New Delhi, July 11
As majority of the Blueline buses stayed off the road after the transport department launched a drive against them, the Delhi government threatened to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to bring the buses back on the roads.

This decision was taken today after a review meeting on the bus crisis with transport minister Haroon Yusuf and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

The bus operators have been directed to install speed governors in their buses within seven days to bring them on road. If they do not meet the deadline, the government may invoke ESMA.

To meet the public transport need, the government directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to bring its 925 buses to Delhi from the National Capital Region. These buses will be plied on the capital roads from tomorrow. Of the 4, 200 Blueline buses only 600 buses were on the road today. The operators are not plying their buses either to pressurise the government to withdraw its drive launched against them or the buses do not fulfill the conditions of the transport department.

The government also appealed to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to add additional coaches to metro so that the maximum commuters could use it. The transport department has threatened the auto operators for sever actions for over-charging passengers.

The department has issued tenders for 1000 buses to be plied by corporate houses. The Blueline operators can also operate if they come in the form of corporate houses. The corporate houses have to own at least 100 buses.

The minister said that from tomorrow the DTC buses would operate in the city from 8a.m to 8p.m. The DTC buses deployed in schools and on contract carriage system would also be withdrawn for the benefit commuters.

Leaves of all the DTC officers and officials have been cancelled. They have been caled to tide over the crisis. Officers are on enforcement duty, the minister said.

Meanwhile, president, Blueline bus operators union, K. R. Khera ,said that the accident rate of the DTC buses was higher than the Blueline. Within three days it was involved in five accident cases. The government directive on speed governors had made hundreds of buses to queue up in front of select shops in the Capital .Speed governors were installed only in 14 buses today.

At a meeting with the transport minister the bus operators assured that the buses would be on roads as soon as they get the part.

New Delhi, July 11
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has stated that population stabilisation would facilitate better living conditions in the country. The Chief Minister said this addressing a sensitisation programme for youth and adolescents organized jointly by the National Population Stabilisation Fund, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, NSS, NLM and WHO on the occasion of the World Population Day today. More than 500 youths of 16-20 age group from the underdeveloped villages of Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh were present.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister called upon the youth to enhance their understanding of population and gender issues. She underlined the importance of stabilisation of population as natural resources were not going to suffice forever for the rapidly increasing population.

She mentioned that her government had introduced a Yuva Programme in schools to sensitise students on the changes during adolescent age and make them abreast of the changing social structure. The objectives of the programme includes familiarizing the adolescents and youth on the issues related to size and growth of Indian population in general and growth of population in their own states and districts in particular.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 11
On the occasion of World Population Day, Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh - a society of the union health and family welfare ministry -organised a sensitisation programme for youth from the eight highly populated states here today.

Anbumani Ramdoss, minister for health and family welfare, released a CD on the GIS mapping and census data at the inauguration in the capital.

Wishing India to reduce population he said, "It is disheartening to see 16.8 per cent of world's population residing in 2.4 per cent of world's land. Population thereby becomes a hindrance to the path of development for an otherwise gifted country like ours in terms of resources."

He insisted on using population control measures in place of population stabilisation for he believes birth control only can now lead to population stabilisation. "We supplied 1.6 billion condoms this year for a population of 1.1 billion but simply providing birth control pills and condoms doesn't help, role of sex education and literacy is pivotal here. Coaxing people to indulge in family planing is difficult but educating and sensitising them towards the need of family planning is required." he added

In an attempt to spread awareness in rural areas, 500 people from the age group of 16-20 from underdeveloped villages of eight states ,including Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh ,were invited to familiarise them on issues like child marriage, spacing between births, maternity health and use of contraceptives and birth control pills through  chat sessions, theatre plays, screening of documentaries and quiz competitions.

"Population issue is a huge problem which cannot be tackled by the health ministry alone,  It is the collective responsibility of state, NGO's and individuals who need to be informed about the importane of family palning." said Shailaja Chandra, executive director, Jansankhya Sthrirata Kosh.

"We aim at reaching out to the masses .

