The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Delhi and neighbourhood

	Demolition drive picks up after HC pulls up MCD Contempt notice to MCD chief for disregarding ’98 demolition order Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 The Municipal Corporation of Delhi today began demolition work in M block market in Greater Kailash Part I in South Delhi where unauthorised constructions had been carried out by shopkeepers in direct contravention of the building bylaws. MCD sources said almost 75 per cent of the shopkeepers in the market had carried out extensions by almost 10-12 feet on the rear sideback, thus violating the MCD bylaws. The demolition work met with resistance from the local traders who sat on a dharna in the morning in protest against the MCD action. It was only after a huge police force arrived on the scene, led by the ACP of the area, that demolition work could begin at around 1.30 pm. The demolition work is expected to be completed in about a week. The demolition work at the M block market follows close on the heels of the MCD last week removing major encroachments in South Delhi’s Lajpat Nagat and Kailash Hills in South Delhi’s East of Kailash. The MCD also began to demolish unauthorised constructions in the Ashok Vihar area and the Kotla area in Central Delhi. In Kotla Mubarakpur, 75 encroachments on government land were removed during the day-long drive. Action in Rohini zone was primarily concentrated on Ashok Vihar Phase I, where MCD personnel demolished, either fully or partially, at least 25 unauthorised structures. These include an unauthorised extension in the house of former BJP councillor Kanak Aggarwal and an encroachment in a property reportedly owned by Additional District Judge Sukhwinder Kaur. The majority of the action in this area came on Chaudhary Gulab Singh Road, where a popular restaurant was also demolished. The fresh round of demolitions comes after the Delhi High Court came down on the MCD for going slow on demolition of unauthorised constructions in various parts of the city. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court today issued contempt notice to the MCD Commissioner for his failure to comply with an order pronounced in 1998 to demolish illegal structures in and around Lajpat Rai Market, the largest electrical goods shop complex in front of the historic Red Fort in the Capital. A division bench, headed by acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain, asked the MCD Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of North Zone, Executive Engineer, Junior Engineer and SHO serving the area between 2000 and 2005 to file their replies by May 15, the next date of hearing. On September 20, 1998, the court in an order said, “We consider it appropriate to direct that all unauthorised constructions in the Lajpat Rai Market shall cease from today. We order accordingly. The authorities will take immediate steps to implement this order”. However, the MCD did not take concrete steps to remove the illegal structures except a cosmetic demolition drive in 1998. The court had sought suggestions from the authorities in an order on April 30, 1998 about “whether the complex could be developed as a modern market with basement parking as they exist in other parts of Delhi”. But the MCD has not filed any reply till date. The shops in Lajpat Rai Market were allotted to migrants from Pakistan after Independence. However, the shopkeepers have dug up basements and raised illegal structures in and around the market complex. One Rakesh Mahajan had filed a PIL on November 25, 1997 seeking direction of the court to the MCD for demolition of the illegal structures. The petitioner said that the market was a potential fireball as most of the shops were selling electrical goods. Several shops had caught fire on May 24, 1997 and July 13, 1997, the petition said. The court had also directed the authorities to provide adequate fire fighting measures at the market in the order pronounced in April 1998. In another development which could have wide ramifications for checking unauthorised constructions in the Capital, the MCD was today directed by the Public Grievances Commission to provide a copy of the sanctioned plan of a building under construction in Karol Bagh in central Delhi. The Commission’s direction to the MCD came in response to a complaint that the MCD had refused to supply to the complainant the documents pertaining to the sanctioned plan of the building under the Delhi Right To Information Act, 2001. The MCD took the stand that such information could only be supplied to the owner of the said property and nobody else. However, the applicant, in support of his contention, showed to the Commission newspaper advertisements published by the MCD directing owners of buildings under construction to prominently display sanctioned building plans along with details of floors and coverage on each floor on the construction site. The Commission held that by virtue of this direction, which stemmed from the Municipal bylaws, sanctioned building plans of properties under construction were already in the public domain and could not be refused using the privacy clause. The order has wide ramifications as sanctioned building plans of properties under construction can be accessed under the Delhi RTI Act even if citizens flout the requirement to display the same at the construction site.
