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13 more suspected cases of brain fever
No need to vaccinate everyone: WHO
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Police response to emergency under
scanner
Meet examines draft
Master Plan 2021
UGC spells cheer for DU guest lecturers
Fight for mayorship
hots up in Faridabad
Prisoner beaten to death in Ghaziabad jail
A ray of hope for cancer patients
Financier shot in Faridabad
Account books of 14 traders sealed for evading tax
6 criminals held after encounter
Prayer festival from May 11
Murder case solved, one nabbed
Stress on innovation in education
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13 more suspected cases of brain fever
New Delhi, May 9 The Lt-Governor, who reviewed the steps taken by the local administration, expressed satisfaction at the handling of the situation and said all efforts should be made to prevent the disease from spreading. The Delhi Health Minister, Mr Yoganand Shastri, who was present in the meeting, said 13 new suspected cases were reported since yesterday from the Capital, taking the total number of affected persons to 187 . Giving stress on the cases being reported from outside Delhi, he said instead of writing to the relatives of patients or advising them on telephone, the authorities must ask the Chief Medical Officer of the district concerned to ensure that the relatives of the patients get prophylactic treatment. Mr Shastri said 14 cases of meningococcemia were reported from outside the Capital. While 10 cases were from Uttar Pradesh and two from Gurgaon, one case each was reported from Bihar and Rajasthan. Besides top medical officials, commissioners of NDMC, MCD and officials of Army Cantonment area also participated in the meeting.
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No need to vaccinate everyone: WHO
New Delhi, May 9 He said that there are enough vaccines available to deal with the workers and those who are at risk, but there is no real need to vaccinate everybody. “For the time being, there is no real reason to vaccinate everybody because we have not reached epidemic level.” Expressing satisfaction with the response of the government, Dr Habayeb said, “In general, there is room for optimism. We don’t see an epidemic now but the government cannot afford to be complacent. We cannot guarantee that there would not be an epidemic. We have a definition and benchmark for various diseases to be declared epidemic. For meningococcemia to be declared an epidemic, there should be ten cases per lakh population and doubling of cases per week for three weeks consecutively.” Dr Habayeb who is the Chief of WHO India office said that there has been an increase in the attack rate of meningitis. “Cases are still being reported but there is a tapering off. Fortunately, it has not spread to schools and the Army barracks. The government has been giving vaccines and prophylaxis.” Health Secretary P.K. Hota told TNS late on Monday evening that no deaths due to meningococcemia have been reported in the last 72 hours. He said that the number of fresh cases reported from various hospitals on Monday reduced from 33 on Sunday to 14 on Monday. “We have set up a system to gather information about cases of meningococcemia twice a day from Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.”
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Police response to emergency under
scanner
New Delhi, May 9 The most obvious was that why was the dhaba, from where the girl student was picked up forcibly in the car, being run after 11 pm. The officials said that no kiosk or restaurant was allowed to run after 11 pm, but this dhaba was open till 3.30 a.m. The dhaba is situated on the slip road just next to the ARSD College. It was a lonely place and was being used by the commuters. The personnel of the area police station confirmed that there were several incidents of eve teasing and misbehaving with the girls reported from the same dhaba in the recent past. However, no action had been taken so far. Secondly, just next to the place of the incident, there was a police post, where at least five to six policemen were to be present. No policeman came forward when the other girl was crying for help. The police sources further confirmed that there were two eyewitnesses, who chased the car with the Haryana registration number and pelted stones at the car. They informed the local police about the incident, but nothing happened immediately to save the girl. Another surprising fact was that when the other girl, who accompanied her to the dhaba, informed the police control room, again no immediate action was taken. The police control room sources said that the PCR call was made at 2.35 a.m. but the police reached the spot after 30 minutes. The police remained unaware about the movement of the car even after they were informed by the victim’s friend and the two eyewitnesses. The culprits dropped the victim on the road near Nanak Pura Gurdwara after about two hours. She was taken to the Delhi Cantt. police station where an FIR was lodged after a medical checkup. Meanwhile, according to police sources, two persons have been identified in this connection from Gurgaon in Haryana. They are being brought to the Capital for interrogation. The police team investigating the case suspect the possibility of the involvement of persons, who may have known the victim. The victim was earlier working in a call center in Gurgaon. According to the Additional DCP, South West district, Shalini Singh, “We got some clues to identify the accused and police teams have already been sent to different parts of Haryana to arrest them.” “The victim was earlier working in a call centre office in Gurgaon and we are investigating whether they were known to her or not,” she added.
