New Delhi, August 15
Infrastructure in the Capital will be strengthened and the city will get a facelift before the scheduled 2010 Commonwealth Games, Chief Minister Ms Sheila Dikshit announced today.

“The Delhi Government during the last seven years has strived hard to make Delhi a world-class city. This resolve has been further strengthened by the selection of Delhi to host the Commonwealth Games 2010, which has provided a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the city’s infrastructure to make it a global city,” Mrs Dikshit said in her address after unfurling the National Flag on the 60th Independence Day at Chhatrasal Stadium here.

The Chief Minister took the salute at the Independence Day Parade comprising various contingents of Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, Home Guard, Civil Defence, NCC, NSS, Scouts and Guide and school children.

She presented Presidents’ Medals to the widows of seven fire officers who lost their lives on duty. Seven serving fire officers and seven best NCC cadets were also honoured on this occasion.

Ms Dikshit said clean city campaigns had been launched from time-to-time to involve the citizens in making Delhi cleaner. She added that the government had actively pursued construction of Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways around Delhi to divert all un-destined vehicles, passing through the Capital, to decongest major roads and curb vehicular pollution.

“Construction work of several new flyovers like Naraina, Mangolpuri etc. is under progress and the government is going to construct a flyover at Mukarba Chowk to ease the growing traffic on outer Ring Road and GT Karnal Road,” she added.

She said a new world-class bridge over Yamuna river at Wazirabad would also be constructed at a cost of Rs 454 crore.

On the issue of meeting the growing demand of power in the capital, she said the government had decided to set up a 2000 MW pithead coal-based power project in Janjgir Champa district of Chhattisgarh.

“The plant will make available 1000 MW of power well before the Commonwealth Games, 2010. Two dedicated 500 MW Thermal Power Plants are also being set up in Dadri by the NTPC,” she pointed out.

The Chief Minister appealed to the citizens of the city to conserve power and cut down wasteful energy consumption. She announced that a power and water conservation week would also be observed in Delhi in September.

While the Delhi Government will continue to make concerted efforts to rationalise water supply, the Chief Minister implored upon all citizens to conserve the resource and adopt rainwater harvesting system.

Highlighting the achievements in the field of education, Mrs Dikshit said the continuous pursuit for quality education had started bearing fruits. “This year, we have achieved the best ever results both in Class X as well as in Class XII CBSE Examinations. In both the class results, pass percentage has substantially gone up,” she added.

The Delhi Government has decided to open five new Pratibha Vikas Vidyalayas, she announced.

To try put an end to female foeticide, the Delhi Government has decided to provide Rs 5000 to all the parents on birth of a girl child. “The deposited amount along with interest may be withdrawn on completion of 18 years of age and after study up to Class IX,” she added.

Ms Dikshit said for senior citizens, financial assistance under the Old Age Pension scheme had been enhanced from Rs 350 per month to Rs 400 per month. “Dedicated clinics have been started for them in government hospitals,” she added.

To make Primary Health Care services more meaningful and broad-based, the Chief Minister said a comprehensive strategy had been prepared under the Health Mission of Delhi on the lines of the National Rural Health Mission launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

With an aim at bringing health services at the doorsteps of citizens, the Delhi Government has decided to open 300 new well-equipped dispensaries.

The Delhi Government has also taken up housing for the poor in a big way. The DSIIDC has been asked to construct 40,000 low cost houses under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Project over the next two years. The first batch of 3,000 houses was ready for possession, she said.

New Industrial areas have been developed to relocate industries operating in residential and non-conforming area of Delhi. The Chief Minister said the allotment of 22,387 plots and flats had already been done at Bawana and other industrial areas.

“The protection of Delhi’s environment has always been a priority of the Government. Green cover of Delhi, which was only 26 sq km in 1997, has gone up now to 330 sq. km. All the departments have been directed to prepare a greening action plan to make Delhi the greenest metro before the Commonwealth Games, 2010,” she said.

While expressing satisfaction over the pace of e-governance, she said Delhi had been declared the best e-governed state in North India. “IT is seen as a tool to meet the end of providing better services to the people and bridging the gap between people and the Government rather than being an end in itself,” she said.

“The Right to Information Act has played the role of a catalyst in our endeavour to provide a transparent administration. Delhi is one of the first states to introduce the Right to Information Act as an important right to its citizens,” Ms Dikshit added. 

New Delhi, August 15
The Supreme Court today for the first time since its inception in 1950 unfurled the national flag on the occasion of the 60th Independence Day. Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal unfurled the flag. Present on this occasion were the judges of the Apex Court and High Court, and Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr Somnath Chatterjee.

The Supreme Court Bar Association had organised the maiden Independence Day celebration at the apex Court lawn. Commenting on the event, which had happened at the apex Court after a break of 56 years, the CJI said “it is never late. A beginning has been made. Why do you go in the past.”

