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Mayor urged to have errant cops punished
72% voting amidst violence in panchayat elections
Onion prices cut by Re 1 at govt vends
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463 dengue cases in all from Delhi: Mehta
Political leaders go ‘overboard’ to welcome CM
Top political bosses have no sway over JNU voters
Kerala CM takes a ride on the Metro
Special cleanliness drive ordered to
check spread of dengue
Official apathy towards encroachment force residents to file PIL in the court
Headmaster among two shot in Jahangirabad
Boy shot while trying to steal Metro property
15-year-old boy killed
Two elephants seized from Yamuna Pushta
Coffee home goes into pvt hands
Two under-construction houses collapse
Exhibition on SBI’s evolution on at Pragati Maidan
Central Excise official caught taking bribe
Campaign against counterfeits
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Mayor urged to have errant cops punished
New Delhi, October 24 She had put up resistance against the demolition of jhuggi clusters in the Patparganj area one month ago. Ms Sharma raised this issue herself in the House meeting of the MCD which was supported by all councillors. She said she was doing nothing illegal. She went to the site to share the pain of the jhuggi dwellers who had come on road after demolition of their residences. In her support, another Congress councillor, Ms Preeti, appealed to all women councillors, including opposition members, to support Ms Sharma to make the police attack on her as a “woman case”. It can be occurred against any woman councillor. Ms Arti Mehra, BJP councillor from Malviya Nagar, also supported her. The Leader of Opposition, Mr Subhash Arya, also demanded action against the policemen who attacked the councillor. Giving his own example, Mr Asif Mohammad Khan, independent councillor from the Okhla area, said that this was not a woman case. It concerned all corporators. “I was arrested under the National Security Act when I spoke against the policemen in the area”, he said. Raising another issue, Mr Asif Mohammad Khan sought a reply from the Municipal Commissioner, Mr Rakesh Mehta, as to how officials posted at the Lajpat Nagar zonal office of the corporation to take security deposit from him for getting booked a community centre for a function as the corporators were exempted from such deposits. The house and standing committee had passed a resolution exempting councillors for depositing security amount for getting a park or a community centre booked for functions. The Municipal Commissioner admitted that the councillors were exempted from security deposits. He ordered all zonal offices to implement the recommendation of the proposal passed by the House exempting elected representatives from security deposits.
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72% voting amidst violence in panchayat elections
Noida, October 24 The voting started on a slow pace but picked up as the day progressed. On the whole, the officials claimed, it was a peaceful poll, notwithstanding a few minor scuffles. A large contingent of the police force and PAC had been deployed, particularly in the sensitive gram panchayat polling centres. The sensitive polling centre of Sarfabad village had been converted into a “cantonment”. The voters in 70 panchayats in Bisarakh block exercised their franchise for six Zila panchayat and 133 area panchayat members on Sunday. Eight candidates were elected unopposed for the area panchayats. Besides, the SSP and senior civil officers were seen going round the area during the polling area. The District Magistrate, Santosh Yadav, also toured the sensitive areas in the district. Five Zonal and 19 sector magistrates had been deployed on duty. Besides, 7 special magistrates were on duty for sensitive and super sensitive polling centres. In many polling centres, tension was created when “genuine” voters did not find their names in the voter’s list. The police had to resort to firing in the air in Sampura village, where two groups clashed and pelted stone at each other. In Bhelolpur village, polling agents of two candidates came to blows. In many polling centres in Harola village, tension continued till the last moment due to allegations of fake voting. The people also complained about bogus voting in Khora colony. However, the situation was under control due to the presence of senior officers and adequate police force.
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Onion prices cut by Re 1 at govt vends
New Delhi, October 24 Sources said that from today onions sold at Rs 16 (lower quality) and Rs 20 (higher quality) would now be sold at Rs 15 and Rs 19 at the 25 stalls set up by the state government. The decision was taken following the arrival of 1,400 tonnes of onions in the Capital mainly from Rajasthan, which is a major source of the cheaper variety of onions. In fact, onion prices could be reduced further as more onions are expected from Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Reviewing the situation in which the commodity’s prices had skyrocketed lately from Rs 6/7 to Rs 25/30, Mr Chauhan asked the officials how could the prices hang so high when the wholesale rate was Rs 6.25 to Rs 12/13 for lower quality and Rs 16.25 for the higher quality. Besides, the high quality onions only occupied 15 to 20 per cent of the total sale of the vegetable. Realising that the problem had been ‘artificially created’ by retail vendors, Enforcement Branch officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department would be visiting all vegetable markets in the city to snoop in on any blackmarketeers. Onion prices had gone through the roof owing to various reasons, including heavy rains in producer states like Gujarat and Maharashtra and the ongoing festive season.
