New Delhi, January 2
With the January 6 deadline for announcing the new Master Plan 2021 approaching fast, the officials of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and town planners were busy in trying to bring about a consensus.

The local politicians, cutting across party lines, have been trying to persuade the town planners to go it easy on ear marking roads and areas in various colonies for commercial purposes in the wake of the contentious sealing drive.

The agitating traders have been appealing to the politicians to ensure that the traders are properly accommodated under the new Master Plan.

However, with the courts looking over
the necks of the town planners, their job has not been easy.

In the recent meeting, the four politician members of the DDA walked out in a huff over the issue. They all have asserted that they would oppose the Master Plan in the Assembly.

Meanwhile, traders have decided to continue with their agitation with unity and have formed a vote bank to pressurise the politicians as the elections to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are only a couple of months away.

New Delhi, January 2
Dense fog enveloped the Delhi skyline for the second consecutive day today, even as the severe chill sweeping through the Capital city continued to put Delhiites in a freeze.

After yesterday’s sharp dip in visibility, the skies in Delhi continued to be fogged out this morning, playing havoc with flight schedules at the international airport for the second consecutive day. Also, a severe chill continued to sweep through Delhi with cold North-Westerly winds contributing to the chilly weather conditions.

The maximum temperature rose just slightly, from the season’s lowest of 14 degree Celsius yesterday, to 17.2 degree Celcius, which was five degrees below normal. The minimum was recorded at 8.6 degree Celcius.

The dense fog, which reduced visibility below 100m in the early hours this morning, led to cancellation of as many as 50 domestic flights, scheduled to depart from the international airport.

“While 50 domestic flights scheduled to depart from the airport were cancelled, 36 domestic arrivals had to be cancelled due to poor visibility. Also cancelled were one international departure and one international arrival,” a spokesperson of the Airports Authority of India said.

Arrival and departure of 30 flights, including eight international flights, were rescheduled due to fog.

“The dense fog, which plummeted visibility to near zero on the night of December 31, did not abate till this morning with the result that the low visibility procedures had to be put into operation till the forenoon, he said.

He said the low visibility procedures have been in operation since 2042 hrs on December 31. The situation, however, improved after noon with the bright sunlight in the sky leading to the abating of the fog. The next few days could witness a further abatement of fog with weathermen forecasting that the intensity of fog over the region is likely to reduce during next 2-3 days. Also likely to abate during the next 24 hours are the cold wave conditions in Delhi.

For, even though night temperatures are likely to fall over plains of North-West India during the next 24 hours, they are likely to witness a rise thereafter.

Weathermen have forecast a drop in minimum temperature to 7 degree Celcius. 

New Delhi, January 2
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)’s ‘success story’ has led students of top management schools in the world like the Harvard University, the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Wharton School to take ‘a leaf out of its book’.

The DMRC’s management and project execution techniques, which have contributed in large part to the completion of Phase-I of the project before schedule and within the budgeted cost, have attracted the attention of these top business schools of the world, who are using their study trips to India to gain valuable management tips from the DMRC.

Thirty-six students from the Wharton School under the University of Pennsylvania visited the Delhi Metro last week to converse themselves with techniques used by the DMRC to construct the world-class Metro in a congested city like Delhi two years and nine months ahead of schedule, and that too within the budgeted cost, the DMRC sources said.

The DMRC informed them the management philosophy of DMRC - ‘time is money’ - is based on the cornerstones of punctuality, commitment to work and professional competence.

Close on the heels of management students of the Wharton School, students from the John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and the Stanford Graduate School of Business will visit the Delhi Metro over the next few days.

In the past, too, teams from the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, the Indian Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Management, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have focussed on Delhi Metro to study the various management techniques employed by the DMRC in construction of its phase one.

New Delhi, January 2
Two days after the Conditional Access System (CAS) was made mandatory in parts of South Delhi, confusion still prevailed in homes. While there has been a rush for the Set Top Boxes (STBS), residents complained that these were in short supply.

It is apparent that the suppliers of the STBs were caught napping even though all were aware of the deadline set by the court. Another reason for the confusion was that the cable operators were themselves not sure of the conditions. As a result, more than 40,000 homes went without TV on the first two days of the New Year.

Under the CAS, the consumer pays for only those channels he prefers to watch. 

New Delhi, January 2
The ninth edition of the National School of Drama’s fortnightly ‘Bharat Rang Mahotsav’ will be held from January 6.

The festival, to be launched by the Union Tourism Minister, Ms Ambika Soni, will have 52 performances, including 13 from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Germany and Uzbekistan.

Indian plays will feature directors like Prasanna, Nadira Babbar, Sunil Shanbaq, Zuleikha Chaudhary and Koushik Sen.

International dance theatre groups will also be part of the festival. Renowned German dancer-cum-choreographer Sasha Waltz will perform at the inauguration ceremony.

New Delhi, January 2
An 11-year-old minor testified in tears in a court that her father had raped her but said she still loved him more than her mother and wanted him to reform.