Further, Delhi prisons celebrated its 60th Independence Day in all the jails. The cultural programme was successfully organised in all the jails. Superintendent, Jails, unfurled the national flag on this occasion. He took the salute from the contingent of Delhi jails and congratulated all staff members and prisoners. In his address, the DGP (Prisons) indicated that it would be his priority to keep pace with the new reformatory process and also to strengthen the prison security.

He also announced special remission for convicts who had maintained good conduct on the following scale – 15 days remitted for prisoners undergoing a sentence of one year, 30 days for prisoners sentenced for over one year and up to five years, and 45 days for prisoners sentenced for more than five years. Approximately 800 prisoners would benefit from the remissions and some 60 convicts were released on Tuesday.

The chairperson NDMC, Sindhushree Khullar, unfurled the national flag this morning at Palika Kendra. She congratulated the gathering of freedom fighters and the NDMC employees on this occasion. Khullar said, “Devotion towards the nation and dedication towards our duty should be the top priority of every citizen.” Khullar stressed in her address that people should accept today’s challenges and should show courage, fairness and justice in their day to day work.

Faridabad, August 15
The Minister of State for Forests and Tourism, Haryana, Mrs Kiran Chaudhary, took the salute and unfurled the National Flag at Sector-12 stadium here this morning as part of the district-level function on the occasion of the 60th Independence Day function today. 

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs Chaudhary called upon the people to learn a lesson from the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters for getting the country freed from the foreign rule.

She recounted the development works taken up by the Hooda government in the state and claimed that there had been a visible change in various spheres after the present government came to power.

Stating that while the monthly pension of the freedom fighters had been raised substantially, the government was taking care of the welfare of the soldiers in service and the ex-servicemen.

Claiming that the setting up of the world-class Special Economic Zone near Jhajjar by the Reliance Group would unleash a new development era in the state, she said it would spell a speedy economic growth with vast employment opportunities in the region. The new schemes launched by the present government included a hefty increase in the compensation for land acquisition; a rise in compensation for the loss to crops by natural calamities; setting up of a women university; and an education city near Sonepat besides launching of various welfare schemes for the woman and girl child.

It was added that the sex ratio had been improving in at least 14 districts of the state, though the minister did not give any details.

She said the free travel facility offered by the government to the women and the children on the occasion of Rakshabandhan festival had been unique.

She said that over four crore trees would be planted this year in the state for increasing the green cover to improve environment.

Several persons, including some freedom fighters, their relatives and from other fields were honoured by the chief guest. A sum of Rs 51,000 was announced as help for the children who took part in the function today. While there was hardly any public attendance, the political activists of the ruling party were seen occupying the guest gallery. A similar function was also held at Dussehra Ground of Ballabgarh town, where the SDM hoisted the National Flag and took the salute.

New Delhi, August 15 
With the countdown to union elections in various universities having begun, activists of some of the frontal students’ organisations have expressed concern over some of the recommendations submitted by the Lyngdoh Committee to the Supreme Court.

On the directions of the Supreme Court, the Human Resource and Development Ministry had set up a committee headed by former Chief Election Commissioner, Mr J M Lyngdoh, to formulate the guidelines for the conduct of student union elections in educational institutions across the country. The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), for instance, wants to become a party to the special leave petition filed in the Supreme Court by the Kerala University last year.

The special leave petition by the Kerala University challenged a High Court order holding that colleges affiliated to various universities in the State were free to follow a system for elections to college unions that was better for the administration and maintenance of discipline on college campuses. The High Court said that the universities could not insist that the affiliated colleges conduct presidential form of elections as against the parliamentary form of elections hitherto followed.

“It is important for the future of the students’ politics. Our decision to become a party to the case is to help us keep a vigilant eye on the proceedings. We will file an application in the Supreme Court requesting to be made a party to the case,” Mathew, NSUI activist from the JNU and a research scholar, said.

The NSUI, which has submitted a memorandum to the Union HRD Minister, wants the authorities to take cognisance of its suggestions.

“We have urged the HRD Minister Arjun Singh to put forth our suggestions and have also apprised him of the problems that we would face on the ground level should some of these recommendations be implemented,” Nadeem Javed, NSUI National President, said.

The party, which does not shy away from claiming support from the Congress, is upset that the Lyngdoh Committee has frowned upon political parties lending support to students’ organisations.

“If at 18 a student is mature enough to choose a Member of Parliament, why should there be concerns about political parties lending their support to university electioneering? After all it is a question of ideology,” said Javed.

The NSUI also disagrees with the proposal to have “indirect polls in colleges where the number of students is more than 10,000”. 

“It is impractical to have indirect polls because President’s of individual colleges can be hijacked, threatened or bribed by those with vested interests. Putting a cap of Rs 10,000 on electioneering is also not feasible,” Javed noted.

