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15-year-old girl rescued, kidnapper held
Robbers try to break open bank chest
3 minor girls, woman buried alive
Water-borne diseases on the rise in Noida
Power pangs persist in Noida
Development cess on land purchase
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Super brain of IITians at work
160-storey Noida tower a flawed project?
Gender violence: Time to turn over a new leaf
CM not bigger than party: DPCC
CM to unveil bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Delhi-Meerut road closed today
Hot and dry day, rains forecast today
Newly married couple cries for security
NGO holds talk on human trafficking
Man beaten to death after dispute over land
Acid attack victim still unfit to give statement
Andhra society opens educational branch
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15-year-old girl rescued, kidnapper held
New Delhi, April 23 While the accused has been identified as one Bir Singh (22), resident of Sultanpuri, the police are on the lookout for his mother who was an accomplice in the kidnapping. On February 11, the complainant’s mother registered a complaint in the Mangolpuri police station that her daughter was kidnapped by Bir Singh and his mother. Accordingly, the police raided several hideouts of the suspects, including Rajiv Nagar, Jahangir Puri and Saharanpur. On April 22, the police received a secret information that Bir Singh was spotted in Jahangir Puri area. He was soon arrested. During interrogation, Bir Singh disclosed that he was resident of Rajiv Nagar and developed a close relationship with the victim. Later, Bir Singh and his mother took her to his native place in Sharanpur with a promise to solemnise the marriage. But instead of marring the girl, Bir Singh sexually abused the girl for a week. The police have now launched a massive hunt to trace the whereabouts of his mother who has been absconding.
Criminals nabbed
With the arrest of two criminals, the North-West district police today claimed to have foiled a robbery attempt in the Azadpur area. The police also claimed to have recovered one loaded country-made weapon and one button-actuated knife from their possession. The accused were identified as Ved Parkash alias Vedu (28), resident of Model Town and Santosh, alias Shani Dev (32), resident of Jahangir Puri. Acting on a secret information that the suspects would come near Azadpur Subzi Mandi to commit robbery, the police laid a trap and nabbed them. During interrogation, the accused told the police that they had come to loot the traders. They also said that they had previous criminal history and were involved in several cases of murder.
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Robbers try to break open bank chest
New Delhi, April 23 The police said that the robbers did not take any money from the United Commercial Bank in Anand Vihar area as they could not break open the bank chest. No case has been registered. The bank manager, Mr A Bhattacharya, said that he noticed the ‘attempt’ today after reaching the bank at about 9.30 am. He informed the police immediately. There were Rs 8 lakh in the chest and the robbers had managed to twist the steel barrier leading to it. As it was holiday yesterday, it is possible the break-in attempt was made either yesterday or a day before after the staff left, he added. Just two days back, a petrol pump employee was robbed of Rs 7 lakh at gun-point while he was standing in a queue to deposit the money at the Bhairon Enclave branch of Allahabad Bank in Paschim Vihar area of West Delhi. Early last week, five persons had decamped with Rs 5.27 lakh from the Canara Bank’s extension counter in Sant Nagar Burari in North Delhi.
Life for killing son of
ex-employer
A local court today sentenced a man to life imprisonment for kidnapping and murdering a six-year-old boy in Nangloi area of the capital about six years ago. The judge at the Tis Hazari court also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on Ram Kishore, alias Chotu, who kidnapped and killed the son of his former employer following a dispute over the settlement of accounts. The accused, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, had kidnapped Sonu on June 18, 1999, and the body of the boy was found in the area two days later.
Three get life term for murder of driver
A Delhi court today sentenced three persons to life imprisonment for murdering a taxi driver about four years ago. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 each on taxi drivers Talwinder Singh, Naseem Singh and Kamaljeet who killed Harvinder Singh and injured his brother Ujagar Singh at the taxi stand near Ramjas College on July 14, 2001. Police said just a day before the incident, there was a quarrel between Talwinder and Harvinder, who had offered their taxis for hire at the stand in Delhi University, after both of them claimed to be the first in the queue. Talwinder killed Harvinder with his kirpan and injured his brother Ujagar Singh.
