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Demolition drive: Sheila to seek Centre’s intervention
BJP blasts Sheila for short winter session
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Mother-in-law gets life term for woman’s death
Two brothers get life imprisonment for kidnapping cousin
Credit card holder duped by conman
Noida to get four new electric sub-stations
Benevolence, Food and Supply Department style
NCERT to review RIE’s teacher education programmes
Postgraduate diploma course in child rights at Jamia
Employees’ body flays lathi charge
‘Sand mafia’ men exchange fire
Eight cops injured in anti-encroachment drive
Plot applicants must be paid interest: BJP
Foggy days are here again
In Noida, right to info takes over a month
One killed, 4 injured as wall collapses
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Demolition drive: Sheila to seek Centre’s intervention
New Delhi, December 17 “The party is seriously concerned about the problems faced by the affected people and it will like to assure the people of Delhi that every step will be taken to prevent such large scale uprooting/displacement and affect on livelihood,” the CLP resolved in a meeting today. Though the court’s order had to be respected but an appeal to a higher authority could always be made, Chief Minister Ms Sheila Diskhit said after the meeting. About 5 lakh commercial establishments in residential colonies could be sealed and demolition action could be taken against 18,000 properties by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi under Delhi High Court orders. The CLP meeting, convened on the eve of the winter Session of the state Assembly, had been called to discuss the water and power issues but sealing/demolition action turned out to be the dominant issue. The CLP meeting came close on the heels of a High Court directive to the MCD to demolish all illegal constructions in the Capital immediately. The sweeping order was made after the court found that its earlier order with regard to 32 illegal structures in Patel Nagar here was flouted by officials. Ms Dikshit later met Lt Governor B L Joshi with an appeal to find a solution to the issues. One of the recommendations of her government is immediate implementation of Master Plan for Delhi-2021 that provides for mixed land use. She would be calling on Union Urban Development Minister S Jaipal Reddy tomorrow so that appropriate action could be taken through Parliament, Assembly or the court over the issue. Meanwhile, amid protests by the affected people, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi today demolished eight illegal structures and took action against several others as part of its drive to remove unauthorised constructions in the city as ordered by the Delhi High Court. Directed by the court to remove an estimated 18,000 illegal constructions spread across 12 zones of the city within four weeks, the civic authority began demolishing such structures in Central Delhi, Rohini, Najafgarh and Karol Bagh under police cover. The process is expected to gain full steam on Monday.
Bulldozers of the civic body rolled into Chittaranjan Park in Central Delhi, Pitampura in Rohini, Karol Bagh and Najafgarh and started demolishing illegal structures even as local residents shouted slogans against the administration and the police. “We have demolished four illegal structures in Rohini, two in Central Delhi and one each in Najafgarh and Karol Bagh. We have also sealed eight buildings in Rohini,” a senior MCD official told reporters. In Karol Bagh the owner of a structure helped MCD officials in demolishing it, he added. With the High Court asking for a progress report within four weeks, the civic body last night decided to go ahead with the demolition process though some elected representatives, including the city Mayor Satbir Singh, have voiced protest against the drive. The High Court had taken a strong view of the civic body not acting against the illegal structures, observing that there was a strong nexus between MCD officials and the builders. In the next one-month, 18,271 properties will face the bulldozer in the national Capital. The authorities have decided to film the demolitions to maintain transparency. It was pointed out that the MCD commissioner has given a go ahead to his staff to hire extra machines, labour and chalk out a strategy for the demolition drive. The civic body has to report to the High Court on January 18 about the progress of the drive.
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BJP blasts Sheila for short winter session
New Delhi, December 17 Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Legislative Assembly, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi today lashed out at the city government for conspiring to keep the “serious issues” from being discussed in the Assembly. “To safe guard the Delhi Government and Congress Party from internal rebellion, the CM calls only 18 to 20 sittings of Delhi Assembly in a year, which is totally objectionable,” said Prof. Mukhi. The CM’s decision to have just a five-day winter session was recently criticised by the Speaker as well. As against an average of 50 sittings in other state Assemblies, Delhi has had far fewer sittings this year, leaving the elected representatives little scope for bringing forth more issues. The BJP leader said,“ the party had given the Secretariat a list of 14 issues concerning Delhiites, out of which just five will be raised for discussions, including fast running electricity meters, massive billing of electricity consumption, electricity cuts, enhanced tariff of water, law and order situation and regularisation of unauthorised colonies”. He added that the BJP will raise the issue of continuous load-shedding despite the privatisation of the Delhi Vidyut Board three years ago. The Sheila Dikshit government will also have to answer questions on why people in areas without sewerage system are being charged for maintenance. “The government on one hand has failed to meet the shortage of water, but has raised the tariffs and added fixed charges…besides there are residents of over 1000 unauthorised colonies living without civic amenities”, Mukhi said. BJP is also likely to raise the issue of commercial enterprises being run from residential premises, which are facing the possibility of closure. The state government will also be pressed to roll back the excise policy, it was pointed out.
