EXCISE DUTY WOES
Panipat industrialists in search of a godfather
Our Correspondent

Panipat, April 15
The industrialists of Panipat, reeling under excise duty levies, are in search of a godfather who can plead their case in the Capital and bail them out. The entire industry in the area is up in arms: A relay fast by various handloom textiles, velvet, blankets and shoddy yarn associations entered the second day today. The fast will continue till the decision to impose excise duty on the aforesaid items is withdrawn.

According to the president of the Handloom Textiles Association, Mr Ashok Banga: “ If the handloom industry of Panipat is unable to find a godfather who would take up their case with the Prime Minister or the Finance Minister, this industry won’t survive as the 11.5 per cent excise duty and the implementation of VAT in Haryana will ring their death knell.”

The president of the Velvet Association, Mr Radhey Sham Gogia, alleged that during the Budget discussions the proposed increase in the prices of fertilisers was withdrawn but the burden imposed on the handloom industry was not discussed in the absence of a godfather. However, Mr I. D. Swami, Minister of State for Home, had given an assurance that their problem would be discussed with the Prime Minister and sorted out soon.

Mr Gogia contended that the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Ajit Singh, had pleaded the farmers’ case forcefully. Now, they wanted somebody should take up their case.

The management of the Velvet Manufacturers Association has approached the Pradesh Prabhari of the BJP, Mr Harsh Vardhan, and the Minister of State for Small Industries, Mr C.P. Thakur, and submitted a memorandum for the waiver of excise duty.

Another industrialist claimed last year also tax was imposed on the velvet industry, which was withdrawn by the central government following the intervention of Mr Swami.

Mr Ramesh Matta alleged that if the excise duty was not withdrawn, only big sharks would survive and the small entrepreneurs would just disappear. Moreover, the market would be in the clutches of big units and their monopoly would result in disaster.

Mr Gogia disclosed that Mr Swami had arranged a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L. K. Advani, in his office on April 17. At a meeting held here today, the vice-president of the Panipat Textile Sangharsh Samiti, Mr Prem Bajaj, said, “We are hopeful of getting a rebate as part of the benefit that will accrue to small-scale industries, which includes withdrawal of the proposed 11.5 per cent excise duty.”

Fire in coach, scare on passenger train 
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 15
It was a providential escape for hundreds of passengers of a DPM passenger train, running from Delhi to Panipat, when one of its compartments caught fire on Sunday evening. However, the fire was doused by the fire tenders at Sonepat railway station and, fortunately, there was no loss of life.

According to information, the train reached Rathdhana railway station between Sonepat and Narela at 5.30 pm and halted there for about seven minutes, to allow a Shatabdi train to pass. But just as the train streamed out of the railway station, a fire was noticed under one of the compartments.

It was all panic stations as rattled passengers used the vestibule to get into other compartments. However, the fears seemed to persist and when the train slowed down at Sonepat railway station, most of the passengers jumped out of the compartments and a number of passengers fell down on the platform in the melee.

However, the railway authorities at Rathdhana had already alerted the fire service personnel and the fire tenders had taken positions at the Sonepat railway station before the arrival of the train. It reportedly took the fire service personnel half an hour to smother the fire.

According to one report, which quotes the train driver, Babu Lal, the motor-box of the compartment in question probably caught fire at Rathdhana railway station as somebody had discarded a burning hatch-stick on the railway tracks. The hatch-stick, in turn, ignited the dry husk stacked between the tracks.

According to another version, to which some of the daily commuters, the fire officer and the railway police subscribe, the fire resulted from a short-circuit.

After a general inspection of all compartments, the train left for Panipat at around 7 pm where, according to the railway authorities, the train was extensively examined. The entire electricity circuit in the train was also checked.

Rewarding politicians for their benign neglect
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, April 15
Honouring political bosses and the powers that be with cash and other valuables seems to have become the norm; in fact, there seems to be no better way to grab the attention of the authorities.

