New Delhi, September 19
As many as 2,500 buildings in the city, not conforming to the fire safety norms, are likely to be sealed if fire prevention devices are not installed within three months. Some of these buildings are located in the busy Karol Bagh and Sadar Bazar areas.

The Delhi Fire Service Department has issued public notice to owners and occupiers of buildings, which are over 15 metres in height, stating that penal action will be initiated against them if they do not comply with 12 minimum standards of fire safety by December 17.

The action comes in the wake of a Delhi High Court order in August, which stated that all buildings, whether in “lal dora” or “extended lal dora” areas, will have to comply with the fire safety measures.

These areas mostly comprise urban villages of Delhi, in which building plans do not have to be submitted to the civic authorities.

The notice says owners and occupiers of these buildings must ensure that there is an access road of least six metres wide so that fire tenders can reach there in case of an emergency.

Moreover, the buildings should also have water storage tanks of 50,000 litres capacity in case of residential properties and 2,00,000 litres capacity for commercial properties.

Other devices include automatic sprinkler system, hose reel, portable appliances, compartmentation, automatic fire detection and manual alarm system, public address system, exit signs, emergency power supply and fireman’s grounding switch on the lift.

If all these fire prevention and safety measures are not taken care of by December 17, the water and electricity supply of the buildings will be cut off and an initial fine of Rs 50,000 imposed on the owners or occupiers.

Fire Service officials, however, say it will be difficult to meet all minimum requirements since in parts of Karol Bagh and Sadar Bazar, it would not be possible for building owners to widen the roads. Moreover, it will also be difficult to install water storage tanks of 50,000-200,000 litres capacity after the building has already been constructed.

The department has sealed many high rises in the past even in areas like the Connaught Place. While most of them have since been reopened after installation of safety devices, some like the Super Bazar still remain sealed.

New Delhi, September 19
The “Delhi Property Tax Action Committee” has called for a strike on September 24 to protest against the implementation of unit area method of taxation of properties.

The umbrella organisation of industrial associations, the “Delhi Property Tax Action Committee” has said that if certain amendments are made to the process of computing property tax payable, then the cumulative cost of owning a property becomes more than the annual rental received from that property.

“It is no where done that the taxes are more than the possible income from the property and that is why we are saying that this system is … against the very fundamental rights of the citizens and is also making us tenant of MCD in our own properties,” it said in a statement released to the media.

New Delhi, September 19
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) today urged the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to withdraw the order to keep shops in the city open till 11 p.m.

A CAIT delegation led by its General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal is expected to meet with Ms Sheila Dikshit tomorrow to impress upon her to stick to the earlier timings of opening the market till 7 p.m.

“The delegation will apprise the Chief Minister about the lukewarm response not only of the traders but also of the citizens, as the new shop timings have failed to impress anybody and the new concept has been totally rejected by all,’’ Mr Khandelwal said.

He also said the markets were closing as usual and the shoppers had also not shown any interest to the new concept.

He said during a recent meeting with the Lieutenant Governor it was informed that this would be a temporary arrangement, which would continue during the festive season.

Keeping in view the pressure on Delhi Police and unsafe law and order situation in the Capital, the government should withdraw the circular to keep open the shops late, Mr Khandelwal said.

The delegation will also apprise the Chief Minister of the concern of the traders and industrialists on the unit area system of property tax. The tax structure under the new system would force the Delhiites to shift their units to other states, he added.

New Delhi, September 19
The Delhi High Court has stayed an order of the Dean, Faculty of Law, Delhi University, cancelling the admission of one LL.B. student to LL.M for “not attending classes” within 15 days of her joining the course.

Justice C. K. Mahajan, who stayed the September one order of Law Faculty Dean, Professor Nomita Aggarwal, permitted the student, Ekta Gauba, who incidentally topped the LL.B examination, to attend the classes till further orders.

The court also issued notices to the Dean, Law Faculty, and the Vice- Chancellor seeking their reply to the petition by November 23, the next date of hearing. In her petition filed through counsel Ritu Gauba, the student alleged that after the commencement of the academic session, the Dean tried to dissuade her from pursuing LL.M. on the ground that there were only one or two girls in the course and that majority of the students were boys.

The petitioner alleged that the Dean wanted to favour six other students, wards of law teachers and the Dean’s acquaintances, who were in the queue for admission to the LL.M. course.

Claiming that she had been attending classes regularly since August 16, the petitioner said the Dean’s letter cancelling her admission was unjustified.

New Delhi, September 19
The Delhi Police today claimed to have busted a gang of bookies involved in betting on the cricket matches being played in England. The five suspects arrested were identified as Karnail Singh, Narender Kumar, Pawan Kumar, Kapil Bhalla and Pankaj Maheshwari.