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Mother-in-law gets life term for woman’s death
New Delhi, December 17 Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) R K Yadav also awarded three years rigorous imprisonment to the deceased’s husband Sunil, father-in-law Brijpal and sister-in-law Suman after finding them guilty for causing dowry harassment to the victim Sonia. The ASJ slapped a fine of Rs 13,000 on Roshni, mother-in-law of the deceased, against whom charges under section 302 (Murder) and 498 A (Subjecting woman to cruelty) of the IPC were proved. Sonia got married to Sunil, a resident of old Anarkali area of Krishna Nagar in east Delhi, in 1998. As per the depositions made by Sonia before the SDM, all the convicts used to torture her as her parents did not give colour TV, scooter and washing machine in dowry. The matter came to a head on March 31, 2000 when, after a fight over the issue, an enraged Roshini doused the victim with kerosene and burnt her in front of the other convicts. As per the prosecution, no one tried to save the burning lady, but the charges of common intention to eliminate the victim against other convicts could not be proved. A day later, the victim, after recording her ‘dying declaration’ accusing Roshni of burning her and others of subjecting her to cruelty, succumbed to her injuries in a city hospital.
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Two brothers get life imprisonment for kidnapping cousin
New Delhi, December 17 “Child kidnapping cases are on the rise and in order to put brakes on such heinous acts of crime deterrent punishment is called for,” observed Additional Sessions Judge J M Malik while holding Rafiq and Hasmukh alias Hasmat guilty of abducting their cousin Mohammed Izhar. The court also asked the convicts to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 after the charges under sections 363 (kidnapping), 364 A (abducting a person for ransom) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC against them were found proved. However, the court acquitted two other accused for want of sufficient evidence against them. Victim Izhar, a first standard student, on the evening of September 14, 2001, had gone out of his house in the Karawal Nagar area of north-east Delhi. A day later, when the boy did not return home, his anxious father Mohammed Ikrar, a tailor by profession, lodged an FIR against unknown persons alleging that his son had been abducted. A few days after, the abductors starting calling up the complainant at his residence and demanded Rs 3 lakh as ransom for the safe release of the victim. The police, which had kept the complainant’s telephone under observation, finally zeroed in on the area where the child was kept.
The boy was recovered nine days later from Gajrola in Uttar Pradesh.
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Credit card holder duped by conman
Faridabad, December 17 According to the complaint, a youth, identified as Rakesh, dropped at the house of one B. K. Maheswari residing in Sector 7-B here recently and asked for the credit card of the ICICI Bank possessed by Mr Maheswari. He told the wife of the owner that he had come from the bank and stated that they would have to hand over the card to him if they wanted to get the card repaired. It is reported that since the owner was not present at the house at that time the woman handed over the card to the youth. It is learnt that a complaint had been launched with the bank a few days ago regarding some problem with the card. The fraud came to light when the owner contacted the bank and found that the youth who took away the card was a cheat and he had withdrawn money from his account through the card. The police is looking for the accused after booking a case against him. Meanwhile, a domestic help fled with cash and valuables from a house in Sector 7 here when the owner and the family had gone out in connection with some work. The accused, identified as Babloo, stole cash of about Rs 4,200 and items made of silver from the house. In another incident, the police have arrested the main accused of the murder that took place on last Saturday in Sector 3 here. Sanjeev Tewatia, a youth engaged in the cable operating business, was shot dead on the night of October 11 when he was returning from a function. A case had been booked against some persons, including Devender, alias Latkan, once a business partner of the deceased. In still another case, the police of neighboring Delhi have reportedly arrested at least six persons in connection with the theft of cigarettes worth about Rs 55 lakh from the godown of a factory in Sector 27-A here a few days ago.
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Noida to get four new electric sub-stations
Noida, December 17 According to Noida authority sources, the sub-stations in Sector-18 and 63 will start operations in the first week of January while those in Sector-62 and 66 will be commissioned in March and April respectively. Paschimanchal Power Distribution Corporation will thus be in a position to give new connections in Sector-18. At present, it is not in a position to supply power to the Radisson Hotel even in Sector-18. A 20 MVA sub-station is supplying power to Sector-18 which largely depends on Generator sets. About 95 to 98% civil and electric work in Sector-18 and Sector-63 sub-stations has been completed.
