Monday,
March 3, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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HC extends stay on air-gun
sale order New Delhi, March 2 A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Devinder Gupta and Justice B D Ahmed said the interim stay would continue till March 28, when the court would hear the applications by the National Rifle Association of India and the Toy Gun Manufacturers Association. These two parties had said that the High Court’s November 2002 order, staying the notification, was passed without giving them a chance to present their case. They sought hearing from the court and stay on the order until then. On November 3 last, acting on the applications, the High Court had stayed, till further orders, its order quashing the Central government notification exempting air-guns and air-pistols from being sold or purchased without licence and issued notices to the Centre and the petitioner, People for Animals. The NRAI and the Toy Gun Manufacturers Association had moved the court saying that the court’s order had virtually resulted in extinction of shooting as a sport in the country. They said that the court order was passed without the affected parties having been impleaded in the case. As a result they could not present their case properly. The NRAI, through its counsel, alleged that the court directions had come on a petition filed by the People’s for Animals which claims itself to be a charitable trust campaigning for the animal rights. In order to mislead the court, certain persons were named in the petition as the Governing Board members. However, the name of its chairperson was deliberately not stated with mala fide intent as the chairperson was Ms Maneka Gandhi who was the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. It claimed that the entire sport activities undertaken and managed by the association and the business of the manufacturers had come to a standstill due to the order. No person falling in age group of 10 and 18 years could now participate in the sport, it said and added that all recreational and amusement activities had come to an end. The argument that air-guns and air-pistols were being used for killing birds and small animals was countered in the application, which said that a penalty could be imposed under the Wildlife Protection Act for such an act and there was no reason for licensing the air-gun sale on this account. On July 30, the High Court had ruled that henceforth gun licence would be needed for buying air-guns and air-pistols. The court had quashed the notification dated July 13, 1962, and allowed a prayer to this effect, filed in a petition by the People for Animals. The provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Fundamental Duty of showing compassion towards the animals have to be kept in mind in testing the implications of the notification, the judges said. It had been submitted by the petitioner that the gun licences procured on such pretexts were actually used for ‘other purposes’, namely during elections, for settling property and family disputes, religious fanaticism, poaching and theft of forest products. Another reason cited in the petition for the licensing of air-guns and air-pistols was to disallow minors and young persons from buying such guns. |
NOIDA KNOT Noida, March 2 They virtually presented the 9009. 31 sq. mt. land, allotted by the Noida administration to the RW and CS for a community centre, on a platter to Club-26, which was formed for the so-called elite or self-seeking moneyed members at the expense of the resident-members of the sector. Ram Rachan, general secretary of the RW and CS in a circular alleged “Some persons, who were office-bearers of RW and CS in the past, with a mala fide intention of forming another registered society Club-26, fabricated some documents to legally divert the land of the RW and CS. Ram Rachan said: “The Licence Agreement was entered into by RW and CS (Regd) on August 13, 1997 by which 9009, 31 sq. mt. of land was allotted for the welfare of the residents. The agreement was signed by Govind Sharma, the then general secretary of the RW and CS and by V C Jain as witness on behalf of the society. The land’s possession letter was handed over by Noida on August 27, 1997 to Govind Sharma in his capacity as general secretary, Ram Rachan said. In an executive committee meeting of the RW and CS on September 7 1997, a resolution was read out by Govind Sharma. Significantly, 12 members attended this crucial meeting while 13 were absent. There is no record of anybody’s signature. And after the allotment of land to RWA, these persons, taking advantage of their position in society, diverted the land to Club-26. The result is that a major chunk of the land is being used only by the members of Club-26 exclusively. The land was given at the rate of Re 1 per sq. mt. so that a community welfare centre could be set up. Any other organisation/institution is not eligible to get land at the rate of Re 1 per sq.mtr. from the Noida administration, says Ram Rachan. Govind Sharma, who was the general Secretary of the RW and CS when the land was allotted and Club-26 formed, reacting to Ram Rachan’s letter, has said that “with great persuasion we could convince the Noida Authority for the need to have a sports and cultural ‘club’ in addition to a community centre. The authority however, insisted that they would like to be satisfied about the constitution of the club, its bye-laws and its relationship with the Residents Welfare Society. Accordingly, a constitution for the club for sports and cultural activities was framed with its bye-laws. It is only then that the Noida administration agreed to allot the said land measuring 9009. 