New Delhi, February 10
If the Master Plan for Delhi 2021 has its way, a monorail transport system will be on track in Connaught Place. The new plan also suggests sky and battery-run high-capacity buses for Connaught Place, one of Delhi’s busiest commercial areas.

It recommends detailed urban designing and landscape schemes be prepared to integrate metro stations, safe pedestrian walkways, car parks, and recreational and cultural areas in the zone.

Architectural features of buildings in Connaught Place, designed by the British, will, however, not be allowed to be tampered with. “The envelope, the floor-area ratio, architectural features of buildings in Connaught Circus, Connaught Place should be retained as existing,” says the MPD.

Sidewalks, curb cuts, tree and street furniture locations for pedestrians and the disabled should be maintained. The Use of alternative renewable sources of energy should be encouraged for new buildings, especially those of commercial or institutional nature, traffic signals and public signage, it says.

The plan also suggests setting up of open-air theatres, amusement parks, mini-golf courses and food plazas in the zone. Besides this, it suggests the opening of viewing galleries in Connaught Place and its extensions.

Faridabad, February 10
The state government is yet to come out with any new policy for markets and commercial activities in residential areas in the wake of sealing of certain shops and establishments, including those at well-known market of Sector 7-10 here.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has fixed March 8 as the next date of hearing in connection with the sealing of the market. A majority of the shopkeepers in this market have started the sale of products outside the sealed shops by putting up mobile counters. The Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) had sealed more than 350 shops in this market and others in residential areas in the Housing Board colonies of Sectors 7, 10, 22 and 23 here on February 6.

Though there were still a large number of shops in the rest of the Housing Board colonies in other sectors and several pockets of other residential areas across the city, there was confusion among both residents and shopkeepers in the absence of any firm policy to allow such activities in the residential colonies, claimed Rajkumar, a member of the shopkeepers’ association of Sector 10 here.

Admitting that there had been violations of the zoning plan in various areas, he said this could not be stopped if the government did not come out with a clear-cut policy and framed fresh rules. He said the shops in the Sector 7-10 market and in other colonies had been closed and sealed twice in the past two months, but the shopkeepers were still running their business in a makeshift manner in the hope that there would be some relief in near future. He said while a meeting had been held with the top authorities of the government and they had been assured of a proper move, confusion reigned.

According to another shopkeeper, who runs a small general store, he and his family had been living in a dilemma and were dependent on a meager income due to closed business. He said a rumour was doing the rounds that the government may allow such activities on 60 and 100 feet wide roads with certain conditions.

Demanding sealing of other such markets and shops in other parts of the city allegedly violating various norms, he claimed the action could not be justified if the rule for all was the same. The affected shopkeepers and residents of Sector 10 here had asked the government to provide some alternative space in the same sector in view of the closure of the well-established market, but there had been no response so far, though land measuring about 11 acres was available just a kilometre away from the closed market and which was in the same locality, said a local resident.

Noida, February 10
The Noida Authority is coming up with a commercial premises scheme consisting of 16,000 units soon.

This scheme has especially been tailored for those businessmen and traders who have been uprooted or adversely affected by the sealing drive in the national Capital. They are expected to benefit from it in a big way.

The Noida CEO, Mr Sanjiv Saran, said IT and software companies from abroad would also be able to benefit from this scheme. Most software companies preferred readymade infrastructure so that they could immediately start operation. The layout of Sectors 94 and 124 near the Delhi-Noida barrage had been approved. The scheme was likely to be implemented in these sectors, he said.

At the 142nd special meeting of the Noida board, the budget for 2007-008 was also approved, apart from the above scheme. The board has imposed a ban on joining or merging of plots.

The Noida Authority expects a flood of applicants for his scheme, while the investors, too, have high expectations from the scheme, it is learnt.

Out of a budget of Rs 2,986 crore, some Rs 2,840 crore would be spent on various ongoing schemes and projects. The rest of the budget was earmarked for the Metro rail project in Noida, officials said. Out of the total receipt of Rs 3363 crore, a sum of Rs 3,236 crore would be the outlay for various schemes and projects.

The floor area ratio (FAR) had been increased from one and a half per cent now to two per cent by the board. The proposal for allowing sale of property in Shramik Kunj had also been approved. In all, there were items on the agenda for the board meeting this time, Mr Saran added.

