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INLD protests against govt’s policies
Parties form electoral alliance for MC polls
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Hooda’s rally mired
in controversy
Draft Master Plan lacks vision: Traders
Andhra Pradesh,
theme-state of Surajkund Crafts Mela
Cough medication for kids below two can be fatal: Study
DU to improve admission forms’ quality
AIFUCTO slams National Knowledge Commission’s report
Republic Day preparations in full swing
SHO, ASI held for bribe
Admn wants to know names of protesting teachers
IPP promoters divest minority stake to Blue River Capital
Proclaimed Offender held
Temperature falls further
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INLD protests against govt’s policies
Gurgaon, January 16 The protest march converted into a public meeting on the premises of Mini Secretariat, after which the INLD submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Haryana, Dr
A.R. Kidwai, through the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Gurgaon, urging for immediate remedial action. Addressing the crowd, Mr Abhay Singh said while the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi had time to go to Nithari in connection with the serial killing case, no one from the Congress cared to visit Gurgaon in connection with the serial killings of 28persons by maxicab drivers. The Congress president went to Nithari as it fell in the state where a non-Congress government was in power. He said that the Congress government had failed on all fronts during its two years of rule. The law and order in the state had deteriorated. The ruling party had failed to redeem its poll promise to get the remaining portion of construction works completed on the sensitive Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. In the memorandum to the Governor, the INLD took exception to the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project in Gurgaon and expressed concern at the government’s move to give farmers’ land to the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Group of Industries at below market rate for the SEZ project. The memorandum expressed concern at the plight of farmers, saying that lack of electricity had adversely affected their farming business. Also, the INLD complained that the farmers were not getting proper price for their crops. The former Speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Mr Gopi Chand Gehlot, the former state president of INLD, Mr Shamsher Singh Badshami, the MLA from Taoru (Mewat), Mr Shahida and Mr Antram Tanwar were accompanied Mr Abhey Singh on the occasion. |
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Parties form electoral alliance for MC polls
New Delhi, January 16 The PJM has been formed to provide a pro-people alternative to both the Congress and the BJP in the forthcoming polls to the corporation, Mr Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Delhi NCP president and convenor of the PJM, said. Accusing the ruling Congress establishment of promoting ‘mall culture’ at the cost of poor man, the Jan Morcha Chairman, Mr Raj Babbar, said, “A rally will be held on February 11 to protest the anti-poor policies of Delhi Government. We would soon declare the election manifesto of the PJM.” Amarjit Kaur, Secretary, Delhi CPI, said, “Delhiites have been victims of the misrule and anti-people policies being followed by the Congress and the BJP through their successive control over the MCD and state government. “The tall promises repeatedly made by these parties to the people at times of elections have never been fulfilled and the lot of the people have become worst instead of improving, she said, adding that people were looking for a genuine alternative. Echoing similar sentiments, PMS Grewal, Secretary, Delhi CPI(M), said, “Since the constituent parties of the PJM have always raised their voice in defence of the rights of slum dwellers, workers, artisans, hawkers, rickshaw pullers and small shopkeepers, it will not be difficult to make our presence felt in the elections”. The PJM has plans to field candidates from all the municipal wards.
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Hooda’s rally mired
in controversy
Faridabad, January 16 Senior authorities have
reportedly taken a serious view of the ‘goof up’ that happened on
stage and the manner in which ‘comments’ were passed on the speakers
by the person who was doing the anchoring. This was perhaps the first
time when this job had been carried out by a private person instead of
the state Public Relations Department. The district authorities have
expressed unhappiness over the raising of slogans and protest by the
invited ‘guest teachers’, who tried to block the way of the Chief
Minister’s motorcade after the function and the police were forced to
cane-charge the mob. “Nearly everyone, including the VIPs on the
stage were taken aback by the manner in which the person doing the
anchoring of the programme on January 14, passed on his personal
comments on the speeches made by some MLAs and a cabinet minister of
Haryana. This caused resentment to the supporters of various leaders,”
said a media person attending the function. He said while the anchor had no right to pass such comments, the development led to denigration of the official programme attended by the Chief Minister. “Though
the idea of holding the public meeting was to create awareness about a
social issue, it was turned into a political issue,” said a local
resident. The raising of slogans and the attempt made by some persons
holding the banner of ‘Guest Teachers Association’ also irked the
authorities. The things turned bad when a mob of such persons tried to block the path of the Chief Minister, when he was leaving the place. The police had to cane-charge the protestors demanding regularization. The mismanagement was also revealed when the protestors gathered around the official car of the Tourism and Forest Minister, Mrs Kiran Chaudhary, who was among those who left the venue in the last. “It
could have been a serious case of security lapse on part of the local
administration as the mob had gathered around the minister’s car from
all sides and there was no police around for rescue in case of any
mishap,” claimed an employee of the security department. |
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Draft Master Plan lacks vision: Traders
