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Trudging 6 km to vote!
Ghaziabad, May 9 The first hurdle is the railway crossing near Hajipur, which is invariably closed. The second is the lone voting centre catering to such a large number of voters. The local people have been complaining about these problems to the authorities for the past 20 years, but there has been no response. The Behta Hajipur Samaj Kallyan Samiti has also brought the matter to the notice of the Election Commission through a letter, but nothing has been done to rectify the situation, according to Samiti officials. Some 20,000 voters of colonies like Ram Vihar, Anu Vihar, Anup Vihar, Amar Vihar, Anand Vihar, Rahul Garden, Amit Vihar, Gobind Gram, Qabul Nagar and 16 other colonies have been casting their votes in Hajipur Inter Collect, which is three km away. But as the local railway gate is locked, the distance become double, that is six km. The president of the Hajipur Kalyan Samaj Samiti, Jagdish Prasad Gupta, says it is not easy for voters to reach the polling centre 6 km away to cast their votes. Since the railway crossing is locked, people have only one alternative — to traverse the distance on foot via Tila Vajabpur, which is not easy in summer, especially for children, women and the aged.. No wonder in these circumstances two thirds of the 20,000 voters may not be able to cast their votes. The committee’s letters to the Election Commission have elicited no response so far, Mr. Gupta added. |
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HOT SEAT
Sonepat, May 9 According to a report, at least five companies of the CRPF and at least 300 jawans of the CISF have arrived in this constituency and they are undertaking flag marches to instill confidence in the electorate, so that they could exercise their franchise fearlessly . Moreover, an unofficial `red alert’ has been declared by the district and police
administration and police patrolling has been intensified. All incoming vehicles are being checked at the “nakas” set up at all entry points by the police. In the sensitive villages, one policeman and one Home Guard jawan would be deployed; two policemen and one Home Guard jawan would be posted in the hypersensitive villages to maintain peace and law and order in these villages. Meanwhile, a Central observer, Mr Satyanarain Murti, has detected as many as eight vehicles used by various candidates without any authority. The observer has ordered the Returning Officer to include the amount of these vehicles in the expenditure of the candidates concerned. The Central observers also carried out a surprise raid on various `akharas’ in the city but found nothing objectionable. This action followed the complaints of Mr Kishan
Singh Sangwan, a BJP candidate, who had alleged that Mr V S Dalal, district sports officer, was engaged in collecting wrestlers for capturing booths on polling day. They also carried out similar raids in villages of Nidhani, Samli, Gosainkhera, and Kainana and inspected the `Akharas’ there, but failed to detect any irregularity. Thereupon, they returned to Sonepat. Section 144 at
counting centres Bhiwani: The District Magistrate, Mr D. D. Gautam, has announced the promulgation of Section 144 around the counting centres on May 13. The order will come into effect from May 10 itself. According to the administration, only authorised officers and employees, police, contesting candidates and their election agents, counting agents and media persons authorised by the Election Commission of India and Chief Election Officer, Haryana, would be allowed into these counting centres. Carrying of firearms, matchbox, lighter, cigarette and blades have been banned inside the counting centres.
