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| Sunday,
February 16, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Cong debunks charge on streetlights New Delhi, February 15 PWD Minister AK Walia, Power Minister Ajay Maken and Chairman of Standing Committee Ram Babu Sharma told a joint news conference that as per DERC the cost per month of 40 watt tube light came to Rs 124, for 60 watt Rs 152, for 70 watt Rs 165, for 100 watt Rs 207, for 150 watt Rs 274 and for 250 watt Rs 410. The
MCD, they said, had 2.87 lakh light points which included 87,544 points of 100 watt bulb and 1,23,687 points of 40 watt tube light. Similarly, they said, PWD had about 20,000 points most of which were of 250 watt. The ministers said the government had held a number of meetings with the agencies concerned to work out an average cost per light. The government wanted that after paying this lump sum amount to the distribution companies, it would be their sole responsibility to ensure 100 per cent lightning on each and every pole of the city. The agency would be responsible for making any replacement due to theft or damage to light. A delegation led by Mr Vijender Kumar Gupta, Leader of Opposition in the Standing Committee of
MCD, yesterday met Mr Vijai Kapoor and demanded a thorough inquiry by the CVC into the scandal in the signing of MOU on streetlights with private companies engaged in the distribution of electricity. |
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FOLLOW-UP Faridabad, February 15 The clash and the police lathi-charge seem to have signalled that the authorities will not listen to the residents’ pleas and it is better to get out from the `disputed’ site. The flag march by the police in the colony today appears to have reinforced their fears. The residents of A. C. Nagar, which is about two decades old, said about 90 per cent of the houses were likely to be vacated by tomorrow as several families had moved out by this evening to alternative places with their household articles and belongings. The colony has about 12,000 houses, a majority of them being pucca, and a population of about 40,000. Several of the residents here have ration cards and even telephone and water connections. But the colony is among 50 colonies that are unauthorised or have not been regularised so far. A.C. Nagar has been allegedly built on the land of the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad (MCF) and the authorities had served notices to residents here recently to remove the encroachments by Sunday or face the demolition squad from Monday. An official of the MCF claimed that all houses of the colony were built on occupied land and the authorities were likely to raze them in the days to come. As a result, he said, the residents had decided to shift to other places before their valuables were damaged in the drive. The authorities have already razed several houses in Sant Nagar, which had also been built on occupied land. |
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AILING AMENITIES New Delhi, February 15 The Mayor’s admission comes in the midst of skepticism over the purity of bottled water. An NGO, the Centre for Science and Environment, had recently indicted almost all brands of bottled water, stating that they contained hazardous chemicals and pesticides. Within days of the CSE report being made public, the Bureau of Indian Standards indicated that it would review the norms. However, it later stated that the BIS standards were those recommended by the World Health Organisation. Despite the BIS backtracking on the issue, it has become a bone of contention between several ministries at the Centre. Ms Panwar said despite earnest efforts the MCD could not effectively control water-borne diseases. There was an urgent need to create health awareness among citizens, especially women and children living in JJ clusters and unauthorised colonies, to use boiled water for drinking and use ORS therapy at the preliminary state of dehydration. The Additional Commissioner (Health) in the MCD, Mr Ramesh Negi, said the health issues needed to be integrated with infrastructure development. The role of medical and paramedical personnel was most important in highlighting these issues. |
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Minor abducted, gangraped; cops scoff at complaint Ghaziabad, February 15 The 12-year-old victim had lost her father a few years ago and her mother was employed as a peon in the Inter College in Adyatamak Nagar, where she was studying in Class VII. On the day of abduction, she had gone to the market for making some purchases. When she did not return home till late in the evening, her mother went to the Mussori police station for filing a report. But the cops reportedly took the matter lightly. Finally, the girl was found bruised and in a traumatic condition on the roadside near Hapur Railway crossing on January 31. She disclosed that seven to eight persons had thrown a blanket over her and bundled her into a car. She was taken to a room and her eyes were covered with a cloth. There were many girls like her in the same room, she said. She was often beaten up and forced to give her residential phone number as also the telephone numbers of her neighbours. When she gave the number of a shop near her house, the abductors rang up her mother and demanded a ransom. It was further decided that the ransom would be delivered at Gajaraula bus stop. When her mother arrived at the assigned spot without the ransom, she was rebuked and threatened by two vagabonds. Eventually, she gave names of five suspects to the Mussori police station. She had taken up the matter with the senior police officers, too. The victim is still in a state of shock and can barely talk coherently. The SO, Mussori police station, avoids coming on the phone line or talking to anybody on the subject, it is alleged. Circle officer Sheesh Pal Singh, who has talked to both mother and daughter, says some enmity is at the bottom of this episode. He has alleged that some people might have advised the woman that in case of a rape, a Dalit can get Rs. 75,000. Though the Circle Officer accepts that the girl was found near the railway crossing, he claims to be ignorant about the other horrendous details of the incident. The police seems to be covering up an unfortunate incident and the hapless girl has not been sent for even a medical check up, allege the villagers. |
