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Dikshit cornered by detractors at CLP meet
MCD permitted to allow farmhouse weddings |
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No new taxes proposed in MCD budget
MCD on demolition drive in Patel Nagar
No hike in power tariff in NDMC area
FIR against 250 people for obstructing demolition drive
Jamia polls on Dec 15 as scheduled: V-C
College makes backdoor appointments
Honda workers demand withdrawal of criminal cases
Bank harassment of JNU teacher: Probe ordered
CBI probe sought in sale of mobile toilet vans
Cables worth Rs 5 lakh looted in Loni factory
District Social Welfare Officer held for bribe
Criminals loot Rs 20,000 from petrol pump
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Dikshit cornered by detractors at CLP meet
New Delhi, December 6 Power and water issues dominated the meeting, which was originally called by the CM to discuss the controversial issue of allowing weddings in farmhouses and letting shops function in residential areas. While the commercial enterprises were let off the hook with the Government announcing that the DDA would be asked to let them continue functioning, there was no decision taken with regard to the weddings in farmhouses. Members put forth that commercial units as old as four to five decades should be allowed to continue and not sealed or demolished. It was pointed out that about 4 lakh businessmen could be directly affected while more than 20 lakh people employed in such establishments would be rendered jobless if the commercial establishments in residential areas were sealed. “There was little discussion on the issue of allowing weddings in farmhouses, as problems pertaining to shortage of water and power supply were taken up by legislators,” Mrs Dikhsit told reporters after the meeting which lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Delhi Mayor Satbir Singh, Leader of the House in MCD Jitender Kochhar and Chairman of the MCD Standing Committee Mukesh Goel were also invited to put their views across to the legislators. While the MCD had proposed a policy allowing farmhouses built alongside roads having a minimum width of 30 feet, the Delhi Government filed an affidavit in the High Court proposing that the minimum road width should be 60 feet, triggering an uproar among the corporators. “We are firm on our stand of allowing weddings at farmhouses built alongside roads having a width of 30 feet. The civic body was not consulted when the Delhi Government submitted its views to the High Court,” Goel told reporters. Admitting that there was shortage of power in Delhi, Mrs Dikshit said it was due to less availability of electricity. “We are trying to get power from wherever it is available but from some places we are facing problems,” she said, adding that the capital’s power woes would continue for another eight to ten days. The Chief Minister said another CLP would be held on December 17 ahead of the assembly session when the government would put before the MLAs an action taken report on the issues of power and water since the last session. On the issue of allowing businesses to function from residential areas, Ms Dikshit said “suggestions made by the MLAs would be forwarded to the Delhi Development Authority for incorporation into the Master Plan for the Capital”. She said the government was not in favour of demolition of markets within residential areas and was of the view that they should be legalised my making changes to incorporate shops and business establishment which are there for the last 35-40 years.
“The 1983 Master Plan for the city mentions some 50 odd businesses that can be run from residential areas, we need to look at that and suggest changes keeping in mind that residents are not inconvenienced,” Ms Dikshit said. Meanwhile, the cell constituted by the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee for receiving complaints about power and water bills had a meeting last evening to discuss the strategy in order to corner the government on the issues during the CLP meeting, party sources said.
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MCD permitted to allow farmhouse weddings
New Delhi, December 6 The order came from a Division Bench of Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rekha Sharma which also stayed MCD Standing Committee decision to allow social functions in farmhouses facing 30 feet or more wide roads in the Capital. The court asked MCD and DDA to conduct a survey to identify the
farmhouses which could be allowed to organise such functions.
