The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Delhi and neighbourhood

	Committee recommends trifurcation of MCD Syed Ali Ahmed Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 5 The Omesh Sehgal Committee constituted by the Union Government to restructure the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has submitted its report to the Union Urban Development Ministry, recommending that the civic body be trifurcated and the Mayor’s Committee given executive powers. The Committee recommended the restructuring of the MCD in three tiers: Nigam, Janpad and Ward. At present, the MCD has 134 wards. The Ward Sabha may be constituted for each of the wards. The councillor may be chairman of the ward and other members nominated from amongst the people of the ward from the categories of urban management experts, resident welfare associations, market associations, retired officials and other non-government organisations, the report says. It said that Ward Sabha may advise the councillor in use of discretionary funds, hearing and redressal of grievances, drawing up an area plan, bringing the micro level problems to the notice of various authorities and keeping a watch over implementation of area plan. Ward officer may be appointed as Secretary-cum-Chief Executive officer, the report says. Besides, the enforcement system may be strengthened and revamped by updating the list of offences and increasing the rates of fines and penalties to bring them to the notice of the authorities concerned. Special Municipal Officers may be appointed on the line of special police officers with authority to sanction prosecution. Municipal courts may be set up at each ward with provision for summary trials. The committee further recommended that each Janpad might have separate deliberative and executive wings with similar relationship and role as in the present MCD. All the councillors, MLAs, MPs whose constituencies or substantial parts falls within the area of the Janpad should be members with voting rights and the Deputy Commissioners of Revenue and police and two or three reputed persons in the area should be members without voting rights of Janpad Parishad. The Commissioner of the Janpad may be appointed by the Delhi Government and would be of the rank of joint secretary to the Union Government. Taxes should be collected and retained by the Janpad and the needs of Nagar Nigam should be taken care of in the allocations to be made by the Finance Commission. The committee also suggested that the Nagar Nigam should have a Mayor Committee (Nagar Palika) headed by the Mayor as its chairman and would have a principal Commissioner who would be the vice-president of the committee. The other members of the committee will include five Janpad Chairmen as non-official members and five official members three from Delhi Government and two from the Central government. The entire executive power should vest in the Mayor’s Committee. The Principal Commissioner will be the Chief Executive Officer and should be of the rank of Additional Secretary to the Union government. He will be appointed by the Delhi Government, the report adds. The Ashok Pradhan Committee recommended about the functioning of the DDA, MCD and NDMC. Reacting to the report, the Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Prof Jagdish Mukhi, said that its recommendations were “meaningless” as the MCD was already divided in 12 zones. “Instead of wasting time on restructuring the civic body, the government should have given full statehood to Delhi. At present, Delhi government does not control law and order as police is under the Central government. It also does not have ownership of land. Once the Delhi is given full statehood, all problems, including civic amenities, will be worked out,” he claimed.
	Move to regularise colonies a poll stunt by Congress, says BJP Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 5 In a joint statement, the Leader of the Opposition in the MCD, Mr Subhash Arya and BJP councillor Mr Vijender Gupta today alleged that the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies was an ‘election stunt’ by the Congress since a majority of its voters resided in such areas. If the Congress had any sympathy with citizens of the Capital, it should have implemented Master Plan 2021 in December, 2006, they said, adding that once elections are announced, the Master Plan cannot be implemented since the election code of conduct would come into force. Tax exemption for properties in villages was also an ‘election stunt’, they alleged. In 2001, during the BJP regime, self-occupied properties in villages were already exempted from the tax net. However, in 2004, these properties were brought under the tax net by the Congress-ruled MCD, the statement said. Mr Arya alleged that the Congress had always been against the interests of citizens. First, under the ‘guise of court order’, it initiated demolition and sealing drives in the Capital against properties built before January 1 this year. Now, an announcement was being made to implement the new Master Plan and amnesty scheme. Moreover, under the amnesty scheme, heavy conversion charges were fixed and that too annually. Also, keeping an eye on the forthcoming elections, a reduction in conversion charges was being carried out, it pointed out. They said that if the Master Plan was not implemented, the threat of sealings and demolitions would linger in the minds of people after the election. Mr Gupta also alleged that trades under the notified 24 categories were allowed on 2,183 roads, but now, shops in DDA flats were being sealed. “This is unjustified. If it does not stop, 950 roads would have to be denotified. During the past seven and a half years, the Congress government in Delhi could not regularise even a single unauthorised colony even though it was a part of their election agenda,” he said.
