NAILING A LIE
Who is coming to dinner? Famished MCD students!
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
A team of corporators and reporters today found that the claims of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi about midday meals being supplied to all schools in the Capital regularly were misplaced.

The team, led by the Leader of Opposition in the MCD, Mr Subhash Arya, found that students of the three schools they visited were “starving”; the meals had not arrived and the contractors had not given any plausible explanation to the school authorities.

The three schools in question are located in Shivaji Enclave, Raghubir Nagar in Rajouri Garden area and the Khazan Basti Primary School in the Mayapuri area.

The exposé comes close on the heels of allegations levelled by the Opposition that the MCD is paying double the amount paid by the Delhi Government for the same articles of midday meal to the same contractor. The Opposition had sought a CBI inquiry into the matter.

Officials today said that midday meals were being supplied by one Uzzair to Raghubir Nagar and Shivaji Enclave schools, but the students were not served the meals on July 25 and July 31, as the supplier did not turn up. The contractor has his kitchen at Palam village.

In Khazan Basti, the meals are being supplied by one Naqvi. Here, again, the students were not served the meals on July 18, July 21, July 22 and July 25.

The headmasters of the schools have asked the suppliers to inform them in advance if they are unable to supply the meals, so that alternate arrangements can be made. The two suppliers were given tenders following a directive from the Supreme Court that students in primary schools should be supplied cooked midday meals. Earlier, they were being given processed food.

Most of the headmasters and headmistresses said that there was no committee to check the quality of the food. On one occasion the students refused to eat the upma which was served to them.

The team also found that the students have not been given schoolbooks and uniform in this session. Earlier, all students were supplied school uniforms and books by the corporation. Apart from this, teachers complained that their two months’ salaries were pending with the corporation.

The Additional Commissioner (Education) of the corporation, Mr H. B. Sharma, expressed ignorance about the failure to serve midday meals in the schools. The responsibility had been delegated to a few NGOs and action would be taken against the culpable agency.

Sources in the corporation said that the salaries of the employees were given under the non-Plan head, in which there is generally a shortfall.

The salary bill of the corporation employees and officials comes to about Rs 1,000 crore annually while the tax collection under the non-Plan head is only Rs 800 crore, the primary source being house tax; the toll tax collection is Rs 70 crore.

Youths torture, strangle businessman for harassing their girl companion
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
Agitated over the harassment and molestation of his girlfriend at the hands of her former businessman employer, a youth and his associates tortured the latter for several hours, inflicting injuries on his chest with a blade and finally choking him to death.

The incident happened on July 31 and the body of the businessman, Neeraj Gupta, a resident of Shakti Apartments, Rohini, was found under a flyover near Theka Desi Sharab in Shahdara on August 1. The North-East district police today claimed to have solved the murder by arresting six persons, including the girlfriend, who were allegedly a part of the conspiracy to eliminate the businessman.

The police also claimed to have seized a Rado wristwatch, a cell phone, a SIM card, dairies and personal documents of the victim. A video camera and a motorcycle used by the accused to dispose of the body were also seized.

The accused — Arif alias Rahul (20), Asha alias Puja (20) of Baljit Nagar, Kadim (19), Farooque (20) and Akil (18), all residents of Ghaziabad, and Pawan Sharma (22) of Shahdara — have been remanded in police custody.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-East), Praveen Ranjan, said that a call was received by the PCR staff on August 1 that a body wrapped in a bag was found under the flyover. On the same day in the evening, a person registered a report that his employer was missing since July 31 evening.

The police, after verifying the information with the complainant, confirmed that it was Neeraj, who had offices in Connaught Place and Kalkaji. Neeraj’s driver told the police that he had driven his employer in a Lancer car on the fateful day to the Metro Station in Shahdara. Neeraj asked the driver to wait till he returned.

But Neeraj never returned and the driver, after waiting for him till the wee hours, returned home and reported the matter to the family. After verifying the mobile records and conducting preliminary investigations, it was found that Neeraj spent lavishly on girls and had employed a receptionist, Asha, at the Connaught Place office. She quit the job after Neeraj made sexual advances towards here.

Asha informed her boyfriend Arif about the matter. Two months later, when Asha again met Neeraj to get a recommendation letter for a new job, Neeraj molested her at his Kalkaji office after offering her beer.

Unnerved, Asha, Arif and his friends decided to eliminate Neeraj. On July 31, Asha phoned Neeraj and invited him over to a friend’s house in East Rohtash Nagar, promising him some fun.