New Delhi, February 10
The Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms Sheila Dikshit, today announced that all colony hospitals would be fully developed to decongest major hospitals in Delhi. This would also go a long way in providing quality health services at doorsteps of the people, she added.

The Chief Minister reiterated that “the Delhi State Health Mission has been launched to bridge the gaps in healthcare delivery, ensure an affordable, accountable and reliable primary healthcare service and effectively handle the increased allocation for public health.”

Ms Dikshit expressed her concern over present status of procurement of medicines in hospitals, as patients were forced to remain without medicines a number of times. An idea of floating a special purpose vehicle to streamline procurement of medicines was also mooted. The government would actively consider this proposal, she said.

On the occasion, Health Minister Dr Yoganand Shastri said that Delhi Government was giving top priority to health services for the poor and needy persons. “An action plan for upgradation of existing dispensaries has been chalked out,” he claimed.

He further said that a number of colony hospitals would be developed to cater to the population of two to three lakh people in the area.

The Malviya Nagar Hospital is one of the few hospitals, which was built with a view to provide basic healthcare facilities in the resettlement colonies. It was taken over by Delhi Government from the MCD in October 1997. This hospital is now catering to a population of about 28 lakh residing in South Delhi, as this is the only Delhi Government hospital in South District. Besides, it is a referral hospital for 17 dispensaries in the South District. 

New Delhi, February 10
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today launched another round of Pulse Polio Campaign in Delhi by administering anti-polio drops to a number of children at a simple function organised at Delhi Secretariat. Delhi is all set to make a success of the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme slated for tomorrow.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence Delhi would continue to be a polio-free state. The only threat which Delhi was facing in this regard came from certain neighbouring states, which contributed substantially in the huge migration of people to the National Capital. In addition to this, the floating population, which came here everyday in connection with their employment and other obligations, could also be responsible for cases of polio in Delhi.

“For making a strong nation, we must have strong children, which would only be possible with the success of Pulse Polio Programme. Our state has shown better results in this field. Being a pioneer in Pulse Polio Programme, Delhi is regarded a role model and it would continue to strive hard to completely eliminate polio”, she said.

Ms Dikshit further said last year 300 cases of polio were detected in different parts of the country.

Delhi Health Minister Yoganand Shastri also administered polio drops to a few children. He conveyed his gratitude towards Rotary Club and other NGOs for making Pulse Polio Campaign a grand success in Delhi.

He said 7,500 polio booths would be established tomorrow to administer polio vaccine to lakhs of children in the 0-5 age group. At least 30,000 workers and employees of the Health Department would be deployed to ensure maximum reach from 9 am to 4 pm. The stalls would be stationed at railway stations, ISBTs, public places, including Appu Ghar, major temples, Metro stations, Millennium Park, Delhi Zoo and outlets of McDonalds.

Apart from this, a door-to-door weeklong survey would also be conducted under search and immunisation Pulse Polio Campaign. As many as 17,000 workers in 8,600 teams would visit different colonies, including slum and JJ clusters, to administer polio drops to children. 

New Delhi, February 10
It’s work during the day alone for household industries in Delhi’s residential zones. Reason? Concerned about noise pollution, the new Master Plan has recommended a ban on night shift. The Master Plan envisions residents to sleep tight and have a good night’s sleep. Working in night shifts for household industries or non-conforming industries in residential areas should be prohibited, says the Master Plan for Delhi 2021.

It notes noise has emerged as a major pollutant, a health hazard and a constant source of disturbance in Delhi.

Faulty auto silencers, overuse of horns, generator sets and sound amplifiers leads to increase in noise levels beyond their safe limits.

The MPD 2021 also suggests green buffers made up of thin-leaved trees, mounds and embankments be created along key roads as effective sound barriers in residential zones.

Road designing and surface material should also be noise absorbing, it says.

The MPD recommends the authorities prepare area-wise traffic-calming schemes along with a noise monitoring and control plan.

It suggests re-planning of zones within the air funnel to reduce noise pollution in such areas.

The authorities will also be required to identify environmentally stressed zones and prepare local area environment management plans with a regular monitoring mechanism in place.

It is also necessary to improve monitoring and effective implementation of noise pollution level rules and notifying certain areas as no-horn zones, the MPD says. 