For this we are about to launch call center service where information on birth control measures shall be given, besides one can candidly ask questions on sex related problems ," she added.

Gurgaon, July 11
The current power crisis in the state,particularly in Gurgaon is because the state has failed to augment its power generation capacity over the years. The out-dated and thin power enabling infrastructure like transformers,cables result in frequent and long breakdowns. Added to it is the "line losses" which includes power theft,. The successive governments' policies of pinching the city dwellers by raising taxes and leaving out the consumers in the villages.

Apparently alarmed by the unfolding situation the financial commissioner and principal secretary, power, Ashok Lavasa ,held a meeting of officers of the Haryana Power Utilities,Haryana Urban Development Authority,Town and Country Planning Department and Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation in Panchkula yesterday to make necessary arrangements of transmission and distribution of power in Gurgaon and nearby Manesar.

According to official sources,managing director,Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Ltd, P.K.Das,is said to have briefed the meeting that the Haryana Power Utilities has estimated that the total load of the area would be 7654 MVA by the year 2011 for which 124 new sub-stations were required to be set up.These included three sub-stations of 400 KV,nine of 220 KV,seven of 66 KV and 105 of 33KV.

He further revealed that it had been planned to set up three new 400 KV sub-stations in Sector 71-A,Sector 8(Manesar) and Daulatabad which would be constructed by the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd,HSIDC and HVPN ,respectively.The HVPN has also planned to upgrade the existing 220 KV sub-station in Sector 20,here,to 400 -KV level.There was a proposal to set up another 400 -KV sub-station at Dananunda(Mohindergarh).

Das also said that the existing capacity of 220 -KV sub-station ,IMT,Manesar would be augmented by the HVPN and the HSIDC each by installing transformers of 100 MVA during the current year.Besides,the existing capacity of seven 66 -KV sub-station located at Sector 10-A,Sector-34,Sector-44,Sector 56,DLF ,Gurgaon,Bhora Kalan and Pataudi would be augmented shortly.Also,it has been proposed to immediately set up 13 new 220 -KV sub-stations depending upon the future load requirement with interconnectivity of all the sub-stations.

Each 220 -KV sub-station would have power transformer of 160 MVA instead of 100 MVA ,which could take care of the expected load growth of the areas.All 220 KV proposed sub-stations would have interconnection with each other so that in case of fault in any of the line,the power at each sub-station was available from other end.

New Delhi, July 11
The legality of the Delhi High Court order banning plying of cycle rickshaws in Chandni Chowk here was today challenged in the Supreme Court by an NGO on the ground that it amounted to judiciary encroaching upon the jurisdiction of executive and legislature.

Taking cognizance of a writ petition by the NGO, Initiative for Transport and Development Programme (ITDP), a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran issued notices to the Delhi government, city police chief and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), seeking their replies.

The notice was also issued to Hem Raj on whose public interest litigation (PIL) on Capital's traffic problems, the High Court had passed the order banning plying of cycle rickshaws in Chandni Chowk, which virtually remained choked due to unprecedented traffic conjunction.

Though the High Court had passed the order in May 2006 banning the cycle rickshaws in Chandni Chowk and directed to ply CNG -operated mini buses there for the benefit of commuters, the direction was enforced by the MCD and the Delhi Police only from June 1 this year.

The ITDP in an appeal, moved before the apex court challenged the High Court order, claiming that apart from violating Articles 19(1)(g) and 21 of the Constitution providing professional freedom and right to life, respectively, the impugned direction was "beyond the jurisdiction of the court".

"The right course should be for the legislature to enact laws on traffic issues, the municipal and traffic authorities to prescribe procedure under such laws to regulate the traffic and the courts to interpret them," the NGO in its appeal said.

It also pointed out that the High Court had passed the order without knowing the views of thousands of rickshaw pullers, who were directly affected due to the ban order as it amounted to denying them opportunity to earn their livelihood.

The petitioner also said that the cycle rickshaws in the city were being operated under the rules framed as per the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1960, which provide for granting licence for them.

