SPECIAL COVERAGE
CHANDIGARH

LUDHIANA

DELHI


THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS
50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS
D E L H I   A N D   N E I G H B O U R H O O D

DTC called to banish Blueline blues
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.

Sheila for population stabilisation, Ramdoss for control
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

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.





Political leaders and family members (in the audience) during the condolence meeting of former Chief Minister of Delhi and BJP senior leader Sahib Singh Verma at Talkatora Stadium in the Capital on Wednesday.
Political leaders and family members (in the audience) during the condolence meeting of former Chief Minister of Delhi and BJP senior leader Sahib Singh Verma at Talkatora Stadium in the Capital on Wednesday. — Tribune photos by Manas Ranjan Bhui

Steps to improve Gurgaon power
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.
A number of accidents involving Blueline buses have led to stringent action against the erring buses. The picture here shows the impounded bus at a State Transport Authority office in the Capital
A number of accidents involving Blueline buses have led to stringent action against the erring buses. The picture here shows the impounded bus at a State Transport Authority office in the Capital on Wednesday.  — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal

Metro trains increased
New Delhi, July 11
With many Blueline operators keeping their buses off the roads,the Delhi metro today announced that it would run five more trains on its three lines and operate 50 additional services during the day to ease the public transport crisis.

Ban on rickshaws in  Chandni Chowk challenged 
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.

Vanmahotsav from July 16
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.
Members of the Surbhi Pariwar Foundation hold a demonstration to demand the moving of the two-child Bill in Parliament on the occasion of
Members of the Surbhi Pariwar Foundation hold a demonstration to demand the moving of the two-child Bill in Parliament on the occasion of World Population Day in the Capital on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Manas Ranjan Bhui

JNU admn, students talks fail
New Delhi, July 11
The Vice-Chancellor and the JNU administration refused to revoke order on the rustication of students.

2 fake meter checkers held
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.

Rally on population control
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.
Arnold James, Pushpender Singh, members, K. S. Wahi, secretary, Delhi Minorities Commission, listen to the grievances of public during a function 'Doorsteps' at Gole Market in the Capital
Arnold James, Pushpender Singh, members, K. S. Wahi, secretary, Delhi Minorities Commission, listen to the grievances of public during a function 'Doorsteps' at Gole Market in the Capital on Tuesday

Swimming to be must in govt schools
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.

Rs 10-cr loss due to official apathy
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.

Viral fever creates panic in Noida
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.

Officials go by plan, delay 300 projects
Gurgaon, July 11
As many as 300 project applications are pending with the licensing authority here for the past six months.

Two killed trying to save others
Faridabad, July 11
In quite unusual incidents, two persons who tried to save the life of other two were killed here today in separate mishaps. In the first case that took place at the railway station of Old Faridabad, an unidentified person who jumped on the track to save the life of another youth was killed. The Good Samaritan died while trying to save the life of another youth who had slipped on the railway track. He was overrun by the train.

Two injured in Blueline bus mishaps
New Delhi, July 11
Even as the intensive campaign against the Blueline is on, the bus accidents do not seem to stop.

Rapist arrested
New Delhi, July 11
The North East Delhi police has arrested Mukesh, a resident of Panipat, after receiving a complaint of alleged sexual assault from one of his family members.

Man held for bid to rape patient
Faridbad, July 11
A resident of NIT was arrested for an attempt to rape a woman patient who had been admitted to the Badshah Khan Civil Hospital here last night.

Farmer killed
Noida, July 11
A farmer of Phalauda village was murdered with a sharp-edged weapon on Tuesday. Harkesh, 42, of Phalauda had left the house for his fields on the UP-Haryana border. Next morning his brother Mangal Singh had found his body in the jungle.

 

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DTC called to banish Blueline blues
Tribune News Service

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.

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Sheila for population stabilisation, Ramdoss for control
Tribune News Service

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.

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Steps to improve Gurgaon power
Tribune News Service

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.

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Metro trains increased
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 11
With many Blueline operators keeping their buses off the roads,the Delhi metro today announced that it would run five more trains on its three lines and operate 50 additional services during the day to ease the public transport crisis.

According to DMRC officials, " The Delhi metro will run five additional trains on its three lines during the peak hours in the morning and evening. Two trains would be added on the Rithala - Shahdara line, one on the Central Secretariat - Vishvavidyalaya line and two trains on the Indraprastha - Dwarka line. Overall, the metro will run 40 to 50 additional services during the day".

The five additional trains will be added to the network during the morning peak hours, from 8 am to 12. 30 pm and evening peak hours from 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm. To handle the rush of passengers on the Metro system, extra token windows have also been opened at Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Welcome, Central Secretariat and New Delhi.

As per the DMRC, the decision follows the sharp increase in the number of passengers . As against the usual 5.5 lakh passengers per day, 6.13 lakh people travelled by the metro on July 9 which rose further to 6.37 lakh yesterday, the highest on the metro network this year.

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Ban on rickshaws in  Chandni Chowk challenged 
Legal Correspondent

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.

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Vanmahotsav from July 16
Tribune News Service

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. 

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JNU admn, students talks fail
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 11
The Vice-Chancellor and the JNU administration refused to revoke order on the rustication of students.

Jyotsna, the joint secretary of JNUSU informed after a meeting with the V-C that, "the negotiations have completely failed. They have not listened to us all despite our attempts at reaching out." Negotiations between the students and the JNU administration have been on for three days. "The negotiation process has failed and the administration is simply not ready to compromise on the punishment issue," said Sandeep, secretary with the JNUSU.