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POLL PLAINT
New Delhi, May 9 In a letter to Ms Dikshit, Vardhan said, “These private companies are already looting the poor citizens of Delhi. The meters installed by them are running fast, resulting in highly inflated bills.” Instead of disciplining these companies, the Government of NCT of Delhi was rewarding them by giving powers to enter, inspect, break open and search any place, the BJP leader said. “The Delhi BJP will be constrained to launch a movement if this draconian, irresponsible and anti-people order is not withdrawn immediately,” he said. Harsh Vardhan’s letter refers to promulgation of an order under Section 135 of the Electricity Act to empower private distribution companies with police and magisterial powers. The president of Delhi Pradesh BJP further writes that giving such powers to private companies tantamounts to converting them into the equivalent of the dreaded East India Company. |
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Fate of three Union ministers, assembly speaker at stake
New Delhi, May 9 With stakes high for both INC and BJP, tight security arrangements have been made to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling with police arming its teams with more than 50 video cameras to record poll-related proceedings. Although 129 candidates are in the fray, all the seven constituencies are witnessing a direct contest between INC and BJP. The stalwarts in the fray include three-time winner Union Tourism Minister Jagmohan in the New Delhi parliamentary constituency where Speaker of Delhi Legislative Assembly and INC nominee Ajay Maken is posing a tough challenge to him. Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma and Union Minister of State for Sport Vijay Goel are fighting it out against INC stalwarts Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler in the Outer Delhi and Sadar parliamentary constituencies, respectively. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s son Sandeep is making his electoral debut in the East Delhi parliamentary constituency with a desire to avenge his mother’s defeat at the hands of Lal Bihari Tiwari of BJP in 1998. BJP’s small-screen ‘Bahu’ Smriti Irani is testing her political popularity against lawyer and INC nominee Kapil Sibal in the Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency. Another lawyer RK Anand is also fighting it out against BJP Parliamentary Party Spokesman VK Malhotra in the South Delhi parliamentary constituency. In Karol Bagh, two women – Anita Arya, member of the dissolved Lok Sabha, and a former minister of NCT of Delhi, Krishna Tirath – are locked in a direct contest. The Election Commission (EC) has classified 278 polling stations as “hyper-sensitive” and 1,058 as “sensitive” requiring additional deployment of security forces there. Altogether, 60 thousand personnel of Delhi Police and central paramilitary forces will be deployed to ensure trouble-free balloting at 87,63,965 polling stations. The EC has appointed 21 senior officers as Election Observers in NCT of Delhi. All political parties, particularly INC and BJP, used their maximum energies to woo the voters during campaigning that came to an end last evening. A low-key affair initially, campaigning picked up momentum towards the latter part with parties unleashing their top leaders and roping in cine actors and actresses, both current and of yesteryears and personalities from the tinsel world. |
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Jhajjar, May 9 The DRO told that 40 Supervisors, 22 Additional Supervisors, 26 Sector Magistrates and six Additional Magistrates has been appointed to ensure free and fair poling. However, as many as 4,000 government employees has been pressed into service, at the booths, in the district comprising five Assembly segment, where 6.22 lakh voters would use their franchise. The Bahadurgarh Assembly segment falls n Sonepat Lok Sabha seat while other four segment are in Rohtak parliamentary constituency. OC |
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Ban on liquor sale has no effect here
Sonepat, May 9 Almost all the liquor shops can be seen opened by downing their shutters half where the liquor bottles were available openly. The police and the Excise Department officials have utterly failed to check the violation of the District Magistrate’s order and the sale of liquor on these shops. It is alleged that certain officials of the police and Excise Department were in league with the contractors of liquor vends and they were minting money ‘as bribe’ from them regularly. It is also alleged that the contractors have increased the amount of liquor bottles and the people are fleecing from the overcharging for a liquor bottle. Meanwhile, the ban on the use of vehicles imposed by the District Magistrate of Sonepat, has met with the same fate. The movement of all sorts of vehicles continued today as usual thanks to the failure of the authorities concerned to check the erring persons. Trucks, jeeps, maxi-cabs, private buses and other sorts of vehicles including two-wheelers plied on the roads without the fear of authority and in violation of the ban. It is stated that the officials of the Public Relation Department have utterly failed to give publicity about the orders of the District Magistrate, which remain on paper only. The officials have also failed to provide the copies of the order of the District Magistrate to the mediapersons of the city. However, they have sent the press note issued in Hindi language, which was full of mistakes as they have not translated properly. A high level inquiry into this episode is likely to expose the lapses of the officials concerned. |