Besides, the deputy commissioner, holding charge of traffic police in the Capital had been authorised under the Other Traffic on Road and Streets Regulation, 1980 ,and the Delhi Police Act ,1978 to control the traffic.

In such circumstances, the main question to be decided by the apex court was whether the High Court had powers to pass such prohibitory order when under the law authorities had been designated to decide the issue, the NGO contended.

It also stated that the order was passed without knowing the views of technical experts on traffic regulations. The High Court merely had appointed a committee of lawyers to make an on the spot assessment of traffic problem in Chandni Chowk and the panel could not be described as a body of experts, it said.

"What is being done, is that the High Court is taking the decisions for traffic management and is itself overseeing its enforcement.

Such a situation is clearly impressible in law," the NGO said while seeking to set aside the High Court order and permit the ply of rickshaws in the heart of the old city.

New Delhi, July 11
Ved Prakash Gupta, chairman of the Garden Committee, MCD, on Tuesday announced that the corporation was starting Van Mahotsav 2007 from July 16 with a view to augment greenery in Delhi and recharging the depleting water table. The Van Mahotsav function will be inaugurated at the Municipal Park by Vijay Kumar Malhotra, MP from South Delhi.

Arti Mehra, Mayor of Delhi, Savinderjeet Singh Bajwa, deputy mayor, Vijender Gupta, chairman, Standing Committee, Subhash Arya, Leader of House, Ajit Singh Tokas, deputy chairman, Garden Committee and Jai Kishan Sharma, Leader of Opposition, will plant saplings on this occasion. The inaugural function will be presided over by Ved Prakash Gupta.

Giving details, Gupta said that Delhi had witnessed rapid urbanisation in the last few decades putting pressure on its green covers.

Besides, the number of vehicles is also increasing rapidly. He claimed that though the introduction of CNG had significantly reduced air pollution, yet increasing the green cover was imperative for curbing pollution as well as ground water recharge.

The Delhi government under the Green Delhi Action Plan has assigned a target of planting two lakh trees to the MCD. Accordingly, the civic body has formulated a plan under which saplings will be planted on both sides of roads, parks, gardens, municipal schools and other institutions, both banks of nallahs and sanitary land fill sites.

An Action Plan has been formulated by the MCD in this regard under which 18,760 saplings will be planted in Rohini zone, 32,693 in Najafgarh zone, 40,601 in West zone, 20,866 in Shahdara South zone, 12,481 in South zone, 9,453 in Karol Bagh zone, 15,625 in Narela zone, 13,872 in Central zone, 16,355 in Shahdara North zone, 2,229 in Sadar Paharganj zone, 9,063 in Civil Lines zone, 5,155 in City zone, 50 in Roshnara Bagh, 50 in Rajiv Gandhi Smiriti Van and 3,000 in various JJ Clusters.

Gupta further disclosed that in every zone of the MCD, at least one herbal park would be developed and in each of the 272 wards at least one children's park and two ornamental parks would be developed. Before Commonwealth Games, 500 additional ornamental parks will be developed in Delhi.

Fertile soil will also be made available at the municipal parks. Modern playing apparatuses will be provided in parks. All the grills will be painted well before Dusshera.

The chairman, Garden Committee informed that after the inauguration of Van Mahotsav, similar functions would be organised in all the 12 zones of MCD.

Gupta said that saplings would be distributed free of cost to citizens of Delhi through a chain of municipal school buildings and selected petrol pumps.

Tulsi plants would also be provided to citizens on demand. 

New Delhi, July 11
The BSES' vigilance team with the help of an alert customer managed to bust a gang of imposters-posing as BYPL enforcement officials - operating in East Delhi's Laxmi Nagar and adjoining areas. Earlier, the vigilance department received a complaint from a resident of Main Mangal Bazar , Laxmi Nagar (name withheld on request) that a group of six persons, posing as BYPL enforcement officials, visited his residence to check the meter. After checking,they proclaimed that the meter was slow by 80 per cent and informed the customer that since this was a grave offence, he was liable to pay a penalty of Rs 1 lakh.

Faridabad, July 11
While the health department observed the 'World Population Day' today by taking out a rally of children and health workers and appealing to the people to keep their family small, the authorities concerned have yet to take any concrete measure to check population.