Accordingly, Neeraj met Asha near a temple in Shahdara Chowk and went to the house of one Pawan. All the time, they were being watched by Arif and his friends from a distance.

Arif had told his friends that they would make a video recording of a nude Neeraj and extort money from him. Arif and his friends got hold of Neeraj and tortured him in the house. They also forced him to make several calls to his accountant to ascertain the amount he had in banks. Finally, when they could not lay hands on the money, they killed him, bundled the body in a bag and dumped it under the Shahdara flyover.

UNOFFICIAL FORAY
Ambedkar samiti officials evicted from govt building
Our Correspondent

Noida, August 4
The Ambedkar Jan Kalyan Samiti officials, who had set up their office in a building on government land in Dadri after breaking open its lock, have finally been evicted. Interestingly, the office was inaugurated by Raj Mandal, the national president of the samiti.

There was considerable commotion when local residents came to know that the samiti had occupied the building illegally. The police moved in, sensing the mood of the public, last week. The belongings of the samiti, including the name board on the premises, were thrown out and later carted to the police station.

According to the police, a three-room building was constructed on a plot of government land belonging to a milk plant near Daulat Ram colony on the railway road. It had been locked for sometime since there had been no production in the plant.

The office-bearers of the Ambedkar Jan Kalyan Samiti quietly broke into the building and set up their office. Mr Raj Mandal was invited to formally inaugurate the office.

Local residents were astonished when they saw some building material and the board of samiti with names of Dev Ram, chairman, and Rakesh, secretary, on it. Earlier, they had thought these people had gathered there for some function of the milk plant.

After some days, as the news spread, the residents complained to the senior police officers. Realising the mood of the people, who had given an ultimatum, the police swung into action and evicted the illegal occupants and dumped their belongings in the Dadri police station. A detailed inquiry is on, it is learnt.

Electric drill used to blast calcium deposits 
in patient’s heart
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
Cardio surgeons at the Noida-based Metro Heart Institute have developed a unique technique, which involves the use of a common electric drill to treat patients suffering from complete blockage of the main heart valve — the aortic valve..

Dr Harinder Singh Bedi, Chairman, Cardio Vascular Surgery, Metro Heart Hospital, recently came across a patient from Punjab suffering from calcification, which had constricted his aortic valve, impeding the flow of blood. As a result, blood would collect inside his lungs, leading to incipient pulmonary edema, resulting in a breathing problem.

On further investigation, it was found that there was severe calcification, which had affected the conduction tissue, the heart muscles and the valves. As a result of the long-standing obstruction, the heart function had deteriorated considerably.

The only option was a high-risk surgery to replace the heart valve after removing the calcium. However, the risk was of death on the operating table due to the poor condition of the heart. Besides, there was the risk of developing a complete heart block, which would have needed an expensive permanent pacemaker.

The calcification was so extensive that Dr Bedi realised the usual method of removal of calcium would not work.

So a novel method, based on the way rocks are blasted by miners, was thought of. An electric drill was sterilised to bore a hole in the block of calcium without damaging the rest of the heart. During surgery, when the valve was exposed, the pathology was found to be more extensive than had been thought. The valve was like a block of rock. The drill was used to bore a few holes in the calcium, so that the valve could be removed in pieces.

Care was taken that none of the tiny pieces were left in the heart as they could have travelled to the brain or other vital organs. The damaged valve was completely removed and replaced with an imported metal valve. The patient, Mr Surender Pal, made an uneventful and complete recovery. He was fit to go home on the third day itself.

The simple technique developed by Dr Bedi is the first of its kind in the world and is safe, useful and an effective method of dealing with such difficult situations.

The technique has already been used with success in two more cases.

Five girls die in freak accident on roadside
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, August 4
Five girls were killed when a loaded truck overturned on a Maruti van near Kundli border on G T Road today morning. Their sixth companion and the van driver have been admitted in a trauma centre in Delhi in a serious condition.

According to information, six girls of Sonepat — Akanksha, Aradhna, Yamini, Pragya Dixit, Monika and Anjali Kochhar — were going to Delhi in a Maruti van to attend coaching classes for the pre-medical test in Akash Institute. Near Kundli border, the van had a puncture. The driver parked the van on the side and started changing the tyre. The girls kept sitting in the van as it was drizzling.

At this point, the driver of a truck, which was coming from the Ambala side, lost control of the vehicle, which overturned and collapsed on the van.

Aradhna, Yamini, Monika and Anjali died on the spot while Akanksha succumbed to her injuries in the trauma centre where she was rushed.

