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Sheila cracks the whip on BSES
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Stop violating labour laws, MPs warn Hooda
If draw was fair, why was Noida CEO removed?
Gurgaon IGP says her force no less than Delhi Police
DU Court, administration on warpath over CEE issue
Kick cancer stick, help at hand now!
DJB’s privatisation plan is flawed: NGO
Decision to lower bullion VAT rate deferred
Standoff between SRCC staff and management continues
Four arrested for meter tampering, impersonation
Jewellers robbed at gunpoint
Fire destroys plastic factory
No sweat, the monsoon is still around
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Sheila cracks the whip on BSES
New Delhi, July 11 The warning was spelt out to BSES CEO Rakesh Aggarwal at a Cabinet meeting called by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to review the power situation in the Capital, sources said. Both the Chief Minister and Power Minister Haroon Yusuf came down heavily on BSES, pulling it up for its dissatisfactory performance with regard to installation of meters, billing, maintenance of transformers, rectifying cable problems and stopping power theft, the sources said. Dikshit told reporters after the Cabinet meet that the performance of BSES has not met the expectations of the government. “It was expected to do much better than this... I won’t say I am angry. But I am certainly dissatisfied,” she said. The Chief Minister has already written to the Reliance Energy boss Anil Ambani about Delhi Government’s dissatisfaction with how BSES has fared. Also present at the meeting was NDPL CEO Anil Sardana, and the sources said the Cabinet was, by and large, satisfied with the Tata-owned company. The Chief Minister clarified that the power crisis in the Capital was worsened due to ceratin other reasons. “Though Delhi had adequate power of about 3800 MW in July, heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have forced them to shut down several hydro-electric power stations, thereby creating problem for power generation,” Ms Dikshit said. She said that Delhi has a share of 300 MW in Nathpa Jhakri Power Plant of 1500 MW capacity. There is also an agreement of supply of 450 MW by HPSEB. It was due to the problems in three states Delhi has been facing power shortage of about 750-800 MW. Now, Delhi has been able to meet the load requirement most of the time by over-drawing from the grid to the extent of 500 MW. She said that Delhi has also tied up for supply through Power Trading Corporation to the extent of 200 MW from Gujarat. But due to floods there, these plans had to be shelved. However, Ms Dikshit said, the Union Power Secretary today held a meeting with Delhi Chief Secretary and other officers of Central Generating Units, DTL and Discoms. In the meeting, it was assured that the power from Anta, Auriya and other power stations of NTPC would be made available by firing liquid fuel, though the cost of power could touch Rs 5 per unit to meet the city’s emergency needs, she added. She also said the Delhiites have to face the load shedding problem for some time due to the power shortage. However she also added that the load shedding was done mostly in the areas prone to power theft.
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Stop violating labour laws, MPs warn Hooda
Gurgaon, July 11 All dismissed and suspended workers of Honda Motorcyle and Scooter India, Remsons, Omax, Ricco, Speedomax and Anchal Engineering must be reinstated by the management immediately, otherwise we would be forced to sit on dharna at Parliament on July 28, said Mr Gurudas Dasgupta, MP and general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). Mr Dasgupta along with Dipanker Mukherjee (Rajya Sabha MP), Ms Amarjeet Kaur, national secretary of AITUC and other leaders today came here to sit on dharna in support of workers’ demand. Addressing a massive gathering of workers of the above-mentioned companies at Kamla Nehru Park, Mr Dasgupta cautioned the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The state government must ensure that the labourers are not harassed by the management. Mr Hooda must not take our support for guaranteed for the Central government, said the CPI leader. The district administration had imposed Section 144 on Saturday at VIP residential area where the workers had initially planned a dharna to press their demands. Later, Deputy Commissioner Sudhir Rajpal came to dharna ground and took the memorandum to forward it to the Haryana Chief Minister. Mr Dasgupta said the workers of Haryana had voted for the Congress and brought it back to power with the hope that the ‘repression’ let loose by the previous government would end, but it was unfortunate that the Congress government was continuing with the ‘anti-labour policy’ of the previous government. Violation of trade union rights and labour law implementation and police repression have compelled us to stage this dharna, said the MP. In his speech, Mr Dipanker Mukherjee alleged that the district administration and the police are openly assisting the management of various plants for crushing the workers’ struggle. He said that the management with the help of police and its musclemen is terrorising workers to disband the union. In Dharuhera, the local AITUC leader, Mr Rajbir Singh Chehal, was attacked by the musclemen of Omax management and instead of taking action against the culprits, the police arrested Mr Chehal, said the memorandum given to the DC. Ms Amarjeet Kaur and other leaders of the state and various workers’ unions and leading companies such as Maruti Udyog Limited also spoke on the occasion and demanded an end to victimisation of workers. Later, speaking to mediapersons, Mr Sudhir Rajpal assured that all issues related to the workers would be resolved before July 28,
the deadline given by the CPI leaders.