Students’ Federation of Indian (SFI), which is aligned to the Left, has also expressed scepticism over the proposal to have indirect polls. “It is not quite correct to dismantle student’s bodies because unlike candidates from a particular organisation you cannot hold an individual accountable,” said Albina, former JNUSU President and SFI activist.

“Ours is an independent organisation and inviting a political leader during electioneering is our prerogative. While there is a need to eradicate violence and criminalisation of students’ politics, we must remember it in the interest of private managements to put an end to students’ movement,” said K K Ragesh, All India President, SFI.

Recommendations like disallowing candidates with a criminal record, fixing an upper age-limit of the candidate at 27 years have however been welcomed.

“We are happy that there are such recommendations as well, but our submission is that a democratic model of electioneering should be supported,” said Nakul Bhardwaj, State General Secretary of the ABVP.

New Delhi, August 15
Speaking on the emotional and psychological problems in schoolchildren, Dr Samir Parikh, Psychiatrist, chief of Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Max Healthcare said that emotional and psychological problems are very common in school-going children and in the recent years there has been significant rise in the numbers of schoolchildren having these problems.

Highlighting the state of rise in emotional problems in school at a seminar on “How to handle emotional issues in schoolchildren”, organized by Dr Samir Parikh, at the India International Centre here witnessed participation of over 100 schoolteachers and councillors.

“There is a dire need of focusing on a child’s formative years of school,” said Dr Parikh. As students in different age groups have different behavioural pattern and emotional needs, each growing child ought to be catered with the right emotional backup as suitable to their progressive changing needs. The diversity of needs may very from psychological, social, educational and vocational to emotional areas.

New Delhi, August 15
Several candidates who failed to clear the preliminary test for civil services examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) have resorted to the RTI to seek information about cut off marks and the criteria for selection.

“We have filed an application under the RTI to know the cut off marks and also the criteria for selection adopted by the UPSC,” said Sameer Panda, a civil services aspirant.

Panda said the UPSC had announced that the model answers would be put on the website after 45 days. “By the time they put up the answers on the website, it will already be time for the final examinations that are scheduled for October.”

The candidates, who have sought the help of the RTI, claim that they have “scored more marks than those whose names figure in the list of successful candidates”.

“On the basis of the papers, the coaching institutes and individuals have done an assessment of performance and there seems to be some discrepancy. Today (on Monday) more than a 100 candidates assembled at the UPSC office but there was no response from the officials,” said Panda.

The UPSC members remained unavailable for comments despite several attempts.

New Delhi, August 15
In view of shifting of judicial works related to seven police stations from Rohini to Tis Hazari district court, a list of cases has been sought from respective judicial officers by district courts administration.

Superintendent (Judicial) B R Seth asked the respective judicial officers to send to his office the list of cases pertaining to four police stations in West Delhi and three in North-West Delhi.

The police stations, which have been transferred from Rohini to Tis Hazari included Anand Parbat, Patel Nagar, Moti Nagar and Kirti Nagar of West and Mukherjee Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Model Town of North, West district.

Delhi High Court, Registrar (vigilance) has informed the District and Sessions Judge on August 10 about the decision of the High Court to shift two Fast Track Courts and seven police stations from Rohini to Tis Hazari courts.

New Delhi, August 15
A local lawyer has moved an application in a Delhi court requesting to fly the national flag permanently on the roof of the court building.

In an application, lawyer Suman Sagar Bhalla pleaded before Judge-In charge, District Court, Rohini, Mr Satnam Singh to ensure flying of the tricolour on the top of the court complex permanently.

“It is a matter of surprise that there is no national flag on the top of the court building,” he said, seeking direction to the concerned authority in this regard.

The court, however on its part, has asked the lawyer to dispatch the application to the Receipt and Information (R&I) branch, District and Session Judge.

New Delhi, August 15
The Central Information Commission (CIC), the apex body under the Right To Information (RTI) Act has supported a woman made to wait for over three hours at the Delhi Food

and Civil Supplies Department offices for information about her pending application for kerosene, before being told that the official concerned was on leave.

An aggrieved Dasharathi, a resident of Panchsheel Park, had then complained to the CIC on March 16, this year saying that both her time and Rs 100 in travel costs were wasted solely due to the callous manner of the officials.

“Misbehaviour with applicants approaching the public authorities under the RTI is not acceptable. In this case, the Department will invite Dasharathi to identify the members of its staff who refused to provide her the information,” Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah observed.

The CIC further said that the public authority will pay Rs 100 as damages to the complainant. Dasharathi had approached the office of Nand Lal, Assistant Commissioner (South), Food and Civil Supplies Department, to enquire about the rationing of kerosene in her name.

She was told to wait by the staff as Lal was not in his cabin at the time.