Pragya and the van driver, Hari Om, are at the trauma centre, still in a serious condition. The truck driver fled the spot soon after the accident.

The incident has shocked the residents of the town and a large number of people reached the local civil hospital where the bodies have been kept for the post-mortem examination.

Six killed in collision near Palwal

Faridabad: Six persons, including the driver of a Tata Sumo, were killed and a few others injured when the vehicle collided with a Haryana Roadways bus near Palwal yesterday. While four of the passengers died on the spot, two other succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

The Tata Sumo driver had been ferrying passengers illegally and was in a mad rush. Also, he was trying to avoid the district transport officials. TNS

Appu Ghar victim died of shock; had broken ribs
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 4
The tragedy at Appu Ghar in New Delhi yesterday, which claimed the life of a 44-year-old Faridabad-based businessman, took a turn with the post-mortem report suggesting that Mr Suresh Sehgal might have died as a result of shock and hemorrhage. Authorities at the Civil Hospital here, where the autopsy was done, have sought expert opinion from PGIMS, Rohtak.

The Appu Ghar management had claimed that Sehgal might have died of cardiac arrest. But the post-mortem examination, which says five or six ribs of the deceased had been found broken, has added a new dimension to the mishap. The autopsy was conducted reportedly on the request of the Delhi Police team, which has been camping here since last night.

While no family member of Mr Sehgal was available today, one Mr Rajesh, who claims to be a family friend of the Sehgals, said Suresh was quite hale and hearty and had no history of cardiac problem.

Mr Sehgal, who had been running an electronics showroom in Sector 7 here, is survived by his wife Savita and sons Tarun and Varun. While the elder son is studying management, the younger is a ninth standard student.

Chautala is anti-farmer: HVP leader
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, August 4
The secretary general of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP), Mr Surinder Singh, has termed the Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala as anti-farmer and anti-people. He said Mr Chautala came into power with the help of the masses, particularly the farmers in the state, by making false promises to them.

Addressing a public meeting at Bidhlan village, about 10 km from here yesterday, he alleged that Mr Chautala had now become an enemy of the farmers who were not only being harassed but even being put into jails by instituting false criminal cases against them.

He also said that the CM had promised the farmers that his government would ensure free power and water supply but had failed to fulfil his promise.

Addressing another public meeting at Saidpur village near Kharkhauda town, the HVP leader declared that he would contest for the Lok Sabha against Mr Ajay Singh Chautala, son of the Chief Minister if the latter would contest elections from any Lok Sabha constituency barring Bhiwani and Hissar constituencies.

He also listed the achievements of the Bansi Lal government and claimed that the Bansi Lal Government had done commendable development works in Sonepat district. He said if the HVP came into power again it would ensure regular power and water supply and provide unemployment allowance to the educated jobless youths in the state.

IN PARLIAMENT
Residential areas with more than 70 pc industrial units identified 
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
The Union Government has identified 24 residential areas in the NCT of Delhi, where concentration of industrial units is more than 70 per cent, for in situ regularisation of industries.

The Rajya Sabha on Monday was told the 24 residential areas are: Shahzada Bagh Extension, Nangli Sakrawati, Mundka, Vishwas Nagar, Khyala, Tri Nagar, Shalimar Village, Hastsal, Karawal Nagar, Peera Garhi, Basai Darapur, Dabri, Libas Pur, Haiderpur, GT Karnal Road (Pkt), Jawahar Nagar (Loni Road), WZ-8A Kirti Nagar, Nawada, Pehladpur, Tikri Village, Naresh Park Extension (Nangloi), New Mandoli (Shahdara), Rithala and Sultanpur Mazra Village.

While issuing broad guidelines to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to facilitate formulation of draft Master Plan for Delhi 2021, the Union Government advised it to deal with the issue in a comprehensive and holistic manner in view of judicial orders that may have a bearing on the matter, the Union Minister of State for Urban Development, Mr Pon Radhakrishnan, said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

In reply to another question, the Minister said the Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation (DSIDC) has allotted industrial plots and flats to 18,355 eligible units in Bawana, Patparganj, Jhilmil, Narela and Badli industrial complexes under the relocation scheme. Of these, 842 units, including 146 in Bawana, have started constructing their factory buildings.

Another project for DMRC: In a written reply to KB Krishnamurthy, the Minister said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had prepared a detailed project report for the first phase of the Bangalore Metro Project, but no final decision had been taken about the mode of financing of the project.