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3 minor girls, woman buried alive
Faridabad, April 23 According to the police, the incident took place around 5.30 pm last evening, when a group of three women and three girls were engaged in digging the clay at a place on the outskirts of the village. It is reported that the women and girls were working right under the roof of the dry hard soil hanging over them as they had no assumption that the mound of clay could cave in over them as the digging under top cover was deep. While all the six victims found themselves under the heap of the caved soil, two of them identified as Mukesh and Mithilesh, managed to come out from the spot soon after, but the rest, included Sonam, 12; Anita, 15; Lakshmi, 12; and Sheela 22, wife of one Gulshan could not survive. The injured have been admitted to a hospital. The bodies of the victims were handed over to their relatives by the police.
Man booked for rape bid
A resident of Sector–7 here has been booked on charges of attempting to rape a minor girl in the locality. Though the incident had taken place about a fortnight back, the kin of the victim lodged a complaint yesterday, after the accused, a shopkeeper, did not leave the place permanently as per the decision of a local Panchayat. In another incident, a youth identified as Jaan Mohammed was electrocuted at a village in Hathin sub-division of the district on Friday.
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Water-borne diseases on the rise in Noida
Noida, April 23 The worst affected areas are Sectors-10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 22, 28, 55, 56, 58, 62, 66 and areas like Shramak Kunj, Harola, Chaura, Nithari, Jhandpura, Atta and a number of other villages. With the change in weather, the incidence of water-borne diseases has increased and vomiting, loose motions, weakness, dry tongue high fever have become very common. Over 25 patients, who had trooped into government hospital, Noida, had jolted the medical fraternity into action. Chief Medical Officer Dr Vinode Kumar has advised people not to drink polluted water, consume cut and exposed vegetables and fruits, stale food and to wash their hands with soap before eating food. During the past few days, the incidence of water-borne diseases, polio, diarrhoea etc has increased in the town. The Resident Welfare Associations of various sectors like 12, 15, 19, 22, 35, 50 have complained to the Noida Authority about lack of safe and pure potable water, but to no avail. Some of the RWAs have also made written complaints to the Noida Authority. On the one hand the Noida Authority claims to be supplying water mixed with Ganga water to people, but on the other hand even simple safe drinking water is not being supplied in a large part of the area. On many occasions, samples of polluted water being supplied in sectors has been given to Noida Jal department officials, but all that project engineer Home Singh Yadav says is that all the water tanks are being cleaned up so that safe and clean water can be supplied to people.
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Power pangs persist in Noida
Noida, April 23 All that the Noida GM UPPC has to tell the residents is: “don’t waste power”. But when there is no power supply, how does the question of wasting power arise, counter the livid people. Noida area has been constantly subjected to severe power cuts for the last one month, thanks to the indifferent attitude of UP Power Corporation as well as the Noida Authority. All the areas connected to Sector-62, power sub-station, including group housing societies, were plunged into darkness yesterday. This was generally the position in Sectors 11, 12, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62. In a meeting in Sector-59, entrepreneurs had even served a notice on the authorities that they would have to complain to the Chief Minister if the situation persisted. The snapping of a power cable of 132 KV in Sector-8 is said to have caused this crisis. It was only in the evening that the fault could be repaired. J.P. Pande and Vijay Kumar Arora in a meeting in Sector-59 accused the UP Power Corporation officials of ignoring the interest of the entrepreneurs and the general public. For many days, the power supply from Muradnagar power station has been affected, creating a power shortage in sectors 26, 20, 19, 21 and 25 also. Two months ago, the newly appointed Chairman of UP Power Corporation, Deepak Singal had promised a significant improvement in Noida power supply position. However, nothing concrete has been done so far.
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Development cess on land purchase
Ghaziabad, April 23 The Ghaziabad Development Authority has hiked the development cess by 10 per cent from April 1. The actual burden of the increased tax will, however, have to be borne by the common people. Property prices in Ghaziabad have lately gone sky-high and added to the increased prices will be this hiked development cess imposed by GDA. This will directly disturb the apple cart of middle-class people who will have to shell out more money to purchase flats made by big builders and group housing societies. The builders, who procure land from farmers in Hindon area, will have to pay Rs 1,678.42 per sq mt and interim development charges Rs 1,118.95 as cess. In Hindon area of Sahibabad, people will have to pay Rs 1,770.60 and interim development Rs 1,200.41 per sq. mt. This amount is 10 per cent higher than the levy payable last year. It will dampen the spirits of those middle and lower middle class people who hope to buy low cost houses. The builders and group housing developers will have to pay higher tax for development work in the land acquired. The GDA will sanction the layouts and plan only after payment of full taxes by the builders and group housing societies.