31 sq. mt. on licence for an initial period of 30 years in favour of the RW and CS. According to RWA members, while the two-storey club building has been constructed on a large part of RWA land, the community centre is nowhere to be found, though an obscure board RWA “Community Centre” has been put to avoid any legal complication. |
THAT'S CRICKET New Delhi, March 2 Twenty-four teams, 14 sponsors, 127 matches and the result: a smile on 3,500 faces. Twenty-four corporate teams have been playing one another as part of the third CRY Cadence Corporate Cricket Challenge for the last three months. The finals at the Oberoi grounds saw SAR Group lift the trophy and the spirits of the hundreds who are to benefit from the gentleman’s game. These matches which were played at the weekends managed to raise Rs 20.25 lakh out of which Rs 8.5 lakh was raised through participation alone. Cadence Design System matched the amount with an equal grant to the CRY. What’s more? A team of mediapersons played the sponsors and raised an additional amount. The special match raised money in an innovative way. Every four and six runs, every wicket that was taken and every 50 or 100 scored by the individual player contributed money towards the cause. For the players, it was not just the euphoria of playing to prove their mettle, but also a chance to do their bit for the thousands of the underprivileged children of society. The CEO of Cadence, Mr Jaswinder Ahuja, said: “We have seen the size of the CRY Cadence Corporate Cricket Challenge double since we started it, that shows how the love of the game and the passion for the cause is bringing corporates together to share their enthusiasm and enable CRY to benefit the children supported by its projects.” The felicitation ceremony was attended by the corporate bigwigs, socialite Nafisa Ali and politician Salman Khurshid. The ceremony also saw the Kapil Dev’s autographed memorabilia being auctioned. The bat signed by the legendary cricketer fetched 5,000 bucks. Mr Khurshid who is also the president of the DPS Society made an offer to help provide education to those children from CRY who want to go to school. Howzzat for a good cause! |
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RI for two ultras carrying arms for Babbar Khalsa New Delhi, March 2 Special CBI Judge R K Gauba also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on Gurbachan Singh and Baldev Singh, convicted on various counts under the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act. Accused Gurbachan was separately sentenced to an additional seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 for possessing a forged driving licence. The sentences would, however, run concurrently. The judges refused to take a lenient view of the case citing that the death, destruction, gore and blood caused by the terrorists is a present-day reality, which has to be met with a suitable response at all levels. According to the prosecution, on a tip-off, the CBI apprehended the two from Libaspur Transport Area on the G T Karnal Road here on October 14, 2000, and recovered a huge consignment of arms, ammunition and explosive substances from their possession. The CBI had recovered two AK-56 rifles along with 163 cartridges and six magazines, 20 pistols, 40 pistol magazines, 717 live pistol cartridges, 15 detonators, six time devices and 29 kg of RDX from a steel trunk and a bag that they were carrying. On investigation, it was revealed that Gurbachan was a resident of Amritsar district and his links with Pakistani smugglers dated back to 1977. He was involved in smuggling gold, narcotics, counterfeit currency, arms and explosive substances. |
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SPECIAL FOCUS ON SONEPAT Sonepat, March 2 Official sources also revealed that the Sonepat Municipal Council has also completed the survey of the milk dairies, which are to be shifted out of the city and the owners of these dairies have been asked to submit their applications for the allotment of the plots and sheds on the panchayat land at Dewru and Harsana kalan villages. These milk dairies, it may be recalled, have become the source of insanitation and blockage of sewerage system in the city and this has become a subject of public criticism. The owners of these dairies are in the habit of diverting the cow dung in the drains and sewers, which are often blocked resulting in the water flowing on the streets and roads, causing inconvenience to the people. Official sources also revealed that the state has already granted the sanction of acquiring the panchayat land at Harsana Kalan village but the sanction of acquiring the land at Dewru village is still awaited. The Sonepat Municipal Council has already submitted the lay-out plans of acquiring panchayat land at Dewru village to the state government for approval. The work-estimate is still being prepared. |