Students held a meeting late on Wednesday evening after negotiations with the JNU administration failed.

"Now, we have to plan our course ahead and definitely the agitation will be renewed," said Sandeep.

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2 fake meter checkers held
Tribune News Service

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.

However, they told the customer, that they could "settle' the case for a payment of Rs 20,000. This offer made the customer suspicious, but he decided to play along. He asked for some time to arrange the money. In the meantime, he brought the incident to the notice of the BSES vigilance department.

Subsequently, a trap was laid by the vigilance department. Since the imposters did not heed to customer's request to collect the hush money from his residence in Laxmi Nagar, a place was fixed in Mayur Vihar. On July 9, 2007, two persons (gang leader and his accomplice) reached the decided spot to collect the money. As the money was being exchanged, the imposters Jeetender and Uday Raj, both residents of Mayur Vihar, were nabbed by the BSES' Vigilance Department officials.

A number of fake documents, including identity cards and an authority letter for carrying out inspections were found in their possession. They were handed over to Shakarpur police station along with a complaint from the customer. The duo was arrested and an FIR (No 522/07) registered for cheating and extortion u/s 420 and 384 of the Indian Penal Code.

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Rally on population control
Tribune News Service

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.

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Swimming to be must in govt schools
Tribune News Service

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. 

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Rs 10-cr loss due to official apathy
Our Correspondent

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.

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Viral fever creates panic in Noida
Our Correspondent

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.

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Officials go by plan, delay 300 projects
Aarti Kapur

Gurgaon, July 11
As many as 300 project applications are pending with the licensing authority here for the past six months.

After the approval of the Gurgaon Manesar Urban Development plan -2021 all projects had been approved according to the the plan. The implementation of new master plan is leading to delay in clearing the projects.

More than 50 per cent of the applications pending with the authority are of group housing projects and rest of commercial projects. The plan was formulated to develop a well planned town and avoid any illegal construction in the district. District Town PlannerP P Singh said the builders have applied for various projects but the verifications and documentation of each project took time. It was an ongoing process and by the end of this year almost all the projects would be cleared.

A property dealer here said that sale and purchase of land in the district had gone down by 30 per cent in the past five months. The license fee for the commercial project is around Rs 5 crore per acre; residential Rs 1.20 crore per acre and for colonies Rs 35 lakh per acre.

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Two killed trying to save others
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 11
In quite unusual incidents, two persons who tried to save the life of other two were killed here today in separate mishaps. In the first case that took place at the railway station of Old Faridabad, an unidentified person who jumped on the track to save the life of another youth was killed. The Good Samaritan died while trying to save the life of another youth who had slipped on the railway track. He was overrun by the train.

The person who accidentally fell on the track after slipping from the steps of the Tamilnadu Express has been identified as Mukesh, a resident of the NIT here.

It is learnt that he had attempted to board the moving train but slipped and fell on the track. Seeing this a person rushed to his help. It is stated that while he was able to pull up Mukesh, he himself slipped down in the attempt and got run over by the train which had caught up speed by then. The police have recovered the body and sent it for postmortem. In another similar incident, a person, who tried to save his sister-in-law from an open manhole in Sanjay Colony here was killed.

It is stated that the deceased, identified as Anand, was able to save the life of Lakshmi, his sister-in-law, but himself fell in the deep gutter and died before any help was rushed to him. It may be recalled that there are dozens of manholes in the city which have no cover or whose covers have been lying broken or stolen. 

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Two injured in Blueline bus mishaps
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 11
Even as the intensive campaign against the Blueline is on, the bus accidents do not seem to stop.

A man was seriously injured after falling from an overcrowded bus and a teenager was badly hurt after being hit by a Blueline bus, today.

R.K.Pandey, 52, fell from the Blueline bus early in the morning near ISBT, North Delhi. Pandey received head injuries and has been admitted to the St. Stephens Hospital, according to the police sources.

"It is not yet clear how he fell. The bus driver and conductor fled the scene. We have impounded the bus and further investigation is on," said a police official.

In another incident, a teenager was hurt when a Blueline bus hit him while he was getting down from a DTC bus in Sagarpur area.

The victim has been admitted to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay  Hospital.

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Rapist arrested
Tribune News service

New Delhi, July 11
The North East Delhi police has arrested Mukesh, a resident of Panipat, after receiving a complaint of alleged sexual assault from one of his family members.

According to the police, on July7, Mukesh lured two women from his family for a ride in his car. After covering some distance he parked his vehicle near a secluded place and brought out one girl and forcibly raped her. After the incident he threatened both the women not to report the incident to the family.

The police has found out that he was allegedly involved in another rape case that happened four months ago. He is allegedly a proclaimed offender and wanted in seven cases of murder, rioting, gangster act, M.V. theft and cases under the arms act registered at Bagpat, UP. 

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Man held for bid to rape patient
Tribune News Service

Faridbad, July 11
A resident of NIT was arrested for an attempt to rape a woman patient who had been admitted to the Badshah Khan Civil Hospital here last night.

It is reported that the accused Harsh Kumar tried to rape her while she was asleep. According to doctors, the woman had her limbs severed in an accident that had taken place recently at a railway station here when she was run over by a moving train. She has been receiving treatment at the hospital. 

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Farmer killed
Our Correspondent

Noida, July 11
A farmer of Phalauda village was murdered with a sharp-edged weapon on Tuesday. Harkesh, 42, of Phalauda had left the house for his fields on the UP-Haryana border. Next morning his brother Mangal Singh had found his body in the jungle.

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