New Delhi, January 16 They presented a memorandum of demands to the Urban Development Minister Mr Jaipal Reddy and state minister Mr Ajay Makan. They demanded that chemist shops and other establishments providing health related facilities should be allowed throughout the Capital without any condition. It is submitted that existing nursing homes, doctors’ clinics, pathological and research laboratories, etc should be allowed across Delhi and proper mechanism should be developed for future growth of medical facilities. “Scope of Professional Category should be enlarged to cover other categories like any non-stocking business or professional activity not restricted under law. Further, professions paying service tax should also be included in Professional category,” the traders demanded. Ban on commercial activities in colonies categorised as A and B did not sound well, they said. The traders body demanded ‘arbitrary’ powers of RWA’s regarding continuance of commercial activities should be withdrawn and the trade bodies operating in respective areas should be given equal status at par with that of RWA’s wherever it was deemed necessary. All pre-DDA Act colonies, resettlement colonies including post-Partition rehabilitation colonies like in Rajouri Garden, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar etc should be declared as commercial areas and be given status of rehabilitation colony, the CAIT demanded. Walled City and its Extensions, Karol Bagh and other areas bearing predominant commercial use and declared as commercial in MPD-1962 should be declared as fully commercial areas and no conversion charges should be Levied, the trade leaders said. Localities developed by Municipal Committee or any other agency prior to 1962 like Kamla Nagar etc should be declared as fully commercial areas because of enormous and large commercial use of properties. Lal Dora and extended Lal Dora Area should be treated as one entity and commercial activities may be permitted on narrow streets below 6 metre width in Lal Dora Area and extended Lal Dora Area. |
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Andhra Pradesh,
theme-state of Surajkund Crafts Mela
New Delhi, January 16 The mela, which begins on February 1, is jointly organised by the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Textile and the Tourism Department of the Haryana Government. Organised
on the outskirts of Delhi at Suraj Kund in Faridabad district, the fair
offers a chance to not only craftspersons and weavers to display their
traditional skills and products but also a platform for exposition of
India’s cultural heritage to the visitors from India and abroad. For these 15 days, the mela site becomes a meeting ground for artists, painters, weavers, sculptors and craftsmen from all over the country. According to Haryana Tourism officials, nearly 300 craftspersons will assemble for the Surajkund Crafts Mela this year to display their skills and products. Besides, special cultural programme will also be organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, and the ICCR in the form of folk and classical dances during the evening at Natyashala. Suraj Kund is situated 16 km from Delhi and eight km from South Delhi and owes its name and existence to the ancient amphitheater Sun Pool, dating back to the tenth century. Incidentally, its remains can still be seen at Suraj Kund. It is after this Sun Pool that this complex has been named Suraj Kund. As per historians, the area was once under the domain of the Tomar clan. Raja Suraj Pal was one of the chieftains of this clan of sun worshippers. It is believed that a temple also stood on its periphery. |
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Cough medication for kids below two can be fatal: Study
New Delhi, January 16 Quoting a US CDC study, published in January issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the experts said, “They are drugs, so they have risks as well as benefits.” In 2005, three infants under the age of six months died from taking such medications. And, from 2004 to 2005, more than 1,500 children under the age of two were treated in emergency rooms for problems related to taking such drugs. The US Food and Drug Administration has only approved the use of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines in children over the age of two. In children younger than two, studies have concluded such medications are no more effective than a placebo. As a result, appropriate dosing is not known. Cold and cough medications, especially medications containing pseudoephedrine (a nasal decongestant), have never been shown to have any beneficial effect on children less than two years of age, yet they clearly can have significant harmful effects. |
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DU to improve admission forms’ quality
New Delhi, January 16 Students last year had complained after filling the carbonless forms impressions were not visible, leading to confusion. “This year, efforts will be made to avoid any such problem. We will try to improve the quality of the forms”, the Dean of Students Welfare, Prof S. K. Vij, said. “We will also see how to design the forms to help the students make best choices with regard to selection of courses etc”, he added. “In addition, the university will bring out a map of Delhi focussing on the exact location of the colleges and their distance from the railway station and the nearest Metro stations. Last year, we had given a map in the brochure. But this year, the map will be more elaborate and clear to help students reach the colleges easily”, he said. With regard to increase in seats following the government’s move to implement OBC quota in central institutions, Professor Vij said the university had not received any guidelines from the government or the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the implementation of the quota. The admission would be conducted for about 35,000 seats at the undergraduate level in 79 colleges under the university. The admission was likely to commence from the first week of June, he added.
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AIFUCTO slams National Knowledge Commission’s report
New Delhi, January 16 Dr V.K. Tewari, general secretary of the AIFUCTO, openly denounced what he described as the “authoritarian approach” of Sam Pitroda, the chairman of NKC. Dr Tewari alleged that Pitroda was trying to serve as a conduit pipe for neo-imperialist education sellers business lobby that blocked the needed democratic discussion even among members of the NKC. In a release, Dr Tewari further stated that, “Just as the Ambani-Birla report was prepared in utter secrecy, Sam’s report also smacked of the same hatred for democratic discussion. Sam preferred to talk to big industry for opening unregulated private business investment in higher education but not the apex body, AIFUCTO, which represents about 4.5 lakh teachers.” He alleged that the NKC had failed to study NPE-1968 which committed to raise GDP allocation for education to 6 per cent by 1985-86 and to implement the neighbourhood common school system and other pro-people recommendations of the Kothari Commission. He further alleged that the NKC also failed to take due cognisance of positive, pro-student recommendations of the NPE-1986 but lapped up only elitism of the same report. Denouncing the NKC report, the AIFUCTO demanded that the report be put to full public discussion.