Zoo ticket rates: In the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Mr Dilip Singh Ju Dev, said the rate of entry tickets for various categories of visitors to Delhi Zoo has been revised.

For a child below five years and for physically and mentally challenged person, the entry will be free. 

SPECIAL FOCUS ON FARIDABAD
Power pilferage: HVPN misses the wood for trees
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 4
The increase in the incidents of power theft has become a major problem in the state. Reportedly, transmission losses and thefts contribute to over 50 per cent of the total losses.

The losses are mounting further due to non-payment of electricity bills.

While the problem is leading to erratic supply, officials in the power department say that there is no power shortage and the problem would be solved once the transmission system was strengthened and the pilferage stopped.

Mr Bhoop Singh Rathee, Chairman, Haryana Power Transmission and Distribution Corporations, who has been visiting rural and urban areas here, has been urging the residents to clear their outstanding bills. However, these appeals to the defaulters seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Interestingly, though authorities attribute 50 per cent of the losses to theft and transmission losses, they have so far failed to strike at the root of the problem.

Sources in the power department say that ‘kundi’ connections and power theft could not be possible without the involvement of the electricity department staff.

They allege thefts were detected in a few cases, but pilferage on a large scale, which involved the staff, was not noticed.

Sources also said that the main reason behind burning of transformers on a large scale during summer and monsoon seasons was illegal supply and ‘kundi’ connections.

It is alleged that supporters and activists of the ruling party were mainly responsible for such thefts.

While Mr Rathee said here today that Rs 1,450 crore were due to be recovered (outstanding bills in the state), he did not mention arrears of Rs 180 crore pending against various state government departments.

He also announced that 74 new substations would be set up to strengthen the power distribution network in the state. He said a plan of Rs 203 crore had been launched in Faridabad district to augment the power supply.

Admitting that there had been a delay in releasing new tubewell connections due to shortage of material, he declared that the corporations would allow the farmers to purchase their own transformers and the nigam would return Rs 13,000 to each farmer who purchased his own transformer.

He said the scheme would be operational till August 14.

Beware! Stray cattle ahead
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 4
City roads have become a favourite haunt of stray cattle here. And the authorities have failed to control this menace. These animals have become a major threat to the motorists and two-wheeler drivers and road accidents occurring due to stray animals have become frequent here.

The National Highway 2, popularly known as the Mathura road, is also not free from the problem. Atleast five vehicles, including three cars and a jeep, on the highway got collided when the driver of one of the vehicles had to suddenly apply brakes to save a cow on the road near Goodyear Chowk yesterday. Two persons were injured in the accident. The accident led to a chaos and traffic jam for about two hours.

This is not an isolated case. Recently, a youth from a nearby village was killed after his motorbike collided with a stray bull. The accident took place at night.

“Hordes of stray cattle, including cows, bulls, pigs and even donkeys can be seen in the middle of roads here especially during night”, said a resident of Sector 16 here. He said these animals posed danger to the drivers since in many areas, there were no streetlights.

Residents of some of the sectors and parts of the NIT had taken up the issue recently. While a few animals were caged, residents complain that no concrete action was taken in the direction.

Prayas addresses the difficult chapters in the life 
of destitute children 
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
Prayas, a juvenile aid centre, organised its first annual lecture series, ‘Towards Equality of Opportunity and a True Education for All’, to address the educational challenges facing the nation.

The inaugural lecture was delivered by Prof. Gajendra K Verma, renowned educationist and member of the Swann Committee of Enquiry into the education of children from the ethnic minority groups in the UK. He spoke on “Equality of Opportunity and Education for All: Myths or Realisable Goals”.

While stressing the need for alternative education, the organisers also put forth the unfavourable features that prevent children from receiving education.

It was pointed out that “dysfunctional schools” and “shabby treatment” were responsible for the students dropping out of school.

Factors like expenditure that children have to bear on account of books and uniforms, long distance between the schools and the residences and lack of motivation were also blamed for children bowing out of school.

Quoting the 10th five-year plan, the participants recounted that 17 per cent of schools in the country were without a proper building, the drop-out rate was 54 per cent and in the national Capital alone, half a million children are out of school. Prayas utilised the opportunity to highlight alternative education strategies adopted by them for teaching the children. Acknowledging that all children need care and protection and have the basic rights to food, shelter and health, Prayas strives to provide these destitute children, rescued from the streets, with alternative means of education.

It was pointed out that Prayas is seeking to ensure that these children are given quality education by providing regular training to teachers, making learning joyful, emphasising on theatre workshops and development of appropriate teaching and learning materials.

