New Delhi, June 6
The Delhi unit of the BJP has decided to launch a ‘movement’ against the hike in prices of petrol, diesel and CNG by the Congress-led UPA government at Centre. It has decided to disrupt traffic movement at various places in the national Capital.

The Delhi BJP president, Dr Harshvardhan, said that dharnas would be held to disrupt traffic at Moti Nagar Chowk, Lal Sai Mandir Ring Road, Lajpat Nagar, Maujpur chowk, GT Road, Vikas Marg Shakarpur, Uttam Nagar Terminal, Red Fort, Budh Vihar, Hauz Khas, Jehangirpuri chowk and Badarpur traffic signal. The national president of the party, Rajnath Singh and Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, MP, would take part in “chakka jam” programme at Moti Nagar chowk.

Dr Harshvardhan accused the Communist Party of being part of the ‘conspiracy’ against the common man as it continues to support the Congress-led UPA government at Centre even after the steep increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and CNG.

The hike would have been made a few months earlier but had to be deferred due to the Assembly elections in Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu, Dr Harshvardhan pointed out.

He said that there was no need to hike petrol price as all the four oil companies – Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and Indo – Burma Petroleum are earning heavy profit. In 2005-2006, the IndianOil had earned a net profit of Rs 4915 crore, he added. Moreover, he said the country was already suffering from steep price hike of all goods and as such there was no need to increase the petrol price. Flaying the government, he said it had increased the price of oil for the sixth time in its two years tenure.

New Delhi, June 6
The government’s announcement of Rs four per litre on petrol and Rs two per litre on diesel last night resulted in huge crowds at Delhi Metro stations and trains today.

The DMRC also said that there was a marked increase in the number of commuters this morning. With driving private vehicles and autos and taxis becoming prohibitively costly, more people were using the Metro, keeping its cash registers ringing.

The DMRC, however, ruled out any fare hike till a new line or section was added to its network.

Long lines of vehicles were seen at petrol pumps last night as people from the Capital and neighbouring states hurried to beat the price hike.

Petrol price in the Capital jumped to Rs 47.51 a litre while diesel climbed to Rs 32.47 a litre.

With CNG price hiked by Rs 1.20 per kg and its price reading Rs 19.20 per kg, autorickshaw and taxis also jacked up their fares, charging arbitrary amounts.

In many areas, there were comparatively fewer autos on the roads as auto unions had called a strike demanding a hike in fares, saying that fares had been last revised when CNG rate read Rs 14 per kg.

New Delhi, June 6
The Dean of Students Welfare, Delhi University, Prof S. K. Vij, said that the university had not authorised anyone, other than the designated sixteen centers to sell the forms or to offer counseling.

She said that it had been reported by a section of the Press that some unauthorized persons were selling the university Pre-Admission forms at rates higher than the fixed rate of Rs 30.

“We would like to make it clear that we have not authorized anyone, other than the designated sixteen centers to sell the forms or to offer counseling,” he said.

Those seeking admission to colleges of Delhi University are advised to buy and to deposit their PAF only at one of the sixteen centers. Those who purchase or deposit at some other place will be doing so at their own risk, as there is a possibility of such forms not being accepted by the computers, if they have been tampered with, Prof Vij said.

It has also come to the University’s notice that some unauthorized persons have started websites in the name of Delhi University Helpline.

“We will not take the responsibility of the information that they give. The aspirants should contact the University information centres/counselors or our website www.du.ac.in.

“We wish to assure that there is no shortage of forms. Adequate numbers are available at all centres. Aspirants are advised not to pay heed to such rumours that are being deliberately planted,” Prof. Vij said.

She also advised all aspirants to Delhi University that they should not be unduly worried in case impression on the second sheet of the admission form is not clear.

He also added that the second sheet is only for record, the data will be picked up from the first sheet. The data will be sent to colleges well in time. However, the students may darken the circles in the second sheet in the same way they have darkened the circles on the first sheet, the Dean advised.

New Delhi, June 6
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested a Group-D employee of Northern Railway, Ashok Kumar Yadav, in connection with the leakage of examination paper of the Departmental Promotion Examination from Group-D to Group-C of the Zone.