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Super brain of IITians at work
New Delhi, April 23 As part of their B.Tech programme, students of various departments at IIT Delhi today showcased the projects they had toiled to put together along with their faculty guides. The event, which was open to the public, was an attempt to initiate the common man with the research that takes place in the country’s premier academic institute as also establish it as a “technology happening place”. On display were projects, including Nickel removal from wastewater, indoor air quality, safety devise for unmanned railway crossings, water disinfection through contact killing antimicrobial polymer and waste disposal form passenger train coaches. Based on the concept of virtual reality from images, a project presented by Subhajit Sanyal, gave the onlooker a feeling of a tour. A Ph.D student Sanyal says the research can find extensive applications in entertainment, tourism and real estate industries. The blood grouping card for determination of blood group and Rh factor in a minute, which has been developed for the first time was a crowd-puller. The easy-to-use card that does not require separate liquid reagents or laboratory training could be a boon for rural areas where electricity and refrigeration are still a distant dream. The smart e-textile vest developed by Mukul Kumar and Pratibha Rani to monitor ECG signals steals a march over the current version of the mobile monitoring aid. “This vest unlike the electrodes that are stuck to the body with glue can be worn again, is comfortable, cost-effective, washable and flexible. It provides for unobtrusive monitoring and is able to act on behalf of the users even without his knowledge and gets their attention whenever required,” the duo claimed. The vest will be presented to AIIMS for further research. A 25 KW solar roof designed and installed on top of the synergy building, Eco friendly Electric Vehicle’s adapted on 25, 50 and 100 passenger vehicles for public transport, a campus rickshaw service and insulin deliver through a painless electric shock and oral deliver were also displayed. The project presented by Nikhil Garg sets up a user-friendly interface between the computers and the rickshaw pullers where the users dial into control centre to register their request for a rickshaw and a message is sent to the nearest stand via wireless communication. The rickshaw pullers also have an easy interface to communicate with server, it was pointed out. Another project that drew attention was the Vehicle Authentication System. A smart card-based distance-authentication is targeted towards controlling the entry/exit of vehicles in high security areas.
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160-storey Noida tower a flawed project?
Noida, April 23 The 124th board meeting of the Noida Authority (NA) recently gave the green signal to one of the city’s most ambitious project of National Capital Region (NCR). The City Centre of Noida consisting of the tallest buildings of the world with a height of 710 m (160 floors). Spread over 250 acres across sectors 25A and 32, the tower will house office space in the first 100 levels in nine modules around the central core. The entire project is expected to cost Rs 50,000 crore – Rs 4,000 crore on Noida City Towers alone according to Noida Chairman Deo Datta. According to Architect Hafeez Contractor, who has been commissioned as urban designer for the project, “This building will showcase India to the world”. Dr Abed Hussain, former Indian Ambassador to the USA, says it is an ambitious project and I would prefer if priority should have been given to setting up in Noida something like India International Centre, New Delhi with good library, auditorium, conference rooms and facilities for researchers and intellectuals, with quiet refreshing ambiance of water bodies, greenery etc. According to Prof C. S. Nagpal,
Director, Planning and Development IMS Educational Society: “We don’t have foolproof technology to make such building safe in a porous Noida soil, which happens to lie between two river beds – the Yamuna and the Hindon.” “Let the protagonist of the world’s tallest building in Noida imagine an emergency scenario of a huge blaze happening on 88th or 120th floor,” says Prof Nagpal. According to Sushil Agrawal, president of the Federation of Noida Resident Welfare Associations, tall buildings are not good for Indian conditions and should be constructed where we are short of space as in metros like Mumbai. But in Noida, there is no such constraint as thousands of acres of rolling plain land is available for horizontal growth and development to meet all the needs of the proposed City Centre. “We are short of power, water, fire fighting facilities and a first grade maintenance facility. Such high and massive buildings will essentially be sustained only on energy that is power. Right now, we do not have enough power and fire fighting facilities to go up to even 30 mt heights. Most of Noida water mains are condemned. Their replacements are yet to come. Hydraulic platforms are just not available. Most