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If draw was fair, why was Noida CEO removed?
Noida, July 11 Additional charge of Chairman, Noida has been given to Greater Noida Authority CEO and Chairman, Rakesh Bahadur for the time being. Incidentally, heads of many Noida bosses have rolled several times in the past for their “failure” to come up to the expectations of their political bosses. But Mr Deo Dutta is perhaps the first CEO-cum-Chairman who had to demit office for alleged rigging and violation of procedures and favouritism in a draw. Greater Noida Authority Chairman Rakesh Bahadur did not bear any harsh consequences when some property dealers were caught red-handed in a GNIDA draw four months ago. Noida and Greater Noida authorities have always been accused by the public of showing favouritism to senior bureaucrats and political bosses. Even the draw for an entire sector like sector 44 has been cancelled earlier to please the powers that be. In the teeth of stiff opposition by the public, the draw was conducted through UP DESCO. In the draw, plots in the name of quite a few influential people, including senior IAS, IPS officers, MPs, MLAs and their relatives were taken out while the common people were left high and dry. This again raised questions on the working style and “transparency” of the Noida Authority. The premium for land in elite sector 44, where most of the VIPs were allotted plots, is reported to be worth between Rs 40,000 to Rs 45,000 per sq mt. In a damage control exercise, Chairman Deo Dutta had announced the cancellation of the draw the very next day, citing technical flaws in the draw procedure. He also announced that the new draw would be conducted by UP DESCO. Interestingly, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav had reportedly said that the draw was conducted in a fair manner, but the issue was taken up by the media in earnest. And if the draw was fair, why shift the CEO-cum-Chairman. And again, if the draw was fair, why cancel it? This is what people want to know.
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Gurgaon IGP says her force no less than Delhi Police
Gurgaon, July 11 The Inspector General of Police, Gurgaon Range, Ms Deepa Mehta, has procured details of the police set-up in Delhi as well as the crime position there from January 1 to May 31 this year. To quote Ms Mehta, her office got the details to compare the functioning of the police, at least in South Haryana, with that of Delhi on several parameters. According to Ms Mehta, Haryana does not stand in poor light when the picture is taken in totality. At the macro level, Delhi has nine districts, whereas Haryana has 20 districts. Delhi has three Ranges, while Haryana has four. Hence, the rate of various crimes has to be seen in the same context. At the micro level, the study focuses on South District and the South West District of Delhi which is often compared to Southern Haryana. In South District, there are two DCPs, 1 Additional DCP, nine ACPs, 58 Inspectors, 283 Sub-Inspectors, 243 ASIs, 744 Head Constables and 2278 Constables. The South West District has 2 DCPs, 1 Additional DCP, 8 ACPs, 44 Inspectors, 184 Sub-Inspectors, 240 ASIs, 572 Head Constables and 1452 Constables. The manpower available with the district police in Gurgaon Range is far less than that with Delhi. The data collected by the IG office with regard to the murder cases in all the nine districts of Delhi from January 1 to May 31, this year, is 160. In the corresponding period in Gurgaon Range which has four districts, the number is 81. Ms Mehta’s viewpoint is that when the number of districts on both sides is taken into account, the position does not stand out in stark negativity. In the category of other heinous crimes, the position is more or less the same.