The suspects were arrested from Patel Nagar. One laptop, one TV, two computer monitors, one eight line voice logar with computer, nine CDMA phones, five mobile phones, seven telephones, 10 mobile base phones, approximately worth Rs 10 lakh, used for receiving bets, along with cash of Rs 4,800 were seized from their possession, the police said.

The police received a tip-off that some persons were involved in betting in East Patel Nagar. The police conducted a raid after the information was developed and the place fully located.

The suspects were arrested red-handed.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed that they were employed by Karnail Singh to assist him in running the racket and to upkeep the record of betting in the register. They used to book satta through the CDMA and mobile phones.

Efforts are on to identify and arrest the remaining persons engaged in this racket, the police said.

In a similar case, the Crime Branch arrested Parveen Kumar and Gulshan Kumar from Satya Niketan for their involvement in a satta racket.

The sleuths received a tip-off that some people were involved in betting in Satya Niketan. The sleuths raided the premises and arrested the suspects.

A number of items including mobile phones, colour TVs, calculators and Rs 35,500 were seized from the premises.

New Delhi, September 19
In an effort to bring down the Yamuna’s increasing pollution level, the environment-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests has recommended anaerobic digestion method for the treatment of domestic sewage discharged into the river.

For the municipal wastewater treatment plants, it is cost-effective and environmentally beneficial to use the anaerobic digestion system for stablisation of sewage sludge.

It not only reduces the final volume of waste to be disposed, but also creates enough energy to fuel the plant.

In a report tabled recently, the committee, chaired by P.G. Narayanan, recommended that it would be possible to treat large quantities of sewage waste daily and bring the bio-chemical oxygen demand (BoD) load within permissible limits with this simple and cheap technology.

According to the report, the city generates about 2,700 million litres per day (mld) of sewage, of which more than 60 per cent goes untreated into the Yamuna. As much as 300 mld of untreated industrial sewage discharged in the river further magnifies the problem.

In Delhi, a majority of the sewage treatment plants are operating below their actual capacity. The problem is further multiplied by the fact that most of the treatment plants have not been carefully planned and the sewage does not reach the treatment plants either due to lack of conveyance system or choking of lines.

Besides an effective treatment facility, according to experts, it is also important to spruce up the sewerage system so that surface drains discharging waste water are intercepted and diverted for treatment, which is not happening in many areas at present.

Several major drains discharging effluents into Yamuna are highly polluted in the Delhi stretch and down stream.

The Yamuna enters Delhi at Palla in north and exits at Jaitpur in south, covering a distance of about 50 km.

However, the 22-km stretch between the Wazirabad barrage and the Okhla barrage is the most polluted, mainly due to lack of fresh water in this stretch. It is mostly in this stretch that the entire sewage and industrial waste of Delhi, partly treated and partly untreated, is discharged in the river. Due to inadequate treatment facilities, more than 50 per cent of the wastewater goes untreated into the river. Even if the industrial waste were treated efficiently, conditions on this stretch would still be bad due to the absence of the flow of fresh water to dilute wastes after treatment.

In terms of water quality, this stretch has high levels of BoD and faecal coliform, which is above the permissible safety level.

Noida, September 19
The villagers in Gautam Budh Nagar have learnt to pounce upon a bandit if anyone dares to strike in their houses.

This was amply proved in village Behlolepur in Noida where someone had raised the alarm at 3 a.m. yesterday that the Bawarya tribe criminals were lurking around. All the villagers gathered in the village ‘chopal’ and challenged the criminals by firing shots in the air.

Soon a strong police force also reached the village, thereby raising the morale of the villagers. For quite sometime, the police
and villagers combed the area around the village, but the raiders had perhaps turned tail, realising that the villagers might even lynch them.

It may be recalled that the Bawarya criminals had looted two houses in village Raipur on September 9-10, in which three persons were shot dead and
4 wounded.

Subsequently, DM Santosh Kumar Yadav and SSP J.N. Singh had offered the courageous youths in Khadar villages arms licences for self-defence.

SP City Noida, A.K. Jain and his team had organised a series of meetings in various villages and police stations of the district in which villagers were given tips for self-defence and for organising village defence committees. All this seems to have brought a significant change in the attitude of villagers and has also sent out signals to the criminals that villagers are ready to hit them back.

New Delhi, September 19
A dance competition was organised by Tarun Mitra Parishad, a social service organisation. Tarun Mitra Parishad president Ashok Jain said that this religious-cultural dance competition was organised at Mr Parashvanath Digamber Jain Temple, Laxmi Nagar, on the occasion of Dashlakshan Mahaparva.

