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SC declines to give more time for
filing affidavits 121 properties sealed
in Capital Cabinet nod to new
power project
‘Privatisation of
power the biggest scam’ |
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Expressway
flyovers thrown open to public
Project reports for
JLNURM ready Metro earnings soar due to IITF One injured as student fires shots during clash SI assaulted Action plan on dengue
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SC declines to give more time for filing affidavits
New Delhi, November 21
Asking the MC to submit its report by tomorrow evening after the random check, the court also refused to entertain the applications of several private schools being run in residential buildings.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal told the counsel appearing for such schools to forward their applications to amicus curiae Ranjit Kumar, who had been assisting the court in the sealing issue.
The court said the amicus curiae would examine the applications of the schools to find out whether they were covered under the government’s notifications of September 7 and 15, permitting mixed land use and consequently lakhs of small traders given relief on this account.
The advocate put the number of such schools around 1,700 in the entire city in which nearly eight lakh children were enrolled. Most of the schools were primary and pre-nursery classes barring a few exceptions of high schools.
He sought relief to the schools against closure or sealing by taking into account the future of students, whose examinations were barely two or three months away.
The MC, in its fresh report submitted to the Court, stated that till Monday evening over 18,000 traders out of 25,000, had filed affidavits that they had closed their shops voluntarily.
The committee said that due to Sunday holiday, it could not conduct the random assessment about the closure of shops as it has to be done on the working week days and sought two days time to complete the exercise.
In view of the MC’s request, the court posted further hearing in the matter for November 23.
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121 properties sealed in Capital
New Delhi, November 21
Of these, 101 units were sealed at Najafgarh-Nangloi Road falling under Najafgarh Zone. The sealed units included a major property running after the name of ‘Eicher Body Building for Automobiles’.
In South zone, 20 units located at Hans Raj Gupta Marg at Greater Kailash-I were sealed. The sealed properties included Gautam Regency, Airtel Guest House and Ganga Azure Guest House. Today’s sealing marks completion of sealing operation at the Hans Raj Gupta Marg.
With the sealing, the total number of properties sealed since the drive resumed on November 8 is 1,266.
The MCD also initiated encroachment removal action in Mangolpuri, in which 55 structures were removed.
Meanwhile, a delegation of traders, led by the Confederation of All India Traders, today met Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy and demanded that the Centre bring a comprehensive development plan for Delhi, including regularisation of all business establishments that existed as on December 31 last year.
Meanwhile, the United Residents Joint Action (URJA), the apex body of Residents Welfare Associations in Delhi, today urged the Delhi Government and the Ministry of Urban Development to provide permanent solution for retailers, traders and affected communities by providing them alternative sites for rehabilitation.
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Cabinet nod to new power project
New Delhi, November 21
While briefing media after the meeting, the Chief Minister Ms Sheila Dikshit said that the Cabinet had accorded its approval to commission the 1,000 MW gas-based Pragati Power Project at Bawana at an estimated cost of Rs 4,500 crore as an MoU with Petronet for supply of RLNG had already been signed and gas would be available by April, 2009.
Ms Dikshit said, “It is extremely important for the government of Delhi to increase its self-reliance in power generation from plants located within Delhi so that it is not vulnerable to the vagaries of the Northern Grid and the political circumstances which influence inter-state supply of power. Secondly, with the forthcoming Commonwealth Games 2010 as well as the increasing demand of power, enhancement of power generation assumes added significance.”
The new project would be able to meet growing demand of power in Delhi apart from making it a surplus state in respect of power.
She said that the Delhi Cabinet had also approved the sale of 5 per cent ethanol-blended petrol in Delhi and decided to waive off special duty and other related fees on ethanol under the Punjab Excise Act 1914 as in force in Delhi.
The Union Ministry of Petroleum had issued Notification under the Essential Commodities Act on 20th September, 2006 under the Essential Commodities Act that “subject to commercial viability, Oil Marketing Companies will sale ethanol blended petrol as per bureau of Indian Standards Specifications in 20 states and four Union Territories, including Delhi.”
Ms Dikshit further said that her government, in its efforts to bring justice to the doorsteps of the litigants and for the co venience of the public at large, is establishing District Courts in Delhi. One such Court is being constructed at Dwarka Sector 10 on an area of 3.7 hectares.