Take, for instance, the Khader belt, which lies along the Yamuna river in the district. The tract is possibly one of the most backward and neglected areas of the state in terms of development, but the people here seem to be quite ‘benevolent.’

At a public meeting organised at Bagpur Khader village of the district last evening, prominent residents of the village honoured the chief minister with a cash garland of Rs 51,000 and a silver crown. The villagers not only honoured the chief guest thus, but they also presented shawls to all the ministers, MLAs, the mayor and even the Deputy Commissioner and the police chief of the district.

Incidentally, the Khader belt has about 18 villages and most of them are uterly lacking in development. ``This is the first time that a chief minister has visited the Khader belt in several years,’’ said a resident at the meeting. Usually, politicians flock to their belt only during elections.

Observers feel that honouring the CM or the powers that be with cash has become a fad. People were ready to shower the politicians with largesse, even if the latter are yet to turn their benign gaze at pressing matters of development.

Nearly all parties and their leaders collect funds in this manner and promise to usher in development when they come to power.

Although the Khader belt acquired a bridge recently, there are several villages which are still crying for development and connectivity: The Yamuna, often, is responsible for disconnecting them from the mainland. The residents of the area face hardship in selling their crops in mandies, have to reckon with poor infrastructure and unsatisfactory health facilities. The dispensaries and the primary health centres in the belt face a perennial shortage of medicines and staff, including doctors.

BEARING THE BRUNT
With buses on rally duty, students 
pedal to exam centre 
Our Correspondent

Noida(Dankaur), April 15
The student community had to bear the brunt of Chief Minister Mayawati’s ‘pardafash’ rally in Lucknow yesterday. A large number of buses had been taken away by the administration for ferrying supporters to the CM’s rally at Lucknow, which created a serious problem for the examinees, who had a tough time reaching their centres on Friday, Saturday and Monday.

Many students were seen cycling to their examination centres, worried that they may otherwise miss their examination.

The buses for the ‘pardafash’ rally had been cornered three days earlier. The examination centre for students of Dankaur’s Bihari Lal Inter College was set up at Choudhuri Laxmi Narain Inter College in Mandi Shyam Nagar.

According to sources, as about 50 per cent buses on all important routes, including Secunderabad-Dankaur, were taken away to ferry volunteers for the Chief Minister’s rally it greatly upset the commuters, especially students who had to reach their examination centre.

Certain bus drivers and cleaners had reportedly gone underground out of fear that their buses may be requisitioned by the police administration for the rally.

A large number of students had gathered at the Secunderabad bus depot on April 12 for proceeding to Mandi Shyam Nagar for appearing in the social science examination. To their dismay, no buses were to be seen here. One bus was spotted in a corner at the bus stand. As students and their parents flocked around it, the driver and cleaner refused to ply the vehicle for fear of the police administration. The helpless students then decided to pedal down to Mandi Shyam Nagar.

Taking a cue from kangaroos in infant care
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 15
Despite the tremendous developments made by mankind, when it comes to the basics of life, the best lessons are learnt from Mother Nature. At least, this is what neonatologists or the newborn specialists suggest. A technique called Kangaroo Mother Care, or KMC, is being hailed as a panacea for preventing several health problems in infants. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) means keeping babies in ‘skin to skin’ contact on the mother’s chest.

This helps the baby remain warm and establishes early breast-feeding and bonding.

Hypothermia, or low body temperature, is a common problem in newborn babies, especially in those who are born small or sick and need to be transported to special care units. KMC is a lifesaver for such newborns, says Dr Satish Saluja, Consultant Neonatologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, and also the Secretary of the National Neonatology Forum (NNF), Delhi.

The latest advances in neonatology, prominently deliberating on spreading awareness on the KMC technique, were discussed at a CME (Continuing Medical Education) organised by the NNF, Delhi, under the guidance of Dr Sudershan Kumari, Consultant Neonatologist at Sunder Lal Jain Hospital, and President, NNF, Delhi. The CME was attended by more than 100 delegates from all over India. Elucidating the KMC technique, Dr Saluja said, “KMC in sick babies improves oxygenation, temperature maintenance and reduces chances of breathing problems. The technique is especially relevant in India where one third of babies are born with low birth weight and are more prone to developing hypothermia, breathing difficulty (respiratory distress) and nutritional deficiency. They are also more prone to developing developmental delays and neurological problems if they do not get optimum care after birth.”