The Sector-62 and Sector-60 sub-stations are supplying power to industrial Sector-63. With Sector-60 and Sector-62 sub-stations being overloaded, there is a hue and cry in other connected sectors for fall in power supply. The completion of Sector-63 sub-station is expected to bring relief to the entrepreneurs of the sector as it is meant for Sector-63 only. This will also relieve Sector-62 and 60 sub-stations of overloading. About 75% of civil and electric work has been completed in Sector-62 sub-station. It is expected to be commissioned by March. It will cater to Sectors 57, 59, and 62 which are getting power supply from the sub-stations of Sectors 58, 56, and 60. More than 25% of work in Sector 66 sub-station has been completed. It is slated to be commissioned in late April and will supply power to Sectors-64, 65, 66 and 67, it is learnt. It will relieve the Sector-60 sub-station which is currently supplying power to these sectors.
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Benevolence, Food and Supply Department style
Gurgaon, December 17 Journalists who accompanied the raiding team found 10 LPG cylinders of domestic category. The raiding team seized all of them. However, after two hours of meeting with the contractor who had been awarded the tender to run the canteen and mess in the college, the head of the raiding team, Mr M. P. Singla, said only one unauthorised cylinder was found to be used. It was clear as daylight that while seven cylinders were being used in the mess, three were being installed and used in the canteen. Surprisingly, the department personnel did not book the culprit but let him off with a mere warning in connection with the official claim of using one unauthorised cylinder. Only the cylinder was seized. According to the rules, if one is running a commercial venture one has to use an LPG cylinder of commercial category. As tenders had been floated for running the canteen and the mess, the enterprise of the contractor was purely in the commercial category. It is not for the first time that the department’s officials have kicked up a controversy. With regard to the use of LPG cylinders, it is an open secret that restaurant, dhaba and hotel owners flout almost all rules in the book. According to many, this goes on with the connivance of the departments concerned, including the Food and Supply Department.
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NCERT to review RIE’s teacher education programmes
New Delhi, December 17 The committees will recommend strategies for improvement or changes and designing alternative programme in the light of National Curriculum Framework - 2005, the ‘Position Paper of the National Focus Group on Teacher Education’. The committee’s action points include interaction with the faculty of RIEs and representative of state governments and review of innovative teacher education programmes in the country and abroad. The NCERT intends to develop a framework of teacher education for the RIEs, which has implications for revamping the teacher education system in the country. A workshop on ‘Development of Teacher Training Education Perspectives in Regional Institutes of Education’ concluded here today. The ‘Brainstorming Visioning Workshop’ focused on four basic issues: teacher education, structure and delivery of teacher education; areas of teacher preparation, networking with the states, universities, NGOs and other teacher education institutions in the states and strengthening of postgraduate programmes and research components Inaugurating the workshop, Prof. Krishna Kumar, Director, NCERT, observed that revamping of teacher education programmes of RIEs is a long felt agenda. He highlighted the relational characters of concept of ‘teaching’, need for psychological understanding of the child, need for development of reflective personality of the teacher education and its methodological perspectives.
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Postgraduate diploma course in child rights at Jamia
New Delhi, December 17 Child rights is an issue which is increasingly gaining importance in academic circle as there is a growing demand for trained professionals conversant with the language and techniques of the rights-based approach. The one-year diploma course is open for graduates working in the area of social welfare, social development as also fresh graduates who wish to acquire an advanced skill in this field. Divided into two semesters with four papers each, the course content will incorporate an inter-disciplinary approach and will include such diverse issues as understanding children and society, situational analysis of children in south Asia, methods of working with children, policies
and laws concerning children, rights based approach and human rights instruments, research methods and participatory working skills, programming management and child
rights programming and partnerships, networks and advocacy. The application forms can be downloaded from the university’s website and the last date for submission of forms is December 23, 2005. The entrance examination is tentatively scheduled for December 30, 2005.