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Meet examines draft
Master Plan 2021
New Delhi, May 9 A former Transport Minister of Delhi, Mr Rajendra Gupta, stressed the need to take stock of the achievements of the first two Master Plans and then overcome the shortcomings in the new Master Plan to convert Delhi into a world class city, accommodating a population of 23 million in 2021. “Apparently, to accommodate additional 11 million people by 2021, the Master Plan 2021 will have to encourage group housing to cater to the growing needs of the people. This essentially entails taking a relook at the existing land policy, vacating large-scale encroachments, restraining population of cars, which is bursting at the seams,” Mr Gupta said. A former Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, Mr Vijay Kapoor, said that land policy needs major innovations. According to him, unauthorised colonies built on agricultural land are violative of Section 81, which renders the ownership of land to the Gram Sabha. He said that a Lieutenant Governor is empowered to regularise these activities. Mr Kapoor was critical of the provision of land acquisition made in the Master Plan and suggested that the whole city of Delhi be urbanised. He suggested that in place of acquisition, planners must think of cooperating with landowners by allowing 20 per cent of the land to be given to the owners and 80 per cent to be retained by the DDA. In the context of catering to the water needs of Delhi, Ms Sunita Narain highlighted the need to take drastic steps to prevent pollution of the Yamuna. A former Chief Secretary of Delhi, Mr Omesh Saigal, said that there is an urgent need of preparing a regional plan of National Capital Region and Delhi Master Plan must be made a subset of this regional plan to provide an all-round growth of the region. According to Mr Saigal, the NCR cannot accommodate 60 million people as envisaged in the Master Plan. The planners have underestimated the population of Delhi to 20 million, as it is likely to cross the 30 million mark. He recommended that the Master Plan 2021 need not be pushed through in a hurry.
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UGC spells cheer for DU guest lecturers
New Delhi, May 9 In a circular sent to the Delhi University, it has directed all affiliated colleges to increase the upper limit of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month with effect from November 2004. Colleges are allowed to invite guest lecturers against vacancies, who in turn are allowed to take not more than five classes a week. “We have received the circular, but it says nothing about the working hours of the guest lecturers. They have not specified how to increase the workload,” said Principal, Mata Sundari College for Women, Dr Satnam Kaur. The confusion apart, the announcement is being hailed as a step to “make teaching more attractive”. “With MNCs paying whopping salaries, why would anyone want to opt for teaching as a profession. An amount of Rs 250 for a lecture is too less, I am happy the amount has been raised because not only will it help lecturers, it will also lure them to teach,” said Dr Kaur. Echoing her views, Dr Bhim Sen Singh, Principal, Kirori Mal College, said, “it is difficult to find good guest lecturers. And if you pay them poorly, it becomes even more difficult. We should tempt people to join the profession.” Meanwhile, for the guest lecturers, the hike has been manna from heaven. “Despite the upper limit, there were times when we were asked to teach more than five classes a week, this for no extra money. Since we are not paid anything during the holidays, we become technically unemployed for a few months and then if we are made to work extra for no remuneration, it is a difficult situation for us. After deducting the commuting charges, we are left with little,” said a Ph.D. student, who is also a guest lecturer. The decision to increase the financial benefit has also been welcomed by the DUTA. “We are very happy with the move and this is indeed a welcome step. In fact, it is because of our continuous efforts that the UGC has agreed to lift the ban on appointments in the Delhi University,” said DUTA President, Aditya Narayan Misra.