The survival rate of infants, called the Infant Mortality Rate or IMR in medical parlance, is dismal in India. Out of 25 million babies born in India every year, 12 lakh die in the first month of life! India has an IMR of approximately 70 per 1000 live births, as against only 10 per 1000 in most developed countries. Deaths under one month of age constitute almost two-thirds of infant mortality. One out of every 22 infants born in India are not destined to complete the first month of life.

Says Dr Saluja, “Newborn deaths in India constitute one-fourth of all newborn deaths across the globe. Two-thirds of deaths during the first month of life occur in the first seven days.

Therefore, care of newly born babies is vital during the first few days after birth, especially the first seven days.”

An interesting and fortunate development in KMC is that it is done not only in the delivery room or on babies with the mother but is also being extended to the neonatal Intensive Care Units.

Another important cause of neonatal mortality is breathing difficulty or Respiratory Distress Syndrome seen in premature babies. This is most often due to deficiency of surfactant in the lungs. As many as 40-80 per cent of babies born below 32 weeks of gestation and below 1,250 grams develop respiratory distress soon after birth, requiring help in the from of assisted ventilation.

Surfactant is now available in India, which is delivered into the lungs of these babies through their windpipe (trachea), resulting in significant improvement. Using newer techniques of ventilation, babies can now be given much faster oscillations to chest, increasing their induced breathing, resulting in better oxygenation of blood.

For babies who are not able to accept or tolerate feeds through mouth, complex solutions of proteins, fats, vitamins, and trace elements are now available which by use of specialised infusion pumps can be given to these tiny neonates.

The CME also attempted to develop guidelines for a uniform, optimum and standardised newborn care. Says Dr Saluja, “It is imperative to develop and implement protocols for management of these issues in newborn care, especially because not all maternity homes in India are equipped with the best tools or skills to handle critical cases. These guidelines are very vital during the early neonatal period as these would not only ensure survival and improve the chances of intact survival but also alleviate the social burden of babies surviving with neurological and physical handicap.”

A practical demonstration of intensive care procedures, formulation and delivery of parental nutrition, newer skills of mechanical ventilation were made at the CME. KMC in NICU, the exclusive use of human milk in NICU and doing away with formula milk were also some of the highlights during the CME.

Haryana getting water savvy
Our Correspondent

Gurgaon, April 15
A tap that leaks all day could fill a bucket. For the sake of trivia, a drop per second adds to 25 litres a day and 10,000 litres per year, which could be used to wash more than 65 loads of clothing or 40 cars. (Incidentally, these figures have been provided by an aqua expert.)

On a given day each one of us uses about 80 to 100 gallons of water. However, we drink only a fraction of the millions of gallons that is treated for drinking every day. Less than one per cent of the potable water generated by the treatment centres is actually used for drinking, says the expert. The water scarcity has also affected Gurgaon.

According to Executive Engineer, Haryana Urban Development Authority, Mr S K Gupta, a canal was being laid from Sonepat to Gurgaon, which would ensure that there is no pilferage en route. The canal would get its supply from the Yamuna. The project is expected to cost Rs 80 crore, said the officer.

There is no dearth of water in the road map laid down for the people of Haryana. The plan has been divided into 5 phases under which 20 million gallons per day, per phase would be made available. Currently, the plan caters to 5 lakh dwellings in Gurgaon and the projected water supply is 20 million gallons per day. The authorities have planned ahead of time and expect 16 lakh dwellings in 2021, when the supply would be 100 mgd per day, said the officer.

It is learnt that fully treated water is being utilized for construction purposes. The project for treating sewage water, to make it available for plantation and construction, has still not taken off. The current water table situation is also very grim (approximately 70 ft) and in commercial areas like Udyog Vihar etc it is worse.