New Delhi, February 10
Light to moderate showers lashed the Capital today, intensifying the chill sweeping through Delhi since the beginning of the week.

The rains, which hit the Capital early this morning, followed a heavily overcast sky in Delhi since last evening. The showers, accompanied by thunderstorms, lent a severe chill in the air bringing the day temperatures down by several degrees even though the minimum temperature rose to 15.2 degree Celsius.

About 10 mm of rainfall was recorded till 1430 hrs, weatherman said.

The met department attributed the fresh spell of rain and thundershowers to the influence of a fresh western disturbance originating from Pakistan.

A cloudy sky is predicted in Delhi during the next 24 hours with more spells of rain and thundershowers.

Today’s showers came after a short burst of light rains and thunderstorms on Tuesday evening which led to a return of chill in the Capital after a couple of weeks of unusually warm weather. 

Gurgaon, February 10
The fourth National Assembly of the Forum of Indian NGOs for Cooperation with United Nations (FINCUN) is being held at the Om Shanti Retreat Centre (ORC) in Manesar. As many as 150 members from 14 states comprising 65 NGOs discussed “Banning of Nuclear Weapons, Economic and Social Employment, the Role of Friendship among Nations and the Culture of Peace.

Several Union Ministers, MPs, representatives of the UN bodies in Delhi, national leaders, jurists, ambassadors, government representatives and eminent speakers from various fields, including Mr Romesh Chandra, President of Honour, World Peace Council, Dr Manorama Bawa, President, All India Women’s Conference, Mr Harcharan Singh Josh, President, Indian Council of World Affairs, Mr Eduardo Faleiro, former MP, President, Indian National Association for the Culture of Peace, addressed the meetings and seminars of FINCUN.

In his inaugural address, Mr Romesh Chandra said the government could not work without NGOs and vice versa.

Mr Brij Mohan, Principal Secretary, Brahma Kumaris, said that Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya was an NGO affiliated to the United Nations having a consultative status with Ecosoc and Unicef. It was granted six Peace Messenger Awards. He opined there was material poverty and it was due to the spiritual poverty in the present world. People must be spiritually awakened and Brahma Kumaris had taken the task to instill humanity in humans.

Sister Asha, Director of Om Shanti Retreat Centre, said the value chosen by FINCUN, cooperation, was a beautiful and leading value in social or business life.

The Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in India was created with the view of consolidating the efforts and strength of NGOs functioning separately and independently in India.

New Delhi, February 10
Malaysian national news agency Bernama has decided to open its bureau office in Delhi. The Information of Malaysia Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin was the chief guest at the time of the announcement in the Capital here today.

Mr Azman Ujang, the editor-in-chief of the news agency, said, “This is indeed a fortuitous moment to have our presence in India given the fact that the country is going through some significant phase in its history, both politically and economically.”

Bernama was incepted three decades ago, in late 1960s and today has offices in many countries, including the United States, China, Indonesia, Siingapore, Thailand and in the UAE. It’s headquarter is situated in Kuala Lumpur.

New Delhi, February 10
Mr Wajahat Habibullah, the nation’s CIO, informed recently that notings made on official files by officers are covered under the RTI Act 2005. He was speaking at a national seminar on ‘Right to Information Act – Strengths and Challenges,’ which was organised by the Maharaja Surajmal Institute based in the Capital.

Mr Habibullah had stressed that the notings were within the definition and parameters on information enunciated by the Ministry of Personnel and Training, Government of India.

He was the chief guest at the valedictory session which was presided over by veteran Congress leader and Parliamentarian, Ram Niwas Mirdha. Mr Habibullah’s assertion is significant as the controversy on notings is still alive.

He further stressed that the RTI Act strengthened democracy and had allowed scope for public participation in governance.

Mr Habibullah sought to allay apprehensions within the government saying that, “The act is not a ‘weapon’ to beat the government with by the public but is a tool to inject participatory democracy. This Act can only strengthen the government.” He also added that awareness in the public on the Act had been consistently on the rise in leaps and bounds.

He further lamented that currently the commission was only able to dispose of 60 per cent of the cases reaching it. He also added that, “The commission is taking strong measures to remedy the situation. It has already engaged the centre on the case of taking measures for further increasing public awareness on the Act.” Audience from different walks of life such as the judiciary, academics, bureaucracy and media took part in the discussion.