Three hours later, on enquiring again, she was unceremoniously told to come another day as he was on leave.

New Delhi, August 15
A parent of a student of a prestigious school in Delhi has written to the Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) under the Right to Information Act, demanding to know the status of the complaint he had made to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for initiating criminal proceedings against the school for allegedly issuing a “misleading circular and cheating innocent donors”.

Mr Dev Ashish Bhattacharya, a resident of B.K.S. Marg, in his letter, claims that legal advice had indicated that his complaint to the EOW against the Mater Dei School, Tilak Marg, attracted the provisions of the IPC 420, 405 and 468 against the school for “cheating innocent donors by citing a provision of a statuary provision of the IT Act”.

He has also demanded initiation of criminal proceedings against Income Tax Department officials who allegedly did not initiate any action against the school on the plea that the matter was outside the purview of the department.

Mr Bhattacharya says that on September 9, 2000, the Principal of the school issued a circular to parents asking for a donation of Rs 57.5 lakh to set up a multi-media computer laboratory, install a generator to meet power cuts and an air-condition in the school hall.

On September 25, 2000, the Principal issued another circular detailing advertisement tariff. “In this circular, it was specifically mentioned that the contributions would be exempted under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act and also that cheques and drafts were to be made payable to ‘Mater Dei School, Welfare Fund A/C’,” he says.

Mr Bhattacharya says he was the largest fund-raiser for this campaign. “Keeping in view the welfare of the children of the school, I approached different sources to raise the funds and told them that their contributions would be exempted under Section 80G of the IT Act,” he adds.

Mr Bhattacharya adds, however in 2003, he came to know from one of the donors that the school has not issued appropriate receipts under the Section 80G of the IT Act. “When I asked the school authorities, they did not respond,” he alleges, adding that by its own admission, the school collected around Rs 50.54 lakh through the campaign.

On July 3, 2003, Mr Bhattacharya wrote to the Director of Income Tax (Exemptions), New Delhi, informing him of the facts. He, however, did not receive any communication from the department till 2006.

Then on April 27, 2006, he wrote an application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005. It was after this that the DIT (Exemptions) wrote back to him, saying that “Mater Dei School Welfare Fund A/C” was not recognised under Section 80G of the IT Act and that no 80G receipts were issued”, he claimed. The department also informed him that the complaint was duly examined in the course of assessment proceedings for the assessment year 2003-03 and it was verified that there was no misuse of the Section 80G by the school. But Mr Bhattacharya is not convinced. “Schools are supposed to teach the children moral values. The DIT letter clearly says that the welfare account is not recognised under the Section 80G of the IT Act and that it is the society that runs the school which has been granted exemption”.

Incidentally, Mr Bhattacharya has also asked the police to ensure protection for his daughter who is still a student of the school. 

New Delhi, August 15
A thirty-two-year-old man and his 4-year-old son were found dead under mysterious circumstances in a children’s park near Press Apartments in the east Delhi area early this morning.

“We had received a call early this morning that bodies of two persons were lying in a children’s park in I. P. Extension area of the Mandawali Police Station. Regular visitors of this park earlier thought that both were sleeping. When some of them tried to awake the two, they discovered that both were dead,” said an investigating officer of east Delhi Police.

Later, the bodies were identified as one Subhash (32) and his son Harsh (4), residents of Mandawali. An empty water bottle was also recovered from near the bodies, the officer added.

Subhash was running a coaching centre in Mandawali near his house.

He was also engaged in some handicraft business. “As per his family member’s version, Subhash along with his son had ventured out for a morning walk as usual. He was normal while going out for the morning walk. There is no question of family feud or some other financial problems,” he said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that both were given poison, however, it is difficult to say that it is a case of suicide or murder at this stage, the officer said.

The bodies have been sent for postmortem and the police officials are awaiting the medical report to make further investigations. “The bottle has also been sent for some forensic tests as we have doubt that the bottle could have been used to contain poison,” he added. 

New Delhi, August 15
A well-organized racket to fleece money from unsuspecting travellers, especially NRIs, by police and customs and immigration officials at international airports has come to light.

According to reports, immigration officials tasked with stamping the passports of air travellers try to tamper with them by tearing off pages containing the visa etc in case the person is not paying attention.

When the passenger leaves the immigration counter, the case is reported on the computer terminal with full details, causing a ‘red flag’ to flash when that particular passport number is presented at any airport in the country.

The passport-holder is immediately detained and threatened by police and immigration officials who then demand money depending on various factors like the passenger’s period of stay abroad, financial standing etc. Thus cornered, most people prefer to ‘settle’ the case.

Those who try to fight back end up suffering at the hands of immigration and police officials and the endless court procedures in the country.

According to passengers, almost all cases relate to Air India travellers, implying a conspiracy involving the airline officials too.