Agra for committing crimes.

Similarly, he said that groups from other areas moved to Delhi, whenever there is pressure in their areas.

He said that there is a certain hierarchy amongst the groups and the group that makes more than Rs 10,000 per day, has the respect of all the groups.

At a given point of time, only one group operates in a bus and whenever other groups enters the bus, the weaker group is bullied out of the bus.

Normally, these groups are escorted by a TSR and the leader in the bus is kept well-informed about police pickets and movements of PCR vans in the area.

Four to five group members, who enter the bus, create all kinds of commotion including indulging in shouting, so as to confuse the proposed victim. In the meanwhile, the leader of the gang takes out the money from the pocket of the victim, without him realising that his pocket has been picked.

In some cases, where the victim realises that his pocket has been picked, the group tries to divert the attention of the victim by pointing to some person who may have just got down from the bus. In the commotion, the victim thinks that he can catch the person, runs after him, leaving the group to enjoy the booty.

Often, after committing the crime, some money in the range of four to five hundred rupees, are shared with the driver of the bus.

Dabboo has been involved in 36 cases earlier ranging from robbery, dacoity, trespass, intimidation, attempt to murder and violations of Narcotics Act and Arms Act. Dabboo comes from a lower middle class family and has two brothers.

His brother Kamaljeet Bittoo is also a history-sheeter and has 22 cases against him and is presently lodged in Tihar Jail.

He was trained by Satish Gupta at the age of 17 and since then, has been indulging in this crime.

He has three wives and 5 children. He is a drug-addict.

Dabboo has given details about various other gangs operating in Delhi and a detailed profile of each group is being prepared so as to take comprehensive action against these criminals.

Sonepat doctor’s son released
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 27
With the arrest of three persons, the North-West district police today claimed to have solved a case of kidnapping for ransom, where a 22-year old boy was kidnapped to Darbhanga in Bihar and Rs 12 lakh was demanded by the kidnappers to safely release the boy.

The accused Ajay Kumar Mahato (25), resident of Begusarai, Sanjesh Ranjan Tiwari (28) and Subodh Kumar (25), both resident of Patna were nabbed by a special team of the district police.

Shah Masood alias Rocky (21), Sanjay Kumar (25) and Prakash Ranjan (24), residents of Begusarai, are absconding and efforts are on to nab them.

The police said that the victim, Prince Juneja (22), was a third-year student of BAMS from Gaur College in Rohtak and his father Deshraj Juneja runs a private clinic in Sonepat.

Prince met one Shah Masood alias Rocky through a common friend Mohit Khanna, who assured him that he would manage a medical seat for him in Pune Medical College for a payment of Rs eight lakh.

Prince agreed to the offer. Rocky also told Prince that he should travel with him to Bihar to meet the person who would do the work for him. Both left for Bihar on September 19. However, according to a plan, they took a car for Darbhanga.

On reaching Darbhanga, the victim was put on sedatives. Later, the kidnappers called his father and demanded a ransom of Rs 16 lakh. Subsequently, the amount was reduced to Rs 12 lakh.

However, the kidnappers were arrested by the police when the boys father went to Bihar to hand over the ransom money to the kidnappers.

Subsequently, the arrested kidnappers revealed the hideout where the boy was locked. During interrogation, the accused revealed that they wanted to setup a dental clinic in Patna with the ransom.

1.45 kg heroin haul

The Delhi Police Narcotics Branch have arrested four drug traffickers and seized 1.45 kg of fine quality heroin worth Rs 1.20 crore in the market.

In the first case, Vijender Singh, resident of Mayapuri was nabbed while he was about to deliver the consignment in Gulmohar Enclave. The police seized 35 grams of white heroin worth Rs 35 lakh in the international market.

In the second incident, Mehndi Hassan, resident of Jyotiba Phule Nagar was caught near Patparganj flyover with 500 grams of heroin. In another incident, Bhagwat Kishot, resident of Sant Nagar was nabbed near Stephens Hospital and 200 grams of heroin was recovered from his possession.

In yet another case, Jagdish alias Pare was nabbed and 250 grams of heroin was seized from his possession.

Pirated goods seized

The Economic Offences Wing conducted several raids in various parts of Delhi including Palika Bazar and seized a huge quantity of pirated VCDs, MP3 CDs and CD writers. In another raid, 525 VCDs of newly released English and Hindi movies, 1,200 inlay cards and 69 sheets of pornographic movies, two CD writers from a premises in Parvana road.