Chief guests Delhi Finance Minister, Dr A K Walia and Mayor A.R. Verma honoured the meritorious participants Roopak Anchal Jain, Prince Jain and Chhavi Jain who stood first, second and third respectively by presenting special gifts. They also honoured all the 28 participants who performed dances, by presenting them with gifts and participation certificates.

The function was presided over by Mahesh Jain, convenor of Shree Parshvanath Sangthan. On the occasion, Dr Walia said that Tarun Mitra Parishad will make more efforts to serve the needy.

He said that Dashlakshan Mahaparva begins with forgiveness and also concludes with forgiveness when everyone asks other person to forgive him. Every religion should follow this method.

Mayor A.R. Verma said that the principle of Lord Mahavira ‘live and let live’ is beneficial and essential to all.

Noida, September 19
The district authorities and civic agencies here seem to have turned a blind eye to the gory sight of animals being slaughtered and meat sold in a number of makeshift shops in most unhygienic conditions.

The vendors throw the carcasses and waste around in a disgusting manner.

These slaughterhouses are not only ugly spots on Noida landscape, but the illegal shops also pose a big health hazard. These butchers reportedly have no licence or approval from the government or any health agency and no veterinary doctor ever certifies the health of the animals, which find their way to the dining tables of many a family in the town.

A drive down Harola, Sector-4, Sector-8, crossroads of Sector 39-41 and 50 and many more such places, one can come across many enterprising vendors having set up their meat shops. A ‘home delivery boy’ can be spotted vending his way from sector to sector with chickens tied to the handle-bar of his cycle. But there are no reliable means of ascertaining if the meat being sold is free from malignant bacteria.

It is most likely to be unsafe for human consumption and it may actually be the flesh of some other animal.

“A project proposal is in the offing for construction of a fully-equipped slaughterhouse for which, we have earmarked two and a half acres in Sector-62,” says Chairman Dev Dutt.

Agrees Health Officer, Noida R. S. Yadav, “It is definitely a health hazard under the present unhygienic conditions that the meat is being cut and sold. Presently, all outlets in the city dispensing these non-vegetarian products are totally illegal.” All that the meat vendors have to say in their defence is – ‘hamara setting hai police aur prashasan ke saath’ (we have settled things with the police and officials).

The Noida Authority, the district administration and the police have definitely contributed to the illegal slaughtering. Says one of the butchers, Akram, “Do you think the illegal trade can flourish without police support?”

According to the Chief Medical Officer, Gautam Budh Nagar, Mr R. C. Gaur, “Meat generated through such illegal slaughtering is quite dangerous as the animals are killed in filthy conditions and it is the duty of the district veterinary doctor to cull out the old and diseased animals so that there is no chance of animal disease spreading to humans.”

Adds City Magistrate R. K. Singh, “Our health inspectors as well as the veterinary doctors are supposed to frequently conduct inspections of the meat being sold to ensure no meat of diseased animals finds its way to our tables.”

However, the question remains: About 300 roadside butchers, vending lambs, fish and chicken, are engaged in illegal trade and pose a threat to the health of Noida residents.

All this happening even though Delhi’s proposed abattoir in Ghazipur has given the jitters to all the political parties and almost everybody who matters, including Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam Mayor Dinesh Chand Garg.

However, the authorities have chosen to turn a blind eye to the whole butchering process.

Badshapur (Sohna), September 19
The Haryana Vikas Party (HVP), headed by former Chief Minister Bansi Lal, today underlined that except for the ruling INLD and the Congress, it is open to the idea of forging an alliance with any political outfit for the coming assembly election in the state.

However, the party’s general secretary, Mr Surender Singh and son of Mr Bansi Lal, made it subtly known that the possible alliance would be only on terms of the HVP.

Mr Surender Singh was here to address a public meeting of the HVP to coincide with the completion of a 19-day Padyatra of his party leader, Mr Ram Chander Yadav, in Sohna assembly constituency.

In response to a question he, however, said that it is still early and the final decision on the issue of alliance and finalisation of the name of nominees for the assembly election would be done by Mr Bansi Lal in consultation with the party colleagues.

When pointed out the apparent dichotomy in the stand of the HVP towards the Congress against the backdrop of it supporting the candidature of a Congress nominee for the recent Rajya Sabha election, he made it clear that his party had no choice.

Two candidates, one of the ruling INLD and the other of the Congress, were in the fray.

The HVP could not have supported the INLD nominee. Besides, the HVP was under no obligation to dovetail its political moves with that of the BJP with regard to the Rajya Sabha election.