The examination was held on June 3 in Delhi, in which 230 candidates appeared for 30 posts.

In the examination held at Government Senior Secondary School, Mata Sundri Road, Delhi, the accused, one of the examinees, who was caught copying in the examination was found in possession of four chits containing questions asked in the examination in the same sequence as in the question paper along with their answers.

The accused later admitted having received all the questions in advance, thereby establishing the fact that the questions were leaked.

On June 2, the CBI registered a case against the accused and others on the basis of a complaint received from the Executive Director (Vigilance) Traffics, Railway Board, for their alleged role in leakage of the question papers.

Faridabad, June 6
A huge tax evasion worth more than Rs 100 crore has been detected in the district by the Sales Tax Department here. This followed an investigation by the officials concerned after reports of a scam in tax payment and the modus operandi used by a large number of traders, especially those involved in the business of iron and steel in the district. As many as 150 trading units out of 200 business concerns whose files have been checked during the past couple of months have been found defaulting and issued notices by the office to recover the tax.

It has been revealed that the total turnover of the business that had evaded VAT so far has been around Rs 500 crore. It could well cross over Rs 1,000 crore after the investigation of all trading companies was over. There are 850 dealers and trading units in the steel sector in the district. The department hopes to recover at least 12 per cent of the total worth of business, which comes to about Rs 100 crore in Faridabad alone, in the next few months.

The Joint Commissioner, Excise and Taxation, Mr Mukesh Gambhir, said here today that a team had been formed in February under his supervision. It had to conduct a survey after complaints that several iron and steel trading units here had been evading VAT on a large scale with the support of some suppliers by raising bogus bills. They were evading the duty on the incoming material through a well-planned modus operandi. While it is reported that the involvement of certain officials and employees could not be denied, the Joint Commissioner said the department had been able to unearth a major racket of tax evasion.

He said if thorough investigations were conducted, the evasion could be well over Rs 100 crore in this district alone. Adding that a similar drive had been launched in the neighbouring district of Gurgaon also against such traders, he said the preliminary calculations indicated the total turnover of the business that could be evading the tax (VAT) could be around Rs 2,000 crore annually in these two districts.

He said certain major manufacturers and suppliers of steel products had been a part of the racket as fake bills and papers were being produced against the supply of the material, which had been found wrongly diverted by the suppliers.

He said the department got alert after more than 80 steel traders applied for cancellation of the sales tax licence following the investigation of the mills and papers of the companies.

He said the department would take legal action against all those who failed to deposit the penalty fee and the required amount of tax after a stipulated period.

Claming that the results of the campaign so far had been very positive, the department announced that legal action could follow against the defaulters very soon if they failed to cooperate.

Noida, June 6
In a broad daylight robbery, miscreants decamped with Rs 19 lakh worth of cash and valuables from the house of a printer in Sector-23 Noida on Sunday. Printer Rattan Lal Demba has printing presses in Sectors 60 and 9. On Sunday, he had taken his family for lunch to Mayur Vihar, New Delhi. When the family returned after two hours, it was in for a big shock.

The thieves had broken a windowpane and cut an iron grill to enter the house. They opened an almirah and took out Rs 1.60 lake, jewellery and artefacts worth Rs 18 lakh. Significantly, the thieves did not touch anything else but the almirah.

Police from Sector-24 and senior police officers soon visited Rattan Lal’s house. During interrogation of the family, it became clear that Rattan Lal’s servant had gone on leave a few days earlier. The police have lifted some fingerprints and are trying to ferret out the servant.

New Delhi, June 6
The president of Commonwealth Games Federation, Mr Michael Fennel, who called on CM Sheila Dikshit and Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi expressed satisfaction over the pace of preparations for Commonwealth Games 2010.

He said that sports lover from all over the world had high expectations from Delhi, as they watched and felt glimpse of Delhi during the closing ceremony of the games at Melbourne.

The presentation made by the Delhi Government in a finale at Melbourne was superb and was liked by one and all.

He mentioned that CII has apprised him of significant investment made in power sector in run up to the Commonwealth Games 2010.

He also stressed the need of coordination between all the stakeholders of the games to ensure its success.