It also issued a contempt notice to MCD Commissioner Ashok Kumar for allegedly failing to implement its July 6 order banning use of farm houses for organising social functions in violation of Delhi Master Plan. As petitioner Bhrashtachar Virodhi Sangathan’s counsel Manjit Singh Ahluwalia alleged the court order was being violated with impunity, the Bench sought Kumar’s personal presence on January 13, the next date of hearing. However, the Bench made it clear that except to the extent relaxed, the July 6 order would continue to be in force and directed SHOs of the areas concerned to seize the goods from the farmhouses holding functions in violation of its order. It asked Vasant Kunj Residents’ Welfare Association’s counsel Rajiv Awasthi to file documents in support of his allegation of rampant violation of the July 6 order. The court had on November 17 taken exception to reported non-compliance of its July 6 order banning use of farmhouses for functions like weddings in violation of Delhi Master Plan and asked Ahluwalia to file an affidavit giving details of such violations. It had also refused to approve draft guidelines presented by MCD for use of farmhouses for social functions. According to the said guidelines, farmhouses constructed as per the sanctioned building plan with sufficient parking space, access roads and private security guards to regulate the traffic would be permitted to hold commercial functions. The guidelines sought to fix a minimum width of 60 ft for the access road and granting of permission to the farmhouses on a rotational basis so that each farmhouse is not used for more than 120 days in a year. The Bench also sought a fresh reply from the government if any steps were taken as directed by it to appoint a Special Officer to ensure compliance of its earlier
directive. MCD had been seeking modification of the July 6 order since September demanding permission to continue social functions in farmhouses, banquet halls and parks till December 2006. Meanwhile, following the court order, the Municipal Commissioner, Mr Ashok Kumar Nigam, directed the Deputy Commissioners of all the 12 zones of the MCD to get in touch with senior officers of the Delhi Police in their areas to ensure that no marriage took place in the farmhouses having less than 60 feet width of road. He asked them to initiate legal action against the defaulters in accordance with the provisions of the MCD Act. In a letter to the Police Commissioner, he has emphasized that SHOs should be directed to confiscate the goods available at the site of the delinquent farmhouse where marriage functions are not permissible.
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No new taxes proposed in MCD budget
New Delhi, December 6 The Municipal Commissioner’s speech of revised estimated budget for the year 2005-2006 and estimated budget for 2006-2007 also does not have any new scheme for the welfare of the citizens and development of the Capital. Creation of more parking sites, better commercial use of unutilised MCD land and efforts to seek compensation from Delhi government and Delhi Metro for shortfall in property tax were among other highlights of the budget for 2006-07 presented in the meeting of the civic body’s standing committee. The MCD would spend Rs 3,031 crore during the current financial year and Rs 3,102 crore the next year under the non-plan head. An allocation of Rs 602 crore this year and Rs 713 crore for the next year had been made for development of slum and JJ clusters. While delivering the speech, the Municipal Commissioner said that the corporation’s thrust would be on augmenting revenue collection by improving efficiency rather than putting extra burden on citizens. Better results can be obtained by plugging revenue loopholes and implementing various reforms, the Municipal Commissioner said. Property tax is the main source of revenue of the corporation. MCD’s target was to collect Rs 1200 crore from the tax, but going through the record it may find it difficult to get the target. Tight administration will yield the result, the Municipal Commissioner assured. With a shortfall in house tax collections since introduction of the UAM last year, the corporation has decided to constitute six circles for different categories of properties to ensure timely and effective recovery of the tax.
While the MCD’s target for property tax collection in 2005-06 was around Rs 1200 crore, it could manage collections of around Rs 900 crore. “As property tax is the main source of MCD’s revenue, more focussed attention will be paid to its recovery and strengthening revenue base so that tax collection is professionalised,” Kumar said.
There will be random scrutiny of property tax returns of commercial as well as residential properties on the pattern of the Income Tax Department to ensure that properties are not under-assessed and penal provisions against tax defaulters invoked. The MCD will also seek suitable financial compensation from Delhi Government for the shortfall, which it says has resulted due to the various concessions given to the denizens under the UAM. Kumar said the corporation will strongly take up the matter with Delhi Government that the MCD’s share in transfer of property be restored from three per cent to the earlier five per cent.
It will also pursue with the government the issue of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) expressing inability to pay property tax since it has been bracketed with
Railways. “We will pursue the matter with Delhi Government to compensate MCD for this loss of revenue of Rs 70 to Rs 80 crore per year on recurring basis,” Kumar said.
