 |
|
|
SC flays govt for failure to clean Yamuna
Rocket shells found in Hapur
Project report for Kochi Metro on final stage
Inter-state gang busted
Anti-encroachment drive comes a cropper
Police blame employers for unverified servants
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
V-C accused of manipulating appointments
DU professor to be shifted: DUTA
Ozone therapy: A revolutionary non-surgical treatment for recurring back pain
Hospital told to compensate patient
Peacocks die after eating rotten grain
Carjacker held in Uttam Nagar
Result of Pre-Medical preliminary declared
|
|
SC flays govt for failure to clean Yamuna
New Delhi, April 12 The Union Government, which had set a deadline of March 2005, to implement the IAP, now wanted to extend the deadline to 2012, over which a Bench of Mr Justice Y. K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice Tarun Chatterjee had serious objection, saying that it did not inspire any confidence for allowing such a long period of time. “It seems the government authorities have failed in their duty and responsibility towards the citizen of Delhi, as they have not been able to provide clean drinking water to them,” the Court said after analysing about half-a-dozen affidavits filed by the Union Ministries of Urban Development and Environment and Forest and the Delhi Government since 2000 when the IAP was drawn. The Court said that the Centre and Delhi Government and their agencies could not take “shelter” under the Master Plan and bye-laws for not implementing the IAP for cleaning the Yamuna within the five-year period they themselves had set up as a target. The Court said though receiving potable drinking water “is fundamental right of a citizen”, the government had failed to achieve the result of making Yamuna water at least of “Grade-C”, which in chemical terms could be considered fit for human consumption. Making Urban Development Secretary personally responsible to examine the matter and analyse it in the context of various orders passed by the apex court since 2000 when the IAP was drawn, the Bench directed him to file an affidavit within four weeks giving reasons why the deadline for achieving the target should not be minimised. In the three recent affidavits filed, the Urban Development Ministry had stated that the target to implement the IAP for cleaning the Yamuna would now be achieved in three phases, with first to be completed in March 2008, followed by the second and third in 2009 and 2012 respectively. Anguished over the Union and Delhi Government showing no seriousness to deal with related issues like shifting of slum clusters from the Yamuna embankment, laying down sewage system in regularised colonies, make all treatment plants on discharge drains functional, the Court said the non-seriousness of the government was evident from the fact that no effort had been made to make National River Conservation Authority (NRCA) a party in the implementation of the IAP. Reminding the Centre and the Delhi Government that implementation of the IAP had been approved at the highest level by the Union Cabinet, the Court said the laxity in its implementation could not be without the “connivance of officers and officials” of different agencies like the Delhi Development Authority, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Jal Board. All these agencies were directed to fully cooperate with Union Urban Development Ministry to achieve the desired result. “We feel that none of the encroachments on government land, illegal constructions and unauthorised colonies in the city, which is a major cause of pollution, were possible without the active connivance of officers and officials of these agencies,” the Court said. “None of the affidavits filed by the government has given any indication that any action is aimed at illegal constructions and encroachments upon the public land,” the Court observed and asked the counsel of Centre and NCT Administration, “is this the type of governance on the admitted facts that 60,000 jhuggis along the Yamuna and its drains have not been removed and the population shifted to the new settlement area.” Stating that despite spending so much money on the so called Yamuna projects, the 22-km stretch flowing within the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the Court said the government itself had admitted that the pollution in the river has further increased. The Court reminded the government that it had drawn a three-pronged strategy to make the river water clean for drinking, which provided for the removal of jhuggi clusters from the Yamuna embankment and alongside the drains falling in it, make all sewage treatment plant functional and construct a parallel 130-km long trunk sewer line along the river to ensure no affluent flowed in it. The Court was hearing a ten-year-old petition registered by it suo motu after a report had appeared in a Capital-based national daily captioned–‘Quite Flows the Maily Yamuna’.