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Fight for mayorship
hots up in Faridabad
Faridabad, May 9 According to the MCF officials, the oath-taking ceremony normally takes place after one month of the election results. The Commissioner of the Gurgaon Division is likely to announce a date in this regard soon. But before things could take on, a move has already begun by the elected corporators to either seek support or promise to help the other to get elected as Mayor. While majority of the members have not disclosed their choice or their support for any one candidate so far, there are many members who have already started their campaign to get the Mayor’s chair this time. The list of the aspirants for this post has gone up as the post this time is meant either for a candidate from the general category or a woman, which will be decided by a lottery after the corporators take their oath. However, the number of aspirants for the Mayorship last time had been limited as the seat was reserved for a candidate belonging to the backward section. If any differences are occurred or no unanimous vote, the Mayor is elected on the Chief Minister’s intervention. Though the experts believe that the new Mayor will also be requiring the present CM’s blessing and support, various elected members have begun their hunt for this dream post. A meeting held recently by MP here was also seen as a tactics to build up pressure in this connection. Although some of the elected members have been making rounds of the various MPs and MLAs, in their bid to garner support, nearly all the aspirants had been making all types of claims to be fit for the Mayorship. Mr Shiv Charan Lal Sharma – who has been elected from the ward number five for the second time and a strong contender for the post – believes that experiences and image should count as the post required an able person who could carry out development work with speed and without any discrimination. The supporters of Mr Pratap Singh Chawla, Sikh, who has been elected from the ward number six here, have appealed to the top leaders of the party, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to install a person belonging to the minority for this post. Some of the social bodies and the Gurdwara Shri Singh Sabha of NH-5 here have supported it. While some of the aspirants have been claiming support of local MP, efforts by a woman member with BJP tag to get the post has surprised many. The total number of the elected members of the MCF have gone to 35 this time, including 11 women members.
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Prisoner beaten to death in Ghaziabad jail
Ghaziabad, May 9 Qamaruddin, the criminal, had been lodged in Ghaziabad district jail’s Bachha Barrack for the last one year. Arraigned in murderous attack and under the Gangster Act, the prisoner had become a TB patient recently. On Tuesday, some people repeatedly attacked Qamaruddin. He died soon after as a result. The jail authorities allegedly tried to hush up the case. Papers were prepared, saying that he had been treated at the jail hospital. After his alleged natural death, Qamarruddin was taken to district hospital, where he was declared brought dead. After bringing the body back from the government hospital, it was not sent for a postmortem for two days by the jail authorities. Dr P.N. Tiwari and Dr Arun Kumar in their postmortem report clearly said that the prisoner had been strangled. There were finger marks on his neck. According to the jail manual, the news of death of any prisoner in a jail has to be immediately reported to the district authorities and the area police station. However, the jail authorities had only informed the district officers that the prisoner had died a natural death. Surprisingly, even after the postmortem report clearly mentioned that the prisoner had been murdered, the jail authorities had not filed a murder report with the area police. The jail Superintendent, Mr Rajesh Kesarwani, however, maintained that he had not yet received the report and that is why no murder case had been filed in the police station.
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A ray of hope for cancer patients
Noida, May 9 According to Dr J. A. Khan of the research lab, cancer vaccines are intended either to treat the existing cancers (therapeutic vaccines) or prevent the development of cancer (prophylactic vaccines). The therapeutic vaccines administered to the patients are designed to treat cancer by stimulating the immune system to recognise and attack human cancer cells without harming the human body. Prophylactic vaccines are given to the healthy individuals to attack cancer-causing viruses and prevent viral infection, e.g. Hepatitis B virus (HBsAg Vaccine). Treatment vaccines administered to the cancer patients are designed to strengthen body’s natural defences against cancers that have already developed. They prevent further growth of cancers, prevent the recurrence of treated cancers or eliminate cancer cells not killed by the prior treatment, Dr Khan said. Dendritic Cell Therapy, a standard treatment in various centres around the world, has been initiated in our clinic for the first time in India, Dr Khan claimed. Dr Khan said patients should not be exposed to chemotherapy and radiotherapy one month prior to undergoing Dendritic Cell Therapy. Isslamuddin, 57, a patient of from Dadri said he had benefited from the treatment. Earlier, he was passing blood with cough and having pain in chest. But now both these problems are under control. Three other patients, including a 30-year-old woman, also recounted the benefits of the treatment at the microbiology lab.
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Financier shot in Faridabad
Faridabad, May 9 The murder took place around 12.30 pm in full public view at a busy road near Ajronda village. While the victim died on the spot, the assailants escaped in a car. The police have booked a case and started investigation. According to reports, the victim identified as Gopal Singh, hailing from the Ajronda village, had come to meet a timber trader. The victim was trying to foot the bill for the items purchased for his house under construction in Sector 15-A. It is learnt that as he got down from his Scorpio vehicle, three unidentified persons sprayed bullets on him. It is stated that the assailants numbered four had come in a Santro car and fled from the spot within minutes. One of the accused remained at the wheels during the incident and drove away after the murder. While the cause behind the crime was not known, it is said that a dispute over some payment could the reason. The
victim was reported to be a relative of the newly elected corporator from
the area.