On MCD’s new schemes, he said it was working on an ambitious scheme to derive fuel and power from municipal solid waste (MSW) without incurring any expenditure. The MCD has for the first time taken serious initiative to commercially exploit sale of carbon credits arising from MSW and earn foreign exchange under Kyoto Protocol, he said. In preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the MCD intends to improve roads, flyovers and sanitation facilities at a projected cost of Rs 186 crore. On schemes for strengthening the education system, Kumar said the MCD planned to provide “new technology blackboards” and dual desks in all primary schools by the year 2006-07. He said public-private partnership was being encouraged for empowerment of teachers and for strengthening the school system, adding the Education Department has approached the CII for providing telephone facility in all MCD schools. The Commissioner also assured that the Slum and JJ Department would work sincerely for the betterment of resettlement colonies and JJ clusters. The department has relocated 53,134 jhuggi dwellers from various JJ clusters since 1990-91. There are remaining 15,671 jhuggies in various JJ clusters which are yet to be relocated for which the relocation charges from the land owning agencies has already been received. The Budget will now be discussed by the Standing Committee before it is taken up by the MCD House for approval.
This seems a politically motivated budget speech as municipal election is to be held next year. No new taxes have been imposed as this may go against the ruling party. They may impose new taxes after municipal election, Leader of Opposition in the Standing Committee said.
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MCD on demolition drive in Patel Nagar
New Delhi, December 6 Following the action in Defence Colony, Vasant Kunj, Lajpat Nagar and a few other posh localities, the MCD has begun the task of demolishing over 200 illegal buildings in west Delhi. This drive will be completed by December 14, a senior officer of the corporation said. The drive is to clear 201 buildings in west and east Patel Nagar that are either illegally constructed or cause encroachment over public land, a senior official of west district said. The building owners were served notices but they did not care. The MCD had to seek help from the police. If need be, the police will again be called to control protestors of the demolition drive. On November 30, the Delhi High Court had directed the corporation to clear the encroachments in Patel Nagar. The court had constituted a committee of three counsels in 2003 including a government counsel and an MCD counsel to inspect and prepare a report on the illegal constructions in Patel Nagar locality. The court had also said that no serious efforts had been made to check unauthorized constructions.
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No hike in power tariff in NDMC area
New Delhi, December 6 According to a senior officer of the DERC, the NDMC will have to deposit its actual income from its electricity charges every year in to this proposed fund. “The NDMC can use this fund to compensate its loss in future and there is no need of hike in near future. As a matter of fact, the cases of electricity theft in this area are almost negligible. Precisely due to this reason, the NDMC seldom meets with loss in this front,” said the officer. According to DERC sources, the NDMC was mounting pressure on the commission to hike the existing electricity tariff as no hike has been made since 2001 in the area. “This time too, the NDMC had submitted its Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) to the commission for the determination of electricity rates for the financial 2005-6. The council had showed an expenditure of Rs 524 crores, out of which an expected loss of Rs 52 crores had been shown. The NDMC had demanded a hike of 10.7% in the existing electricity charges. After checking the facts projected by the council, the commission observed that the NDMC needs only Rs 445 crores in lieu of Rs 524 crores. The commission also dubbed the council’s claim of loss as totally baseless. The commission, in its report, traced an expected profit of Rs. 22.30 crores in lieu of loss. On the ground of those observations, the commission rejected the demand of proposed hike in electricity charges,” said the officer. According to the president of the NDMC’s Workers Federation Mr Ganga Ram, the DERC decision is in the favour of consumers of this area. “Despite being a VIP area, there are so many people like us residing in this area who can not afford further hike in electricity bills,” he said. When contacted the chairman of the NDMC, Ms Sindhu Shree Khullar said that they were obeying the directives of the
DERC.