	Noida administration flayed for destroying green belt Parmindar Singh Noida, May 1 Even as the Noida Authority swears by ‘Green Noida, clean Noida’ slogan, it is also responsible for the shrinking green belt in the area. The decision of Noida Authority to auction a plot of about 1800 sq mt for a shopping Mall in the Central Park of Sector-26, the only green patch left in what was once touted as the biggest park in a residential sector in whole of Noida, is a case in point. Two hospitals, one school, two temples, one of them on encroached land, a club built on a land earmarked for RWA and a complex of flats built by a bank are the examples of how the Noida Authority has systematically destroyed the green belt in the biggest park. This is not all. Some five years back, the Noida Authority had allowed a part of a park in Sector-30 for developing a market. Some 20 years back the Noida Authority had allowed a 3 star hotel to be built on the main Dadri road in Sector-2, private hospitals in Sector-27 and Sector-30 to be built on parks. Residents of Sector-26 had given a memorandum to the District Magistrate against the Noida Authority’s decision to build a shopping mall in the main park, virtually giving a deathblow to the greenery in the sector. Though a delegation of the residents had earlier met the Noida Authority officials it had no effect. There is a tendency to allow the destruction or misuse of green belt for commercial use by the authorities, said RWA president, S.C. Kulshreshtra adding the residents will launch an agitation if the authorities fail to take corrective steps. A shopping centre, Jaipuria Plaza, already exists in the sector, besides small block level markets. So there is no justification for a shopping mall in the sector. These activities being encouraged by the Noida Authority are likely to cause pollution in the area, feels social activist Commodore (Rtd) Lokesh K. Batra. These steps tantamount to changing the land use of the master plan, according to a senior advocate, Mr Amit Khemka. These authorities, which were created for the welfare of the common man, are working to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, adds Khemka. The residents argue that if the Noida Authority does not permit commercial activity in a residential area, how could it permit commercial activity in a park or green belt? Even the State Government is not authorized to violate the original plan, said an expert. Meanwhile, according to a legal expert, by allowing the commercial use of residential plots, the Noida Authority is violating the Allahabad High Court order. According to para 1 of the Allahabad High Court judgement of January 9, 2002, in the case of ‘R.K. Mittal and vs State of UP’, under National Capital Regional Planning Act 1985, “No development should be made in the region, which is inconsistent with the regional plan as finally published. Under section 29(2) the NCR board can direct any state, which violates the original plan to stop the violation. It was pointed out that “even the State Government cannot violate the original plan, which has been finally published”.
	Capital sweats under power shortage Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 As the peak power demand in Delhi shot up to over 3,200 MW, several parts of the city sweated it out, with the Capital dealing with a shortage of close to 400 MW. While the Capital had some respite from its power problems yesterday, when the demand dropped to 2,842 MW, the peak power demand recorded today was 3,240 MW, according to a senior Transco official, the highest of this season so far. With the power demand already reaching this mark, Delhi Transco sources say that the demand during the peak summer season could easily cross last year’s maximum demand of 3,626 MW on June 23 last year. Less than optimum functioning of several of the power plants supplying electricity to the Capital led to a shortfall of 478.5 MW, she said. While there was a shortfall of 172 MW in the power supply from Dadri power plant, the Singrauli power project supplied 49 MW less, Rehand 60 MW less and Nathpa Jakhri 49 MW less than the stipulated supply to Delhi. Delhi’s own Indraprastha and Rajghat power plants also supplied 42 MW and 57.5 MW less, the official said. Adding to the power woes was the low frequency in the Northern Grid, which resulted in a maximum loadshedding of 107 MW. Delhi had some respite from loadshedding yesterday on account of the power demand dipping as it was a Sunday and offices were closed. Overdrawing of power from the Northern Grid has been resulting in low frequency, forcing the authorities to resort to loadshedding to keep the power network from collapsing. Delhi itself had to overdraw from the Grid to try keeping a check on power cuts. “There was no other way to provide adequate supply to the people of Delhi than to overdraw from the Grid,” Delhi Transco sources said. It is notable that the Central Electricity Authority has asked all the nine states which draw power from the Northern Grid not to overdraw electricity from it, which leads to it to experience frequency problems. With the peak demand rising by the day — the demand rose from 3,000 MW on Friday to 3,175 MW yesterday to 3,240 MW today — any collapse of the Northern Grid, which accounts for a major proportion of Delhi’s power needs, could send the Capital in the throes of a power crisis. However, Delhi Transco sources reaffirmed that several central power plants supplying power to Northern Grid, like those at Dadri, Sanghrauli, Nathpa Jakhri and Indraprastha, were expected to contribute more power in the coming days. While the 500 MW Singhrauli plant is expected to be back in operation by Tuesday, the Nathpa Jhakri will resume operation next week and Dadri in the next ten days, they said. With the operationalisation of the units, the problem of frequency in the Northern Grid will be solved to a large extent, sources claimed.