|
|
Rocket shells found in Hapur
Ghaziabad, April 12 A missile was lying in the open on the roadside while the scrap was in seven gunny bags. Nobody is able to say as to how parts of the armed forces weapons have reached this place. The police feel that after an explosion in a Muzzafarnagar factory on Saturday, some junk leaders have dumped these explosives here. A police patrol Gypsy had spotted these shells, rockets etc on Monday morning at 9 am on Nizampur Bridge. The police found missiles and seven plastic sacks full of shells, cartridges etc. Handgrenades, grenades-launchers of MMGs, machineguns and parts of cartridges were also found in the dumped scrap. The bags containing scrap, were found to be stamped with “Jammu Shiv Mineral Industries”, which indicates that scrap had been brought here from someone in Jammu. Police have not yet discerned as to how the prohibited defence items had come to UP
for sale. Santosh Kumar Yadav, S.O. Kotwali police station and police DSP Ummed Singh feel that some junk dealer must have dumped them here for fear of being caught. The police are not in a position to say as to how anyone has dumped such a large quantity of scrap containing bombshells, parts of missiles, rockets, MMGs and cartridges, and walked away when there is a police picket nearby with the cops on duty round
the clock.
|
|
Project report for Kochi Metro on final stage
New Delhi, April 12 Besides being a successful model that other cities want to replicate, the DMRC provides its consultancy at a much lower cost than other countries like Germany, Britain and Japan and is now also thinking of establishing a separate wing to expand its consultancy and makes itself more self-sufficient. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Chief Public Relations Officer Anuj Dayal said the DMRC had already submitted DPRs for Bangalore and Hyderabad. In fact, the Bangalore Metro plan was on a much advanced stage with
the tenders having been floated already. The plans for Noida and Gurgaon have also been submitted and the one for the Ghaziabad Metro was on an advanced stage with the feasibility report having been submitted and the DPR is almost on the final stage. Besides, the DMRC is also preparing plans for Metros in Chenni, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai . The Noida Metro plan has a 7-km line between New Ashok Nagar and Sector-32 and the Gurgaon Metro plan two lines—one between Qutab Minar and the Gurgoan Border, measuring 9.02 km, and another between the Gurgoan border and Sushant Lok, measuring 7.05 km. The Ghaziabad Metro plan has a 12.5-km line between Dilshad Garden and Rajnagar. The 33-km Bangalore Metro plan to decongest the city has an 18.1- km corridor No. 1 between East and West and a 14.9-km corridor No. 2 between North and South parts of the city. The 38.5-km Hyderabad Metro plan also includes two corridors—one covering Miyapur, Osmania Medical College and Chaitanya Puri, measuring 25.57 km, and the second covering Secunderabad, Charminar and Falaknuma, measuring 12.48 km. Mumbai, which already has a very strong local rail network in place, will have a 60.8-km Metro with three corridors— the Colaba Backbay, Mahim, Bandra and Charkop corridor No. 1; the Varsova, Andheri and Ghatkopar corridor No. 2; and the Bandra, Mankhurd corridor No. 3. The Chennai Metro will include underground and elevated stretches. Of the 31.5 km Airport – Guindy–Anna Salai–Spencers–Central Station–Broadway–Thiruvottiyur High Road line, 8.4 km is underground and the remaining length elevated. The 13.5-km Ponnamallai High Road–EVR Periyar Salai–Anna Nagar–Egmore–Central-Fort–Beach / Harbour is fully elevated. Kolkata has an 18.65-km east to west corridor plan for Kolkata Metro between Das Nagar and Salt Lake, Sector 5.