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Seven die in mishaps
Ghaziabad, May 9 In Loni, the body of a youth was found hanging from a tree. Two persons were drowned in a river. Two persons were killed in Vijay Nagar and Mussori area in road accidents while another was drowned in a canal. The police have not been able to find any clue to the murders. One person, who died in Indirapuram area, was found in a half naked position and has been identified as Arun Chaudhry s/o Babulal of Vaishali. A youth was allegedly first murdered and then his body was hanged from a tree with a rope. The police claim it is a suicide. Two persons, Dilshad s/o Ali Jan and Dilshad s/o Munfaid, on their way from Baghpat decided to take a swim in Yamuna and were drowned. Balkishen was killed by a dumper in Tronic City. He was from Navada village. His companion , who was seriously injured, died in the hospital later. One person, Deepak Gupta s/o G.P.Gupta, swalloned poison in Indirapuram. A 17-year-old young boy was killed in a road accident early on morning in Vijay Nagar. He could not be identified. One Umesh s/o Ved Prakash of Dina Garhi was drowned in a canal in Mussori. He did not know swimming and some people had reportedly tried to rescue him, but he was swept away. His body could not be fished out. |
Women should speak up against sexual harassment at work: Panel
New Delhi, May 9 Speaking at a workshop on “Addressing Sexual Harassment at Workplace”, Lawyers Collective Director Indira Jaising, said: “Sexual harassment at the workplace violates a woman’s fundamental rights of living with dignity and earning a living with dignity as embodied in the Indian Constitution, but very few women speak up about it.” She went on to add that there is a need to spread awareness among women about the options available to them for tackling sexual harassment at work. Ms Jaising said the term ‘sexual harassment’ was not only confined to obvious physical harassment. It encompassed eve-teasing, unsavoury remarks, innuendoes and taunts, gender-based insults, displaying pornographic or derogatory material, forcible physical confinement and any other act likely to violate one’s privacy. “The Supreme Court in its Vishakha Vs State of Rajasthan (1997) judgement described sexual harassment as any unwelcome and unconsensual sexually determined behaviour, whether directly or by implication,” she said. Delhi University lecturer Uma Chakravarti said the Apex Court’s Vishkha judgement describes ‘quid pro quo’ harassment as demand for sexual favours, coupled with the threat of adverse job consequences that could be tangible such as demotion, firing or material loss of benefits, or can be intangible. Providing a hostile work environment can also be termed under sexual harassment. The law also respects the subjectivity of the victim in deciding whether her modesty has been insulted or outraged as was upheld in the Rupan Deol Bajaj case, she said. Ms Chakravarti said the responsibility of ensuring a safe work environment for women lies with the employers and called for a written policy on sexual harassment at the workplace in each organisation. “Corporate houses have to wake up and realise that sexual harassment at work affects not only the functional ability of the individual but also that of the collective and they should form policies for providing a safer work environment for women,” she said. “However, such policies are not a way of policing personal relations at work,” she clarified. Ms Chakravati also urged organisations to provide a conducive atmosphere for its female employees to speak up against sexual harassment at work, which could extend from general gender discrimination to violent sexual acts such as rape. She said the Supreme Court had laid down guidelines that obligated employers to provide effective enforcement of gender equality and guarantee against sexual harassment at workplace.  |
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Deputy Commissioner smells a rat in Sonepat
Sonepat, May 9 Mr Anand directed the Superintendent of Police, all the Assistant Returning Officers, Sector Magistrates, supervisory officers and Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner etc to intensify their efforts and check the corrupt practices of candidates and their supporters. According to a report, the Deputy Commissioners of Jhajjar and Jind, Superintendents of Police, Sonepat, Jhajjar and Jin, and the Excise and taxation Commissioners of the respective districts have also been asked to ensure that all the vehicles on the ‘nakas’ are thoroughly checked for the movement of illicit liquor, arms and ammunitions, anti-social elements and criminals. The Deputy Excise Taxation Commissioners in their respective districts have also been directed to check the stock of the liquor vends to control the movement of liquor in bulk on the eve of the poll. According the Mr Anand, though the scope of the corrupt practices during the elections is wide yet few practices are common, which include distribution of liquor, money and various kind of gifts to the voters to win over them. Prevention, intimidation, use of force and influences to win over the electorate is another aspect of electoral offices.
