New Delhi, May 10
The late night dhabas (Kiosks) opened in different parts of the city have once again become the reason for a gang rape of a college girl at Dhaula Kuan. This shocking incident is another in just eight months when another college girl was picked up, gang raped in a moving car from a similar dhaba opened just opposite to the JNU campus.

This not only give the apparent picture of the police role, but also give rise to illegal activities like drinking in public places, rise in molestation cases and rape cases, goondaism etc.

According to the police sources, there are more than 300 dhabas spread all over the city that are being run after 11 p.m. The officials said that no restaurant is allowed to operate after 11 p.m. But such dhabas run with the connivance of the local police.

The incident of gang rape that took place during wee hours on Sunday morning was an example of the same.

But this was not the first case of its kind. About eight months back a similar incident happened outside a local dhaba just opposite to the JNU campus that had rocked the city.

The Tribune correspondent noticed several such dhabas being run illegally during the late hours throughout the city. All such night dhabas were found offering soda, water and snacks for drinks. The spots visited include ITO, outside JNU campus, opposite Shivaji Stadium bus stand in Connaught Place, Dhaula Kuan crossing, Jama Masjid etc.

According to one Deepu, a waiter working at such a dhaba at the Connaught Place, “We give money to run our dhaba during late hours. We even have to offer free samosas, kachori and other snacks to the local police and PCR van personnel.”

At the ITO dhabas, paranthas and other food material are available besides soda, water, glasses and snacks.

Similar situation exist at Dhaula Kuan vendors, who open their vends during late hours for long route buses, taxi and bus operators.

The local police at Delhi Cantt. area agreed that there were a number of reported incidents of eve-teasing, molestation with the college girls living in the hostels, but no complaint had been registered so far and also no action had been taken to shut down these kiosks during late night.

Although the senior police officials admit this crude reality, they do nothing in this regard. According to the DCP, South West district, Dipender Pathak, “The dhaba involved in the gang rape case at Dhaula Kuan has a court stay while the other dhabas of the area have already been razed out recently.”

According to the DCP, Central District, M. M. Oberoi, “We will take stringent action against such persons, who are running such dhabas illegally after 11 pm. The policemen would also be punished if found guilty in supporting such illegal dhabas.” 

New Delhi, May 10
Even after 48 hours of the incident of a gang rape that took place at Dhaula Kuan, the Delhi Police could not make much headway into the case.

According to the DCP, South West district, Dipender Pathak, “We have detained a person in this connection and are making investigations into the matter. We have also sent police teams to different places in Delhi and Haryana to identify the culprits.”

Meanwhile, the police have shown dossiers of known criminals to the girl, who had been abducted early yesterday near her house in Satya Niketan in South West Delhi by three persons.

The police sources further said, “She made positive identifications about some of the dossiers shown to her and we have despatched teams to various places to nab the suspected culprits.”

However, no arrests had been made so far, though several people have been questioned. A number of people have been detained and their movements at the time of the incident are being verified, the sources said.

The assaulters had dragged the victim into a car and gang raped her for three hours in the moving vehicle before dropping her off near her house in another car.

The 19-year-old girl, who hails from the north-east, was studying via correspondence from the Delhi University. In the statement, which she had given at the time of registration of the FIR, the girl said she had been drugged but she had a vague memory that she was taken near Rajghat where she was transferred to the second vehicle, a Maruti.

The girl said she and her roommate were studying when they decided to have some food and walked to a nearby dhaba. At around 2.15 a.m., they were stopped by the assaulters, who were in a Santro car. While she was dragged into the car, her roommate escaped and informed the police.

New Delhi, May 10
Two days after the sensational abduction and gang rape of a girl in a moving vehicle, a woman was allegedly molested today in east Delhi in an eatery owned by a police constable.

Police sources said three persons have been detained for questioning in this connection. Some youths allegedly passed lewd remarks at the woman when she was passing near the ‘dhaba’ in Mandavali this morning. When she objected, they allegedly molested her. She managed to escape and registered a complaint after which three persons had been detained for questioning, the sources said.—TNS

New Delhi, May 10
Three more deaths reported during the last 24 hours have made the Delhi Government and MCD’s claim untrue that bacterial disease of meningitis is under control. The death toll has reached 16.

