New Delhi, January 15
The Delhi Cabinet, at a meeting held today, asserted that Master Plan should be reviewed after a period of every three or five years.

“Many changes take place in the city during a span of a few years that are necessary to be included into the planning. If it is not done, haphazard development takes place,” the Cabinet members opined.

Delhi is a national capital. It is estimated that every year one lakh people migrate to the national Capital from various states of the country. Majority of them live in slums. Keeping all this in mind, it becomes necessary to review the Master Plan after a certain period, the members viewed at the meeting sources said.

It is also decided at the cabinet meeting that a total of 121 suggestions will be submitted to the DDA tomorrow to incorporate into the Draft Master Plan. These suggestions cover almost all ideas offered by the MLAs during the two days’ special session of Delhi Assembly called to discuss the Draft Master Plan.

In the suggestions, the priority has been given on approving the unauthorised colonies on the basis of 1977 policy when about 400 colonies were approved by the Union Government led by the then prime minister late Indira Gandhi. At present, about 40 lakh people live in these colonies. “This is not practical to demolish and reconstruct the colonies,” sources said.

The Cabinet also appealed to the authorities concerned to increase floor area ratio and allow commercial activities in basement. It also appealed to allow construction of high rise buildings in Walled City as old Delhi is very congested area. To accommodate its population, it was necessary to construct high rise buildings, the Cabinet asserted.

It further appealed to reduce conversion charges of mixed land use by one fourth as recommended of the Draft Master Plan, the sources said.

New Delhi, January 15
The Supreme Court today rejected the Uttar Pradesh Government’s decision to stop the departmental inquiry against former state Chief Secretary Neera Yadav, facing a corruption case pertaining to the Noida land allotment scam being probed by the CBI.

The Court directed the Mulayam Singh Government to continue with the departmental inquiry against her, saying that criminal investigation and departmental inquiry against an officer for any misconduct was two different matters.

Neera Yadav, considered to be a confidant officer of Chief Minister, was appointed as Chief Secretary superceding some senior officers but had to resign after the court had taken cognisance of the petition.

A Bench of Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat, Mr Justice C K Thakker and Mr Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta in today’s judgement dealt with the question whether departmental inquiry would be subject to criminal investigation or independent of it.

A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the land scam by Noida Entrepreneurs’ Association.

She was accused of converting the land use plan as the head of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) and getting some plots carved out from the residential colonies to her daughter and son, besides to some bureaucrats and relatives of politicians.

Most of the plot meant for public auction were in posh areas of Noida and Justice K T Thaomas Committee had also given adverse findings against her.

The departmental inquiry had been initiated against Ms Yadav in 1998 but it was dropped in 2002 after the Mulayam Singh Government came to power.

Justice Thomas committee had taken into account the voluminous documents including the CBI investigation report and the report of Justice Murtaza Hussain Commission, set up by the state government.

CBI has already filed a chargesheet against her and some other accused in the land scam before a special court at Lucknow under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The allotments of plots had, however, been cancelled following the Supreme Court order for CBI probe in the scam that came to light in 2002. Justice Thomas panel was of the view that on the material brought before it showed that Ms Yadav had “misused” here position as Chief Executive Officer of NOIDA not only to convert the land use plan to facilitate carving of plots for her family members and some other persons but also amass wealth by corrupt means in the process.

Gurgaon, January 15
Two Assistant Sub Inspectors (ASIs) were suspended today for dereliction of duties in one of the 26 murders, committed by maxicab gang of nine youths last year.

Senior Superintendent of Police Hanif Qureshi informed that an unidentified body was found on July 31, 2006, off the National Highway No. 8 in the jurisdiction falling under Bilaspur police post.

ASI Suraj Mal was made the investigating officer (IO) of the case who arranged for the postmortem of the body while pursuing the case as per 174 of Code of Criminal Procedure.

The doctor in his postmortem report clearly mentioned the deep wounds on the body of the dead person, informed the SSP. But the IO did not convert the case into Section 302 IPC even after the doctor’s report, added the officer.

At that time, ASI Rajender was in charge of the police post and he did not supervise the case as it should have been done, added the officer.

Thus, both the ASIs have been suspended today, informed the SSP.

Here, it may be recalled that a gang of nine youths belonging to village Boharakalan used to give lift in their maxicab on the National Highway No 8. They would rob the passenger and then murder him. They had admitted to murdering 26 persons in 2006. Inspector General of Police, Gurgaon Range, Mr Mohinder Lal who is conducting the investigation into the lapse of police personnel would soon submit his report.