“On the fateful night, mummy had gone outstation and my father was at home and he committed the wrong act (rape) with me,” said the victim who was in tears while deposing.

“I love my father and want him to mend his ways,” said the victim insisting that she loved her father more than her mother and was very obedient to him.

The minor’s statement in the court was recorded in the court of Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Reena Singh Nag who allowed it saying, “I am satisfied that the witness is understanding the questions and replying intelligently. So, let her be examined.”

The ASJ asked the girl, who appeared scared, to sit beside her and recorded her statements recently.

Dharmender, the victim’s father, had made another attempt of sexual assault at her after another five days, but had to withdraw after she threatened to tell her mother about the incident, she told the court.

“My parents separated because I had told mummy the conduct of papa,” said the victim at Karkardooma courts here while answering the prosecution’s query as to why her parents had been living separately.

New Delhi, January 2
The South-West district police today claimed to have arrested a notorious criminal of UP, Manoj Kumar Dubey, allegedly involved in two dozen cases registered in various police stations of both UP and Delhi.

Following a tip-off, the accused was apprehended in Kapashera area on the eve of New Year celebrations. When a pulsar motorcycle was signaled to stop, the rider, Manoj, tried to take a U-turn but was overpowered after a brief chase.

A loaded country-made pistol was allegedly recovered from him. Later, the motor cycle he was riding was also found stolen from Kotla Mubarakpur area.

During interrogation, he allegedly told the police that he had shifted to Delhi a few months ago to evade arrest from the UP police. He was residing in a rented house in South Delhi.

Gurgaon, January 2
Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has taken various initiatives to check corruption in the department. Computerisation of all records and files, installation of close circuit television (CCTV), issuance of identity cards to all HUDA employees are some of the measures already taken by the department.

According to the highly placed sources, the Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has recently instructed the officers of various departments to “take utmost care not to harass the lay man and ensure the completion of their works without any favour”.

Mr S P Gupta, administrator, HUDA, Gurgaon zone, informed that there were many incidents when clerks reported about the missing of a particular file or paper to serve their vested interests. This process caused delay in the completion of work, he added.

Thus, to prevent such cases, the department
has decided to feed its whole records and data on computer till March 2007. After this deadline, all records would be available on computer, claimed the officer.

Close circuit cameras have been installed in the entire building of HUDA complex. A vigil at every nook and corner of the office can now be maintained. Administrator and the estate officer (EO) can now monitor any suspicious activities in the HUDA office.

Identity cards carrying the photo and designation of the employee have been issued to the staff.

It had been observed that a number of property dealers, real estate agents and middlemen kept visiting the HUDA office and many of them either gave bribes to officials of the department or deceive the visiting people by posing as a HUDA employee. The CCTV and issuance of identity cards would help in curbing such activities, claimed Mr Gupta.

It had also been decided that the department would complete various works in a limited time frame. Building plan letter would be issued within 32 days, conveyance deed within 25 days, DPC – 15days, Final transfer 17 days, Mortage permission – 25 days, No dues – 25 days, Occupation certificates – 28 days, Roof level – 15 days, Possession – 14 days, Sewerage connection – 22 days, transfer permission 25 days, Up to date account - 21 days and water connection must be issued within 22 days.

Mr Gupta informed that if any person found that his particular work was not completed within the stipulated time frame, then he might meet the Estate Officer and lodged his complaint.

“If he is not satisfied with the working of the EO, he must meet me personally immediately,” advised the administrator.

The department has already opened a single window for the masses for submitting their applications.

“If their works are not executed, then they can approach the customer care point and seek the reason for the delay,” the officer added.

The administrator further claimed that the policy of transparency had already started yielding result, which was evident in the open auction held on December 15.

A shopping complex measuring around one acre was auctioned in the previous regime in January 2004 for Rs 7 crore. This auction was then cancelled on technical grounds. The same plot had now been auctioned for Rs 102 core, informed Mr Gupta.

The business community has come forward to invest in properties being auctioned by the HUDA, claimed the official.

New Delhi, January 2
Overwhelmed by the ‘success’ of its ‘Buy one, get one free’ CFL offer, the BSES has extended the scheme till March 31.

In the past two months, over 1.50 lakh CFL’s have been sold. This is likely to reduce the maximum power demand nearly by 10 megawatt.

According to sources, consumers have enthusiastically accepted this energy-conserving scheme provided by the BSES. The scheme was launched in tandem with the Indo-Asian Fusegear Limited, one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of CFLs in India, on October 24 last year. In two months, over 1.50 lakh CFL’s have been sold from the 52 kiosks set up at BSES customer care centres and select cash counters.

An official of Indo-Asian Fusegear commented the ‘Buy One, Get One Free’ CFL Scheme for BSES customers not only helps in saving energy but also leads to substantial monetary savings. He added, “No other discom in the country has been able to replicate the offer.”

However, data collected on the scheme revealed interesting trends. Data indicates that West Delhi consumers of BSES’ scheme took a lead in energy conservation by buying over 55,000 CFL’s. While South Delhi stood second with over 50,500 CFL’s being bought. East and Central Delhi are at the third and fourth position respectively with over 33,700 and 10,700 CFL’s being bought.