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Republic Day preparations in full swing
New Delhi, January 16 The cultural pageant of students, comprising girls and boys, would be led by a band contingent playing the ‘Ek Tara’ tune and followed by standard-bearers holding flags of the country’s various regions. Meanwhile, traffic restrictions have been imposed for the rehearsals being held for the Republic Day parade on January 17, 18, 20, and 21, between 0900-1200 hrs. Traffic on Vijay Chowk shall remain closed from morning on both sides – North and South of Vijay Chowk – till the departure of the last contingent. Those working in North block and South block are requested to advance their journey to offices by an hour to avoid inconvenience. Motorists are requested to avoid crossing Rajpath from 0900 hrs till departure of parade on Rafi Marg, Janpath and Man Singh Road and instead move via Ring Road - Ashram Chowk, Sarai Kale Khan, IP flyover and Rajghat. The route via Lajpat Rai Marg-Mathura Road-Bhairon Road-Ring Road and Aurobindo Marg-Safdarjung Road-Safdarjung Chowk-Kamal Attaturk Marg-Kautilya Marg-Mother Teresa Crescent-RML Hospital rounabout-Baba Kharak Singh Marg could also be taken to reach North Delhi or New Delhi. Similarly, general traffic from North side of Rajpath will not be allowed to cross Rajpath to go towards South via Rafi Marg-Janpath Man Singh Road. |
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SHO, ASI held for bribe
Gurgaon, January 16 The Superintendent of Police, SVB, Gurgaon Range, Mr Rajbir Deswal informed that Inderjeet Singh, resident of Mahendragarh complained to the vigilance that SHO Ram Singh and Assistant Sub-Inspector Summer Singh of police station, Mahendragarh, were demanding Rs 6000 for withdrawing his name in the FIR related to a case of kidnapping of a girl. Inderjeet informed the vigilance that he had nothing to do with the kidnapping. A team led by two inspectors of SVB, Mr Dharam Chand and Kurda Ram was prepared to conduct the raid while Tehsildar of Mahendragarh Om Prakesh Godara was appointed as duty magistrate, informed the SSP. As demanded by the police officials, Inderjeet Singh gave Rs 6000 to SHO Ram Singh and ASI Summer Singh in the police station in the morning today. The SVB team along with the magistrate raided the premises and found the money in Summer Singh’s possession. The SVB arrested both the police officials and lodged the FIR under Prevention of Corruption Act. |
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Admn wants to know names of protesting teachers
Faridabad, January 16 District Education Department officials have been asked to submit the list of teachers involved who tried to stop the motorcade of Mr Hooda and raised slogans at the meeting. There are as many as 800 ‘guest teachers’ in the district at present. They are paid a certain amount for taking a class at the primary, secondary and senior secondary levels. While the recruitment of such teachers was made on the condition their services were being availed on demand basis, a few of them had formed unions and associations to demand regularisation, said an official of the department
concerned. |
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IPP promoters divest minority stake to Blue River Capital
New Delhi, January 16 The Blue River Capital is an international Private Equity Fund, focused on growth capital investment in India. Disclosing the deal, Ravindra Singhvi, Chairman, IPP, said, “The demand for high quality packaging from organised retail will increasingly drive the growth of the Indian print-packaging industry. In addition, the emergence of India as a competitive global manufacturing and outsourcing hub will provide an additional impetus to growth. IPP is working towards realising the potential offered by these opportunities.” |
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Proclaimed Offender held
New Delhi, January 16 Following a tip-off, he was apprehended from Kalindi Kunj area. In the same district, four Bangladeshis – Mohd Nabad, Sukhchain, Masoom and Mohd Milan Sheikh – were arrested while they were allegedly planning to commit a dacoity in a house in New Friends Colony area. Three button-activated knives have allegedly been recovered from their possession. Following a tip-off, they were apprehended. However, their fifth accomplice managed to escape taking the cover of darkness. During interrogation, it was revealed that all the four were Bangladeshi. They allegedly confessed that they wanted to commit a dacoity to collect cash before going back to their country.
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Temperature falls further
New Delhi, January 16 The minimum temperature was recorded at 4.5 degree Celsius, two notches below normal and down from yesterday’s minimum of 4.8 degree Celsius, the Met Department said. The maximum temperature recorded yesterday was 21.6 degree Celsius, a degree above the normal for this time of the season. The Met Office said the cold wave conditions were likely to persist for a few more days with the minimum temperature in the Capital expected to hover around five degree Celsius. |
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K.B. Dubey is NTPC Director, Projects
New Delhi, January 16 Mr Dubey joined the NTPC at its Singrauli Project in 1981. He was earlier with Bharat Heavy Engineering Limited (BHEL).
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New Delhi, January 16
Video