	Drive to seal Illegal shops Around 233 shops in Faridabad’s Sector 7, 10, 22, 23 face closure Bijendra Ahlawat Tribune News Service Faridabad, December 5 The Municipal Corporation, Faridabad (MCF) is all set to begin sealing of commercial establishments in Sector 7, 10, 22 and 23 from tomorrow. The move comes in the wake of the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to stop commercial activities in the residential areas last month. A compliance report is to be filed in the court on December 8, the date of next hearing, in this connection. Stating that no commercial activity would be allowed in residential areas in these sectors, the MCF Commissioner, Mr Mahtab Singh, said that the department would ensure the compliance of the court order in letter and spirit. He said that the district administration and the police department had been informed about the move and requested to provide adequate police force to avoid any untoward incident during the process. He said that there were around 233 shops functioning in these areas which include 174 shops in sector7 and 10 markets located on 100 feet wide road and 59 shops in sector 22 and 23 in the NIT area. The district administration has also imposed Section 144 in the area to check breach of peace during the operation on Wednesday. It is reported that the authorities had given shopkeepers the option of closing down the shops voluntarily and filing an affidavit before December 6 to avoid sealing. However, officials said that most of the shop-owners of the areas did not approve to this and kept their commercial establishments open despite the notices and warning issued earlier. The corporation had made preparations to begin the drive from December 2, but was told at the last minute to keep the operation in abeyance till the return of the Chief Minister from a foreign tour on December 3. Regarding the confusion regarding exemption to certain type of professionals operating in these areas, the authorities claimed that there had been no order to exempt any category. Meanwhile, the shopkeepers association of sector 7 and 10 markets pointed out that the markets had been in existence for the last several decades and demanded that the government should regularise it keeping its importance and employment factor in view.
	Proposal to set up new police stations approved Ravi S. Singh Tribune News Service Gurgaon, December 5 The Haryana government has sanctioned the proposal of setting up of seven additional police stations in Gurgaon and six in Faridabad. In a communication to the state Director General of Police, the Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Home Department, informed that the government had sanctioned the proposals. According to Mr Mohinder Lal, Inspector General of Police, Gurgaon Range, which encompasses Gurgaon, Faridabad, Rewari, Narnaul and Mewat, in addition, two police stations would also be set up at Hero Honda Chowk and IFFCO Chowk exclusively for traffic policing on the Delhi-Jaipur national highway. In Gurgaon, the proposed police stations will be set up at Badshahpur, Sector 10, Sector 40, Sector 56, DLF Phase-II, Palam Vihar and Civil Lines. The staff needed for them include one DSP, seven inspectors, 14 SIs, 21ASIs, 35 head constables and 280 constables. In Faridabad, the proposed stations will be located at Suraj Kund, SGM Nagar, Sector 55, Camp Colony Palwal, Bhupani and Tigaon. Staff to be posted in these stations include, four inspectors, nine SIs, 18 ASIs, 28 head constables and 175 constables. According to Mr Lal, two Bomb Disposal Squads have also been sanctioned for Gurgaon and Faridabad. He added that the squads had also been sanctioned for other three ranges, one each for Rohtak, Ambala and Hisar. The one in Hisar range will have office in Panchkula. The government also approved the sanctioning of 55 additional vehicles for policing. They will be distributed in the areas in Haryana falling in National Capital Region (NCR).
	Sports policy to be formulated: Sheila Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 5 Delhi Chief Minister Ms Sheila Dikshit has said that Delhi Government was in the process of formulating a sports policy that would support development of small sports clubs and various talent-hunt and training programmes for sportspersons. Releasing a souvenir of a sports club in a function organised at Delhi Secretariat last evening, Ms Dikshit said that small clubs in the Capital had contributed substantially in inculcating sports skill amongst children. These clubs have been functioning in poor colonies and government employees’ colonies. She said that competitive spirit in sports went a long way in achieving excellence apart from enriching brotherhood and sense of co-existence. She added that Delhi Government would strive hard to provide all possible assistance to small sports clubs in Delhi. She appreciated the contribution of Ahbab Sports Club in popularising football in trans-Yamuna area. The souvenir was released to mark 36th foundation day of Ahbab Club. Delhi Development Minister, Mr Raj Kumar Chauhan, presided over the function, whereas MLAs Chaudhary Mateen Ahmed and Mr Rajesh Jain were present as guests of honour. Ms Dikshit said that clubs like Ahbab Club would ignite excitement for Commonwealth Games 2010 for which Delhi was gearing up. She exhorted students to prepare themselves for rewarding competitive skill for the Games.
