New Delhi, July 27
Parents of 29 schoolchildren, drowned in Yamuna as their bus plunged in the river ten years ago, today moved the Supreme Court not satisfied with the Delhi High Court's order granting them a meager compensation of Rs 75,000 each after a protracted legal battle.

The High Court had even lowered the compensation awarded by a tribunal by applying different age group criteria for each child.

The mishap had taken place at Wazirabad bridge on Yamuna in North Delhi.

Taking cognizance of an appeal of the parents, a bench of Justices S B Sinha and H S Bedi issued notice to the NCT Government, school concerned and bus owner seeking their replies.

The tribunal in its order of November 2004 had awarded Rs 1.65 lakh to the parents of children between 15-18 years age, Rs 1.55 lakh to 10-15 years and Rs 1.30 lakh below 10 years of age.

The tribunal had decided the compensation by taking into Rs 15,000 per annum as notional income of the child and said that the amount be paid with 6 per cent interest for the four years.

But the High Court while deciding appeals against the tribunal's verdict in a common order fixed the compensation at Rs 75,000 to the parents of each child as "non pecuniary" damage. It was of the view that the notional sum of Rs 15,000 could not be enhanced.

The parents challenged the order on the ground that the respondents, were bound to pay the award by applying the principle of notional compensation as the mishap was a result of rash and negligent driving by the driver and the bus owner was liable to pay.

The parents also brought to the notice of the apex court that it had suo motu taken note of the tragedy and issued detailed guidelines for the government on children's safety, specially during their travel to schools.

New Delhi, July 27
The elderly stroll lazily, kids frolic on the lush lawns and couples snatch a private moment or two. Framed between the Rashtrapati Bhavan at one end and the India Gate at the other, the vast expanse of green space in the heart of Lutyen's Delhi is where people flock to when the weather is good or bad.

And in these days when rains grace the Capital intermittently, the area around the colonial gate looks like a mini carnival with large crowds congregating in the evenings.

Standing tall in the heart of Delhi, the India Gate landmark is a must-see for tourists. Saluting the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in the Afghan wars and First World War, it is a majestic piece of architecture built in 1931 that people can't stop marvelling at.

The complex and its vast lawns almost always draw people, young and old, rich and poor - to bask in the warm winter sun, for a breath of fresh air on a hot summer day, or when the weather turns cool and hot like now.

Hopping off a screeching bus near India Gate, Manohar Joshi was one of the many who decided to spend an evening outdoors. Holding his wife's hand and carrying their son in his arms, he walked towards the stately memorial bustling with people.

"We generally come here on weekends. It is like a fair with hundreds of people talking, laughing and basically having a good time. Then there are vendors selling ice-cream and other food items, balloons... it's like a picnic," said Joshi.

On most holiday evenings, the stretch of Rajpath leading from Rashtrapati Bhavan, the imposing presidential palace, to India Gate is choc-a-bloc with cars and motorbikes. Families come by hordes to avoid the maddening rush at shopping malls and multiplexes. Lots of people spread sheets on the lawns and sit there till late evening, chatting and munching on the goodies they bring in their picnic baskets or buy from hawkers.

Some also get photographs clicked by the professional photographers who roam around.

Several enthusiastic women got their hands and feet decorated with henna by the 'professionals' who look out for prospective customers with their henna tubes and a book full of designs.

As the evening sets in, people hover around India Gate, soaking in its grandeur and the soft lighting.

"I come for a drive around India Gate every now and then. Although it's flocked by people, it is still such a breather from the overcrowded coffee shops or shopping malls," said Asmita Jain, who works in a public relations firm.

"We come here, sit inside the car and put on some soft music. Then we drive down to Mandi House and eat 'paranthas'. That's the idea of a perfect evening for us," added her friend Mukesh. — IANS

New Delhi July 27
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has suggested a five-point action plan to the Delhi government and designing "a strong bus policy" to ride out of the present Blueline crisis and decongesting the city.

Terming the current crisis a policy failure to recognise the role of buses in making cities clean and liveable, coordinator of CSE's Right to Clean Air Campaign Anumita Roychowdhury says the government's ongoing drive to discipline Blueline buses is nothing but a knee-jerk reaction. And to bring "things back on the track", she outlines what the government should ideally do.

1. Restructure the institutional and management systems of the bus service.

2. Augment the bus numbers and phase in technologically advanced CNG buses with efficient emission control systems.

3. As far as possible, provide dedicated bus-ways, which will increase their efficiency and speed.

4. Review and rework current tax policies related to the transportation. Create an active disincentive for personal transport.

5. Integrate buses effectively with other public and mass transportation systems like the Metro, rail and proposed light rail systems.

Roychowdhury says while the growth in bus numbers has remained marginal over the past four years, there has been a more than 100 per cent growth in personal vehicles.

"In 2006, Delhi added about 1,000 new personal cars and two-wheelers every day. In comparison, only 65 buses were added over the entire year. The total number of stage carriage buses, the spine of the city's public transport system, has stagnated. Bus numbers have increased slightly from 6,000 buses in 1998 to 6,500 in 2007," she says.

