Monday,
September 1, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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POST-HASTE Noida, August 31 A Deputy Manager of the Industries Department of the Noida administration, it is understood, had refused to sign the clearance certificate but was forced by the senior bosses to do so. He was later transferred. The senior bosses were reportedly under tremendous pressure to clear the case expeditiously. The transfer formalities were hastily completed on August 18, it is learnt. The Bahujan Foundation has been under the scanner ever since the CBI instituted an inquiry against former Noida Authority Chairperson, Ms Neera Yadav. For the disposal and transfer of any property, all departments of the Noida administration must endorse a ‘No Objection’ and `No Dues Certificate.’ The case is then recommended to the District Magistrate for approval. A large number of similar transfer deals are awaiting the nod of the authority, but the BSP foundation’s case was cleared post-haste on Ms Mayawati’s instructions, it is learnt. Mr Kanshi Ram had got C-15, C-16 and C-17 industrial plots in Sector 50 allotted to the BSP foundation in 1994-95 from Ms Neera Yadav. Of these, two plots are of 1800 sq m each; the size of the third plot is 1944 sq m. These allotments had first come under public scrutiny when the Justice Murtaza Hussain Commission was set up by the UP administration. Later, the CBI took all reports of the commission into its possession. A reference to these plots had been found in these reports. One building each was constructed on the three plots in the past few years and a printing press was installed in one of the buildings. Till recently, the BSP used to print its newsletter and other literature in this press. However, the premises is locked for sometime. Mr Kanshi Ram is understood to have transferred these three factories to Asian Needles Pvt Ltd for Rs 5.91 crore. The Noida chief is learnt to have cleared the transfer. All departments of the Authority — legal, finance, industries etc — were consulted and objections of all officials, including that of Mr R. K. Sharma, a Deputy Manager in the Industries Department, were brushed aside. Mr Sharma was transferred from his post with immediate effect later. On August 18, all documents concerning the transfer were legally complete. |
Panel indicts
assistant chief for poll hooliganism Rohtak, August 31 The committee, headed by senior most professor in the university, Dr Ravi Parkash, and comprising Prof Babu Ram, Prof Sri Bhagwan Dahiya, Prof R. S. Chaudhary and Mr R. K. Goyal, Deputy Registrar (Administration), submitted its report to the Vice-Chancellor today. The committee has reportedly indicted Mr Balraj Singh and squarely blamed him for destroying the ballot papers, before the announcement of the poll results. The committee has recommended to the university authorities to take appropriate action against the outgoing president in the light of the report jointly submitted by Returning Officer Jagdish Nandal and Presiding Officer H. C. Badhwa. The Senior Professors Committee held several sittings to record the statements of the eyewitnesses. Over a dozen such witnesses, including the three contestants for the post of president, told the committee their version. The committee, it is learnt, has relied on the report submitted by the Returning Officer and the Presiding Officer who had squarely blamed Mr Balraj Singh for destroying the ballot papers after these were sorted out candidate-wise. The eyewitnesses, except reportedly Mr Balraj Singh, have also corroborated the version of the Returning Officer and the Presiding Officer, it is learnt. |
Scores may be hustled out of colony, if bank closes in on BST Sonepat, August 31 The BST plant was set up in 208 acres of land. Before 1985, it was generating direct employment for nearly 3,000 persons and indirect jobs for thousands of others. However, following a dispute between the management and the workers over the payment of salary and bonus, the management ordered a lockout in 1988. Since then, the unit has been lying closed. With the closure, thousands of persons were rendered jobless. However, the families of around 150 employees continued to reside in the residential quarters of the plant in the hope that the plant would be revived. They have not even collected their arrears, hoping against hope that they would be re-inducted once the plant becomes operational. Krishan Lal, a former employee, recalls that sometime back one unit of the plant was given on contract to a company. Production resumed and a number of former employees obtained jobs. But when the matter came to the notice of the bank authorities, they started mounting pressure on BST for recovery of about Rs 34 crore. The new management reportedly made a payment of Rs 10 crore to the bank and promised that the remaining sum would also be paid within three months. However, with the last date for clearing the outstanding dues lapsing on August 23 this year, it is feared that the unit might be auctioned. A former fitter of the plant, Sukhbir Singh, and a former operator, Ram Chander, whose families are residing in the residential colony, narrated their ordeal since the closure of the plant. “If the plant and the residential colony are auctioned, hundreds of families would be on the road,” they lamented. |