importantly, Delhi, Noida Ghaziabad, Meerut up to Hardwar are known to be located on seismic zone V and earthquakes with moderate to severe intensity have taken place here in the recent past. Hence, a fortune will have to be spent on making the tallest structures earthquake-resistant area. Even after spending so much, experts are not sure if we can achieve the desired safety, says Town Planner Devesh Goyal. All the space for offices, commercials hubs, entertainment, cultural centres, restaurants hotels theatres etc can easily be created in a horizontally planned City Centre with reasonably high buildings, with eight to 10-storey, which could avoid all unnecessary risks and will be easy to maintain too. Thirdly, why not spend small part of the Rs 50.000 crore on improving the existing infrastructure and services which the city woefully lacks even after almost three decades of Noida having come into being. The maintenance of such a huge structure at a cost of thousands of crores does not appear to be a wise decision. “We do not have the power and the weather (and the seismic zone) to support even the existing multi-storey buildings in the NCR. According to Lt Gen Mohinder M. Walia (Retd), Director Institute of Holistic Management, it appears to be a good idea but its success will depend on competent people with dedication and integrity translating the good idea into reality otherwise it can lead to tragedy and human loss. I would suggest the Noida Authority should spent sufficient time and get the best expertise for scrutinising and planning. Foundation is the basic character of any project and should be finalised with utmost care. Also have touch of vaastu in the whole project.
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Gender violence: Time to turn over a new leaf
New Delhi, April 23 The need to change attitudes and norms and the role of youth in challenging the existing patterns that support and even justify gender violence, were also stressed upon. The first phase of the campaign, an initiative of Oxfam and its allies, is being targeted at the youth. Poonam Kathuria, a task force member, explaining the decision to rope in youths said, “Substantially and demographically significant in numbers, youths signify energy, aspirations, enthusiasm and ideals and hope”. She said, “We are trying to spread the message of violence-free relationships.” Pointing out that the campaign has two main strands, Ms Allison Aldred, South Asia Regional Director of Oxfam GB said, “One aspect is that we must work to change the attitude of the decisions-makers as well as the ordinary people and the second is that people change people.” Describing the case of 50 million missing women in South Asia as a ‘big blot’, Planning Commission Member, Dr Syeda S Hameed who released the tool kit said, “We have to think what we are going to do about it (issue of missing women) and how are we going to reflect on it in the 11th five year plan.” Noted lyricists Javed Akhtar who has penned a special song for the campaign drew attention to the fact that a society that cannot rid itself of violence against women cannot be a “decent society”. He said the problem of gender violence is not of women alone, but is a societal problem. “A man who can be violent with a hapless woman is a fascist and he can do the same with the whole society. Such people are a threat to society at large,” Akhtar said. The tool kit for the campaign comprises a change-maker’s workbook, comic cards that tell a story, which people can relate to, post cards and a pledge card. It was also pointed out that the kit would aid women and men living in the communities to prevent and ultimately end abuse against women.
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CM not bigger than party: DPCC
New Delhi, April 23 The DPCC also sees her walkout from its recent meeting as her unwillingness to address public complaints over new electronic power meters and water rates. “Certainly, she is not bigger than the Congress,’’ DPCC chief Ram Babu Sharma said after the Chief Minister said in a television interview she was ready to quit if asked by the party High Command. Mr Sharma said he had been receiving numerous complaints that power utilities have been replacing the magnetic, rotating disk types with much faster electronic meters. “She should have shown patience and stayed at the April 19 DPCC meeting to attend to these public grievances voiced by her colleagues in the government. But her walkout showed her unwillingness to address the public complaints,’’ Mr Sharma remarked. He would not name Ms Dikshit’s replacement if she chooses to step down, but said he would be meeting the High Command soon.
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CM to unveil bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
New Delhi, April 23 The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Mr Charanjit Singh Atwal, will preside over the function. Mr K.S. Bains, Chairman, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Trust, will be the guest of honour. Ms Sindhushree Khullar, Chairperson of the NDMC, will also attend the function.