	Functions mark International Labour Day Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 The NDMC Workers’ Federation celebrated the Labour’s Day as a Labour’s Right Day at Talkatora Stadium here today. The president of the federation, Mr Ganga Ram, gave a memorandum to the chief guest, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, on the long-pending demands of the association such as abolition of contract system, implementation of the judgment delivered by the Shiv Shankaran Committee, rebate in electricity bills to the lower grade employees of the council, inception of a permanent branch of the Daksha Club, a lesser-known club of the council, etc. The Urban Development Minister, Mr Ajay Makan, the vice-chairman of the council, Mrs Tajdar Babar, and other members of the council were also present on the occasion. Meanwhile, the Chief Justice of India, Mr Justice Y. K. Sabharwal, flagged off a social justice rally of labourers from his residence on the occasion of International Labour Day. The rally, which was organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), culminated at Gandhi Samadhi. Flagging off the rally, Justice Sabharwal said, “The recognition of human rights need not wait their legalisation in form of justifiable entitlements. The initiative by the NALSA will be a success story only when legal aid and legal literacy are incorporated by the government into all human development strategies. Let us from the realm of both executive and judiciary measure and quantify the quantum of neglect of basic needs of poor.” As the focus of this week, Nyaya Sankalp Initiative, supported by the NALSA and the UNDP, was taken up to combat trafficking and prevent HIV/AIDS amongst labourers and ensuring the access to justice for all. The NALSA through its efforts promises to constitute Crime Against Labour Cell in every district of the country and ensuring implementation of labour laws. It seeks participation of labourers in democratic systems. In another function, Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group celebrated it with its wide network of waste recyclers in Delhi. Around 500 waste collectors and recyclers or junk dealers gathered in Nizamuddin area to celebrate International Labour Day with an evening of various cultural activities reflecting their ways of life and livelihood. Theatre, songs and dances by the waste collectors showcased their day-to-day struggle to earn a living as waste collectors.