New scheme for cooperative bus services Sonepat, March 2 According to information available from official sources, the routes to be allotted will be divided into two categories-one linking district headquarters and the other linking all major district routes. It is proposed to allot inter-district routes to big operators and district routes to small bus operators. Besides, there is a proposal to increase the routes considerably so as to make them financially profitable. When the views of the cooperative bus operators were sought about the proposed new scheme, they categorically told the NCR Tribune, “until some strict rules were enforced to curb the illegal and unauthorised plying of maxi-cabs, no scheme is going to succeed. We have already suffered heavy losses due to this.” They demanded that like the buses, the maxi-cabs must also be issued state-carriage permits instead of hire or contract permits. They said there was a need to check the maxi-cabs plying illegally under the direct patronage of influential persons, including police personnel. It may be recalled that the first scheme of cooperative bus societies was introduced in December 1993 when Mr Bhajan Lal was the chief minister. Later some improvements were brought about in the scheme when Mr Bansi Lal was the chief minister. However, the schemes were revised by the present Chautala government in 2001 when the scheme could not produce the desired results. However, it was not fully successful as the private bus operators continued to suffer losses, forcing most of them to withdraw their buses from the scheme. Moreover, the free bus passes issued to students in the state proved to be an extra and unbearable burden on the bus operators. Furthermore, encouraged by the withdrawal of government buses on these routes, many people started plying jeeps illegally. Presently, just about 13-14 buses are plying on about 10 routes in the district. The people living in the villages around the abandoned routes are the worst sufferers and have repeatedly approached the authorities to introduce roadways bus service on these routes. |
Official
apathy allows diversion of food commodities from fair price shops Sonepat, March 2 Many consumers alleged that the bulk quantity of the rationed commodities supplied to nearly 400 fair price shops in the urban and rural areas of the district finds its way into the black market instead of reaching the poor and downtrodden families for which it is meant. It is estimated that around 25 per cent of the ration cards in the districts are bogus while another 20 to 25 per cent card holders do not draw their rations regularly. Thus the supplies of rationed commodities for about 50 per cent ration cards are at the disposal of the fair price shops owners, who merrily sell them off in the open market at high profit. Thanks to the nexus between unscrupulous ration shop owners and corrupt officials of the concerned department, the massive racket in the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Sonepat is flourishing, while the poor masses keep making endless trips to the ration shops to be often turned away on some pretext or the other. Some ration card holders also complain that most of the depot holders keep the commodities stored in their godowns and sell them at profit in the market. They have time and again made complaints to the authorities concerned but no action has yet been taken against the erring depot-holders. It is also alleged that periodical artificial shortages, created by the diversion of ration items lead to the harassment of the poor masses. It is common knowledge of the authorities that whenever the prices of rationed items go up in the open market, most of the depot holders divert them for sale in the black market in connivance with certain officials of the concerned department. The state Government and the district administration have failed to evolve any formidable system of enforcement in the concerned department, which could ensure that the subsidised ration supply reaches the people for whom it is meant. Another problem plaguing the Public Distribution System of this district is the massive number of bogus ration cards that are in circulation. However, the authorities of the concerned department go on issuing new ration cards. The beneficiaries of the bogus ration cards are the owners of the fair price shops, who sell the bulk quantity of rationed commodities in the open market, which are not drawn by the BPL families. While the concerned department is plagued with corruption and malpractices, the authorities do not bother to conduct surprise raids on the depots functioning in the urban and rural areas of the district. Kerosene oil is perhaps the most thriving racket. The bulk quantity of kerosene oil is being sold to halwais and commercial establishments by the depot holders. Surprise raids on them would expose the scandalous working of the department and misdeeds of the officials as well as owners of the fair price shops. It is also alleged that the whole system of the fair price shops is based on the motive to sell the commodities in the black market. The modus operandi of the fair price shop owners is to earn profit from the subsidised ration items, which can be sold off at the market rates. The amount earned by distributing supplies of the commodities at the fair price shops is too meagre to attract them. The officials of the concerned department are aware that half the ration supply is going to the middlemen and the other half to persons living below the poverty line. |