Noida, January 15
Fearing for the safety of its children after the shocking serial killing case came to light, the residents of Nithari village here are planning to carry out community policing to avert such an incident in the future.

We have so many plans to strengthen security and surveillance in our village. In our coming panchayat meeting, we will discuss all these measures, including community policing, said Bikram Pradhan, the former head of Nithari village panchayat.

If the plan turns into action, a squad will be created comprising young people from the village that will patrol the village and surrounding areas.

The squad will be alert for suspicious looking people and activities, Pradhan said.

He said the demography of the village is such that surveillance is a challenging task. The original inhabitants of the village number around 5,000, while over 20,000 people, most of whom are migrant workers, live in rented accommodation in the village.

In fact, the huge population is proving to be a challenge. Parents go to work leaving behind their kids at home. In most of the families, there is nobody to look after the kids, he said.

Besides community policing, the villagers may keep the records of the people coming to the village and staying there. The families, who are renting out houses, may be asked to verify the antecedents of the people taking the house on rent. The panchayat meeting will be convened soon after the present situation settles down, he added.

Meanwhile, the villagers have become more careful in aftermath of the killings and are not allowing their kids to go to school alone.

Now I am taking my kids to school and bringing them back, said Shailendra Mandal, whose two children study in a primary school in Sector 37 of Noida.

Many of the women members of the migrated families work as domestic help in Noida. They are now taking their small kids with them, while going to work. — PTI

New Delhi, January 15
The Municipal Commissioner (MC), Mr Ashok Kumar Nigam, at a Standing Committee meeting, today said that all the suggestions offered by corporators in connection with the Master Plan Draft had already been submitted to the authorities concerned.

“I have already communicated to the authorities concerned about the suggestions given by the councillors. Commercial area, residential area and mixed land use area is not clear in the Draft. In the Master Plan of 1962, every thing was clear in which Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Chitli Qabar, Mori Gate and a few other areas of Walled City was notified as commercial areas. But in the Draft Master Plan 2021 these areas have been earmarked as residential,” the Municipal Commissioner said.

He presented an outline map of Delhi in which the outer area of the national Capital was shown as agricultural land and that area had been earmarked as urban area. At present, the construction of farmhouse and motel are allowed in agricultural land. “After implementation of the Master Plan, building bye-laws will be applied and these constructions will not be allowed,” the Municipal Commissioner said

“I will appeal to the authorities concerned not to apply building bye-laws until zonal development plan comes into existence. In absence of zonal development plan, unauthorised construction may come up,” he said.

He also assured that he would appeal to the DDA that if 50 per cent of the area of the colonies plotted before 1962 had been commercialised, these should be declared as mixed land use.

The Draft Master Plan said that clinical laboratories, image centres and other medical centres should be allowed on the roads not less than 60 meters width. Replying to the Municipal Councillors, he said that it should be allowed on narrow roads also because in maximum cases such centres were run by the non-government organisations. “If amendment is not made in the Draft Master Plan, 90 per cent of these centres will be closed,” the Municipal Commissioner said.

Besides, professional activities in basement, grocery shops in A and B category colonies, more FAR in industrial, coaching centres in residential area should be allowed, the corporators suggested. 

New Delhi, January 15
The BJP Delhi Pradesh President Dr Harsh Vardhan today condemned the decision of Delhi Government to ‘allow’ power companies to hike power tariff.

He said, “The government should learn lesson from the privatisation of power. The government and the power companies should suffer the consequences of their failures. The government should save the public from the onslaught of increase in power tariff.”

He claimed that the BJP had predicted that the privatisation move would not benefit consumers and that the condition of power supply would deteriorate.

He further said that the private power companies would punish the consumers by increasing tariff again and again for its own failures.

“The power companies, the Delhi Government and the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission have conspired to increase the power tariff for the fourth time,” he alleged.

Dr Harsh Vardhan demanded from the government that the power companies should be heavily fined for failing to prevent power theft and that they should not be allowed to hike power tariff.

“The privatisation agreement should be reconsidered. New public welfare agreement should be prepared. There should be necessary legal provisions against power companies to prevent them from investing its earning to its other institutions,” he said.

He alleged that instead of acting in the interests of consumers, the DERC had become a well-wisher of discoms. “This is the reason, why within four and half years of privatisation, the power tariff were increased three times,” BJP leader alleged.