Mr Fennel disclosed that a Coordination Commission would be making its first visit to Delhi to assess the preparations. It would closely monitor the preparations at different level continuously for three days. The Commission would make frequent visit to Delhi.

Mr Fennel further stressed the need of projecting Delhi on electronic media, as the city is going to be showcased during the games.

The people from all over the world were enthusiastic to visit Delhi during Commonwealth Games and hence arrangement relating to transport, health, water and power must be foolproof, Michael Fennel told the Chief Minister.

Talking to Mr. Fennel, the Chief Minister assured that all deadlines would be met to ensure completion of all arrangements for Commonwealth Games.

She admitted that preparations were not presently visible but would become substantially visible at the onset of 2009. She disclosed that Chief Secretary of Delhi would work as Nodal Officer and oversee arrangements of security and police.

The Chief Minister accepted that there was a big challenge before her government and “we are prepared enough to ensure proper arrangements”. There would be dedicated power supply to all the venues, games village and hotels during the games. Altogether 45 agencies would be involved in the run up to the games.

The Delhi Government has also prepared a plan of action for providing smooth transportation, power supply and water supply. She said that the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, himself was taking keen interest and had issued directions for monitoring the preparation at the interval of a fortnight, the CM said.

Faridabad, June 6
While at least 500 employees of the power department in Haryana get retired each month, the government’s failure to fill the vacant posts had led to an unbearable burden on the staff of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN), leading them on the warpath.

This has been the claim of the members of the All Haryana Power Corporation Workers Union, which started a 48-hour-long chain hunger strike at all subdivisional offices of the power department on Monday. The strike would come to an end tomorrow morning. The union has blamed the government for backtracking on its promise of giving up the privatisation of the department and accepting the various pending demands, including that of regular recruitment against the vacant posts. The general secretary of the union, Mr Subhash Lamba, said here today the burden of work on the staff of the Nigam was increasing by the day as the government was not making recruitment against the vacant posts whose number had gone up to 35,000 at present.

He said the government was adopting the system of contractual appointment which, he said, had failed to come up to the expectations as the problems of both consumers and employees had grown with large-scale irregularities and failure of the department to address the grievances.

Asking the government to employ young persons and educated unemployed against the vacant posts in the Nigam, he questioned the need of taking the services of retired persons for various jobs when a qualified and capable workforce was available.

Stating that while at least 1500 applications had been lying pending in the department under the ex gratia scheme, he asked why the government was backtracking on the promises made before the elections and had been following the policies of the previous government.

At least 50 employees observed a fast in the district.

New Delhi, June 6
Come July and students thinking of journalism as a career will get a new avenue to realise their dream.

Consortium of Education and Communication (CEC), an inter university wing of University Grants Commission (UGC), is launching an on-line journalism course, helping students get education and training in the area sitting in their homes.

“This will be an innovative programme where the students will apply on-line, participate in the course on Internet and appear for the exam on the web also,” CEC Director G D Sharma said.

About 17 universities and media centres across the country will be associated with the running of the programme. The students taking admission under the programme will be referred to the concerned centres where they can get counseling and further assistance, he said. There will be no limit to intake and the certificates will be provided by the concerned centre.

CEC has developed e-content programmes on the subject, which comprises discussion, question-answer, quiz programmes which will be available in its website. “It will be a rigorous training. The students will be given assignments through net,” Sharma added.

CEC will air 20 lectures for three days on the Vyas channel in July, giving details of the course.

New Delhi, June 6
With pre-monsoon showers hitting the Capital, it is celebration time for Delhiites. Kids in the city, too, had a unique celebration of their own at Delhi’s Oxford Bookstore with ‘Disney Hour’.

This unique event marked the culmination of ‘Head over Heels’, a series of four specially curated activities this summer for children held at Oxford Bookstore in Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi.

The main highlights of the event were Disney characters who enthralled the kids with their antics. The kids also sported Disney clothes in tandem with the theme of the event.

Renowned TV and film personality, Col R. K. Kapoor, of the hit TV serial ‘Fauji’ was the guest of honor and gave away prizes to the winners of the activities held in the previous workshop. —OC