Eco Watch: Delhi Cantonment Board hasn’t heard of water harvesting yet New Delhi, August 31 Within the approximately 43 sq km of land that is under the control of the Board and the Directorate-General of Defence Estates, Ministry of Defence, in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the per capita consumption of water per day is the highest, 500 litres. This is when the Delhi Jal Board supplies only 232 litres per head to the rest of the populace in Delhi. By empirical studies, given the annual average rainfall of over 600 mm, even if half of the land with the Ministry of Defence in the NCT is utilised, as much as 13 million cubic metres of rainwater can be returned to the groundwater
aquifers in Delhi Cantonment. Optimal utilisation of water harvesting techniques can raise this amount substantially given the fact that large areas of the built-up sections are paved. Wherever wheeled weapons are parked and since many of the storage spaces of the Central Ordinance Depot (COD) are concretised, rainwater runoff can easily be channeled to dug wells and recharge shafts. Huge parade grounds, shooting ranges and unutilised fallow land lend themselves to water harvesting if the Ministry of Defence sets its mind to it. For instance, a plot several acres wide opposite Subroto Park, bereft of even a blade of grass, has been in that state for several decades even in the midst of so much exertion towards tree plantation (a natural way of replenishing groundwater and improving soil quality) in the rest of the NCR. Ironically, the Ministry of Defence has often highlighted the good work done by its Ecological Units specially raised to restore degraded and mismanaged land and water resources. One of its units has recreated a “green lung” in the former Bhatti mines, which the Supreme Court had ordered to be shut down. Bhatti itself was replete with waterfalls and the disused quarries were overflowing after the recent rainfall in a portion of South Delhi where overexploitation of groundwater resources had led to a sharp fall in levels from 10 metres below ground level in 1960 to nearly 34 metres in 2002. The Directorate-General of Defence Estates and the Delhi Cantonment Board need to be prodded to apply water harvesting in the territory under their control. A one-time investment in a harvesting network will last several decades with minimal maintenance. And the regeneration of the underground
aquifers will have a beneficial effect for the generations to come. |
BRAZEN
ASSAULT Greater Noida, August 31 According to the police, Itvari, Budh Singh and Dhan Singh, all brothers, lived in Debata village. While Itvari was married and had children, the other two were bachelors. There had been tension in the family of late. Both Budh Singh and Dhan Singh wanted to dispose of the property and did not want to live there anymore. This had led to arguments daily. Pawan and Harinder, sons of Itvari, allegedly hatched a plan to kill their uncles so as to end the dispute once and for all. However, Dhan Singh and Bodh Singh somehow sensed danger to their lives and started sleeping out in the open at night. Yesterday morning, Dhan Singh and Budh Singh again confronted Itvari and asked for their share in the property. Itvari tried to pacify them and asking them not to precipitate matters. At this point, Harinder and Pawan barged in and fired at their uncles. Budh Singh received a bullet in his chest while trying to escape and fell down. Another shot hit Dhan Singh in his head, killing him on the spot. As villagers gathered at the scene hearing the sound of firing, the assailants fled. By the time the village doctor came, Dhan Singh had died. The police rushed Budh Singh to a hospital. |
Army men with SLRs raid hostel Meerut, August 31 The raid party allowed nobody, including the police and mediapersons, to enter the Tyagi Hostel premises during the period of search; nor was anybody allowed to step out of the hostel. The police and senior administrative officials protested against the Army action and have sent a detailed report to the Headquarters, Meerut Sub Area. According to sources, some soldiers were attending a computer course at OHIT Computer Centre. On Friday evening, a scuffle broke out between soldiers and some students of Tyagi hostel at the computer centre and the soldiers were beaten up. The raid was allegedly in retaliation.
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Designer’s decomposed body found New Delhi: The police today recovered a decomposed body of an unmarried woman with strangulation marks at her residence in Paschim Vihar. The deceased, Urvinder Kaur (32), a designer at the People’s Tree at Connaught Place, was staying alone in her house with a 15-year-old servant as her parents had gone to the US to meet her brother. The servant is missing since morning and the police are trying to trace find his whereabouts. The police said that every Thursday Urvinder used to go to Sanjeevani, an NGO, for part-time counselling. When she did not turn up this Thursday, the Sanjeevani staff tried to contact her on mobile and landline, but got no response. On Friday, when they got in touch with the servant, he said he was not aware of Urvinder’s whereabouts. Finally, this morning when her relatives and neighbours entered the house, they found the decomposed body of Urvinder.