Gurgaon, January 15
The Haryana government is considering a proposal to strengthen the civil administration in Gurgaon in view of the increase in the workload due to expansion of the city.

According to highly placed sources in the government, there is a proposal to create two Haryana Civil Services (HCS). One of the posts will be created in the office of the Deputy Commissioner/District Magistrate and another will be assigned duties in the office of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) as Estate Officer. Already there is a post of Estate Officer in HUDA, but the need for the second Estate Officer is on account of the heavy workload in the department.

The sources said that the proposal was being considered at the highest echelon of the government and, going by the mood of the government, the proposal will pass muster. The decision on the proposal will be taken shortly, perhaps before the end of the current financial year.

The government was also seeking details on the available manpower in the administration, both civil and the police. The present set-up is looking after the administration of the entire district.

The government was said to be especially concerned with the functioning of the police administration and it feels that the additional manpower and logistics, along with structural changes were called for.

Gurgaon, January 15
The industry and the government needed to make joint efforts to ensure Haryana was clean from pollutants and environmental hazards, stressed Mr R. R. Fuliya, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), at an interaction organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here yesterday.

Mr Fuliya, who recently took over as the HSPCB Chairman, touched upon the road map and projects planned by the state to ensure a cleaner and pollution-free state. He dwelled on critical issues, such as waste and water management, solid waste disposal plants, biomedical and hazardous waste etc.

Mr Fuliya said the government and industry should come together to find ways and means to manage the waste generated.

He assured industry and the local associations of the board’s full support for any project related to waste management and other environmental related issues.

In his welcome address, Mr Jatender Mehta, Chairman, CII Haryana State Council, talked about various critical issues affecting the environmental growth of Haryana. He said the non-connectivity of sewage lines in Gurgaon, especially in residential areas, the contamination of underground water, lack of facilities for solid waste management and ineffective drainage system were certain serious issues which warranted immediate attention.

He further added the government also needed to focus on controlling industrial pollution by launching mass awareness campaigns, increasing the number of air quality monitoring stations, controlling air and water pollution etc.

Mr V. P. Bajaj, President, Gurgaon Industrial Association (GIA), praised the government for its new schemes and especially the efficiency shown in issuing no objection certificates (NOC).

While giving his concluding remarks, Mr Arvind Kapur, Vice-Chairman, CII Haryana State Council, mentioned technology was available to address the issues related to waste management. The need of the hour was to educate and generate more awareness in tackling these issues.

During the meeting, it was also decided to form a core group consisting of representatives from the CII and other industry associations from Haryana to discuss and take forward issues related to environment with the board from time to time.

More than 50 delegates representing the industry of Gurgaon, Faridabad and Yamuna Nagar attended the interaction.

Gurgaon, January 15
The administration has started implementing short-term as well as long-term measures to handle the waste and garbage dumped at various places in the city. Large volumes of various harmful gases, such as hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and methane were emitted in the air in the city due to the high percentage of easily biodegradable waste being dumped and spread without any treatment, informed experts of solid waste management.

A strong harmful stench kept emanating from the putrefying garbage which made the entire surrounding area unhygienic, added the experts.

At present, most of the garbage was being dumped at the open ground off the Gurgaon-Faridabad road.

The total waste collected and dumped in the city was around 320 metric tonnes per day, informed Mr S. P. Gupta, Administrator, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

He said HUDA had engaged a private company, M/s Organic Solutions and Firms, to maintain hygienic conditions in handling solid waste.

The firm would spray bacterial solution over the earlier dumped mixed garbage, said the officer, adding that it would also dump the fresh garbage in predefined areas and spray the bacterial solution on the fresh garbage.

This exercise would benefit in composting the mixed waste, reducing the emission of gases and minimising the foul odour, claimed Mr Gupta.

For a permanent long-term solution, the department recently zeroed in on a 30-acre mine at Bandhwari village, 12 km away from the city, to handle the solid waste and garbage, revealed the officer.

This mine, with a 50-ft depth, would serve the purpose for more than 25 years. At this site, the biomedical wastes would be disposed of in accordance with the Bio-medical Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998, and hazardous wastes in accordance with the Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989, as amended from time to time, informed the officer.

This site had been finalised as the wind direction was quite suitable here. The bedrock was available directly, without any top layer of soil, at this site. No natural drainage problem existed in this area. The spring level was very deep. There was no danger to the underground water reservoir. The distance from the airport was more than 20 km. The habitation area was also more than 500 metres away.