	Row over dental college admissions intensifies Ravi S. Singh Tribune News Service Gurgaon, May 1 While the Haryana State Admission Committee (Medical Education), headed by a retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice R. K. Nehru, is on the threshold of taking a decision on the complaints of irregularities in admissions to Guru Govind Tricentenary Dental College, Hospital and Research Institute, Budhera, near here, a BJP MP from Bihar has joined issue with Justice Nehru on the subject. The college, run by the Dashmesh Educational Charitable Trust, is alleged to have admitted ineligible students to its Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course for the academic session 2005-2006 under the management quota. Former Haryana Minister Mohanlal Pippal had complained to various authorities at the Centre and in the state on February 6, alleging that a majority of the students who did not secure 50 per cent in the state’s Common Entrance Test (CET) and thus who failed to qualify were given admission, ignoring merit and norms in the process. He further said the Supreme Court’s guidelines of adhering to merit in admissions was ignored and injustice had been done to deserving candidates. The BJP MP, Mr Lalmuni Chaubey, has quoted the college authorities as saying that the admissions were done strictly in keeping with the guidelines of the state Admission Committee headed by Justice Nehru. In the letter, a copy of which is with ‘The Tribune’, he has inquired from Justice Nehru on the veracity of the version of the college authorities regarding the admissions. Mr Chaubey was not available for comments as he is away to his home state. The matter assumes significance as Justice Nehru has gone on record to say that there was no guideline of the committee while admitting students securing less than 50 per cent in the CET and thus who had failed to qualify. He has also gone on record to say that the committee would take strict action against the college if it was found errant on this score. It may be mentioned that the committee has been constituted at the behest of the Supreme Court. Mr Manmohan Chawla of the college reiterated his institute’s stand that admissions had been done as per the guidelines of the committee. He also said that his institute had followed the same pattern of admitting students securing less than 50 per cent in the CET as practised by other private medical colleges in the state. The Dental Council of India (DCI), which has also received Mr Pippal’s complaint, has gone on record to say that admissions of students securing less than 50 per cent in the CET was against the rules. Justice Nehru was not available at his Chandigarh residence for comments. In the letter to Justice Nehru, the BJP leader has charged Mr Pippal of being prejudiced as on his complaint as the state Admission Committee had already conducted an inquiry through a high-level team headed by the Director, PGIMS, Rohtak, Dr S. S. Sangwan. The college is affiliated to Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. The team has already submitted its report to the committee which had fixed April 26 for personal hearing from the college authorities.
	Students urge govt to reconsider quota policy Smriti Kak Ramachandran Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 Claiming that the Mandal Commission of 1978, “can by no reasonable account be held relevant three decades later,” a large number of students from the national Capital, under the banner of United Students, have urged the government to rethink its reservation policy. The United Students in association with assorted student groups from universities and institutes in the city and the NCR on Monday have also asked the students’ bodies in colleges and universities to make their views known on the proposed reservation. “We have urged factions like the National Students’ Union of India, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Students’ Federation of India to make it clear where they stand on the issue. They should state clearly if they are for the proposed extensions in favour of the OBCs or not and should they be in opposition of our viewpoint, we intend to work collectively with all students of DU to work against them at the time of DUSU elections,” said Aaditya Dar, a student of economics at Delhi University and a member of the United Students. While most factions have indicated their support to the reservation for the OBCs, students agitating against it want an official declaration of their stand. “We are also planning to organise a Delhi College Students Conference sometime this month, which will have at least five representatives from each college to confederate opinion on the future action of the collective students’ body of Delhi,” said Dar. “United Students has conducted extensive discussions with various student groups, including those partly in favour of reservations to attempt a consensus on the issue of a co-ordinated opposition to the extension of reservations to new categories over the last three days,” the representatives of the group said. The students alleged, “The OBC quota is likely to be susceptible to political manipulation to include dubious categories as in the case of Jats in Rajasthan.” They put forth a demand for either the categorical rejection of the Mandal Commission recommendations that, “are vastly out of place in the context of the India of 2006 and beyond, or at the very least, it must be subjected to a serious revision”. The group further pointed out that they support and extend full co-operation to any or all groups representing their viewpoint on this issue and “recognising the importance of multiple groups working in tandem, we would encourage groups with separate identities to continue to work on this issue in the manner that suits them best”.