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FIR against 250 people for
Greater Noida, December 6 Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Mr Sudhir Kumar Singh confirmed that signs of bullet injury had been detected in the postmortem report of the boy killed during the demolition drive. It may be recalled that half-a-dozen policemen and Kanungo (Revenue official) were injured in the stone pelting on the demolition squad. An FIR had been filed by the father of the boy against the driver of JCB machine on Sunday night. The Tehsildar, Sadar, R. K. Srivatava, has filed an FIR against 250 people, including Bar Association chief, Anil Bhatti and advocate Satpal for breach of peace. However, the villagers have protested that no FIR has been filed or action contemplated against an influential women encroacher, who has constructed buildings on the public land.
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Jamia polls on Dec 15 as scheduled: V-C
New Delhi, December 6 Campaigning had not even started on campus when trouble broke out last week and the university authorities went ahead and deferred the poll, despite the fact that the Vice-Chancellor was out of town. This decision was taken after the V-C met both groups of students, qualified student leaders and disgruntled students who had failed to pass the required criterion for contesting in the polls. The situation had blown out of control last week over the ‘criterion’ issue after six boys sat down on a hunger strike protesting against their rejection from nomination on the grounds of not meeting the required criterion. The situation spiralled out of control when one boy fainted and students went on the rampage stoning the proctor’s vehicle and holding up traffic for three hours. However, student leaders have been confident all along that the polls will be held on time and on the date announced by the V-C earlier. The Vice-Chancellor had earlier pledged to restore the democratic process in Jamia Millia Islamia. He had expressed confidence that elections shall take place peacefully and with the utmost transparency and fair play – on the part of both the university authorities and the student body.
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College makes backdoor appointments
New Delhi, December 6 But Satyawati College, run by the Delhi Government thinks otherwise. Not only has the college conducted a selection committee meeting for appointments in the Hindi department in the absence of one of the V-C’s nominees, but it has also in total violation of rules, appointed two candidates against permanent teaching posts, even as an expert and the other nominee refused to approve their selection. “There was a two-day selection committee meeting over the weekend. While Dr Sharmishtha Panja, one of the nominees named by the VC, did not come, the other nominee Prof. Gopeshwar Singh did not give his consent to the names of the candidates proposed by the college. Another subject expert also stayed away from the meeting,” sources revealed. The selection committee, which included Rajesh Jain, MLA and Chairman of the College Governing Body, Principal, Dr K P Bhatt and two other experts, has in violation of rules appointed two candidates against the permanent positions, sources said. “There were four appointments made. Two candidates from the reserved quota were hired, one against leave vacancy and the other against a permanent vacancy. These appointments were above-board, but the two names in the general category were not agreed upon by consent. But overlooking the rules, these candidates who were interviewed on Sunday night along with 133 others, were given their appointment letters the same day and allowed to join services on Monday morning,” sources said. While the Vice-Chancellor and the college principal remained unavailable for comment, sources maintained that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Deepak Pental, has been apprised of the bungling in the appointments. “Dr Pental has taken cognisance of the matter, but the entire academic community is shocked, not only is this blatant flouting of norms, but also challenges the university’s autonomy. It is totality unheard of that experts’ opinions are not considered and appointments are made overnight, ” a senior faculty member pointed out.
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Honda workers demand withdrawal of criminal cases against them
Gurgaon, December 6 The workers of Honda Scooters want the withdrawal of criminal case registered against them in connection with the July 25 violence. They have also demanded that the inquiry commission constituted by the Haryana Government to investigate the entire gamut of development relating to the violence must conduct the inquiry in Gurgaon instead of at Chandigarh. According to the workers, there was no rationale in the Commission calling the workers in batches to Chandigarh and record their versions as the scene of violence was in Gurgaon. It may be recalled that in the violence, two police vehicles were burnt, one DSP beaten up by workers and hundreds of workers brutally injured by the police on the rampage. After the public outcry against the administration, the then Deputy Commissioner was transferred. According to Mr Subash Dewan, district secretary of CITU, the main grouse of the labour force is the imposition of Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code against about 63 workers relating to the July 25
violence. A delegation of the Honda Scooters workers met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh regarding these issues. A large number of workers of Honda Scooters and other firms held a public meeting here last Sunday and reiterated acceptance of the two demands. Speaking at a public meeting of the workers of Honda Scooters last Sunday, Mr Gurudas Das Gupta, urged the workers to be united and threatened a mass agitation if their two demands were not met soon. A trade union leader said that a delegation of workers also met Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda a few days back on these issues.