Five youths die in car-dumper head-on collision 
Our Correspondent

Noida, April 15
A Maruti car carrying eight youngsters met with an accident while it was on its way from Delhi to Bulandshahar, killing five of the occupants on the spot. The three others have sustained serious injuries. The injured have been admitted to a hospital in Dadri.

They were travelling in Maruti car (DL-6CB-5150). As their car reached village Chhapraula, near the Air Force station, a dumper (HR-47-4830), which was coming at high speed from the opposite direction, hit the car head on. The car was reduced to a wreck owing to the frontal impact of the collision. The dumper had dragged the car for hundred metres or so.

Five of the occupants, who were between 17 and 25 years of age, died on the spot. Those killed in the mishap are Sarjit, Vinode Dulpura, Arvind, Ravi of Chilka village and Manoj, a resident of Bareilly.

Seven die in yet another collision

Rohtak: In another accident, seven persons were killed and 13 others injured when a jeep carrying them collided head-on with a container near Bhaini Maharajpur village last evening.

The deceased have been identified as Kuldeep, Rajesh and Amit of Madanheri village, Narender of Singhwa village and Tara Chand and Surender. The injured have been admitted at the PGIMS.

Making an effort to provide a roof to the homeless
Jeevna Bhinder

New Delhi, April 15
The increasing population migration and their inability to rise above the poverty level has led to dramatic increase in number of homeless people in the national Capital. The incidence of homelessness is particularly high among rickshaw-pullers and daily wage earners.

Even though there were 20 government run night shelters with a capacity of approximately 2,500 people, few have provisions for women and children.

Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA) is a citizen initiative to help raise the problem of homelessness and highlight the problems of those forced to sleep on pavements, under flyovers or even on the rickshaws itself.

Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan has taken Rapid Assessment Survey (RAS) in collaboration with other people and organisations, including NGO’s such as Pravah, Mukti, Ashran, Sahara and Navjyoti. The objective of the survey was to find out the number of homeless people in Delhi.

The volunteers were divided into different teams for conducting the survey in seven different zones. The survey was conducted between 7 pm and 6 am.

The Rapid Assessment Survey shows that almost a third of the homeless people are rickshaw-pullers who rarely sleep in night shelters because there is no proper and secure place to leave their rickshaws.

Due to this problem, Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan is working with Lokayan, an association of rickshaw-pullers to provide rickshaw sheds, where rickshaws could be safely kept for the night.

Under the Delhi Master Plan, temporary shelters are built for the homeless people during the monsoon and winter season or when the construction of permanent shelters are delayed for any reason.

A temporary shelter is made up of pre- fabricated material such as tin, asbestos or corrugated iron sheets. At present there is only one temporary night shelter in the national Capital.

Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan is working hard to identify the needs of the homeless people. It is currently conducting a ‘needs assessment’ survey to identify the areas where shelters are more needed, and where the necessary land is easily available for the purpose.

It is lobbying with the various departments of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to construct more temporary shelters before the arrival of the harsh monsoon and winter season.

The Chief Minister of Delhi has promised to open 100 new shelters and the Minister of Social Welfare has promised to work on building shelters for women.

Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan will identify the areas where the permanent shelters are most required. 

SPECIAL FOCUS ON GURGAON
Sohna: Excellent connectivity in bootlegging
Ravi S.Singh
Tribune News Service

Sohna (Gurgaon), April 15
The liquor mafia is spreading its tentacles. There is no let-up in the illegal sale of country-made liquor in polythene pouches in the countryside despite police vigil. According to local sources, almost all the 85 villages falling in the Sohna police station area are connected with the bootlegging network. Reports suggest that outside the Sohna subdivision, in neighbouring villages, too, the illicit trade is on the rise.

The growth of the trade is a matter of grave concern for the village elders as the youths are increasingly getting sucked into the bootlegging distribution network. This business is lucrative and affords an opportunity to make a fast buck. But, in the process, the youngsters get entrapped with anti-social elements. A far bigger concern is that the youths are getting hooked to liquor and turning into alcoholics. This is creating other societal problems as well.