TNS |
CPM rally against ‘anti-people’ policies Sonepat, August 31 Carrying placards and raising anti-government slogans, they marched through the main bazaars of the city and reached the mini-secretariat where they held a demonstration and sat on a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office. A rally was also held. It was addressed, among others, by Mr Inderjit Singh, secretary of the state committee of the party, Mr S N Solanki, Mr Howa Singh, Mr Brijvir Singh Taroni, Mr Balbir Singh, Mr Jai Bhagwan and Mr Anand. They strongly criticised the ‘anti-people’ policies of both the BJP-led Vajpayee government at the Centre and the Indian National Lok Dal Government, headed by Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister and warned them of serious consequences if they continued to pursue these policies. The leaders appealed to the workers and supporters to take part in the proposed rally being organised on September 10 at Chandigarh and express their concern at the ‘anti-people, anti-worker and anti-farmer’ policies of the Chautala government. Meanwhile, a large number of Aanganwadi workers and helpers took out a procession here today in support of their demands. They also held a demonstration and submitted a memorandum listing the demands to Mr Suraj Mal Antil, MLA. |
BJP meet to discuss ‘Mission 2004’ Rohtak, August 31 Mr Gulshan Bhatia, state office secretary of the party said here today that the setting up of different morchas and cells and their general and active membership and ‘Mission-2004’ would be discussed at the meeting. He said senior party leaders, including Mr Ram Pyare Pandey, Prof Ganeshi Lal and Mr Veer Kumar Yadav, vice- president and general-secretary of Haryana unit of BJP, would address these meetings. Mr Bhatia said a joint meeting of Haryana Core Committee and state managing committee of Jan Jagriti Yatra ‘Mission-2004’ had been convened at Hisar on September 3.
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SPECIAL FOCUS
ON SONEPAT Sonepat, August 31 According to the Haryana Roadways authorities, the bus services to Gohana, Jind and beyond are affected due to the frequent closure of the railway crossing near the Hindu College. Moreover, it has other fall-outs like increase in fuel consumption, over crowding and loss of work hours. According to a report, the high frequency of rail traffic at the crossing has ensured that the railway crossing is closed for hours, leading to heavy traffic jams in the area. According to reports, the total number of trains passing through the city in 24 hours, including mail, express, superfast, Shatabadi, passengers and goods trains, is estimate to be around 50 in number. It is reported that around five trains cross the railway crossing near Hindu College every hour. As a result, the level crossing is closed for vehicular traffic for long hours. Often, trains are halted at the outer signals for five to ten minutes till the tracks are cleared of vehicular traffic, which in turn affects the schedule of the rail movement. The railway authorities, on the other hand, blame the people for ignoring safety norms. The impatient people put their life in danger by ignoring safety norms. They point out that the people hardly care for the rules. Residents often force their way even when the railway crossing gates are shut for train movement. A number of accidents have taken place while people have tried to cross over the tracks while the gates were closed. The pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and even the rickshaw-pullers are often seen trying to cross over the tracks while the gates are closed. As a result, trains generally have to slow down at the crossing to avoid any accident. To make matters worse, the steel flaps on the boom at the level crossing gates are generally broken. Often, mischievous people do not allow the gate to be fully locked by obstructing the boom. The gate at the level crossing near the Hindu College has been broken many times, and the chains have had to be replaced often. Meanwhile, the PWD (B&R) has prepared a scheme for the construction of an over bridge on this level crossing for ensuring the smooth flow of traffic in this area. As this level crossing divides the city into two parts, the scheme is intended to help improve the traffic condition in the city. This scheme had been shelved about two decades ago and in its place, an over bridge on the railway track near the industrial area was constructed. Now the scheme has been revived and sent to the government for approval. According to the scheme, the road leading to the level crossing from Gita Bhawan (city) will be raised from the Batra petrol pump. The over bridge will be divided into two parts near the Hindu College, one going towards Gohana and the other to Mission Chowk. It is hoped the scheme will benefit the people of this city and its surrounding villages. |
Body of Army driver cremated with full honour Sonepat, August 31 According to a report, Mr Rana was driving the vehicle loaded with arms and ammunition and going from Srinagar to Leh on August 26 last. On the way, his vehicle came under fire from the enemy and he lost his control over the vehicle which turned turtle. He sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the Army hospital immediately where he succumbed to his injuries. His body reached the village last evening and the delay was caused on account of the Prime Minister’s tour in the Jammu and Kashmir state. |
DELHI DIGEST New Delhi, August 31 The mobile oil worth Rs 5 lakh was seized following a raid conducted at the godown of the suspect at Ranhola near Nangloi last evening, police said.