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Thalassaemia Day observed NEW
DELHI: Considering their necessity for an effective and well-equipped blood banks, thalassaemics in the country observed the International Thalassaemia Day, demanding better managed blood banks.
Thalssaemia, a serious genetic blood disorder, affects about one lakh persons in the country with Delhi alone having 1,500 thalassaemic children. Speaking at the functions, Ms Shobha
Tuli, said, ‘’every year 8,000 to 10,000 children are born with the disorder in India. We, therefore, need to spread awareness among the general public.’’
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Liquor, arms seized on election eve
New Delhi, May 9 Based on a secret information regarding running of illicit liquor godown in the Samaipur area, the sleuths arrested one Lalit Kumar (32), resident of Sultanpuri and recovered 370 cartons of liqour. The North-East district police arrested three persons, including a woman, in three different cases and seized liquor from their possession. The police said 240 bottles of country-made liquor was seized from one Reena. The police also seized 40 bottles of liquor from one Pawan Kumar, resident of Ghaziabad and another 40 bottles of liquor from one Ramesh Kumar. In another case, the North-East district police claimed to have arrested four persons in Nathu Colony and New Usmanpur and seized country-made weapons and live cartridges from their possession.
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Youth killed in road accident
Sonepat, May 9 According to a report, the police have sent the body for the postmortem examination. In another incident, two youths, identified s Brij Nahadur and Shahbaz, were injured in an accident near Mamoon Bhanja Chowk here last evening. Both the injured persons were immediately hospitalised and stated to be out of danger. According to another report, two persons, Joginder and Ram Kanwar, were injured in a clash that took place at Murthal village, about 8 km from here last night. A land dispute is stated to be the cause of the clash. Meanwhile, at least five cows were found dead after eating sub-standard grass at Sanpera village, about 20 km from here last evening. |
An Absolute must for a glowing face
AMGF Intercorp has introduced ‘Absolute,’ a herbal face moisturizer with face freshner in spray form. ‘Absolute’ is a mixture of three supreme herbs– rose, tulsi and mint. Rose oil acts as skin cleanser, tulsi is an anti-septic and moisturizer while mint acts as a coolant. Mr Ajai Kumar of AMGF Intercorp said, “A traditional and unique blend of these three supreme herbs together cools, retains skin freshness and ultimately facilitates the skin to be visibly radiant.”
Home Package Furniture Esthetix has unveiled its exclusive range of home package furniture in teak and sheesham woods. The packages are available in bedroom, dinning, living and drawing rooms sets. The range of bedroom sets are available in eight-piece double bed, two side tables, cupboard, dressing table, a set of two chairs and small table. Proprietor Raj Dhingra said, “House does not become home unless it has been designed with care and love. People today are equally conscious of beautifying their homes as much as themselves.” Pergo Uniq is the ideal flooring for shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, offices and institutions. Pergo Uniq has three unique features. They are the patented triple-wear protection system, patented scratch resistant surface (SRS) and muti-layer buildup system. The Pergo flooring philosophy is based on design, performance and support. Fruit variants Ladakh Foods Limited has now entered the fruit variants market with the launch of their new flavour, ‘Leh Peach App’, a unique combination of peach, apple and leh fruit mix. ‘Leh Peach App’ and ‘Fruit Mix’ is a true measure of nature and suitable for all those who value good health and spirit. These flavours are an exotic natural nutrient energizer and available in 200 ml packs. Kurlon foam Kurlon has launched two new varieties of the state-of-the-art ‘Poly Urethane Foam’. Aptly called ‘Platinum’ and ‘Goldline,’ it is set to deliver more than it promises. Made with sophisticated world-class manufacturing facilities, the foam is available in attractive colours, the added advantage being that those colours cannot be imitated. For those who are health-conscious, there is some good news. These attractive colours are manufactured using imported reactants, which are certified to be totally safe as opposed to the commonly used pigments that harbour carcinogenic properties. Home Theatre Samsung has introduced India’s first wireless home theatre (model no HTDB390) in the Indian market. The wireless ‘Home