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AMNESIA Rohtak, February 15 In the recently delivered judgement, Mr Jagdish Chopra, president of the forum, said: “It is not only a great deficiency of service but also a criminal negligence on the part of the university”. Mr Ram Mehar Hooda, counsel for the plaintiff, said Satyavir, a resident of Nura Khera village in Sonepat district had got admission to C.P.Ed (regular course) being conducted by the university for 2001-2002 and paid the fee of Rs 11,757. Consequently, Mr Hooda said he was allotted a roll number and attended the class from August 1 to November 28, 2001. He said suddenly a notice was pasted on the notice board to the effect that various students, including the complainant, had been declared ‘not eligible’ by the registration branch of the university, resulting in the cancellation of their admission. The university had contended that the examination of Senior School Certificate (SSC), conducted by the All India Board of Secondary Education, Delhi, was not recognised by the Board of School Education, Haryana, and was
placed in the list of ‘bogus boards’ which was evident from the correspondence of the Central government as well as the Central Board of School Education (CBSE). As soon as the said fact came into its knowledge, the admission of the complainant was cancelled immediately, it added. The president of the forum observed that the Board of School Education, Haryana, the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the Central government and the CBSE had informed the university authorities in 1999 that the said All India Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi, was not recognised by either of them. However, he said, the complainant was permitted admission in the year 2001-2002. Moreover, he expressed surprise as to why the university administration exhausted more than 4 months before canceling the admission. The president of the forum observed that “the university has acted in a very negligent manner by admitting the complainant in the year 2001-2002 while it was very much in the knowledge of the university authorities since 1999 that the said All India Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, is not recognised by any of the competent authorities.’’ |
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Mock attack at Parliament House New Delhi, February 15 The police control room of New Delhi district received the call around 8.30 am. The call was that 11 terrorists had entered in the Parliament complex from gate number 12, killing an MP. Two terrorists have been killed while others are inside the Parliament House. The Delhi Police personnel reached the complex along with the bomb disposal squad immediately. When they reached there, they were told that it was security drill. This was second call of terrorist attack. First call was made yesterday, police sources said. |
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OPERATION
SUNWAI New Delhi, February 15 The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Deepender Pathak, said ‘Operation Sunwai’ was envisaged to coincide with the Delhi Police Week. During the programme, division and beat staff will interact directly with the people for two hours daily in the evening. He said that ‘Operation Sunwai’ would be a meaningful step ahead of the area-policing plan, which was already in practice. The district police have also released an audio-visual CD on West District today. The CD, comprising professional activities of the district police and its plans ahead, has been named “Sankalp”. The CD was released by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range), Mr Satish Chandra. The CD will be played regularly during the Police Week celebration. It will also be played at various police stations, schools and cinema halls. The aim of the district police is to improve communication with the public. “Our interactive approach will help the law-abiding people as well as the police,” said the DCP. |
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Mustard
crop in full bloom, bee-keepers happy Rewari, February 15 As usual, they came here in December last year and have pitched their tents in the mustard fields with all the paraphernalia comprising big boxes, each containing five to six wooden frames. Mr Krishan Kumar, who came from Shimla, is camping in Nahar village of the Kosli subdivision of the district with Italian Mellifera bees while Mr Koka Ram, who belongs to Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh, has brought Italian Indica bees with him. Mr Gurjit Singh has come from Chandigarh. Mr Krishan Kumar explained that each frame in the wooden box provides them 10 to 15 kg of honey. Dispelling the misconceptions of the mustard-growers, Mr Gurjit Singh asserted that their bees, instead of harming the crop during their nectar-sucking process, immensely benefit the crop through pollination. He also said that in March, they would go to Punjab again where they would pitch their tents around fields overgrown with sunflowers for collection of honey. |