Moreover, it was observed that the 15-Watt CFL (equivalent to 75-Watt at Rs 150 for 2) is the most popular among customers with over 61,000 being bought. While, the 11-Watt CFL (equivalent to 60-Watt at Rs 135 for 2) sold nearly 44,600 pieces closely followed by the 20-Watt CFL (equivalent to 100-Watt at Rs 200 for 2) which sold over 44,000 CFL’s.

Substituting the normal incandescent bulbs with these low consumption and high brightness output, the BSES claims that CFL offer will lead to massive savings. 

New Delhi, January 2
Had it not been for some of the landmark judgements by the Delhi High Court, the year 2006 would have gone down in history as the one in which influential perpetrators of gruesome crime managed to go scot-free.

The convictions in the Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Matoo murder cases, orders for removal of illegal constructions and cleaning up of the river Yamuna in the Capital were some of the judgements which concerned the common people.

A bench comprising Justices R S Sodhi and P K Bhasin of the Delhi High Court set aside the order of the trial court and awarded life imprisonment to Manu Sharma, son of a senior Haryana Congress leader Venod Sharma for killing model Jessica Lal at a night club run by socialite Bina Ramani on the night of April 29-30, 1999.

Two of his accomplices Vikas Yadav, son of former Parliamentarian D P Yadav, and Amardeep Singh Gill alias Tony, an executive in a multinational firm, were sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy and destruction of evidence.

The same bench had earlier set aside the acquittal order and awarded death sentence to Santosh Kumar Singh, an advocate and son of a retired senior IPS Officer for raping and killing a Delhi University Law student Priyadarshni Mattoo at her residence in South Delhi on January 23, 1996.

As a result, the year ended on a happy note for the judiciary, rekindling hope of the common man of getting justice.

When the bureaucrats, the executive and the legislature failed to check the mushrooming of unauthorised constructions in the Capital, it was the judiciary which took up cudgels on behalf of the beleaguered citizens.

A bench headed by the then acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain, did not hesitate to go beyond even the confines of law when it came to cleaning up of the river Yamuna, beautification of the area around Jama Masjid and the famous Chandni Chowk, removal of encroachments from the ridge (the green belt of Delhi) and developing the grave of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

Expressing anguish over the ‘cosmetic and selective demolition’ carried out by the municipal authorities, his bench had flayed the MCD for following a pick-and-choose policy and succumbing to the pressures of the ‘big fish’.

Without mincing words, he had asked the MCD to load the list of unauthorised and illegal buildings on its website, which would help alert a potential buyer.

The high point of the order was the action to be initiated against errant officials for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices.

“The action should not be confined merely to junior engineers and assistant engineers, but should apply equallyto deputy commissioners, superintending engineers and other high-ranking zonal officers. The entire thing appears to be only a drama,” it observed in its scathing order.

Gurgaon, January 2
In a broad daylight robbery case, two youths on motorcycle looted an employee of a firm of more than Rs two lakh on national highway at gun-point.

The victim, an employee of B.K. Industries, was returning from DLF area to his office after collecting the amount. He was on a two-wheeler.

The two youths followed the employee and stopped him at the national highway at Shankar Chowk, and looted the purse from him.

They escaped after the incident.

The incident has invited frown from several quarters, especially in the industry circles.

The incident reinforces the point that apart from traffic related problems the roads and the highway along with sideways are becoming vulnerable to loots and other criminal activities.

New Delhi, January 2
Truck rentals continue to rule despite Re 1 per litre reduction in diesel price from November 30, 2006 and the recent deduction from 10.9 per cent to 6 per cent in manufacturing growth.

Besides, truck rentals remain firm due to curtailment in overloading of trucks brought by the Supreme Court order directed to ban over-loading of goods carriages and the unabated increase in the movement of untaxed cargoes in several states. The business has witnessed 8 to 10 per cent rise in truck rental/hire charges on truck routes as against 5-6 per cent rise in operating expense.

The Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT), an autonomous body, engaged in research and monitoring of transport and automobile sector has been carrying out a survey of truck rental movement in the country since several years. The IFTRT has conducted studies on diesel price and its impact on truck rentals with specific reference to post-administrative price dismantling regime for petroleum products since April 2002. The international crude prices have been ruling around $60-62 for the past couple weeks. The IFTRT has also examined the impact of Re 1 per-litre diesel price reduction on truck rentals and retail freight rates.

Truck rental from October 2005-May 2006 has risen by 15 per cent due to the impact of the Supreme Court order banning overloading of trucks and there was no corresponding increase in diesel price. The past year has witnessed an increase of Re 1 per litre. The latest reduction imposed in November last year hardly creates any changes in the truck rental on major truck routes.

However, the state government and the centre must take effective measures to curb mass movement of untaxed cargoes on intra-state and inter-state routes as belligerent transporters and traders have with ingenuity escaped the modern taxation system of Value Added Tax introduced last year.