The number of suspected cases also mounted with 27 new cases of the highly infectious disease being admitted at various hospitals in the Capital, including four at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

According to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Hospital Administration Director, Dr J. N. Banvalikar, “three more deaths were reported, two from AIIMS and one from LNJP and 27 new cases have been admitted taking the total of admitted patients today to 143.”

Among the two patients who died, one was a 15-year-old from Sangam Vihar while the other was a 25-year-old youth from Raja Garden area of the Capital. He said that there had been 55 discharges, 36 from LNJP itself, of suspected cases, which were treated or turned out to be suffering from other diseases.

Confirming the death of one nurse at the Headgewar Hospital in East Delhi yesterday, the Health Minister, Mr Yoganand Shastri, said that the government had made sure that all hospital staff by now had been vaccinated.

According to Dr Banvalikar, over 1000 people have been vaccinated and all relatives of patients have been given preventive anti-biotics.

Talking about the sudden rise in the number of cholera cases in the city, the minister said, “22 cases have been reported but this is very less compared to the usual figures. The cases reported have been from the Civil Lines and some areas of North Delhi and an alert has been sounded.’’

Dr Shastri said over 2 lakh chlorine tablets had been distributed to various district heads for distribution to prevent any further escalation of the water-borne disease.

The Health Department has issued guidelines that 150 surprise checks have to be conducted by the district level health officers, in effect five in a day, at various places to check the spread of this disease,’’ he said.

New Delhi, May 10
Seeking the closure of school to prevent the spreading of meningococcemia, the BJP today accused the Delhi Government of concealing facts about the disease.

“The government is claiming that the people affected by meningococcemia are victims of other diseases and is tampering with the data. According to non-official data, more than 300 people are affected by this disease,” the Delhi BJP president, Mr Harsh Vardhan, said in a statement.

According to official figures, 15 people have died and 187 affected by the disease so far in the Capital. The BJP also demanded the government make available vaccinations “free of cost” in all hospitals.

“Due to negligence, the disease is spreading in the Capital city and beyond” Mr Harsh Vardhan said.

New Delhi, May 10
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today conducted raids at six places in Delhi in connection with a disproportionate assets case registered against G. S. Matharoo, secretary of the Municipal Commissioner, Mr Rakesh Mehta.

The raids began in the wee hours after an FIR was registered in a special CBI court against the officer for allegedly amassing movable and immovable assets disproportionate to known sources of income in the last five years.

The official, who is also Deputy Secretary to MCD, has also been charged by the CBI with abusing his official position, the sources said.

Matharoo had become controversial when he was transferred from the Commissioner office to the post of Deputy Commissioner last year. His transfer was cancelled and was brought back to the secretary’s post following pressure mounted by the Municipal Councillors across party line. They alleged that he was an innocent and hard working officer. He should be brought back to the Commissioner’s office.

There was rumour that the Municipal Commissioner transferred his secretary under the pressure of the Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit.

His name had again become an issue of discussion when a non-bailable warrant was issued by a court of Jharkahand, where an accused of Arms Act case alleged that he managed to buy arms with the help of Matharoo.

New Delhi, May 10
Differences within the Congress party at the state-level are threatening to come to fore once again, what with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and DPCC chief Ram Babu Sharma divided over issues pertaining to the trifurcation of the MCD.

At a meeting to review the implementation of the party’s election manifesto here today, Ms Dikshit and party unit chief Ram Babu Sharma differed on issues like unbundling of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

“The Chief Minister and myself are in agreement that Delhi should get full statehood. But on the issue of MCD trifurcation, we have our differences,” Sharma told reporters after the over one-and-a-half-hour long meeting.

He said while Ms Dikshit is for trifurcating the civic body, he is not in favour of it. “We will have to discuss the issue further,” the DPCC chief said.

The Chief Minister on her part maintained a stoic silence and refused to comment on the issue after the closed-door meeting.