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Account books of 14 traders sealed for evading tax
Noida, May 9 It is higher by Rs 15 crore than the similar sale detected by the Trade Tax department during April last year by evading trade tax. Meanwhile, the inquiry officer of the trade tax department has confiscated the accounting ledgers of 14 traders. According to Dy Commissioner
R.K. Bharava of the trade tax intelligence wing, a special campaign had been launched by the SIB officials in April for detecting such dubious sale of goods. A checking was launched on various business premises. The inquiry officer caught at least 27 cases of tax evasion during the period as against 23 last year in which goods worth Rs 25 crore were sold. Mr Bhargava said all the cases of tax evasion pertained to the traders or companies, who are liable to pay tax even on royalty or licence fees which they never paid. In one case, a businessman had sold goods in Noida which were sold on the sea port. He never paid any tax on it. The department will soon finetune its strategy for detecting and confiscating such goods which are sold without paying duty or tax, the Dy Commissioner, Mr
R.K. Bhargava, added.
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Rifle misfire kills
CRPF jawan
New Delhi, May 9 Reminded of December 13, 2001 terrorist attack on Parliament, security forces personnel went on an alert on hearing the gunshot at around 8 a.m., just three hours before the two Houses were to meet, the police sources said. However, it was found that self-loading rifle of Constable Vipul Das went off accidentally while he was repositioning it, killing him on the spot, the sources said. Das, who hails from Assam, was deployed at the Parliament House gate on Raisina Road side when the incident occurred. The body has been sent for the postmortem examination and its report is still awaited, said the police sources.
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6 criminals held after encounter
Ghaziabad, May 9 The staff officer said the robbers were members of an inter-state gang and planning a robbery in Lal Bagh Colony when the police overpowered them. This gang has been involved in some robberies and thefts in Delhi and Gurgaon areas also, the police said. The police force under SO Inspector Dharminder Chohan of Loni, police post in-charge Bijinder Singh Rawat, Indirapuri police post in-charge R.K. Yadav, had arrested six criminals after the encounter on Saturday night in Roop Nagar industrial area. Those arrested are Amit, s/o Rakesh of Rajasthan, Jamuna Das, s/o Brahm Singh Dheever of Baghpat, Zakir, s/o Nazzaruddin of Bijnore, Sushil, s/o Eqbal of Bulandhshahr, and Sajid Malik, s/o Yasmin of
Shamli.
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Prayer festival from May 11
New Delhi, May 9 “The main objective of this prayer festival is to pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation,” its general convenor, Dr R. Abraham said. The festival is being organised by the churches of various denominations in the Capital. G S Dhinakaran and Paul Dhinakaran of the Jesus Calls Ministries will be the main speakers at the festival, which will be attended, among others, by Union Ministers Arjun Singh, Kapil Sibal and Subodh Kanth Sahai, he said. More than one lakh people from various religions are expected to participate in the prayers, he added.
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Murder case solved, one nabbed
New Delhi, May 9 On May 6, the accused Ram Kishor approached the local police informing that someone has killed his friend Ram Chander Mali. The police found the body lying in a pool of blood with cut marks on forehead and neck. During the interrogation, he broke down and allegedly accepted that he had killed Ram Chander. The police said that Ram Chander had taken money from Ram Ashre and was not returning it to him and used to misbehave with Ram Ashre. On the day of incident, when Ram Ashre asked for his money, the deceased started abusing him and also refused to return the money. In turn, Ram Ashre picked up an axe and hit him on his head and neck. The police have seized the weapon of crime from the spot.
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Stress on innovation in education
New Delhi, May 9 Inaugurating the national conference, Professor Krishna Kumar, Director, NCERT, applauded the award-winning teachers, who have tried new ideas without getting affected and influenced by the barriers in the system. Very few teachers are ready to fight for new things, he said, adding he was happy to note the innovative ideas put forth and emphasised the need for fresh ideas in education.
— TNS
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