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Mystery
surrounds death of seven calves Jhajjar, February 15 However, the police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Cruelty to Animals Act and 429 IPC in this connection and cremated the carcasses after conducting a post-mortem in the civil hospital. According to information, the animals were in a bad shape with wounds on the heads and many broken bones. The surviving calf was sent to the local Gaushala after providing medical aid. In view of the gravity of the incident, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Mohinder Kumar, called a press conference and announced that the SHO (City), Mr Kartar Singh, would investigate the mysterious recovery of the calves. He said that prime facie it appears that the calves felled from an overcrowded truck which was passing through the town. The Deputy Commissioner did not rule out the possibility of mischievous act by someone to create communal tension in the town. He, however, denied the reports of smuggling animals for slaughter via this town. |
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Computerised railway booking office opens Narnaul, February 15 Speaking on the occasion, Ms Sudha Yadav said that Narnaul now had appeared on the national hook-up of the computerised reservation network in the country. Mr Raj Kumar Meena, DRM, was also present on the occasion. In a memorandum presented to Ms Sudha Yadav, the Daily Rail Commuters Association demanded introduction of more trains in the Rewari-Reengus-Fulera (Rajasthan) section. It also demanded that more coaches must be added to the trains running between Rewari and Fulera (trains 157, 158, 159 and 160). It sought the extension of the service of trains running between Jaipur and Rewari (trains 499 and 500) up to Sarai Rohilla (Delhi) and the meter gauge lines between Rewari and Fulera be converted to broad gauge. |
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Rewari
to come under Delhi railway division Rewari, February 15 As a result, the 94-km long Delhi-Rewari section, which is now under the Bikaner division, will be added to the Delhi division. The Rewari-Delhi Commuters Association, Railway Road (market) Traders Association (Rewari) and various other trade associations here have hailed the proposed inclusion of the Delhi-Rewari section in the reorganised Delhi division. Mr Surender Singh Saini, president of the commuters’ association, said that this would benefit the region in various ways. He said that they expected that the delayed implementation of their long-standing demands pertaining to the doubling of the broad gauge rail track between Rewari and Delhi as well as its electrification would then be expedited. Besides, it would also pave the way for the restoration of the lost glory and importance of the Rewari Junction, which it proudly enjoyed for about one century from 1890 to 1990 as being the largest junction of the metre gauge railways in India, he added. The association has cautioned Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar against the reported move by a section of the railway officials here who wanted status quo to be maintained. |
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9 children hurt in blast New Delhi, February 15 The victims, who were injured seriously, were identified as Nanak Chand, the scrap dealer and his wife, Sheela. Both were admitted to the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital. However, the children were discharged after being administered the first-aid. The incident occurred when Sheela was trying to break a pipe with a hammer. The pipe suddenly exploded injuring Sheela, Nanak Chand and the children, who were playing nearby. A police van took them to the hospital. No case has so far been registered, the police said. |
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SEARCHWITHIN Students are facing a real test. Should they be preparing for the board examinations or watch the exciting World Cup matches? They are torn between two loves: the love for cricket and the need to pass the examinations creditably. Not that all students are cricket lovers. Few among them might have the wisdom to agree with George Bernard Shaw that cricket is a game wherein 11 fools play and eleven thousand fools watch. Some may not have any knowledge of the game and yet must, because of peer pressure, keep abreast of scores. Reports in the newspapers suggest that examination blues had acquired alarming dimensions, manifesting themselves in psychological disorders and suicide attempts. Snehi, an organisation dealing with stress among students in Delhi, has revealed that it had, in the first week of February, received close to 350 calls from distressed students. They have doubts and fears and confusion about managing the preparations within the limited time. Some are unable to concentrate and others find difficulty in remembering. They are all keen to find easy solutions to these complicated problems. What is more, parents are worried too. How to impose discipline on children who are swayed by conflicting desires and distractions? How should they tackle incalcitrant children? There is no denying the fact that there are too many distractions for the youth. The ever-inventive entertainment industry, in its all-pervasive efforts to