This was the first meeting of the committee since the party came back to power in the Capital around one-and-a-half years back. Headed by Congress general secretary Vayalar Ravi, the committee comprises, besides Ms Dikshit and Sharma, party general secretary in-charge of Delhi Ashok Gehlot.

Among the issues discussed were full statehood for Delhi, MCD trifurcation, water, power, allegations of corruption as well as the meningococcemia outbreak in the Capital. Sources said the issue of the trifurcation of MCD is a matter, which requires debate. Especially since there are differences between the party and the government on this.

As for the demand for full statehood, it was pointed out that along with some other issues, this too will be decided at the central level. Sources said Mr Gehlot expressed satisfaction with the performance of the government, noting that in the last one-and-a-half-years, it has done whatever was possible.

New Delhi, May 10
With the arrest of a woman Surinder Kaur (38), the North West district police have worked out a kidnapping case in which a newborn baby was abducted from the hospital on February 25. The incident took place at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital at 6 a.m.

The police said that Surinder Kaur needed money and hence kidnapped the child. She was arrested before she could sell the child to some other person.

The police said that on the day of the incident, one Kiran Devi gave birth to a child at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital. While she was sleeping, one the accused that was pretending to be the relative of Kiran Devi visited her ward several times. The neighboring patients also felt that she could be her relative. Within no time, she escaped with the child.

Noida, May 10
The 126th Board meeting of the Noida Authority decided to get the construction of three flyovers completed on old terms. The flyovers had been abandoned mid-way

The agencies involved in the construction of the flyovers have agreed to complete the projects on old rates and terms, the board was informed by the Noida Authority Chairman Dev Dutta. The period, the work had been at standstill, will be deemed zero and work completed within the time limit stipulated, minus the intervening period when the construction was stopped.

The agencies have agreed to work as per the MoU and will be allowed proportionate extension in time limit accordingly. Earlier, agencies had taken a stand that prices of cement and steel had since soared and the Noida Authority should also compensate them for the period the work had remain held up.

The proposals of both HSCL and NPCL dated April 29 and May 4, 2005, were examined and evaluated in which they were offered to complete the Rs 186 crore and Rs 83.62 crore projects on the basis of old MoU. The construction had remained closed since September 22, 2003. No compensation or hike in price will be allowed, the Chairman said.

The Board has also decided to post one Project Engineer each to monitor the quality control of the flyover projects at Film City, Amity crossing, Sector-82. The Project Engineer will submit a monthly report about the progress of the project and quality of the construction work. Advisors from Rites and other special consultants will also be appointed. The quality of material being used will also be constantly examined and reviewed.

The state government had its letter on March 11, 2005, had asked Noida to get the construction of flyovers completed by imposing some new conditions on construction. When will the work be resumed? It depends on government decision, Mr Dutta added.

New Delhi, May 10
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) made irregular utilisation of funds amounting to Rs 2.56 crore for purpose not covered under the schemes for development of urban and rural villages. The corporation reportedly diverted the money for other schemes.

According to sources, the fund was released by the Delhi Government in the shape of grant-in-aid for development of villages, which was to be spent only on the projects it was sanctioned for.

No diversion of funds from one scheme to another was to be made without specific prior approval of the Delhi Government.

The corporation, however, made payment of Rs 1.98 crore in the year 2000-2001 for works executed under the MLA fund from the village development fund. This fact came to light during the auditing of the MCD’s financial records.

When questioned by the auditors for the diversion of funds, the MCD official stated that in September 2004, due to non-release of funds by the Delhi Government under the MLA fund, works were executed from funds of the schemes of rural and urban villages with the prior approval of the competent authority.

The corporation said that in 2004 funds were not diverted as works were executed on the roads approaching urban and rural villages.

However, the sources said that the corporation spent Rs 57.59 lakh on 26 works executed by two divisions of the civic body in areas, which did not fall under the jurisdiction of urban or rural villages. Out of 26, three were executed in regularised unauthorised colonies and six in approved colonies. The civic body made payments for these works from the head of account of development or urban villages.