	‘Settle 32 panda ghats near Yamuna area’ Nalini Ranjan New Delhi, May 1 In the wake of demolition of two panda ghats, the Yamuna Ghat Panda Association (YGPA) has given a memorandum to the Urban Development Ministry, demanding that 32 panda ghats linked with the association in the Yamuna Bazar area should be resettled only in the Yamuna Ghat area, otherwise they would not be able to perform ‘karmkanda’ and other rituals resulting in hampering their ancient Vedic profession. The association also threatened to stop all rituals if the government machinery tried to muzzle its voice. According to the joint president of the association Mr Panna Lal Sharma and Mr Madan Lal Mishra, they were not against the High Court’s recent order, but wanted to be resettled near the Yamuna Ghat area as without the proximity to the river, they could not perform ‘anusthans’ and ‘karamkandas’. “We should be given a timeframe to present our side in this regard. The DDA had given April 17 as a deadline to shift the area and given an option to take 12.5 yards of land in lieu of every registered ghat, but we have rejected the offer. We are not beggars. We command respect in society and are capable of waging fight for our rights,” he said. A senior officer of the DDA said the deadline has already passed, but not a single panda has come forward to join the scheme. “We are bound by the court laws as in the preview of the court, all 32 panda ghats are illegal and we have to evacuate the site. According to the court’s order, no new construction will be allowed within the 300-meter range of the bank of the Yamuna. We are offering them alternative chunks of land, but they are reluctant to accept,” he commented. A regular visitor of these ghats and the president of Bihar Morcha, Mr Narendra Kumar Singh, said that those ghats had been more than 150 years old. Some of them even date back to the great Pandava era. In 1934, the occupants of these ghats had been given ownership rights by the British government. At that time, maps of every ghats had been approved. It is unfortunate that they are being deprived of their rights. These ghats are almost connected to the Nigam Bodh Ghat, the biggest funeral place for the residents of East and North-East Delhi. With the shift of these ghats, people will certainly face hardship,” he added.
	Masked man decamps with Rs 20 lakh, gold Our Correspondent Noida, May 1 A lone masked criminal decamped with Rs 20 lakh and 800 gm gold from the house of a doctor in Sector 22 here, a few steps away from the police post in Sectors 22-12. Dr T. N. Dudha, retired from the J & K medical education department, had kept the money at home after selling a plot in Greater Noida. Dr Dudha runs a clinic from his residence. He had just gone out for a few minutes at 12 noon on Sunday. Only his niece and a maid servant were in the house. A masked criminal with a bag in hand barged into the house and bolted the door from inside after him. He pushed maid servant Manti and the doctor’s niece into a room at dagger-point. Then, he took out a bunch of keys and opened the cupboard. He helped himself to the cash kept there. He did not touch bank drafts worth Rs 17 lakh kept in the almirah. The niece and maid raised the alarm after the masked criminal escaped with the loot. The door bolted from outside was opened and the police informed. The city police said it appeared to be the work of an insider who not only knew where Rs 20 lakh were kept in doctor’s house, the sale proceeds of two properties in Greater Noida, but also where the cash was exactly kept. The police felt the criminal was not alone. Some companions must have been waiting for him in a vehicle nearby. The police feel the maidservant and some others outsiders also knew that the sale proceeds of two properties in Greater Noida were kept in the house. The maid, who was engaged only three days ago, has been taken into custody.
	Newspaper employees demand end to ‘unfair’ labour practices Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 Employees of newspapers and news agencies today marched to the office of the Assistant Labour Commissioner S.C. Yadav and demanded an end to ‘unfair’ labour practices. In a statement issued here on May Day, the president of the Delhi Union of Journalists, S.K. Pande said that the employees also raised the issue of attacks on union office-bearers and dismissals in total violation of the Industrial Disputes Act. Prominent among those who participated in the march were the secretary-general of the Confederation of Newspaper and News Agencies Employees M.S. Yadav, the president of the National Union of Journalists, N.K. Trikha, the president of the Delhi Union of Journalists, S.K. Pande, the secretary of the Indian Journalists Union, Madan Singh, PTI Federation leader Saigal, UNI Employees Federation president M.L. Joshi and Bennet Coleman Employees Union secretary Roopchand.
	‘Bridegroom’, kin booked under Dowry Act Tribune News Service Faridabad, May 1 The police have arrested a prospective bridegroom and two of his kin after a case was registered under the Dowry Act by the family of the bride. It was alleged that the bridegroom and the marriage party did not turn up for the marriage ceremony in the NIT area here last night as the bridegroom demanded Rs two lakh and a car. The bride’s family was reportedly informed that the marriage could be held only if they were prepared to shell out Rs two lakh and a car. According to the police, no such demand had been put up earlier during the engagement ceremony. In effect, the bride’s family got the ‘shock’ of their life, when they were told about the new demands. As they expressed their “amazement” and “helplessness” over the new demands, the marriage did not take place. The police have registered a case against as many seven persons, including the groom identified as Manoj, Darshan (father), Usha (mother) Ashok (uncle), Mamta (sister) and Girish (Brother-in-Law).