	Students to get cash for uniforms Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 5 After having expressed reservations about the administration’s move to give money to students of schools run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for buying uniform and bag, the MCD Standing Committee has given its approval, but with a rider. The Standing Committee gave its nod for giving Rs 290 each in cash to students in the civic body’s schools. This will cost the MCD about Rs 30.13 crore, but the Education Department will have to submit a report on the percentage of children who actually bought the uniform and bag. It directed senior officials of the department to ask headmasters of all schools to prepare a report on how many students actually bought one set of uniform (Rs 110), PVC sole shoes (Rs 70) and two pairs of socks (Rs 20) besides a bag (Rs 90) using the money provided for this. The MCD also decided Rs 100 would be given to children enrolled in Class I to III for buying an acrylic jersey. “We had initially opposed the idea but as the officials pointed out the difficulties in the purchasing process, we decided to allow giving cash,” the Leader of the House, Mr Jitender Kochar, said at the meeting. The meeting also decided to give the amount in cash to students though the administration’s plan was to give an ‘open cheque’ in the name of parents. Now, the councillors of the area will give the cash to students at functions to be organised at various MCD schools. Opposition BJP councillor Vijender Gupta said the decision showed there was no policy in this regard and reflected the inability to plan things in advance.
	Nation-wide students’ strike on December 14 Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 5 The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) has called for a nation-wide strike by students on December 14 in protest against the inclusion of education under GATS, fee hike across the board, increased privatisation and commercialisation of education. In a statement, the AIDSO alleged that due to various ‘anti-people’ education policies, the NPE-86 and successive ‘anti-education’ policies of both the Central and state governments, the education system in the country was now facing a deep crisis. The AIDSO has criticised the fee-hike and all out ‘commercialisation’ of higher education which made it difficult for the poor, lower middle class and middle class sections to get benefits in the sector. The organisation also alleged that the government was removing all ‘hurdles’ to bring higher education completely under the purview of GATS. The government has already submitted initial offers on higher education to the WTO and also prepared a bill to facilitate the entry of foreign universities. The members of the organisation informed that if education was completely reigned in under GATS, then the pace of privatisation and commercialisation of education would be accelerated tremendously under the impact of the capitalist global economy. This would lead to an inflated fee structure that will confine higher education to an elite few, they claimed. Also, teaching would get oriented to suit the interests of both foreign and indigenous monopolies and further, the entire administration of education would be brought under bureaucratic control dictated by the policy of globalisation, they alleged. The students further alleged that GATS would help slacken government obligations to provide basic services such as education, health, transport, water etc as GATS on principle opposed government fund allocation. Further, all domestic regulations framed with regard to recognition, affiliation, accreditation, certification and administration by the universities and other academic bodies was to be liberalised facilitating market accessibility of traders engaged in education and this will automatically render the autonomy of universities as useless and the relevance of other academic bodies, including UGC, as worthless, the AIDSO alleged.
	Delhi University students seek discount in Metro fare New Delhi, December 5 A group of Delhi University students have sought concessional passes for varsity students who travel by Delhi Metro. The students’ group, United Students, demanded a concessional pass facility similar to what was being provided by Delhi Transport Corporation in the city. The facility could be restricted to only Delhi Metro Rail Corp’s Delhi University (Vishwa Vidhyalaya) station, it offered. “We are not asking for a freebie, just a rationalisation of costs for students. After all, it can’t be logical to have a DTC pass for Rs 75 for travel all over Delhi for five months and having to pay Rs 42 per day for using the Metro,” group activist Krishna Kaul said. In addition to what it costs (Rs 42) to travel by Metro to the University and back from the subcity of Dwarka in South West Delhi, one had to pay for buses, autos and cycle rickshaws to get to metro stations, he added. United Students had written a letter in this regard to the DMRC chief arguing for a rationalised fare just for students. “According to our calculations, any revenue shortfalls could be more than made up by the advance collections had for buying such passes,” Mr Kaul said. Students coming from long distances and those from economically lower strata find it very difficult to manage their travel costs. — UNI