While concern was expressed at the dismal state of education, the role of NGOs in providing food, shelter and education to the children from the marginalised section was appreciated. 

FACE TO FACE
‘Watch your water to save yourself from diseases’
Syed Ali Ahmed

Dr Balvinder Singh, professor of infectious diseases and medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of seasonal diseases. He is also a professor in the Department of Microbiology. He is a product of SGTB Khalsa College affiliated to University of Delhi, from where he did his BSc (Honours). He completed his MBBS from the University College of Medical Sciences, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi and MD from MAMC. He has worked as Assistant Professor with the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health in Kolkata. Thereafter, he joined his Alma Mater as professor from where he completed his Doctor of Medicine in Microbiology. He has done research on infectious diseases.

Unassuming and extremely soft-spoken, Dr Singh is popular among faculty as well as the staff. His manner of treating in-patients has come in for commendation and almost everyone, who has been associated with him, has a good word. The patients are impressed with his thoroughness and insight into the problems relating to season diseases. He is often called upon to advise medication in some of the tricky cases. A man of simple habits, Dr Balvinder Singh, is an epitome of sincerity to his profession.

In an interview with the NCR Tribune, he talks about seasonal diseases, causes, precautions and their first line preventive management.

What are the diseases normally associated with the rainy season?

The most common water-borne diseases spreading in this season are bacillary dysentery, diarrhoea, cholera, amoebiasis or giardiasis, round worm and thread worm infections. In this season, people should be careful about hygiene because these are infectious diseases, which spread through intake of contaminated water, food articles etc. People generally throw household waste and kitchen waste near their houses, which stink and pollute the environment. Flies are a major source of infection as they sit on the waste thrown in the area and then transmit the germs on exposed food items. People should avoid taking eatables sold in open market.

In rainy season, generally inhabitants of unauthorised and slum colonies are the main victim of these diseases as these are full of unhygienic conditions.

The government has already launched a drive to clean these areas. These residents cannot afford to take treatment from private doctors. They come to the government hospitals, where a huge rush can be seen every morning. Among these diseases, cholera is a noticeable disease locally, nationally and internationally. Patients must be taken to government hospitals immediately and notify the local health authorities. To reduce the morbidity and mortality, the mildly dehydrated patients should be treated at home with oral rehydration fluids. Serious patients require intravenous fluids that are available in hospitals. Glucose given orally enhances the absorption of salt and water from intestine thereby correcting the electrolyte and water deficit.

At household level a simple mixture consisting of one-teaspoon salt (five gram), sugar 20 gram dissolved in one litre of water may be used till proper treatment is initiated. Besides, fresh water washed vegetable and fruit, personal hygiene, regular nail clipping are precautions for preventing these diseases.

What are the other causes spreading these diseases?

During this season, water gets contaminated in several ways, which are both natural as well as man-made. Gases like nitrogen, carbon dioxide and minerals like salts of calcium, magnesium and sodium, which naturally dissolve in water increase in the rainy season due to contact with soil. The water also becomes impure in this season with clay silt, sand and mud along with many germs and worms. Drinking of such contaminated water results in the spread of these diseases.

Since polluted water is the main source of these diseases, can you tell us the main sources of water pollution?

Increasing urbanisation and industrialisation are the main sources of water pollution. In urban areas, sewage pollutes water. It contains decomposed organic matter and disease-causing agents. Industrial pollutants contain toxic agents, like metal, salts, complex synthetic and organic chemicals etc.

In farms, fertilisers and pesticides are used, which contain a number of chemical agents and that harm human beings. The farmers should use fertilisers only after consulting specialists. They can tell them that how much fertiliser should be used in a certain measured field. If more fertiliser is used it has negative effect. The contents of fertiliser dilute in water and become food for the vegetables, grains and micro-organism. When people eat them they become ill. Take the example of Haryana, where a number of people died after eating ‘singhara’ (water chestnuts), a fruit grown in stagnant water.

Likewise, farmers should also consult the experts to sprinkle pesticide on fruit and vegetable. Some black spot or fungus develops on fruits if pesticide is sprinkled in excess. People should avoid eating such fruits and vegetables as it may cause even cancer. Those who do not wash fruits before eating are at risk of developing cancer as well as acute and chronic infectious diseases.

Shortage of water is rampant in the Capital. Residents of unauthorised colonies and slum clusters drink handpump water. In such a situation, how can one protect himself from water-borne diseases, especially in the rainy season?