New Delhi, February 10
Japanese language skills are in demand due to improving Indo-Japanese economic relations that have pushed up the demand for Japanese language teachers in India.

According to a survey undertaken by the Japanese embassy, India will need to train approximately 30,000 teachers to impart Japanese language skills to higher secondary level students in India by 2010. This need has been recognized by the CBSE in its recent decision to adopt Japanese as a second language in schools.

A large number of IT professionals today require a sound knowledge of Japanese language. Currently, the number of Indian teachers capable of imparting Japanese language skills is under 5000. The Japan International Cooperation Agency or the JICA has been providing Japanese language professors under its Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) programme to help facilitate the training of school level teachers in India.

The JOCV program is being enlarged to bring in Japanese judo trainers and productive health professionals to work in India. These announcements were made at a seminar held in the Capital recently organized by the Delhi Public School, Japan Foundation and the JICA.

New Delhi, February 10
A three-year-old girl was charred to death and two others suffered burn injuries in a major fire that swept through a thickly populated slum cluster in North-West Delhi.

At least 150 hutments were gutted in the deadly inferno that ravaged the J J Colony off the main G T Karnal Road in Bawana locality in the wee hours, fire brigade officials said here today.

The fire broke out at around 11.30 pm last night and 15 fire tenders battled for over two hours to douse the blaze with the narrow by lanes and a hostile crowd making the task difficult for the firefighters.

During the search operation later, fire service personnel found the charred body of Ruksana. Two other residents of the slum cluster suffered minor burn injuries and were discharged from hospital after administrating first aid.

Emergency service personnel had to face the ire of angry slum dwellers, who pelted stones at them, injuring five fire fighters. Residents also attacked on police and fire brigade personnel on the pretext of delay in arriving on spot.

While four firemen were discharged after administrating first aid, the driver of a tender, later identified as Randheer is still in hospital. In another incident, a garment factory was gutted in a fire in Naraina Industrial Area here today. There was no report of any casualty, fire brigade officials said. Fire tenders rushed to the spot and doused the fire with in an hour, they said.

New Delhi, February 10
Police have rescued two peacocks, banned under Wildlife Protection Act, from a shop in Jama Masjid area of Old Delhi.

The raid conducted yesterday at the behest of ‘People for Animals’ (PFA) by the Special Cell led to the recovery of the two peacocks from shop no 3.

The owners of the shop Sadiq Khan and Iqbal Khan, however, managed to escape.

The peacocks, with clipped feathers, legs tied and kept in a polythene bag were bought from Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary. Trading, possessing and hunting of peacocks attracts Section 9, 39, 50 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 besides being illegal under the National Act.

In another incident, police ‘rescued’ a huge owl from Dargah Kali Mulla in Sheikh Sarai. The owl had been bought from Kannauj.

All the rescued animals have been sent to Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre at Raja Garden and a case registered at Jama Masjid police station, the PFA added.

New Delhi, February 10
The Special Cell of Delhi Police today claimed to have apprehended a notorious chain snatcher Ram Gopal from Wazirabad Road. A country-made loaded pistol and two live cartridges were allegedly recovered from him.

A reward of Rs 10,000 had been declared on his head by Delhi Police.

On interrogation, he allegedly confessed to having been involved in many incidents of chain snatching along with his accomplice Vikky and Dinesh.

Riding on motorcycles, the accused and his accomplice allegedly used to snatch gold chains of ladies, the police said.

Noida, February 10
After looting three shops in Noida in the course of one night three days ago, armed robbers struck again. They left with 200 gm of gold, valuables and Rs 10,000 in cash from a tenant in D-95, Sector 56, here last noon. The house is owned by Union Minister Kanti Singh.

Nine armed robbers, who had come in a Wagon R as well as on foot, overpowered tenant Udham Singh and his brother Azad Singh and tied them up before selecting the items to be taken away. They also tried to barge into the residence of chartered accountant Manoj Goel on the first floor.

The security guards at the sector gate failed to note down the number of the Wagon R. The neighbour next door did not hear or see anything amiss, though he had reportedly passed by the house a short while earlier.

The security guards and the neighbours came to know of the robbery when a police team, headed by SSP Rajiv Sabharwal, descended on the premises to inspect the scene of the crime.