Theatre’ in box uses bluetooth technology to provide a wireless connection to the rear speakers of the 5.1 channel speaker setup – eliminating the need for rear wires, and giving the user total freedom to setup the rear speakers. Tiles flooring from Romano Romano tiles has come up with its new series of superior tiles flooring, ‘Group V’ series. A unit of Anant Raj Industries, Romano is known for providing innovative and quality-based products in the domestic and global market. Being the largest manufacturer of ceramic floor tiles in India, Romano is all set to provide the superlative and unmatched tile floorings. Identifying the market demand and providing the best possible solution is the hallmark of Romano. Herbal bleach Yarley Herbal has launched ‘fruit cream bleach’, specially made of fruit extracts. The fruit cream makes your unwanted hair mix and matches with your skin by making your skin glowing. For a wrinkle-free skin Dnam International has launched soap with unique combination of jojoba oil, almond oil, natural vitamin E and glycerine. Dnam bath soap not only moisturizes the skin but also softens the skin and reduces wrinkles. The soap has antioxidant properties and repairs damaged skin tissues caused by harmful UV radiation. Anti-perspirant deodorant Rexona deodorant has launched its latest rang of antiperspirant deodorant. The new range is available in two international fragrances, ‘Rexona Ice Cool’, and ‘Rexona Ionic.’ It is being introduced in India as part of HLL’s strategy of bringing the best global products to the Indian customer. Nature Fresh Nature Fresh is undergoing a revamp to suit the changing needs of the Indian housewives. The brand would now be available under a new sub-name of “Actilite,” which aptly highlights the product’s proposition of light oil that helps the family to live active and healthy life. The product packs will come with a “Transparent Window,” a revolutionary concept introduced in the industry by Nature Fresh. Informal Range Van Heusen has launched its ‘Informal Range,’ in the market. The ultimate in formal clothing, Van Heusen has introduced new sophisticated look to business weekends, business meetings outside the office, training, seminars and work related travel. With office work progressing beyond office space and office hours, there is greater emphasis on productivity, which leads to working off-site. Mobile handset for youths Philips has launched a mobile handset (Philips 535) targeted at the college students and young professionals. The ‘Philips 535’ with foto talk is a compact, stylish phone, with a real metal design weighing just 95 grams. It’s unique in-built camera allows you to take pictures easily with two clicks. Jewellery for global women Cygnus has launched its exclusive jewellery showrooms here. The exciting range of jewellery that Cygnus offers consists of rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets, neckwear, bangles and designer-wear. The jewellery is vividly crafted and designed to appeal to the global Indian woman. The range of unique and authentically certified pieces of jewellery is made from 18K gold using the finest diamonds polished in the state-of-the-art facilities. Fragrance for men Chevignon has introduced CHE, a modern, discreet and an infinitely refined fragrance for men. CHE targets a young audience making a definitive break away from the Chevignon style of 80s. The fragrance makes use of simple but authentic materials like glass and metal. Inspired by modernity, youth and technology, this brand reveals a new spirit of unfettered freedom. Collaboration in writing instruments In collaboration with international pen and adhesive industry, Schneider Schreibgerate GmbH and UHU Alleskleber of Germany, Kanin has launched international range of writing instruments and adhesive in the Indian market. The Schneinder range of writing instruments includes ballpoint pens, gel pens, fountain pens, mechanical pencils, roller balls, highlighters, markers and fiber tip pens. Ceremonial Range VHM international suiting has launched ‘LA Collection,’ a special range of pair packing with a shirt piece and a trouser length packed in a re-usable pouch with 100 per cent ‘Scratch N Win’ offer for consumers. VHM has launched a ‘Ceremonial Range’ of suiting for Safaris. Fujifilm Super Jindal Photo Ltd. has introduced the new Fujifilm Super RX X–Ray Film for the Indian market. The market size for medical X-Ray films in India is estimated at Rs 1,640 million, which is growing at a rate of three per cent per annum. “It’s been our constant endeavour to bring the best of technology, products and latest equipment for the people of India,” said Mr Rathi B Pal, MD, Jindal Photo. |
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