Inquiries reveal that the mafia is in total control. They supply the pouches in the villages at night time. These pouches are available at nondescript grocery shops, “parchun” kiosks and “paan” vends. The retailers shell out Rs 5 for a pouch and dispose it of for Rs 10-15. The price, of course, varies depending on the urgency of the buyer. The rural consumer prefers the pouches as it costs him less than what it would at the authorised liquor vends. Also, the supplies are not time-barred. With credit readily available in the underworld, liquor buffs don’t have to necessarily pay on the spot.

Apart from causing societal problems, the rampant trade is also causing a huge financial loss to the public exchequer: the government is robbed of revenue through excise duties.

Ironically, the racket is thriving even though the police claims to keep a strict vigil on bootlegging. The police, indeed, conducts raids and seizes pouches every now and then. Recently the police raided village Khedla, which falls under Sohan Police Station, and seized about 7,000 pouches. But the culprits managed to get bail and it is now business as usual.

The popular perception is that although the illicit Liquor business is thriving for the last many years, it has assumed alarming proportions in the recent months. It is felt that the authorities must check the menace before things get out of hand.

Probe sought into awarding of contracts by PWD
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 15
Representatives of various political parties, including the Congress, the Haryana Vikas Party, the CPI and the CPM, have urged the state government to order a high-level probe into the functioning of the PWD (B and R) offices in this city and elsewhere in the district.

In a memorandum sent to the state government, a copy of which was released to the Press here today, they have said the department, which was a major agency for development in the district, had allegedly become a den of corruption and public funds meant for the development of the area, particularly the construction of roads and repair works, were being misappropriated by its corrupt officials. The recent arrests of the Executive Engineer, the SDO and the junior engineer of this department under the Prevention of Corruption Act had exposed the misdeeds of the unscrupulous and corrupt officials, they added.

The memorandum reiterated the demand for an independent and impartial probe into the allotment of supply orders and the alleged irregularities committed by the officials while awarding these contracts. It alleged the quality of construction works by the department had gone down during the past three years and the contractors close to ministers and MLAs of the ruling party were getting huge supply orders.

The memorandum further alleged a large quantity of coal tar meant for the maintenance of roads in this city and elsewhere in the district was being sold in the market by some contractors in connivance with corrupt and unscrupulous officials of the department.

It also alleged that the coat of coal tar put on the roads had already been washed away during the spell of rains, thereby causing a huge financial loss to the state exchequer. A high-level inquiry into the allegations was likely to expose the scandalous working of the department.

Plea for CBI probe into misuse of funds by MC
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 15
The Residents Welfare Association and the Sonepat Citizens Council today sent a joint memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, demanding immediate dissolution of the Sonepat Municipal Council and a CBI inquiry into the scandalous working and misuse of funds allotted to it for the development of slum areas and construction and repair of the roads and pavements in this city.

According to a report, the memorandum alleged most of the works executed by the Sonepat Municipal Council were substandard and caused a huge financial loss to it. It also alleged that a majority of the councillors were in league with unscrupulous contractors who were involved in the misappropriation of public funds.

The memorandum further alleged some contractors had used the same bricks which were dug out from the streets before converting them into concrete steets in the absence of any check by the municipal authorities. The municipal council had no account of bricks dug out from the streets by the contractors and they were being paid full amount for the works they had done during the past five years, it also alleged. The memorandum pointed out that the residents had made a series of complaints to the municipal authorities but all these had fallen on deaf ears.

It also pointed out that only a CBI probe into the public complaints could expose the misuse of funds and the use of substandard material in the construction and repair of the roads and pavement of streets in the city. The memorandum also alleged that the Chairman and the authorities of the municipal council had failed to protect public property and the buildings which had been illegally occupied by the police during the past two years or so. It also demanded immediate prosecution of the Chairman and the authorities for not taking any action against the police officials who were responsible for the grabbing of municipal property and buildings.