The Cabinet has now decided to release an additional amount of Rs 22.30 lakh for air-conditioning work, including additional requirement of electrical, civil, fire-fighting and lifts at Dwarka Court.
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‘Privatisation of power the biggest scam’
New Delhi, November 21
“The AGCR and Public Accounts Committee of the Delhi Assembly have recommended a CBI inquiry into the case. The CVC has also started an inquiry,” he said.
Prof Mukhi alleged that the Standing Committee on Power of Lok Sabha, in its report on privatisation, had also confirmed grave irregularities in privatisation of the distribution of electricity.
Prof Mukhi pointed out that the Union Power Ministry in November 2005 had deputed the Indian Institute of Pubic Administration to conduct a study of 12 states where the distribution of electricity had been handed over to private companies. The study was to find out problems in privatising the power distribution. But the Delhi Government did nothing before taking the action, he claimed.
He said that functioning of discoms and privatisation of DVB might be subjected to review by some independent agency. He asked the chief minister to go through all points again before extending the contract of discoms beyond 2007.
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Commuters’
nerves frayed by traffic snarls
Many of the roads leading to Hyderabad House, where the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and President Hu had a meeting, were closed and there were many traffic diversions, causing jams everywhere.
People spent hours reaching their destination as there were jams on Ring Road, in and around Connaught Place, Vikas Marg that connects trans-Yamuna areas with the heart of the city and parts of East Delhi.
Similar traffic jams could be witnessed tomorrow also as the BJP and Left parties are expected to hold rallies on various roads of the Capital.
A rally by thousands of women to demand early passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the heart of the city also contributed to the woes of commuters.
Traffic Police officials said that they had issued an advisory yesterday informing citizens about traffic diversions and the possible trouble spots.
Meanwhile, ten Tibetan activists were detained outside Hyderabad House here today when they made a sudden appearance as Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was holding talks with Chinese President Hu
Jintao.
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Fair on higher education
New Delhi, November 21
Being organised by the European Union at the India Habitat Centre on November 25 and 26, the fair will be preceded by a symposium.
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Expressway flyovers thrown open to public Gurgaon, November 21
With the opening of these two flyovers, the stretch between Km 30 to Kms 34 of NH-8, in Gurgaon, would provide a smooth ride to the commuters.
Also, the movement of light and medium vehicles through the underpasses at these locations will immensely benefit more than 50,000 inhabitants on either side of this stretch in Gurgaon.
The opening of flyovers at Sector 31 (with 560 m length) and Jharsa Crossing (740 m length) follows the opening of Rajokari (in Delhi) and Rajeev Chowk flyovers.
As per the official version, the completion of other flyovers at South City, IFFCO Chowk and Udyog Vihar are also being expedited, targeting their opening by early next year. This would further provide comfort to the commuters, both passengers and commercial vehicles on this route. The highway connects about seven states, including Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
According to Mr Baalu, the entire project, from Rao Tula Ram Marg junction in Delhi till Km 42 in Haryana, will be completed by September, 2007.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that a number of steps have been taken to improve public transport in Gurgaon. They included introduction of Haryana Uday CNG Bus Services, he said adding that.
The CNG fleet is proposed to be increased substan 12 CNG buses were plying and as many are likely to be allotted to Gurgaon within a month for linking various parts of the city with different places in the national Capital.
Fifteen Air Conditioned Low Floor CNG buses are being inducted to serve the commuting needs of residents of
Gurgaontially by adding 150 CNG buses every year, of which a major proportion would be utilised to improve the connectivity of Gurgaon.
Also, new bus stands are proposed to be constructed at Sector 29 in conjunction with the Metro Station to act a feeder for Metro services as well as to meet the other commuter needs.
Moreover, bus stands will also be constructed next to Rajiv Chowk (Main Bus Stand and Workshop) and at Panchgaon, next to Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway.
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Project reports for JLNURM ready
Faridabad, November 21
Speaking to The Tribune, the MCF Commissioner also claimed that the civic body was implementing several projects involving development work in this industrial township, including construction of roads, at a cost of Rs 22.60 crore over a period of 6 months ending October 31. Other projects worth around Rs 16 crore were in the pipeline, he said.