Faridabad, May 10
The district authorities have decided to distribute wheat in grain form instead of flour to the families, including Below the Poverty Line (BPL) and Antyoday Ann Yojna (AAY), during the present financial year. Every family covered under these schemes will get about 35 kg of wheat each month, whose rates will be subsidised.

According to the officials concerned, there are a total of 39,781 BPL and 12,792 AAY card-holders in the district at present. The operators of the Fair Price shops have been asked to collect the wheat to be distributed from the designated points. As many as 241 tonnes of wheat will be provided for distribution among about 7,486 BPL and 4187 AAY card-holders located in the NIT area of the city.

The Faridabad city has around 51,85 such beneficiaries, who will be getting 167 tonnes, while 6,581 BPL and 2624 AAY families in Ballabhgarh area will be getting 297 tonnes of wheat each month. The Palwal town in the district has around a total of 9,405 families who will be getting about 303 tonnes of wheat as the monthly ration allotted under the scheme.

As many as 3,575 poor families of Hodal, a sub-divisional town will be receiving around 117 tonnes. While 9,300 card-holders of Hathin will be getting around 299 tonnes of wheat in the same period, at least 135 tonnes wheat will be diverted for such families living in the Hassanpur sub-division. The depot holders have been asked to deposit an advance security amount for the purpose with the state government agency of Confed, which will be supplying the wheat to the depot holders after it was given a green signal from the District Food and Supply Department.

Various government departments, including the Municipal Corporation Faridabad, Municipal Council, Municipal Committees and other Panchayati Raj bodies have been given the responsibility in the work of the proper distribution of the wheat and to check any irregularity. Several sub-divisional officers (civil) have been asked to conduct a regular check and submit their reports to the Deputy Commissioner about the work.

It may be recalled that the poor families were given wheat flour earlier through the Fair Price Shops regularly. Meanwhile, in another order the district administration has banned the sale of fruits and other food items kept in open or without a cover in the city for the next six months. The authorities have asked the civic officials to check the leakage of the water supply lines after the reports of supply of contaminated drinking water in various parts of the town. Such a supply has resulted in outbreak of various water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, typhoid, cholera and jaundice.

However, while claiming that there is no case of meningitis, which has claimed several lives in the national Capital. However, the administration has called for effective measures to prevent the chances of spread of such disease in the city or the district.

Ghaziabad, May 10
A 60-year-old man, who was drying his clothes on the terrace, came in touch with a high-tension live wire and was electrocuted in New Vikas Nagar Colony under Loni Kotwali police station. This also caused a fire due to close circuit in an adjoining house.

The livid colony residents jammed the Loni-Ghaziabad highway, demanding a compensation for the family of the deceased and removal of the high voltage power cables which are almost touching the rooftop of the colony houses.

The road was blocked for over an hour and the people did not allow the police to take the body for postmortem.

Sixty-year-old Tota Ram, son of Kham Karan was drying his clothes on the terrace in Vikas Nagar Colony in the morning when his head suddenly touched the 11 K.V. Farruk Nagar feeder high-tension power cable. Due to the powerful current, Tota Ram died on the spot.

Some residents of the adjoining houses ran out in panic as they experienced electric shocks. 

Noida, May 10
A two-day conference on head and spine, Craniospinal Trauma, was held at Fortis Hospital, Noida. The problem which cripples the accident victims is preventable, the doctors said.

A vehicular accident is reported every three minutes and a death every 10 minutes on Indian roads. During 1998, nearly 80,000 lives were lost and 3,30,000 people injured. Of these, 78% were men in the age group of 20-44 years, causing a significant impact on their productivity.

To check the increasing number of road accidents, Fortis Hospital organised a regional conference on the medical management of accident cases.

Experts from the leading hospitals of North India, including Apollo Hospitals, GB Pant Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Fortis Jessa Ram Hospital, Maulana Azad Medical College and AIIMS delivered lectures and discussed the latest knowledge pool and technologies to handle the craniospinal trauma patients.