Earlier addressing the public meeting, Mr Singh said that the coming assembly election would be a totally different ball game in comparison to the last parliamentary election.

There is raging anti-incumbency against the INLD government. The election was contested on the national issues, and the HVP did not have much stake.

Hence, the people voted for the Congress nominees to victory in nine of the 10 parliamentary seats.

He said that the Congress must take the initiative to get the INLD government dismissed as it was heading the ruling alliance at the Centre. In case the government continues, the INLD will rig the assembly election, he added.

He alleged that while most of the government jobs are presently going to the youths of Sirsa district—the home district of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, the jobs went to people of Adampur (Hisar)—the home district of former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal, when the Congress was in power.

In a bid to bolster his party’s chances in South Haryana, he said that Mr Bansi Lal was the only leader to be credited for providing water to the area. Now the water level at various parts has gone down below 1000 ft.

Incidentally, Mr Singh also kicked up his campaign of touring at least five villages in all the assembly segments in the state from Sohna.

He said that the campaign would continue till the time of the assembly election.

He also revealed that Mr Bansi Lal would begin his tour programme of the state.

Noida, September 19
The Noida Authority has decided to set up a modern sports complex over 100 acres on the pattern of Indira Gandhi sports complex in New Delhi. This complex will be developed in Sector-94 on the Expressway by 2010.

Besides, the present Ramlila Ground will be converted into a football field and synthetic track laid for athletes in the Noida stadium. The work pertaining to developing greenery in the stadium has been taken from the forestry and landscaping department and entrusted to the private sector. The width of jogging track is being widened to 8 feet from the present 6 feet.

The decisions were taken in a meeting of the officials held in the stadium by the Noida Chairman Dev Dutt Sharma. The CEO-cum-Chairman said the new sports complex will be developed between Yamuna river and the Expressway in Sector 94 or nearby.

The Noida Chairman said a complex in Sector 21-A will be developed over 35 acres which will also have a swimming pool as per international parameters. Provision for basketball, volleyball, judo and wrestling will also be there. A multi-gym and a sports library are also on the cards.

According to the Noida Chairman, sports and games like judo, karate, athletics, table tennis, jogging and kabbadi could be played from October onwards.

Facilities for cricket, aerobics, fitness centre etc. will be ready from 1 November, and by Bal Diwas (Children’s Day), wrestling, volleyball, and badminton could also be played.

He said the Noida stadium will be the venue for the inter-school sports meet on October 2 and November 14.

New Delhi, September 19
To help parents tide over the admission blues, Shemrock Group of Schools organised an orientation day. With September being the time when most tiny-tots along with their anxious parents gear up for admissions to nursery schools, stress is at an all-time high.

The two-day orientation programme was conducted at Sri Sathya Sai Auditorium with each session apportioned to four zones in the city. More than 300 parents turned up for the session that helped them prepare for the interviews.

Parents were taught how to make the admission process stress-free for themselves as well as their children. They were instructed to pass the day like any other day and not to pass on their anxiety to the child.

Noted academicians and heads of schools, present on the occasion, also spoke to parents on the need to remain calm and keep the child in the right mood for the interview.

Psychologists and counsellors have also been doling out advice to parents to refrain from showing stress and needling the children to perform at the interview.

While schools are often accused of “grilling” the tiny ones at an interview session, they in turn have also begun issuing instructions to parents to avoid pushing their children too hard.

New Delhi, September 19
Delhi Metro chief E Shreedharan says the sky bus technology is not a proven system and is 30-40 per cent more costly than the Metro rail. “It is also one-fourth less effective than the Metro”, Mr Sreedharan said during a question-answer session after delivering a lecture on “Delhi Metro-Changing The Way Of Life In The City” at the French Embassy.

About the success of the Delhi Metro, Mr Sreedharan said he receives 4-5 letters everyday from Delhiites about extending the Metro to their areas. “People want the Metro Rail even in their villages... but nobody wants to give their land for construction,” he added. To a question, he said the Metro would be extended to Faridabad in the phase III of construction from 2010 to 2015.

For the extension of line 3 to NOIDA in phase II, he said the talks were already on with the Uttar Pradesh Government.

Noida, September 19
Under the ‘Kanya Vidhya Dhan’, the UP state government has decided to pay Rs 20,000 to every girl student who qualifies in the 10+2 examination 2004 of the Intermediate Education Board.

It is learnt that over one lakh girl students in the state, especially those
from the poorer families, will benefit from this scheme.

Director Education (Intermediate) Sanjay Mohan has sent this information to all intermediate schools or colleges in the state.