Widow sees plot to grab her property
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 15
A widow of village Bajana has lodged a complaint with the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee charging her brother-in-law and sister in-law (Jeth and Jethani) of plotting to kill her and her children so as to grab her property.

In her complaint, the widow, Sheela, had alleged that though both the families were living separately for the last few years, her brother-in-law, Shyam Lal and his wife, Sunita, started harassing her soon after the death of her husband.

She alleged that on February 20, 2002, they poured kerosene oil on her two children and tried to burn them. However, they failed in their motive as the neighbours reached the spot on time.

Her complaint has been admitted for hearing on April 19 and the police have been directed to inquire into the complaint and put up its report in the meeting of the committee.

The meeting of the committee is presided over by the Haryana Agriculture Minister, Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu.

In another complaint to the committee, one Shashi, a resident of local Panchsheel Colony in ward No. 20, had alleged that an employee of the Irrigation Department, Deva Singh, had taken Rs 20,000 from her for arranging a government job in the department.

However, she alleged that instead of arranging the job or returning the amount, he had now developed ‘bad intention’. She urged the committee to take stern action against him and help her get back the money.

A complaint regarding illegal gratification for the registration of a fake firm by the Khadi and Village Industries Board, so as to avail of financial grants of the board has also been received from a resident of Dev Nagar Colony.

Phone tariff hike flayed by Haryana Congress leader
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, April 15
The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee has condemned the enormous hike made by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited in the tariff for calls made from landline to mobile.

In a statement here, Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, a former minister and spokesman of the HPCC, said telephone service had become an essential commodity these days. He said the middle class would be adversely affected by the hike.

The Congress leader said the Telecommunications Department had recently curtailed the number of free calls and now it had made a six-fold increase in the tariff for calls from landline to mobile from May 1.

HSEB union election: Mr Bharat Bhushan has been elected the general-secretary of the district unit of Haryana State Electricity Board Workers’ Union, affiliated to Haryana Karamchari Maha Sangh (HKMS) in its bi-annual election.

Mr Bharat Bhushan has been elected for the seventh consecutive time for this post.

He is also the press secretary of the HKMS. Mr Dharambir Suhag was elected the president, Mr Kashmiri Lal Katyal as senior vice-president, Mr Satbir as vice -president, Mr Saiditta Wadhwa as assistant secretary and Mr Om Prakash Sharma as treasurer of the union.

Residents to get piped water
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, April 15
The district administration has devised an ambitious scheme to provide piped water to every resident in Kiloi village. According to official sources, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ashok Yadav, inspected the waterworks at Kiloi village yesterday and assured the residents that they would soon be able to get piped water. He said pipes would be laid in the whole village under the Swajaldhara scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 25 lakh. He said the villagers would have to bear 10 per cent of the total expenses incurred on carrying out the plan. He also directed the villagers to constitute a committee comprising five to 10 members to regulate the process of supplying piped water to the consumers.

The Deputy Commissioner directed the officials concerned to ensure supply of water from the Bhalaut sub-branch to the Kiloi waterworks and construct two boosting stations in the village.

He assured the villagers that strict action would be taken against a private tubewell operator who was accused of breach of contract if he was found guilty.

NCR BRIEFS
No trace of missing driver 
Our Correspondents

Dadri (Noida), April 15
The relatives of Ravinder, a Sumo driver missing since April 6, have accused the Dadri police of negligence in tracing him. Hundreds of people from Palla village marched to the office of the Circle Officer, Mr Pradeep Gupta and protested against police inaction in the matter.

They alleged that Ravinder might have been killed and his vehicle stolen. However, the police have so far failed to either trace Ravinder or recover his Sumo.

The Pradhan of the Palla village, Mr Veer Singh, said the village youth, Ravinder, used to ply his Sumo as a taxi in Dadri.

He said a person, who had booked his vehicle for a trip to Aligarh, had taken him along on April 6, and since then, we have not heard from Ravinder nor is there any trace of his Sumo.