	CBI books DJB officials for graft Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 The CBI today conducted searches at five places in Delhi and Noida in connection with alleged corruption to the tune of Rs 1.89 crore in the award of contracts to a private firm for sewage de-silting work by Delhi Jal Board officials. The searches were carried out at the residences and offices of three DJB officials and a private firm against whom the agency has registered a case of conspiracy, cheating and forgery, a CBI spokesperson said here today. The case has been registered against DJB superintending engineer Lalit Mohan, assistant engineer Veer Singh, junior engineer Dharam Singh and private firm Werm India Ltd. The contract worth Rs 1.89 crore was given for sewage de-silting at Patel Nagar in West Delhi and a sewerage treatment plant in Keshopur by the Delhi Jal Board officials, who according to the FIR, abused their officials position. It is also alleged that further contract work of Rs 1.94 crore was again awarded to the firm without calling for fresh tenders. It was found after five months that the work had still not begun on the project.
	HC directs removal of slum near DU Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 The Delhi High Court today directed the authorities to remove the slums from the five-acre land in Outram Lines near Delhi University immediately and construct a market complex there. A division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain said the authorities should remove the slums and hand over the plot for the construction of a market complex and a community centre as per the plan. DDA Director (Land) S P Padhy in an affidavit said that the land was earmarked for the construction of a market complex and Community centre. But the land mafia and slum dwellers occupied the land before 1991 by demolishing the boundary wall of the plot. There are about 475 slums out of which 109 were constructed before 1990 on the plot. About 97 slum dwellers are entitled to 12.5 sq mtrs plots whereas 12 for 18 sq mtrs plots. The Court asked the DDA to consider the claims of the eligible slum dwellers only.
	CM directive on settlement of JJ dwellers Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 In a cabinet meeting today, the Chief Minister, Mrs Sheila Dikshit, emphasized the need to provide space to the displaced JJ dwellers from the Yamuna River bed for their temporary settlement on humanitarian grounds. She also directed members of the Cabinet to monitor the settlement of JJ dwellers and provision of all basic amenities on day-to-day basis. The jhuggi dwellers have started living on both sides of roads at ITO bridge and other places after they were displaced from the river bed. The Health Department has been directed to provide necessary health coverage; the DJB has been directed to make available tankers and the NDPL instructed to ensure street-lighting in Transit Camp.
	Technical bids for biggest real estate sale Our Correspondent Noida, May 1 Three well-known developers, DLF, Uni-tech and I city have emerged as the technical bidders in 300 acre land auction by the Noida Authority. As per the conditions applicable, Rs 265 crore are to be spent in the first year by the company, whose bid will be successful while the companies bidding must have transactions of Rs 500 crore in the past year. Fifty per cent of area will be developed as residential sector while remaining 50 per cent will be for hospitals, schools, and infrastructural facilities, according to a Noida Authority official.
	Garbage disposal scheme for walled city area New Delhi, May 1 Chairman of the Standing Committee, MCD, Jai Kishan Sharma today inaugurated the scheme of transportation of garbage to SLF sites by public-private partnership in the walled city. This scheme has been launched for the first time in walled city area. Speaking on the occasion, he said that a majority of areas of walled city are congested and therefore, the sanitary conditions are often found unsatisfactory. — TNS
	Some relief from scorching heat Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 1 A day after the national Capital witnessed the highest minimum temperature of the season at 27.2 degree Celsius, Westerly winds today brought down the mercury to 23 degree Celsius, one degree below normal, bringing some relief from the scorching heat. Despite the cool winds, the maximum temperature today was recorded at 41 degree Celsius, two degrees above normal. The Met office has forecast a partly cloudy sky with the likelihood of some showers.