Peace march to reach on Sept 4 To mark the memory of Baba Jiwan Singh ji (Bhai Jaita ji) and increase peace, harmony and unity in the country, Shaheed Baba Jiwan Singh Educational and Welfare Trust is going to organise fourth Chetna March from Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar to Chandni Chowk in the Capital. The Chetna March will be sent by the president of SGPC on September 3. It will reach Delhi on September 4 at Gurdwara Majnu Tilla Sahib after covering Punjab and Haryana. The president of the Delhi chapter of the trust, Sadar Satnam Singh Uppal along with other religious heads will welcome the march on reaching Delhi.
Health camp for bank staff Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre with the help of Delhi State Bank Employee Federation organised a free health check-up camp for the bank employees at NDMC Hall, Gole Market. The Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, inaugurated the camp with maximum gathering of bank employees as well as local people, a press release said. |
NCR BRIEFS Rohtak, August 31 He said he would hold his first public meeting at Kiloi on September 13 and also visit the outer localities of the town falling in Kiloi assembly segment. The Congress leader said he would apprise the masses of the ‘anti-people’ policies of the Chautala government and appeal to them to express solidarity by participating in the demonstration. He said the Chief Minister should publicly apologise for his ‘irresponsible’ statement made against the residents of Kiloi.
Woman hit by train Sonepat: Another young housewife Mrs Angoori Devi succumbed to her injuries in the civil hospital here last evening. She was hit by a train and sustained injuries while she was crossing the railway track here yesterday.
Two workers robbed of
Rs 3.98 lakh Faridabad: Three armed robbers looted Rs 3.98 lakh from two employees of a private company at Palwal town in the district yesterday. The victims were on their way to the bank to deposit the cash. According to reports reaching here, the incident took place on Old G T Road, when the employees of ‘Sigla Brothers’, a firm at Palwal were going on a mobike with the amount. It is reported that the three youths came on mobike and intercepted them near government hospital and snatched the amount at gunpoint before fleeing. A case has been booked. This is the third such case in the past two months in Palwal.
TNS |
Army recruitment racket busted; ex-serviceman held New Delhi, August 31 The suspect was arrested from Dad Dev Madir, Palam. A huge haul of forged documents containing filled or blank ration cards, caste certificates, domicile certificates, character certificates, blank verification documents of Special Branch, marks-sheets, certificates of CBSE, Delhi, Haryana Board, Bihar, UP and other state boards and other documents were recovered from him. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (South District), Mr Tejinder Luthra, said that the police received a tip-off that a gang involved in the recruitment of Armed Forces personnel with forged documents was operating in Delhi. The gang used forged documents to recruit youths as sepoy in various units of Armed Forces. The information was developed. During investigation, it was found that an ex-Armyman Ram Sewak was running an institute in the name of Bajaj Physical Institute at Raj Nagar-II, Palam Colony to impart coaching to the youths wanted to join armed forces. He charged Rs 30, 000 to Rs 60, 000 from each candidate for imparting physical, written tests coaching and arranging for various documents during 15-20 days which were necessary for the job. These documents were reportedly fake. The police sent a decoy yesterday at Baja Physical Institute to get the forged OBC certificate and character certificate etc. The deal was struck with Ram Sewak for Rs 10, 000. Ram Sewak agreed to provide these documents within three hours. The suspect promised to deliver the certificates near Dada Dev Mandir, Palam at 12.05 pm. The police laid a trap near the temple and arrested Ram Sewak, the DCP said. During interrogation, Ram Sewak disclosed that he had his agents in adjoining states who used to lure the poor middle class families to get their children a job in Armed Forces. He also used to assure candidates that he would provide documents in helping them get the job. In many cases, he provided fake documents to the candidates and charged extra amount from Rs 10, 00 to Rs 15, 000. The forged documents used to be prepared in connivance with his associates. During interrogation, he named his main associate as Jitender Kumar of Panipat operating as tout in SDM court in Preet Vihar. He used to supply various forged stamps or seals. The main job of agent was to bring candidates for recruitment in army, navy and Air Force from remote villages. The agents used to charge Rs 50,000 to Rs 80,000 from each candidate for job. They reportedly kept contact with recruitment staff at recruitment centres in Delhi, Meerut, Varanasi, Roorkee, Ranikhet, Fateh Garh, Bangalore, Aurangabad, Sagar, Jabalpur Nasik, Kampti, Ahmed Nagar etc. |
Dacoit gang busted, five persons arrested Sonepat, August 31 According to a report, the arrested persons were identified as Sanjeet alias Sonu, Naveen, Sandeep alias
The police also seized three country-made pistols, two live-cartridges, a country-made revolver and one 9 mm cartridge, a knife and a Hero Honda motorcycle from their possession. Giving details of the arrests, the Superintendent of Police, Mr Paramjit Singh Ahlawat, told mediapersons here today the a police party was patrolling the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road when it received a secret information about the suspects, who are sitting in a deserted kotha near Sector 12 and planning to commit a dacoity at the Mohan filling station. The police, he said, immediately swung into action and conducted a raid at the kotha and succeeded in arresting all the suspects sitting there. The police have registered the case under various sections of the IPC against them and further investigations are in progress. |
SHOWCASE Philips has introduced the slimmest DVD player. It has a progressive scan to give high vertical resolution and razor-sharp images. Coupled with the Optical Out, which provides digital audio in the form of optical signals to avoid interference by the external electromagnetic signals, the Philips DVD 727K gives distortion-free sound. Gautam Dalal, deputy manager said, “Our constant research of market trends has shown consumer preference for slim and seek products.”