SGPC role condemned New Delhi, March 2 The president of the Delhi state unit of the panel, Mr Tahal Singh Taneja, told the press that a dharna by the Khalsa Panchayat inside the complex was contrary to the Sikh traditions but it was important to watch the role of the custodian of Sikh Maryada, the SGPC. It only showed the SGPC was also ready do don a negative role to oppress any voice raised against it. The workers of the task force and the Sikh youth federation did not hesitate to throw away their turbans and coverage of this by the electronic media and telecast by TV channels had brought down the image of the Sikh community. The one-sided statements of Badal and Mann were also misleading only a day after this incident. The termination of the services of Prof Manjit Singh was a disgraceful act. If all this was to be done, a favourable reply could also be given to the members of the Khalsa Panchayat. Mr Darshan Singh Kalka Jee, Mr Baljit Singh and Mr Inderjeet Singh also addressed the meeting. |
Farmers, traders critical of Budget Noida, March 2 The traders and business circle in Ghaziabad have termed the budget as ‘negative and hard’ who were already feeling harassed and dejected on account of VAT being enforced from April 1. As the budget has not given any relief to the steel industry, the Ghaziabad traders find nothing to cheer about. Though there are some concessions in excise and custom duties, by hiking the cost of petrol and diesel, the government has hit the very basis of all trade and industry. Some have called it an ‘election budget’ too. Entrepreneur and president of Small Scale Industries Association, Mr M.L. Arora, feels that there is no relief for the steel industry which is the backbone of all manufacturing in Ghaziabad. Mr Shiv Shankar Rathi, the president of the Udyog Vyapar Mandal, said the budget is ‘attractive but not helpful’. |
Anti-people Budget: HPCC Sonepat, March 2 They said that the reduction in interest rate for small savings and PPF and increase in the rates of fertilisers and petroleum products were bound to hit the common man and the farmers. Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, a BJP MP and vice-president of the Haryana BJP unit, welcomed the Union Budget and described it as a rural-oriented aimed to remove poverty and increase employment opportunities. He also said that the priority given to infrastructure development in education, health and agriculture sectors was a welcome step. Mr S N Solanki and Mr Howa Singh, president and vice-president respectively of the Haryana State Committee of the CITU said that the Union Budget was anti-people. |
Jail inmate found dead Alwar: An inmate at the Alwar Jail was found dead under mysterious circumstances, police said today. Sources said that Ajeet Jat, an accused in a criminal case, was recently brought from Gurgaon and lodged here. Jat, who died yesterday, was allegedly beaten up by other inmates, they said. Meanwhile, the jail administrator has ordered an enquiry to ascertain the details of the incident.
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Liquor
being smuggled to Delhi seized New Delhi, March 2 The police received secret information that certain persons were involved in the smuggling of liquor to Delhi, particularly from Lajwanti Chowk, and it would reach Sagarpur through Pankha Road. The police team spotted a grey colour TSR (DL-1LE-1537) yesterday around 1.15 pm and seized a huge quantity of liquor which was for sale only in Rajasthan. The driver, Mehar Chand, a resident of Raghubir Nagar, was arrested. When questioned, he revealed that one Ramesh Choudhary, resident of Sagarpur, had ordered the liquor.
Pedestrian killed A pedestrian was killed when a Blue Line bus ran over him near Regal Cinema in Connaught Place on Sunday afternoon. The victim, Parasram (28), resident of Vishwas Park, Uttam Nagar, was walking when a speeding bus (Dl-1P-A-2170) plying on route no 166 between Shalimar Bagh and Palika Kendra ran over him. The victim immediately died on the spot. The driver of the bus, Mahavir Singh, resident of Sarai Rohilla extension, Moti Bagh, has been arrested and a case of causing death due to rash and negligent driving has been registered against him.
Body found An unidentified body of a man who was suspected to have been attacked by an animal was found by the Mandir Marg police. The body was found near an electric pole situated between Buddha Garden and Shankar Road. Since the body was found on the Ridge Road with both face and hand damaged in a different fashion the police suspect an animal to have caused his death. |
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