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Delhi-Meerut road closed today
Ghaziabad, April 23 The highway will be closed till CM departs at 12 noon. The unprecedented security arrangements have been made in Modinagar and Patla for the Chief Minister’s visit from 9.30 am and the cops will be posted on every few yards. According to District Magistrate Santosh Yadav, some 15 Circle Officers (DSPs) 30 SOs in-charge of police stations, 1,000 policemen are being deployed for the CM’s visit in this area. The Chief Minister is slated to visit the residence of Samajwadi leader Rachhpal Singh in Patla. Some 500 PAC and police jawans will be deployed from Helipad to Rachhpal Singh’s residence. A large number of people, who are to meet the Chief Minister, will have to pass through three tier barricades and a number of check points. Nobody will be allowed to take his gunner along. All vehicles going to Delhi from Meerut will go via Hapur while those coming from Delhi will pass via Ganga canal and ALT. District Magistrate said after an hour or so light vehicles may be allowed. But Nivadi – Patla road will be completely closed.
Amity School opens in Ghaziabad
After establishing five schools, Amity group launched sixth Amity International School at Vasundhara, Ghaziabad yesterday. Dr Ashok K Chauhan, President, Amity group, hoped that AIS Vasundhara would be going to run in the true spirit of Amity philosophy that modernity will blends with tradition. Dr Chauhan said AIS will impart education that will inculcate in the new generation of national builders to serve mankind and become success driven achievers.
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Hot and dry day, rains forecast today
New Delhi, April 23 The day temperature was 39.5 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal, a spokesman of the weather office said. The maximum temperature yesterday was also 39.5 degrees. The Met office recorded a minimum temperature of 26 degrees Celsius this morning, which was four degrees above normal. The day temperature during the past four days has remained around 40 degrees Celsius with the highest recorded at 40.2 degrees Celsius on Thursday this month. The weather office forecast a partly cloudy sky tomorrow with the possibility of light rains accompanied by squalls in some areas. The maximum temperature tomorrow is expected to be around 39 degrees Celsius.
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Newly married couple cries for security
Ghaziabad, April 23 The young couple has approached the District Magistrate and the SSP Ghaziabad for security. Their families are holding out threats to the couple, it is learnt. Aashu, son of Riyaz Ahmed, a resident of Bajarya under Kotwali police, had married Supriya (name changed) of Railway Colony Arya Nagar on March 22 in Arya Samaj temple according to the Vedic rituals. Aashu’s wife, in a written complaint to the District Magistrate and the SSP has said that her relatives who are not happy with this marriage have threatened to kill them. Supriya had named three persons in her complaint, including her father and uncle, living in Dilshad Garden, Delhi, for issuing threats. Her parental family attacked them when Aashu and Supriya went to Muradnagar canal for a picnic on April 9. They were both badly beaten up and the assailants tried to push her in their Maruti car. Some people managed to save them somehow, she added.
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NGO holds talk on human trafficking
New Delhi, April 23 According to the president of the organisation, Ms Roma Debabrata, the symposium was organised in the context that the efforts to raise voices against trafficking would get a fillip if media would join hands with us. This is because mass media can serve as a catalyst in bringing about social transformation of the Indian society. An activity session focusing on human rights and how sensitised media is towards human rights in their work was also conducted. Issues like focusing on the traffickers and crime rather than the victim, follow ups of the
cases. — OC
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Man beaten to death after dispute over land
Gurgaon, April 23 Subey Singh, brother of the deceased Captain Singh, lodged a complaint with the police that when he went
As per an agreement between Captain Singh and another party, the later had been cultivating five-acre land in Pathrerdi. And Mahavir Singh’s farmland was adjacent to their land. The two parties had fought several times in the past. According to Subey Singh, when he went to the farmland, he saw Mahavir Singh and his nephew were beating his brother, who later succumbed to his injuries. The police have registered the case.
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Acid attack victim still unfit to give statement
New Delhi, April 23 However, the police have detained as many as 20 persons and are questioning them to solve the case. Even the victim’s family is not cooperating with the police and it becomes even more difficult for the police to crack the case, said the police. A senior officer said that the victim is recuperating in the hospital and it will be clear only when she speaks to the police as there were no eyewitnesses in the incident.
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Andhra society opens educational branch
New Delhi, April 23 The aim behind this expansion in Delhi is to reach up to as many aspiring candidates who want to make it big in IITJEE and Engineering Entrance Exams and Pre Medical Entrance Exams.
— TNS
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