Man wanted for murder, looting arrested
Our Correspondent

Ghaziabad, December 5
The police today claimed to have arrested a dreaded criminal carrying a reward on his head in Dankore area.

He had allegedly looted a truck loaded with aluminium wires and killed three persons, including the driver and helper of the truck which was headed for Kanpur from Jharkhand.

The police have also seized six revolvers and a large quantity of live cartridges from the criminal. He is wanted for more than 24 cases of looting and murder in Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Noida and Bulandshahr.

The accused is the kingpin of the Jagdish, alias Mohinder, gang. He has also confessed to stealing baggage from railway stations and bus stands.

The Noida SSP said the police had arrested him in Roshanpur village on the basis of a tip-off. He identified himself as Jagdish, alias Mohinder, son of Amar Singh of Katha Garhi under Pisawa police station in Aligarh. He is currently living in Daulat Ganj, Bulandshahr Dehat.

In 2005, he had hijacked a truck, which was on its way from Jharkhand, in Kanpur. The vehicle, loaded with aluminium wires, was taken into the jungle. Three persons, including the driver and his helper, were murdered.

Goods worth Rs 45 lakh were looted with the help of 16 other criminals. The police had announced a reward for information about this.

In the meantime, the Basarakh police informed that they had arrested a person for allegedly operating a gun-making factory. Khurshid, who had given policemen the slip at Haldoni Mode, was nabbed from his village in a raid last morning. Another absconding criminal, Toseef, son of Jaffruddin, was also arrested, the police said.

Appu Ghar to make way for SC office complex

New Delhi, December 5
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Monday cleared a proposal to change the land use of the site where Appu Ghar is located from ‘recreational’ to ‘government office’ in order to pave the way for a Supreme Court office complex.

The complex would include lawyers’ chambers, libraries, record rooms and parking space in an area of 12.19 acres.

SC had been allotted the land by L&DO for its office complex at the site where Appu Ghar is presently located, but its land use under the Master Plan was ‘recreational’. The matter was referred to DDA a few months back. The decision to change the land use to that for ‘government office’ finally came about on Monday.

Earlier, in 2005, Appu Ghar had to part with some 2.1 acres of land for the construction of Pragati Maidan Metro station. DMRC had asked for another 1.5 acres, but the Appu Ghar management declined, citing a pending dispute with ITPO in the HC. — Agencies

Mercury goes up despite drizzle
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 5
The mercury continued to rise in the Capital despite a light drizzle is some parts early this morning.

The minimum temperature rose to 15 degree Celsius, which was seven degrees above the normal during this time of the season. Yesterday’s minimum was 13.1 degree Celsius.

The Met Office said that the cloudy conditions would continue tomorrow as well, with chances of some showers. It attributed the rise in temperatures to ‘western disturbances’ and the resulting cloudy conditions. It would continue like this for a day or two, it said.

The maximum temperature yesterday was 24.2 degree Celsius, one degree below normal, but Delhiites felt the chill as the sun stayed hidden behind clouds.

Encouraging response to apartment scheme in Noida
Parmindar Singh

Noida, December 5
There is a great rush of applicants who want to make the full payment for allotment of flats by the Noida Authority. There are 2,150 flats in the scheme and those who make full payment in advance will get preference in allotment.

According to Noida Authority sources, the number of applicants for registration desirous of making the full payment has already touched 20,000. The Authority had got 30,000 forms printed for this scheme.

The loan facilities offered by banks have helped people in a big way to deposit the full price along with registration of flats.

The Authority had not expected many applicants to respond to this scheme. But, due to a virtual onslaught by applicants, the last date for registration of flats under the scheme had to be extended from November 27 to December 7 to enable people to avail of the opportunity to deposit the full price with registration of flats. Many applicants who had not opted for making full payment at the time of registration are now depositing the full price of the flats to benefit from the preference given by the Noida Authority.

In Parliament
Delhi has 1,200 kids in children’s homes
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 5
There are around 1,200 kids in the children’s homes run by Delhi Government.

“These are abandoned, destitute and neglected children. Most of them are runaway children from outside Delhi,” the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Ms Renuka Chowdhury, told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

She said that the Department of Social Welfare had reported that it had taken adequate steps for tracing the parents of the children and facilitating their restoration. There are ten children’s homes in the Capital that are run by Delhi Government.