The people of the village are greatly up set about the indifferent attitude of the police. Hundreds of people had marched to the office of the Circle Officer to register their protest and urged the police to do something.

Water projects

Bhiwani: Construction works on four canal water projects are near completion in the district and would be started shortly by the Public Health Department. Disclosing this here today, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Harpal Singh, said that the construction work at Dhareru village had been completed with a cost of Rs 60 lakh.

Residents of four villages adjacent to Dhareru would be provided enough drinking water after its commencement.

He said that the water works at Kharak Khurd was ready and the work of laying power cables had already commenced there.

The residents of Kharak Khurd and Kharak Kalan would get 55 litres of drinking water per person per day. The construction at this water works had been completed with a cost of Rs 90 lakh, he said.

False alarm

Sonepat: Panic prevailed on the Railway Road when a security siren of the State Bank of India branch was heard continuously for about one-and-a-half-hour yesterday. On hearing the siren, the police officials from the nearby Civil Lines police station rushed to the site and a large number of people assembled there. Finally, the siren was put off when the officials got it repaired.

DELHI DIGEST
Social service marks Vishu celebrations
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 15
Malayalees in the Capital celebrated Vishu, their New Year Day today, bringing light to the lives of underprivileged children including visually challenged. The day, which began with Vishukkani (first glimpse of God amidst illumination) in homes, was marked by special celebrations, feast and community gatherings across the metropolis in which children, women and elders took part, attired in their festive best.

The main functions were held at the Uttara Guruvayoor Temple at Mayur Vihar in East Delhi and Ayyappa temples in R.K. Puram and Dilshad Garden. Functions were also held in various localities by Malayalee Associations and Kerala Samajam.

A special function was held at the Ayyappa temple at R.K.Puram in South Delhi where scholarships worth Rs 1,27,500 were awarded to 51 students from the poorest section of the society, said the convenor of Humanitarian Services Sub-committee of Ayyappa Sewa Samithi, Mr P. V. S. Kumar.

The awardees included 17 blind children, Kumar said, adding the recipients comprised Hindus, Muslims and Christians and belonged to schools in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi.

Having started four years ago, the Samithi has so far distributed 105 scholarships.

Jyoti Jyot celebrated

The Sikh community in the Capital today celebrated Jyoti Jyot of Guru Harkrishan at Gurdwara Bala Sahib with religious fervour. It was on this day when the Guru’s soul mingled with Param Atma.

The congregation started in the morning with the recitation of Sukhmani Sahib and Nitnem. Thereafter, famous ragi jathas and dhadis participated in the shabad kirtan, a release said.

Pirated goods seized

The Economic Offences Wing has raided a shop in the Palika Bazar and seized huge quantity of pirated screen printed films. A total number of 784 pirated VCDs of Hindi and English films and MP-3 and 360 DVD’s of Hindi and English films were recovered during the raid.

Single Window banking

The State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur has introduced a novel method called ‘Single Window System’ for their customers in Delhi and adjoining branches from today.

With this system, the customers can now transact all their transaction on a single counter from its branches in Vasant Kunj, Saket, Sarita Vihar and Gurgaon.

Three prisoners injured in group clash in jail 
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 15
Three prisoners sustained injuries when they clashed with each other in the district jail here last night. According to a report, the prisoners were identified as Sanjay, son of Om Prakash, Rohtas, son of Om Prakash and Bijender, son of Zile Singh.

All of them belonged to Murthal village in this district. All the injured prisoners were rushed to the local civil hospital for treatment and were discharged after first-aid and taken back to the district jail under tight security. A case under Sections 323, 506, 148 and 149 IPC has been registered against them. An altercation between them is stated to be the main cause of the clash.

Strike by truck operators: More than 2,500 trucks in Sonepat district went off the road for the second day today following the indefinite strike call given by the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC).

The indefinite strike is in protest against the rise in fuel prices and the proposed introduction of value added tax (VAT).