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463 dengue cases in all from Delhi: Mehta
New Delhi, October 24 Admitting that dengue cases were spreading rapidly in the Capital, the Municipal Commissioner, Mr Rakesh Mehta, today said 332 cases were reported from Delhi while the remaining were from the neighbouring areas. The corporation tried to make awareness through advertisements among the residents to adopt measures to control the dengue fever. Corporation officials go door to door to check coolers and other water containers where the Ades mosquitoes breed. House owners are challaned if mosquito breeding is found in the residences. Special wards have been made in the hospitals for the dengue patients. Most of the dengue cases had been reported from the West and Rohini zones, he said. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Subhash Arya, said the corporation was short of finance to purchase medicines for the dengue patients. It had borrowed medicines from the Health Department of the NDMC. The Delhi Government had to sanction Rs 1040 lakh to the corporation for the medicines. But so far only first installment of Rs 292 lakh had been received. He demanded the Congress-led corporation should approach the Delhi Government for the remaining installments so that medicines could be purchase for the dengue patients, he said.
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Political leaders go ‘overboard’ to welcome CM
Faridabad, October 24 The local administration appeared helpless as dozens of party leaders and activists of the ruling Congress party were over enthusiastic in putting up banners and hoarding welcoming the Chief Minister all across the National Highway (Mathura Road) and other roads in the city. Though this was not the first visit of Mr Hooda to the district, the party workers were determined to put up a “grand show” while welcoming Mr Hooda. It seemed that they could spend any amount to register their presence to please Mr Hooda. Though the Supreme Court has banned the exhibition of hoarding and display boards along the National Highway in the interest of traffic safety, a large number of hoarding and banners had been displayed right from the Badarpur border to Ballabhgarh where the CM attended several functions in open `violation’ of the Court directions. The district administration, which is responsible to check such violations, failed to take any action against anyone as the leaders belonged to the ruling party, claimed Mr K. L. Gera, a social worker based here. He said this was not the first time that such cases were seen here. Every time the CM or top leader of the ruling party comes here, all rules and regulations were kept aside, he alleged. He said such violations have taken place during the rule of the previous government also. Welcoming the CM in such a “grand manner” had almost become a trend, he said. Interestingly many activists of the Congress party, who had been considered staunch loyalists of the former CM, Mr Bhajan Lal, had displayed several banners and posters welcoming Mr Hooda. “Some of the leaders had also displayed the photograph of the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, along with the CM, perhaps to register their presence in Delhi darbar, said a local resident. He said if the money spent on hoardings and banners could have diverted for repairs of roads and other civic amenities, it could have benefited a large number of people. Some of the political workers and even MLA’s were also seen elbowing each other to take a seat on the stage and later in the CM’s car, said an onlooker.
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Top political bosses have no sway over JNU voters
New Delhi, October 24 From the suave to the fiery, leaders invited to address public meetings too acknowledge the students’ union elections on the campus as a chance to connect with the youth. And with JNU accepted as the bedrock of the country’s think tank, it makes sense for leaders of various political factions to make the annual trip to JNU even as all the action right now lies in Bihar. “The Bihar elections are important, but the JNUSU elections have their own significance. Our party leadership acknowledges as much and has managed to take time out for us,” said Albina Shakeel, an activist of the SFI. To substantiate her claim, she said, “Brinda Karat, D Raja, Yusuf Tarigami have already addressed meetings and today we are expecting Gurudas Dasgupta and Sitaram Yechuri”. Used to the presence of a string of political bigwigs visiting the campus before the campaigning is officially concluded, students point out that with most political parties caught up with the crucial electioneering in Bihar the election fever in JNU is yet to pick up. Admitting that owing to the Bihar elections some leaders have had to forego attending the public meetings, the NSUI and the ABVP, however, maintain that their parent organisations have not let down their supporters on the campus. “The Congress is not short of leaders. We had Salman Khursheed and Sachin Pilot on the campus to lend support, but yes, there is no denying that with the assembly elections in Bihar coinciding with the JNUSU elections has been a bit of letdown,” said NSUI’s candidate for the vice-president’s post, Maruf Hassan. Constantly censured for bringing in “leaders with a communal bias”, the ABVP, however, defends itself, claiming that these allegations are “motivated”. To encourage their cadre, the ABVP’s list has Haji Naseen Usmani, Prakash Javdekar, Manvendra Singh and former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma. However, it is the absence of leaders like Arun Jaitley, Yashwant Sinha and Vinod Khanna that students say is being noticed.