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Bank harassment of JNU teacher: Probe ordered
New Delhi, December 6 Justice R C Jain directed the Commissioner of Police to institute the inquiry by an official of the Assistant Commissioner of Police rank and file the report by December 9. The court also directed the Manager of the Bank to be present in the court on the date of hearing to reply to the queries of the Judge. “It is shocking that the bank staff had made obnoxious telephone calls to peace-loving citizens,” observed the court on the last date of hearing. The Court had issued notices to the Standard Chartered Bank and the Delhi Police on the JNU teacher’s petition accusing the bank of harassing him for payment of certain amount due from his deceased journalist brother, who was a credit card customer of the bank. The Judge had directed the bank and the police to respond to the petition filed by Yogesh Sharma, an Associate Professor at the Centre for Historical Research, JNU. Sharma alleged that the bank deliberately blocked payment to his brother Rakesh, who lost his mental balance. He went missing and was found dead in Mumbai on October 18 last year. He accused the police of not taking any action when Rakesh went missing. In his petition, he pointed out that as per the bank’s statement on September 2004 the credit card outstanding was only Rs 7,966 when the card holder was alive. But immediately after his death, the bank inflated the bill to Rs 95,390, he alleged. Accusing the bank of using criminals to intimidate him so as to force him to make the payment, he said even his old parents were being harassed.
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CBI probe sought in sale of mobile toilet vans
New Delhi, December 6 He said that 174 mobile toilet vans were procured in 2001-2002 under the Yamuna Action Plan. The vans were disposed of to Sulabh International. Each van was sold at Rs 2 lakh. A proposal was tabled before the Standing Committee in the last meeting which had approved it to sell 150 vans to the M/s Sulabh International. All vans were sold for Rs 2.66 crore after deducting 15 per cent depreciation. The payment will be made in eight yearly installments. The first installment of Rs 32.93 lakh has been paid. He alleged that this deal was entered into by violating all financial norms. No tenders were called to sell these vans and no auction was held. He has raised several questions against the deal. This issue pertains to the misuse of money under the Yamuna Action Plan, he said.
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Cables worth Rs 5 lakh looted in Loni factory
Ghaziabad, December 6 According to a report, the robbers escaped in a truck after loading the wire. Even though the factory owner contacted the police, they were clueless about the incident. According to reports, the owners, Akash Jain of Delhi and Deepak Jain of Swasth Vihar colony, had put up ‘Allien LG’ six months ago. The robbers are reported to have jumped into the factory from an adjoining vacant plant. After threatening the security guards, Vijay Bahadur and Vakil Ahmed, they opened the main gate of the factory and brought in a truck along with five other men. Once inside, they loaded 50 rolls of 5 tonnes aluminium cables onto the truck. They also took along some other wire bundles lying there. After locking the security guards, the robbers sped away with their truck carrying cables worth Rs 5 lakh.
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District Social Welfare Officer held for bribe
Gurgaon, December 6 The accused, identified as Ramesh Kumar, was arrested while accepting Rs 14,000 as bribe, a Police Department spokesperson said. The complaint, J L Kaul, Secretary General of All India Confederation of Blind, said that the accused had accepted the bribe for sanctioning a grant of Rs 16 lakh from the Central government. The Confederation was running Captain Chandan Lal Special School for the blind in village Bahrampur in Gurgaon. The complaint was registered in the Gurgaon police station. The accused had been booked under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act.
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Criminals loot Rs 20,000 from petrol pump
Noida, December 6 According to the owner of R.K. Petrol Pump at Agarpur, Sushil Kumar, a resident of Sector-19, two youths threatened cashier Bhagwant and snatched the cash box from him. Even as the police began vehicle check after barricading the road they were clueless about the criminal. The police have prepared sketches of the criminals and are trying to nab them. It may be added that the police have failed to crack the recent car jacking case in which a trader was deprived of his car.
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