Roychowdhury explains that each DTC bus transports around 1,000 persons and private bus carries 1,600 people per day. In comparison, a car or two-wheeler that can carry only 1 to 1.5 people each day but have grown in numbers phenomenally making a perfect recipe for pollution and congestion disaster.

Faced with the present crisis, the government proposes to purchase 2,000 new buses, but she adds the city is yet to meet the target of 10,000 standard stage carriage buses that was mandated by the Supreme Court in its order of July 1998. "10,000 buses were mandated when the population of the city was lower, clearly the number would obviously be inadequate today," she says.

The government still has no plans to suggest how Delhi will cope as daily vehicle trips are estimated to grow from 12 million to nearly 25 million by 2021. Roychowdhury says as per RITES study, even if all public transport projects, including the Metro, are implemented fully, the city will still fall short of catering to nine million trips per day by 2021.

Cars occupy more than 75 per cent of the road space, transport less than 20 per cent of the people and the total number of passengers carried by all buses is approximately 8.7 million. But instead of encouraging bus transport with fiscal measures, Delhi slaps higher taxes on buses compared to cars.

Moreover, 56 per cent of the standard buses are owned and run by private bus owners, approximately 80 per cent of who are single-bus owners. This presents a challenge for efficient and quality operations. Yet current laws favour multiplicity of small owners as under the permit conditions one person cannot own and operate more than five buses. This demands fundamental reforms, says Roychowdhury.

The private-cooperative or private-corporation model could be developed by which the existing private players could be grouped into a cooperative or merged into larger corporations.

New Delhi, July 27
The Supreme Court today directed the government to provide financial assistance and every medical aid to a 17-year-old girl Laxami, injured badly by a jealous lover by throwing acid on her face and body last year.

Such attack on a hapless woman was worst than a murder, a Bench of Justices G P Mathur and P K Balasubramanyan said while hearing a petition by Laxami's father.

She had since undergone four surgeries, the court noted and said it obviously had cost her father heavily.

"The girl is totally destroyed… the State should extend her medical and financial aid," the court said.

Since there was no clear law on dealing with such attacks, which is the modern day menace to use acid as a weapon of assault, the court also sought the Centre's response as to what action it planned on the Law Commission's recommendation, in which it had dealt with such crimes.

While giving the Centre six weeks' time to submit its reply, the court said the government should place before it the Law Commission's report and the ground laid down by it in its recommendations to deal with such menace.

New Delhi, July 27
The Delhi transport department has decided to curtail the number trips of Blueline drivers and made rest after each trip compulsory.

Sources said that on an average a bus makes four to three trips. Now ,the drivers have been directed to make only three to two trips. They have also been given a driving schedule. A driver has to take 10 minutes rest when he reaches his last stoppage and one hour rest at his destination.

After making a thorough inquiry of service condition of drivers, the department is also issuing temporary authorisation to trained drivers to drive a bus. Requirements for the authorisation letter are :driving licence, badge number ,issued by driving licence institute of the Transport department, bus registration number and route number. Details of licence and the registration number of the bus is tallied with the department record.

A number of drivers were caught submitting fake driving licence details to the officer concerned, sources said.

During inquiry the department found that only one driver used to be on the wheel for 10 to 12 hours. Now the department has directed the bus operators to engage two drivers for five to six hours duration each.

A senior officer said that a number of bus cleaners were caught applying for authorisation letters. 

New Delhi, July 27
The Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum (PMSF) has alleged that academic harassment forced Dr Sunil Kushwaha, an McH student in the CardioThoracic and Neuro Sciences Centre at AIIMS, to commit suicide.

While mourning the demise of Dr Kushwaha, the PMSF has demanded a thorough investigation into the case. "Unlike in the past, this matter should be thoroughly investigated and responsibility should be fixed for forcing the concerned resident doctors to commit suicide," said Forum Spokesperson,

Dr Vikas Bajpai in a statement issued here today. The Forum has alleged that Dr Kushwaha had been facing harassment over his dissertation. This is not the first time that a student pursuing superspecialistion in the C.N. Centre has been compelled to take such an extreme step.

AIIMS authorities have denied that any harassment led to Dr Sunil Kumar Khushwaha's suicide. AIIMS Spokesperson and Medical Superintendent Shakti Kumar Gupta told TNS that Dr Khuswaha was a brilliant final year student who was liked by fellow doctors and faculty members. "He was to make a presentation in the class yesterday. When he did not turn up, his colleagues rang up his residence in Ayurvigyan Nagar. All super speciality courses are very demanding but

I'm sure that he was not facing any harassment over his dissertations. Both the Chief of Neuro Sciences Centres, Dr H.H. Dash and the Head of the Department of Neuro-Surgery, Professor B.S. Sharma have expressed grave concern over his demise,'' Dr Gupta said.

In an appeal issued here today, the PMSF has called upon the Students Union, Resident Doctors Association and Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIIMS) to root out oppressive slavery of the authorities. The Forum has alleged that the FAIIMS had passed off the suicide of Dr Rachit Gupta, also from the CN Centre as a result of his inability to cope with stress. In the last four years, two other doctors pursuing McH from the CN Centre have attempted suicide. They were fortunately saved.