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Kerala CM takes a ride on the Metro
New Delhi, October 24 Secretary Palat Mohandas, Mr Chandy traveled on the underground section between Central Secretariat and Kashmere Gate, followed by a ride on the elevated line between Kashmere Gate and Pratap Nagar. The Chief Minister also visited the controlling station at Kashmere Gate. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Managing Director E Sreedharan accompanied the delegation from Kerala. The DMRC is the prime consultant for the Kochi project. While the Chief Minister was all praise for the DMRC for an “excellently executed project and cleanliness inside wagons and platforms”, commuters also appreciated Mr Chandy for his down-to-earth attitude and simplicity as he mingled freely with them. Mr Chandy also asked his fellow passengers to visit Kerala, recounting its greenery, beautiful beaches and backwaters amid natural settings. He said a special cell would be formed for speedy implementation of the Kochi Metro project. A committee headed by the Chief Secretary had already been constituted to oversee the implementation of the project, he said, adding that the DMRC had also been asked to prepare a feasibility study for the Thiruvananthapuram Metro Rail Project. The DMRC had made a presentation on the feasibility of the Kochi Metro Rail project in August.
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Special cleanliness drive ordered to
check spread of dengue
Noida, October 24 The CEO is also understood to have approved a proposal to buy new fogging machines and immediately repair all fogging equipment lying out of order in the district hospital. The CEO and the City Magistrate will monitor the campaigns against dengue being undertaken by the District Health Department. Meanwhile, a chief project engineer of the Noida authority, Mr V.K. Sharma, suffering from dengue, has been admitted to Kailash Hospital, Noida, in critical condition. Till now as many as 20 dengue patients reportedly have been admitted to the various hospitals in Noida. The hospital management confirmed that the engineer is suffering from dengue. However, the Health Department officials refused to admit it as a dengue case. Recently, a 11-year-old boy from New Ashok Nagar had died of dengue in Kailash Hospital. In another case, a 47-year-old Khora resident, Sammerpal, has been admitted to Max Hospital with dengue symptoms.
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Official apathy towards encroachment force residents to file PIL in the court
Gurgaon, October 24 The three-kilometre stretch on New Railway Road, starting from the post office chowk to railway station, has been encroached more than 50 feet by the shopkeepers and other commercials units. Though the road is heavily used by the commuters, the administration is least bothered about the fast growing encroachment, lamented Arun Sharma, a senior advocate and former secretary of District Bar Association. Advocate Mr Sharma has written a letter to the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, asking him to get the road widened into four lane by demolishing the illegal encroachment on government land. As per the official records of Revenue Department of Gurgaon, New Railway Road is 100 to 125 feet wide, stated the letter. Mr Sharma regretted that heavy encroachment on the road leaves hardly any space for the commuters. The cause of the encroachment is the sheer carelessness on the part of the officials from Public Works Department (Building and Road) and Municipal Council, added advocate Arun Sharma. This stretch has a government college, scores of schools and hospitals and other leading commercial establishments. But it still lacks proper planning, which has resulted in frequent accidents and jams on the road. Mr Amit Gupta, another resident of Railway Road, disclosed that the stretch is littered with waste materials and always remains dirty. Scavengers roam about but garbage is scarcely picked up. The pathetic condition of the stretch remains the same.