Water is nature’s universal solvent. Therefore, level of all pollutants during rainy season increases drastically. Handpump water should be avoided especially if they are from shallow wells. Biological and chemical pollutants both exist there. If treated water is not available, people should drink handpump water after giving it at least 10 to 15 minutes of boil. There may be a change in its taste, but that will be good for health. This is a satisfactory method of purifying water for household purpose. It kills all bacteria and their sources settle on ground level of the pot. It also removes temporary hardness of water. It removes carbon dioxide and precipitate of calcium. It should be boiled in the same container in which it is to be stored because it prevents further contamination. Chlorine tablets are also used to disinfect small quantity of water. One tablet of chlorine of five gram is sufficient to disinfect 20 litres of water. Filtration is the best method to purify the water, but it is difficult for the poor people.

What precautions may be taken at the individual level, especially if the person has to travel during the rainy season?

The best way for an individual is to carry either boiled or filtered water as per estimated individual needs. In addition to this, home made food along with some dry food items are good for health.

FACT FILE Water-borne diseases are caused by water that has been contaminated by human, animal, or chemical wastes. Worldwide, the lack of sanitary waste disposal and of clean water for drinking, cooking, and washing is to blame for over 12 million deaths a year in the world. Water-borne diseases include cholera, typhoid, shigella, polio, meningitis, and hepatitis A and E. Human beings and animals can act as hosts to the bacterial, viral, or protozoal organisms that cause these diseases. Millions of people have little access to sanitary waste disposal or to clean water. An estimated 3 billion people lack a sanitary toilet, for example. Over 1.2 billion people are at risk because they lack access to safe freshwater. Diarrhoea, the major water-borne disease, is prevalent in many countries where sewage treatment is inadequate. An estimated 4 billion cases of diarrhoea occur every year, causing 3 million to 4 million deaths, mostly among children. Using contaminated sewage for fertilizer can result in epidemics of such diseases as cholera. Toxic substances like agricultural chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, and industrial wastes that find their way into freshwater are another cause of water-borne diseases. Such chemicals, even in low concentrations, can build up over time and, eventually, can cause chronic diseases such as cancers among people who use the water.

MCD councillor, wife return to BJP fold
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
A decade after he had quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a huff for not getting the ticket to contest the Assembly elections, Dayanand Chandelia on Monday returned to the party fold along with his wife Dhanwanti.

Mr Chandelia and his wife are councillors in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The couple won from wards in the Assembly constituency represented by Finance Minister Mahinder Singh Saathi as Independents.

Flanked by Delhi Pradesh BJP president Madan Lal Khurana, Mr Chandelia told media persons that the Indian National Congress (INC) ignored the development of their wards.

They did not clear the Budget for undertaking development works, Mr Chandelia alleged.

He said during his term as a Councillor between 1997 and 2002, when the BJP had the majority in the MCD, none of his developmental projects was stopped and all the financial needs of the two wards were fulfilled.

“The BJP never bothered me despite the fact that I had come out of it and won as an Independent but the INC adopted a step-motherly approach towards our wards and was delaying the Budget allocation for them,” the couple claimed.

With this, the strength of the BJP in the 132-member MCD has gone up to 17. The two successfully contested the 1997 and 2002 elections to the MCD as Independents from Khyala and Guru Nanak Nagar Wards.

Mr Khurana, who welcomed the couple into the party fold, said the party would go by the performance and winnability of a candidate and if Mr Chandelia is found fit on these parameters, he could be given the ticket.

Wet days continue after breaking 100-year record
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
The Capital’s date with the rain clouds continues as the city received 12.1 cms of rain till 8.30 hrs today. The rains have already set a record this year. The total rainfall received this season has been the highest in the last 100 years.

The rains have crossed the whole monsoon season’s average on the second of this month and the city till 830 hrs today received 12.1 cm rain, the weather office said.

The early morning rains that drenched the city, however, weakened to a drizzle as the day advanced. The minimum temperature recorded today was two degrees below normal at 25.2 degrees.

The arrival of seasonal rains on time this year had come as great relief to Delhiites who had reeled under the hottest June in the last eight years. Last year, Delhiites had to wait till July 19 for the rains.

While the Delhiites have received a respite from the heat, the problem of waterlogging in some areas has proved to be a bane.

Traffic congestion and dead telephones have been the other drawbacks of the rains. The rains also caused damage to life and property. Cases of house and wall collapses in the Capital have claimed over 16 lives in this season so far. 