win customers, had enslaved the youth eroding their discipline and sense of restraint. The unbridled taste for pleasure is matched by insatiable ambitions, as they live in a society of ‘fast people’. Day in and day out they are bombarded countless times by messages that they should live fast lives, successful lives. The continuous advertisements create dissatisfaction with their present possessions; they are urged to strive for better possessions. A little thinking will reveal that the examination fever is part of the culture in which the “fast people’’ set the trend. Crass materialism exacts a price from its devotees. Long before materialism had emerged as an evil, Samuel Smiles (1812—1904) English biographer, had written: “Middle class people are apt to live up to their income, if not beyond them: affecting a degree of “style’’ which is most unhealthy in its effects upon society at large. There is an ambition to bring up boys as gentlemen, or rather “genteel’’ men though the result often is to make them gents. They acquire a taste for dress, style, luxuries and amusements, which can never form any solid foundation for manly or gentlemanly character”. In his time, he found a constant struggle and pressure for the front seats in the social amphitheatre in the midst of which all noble self-denying resolve is trodden down and many fine natures are crushed to death. This old observation is coming true of the Indian middle class. The resources at the disposal of the youth for coping with pressure are limited as well. Faith in God or seeking help through prayer, engaging in meditation or ‘quiet time’ to recoup one’s energies are steps ‘fast people’ are unaccustomed to in their flight for success. Going back to the cricket and studies, the one element in a student that is put to test is self-control. It forms the chief distinction between man and the mere animal. “Self-control is at the root of all the virtues,’’ writes Samuel Smiles and adds: “Let a man give the reins to his impulses and passions, and from that moment he yields up his moral freedom. He is carried along the current of life and becomes the slave of his strongest desire for the time being.’’ This is at the root of the problem when young men pursue their passions of the moment without thought to the priorities that should rule his life. The scriptures stress again and again that praise is not due to the strong man who “taketh a city’’ but to the stronger man who “ruleth his own spirit.’’ Discipline implies control over one’s thoughts, speech and action. Nine-tenths of the vicious desires that degrade society and disgrace it arise from absence of self-discipline and self-control. Accustomed to a life of luxury and constant entertainment, many a brilliant young man who could contribute much to society fail to make it for want of self-discipline. It is as much the want of discipline as much the deception of the “Idiot Box’’ that had become the burial ground of many a successful career. The world of films and television easily draw the unwary young minds, unaccustomed to the yoke, to the life of ease and idleness and purposelessness. To an effeminate, modern day young man, the words which Southey (English poet, wrote when he was only nineteen should serve as an example in - Nineteen years! certainly a fourth part of my life; perhaps how great a part! And yet I have been of no service to society. The clown who scares crows for two pence a day is a more useful man; he preserves the bread that I eat in idleness.’’ Swami Vivekananda had also spoken at length on the need to stress on character development in education. Reforms are made by the vigour and courage and self-sacrifice and the convictions of young men, who are sensitive to the needs of the hour, needs of the people and the nation. It all boils down to teaching what they call “life skills’’ as a spokesman of the Central Board of Secondary Education put it the other day. But the question is whether “life skills’’ can be taught. In a society that worships wealth and power and wherein narrow loyalties gain strength every day it is difficult to keep the young out of bounds from such constrictive influences. There is a need to recognise by all concerned that teachings like the fear of God and brotherhood of man, and freedom of thought should penetrate into the deeper recesses of the elderly and their example alone can have a lasting influence on the youth. M P K Kutty |
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NCR BRIEFS Rohtak, February 15 Kalpana memorial award Jhajjar: The PDM Religious and Education Society, the governing body of PDM Engineering College at Sarai Orangabad near Bahadurgarh, has instituted a special award in the memory of late India-born astronaut Kalpana Chawla. The society would bear the expenses of the technical education of the winner of the state level painting competition to be held every year. The school and college students are eligible to take part in the painting competition, which would be organised on February 16. |
Special Focus on
Rewari Rewari, February 15 The youths were later produced before a local court which remanded them in judicial custody for 14 days. It is stated that as the girl went to attend the call of nature in a mustard field, she was waylaid by the youths who allegedly took turns to rape her. When her family, who had gone out of station to do some work pertaining to the girl’s marriage, returned home late in the evening, the victim broke the news to them. They made a complaint to the police. The girl was medically examined and a case of rape was registered against the accused.