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Headmaster among two shot in Jahangirabad
Bulandshahr, October 24 The assailants managed to flee from the spot. His family members immediately informed the Jahangirabad police. However, the villagers alleged that the police failed to arrive on time to take appropriate actions in this regard. In another incident, three bandits atop a motorbike shot dead a stenographer of Jawhar Jyoti College in village Amar Garh the same day. The victim, Sunderlal Sharma, was sipping tea with Prakash, a neighbour, when he was shot dead from a close range. He died on the spot. According to the police, Sunderlal Sharma was originally a resident of Mohalla Radha Nagar, who was presently living in Amar Garh town.
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Boy shot while trying to steal Metro property
New Delhi, October 24 At least five persons tried to climb on the Metro via a duct on the under construction elevated line between Kirti Nagar and Shadipur using ladders at around 3 am. When Delhi Metro security guard Kameshwar Narayan challenged them, they fired at him with countrymade pistols before attacking him with sticks, inflicting head injuries. The guard fired back in self-defence, injuring the victim. The other alleged robbers escaped, the police said.
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15-year-old boy killed
Ghaziabad, October 24 The father of the victim, Pawan Sethi, is a stationery supplier and lives in Lohia Nagar. His son was missing since Saturday. Later, he reported the matter with the Sihani Gate police. It was alleged that his son had been abducted.—OC
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Two elephants seized from Yamuna Pushta
New Delhi, October 24 The six-year-old female and the 11-year-old male have now been shifted to Delhi Zoo. Their owners were hiring them out for
religious festivals and weddings. The female elephant had been brought from Chhapra, Bihar. However, the owner did not have the required documents, including transit permit. Papers of the other elephant had apparently been issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden, Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh), for an 18-year-old male. However, a veterinarian from Delhi Zoo, who was present during the raid, found the young male to be around 11 years of age. Cases had been registered against the two owners and investigations were continuing to find out how the elephants got here without valid papers.
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Coffee home goes into pvt hands
New Delhi, October 24 This is the first coffee home run by the Delhi Tourism which has been given to a private firm. According to a senior official of Delhi Tourism, it is part of the new policy framed recently. “Most of our coffee homes are running in huge losses so we have decided to hand over these to private service providing agencies one by one”, he said. The Chief Operating officer of the GGS chain of restaurants, Mr. Vipin Garg, said they were trying to give a completely new look to that coffee home. “Now the people will have a wider choice. Apart from traditional food, they can enjoy the taste of south Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines. We are also laying emphasis on seating arrangements. In the winter, one can have tea or coffee in the open under the mild sun,” he said. He informed they were also toying with the idea of installing some gift shops and small kiosks for other allied items there. “Our initiative is to
create an ambience that can be enjoyed with the whole family.” A senior citizen of this area and the founder president of the National Development Forum, Mr J. N. Dogra, said, “ I have been a regular visitor to this coffee home since its inception. I have been also a regular visitor to the Capital’s oldest coffee home near Baba Kharag Singh Marg. Here we noticed that every thing was there except the intellectual ambience. We hope that the new avatar of this coffee home will be able to fill up that void”.
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Two under-construction houses collapse
New Delhi, October 24 While Arvind succumbed to injuries in hospital, Raju was in serious condition. In another incident, a three-storey construction building in Ramesh Nagar in west Delhi collapsed trapping 11 people, all labourers, in the debris. The fire brigade later extricated them from the debris and the condition of two was described as critical.
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Exhibition on SBI’s evolution on at Pragati Maidan
New Delhi, October 24 Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today inaugurated the exhibition and Chief General Manager B. K. Gairola and other senior officials were also present during the occasion.aThe SBI is having year-long celebrations and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had inaugurated the bicentennial celebrations on June 4 this year in Mumbai.
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Central Excise official caught taking bribe
New Delhi, October 24 The official, posted in Range-III, Noida, was caught red handed yesterday following a complaint by the businessman from whom he had demanded the bribe for processing his rebate claim files, a CBI press note said.
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Campaign against counterfeits
New Delhi, October 24 The campaign, ‘A genuine deal,’ which started on October 22, will generate awareness among consumers of products of specific sectors, including cosmetics, healthcare and hygiene products, IT consumables and edible oils. Targeting individuals, professionals and even youngsters in schools and colleges, the campaign will focus on identification of genuine products with the aid of specific design, colour and logos through
roadshows, workshops and interactive sessions.
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