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Employees’ body flays lathi charge
Faridabad, December 17 Mr Subhash Lamba, member of the state executive committee of the sangh, said here today the government was not expected to resort to such means to subdue the agitation. It had promised to reinstate the retrenched employees in the last assembly elections. Alleging that the Hooda government is also following the policies of the earlier regime, he said the employees of Haryana would not accept such tactics and would oppose any move against the interests of the staff. He alleged that several persons were injured seriously in the lathi charge and many others were arrested, though they were protesting in a peaceful manner and were demanding raising the issue of reinstatement in the ongoing assembly session. He added that the government had thus indicated that the promise made to them was false and it could go to any limit to crush the peaceful agitation. He said the Chief Minister had assured a delegation of the employees on April 20 this year that a three-member committee of Haryana ministers would be formed to discuss the matter and resolve it but said no progress had been made so far while the victim and their families were faced with starvation. He said such action from the government would only expose it in the negative sense and it could lose the faith of the state’s people. Demanding compensation to the injured employees and release of the arrested ones, the sangh has called upon the government to speed up the reinstatement process.
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‘Sand mafia’ men exchange fire
Noida, December 17 The Aligarh group accused the villagers of Jhappa in Gautam Budh Nagar of having snatched the carbine of the gunner of a Samajwadi Party leader. The groups of both districts are at loggerheads when it pertains to sand mining. SDM Javer had stayed the measurement of mining in the area and a tehsildar was probing the matter. The stay order was withdrawn by the SDM on Tuesday and the mafia of both the district was told to resume their operation 20 metres from the poles. Rashtriya Loak Dal leader and member of National Backward Classes Commission Ch. Satya Pal and SP leader Sheesh Pal Singh Yadav descended on the scene with their supporters in four jeeps and started mining. The Pradhan of Jhappa village with a dozen of supporters also reached the spot and stopped the people from mining. Soon both the groups started firing. Ashok of Aligarh group and Rajan of Jhuppa village were wounded in the exchange of fire. The Aligarh group then went to police station at Tappal to lodge a complaint while the Jhappa villagers lodged their complaint with the Javer police station. It is understood that the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal leaders have big stakes in the sand mining for which they have contracts in the name of some other people.
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Eight cops injured in anti-encroachment drive
Noida, December 17 Eight policemen and three journalists were seriously injured in the attack. A police gypsy was also torched. Police resorted to teargas shells, but had to beat a retreat in view of the attack from all sides. The injured cops were rushed to Kailash and Prayag hospitals. City Magistrate Deep Chand, police CO KK Gautam, Noida authority Administration Officer Arun Kumar had accompanied the team. Angry with the demolition operation, the villagers attacked the officials in the afternoon. Admn Officer Arun Kumar, Police Inspector Harash Vardhan Bhatori, SI Yadveer Singh, woman SI Nirmala Chaudhry, SI Haridar Singh and five constables were wounded. The mob did not disperse even after the bursting of teargas shells. A case against 300 villagers has been registered for creating lawlessness, making murderous assault on the government employees, damaging government property and interfering in discharge of government duty.
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Plot applicants must be paid interest: BJP
Noida, December 17 The delegation was headed by former Union Minister and MP Ashok Pradhan and local MLA Nawab Singh Nagar. Mr Nagar said all 1.66 lakh applicants should be paid a year’s interest with the refund of registration amount. The delegation also impressed upon the authority to take up the matter with the apex court for holding an early draw again. When CEO Sanjeev Saran expressed his inability on the issue of payment of interest, he was asked to take up the matter with the Noida Board in case he felt he could not allow the interest payment on his own. Mr Saran did not give a clear response to these issues. Besides, the start of development works in rural areas, currently suspended, was also stressed by the delegation. The CEO, however, said he would write to the Power Corporation to change the old poles and power cables as demanded by the delegation. The Noida authority said it would not be able to build a ‘baratghar’ in Sector-15, Noida.
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Foggy days are here again
New Delhi, December 17 The fog, however, cleared up fast and did not affect rail, road or air traffic in Delhi. The mercury, meanwhile, climbed upwards, with the minimum recorded at 6.8 degrees Celsius, the Met Department said. However, this was still a degree below the normal temperature for this time of the season. In the last few days, temperatures have been recorded several notches below normal in Delhi, with cold wave conditions persisting across north India. The maximum temperature recorded yesterday was 23.5 degrees Celsius, which is normal. The mercury had dipped to 3.6 degrees Celsius on December 16, making it the second coldest day of the
season. — TNS
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In Noida, right to info takes over a month
Noida, December 17 This has been done because in most of the cases the desired information had not been made available to the people even after one month. Deputy CEO, Noida, Ravinder Naik, has issued an office order which makes it clear that the departments should quickly provide the information sought by people, else action could be taken against them.
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One killed, 4 injured as wall collapses
New Delhi, December 17 Among the injured were women and children lounging on an empty plot next to the under-construction school building. The injured have been admitted to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, fire department officials said adding that three fire tenders and a team of rescuers have been rushed to the spot for rescue operations. The deceased has not been identified yet.
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