Report on accrual accounting today
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
A comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for the year 2002-2003 prepared on the accrual basis of accounting will be presented to the Lt-Governor, Mr Vijay Kapoor, tomorrow.

The report was prepared by the Accounting Research Foundation of the Indian Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). It was prepared after the Supreme Court had opined that all the municipal bodies in India should adopt the mercantile (accrual) system of accounting. This opinion was given in a case in which the MCD was a directly affected party, an MCD spokesman said.

The corporation engaged the ICAI Accounting Research Foundation (ARF) to convert its accounts to accrual basis. This was a very challenging engagement for the Foundation as the MCD was one of the largest civic bodies in Asia.

The MCD now proposes to carry out reforms in its financial administration and accounting practices further with the help of the Foundation.

The advantage of these reforms will be directly felt by Delhiites because the changeover in the financial system is for bringing about greater transparency and accountability in the financial affairs of the MCD. Also, the MCD will now be able to evaluate its own effectiveness of use of funds rather than simple efficiency of the use of funds.

These financial and accounting reforms will also affect the civic body to raise resources directly from the market, the spokesman said.

NCR BRIEFS
Criminals held; revolvers, knives seized 
Our Correspondents

Ghaziabad, August 4
Sihani Gate and Indirapuram police claim to have nabbed five criminals from their respective areas. Indirapuram police have overpowered three criminals while Sihani Gate police caught two.

Country-made revolvers, cartridges and knives have been recovered from them.

Indirapuram police station incharge, R R Kathoriya, while on a patrol duty spotted three criminals near Vasundra tubewell. They were all overpowered. The criminals were identified as Sunil, Manveer and Trilok. A revolver, cartridges and a knife were recovered from them.

In Sihani Gate, police had overpowered two desperadoes in Patel Nagar with one country-made revolver. They have been identified as Amit Tyagi and Sonu.

During interrogation, they confessed that they had come there to kill a Patel Nagar resident, Satya Prakash with whom they had quarrelled a few days ago. The duo have been sent to jail by the police after registering a case against them.

Ex-MP Ram Narain cremated

Bhiwani: Ch. Ram Narain Singh, former member of Parliament and elder brother of Mr Bahadur Singh, Minister of State for Education, died here today due to sudden cardiac arrest. Mr Ram Narain Singh, who was a retired IAS officer, had held various prestigious posts while serving in the Haryana Government. After retirement, he had joined the Lok Dal led by Ch. Devi Lal and won the Parliamentary election from Bhiwani in 1987. Throughout his life, Mr Narain worked for the uplift of the downtrodden. His funeral took place at village Gaggarwas in district Bhiwani which was attended by large number of people of the area including Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, MPs and MLAs. His ‘kirya’ would be held at his native village Gaggarwas on August 15, 2003.

Sugarcane farmers

Rohtak: The state unit of the CPI (M) has criticised the ‘unjustified’ delay in making payments to sugarcane farmers by the various sugar mills in the state. In a statement here today, Mr Inderjit Singh, state secretary of the party, expressed concern over the plight of the farmers due to the non-payment of their arrears. He alleged the mill authorities had brought the sugarcane farmers on the ‘verge of collapse’ by withholding their payments for several months as they had already been facing economic hardship. The CPM leader said the farmers found themselves unable to repay their government loans. He said that their condition had become so acute that they could not afford their routine expenditures, including those incurred on the studies of their wards. Moreover, a large number of farmers were not in a position to sow the kharif crops due to the lack of funds, he said.

Country-made pistols seized

The district police arrested two youths from different places in the district and seized two country-made pistols from them last evening. Those arrested have been identified as Anil Kumar of Sunderpur village and Satyawan of Khidwali village.

DELHI DIGEST
Prof. Bipin Chandra to deliver Dyal Singh lecture
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
Noted historian and Professor Emeritus of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Prof. Bipin Chandra, will deliver the second Dyal Singh Majithia Memorial Lecture on “Gandhi: Secularism and Communalism” here on August 5.

The lecture scheduled to be held in the IIET, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, will be presided over by Mr S.S. Gill, chairman of the Governing Council of the Dyal Singh College.

The lecture has been instituted by the Dyal Singh College in the memory of its founder and is part of the annual calendar of events. “We have instituted the Dyal Singh Majithia Lecture to honour our founder, Sardar Dyal Singh, one of the greatest freedom fighters and educationists of India,” said the principal of the college, Dr D. Jagannathan.