|
|
Inter-state gang busted
New Delhi, April 12 Acting on a tip-off that some persons involved in robbing highway trucks would be coming near Ghewra More, Nangloi, the police intercepted a Hyundai Accent car. After spotting the police, the occupants started firing. However, they were soon overpowered. They were identified as Virender, alias Binder (30) and Anil, alias Master (32), both residents of Haryana. The sleuths recovered two country-made weapons and three live cartridges from their possession. During interrogation, the accused persons disclosed that they robbed a truck loaded with Nirma washing powder and Nirma soap from Dharuhera, Haryana, which was to be taken to a godown in Mundka. The police intercepted the truck and nabbed three persons, who were identified as Kishan, Dharambir, both residents of Haryana and Pawan, resident of Bawana. Another truck containing aluminium rods and sheets were seized and four persons arrested in subsequent raids by the police at the godown in Mundka. They were identified as Farid (28), resident of Haryana, Farim Khan (40), resident of Rajasthan, Subhash (30) and Baljit Singh (43), both residents of Delhi. During interrogation, the accused persons told the sleuths that they were involved in several cases of highway robberies and contract killings. In another case, with the arrest of four persons, the North-East district police today claimed to have solved a robbery case, which took place in Khajoori Khas area on April 8.
|
|
Anti-encroachment drive comes a cropper
Faridabad, April 12 Faridabad has one of the largest number of urban residential sectors in the state and it has an office of HUDA headed by a senior bureaucrat. The HUDA officials here had taken action against the encroachments about three years ago, when an IAS officer, Mr Vijayendra Kumar, was posted as administrator. But after his transfer, the drive to keep the public areas free of encroachments appears to have slowed down. There were several sectors, which are still under the control of HUDA. Besides, the authorities were authorised to remove the encroachments in public places. Land worth over Rs 100 crore had reportedly been freed from the encroachers in 2001 and 2002. A large number of jhuggis and illegal colonies, which had come up on HUDA land, were removed during that period. But the campaign lost its steam last year when the Assembly elections approached. The authorities seem to be in no mood to take up the anti-encroachment drive again. It may be recalled that the majority of the shopkeepers in the posh market of Sector-15 here have constructed basements under the verandahs.
|
|
Police blame employers for unverified servants
New Delhi, April 12 The police say that the employers are too lazy and lethargic to get their servants verified with the police. While the employers failed to do so due to the fear that the servants would run away if their antecedents are verified, the servants take it to their advantage. Madan, who owns a Ritz cinema in Shimla, was killed by his Nepali servant, Ravi Kumar, while his wife was away in Shimla and his daughter was out for a dinner on Sunday night. When his daughter, Smriti Madan, telephoned her house to find out about her father, there was no response. Sensing something suspicious when she reached home, to her dismay Smriti found her father was lying in a pool of blood. She immediately locked the door and informed the police. Ravi was nabbed by the police from Madan’s house the same night and was interrogated. During interrogation, he told the police that he had planned to run away with money and jewellery but could not lay his hands on the booty, as he failed to locate the almirah keys. The police say that the issue is a grave concern to them but the employers are not forthcoming to cooperate with the police. Despite our warning to the residents and senior citizens the scheme is still a non-starter. According to the police, only a few employers come with the request for getting their servants verified, while a majority of them stay away from this practice. Statistics reveal that in the year 2004, at least four Nepali servants were involved in four cases of murder in Preet Vihar, Nizamuddin, Sarojini Nagar and Vasant Vihar. In 2005, the murder of Madan is the first case in which a Nepali servant was found involved. In most of the cases, the senior citizens are falling victims in the hands of the Nepali servants as they find them soft targets. Last year, even a retired Lt-General and his wife were found murdered at their Vasant Vihar house by their ex-servant of Nepali origin.
|
|
V-C accused of manipulating appointments
New Delhi, April 12 They alleged that by doing so he is “trying to manipulate the appointments”. A senior academician said that interviews for posts in various colleges and departments of the university are being conducted by the VC, even as there is a notification that prohibits him from doing so. The university has, however, on its part squashed these allegations. Officials at the university said the interviews being scheduled in the run up to the VC’s tenure coming to an end are not flouting any rules. “The notification that these people are citing is not applicable to the Delhi University. The Delhi University is a Central University and that notification is for the hundreds of autonomous bodies under the Ministry of Human Resources Development,” said a senior official in
the University. The notification sent to autonomous bodies instructs the heads and chairpersons in charge not to conduct selections or promotions, two to three months before their conclude their term in the office. The officiating Principal of Hans Raj College, Dr S. R. Arora, where interviews are scheduled to fill the posts of Readers in the Sanskrit Department, said, “the interviews were scheduled for a long time and we are not flouting any rules. The interviews will be conducted now, but those appointed will be taken on rolls only when the new academic session begins.” “There are many colleges and departments that have a special request to the VC to proceed with the interviews while he is still in office, because the appointments will be stalled till the next VC assumes office and gets down to the process of scheduling interviews,” the official said.