A buffer zone of no-development shall be maintained around the landfill site and shall be incorporated in the Town Planning Department’s land use plans. This site had been reserved and debarred by government notification. The land was being acquired under the urgency clause of the Land Acquisition Act, informed the officer. The state government had planned to develop this solid waste management facility using the latest technologies available in the field at the international level. 

New Delhi, January 15
Ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, the police have launched a major crackdown against cyber cafe owners who are not maintaining the records of customers as mandated.

In a special drive to check spread of hoax mails and stop terrorists from using the facilities, police had last month issued a series of guidelines to cyber cafes including keeping a register to enter the whereabouts of all users.

With the R-day round the corner, special police teams conducted surprise checks at internet centres in East Delhi and arrested 18 cyber cafe owners under Section 188 (not obeying orders of the public servant) of the IPC.

Police said the order had been necessitated by the use of these facilities by terrorists, criminals and anti-social elements to endanger the security of the country.

New Delhi, January 15
The Delhi Union of Journalists today demanded setting up of a Media Commission to replace the Press Commission.

It said all forms of electronic and print media should be brought under its ambit.

The DUJ also demanded an end to the contract system of employment in the newspaper industry. — OC

New Delhi, January 15
Cold wave continued to grip the national Capital today as the minimum temperature dipped to 4.8 degree Celsius, two degree below the normal temperature.

The minimum temperature yesterday was 5.7 degree Celsius.

A thin blanket of mist engulfed the Capital early this morning and air traffic remained unaffected.

The runway visibility range at Indira Gandhi International Airport was around 1,000 metre and all flights operated on schedule, airport sources said.

The visibility was around 200 metre in Safdurjang in the morning but improved later in the day.

The maximum temperature was 19.3 degree Celsius, two degrees below normal, the Met Office said. It predicted a partly cloudy sky and minimum temperature at around 5 degree Celsius tomorrow.

The Capital has been under the grip of intense cold wave conditions since the last three to four days with the season’s lowest temperature of 2.6 degree Celsius being recorded on January 8.

New Delhi, January 15
You may not believe it but it is true! This case is a classic example of the malaise of long-drawn court cases that take years before reaching a logical conclusion as was experienced by 47-year-old Paras Ram.

Tis Hazari court took more than two decades to complete the trial in this case.

Paras, a small-time businessman from Sarai Rohilla, had been sent behind bars for one year by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Kanwaljeet Arora for an offence he had committed 21 years ago in 1986.

Besides jail term, the court also slapped a fine of Rs 2,000 on Paras.

However, considering that the accused had already spent 11 months and 17 days in prison during the trial period, the court ordered him to undergo jail sentence for the balance of 13 days.

The case failed to see the light of the day all these years as it changed hands under as many as 12 judges which resulted in the long list of hearings in the matter.

According to the prosecution, one Mukesh Chand Singhal, a resident of Shastri Nagar and the proprietor of M/S Jagdish, alleged that he agreed to deliver paper rolls on credit to Paras and his brother Uday of Manoj Paper Mart.

Singhal alleged that Paras entered into a criminal conspiracy with Uday with the intention of cheating, and after obtaining the goods from him, failed to pay the money in time.

Paras was supposed to pay Rs 1,65,000, but he fled after paying a sum of Rs 20,000 only, alleged Singhal.

New Delhi, January 15
A Delhi court today sentenced three men to rigorous life imprisonment for kidnapping a youth and demanding a ransom of Rs 25 lakh five-year ago.

Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar of Karkardooma Court convicted Sudhir, Ravi Shanker and Dharmender - all hailing from East Delhi, for conspiring to abduct their friend Vijay Kumar and demanding the ransom. — OC

New Delhi, January 15
The police today claimed to have seized over 3,600 fake Dabur Amla hair oil bottles, 40 liters ready to fill oil and nearly 62,000 labels of that brand at a factory in Sadar Bazar area.

The owner of the factory, Satish Kumar, managed to escape. However, a manager of the factory Kanhaiya has been arrested in connection with the case.

The counterfeit products seized during the search operation are estimated to be worth Rs 15 lakh. During the past three raids at various locations of the Capital last month, counterfeit goods of the brand worth Rs 80 lakh were seized.

Raids of such magnitude are an effort to tackle the problem of fake products.

New Delhi, January 15
With the arrest of four persons – Ashok Kumar (41), Sumit Rathi (26), Sohan Lal (19) and Prem Pal (35), the North district police today claimed to have busted a gang of dacoits. — OC