Dr Bajpai recalled that Dr Gupta who was pursuing superspecialition course in Neuro Surgery, committed suicide on duty in the ICU of the Neuro-Surgery Department. The Forum has further alleged that the different representatiuve organsiations on the campus have become hostage to the attitude of servility towards the authorities. It has stressed the need for ushering in a democartic temperament and democartic work culture on the campus.

Faridabad, July 27
Fear gripped the locality of Sector-3 here after a daring murder of a woman and theft by some criminals in the wee hours today. They robbers fled with the booty including cash of about Rs 25,000 and some jewellery.

According to complaint lodged with the police, the incident took place at about 3 this morning when a couple identified as Vijender and his wife Durga, a teacher in a private school were asleep in their house in Sector- 3 here.

It is reported that three to four unidentified persons armed with knives and rods entered the house number 981 and

demanded cash and valuables at knifepoint. As the couple resisted their attempt, the criminals attacked them with knives. The woman was stabbed repeatedly in her stomach. She died on the spot, while her husband fell on the ground after the assault.

He was rushed to hospital where his condition is stated to be stable.

The victims had been tenants and have a three-year-old girl child, who was away with a relative at the time of the incident. The police registered a case against the unidentified persons. This is the first such case in a sector in the city during the past several months.

Expressing concern over the incident, a member of the Residents Welfare Association (RWA) of the sector claimed that this had led to a sense of insecurity among the residents. He demanded security and patrolling by the police in odd hours.

The RWA member asked the authorities to check the illegal commercial activities and movement of suspected elements, especially the migrants residing in slum clusters in and around various sectors. The police should conduct a detailed survey of the Bangladeshi nationals residing in jhuggis, he demanded.

New Delhi, July 27
North-East students at Delhi University continue to be upset over a pamphlet listing norms for their stay in Delhi. This includes a dress code for girls who are to avoid 'skimpy' clothes and abstinence from certain food items like bamboo shoots that have a strong smell.

The controversial pamphlet was the brainwave of Robin Hibu, the district commissioner for West Delhi and lists down do's and don't's for northeastern students .

There is a lot of anger among students on account of this pamphlet.

"Nobody has the right to dictate how we dress, nobody and why is there to be specially a dress code for north-eastern girls?" says Aboni Hazarika from Assam.

"Also, mango pickle tastes very bad as do couple of other dishes why pinpoint on bamboo shoot?" adds a clearly hassled Aboni.

Yet another student complained about music, "music is central to us as also to many students here, why brand northeastern students especially with playing loud music? This is unfair and makes us feel isolated here in Delhi."

Temjen Ahenthem from Manipur says, "why are these guidelines specially for northeastern students in Delhi. Why have northeasterners been singled out for special treatment? This makes us feel cut off, targeted and is not a good trend at all."

Meanwhile Hibu has had two rounds of meetings with student leaders from different unions and has made an attempt to pacify students on the issue.

However, many students are still unhappy and many are discussing this issue on the campus.

New Delhi, July 27
The Delhi government is giving final shape to its Disaster Management Plan and is gearing up to meet any eventuality that might arise during the Commonwealth Games 2010.

As a first step, the Delhi government has started procuring thermal-imaging cameras, hydraulic rescue tools, 10,000 litre capacity water carriers, 50 ambulances and 1,000 breathing operator sets to tackle any eventuality like fire, stampede, earthquake, terror attacks, building collapse or any other possible disaster that might happen during the Games, said a senior Delhi government official.

About 8,000 athletes from 71 countries are likely to participate in the Games and the number of officials and visitors is expected to be in thousands.

The official said that the plan was based on the one which was finalized for the Melbourne Games earlier as it was found to be very comprehensive.

Senior Delhi government officials involved in the preparations said that while the Delhi Police would be responsible for traffic management and law and order, paramilitary personnel would be deployed in large numbers to guard the venues and the Games village.

These officials said that all the 17 sports venues will have in-built fire safety arrangements and the Delhi Fire Service will be required to give it a final check. The Delhi Fire Service has already procured six rescue tenders equipped with the latest cutting and lifting tools from the United States to be used in case of a building collapse.

"We have also procured five thermal-imaging cameras from the US. These can be used if a room is filled with smoke during the fire. Besides, 32 large water carriers and 126 water tenders, we have three Holland-made Hazmat vans to deal with hazardous materials, said a senior fire service official.

Then there are foam tenders to tackle oil fire, dry chemical powder trucks to douse the gas fire, he said adding that there will be temporary fire stations at sport venues and the Games village.

As for the health contingency plan, the Games village, sport venues, athletes and spectators will have comprehensive health coverage during the Games.

While 50 fully equipped Centralised Accident and Trauma Service (CATS) ambulances will be dedicated to athletes only, there will be a 20-bed clinic with 10-medical staff functioning round the clock at the Games village. There will be about 1,000 breathing operator sets made available during the Games.

Hospitals have been identified for each venue. For example, if an athlete or a spectator is injured at Siri Fort venue then he would be rushed to nearby AIIMS or Safdarjung Hospital where beds have been identified specially for the purpose.