Nightingale has introduced the Nightingale Silver Oak Diary, an exclusive diary. This diary is the first of its kind and manufactured in the inspiration by the medieval style of book making and illumination. The dairy is amongst the most unique and prestigious diaries in the world. Each page is uniquely designed, developed and hand-drawn by the experienced Nightingale illuminators.
Salon and designer studio A salon-cum-designer studio, ‘Affinity and Launganis’, was launched at the Sahara Mall. Spread over a sprawling 4,600 sq ft., the concept outlet, houses a salon and a designer studio under one roof and is the brainchild of two enterprising, young entrepreneurs–Vishal Sharma and Lalit Laungani. “It was only that we wanted to experiment something new, that we came together to launch this outlet,” said Lalit.
Striped shirts a la mode Van Heusen Strike Collection offers a wide range of more than 40 designs in uniquely patterned stripes in 100 per cent premium cotton. These shirts are available in a variety of stripes, which give the wearer a different look. The innovative stripes by the company are being introduced for the first time in the market.
Fragrance for the fair sex Elizabeth Arden, premium beauty products has launched ‘Arden Beauty’, a fragrance for women. The Arden Beauty bottle is elegant, faceted and sculptural. The base is a rich luminous red that radiates colour up the concave sides. The product is available in leading Arden counters in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Promotional offer for kids The Oral-B has launched an exciting promotional offer for kids. With the purchase of every Oral-B Junior toothbrush, kids will get a Disney character-shaped eraser free. The eraser is available in all Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Vipul Sabharwal, regional business director said, “The new Disney eraser free promotion by Oral-B has been designed to bring the element of fun and excitement into an act of brushing for children.”
Classic Polo has launched an exciting range of premium casual shirts. The shirts are knitted in the imported, world-renowned “Mayer and Cie” machines and are processed with computerised processing machines using ‘AZO Free”, eco-friendly dyes. Thermo-fused buttoning process is employed for the buttons to bear extensive wear-and-tear. Button down, spread collar and regular area are the three types of collars used.
First package
sub-station NDPL has commissioned its first package sub-station at Flag Staff Road, Civil Lines. The package sub-station, first of its kind in Delhi and only the second in India, is a unique design, which is fully factory-built and commissioned on August 17. Anil Kumar Sardana, CEO said, “NDPL has always worked to set benchmarks in all areas. In operations, we were the first to introduce the Ring Main Units and the High Voltage Distribution System in India.”
Intex Technologies have launched a new range of acoustic systems – speakers and subwoofers with an output range of 350w-500w PMPO. The speakers and sub-woofers are capable of delivering a deeper, richer, more impactful bass for music and keep tonal balance consistent at all volume levels.
Watch for women Raymond Weil has launched Don Giovanni. The refinement and minimal sobriety characterizing this piece are emphasized by the noble contrast created between the reflections of the steel case and the black leather strap. The
magnificent Raymond Weil model houses an automatic movement. It is also a natural choice for women, who are as much seduced by the heart of the watch as by its design and the materials it was manufactured from.
Spiritual jewellery Sarvadevapriya Rudraksha, the seventh in InterGold’s ‘Svayambhu’ series of spiritual jewellery has been launched. Sarvadevapriya will especially appeal to the consumers with a spiritual bent of mind. The unique holy designs in this range have been created with innovative usage of the scared Rudraksha beautifully set in 22 carat gold and embellished with diamonds and other precious stones. Besides the general benefits of pacifying evils, warding off sins and bestowing wealth, the main objective of wearing Rudraksha is to ensure good health and avert diseases.
Mouth-watering fare Smith and Jones has introduced original Italian Pizza Ketchup. Only luscious sun-ripened tomatoes, Italian herbs and other spices go to make this delectable original pizza ketchup. This ketchup has a distinct taste and quality that gives a special flavour of pizzas. |
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