He said while 178.29 kms of roads had either been newly constructed or repaired during this period at a cost of about Rs 16.8 crore, the focus this time had been on construction of RMC (Ready-Mix-Concrete) roads in various wards. A total length of 22.12 kms of such roads had been constructed during this period.
According to MCF authorities, the breakup of the amount spent on various projects included Rs 99.48 lakh on drainage, Rs 2.54 crore on augmentation of water supply, Rs 78.38 lakh on street light and more than Rs 1.47 crore on development of parks in the past six months.
A Superintending Engineer (SE) of the MCF claimed that other projects worth Rs 8.91 crore were “in progress”, while more projects costing about Rs 7.83 crore had been “allotted”.
He said 420 new poles had been erected in the MCF area for providing streetlight at a cost of Rs 78.78 lakh. This includes installation of Victoria lights and solar powered lights at several spots.
Faridabad has a large area covered by slums and unauthorised residential colonies and is notorious for poor civic infrastructure.
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Metro earnings soar due to IITF
New Delhi, November 21
The ridership of 6.22 lakh earned for the DMRC a revenue of over Rs 74 lakh, the highest ever for the Delhi Metro. Before yesterday, the highest ridership the DMRC recorded was on Rakshabandhan on August 9 when 6 lakh passengers traveled on the Metro.
As per a DMRC official, the Metro trains running on its three lines between Shahdara-Rithala, Vishwavidyalaya-Central Secretariat and Indraprastha-Dwarka-Dwarka Sector 9 achieved 100 per cent punctuality with all 1,135 train trips completed on time as per schedule.
The record ridership level achieved by the Metro is largely due to the overwhelmingly large number of passengers using the Metro trains to travel to the IITF. The DMRC had recently inaugurated its Barakhanba Road-Indraprastha Extension stretch, which included three stations of Mandi House, Pragati Maidan and Indraprastha.
The DMRC is also providing entry tickets to the trade fair at Rs 5 less than the actual rates.
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One injured as student fires shots during clash
Greater Noida, November 21
A first year MBA student opened fire at the students of other groups when a clash between them broke out. A fitter working nearby was wounded as pellets of gunshots hit him. He was admitted to a private hospital.
The accused student has since been suspended from the institute and police are investigating the case.
Sumit Yadav, MBA 1st year student and a resident of Ghaziabad, and Visham Sachdev, a resident of Geeta Colony in East Delhi, were at loggers drawn for some days.
According to police, Visham was studying in his hostel room on Monday when Sumit Yadav came at around 1.30 p.m. and asked him for notice of exam on December 12 which Vishan refused to give as he said he was studying.
After some time, Sumit again came and called him outside for giving the notice. When Visham came out, some 6 to 8 youths from a green Maruti and two motor bikes attacked him and started assaulting him. When security guard and some senior students came to Vishan’s rescue, they were also attacked.
At this, a youth in white shirt and trousers started firing from his revolver from his holster. Gunfire created a commotion while fitter Rajesh was hit by bullet pellets. As injured fitter slumped on the ground, the assailants went away waving their weapons in the air, according to sources.
College principal and police were informed. A case of assault was registered.
Sumit Yadav was suspended by the institute management.
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SI assaulted
Noida, November 21 On the same day, two youth, who were also ‘drunk’, dragged a police UP police sub-inspector on vehicle checking duty for about 700 metres. The two incidents of assaulting police SIs by drunkard youth happened within 24 hours. Varinder, Lokesh and Subash reached a petrol pump for filling their car tank with petrol in Sector 52 late night on Sunday. When an employee at the petrol pump asked for payment, one of the youth abused him and beat him up. The SOG SI tried to protect the employee from being thrashed. At this, the alleged drunkard youth abused the SI and started assaulting him too.—OC
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Action plan on dengue
New Delhi, November 21 “A planned strategy is required to fight against diseases like cholera, jaundice, malaria and dengue... Health and sanitation is our main concern,” Dr Shastri said. The Health Minister directed health officials to make a core group to discuss issues related to public health and sanitation in the Capital. The Health services department, MCD and NDMC would work in close co-ordination, he added.—TNS |
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New Delhi, November 21