The district has a population of over 21.94 lakh in the last census held in 2001. It recorded a growth of 48.56 per cent from 1991, the highest in the state.

The office of the district civil surgeon here held a rally of schoolchildren on the occasion of the population day, with the participants carrying placards and banners bearing various slogans.

It was stated on the occasion that the department would motivate more men to adopt sterilization in 2007. But certain experts and NGOs feel that it was just wastage of funds and time to observe the day in such a manner. According to Rishi Kant of the Shakti Vahini, an NGO here, the official machinery seems to have found an easy way to avoid the responsibility of checking the population growth. They just use the funds to stage rallies or hold seminars in schools.

He asked the government to announce motivational schemes, including priority in government jobs or other facilities for the small families and the couples who have adopted one or two-child norm.

Describing the involvement of schoolchildren in the rallies on such occasions as irrational, Shailender Singh of the 'Punar Jagran Sanstha', a social body, claimed that it was the youths who need to be made aware of and not the small children.

Instead of holding functions, the government should come out with some concrete measures through legislative means.

New Delhi, July 11
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has announced that swimming would be made compulsory for all students of government schools in view of ensuing Commonwealth Games.

The government is committed to provide better sports facilities and infrastructure to enable students to make themselves competent to face challenge of medals in the ensuing games.

Addressing third annual conference of heads of schools, the Chief Minister announced that the results of 6th, 9th & 11th classes would also be made online to enable parents and teachers to evaluate performance of students in detail.

She expressed her pleasure over improvement of results of 10th and 12th standard CBSE exams and complimented teachers for achieving this marvellous feat. This is only because of their commitment and hard work that Delhi schools have earned respectable place in the list of best schools in the country. She expressed happiness that 277 schools in Delhi have performed well and their pass percentage has been more than 90 per cent whereas another 41 schools further performed well to score pass percentage of 100 per cent.

She further said that annual confidential reports of principals and teachers would also be avilable online. All libraries would be linked with a network to make them online to enable students and teachers to make optimum use of books.

The Chief Minister further announced that her government was committed to providing better building infrastructure in all government schools.

The Delhi State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation has been instructed to conduct a survey of the existing structures, which would enable it to prepare an action plan for the renovation of school buildings. 

Noida, July 11
Noida Authority has suffered a loss of Rs 10 crore in releasing payments to the contractors for the flyover being constructed in Sector 82, opposite Expressway. The authority suffered the loss due to the alleged carelessness of its officials. The original drawings and the subsequent design of the flyover were amended by the IIT. The tender estimates should also have been changed and the payments to the contractors released accordingly. But in spite of the changed drawings and designs, the payments were released to the contractors, National Power Projects Corporation Ltd, as per the old drawings, thus causing a loss of Rs 10 crore to Noida Authority.

The construction of the flyover was started in May 2003 without the earth having been tested.

But after the changed design and drawing, the contractors were supposed to change the entire specifications--as the number, height, circumference and volume of pillars and columns, the slope and the total length of the flyover had undergone significant changes. All these changes meant that the quantity of the building material, including cement, iron, badarpur and crushed stones had also been reduced. But in spite of all this, the chief project engineer and his team had been making the payments as per the old design.

Noida, July 11
On an average two dozen patients of viral fever are trooping into the district hospital in Sector 30, Noida, every day. About 400 persons are already suffering from viral fever which, according to doctors, has created a scare in the Noida area. Hot and humid weather is considered conducive to its spread. Surprisingly most of the patients, both men and women are below 18 years of age. About 200 men have been found to be suffering from the viral fever, most of them are from the villages adjacent to Noida which woefully lack in health, hygiene and sanitation.

According to doctors, scant rains and high-level of humidity are the main causes of the viral fever. Exposure to coolers has also contributed to it spread.

Viral fever can confine a patient to bed for three to seven days. The symptoms include body and headache, acute rise in body temperature, etc. One should not delay treatment and immediately consult a doctor and take medicines. The fever leaves the patients quite weak.