Mr Satinder Kumar ‘Pappu’, president of the District Transport Operators Union, told mediapersons here today that the strike would continue until the 10-point charter of demands are accepted by the government.

The movement of goods, including the procured wheat has been badly hit on account of the strike.

Meanwhile, the prices of vegetables, fruits and other household goods have started rising in view of the strike. The shopkeepers and the traders have started making ‘extra profits’ in the absence of any mechanism to check them.

Dalits embrace Buddhism: As many as seven Dalits embraced Buddhism at a function organised by the Lord Buddha Club at Pabnera village, about 20 km from here yesterday.

According to a report, those who embraced Buddhism were identified as Ranbir Singh, Saoj, Radhey Sham, Jai Bhagwan, Ravi Kumar, Sarvar and Mahinder.

A large number of people were present during the ceremony.

The Dalit and Muslim leaders who spoke on this occasion denounced the leaders of the Hindu religion for tolerating social inequality resulting from the caste system.

Protest against harassment: A large number of people, headed by Ms Krishna Hooda of the Haryana Vikas Party, held a demonstration in front of the office of the Superintendent of Police here yesterday in protest against the harassment of a housewife by her in-laws and demanded their arrest.

According to a report, they shouted slogans against the police and the family members of her in-laws.

Later, the demonstrators went to the camp office of the Deputy Commissioner and submitted a memorandum to him demanding immediate action against the culprits. The Deputy Commissioner is reported to have assured them that he would look into the case and take action accordingly.

CRIME

Tutor arrested for abetting suicide
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 15
A tutor was arrested by the East district police on charges of raping and abetting the suicide of his 21-year-old student in Krishna Nagar area. The deceased, a second year student of Pharmacy, reportedly consumed sulphas tablets last night at her house. She was rushed to the GTB Hospital where she was declared brought dead.

The police have recovered a suicide note from the house of the deceased, which alleged that she had developed physical relationship with her tutor, Amit (24), a resident of Krishna Nagar, when she visited him for private classes.

According to the suicide note, she had decided to take this extreme step after a strain in their relationship had developed.

Two killed in group clash: Two persons were killed this morning after a verbal feud between neighbours took a violent turn in the Gokulpuri area in North East district. The victims were identified as Dhanpal (54) and his son, Rajender (30), both residents of Gokulpuri.

The police said that the incident took place around 7.30 am when Dhanpal went to a nearby shop to buy bread. When he reached the shop, he found Vijay Pal there, with whom he exchanged heated arguments over an issue.

The scene soon turned violent as Dhanpal’s son, Rajender, joined to support his father and two others, Kailash and Jeetu took the side of Vijay Pal.

During the ensuing scuffle between the two groups, the supporters of Vijay Pal hit both Dhanpal and his son with iron rods and other sharp edged weapons. Both Dhanpal and his son died on the spot while Vijay Pal’s supporters sustained injuries.

A tension was created in the area when the two groups were involved in the clash.

The police have registered a murder case and begun investigation into the matter. 

Youth held for purse snatching
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 15
One of the two persons who had snatched a purse from a girl student of Venketeshwara College last night, was nabbed after a brief chase by a person in the Vasant Vihar area of South West district. The incident took place at around 8 pm, when two persons on a scooter snatched the purse of Poonam and fled from the place. A person, identified as Rohit, a son of an Army officer, who witnessed the incident from his Ceilo car, chased the duo on the scooter. After a brief chase, Rohit managed to hit the scooter from behind and caught one of them, identified as Sunny Gupta (19), resident of Mehrauli.

However, his associate, identified as Nikhil, managed to escape. The police said that Sunny is a school dropout from Mussoorie and the son of a businessman. The police have registered a case and have launched a search to trace the whereabouts of the absconding person.

Two killed in road mishaps

Ghaziabad, April 15
A trader and the driver of a Tata 407 were killed in separate road accidents. The Tata 407 was hit by a truck, killing its driver, Nawab Singh Chauhan, on the spot in the Loni area at 10 am.