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DU Court, administration on warpath over CEE issue
New Delhi, July 11 The university, on its part, claims that an “independent agency is already on the job”. Members of the DU Court have written to the President, who is the Visitor to Delhi University, urging him to direct the university to conduct a “transparent and honest probe”. “The University officials did not even bother to tell the Court about the scam; when we sought an explanation we were told that the probe is being conducted by an independent agency and that we will be informed of the findings,” said Rajeev Saxena, Member of the Court. Pointing out that the DU Court was the supreme authority of the university, peeved members claimed that “the administration desists from sharing information with us”. “The Government of India on one hand has enacted a legislation on right to information and on the other hand, the conduct of present administration of the university has been wanting,” says the letter written to the President by the members. The university’s decision of keeping the details of the “independent agency” under wraps has not gone down well with the Court members. “How do we know whether a probe is being conducted at all? What is the guarantee that the probe is being conducted by an independent agency and not by those who have been instructed to hush up the matter? Unless the university comes out with the names of those investigating the matter, how can we be assured of transparency,” said Saxena. University officials, however, insist on this need
for “secrecy”. “We need to keep the details of the investigating team under wraps because we do not want any one to exert pressure on them. We want a transparent probe and we assure that the investigation, which has begun is being carried out thoroughly,” a senior DU official told ‘The Tribune’. This explanation notwithstanding, DU Court members want the university to not just disclose these details, but also rethink the decision of conducting counseling for admissions on July 13. “Keeping the results of 21 candidates named in the scam in abeyance is not enough. It still affects the chances of deserving candidates,” said Saxena. But the University has an answer to that as well. “It is only counseling and not admissions. We are going to work out the details and make provisions…all admissions will be made as per norms and the report of probe will establish everything we need to know,” the DU official said.
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Kick cancer stick, help at hand now!
Faridabad, July 11 Representatives of the Elder Pharmaceuticals Limited held a camp at B.K. Civil Hospital here recently to make people aware of the dangers of smoking and chewing tobacco. As many as 190 persons were counselled on the topic. Pamphlets were distributed along with a pack of ‘Nulife Chewettes’, a chewing gum to help resist the tobacco temptation. According to Mr Dinesh Pahuja, a company official, the gum is a good alternative to smoking. It is harmless and based on the Nicotine Replacement Therapy, considered a cornerstone in clinical guidelines for smoking cessation all over the world. He said though many people attempt to quit smoking, the success rate is quite poor. Their team had held three counselling camps in the region over the past one month, the official said. The counsellors inform the addicts that it is not nicotine, but thousands of toxins present in tobacco and its combustion products that cause most of the diseases. There are over 4,000 compounds in tobacco and its smoke, and more than 40 of these substances are known to carcinogenic, thus educate the counsellors. It is claimed that nicotine per se has not been shown to cause cancer. The heart disease caused by smoking is largely due to tobacco combustion products, not nicotine. According to the company, the Nicotine Replacement Therapy usually doubles the long-term abstinence rates and is especially beneficial to the highly dependent tobacco users.
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DJB’s privatisation plan is flawed: NGO
New Delhi, July 11 “With the implementation of this project, the details of which are still being kept in the dark, the water bill of an average Delhi household will shoot up from around Rs 200 to a whopping Rs 1,000,” Arvind Kejriwal of the NGO Parivartan said at a press conference here. “Moreover, the draft agreement between Delhi Jal Board and the multinationals says that the Board will have to pay them around Rs 126 crore annually as salary alone, which is around 20 per cent of the Board’s operational cost itself,” he said. ‘Towards 24x7’, a water supply project of the Delhi government partly funded by the World Bank, is scheduled to be launched in December. It entrusts with private companies the management of water in order to ensure its round-the-clock supply. “The entire project is being drafted in a non-transparent manner. The roadmap has been drawn by the World Bank and its consultants are keeping people in the dark,” he alleged. “The very claim of 24x7 water supply is false. According to the draft agreement, the companies would provide water 24x7 only if the DJB ensures a regular supply of water to it. How is this possible when the Board is presently facing a water deficit?” Kerjiwal said.
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Decision to lower bullion VAT rate deferred
New Delhi, July 11 “The Empowered Committee (on VAT) has said (at its meeting on Saturday) that it will write to all states to follow a uniform floor rate on bullion at 1 per cent by August 1. It will then recommend administrative action against the states violating minimum tax rate to the Centre,” Delhi Finance Minister Mr A K Walia said. As such, the Delhi Government will also wait till August 1 before deciding on lowering VAT rate on bullion, he said. However, neither Mr Walia nor Empowered Committee Chairman Mr Asim Dasgupta elaborated what will the administrative action be. Mr Walia said trade in bullion is shifting to Rajasthan and Gujarat because of differences in tax rates on these items. While Delhi has imposed 1 per cent VAT on bullion, non-VAT states like Rajasthan and Guajrat are taxing it at 0.25 per cent. While uniform floor tax rate on bullion will be ensured by August 1, states will be asked to adhere to such rates on other items by September 1, he said. He revealed that the Delhi will lose Rs 40 crore of revenue for the whole fiscal because of shifting of trade in bullion. Bullion traders, however, claimed that the loss was much higher. They complained that Delhi had lost 70-80 per cent of its gold trade to Rajasthan and Gujarat after imposition of 1 per cent VAT on bullion. Delhi government had reduced sales tax on bullion to 0.25 per cent early this year, but after implementation of VAT, the tax rate went back up to 1 per cent. Walia had earlier said that if a solution was not found at the meeting of the VAT committee, Delhi Government would be forced to reduce the tax on bullion on its own. However, a Rajasthan revenue official said the state also has 1 per cent sales tax on bullion, but a facility of composite taxation is given for paying 0.25 per cent tax. Walia refused to comment on whether adherence to uniform floor rate implies that Delhi will again have to raise tax rate on diesel to 20 per cent. Delhi was allowed to reduce tax rate on diesel to 12.5 per cent from 20 per cent after Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh refused to raise the tax rates.