|
|
Many leaders join Shiromani Akali Dal Panthak
New Delhi, April 12 Prominent amongst them is Sarabjit Singh `Sabby’, president of Youth Akali Dal (Badal), who joined as General Secretary and incharge of Youth Wing of Shiromani Akali Dal Panthak (Jathedar Santokh Singh). Raja Harpreet Singh, president of Shiromani Youth Akali Dal, Delhi, resigned and joined as president of Shiromani Youth Akali Dal Panthak (Jathedar Santokh Singh). Harvinder Singh Bhata of Youth Akali Dal (Badal), Inderpal Singh Kalra, Vice-President, Badal Group, Harpal Singh Bobby (Fateh Nagar) and Paramjit Singh Man of Shiromani Akali Dal, Delhi, also resigned their respective parties and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal Panthak (Jathedar Santokh Singh). Along with hundreds of their supporters, they called on S Manjit Singh (G.K) along with 18 Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwaras presidents and pledged their full support to the policies and programmes of Shiromani Akali Dal Panthak (Jathedar Santokh Singh).
|
|
DU professor to be shifted: DUTA
New Delhi, April 12 While the DUTA claims that the step has been taken following their meeting with the President, Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the DU has denied such reports. The DUTA claimed that the President, who is also the Visitor of the university, was apprised of the fact that Prof. Bharagava was appointed the Head of the Department despite two court rulings prohibiting the same. First a single Bench and then a two Bench order of the Delhi High Court reiterated that a person on deputation cannot be treated at par with the permanent staff. “The court had made it clear that Prof. Bharagava could not hold the post of HOD, yet the Vice-Chancellor flouted the orders and refused to appoint Prof. Bidyut Chakravarty in his place. They even went to the extent of filing an appeal in the Supreme Court and are seeking more time,” said DUTA president, Aditya N Misra. Prof. Chakravarty had filed a case against the university for appointing Bhargava as the HOD, though he was the legitimate contender for the post owing to his seniority. But the Delhi University officials said that Prof. Bhargava was on lean with the DU and that he has not returned to JNU, and there was no communication from the Ministry or the President’s office. However, when Prof. Bhargava was contacted for his views on the controversy, he refused to make any comment for the time being.
|
|
Ozone therapy: A revolutionary non-surgical treatment for recurring back pain
New Delhi, April 12 The event was inaugurated by the Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit. Also present on the occasion were the Italian Ambassador, Mr Antonio
Armellini, and Dr S. K. Khattri, Secretary, Delhi Medical Council, among a host of other dignitaries. More than 30 distinguished speakers from as many as 12 countries presented their papers at the symposium. Mrs Dikshit said, “I’m excited to know about newer techniques like ozone therapy for spine problems that are safe, effective and even economical. However, such advanced techniques have hitherto been the prerogative of the private sector only. We’ll work towards bringing such latest techniques like ozonucleolysis to government hospitals, so people at large can benefit from them.” According to the organising secretary of the symposium, Dr Vijay Sheel Kumar, “Approximately one in every three adults suffers from back pain—the second most common pain after headache. According to the Ahmedabad-based National Institute of Occupational Health, 63 per cent of the bidi makers suffer from recurring back pain. The most common diagnosis for back pain is herniated disc, also called disc
prolapse. It is a protrusion or sticking out of disc between the vertebrae. The conventional treatment till now included microsurgery and endoscopic
discectomy, which were invasive in nature. But these methods were occasionally prone to surgical failures and recurrence of disc