For accident victims, neurological damage does not only occur at the moment of impact, but also evolves over the ensuing hours and days. Head injury is divided into primary and secondary injuries. Primary brain damage occurs at the time of initial injury as a direct result of impact on the brain, and is preventable. Traumatic brain injury can occur to a focal brain region or more diffusely affecting both hemispheres and the brain stem.

Brain injuries appear normal to the naked eye many times. However, if the patients are not treated on time, they may not be able to recover fully and be crippled for life.

New Delhi, May 10
The Miss India 2005 Earth, Niharika Singh, here today pledged her support for the cause of blood donation and became the Good Will Ambassador for Rotary’s Voluntary Blood Donation Movement.

Speaking on the occasion, she said that there is a huge shortage of blood in the country, including Delhi, which is going up every year. She urged the people to come forward and donate blood to ease the sufferings of lakhs of patients.

To meet the growing demand of blood, the Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 3010 have set up a state-of-the-art voluntary blood bank, where blood is available to every person in need. This is the only blood bank, which provides blood without asking for replacement. We are strictly adhering to the guidelines contained in the National Blood Policy and we collect blood only from voluntary and healthy donors. The mission at Rotary Blood bank is “No one shall suffer for want of blood”.

The Rotary Blood Bank is set up at a cost of over Rs 5 crore on a 1500b sq meters plot of land allotted by the DDA in the Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi. The 15,000 sft, five-storeyed centrally air-conditioned blood bank building was inaugurated on March 1, 2002.

New Delhi, May 10
Muga Silk, popularly known as the Golden Thread of Assam, has become an integral part of the cultural heritage of Assam. Muga cloth is worn by the Assamese on special occasions.

Assam is the only place in the world where ‘Muga’ is commercially exploited from the rare silk moth “Antherera Assama”.

In its endeavour to promote Muga Silk, ARTFED (Assam Apex Weavers & Artisans Cooperative Federation Ltd) organised a special fashion show at Handicraft Bhavan in Delhi. The theme of the show was to showcase the innovative creations of weavers and artisans of Assam on Muga Silk “Sonali Ahh” (golden thread).

Choreographed by Auginder Gautam, the show acquainted the audience with the cultural heritage of Muga Silk and how the silk with all its richness is fast becoming a fad not only in the Indian market but in the overseas also. Apart from dress materials, the show also depicted other innovative product lines of Muga Silk like household textiles. The show was successful in highlighting as to why Muga Silk is described as the pride of Assamese weavers, artisans and people.

ARTFED has been diversifying traditional product lines of Muga Silk fabrics to the product range of duvet, quilts, curtains, cushion covers, showers curtains, Kimmano etc to explore the international markets like the USA, Japan, Europe, South East Asian countries and South Africa.

The fashion show was preceded by a special Satriya dance performance by Mrs Indira P P Bora and her troupe.

New Delhi, May 10
A former constable, who was involved in more than 30 criminal cases, has been gunned down by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police in an encounter this evening.

The slain criminal, Ranvir Rathi, a resident of Bagpat, was a 1991 batch constable in the Delhi Police, and he had been dismissed in 2001 after being found involved in illegal activities. He was involved in about 30 criminal cases – eight in Delhi and 22 in Uttar Pradesh.

Acting on a tip-off that Ranvir will be meeting two of his accomplices– Karam Vir Singh and Singh Raj– in his Santro car at Kalandi Kunj in South Delhi. Accordingly, at around 7:30 pm, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police laid a trap to nab him. After seeing the sleuths, Ranvir fired at the police party. The police also fired at him in retaliation killing him on the spot.

Faridabad, May 10
The Indian Oil Corporation’s R&D Centre in Faridabad has bagged the first prize among all the public sector undertakings in the district for implementing Hindi in the offices for the period of 2003-04. This prize was given to Mr A.K. Chowdhury, DGM (HR) of the IOC, at a function held here recently.

Mr Satish Makhija GM(EPR) and head of the Hindi Implementation Committee, R&D Centre, was also present at the function.

Mr R.D. Sharma and Mr Devinder Singh of the R&D Centre were also awarded for their contribution in the field.