Update on NBCW: A two-day update on “Nuclear-Biological-Chemical Warfare (NBCW)-The Medical Perspective”, organised by the Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt, was inaugurated by Lt-Gen Shantonu Chaudhry, Vice-Chief of Army Staff on Saturday.

The update was attended by senior officers from all over the country.

The highlight of the update was a live demonstration of the use of protective equipment available in the country, including Swedish “Hazmat” vehicle, three of which have been procured by the Government of Delhi at a cost of approximate Rs 5 crore each.

Stressing the importance of this update, the first of its kind in Delhi, the chairman, Brig B.K. Mohanti, Commandant, Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt, said that in the era of nuclear arms race and terrorism, it is essential to be aware of the management of mass casualties resulting from NBCW.

Boy killed by lightning: Surinder, a student of Class VIII, was killed by lightening while he was irrigating his farm at Khanpur Khurd village, about 30 km from here yesterday.

CRIME

Three conmen in police garb dupe foreigners
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
Three persons involved in defrauding several foreign tourists by posing as police officers, were nabbed by the New Delhi district police. Efforts were being made to trace three of their associates, who have been absconding.

The police also recovered a large amount of foreign currencies from their possession. The three accused held were identified as Rajesh alias Kala (22), Raju alias Pappu (21), residents of Rohini and Sunny (22), resident of West Sagarpur.

The gang was mainly active in the places visited by foreign tourist like Pahar Ganj, Connaught Place, New Delhi Railway Station, Nabi Karim, Janpath, Karol Bagh and Gole Market.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Manoj Lall, said special teams were formed to nab the gang after a complaint was received from a Japanese national, Ms Yuka Kitajima, that some persons posing as police officers had taken away US $500, traveller cheques worth $400, 14,000 Japanese Yen and a ticket to Japan on August 1in the Connaught Place area.

The complainant told the police that members of the gang had approached her at the New Delhi Railway Station and offered to help her in obtaining travel information.

While she was going to Connaught Place with them, other members of the gang, posing as police officers, approached her and started checking her bags. Meanwhile, they fraudulently informed some ‘officer’ on the mobile phone that a foreigner had been arrested with drugs.

The accused told the police that they used to look for gullible foreign tourists looking for information. After befriending them, they used to lure the foreign tourists to lonely spots and deprived them of their belongings. 

Company booked for not depositing money in PF
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, August 4
The police have registered a case under Sections 406 and 409 IPC against the management of the Haryana Sheet Glass Limited for not depositing Rs 66.68 lakh in the provident fund (PF) account of its workers.

According to a report, this followed a complaint by the Provident Fund Commissioner, Haryana, against the management of the factory.

Letters have been dispatched to the Director General of Police, Haryana, and the Inspector General of Police, Rohtak Range, complaining about the non-registration of the case by the Rai police. The officials of the PF Commissioner’s office had raided the premises of the company on July 23 and detected its failure to deposit the provident fund of the employees.

Nine persons injured: At least nine persons were injured, two of them seriously, in two separate accidents that occurred on the G T Road yesterday.

According to a report, a youth, Krishan of Shamri village, sustained serious injuries when a jeep hit him near Singhu border, about 25 km from here yesterday. He was rushed to the local Civil Hospital, from where he was sent to a trauma centre at Delhi for further treatment.

One held; murder case solved
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4
With the arrest of one Manoj (19), resident of Jagat Puri Extension, the North-East district police today claimed to have solved a murder case of one Rajbir alias Pappu (21), resident of Shahdara on August 1. However, the brother of the accused Vijay, also involved in the murder, is absconding.

The accused invited the victim to their house, offered him alcohol and strangulated him and then dumped him in an iron box. The body was discovered after stench started emanating from the house.

The accused told the police that Rajbir used to tease their sister. Infuriated over issue, the accused decided to eliminate him.

Four autolifters held: The East district police have arrested four autolifters and recovered four vehicles from their possession. The accused Dinesh , resident of Gautam Budh Nagar; Punit Rana, resident of Gandhi Nagar; Suni Chauhan, resident of Gandhi Nagar; and Naveen Kumar, resident of Meerut were arrested in the Mandawali area and recovered a country-made weapon from their possession.

Theft in temple, gurdwara 
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, August 4
Thieves are reported to have entered a temple in Sector 14 here last night and taken away cash, silver and gold ornaments worth about Rs 50,000 from it. According to another report, a group of thieves entered a gurdwara in Sector 15 here last night and decamped with the cash box. The increasing incidences of thefts have caused panic among the residents of the area.