prolapse. Ozone therapy, on the other hand, is a revolutionary non-surgical alternative that is not only safe and accurate, but is also more cost-effective.” Dr Kumar has performed over 300 ozone non-invasive procedures in India alone. According to experts, software professionals, call-centre executives, technocrats and journalists suffer most from back and neck pains. Ozone is a light-blue coloured gas that normally exists in the atmosphere. It is produced by the effect of UV rays of sunlight on the oxygen. Ozone injections have been found to be very safe and are currently employed as the first treatment of choice for disc herniation in many countries. The treatment is especially recommended for the patients with low back pain, cancer or spinal tumor, TB or other spine infections, severe spinal stenosis, or unstable spine (2nd or 3rd degree
spondylolisthesis). Ozone discectomy (Ozonucleolysis) for herniated discs was developed in Italy as a safe and least invasive therapeutic option, in lieu of other spinal procedures. The operation entails intradiscal and peri-radicular injection of medical ozone mixture under image-guidance. It has a success rate of well above 80 per cent. Absence of any reported complication from ozone injection in over 50,000 cases that have been performed worldwide, speaks of ozone as a safe
‘injectate’. Under this therapy, the ozone molecule (O3) is injected in the inter-vertebral disc in trouble. The most critical portion of performing any of the minimally invasive procedures is accurate and safe positioning of the needle (or terminal device) in the centre of the disc space. The risk in ozonucleolysis is particularly minimised, with the use of a very thin, 22-gauge needle. It may take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes to position a needle in the centre of the disc space. Once the needle is safely placed in position, ozonucleolysis is completed in only another 2 to 3 minutes. According to Dr Marco
Leonardi, President, Ozone Federation of Italy (FIO), and Head–Neuroradiology, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, “Ozone may have a reflex therapy effect called ‘chemical acupuncture’, breaking the chain of chronic pain stimulating
anti-nociceptor analgesic mechanism. As pain is multi-factorial, ozone may also have a multi-factorial pharmacological effect alleviating disc compression by shrinkage of the herniated disc.”
|
|
Hospital told to compensate patient
New Delhi, April 12 The commission observed that though the pain of K.L. Bimla, the complainant, was less on the day of hospitalisation, (September 15, 1992), he was kept in the hospital with a motive to extract money. He was administered injections with hazardous side-effects, given unnecessary medicines and charged Rs 76,000 during the 10-15 day stay in the hospital, the court observed. “Such malpractices have to be curbed with heavy hands,” said the consumer court finding Khera Hospital guilty of medical negligence.
|
|
Peacocks die after eating rotten grain
Faridabad, April 12 According to reports, as many as 13 birds were killed late last night after they reportedly ate some rotten grain lying in the godown of the Food Corporation of India (FCI). A bird was fighting for life in the veterinary hospital. After the incident, officials of the Wildlife and the Forest rushed to the spot. An enquiry has been started by the officials into the incident.
|
|
Carjacker held in Uttam Nagar
New Delhi, April 12 The police said that the accused has been identified as one Bhupender, resident of Haryana. A countrymade weapon and two live cartridges have been recovered from his possession. Several teams have been sent to Haryana and its neighboring places to ferret out two of his associates, said the police. According to the police, the victim Vijay Kumar (25), resident of Haryana who works for a call centre in Gurgaon was driving a Tata Qualis from his owner’s house in Rohini last night. When he reached Dabri More, three persons reportedly intercepted the vehicle and took lift from him. After entering the vehicle, they beat him up at weapon-point in a deserted spot. As the driver raised the alarm, they pulled him to the back seat and beat him up badly. As they tried to escape, three policemen Nazeeb, Omkar and Anil who were on night duty, chased the vehicle. When the carjackers spotted the police, they started firing at them. But the cops managed to overpower one of them while two others escaped under the cover of darkness. The Tata Qualis vehicle was also recovered by the police. The police said that the victim who had sustained serious injuries has been admitted to a hospital.
|
|
Result of Pre-Medical preliminary declared
New Delhi, April 12
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