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MCD to tranquilise stray cattle
New Delhi, July 11 The equipment will be handled by the qualified veterinarians.
The animal had to be finally shot dead by the local police as all attempts to overpower it failed. The corporation has purchased Pneumatic Blowpipe model 45. The mini-jet blowpipe is the simplest and lowest-priced syringe projector in the market. With a range of 20 metres approximately, its field of use is very comprehensive. Each piece of the equipment has been purchased at a cost of Rs 33,000 from M/s Helper, Health Products and Services, Noida, which is the only distributor of the instrument used by the Wild Life Department, Delhi Zoo etc,
the Municipal Commissioner said.
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Standoff between SRCC staff and management continues
New Delhi, July 11 The karamcharis (non-teaching staff), who presented their demand to the Governing Body of the college, are protesting against the librarian’s misconduct with the employee. Incidentally even as the Governing Body met here for an emergency meeting today, no action has yet been taken against the librarian. Sources were of the opinion that college authorities could have taken interim steps. “The karamcharis are peeved that the Governing Body has failed to take prompt action.” Principal of the college, D K Mittal, who has put in his papers, said the Governing Body has been apprised of the situation and will take suitable action. Incidentally, the Governing Body has accepted the resignation of Mr Mittal, who refuted any speculations over his resignation. “All I want is to concentrate on my reading, writing and teaching. Being the Principal these things suffered…I want to resume these. There is no other reason for my resignation,” he said.
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Four arrested for meter tampering, impersonation
New Delhi, July 11 The accused persons were identified as Anil Lodhi (38), resident of Azad Market, Prakash Joshi (27), resident of Moujpur, Firoz Khan (24) and Ram Nagina alias Rahim Khan (27), both resident of Jahangirpuri. The sleuths received a tip-off that some persons posing themselves as officials of NDPL were tampering with electronic meters and then extorting money from innocent people by posing as enforcement officials. As tampering of meters is a punishable offence attracting a large fine and even prison sentence, the accused then ‘offered’ to cover it up by taking
a bribe. Accordingly, a special team developed information about the suspects and nabbed them near Payre Lal Chowk, Azadpur.
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Jewellers robbed at gunpoint
Noida, July 11 According to the police, Rajpal Singh, owner of Shyam Jewellers, Hoshyar village, and his companion Ajay were going to Ghaziabad. They were carrying 60 tola of gold and 2 kg of silver as raw material. The criminals caught up with them on a motorcycle. One of them brandished a revolver while the other snatched the bag containing the precious metals. They fled from the scene soon after. In another incident, villagers in Garhi Chokhandi mercilessly beat up two men whom they suspected to be mobile phone thieves on Sunday. One of them died on the spot as a result of the severe beating. The sector 58 police have registered a murder case against unknown assailants and arrested five
persons.—OC
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Fire destroys plastic factory
New Delhi, July 11 A spokesman of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said that cause of fire had not been ascertained yet. When the fire broke out, a number of employees were at work in the factory. One of them noticed smoke emanating from a godown storing a huge stock of raw plastic. The employees tried to douse the fire but it soon spread to other rooms where the finished plastic pipes were stored. The DFS was then informed which sent at least 20 vehicles to the spot. It took a few hours to control the fire, the spokesman said.
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No sweat, the monsoon is still around
New Delhi, July 11
At noon, the mercury stood at 26 degree Celsius, as against 35 degree same time yesterday.
The weather office said the city had received about 1.8 mm rain by 5.30 pm and more rain were expected in the next 24 hours. The weatherman’s forecast says tomorrow could be another wet day with heavy rain and thunder showers in some
places.—TNS
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