Boy knocked down Pawan Kumar (12), son of Rajbir of Mundhalia village, about 10 km from here, was knocked down by a speeding truck when he was going on his bicycle towards the village bus stand on Thursday. The boy succumbed to his injuries en route to a Delhi hospital. The agitated villagers blocked the road. The blockade was lifted only after senior officials of the district promised stringent action against the truck driver. The police have registered a case of negligent and rash driving against the driver. |
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Murder-cum-robbery case solved, two held New Delhi, February 15 The police have apprehended two persons Roshan Kumar and Naresh Singh, residents of Triveni Ganj in their late twenties and identified another three persons involved in the crime. Special teams have been sent to various places in Bihar to arrest the remaining accused. The victim Poonam Malhotra (55), resident of New Rajender Nagar was alone at home when her domestic servant, employed just three days ago, in connivance with four associates, strangulated the woman and ran away with jewellery and cash. The painter who gave the information about the woman and the valuables in the family is also at large. The victim’s son is employed in Mumbai and her daughter is settled in America. On the fateful day, the accused Roshan, came in the morning and four others followed later. When everyone arrived at the spot, they increased the volume of TV and killed the woman. Joint Commissioner of Police (Northern range), Ranjit Narayan said that during preliminary investigation, the police found out from the victim’s neighbours that the suspects spoke in Bihari accent. Various security agencies were also questioned by the police. Taking the lead, teams were sent to Bihar and the accused were nabbed shortly. During interrogation, they revealed that Roshan was introduced to the victim by her former servant Ram Prasad Verma, alias Gabbar, resident of Inderpuri. Since the accused came to know that the victim’s son would be coming to take her to Bombay for two months, they decided to commit the crime and ran away with the booty. |
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Goods worth Rs 7 lakh seized, 10 held Noida, February 15 SP City said the police had been receiving information about the activities of such a gang in Noida and a special anti-burglary squad was set up under Circle Officer Ram Badan Singh. The squad under Sudesh Gupta, SO Sector 20, Lokender Pal Singh, Vivek Ranjan Rai and others nabbed a gang of 10 persons last evening. The gang used to break into locked factories and houses. The miscreants were hatching a plot in a park to target a factory. Those caught included Kasim (kingpin), Sunil, Rajan Mahendra, Sonu, Vijay, Bittu, and Ajit. Six live cartridges, a master key and four knives were also recovered from the gangsters. Of the ten, Raju, Sunil and Mahender, had criminal records and they had been sent to jail during 2002 under Section 18/20 of the NDPS Act. They have confessed to a large number of thefts in Noida factories (14) and houses. The police later arrested two other members of the gang from Sector 9 slums, Vijay Pal and Ajit. Stolen colour TV sets, VCRs, CDs, about 400 wristwatches, cameras, computer parts, press, two motors were recovered which are worth Rs 7 lakh, according to SP City. Kasim had been using 14 to 15-year-old boys to help them in the crime. They would push thin boys inside through the window grills or any small opening. The boys would open latches on windows/doors from inside and let in the thieves without breaking lock or doors. Two junk dealers have also been rounded up who used to buy the stolen goods. The resident welfare associations have been asked by the police not to allow any ‘kabari’ before 10 am. |
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Scooterist
killed Sonepat, February 15 According to a report, the victim was identified as Mr Ashok of Jyoti Katesra village in Delhi and the injured as Neeraj of Garhi Sampla village. Both the youths were going from Murthal to Bahalgarh. The injured was given first-aid by the police. The police seized the body of the victim for a post-mortem. According to another report, a youth Dharminder (15) was seriously injured when he was hit by a truck on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh Road here last evening. He was immediately rushed to the civil hospital where he was declared dead by the doctors. The police have registered a case against the truck driver on the charges of rash and negligent driving and causing the death of the victim. The victim belonged to Fazilpur village and he was a trainee in a motor workshop. Meanwhile, a youth Rahul of Sarita Vihar (Delhi) was injured seriously when he was hit by a speedy vehicle on the G T Road near Rai village about 13 km from here last night. He was immediately rushed to the local civil hospital from where he was sent to a trauma centre in Delhi for treatment. The police are still investigating the case. However, no arrest has been made in this connection.
Property dealer attacked Mr Naresh Goel, a property dealer was seriously injured when he was attacked with lathis by three unidentified men on Mission Road here today. According to a report, the injured was immediately hospitalised. He is stated to be out of danger. The police have registered the case and launched a hunt for the alleged assailants. |
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