New Delhi, August 23
The Delhi High Court today directed the police to release two minors, convicted by Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) rape case on the ground that they have undergone the maximum sentence of three years under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Accepting the appeal filed by two juvenile convicts challenging the board’s order, a division bench of chief justice M K Sharma and justice Sajeev Khanna directed the

Juvenile Justice Board to release other juveniles, who have been kept in the home for more than three years, in the light of this order.

The bench further asked the registrar-vigilance of High Court to visit juvenile homes in the city and file a report giving details about the basic amenities provided to the juveniles.

Appearing for the two, counsel Subha, assisted by Harish Sharma, submitted before the bench that according to the new Juvenile Justice Act, a juvenile convict can be kept in the home for a maximum period of three years.

However, these two have been in the home for more than four years since their conviction, she submitted.

On September 3, 2003 the JJB while convicting the minors had directed to keep them till they attain the age of 18.

One is going to be a major in December this year and the other in December next year.

The duo were arrested on November 20, 2002 for their involvement in the rape of a woman medical student from MAMC.

Two other accused including the main suspect had been sentenced to life by sessions court here. 

New Delhi, August 23
The war between the aspiring candidates of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) election has reached a higher momentum as the last date for nominations is just tomorrow.

The political gurus have once again become crucial in deciding whom to field. However, the student organisations are keeping their cards closed till the last second; speculations have gained ground on campus.

The dean’s office saw action from all sides today. National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has put seven nominations across the four posts today. The organisation is keeping options open for 2-3 more candidates, who will put their nominations in, tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the closest contender Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) seems to be in a state of confusion. The star candidate Vikas Dahiya has somehow procured admission in the nick of time in the department of Bhuddhist Studies.

Indian National Students’ Organisation (INSO) has fielded five candidates for nominations today and is planning to file five more nominations tomorrow.

Main left contender in the DUSU elections, Students’ Federation of India (SFI) seems more sorted.

Two nominations have been filed by the organisation today and two would be filed tomorrow.

New Delhi, August 23
BJP Delhi Pradesh president Harsh Vardhan alleged that the Delhi government has completely failed in curbing the price spiral. The people of the Capital are suffering due to steep rise in prices.

He said that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit should wake up and curb prices immediately.

Vardhan said even the ration is not available in government shops. Kerosene is being sold in black at Rs 40 per litre. The middlemen, blackmarketeers and touts are benefiting.

The BJP Pradesh president said that fruit and vegetables were the most affected items due to price spiral at present. Onion is being sold at Rs 25 to Rs 35 per kg in the retail market. This is happening when there is no scarcity of onion in the bulk market. Similarly tomatoes are being sold at Rs 25 per kg and potatoes at Rs 20 per kg. Even these vegetables are available in plenty in the bulk market.

The middlemen are looting the public giving the excuse of rainy season.

Price of foodstuffs, oil, ghee, etc. is already very high. The government has increased the price of milk three times. Now one litre full cream milk is being sold at Rs 23 per litre. Curd, ‘mawa’, cheese have also become costlier. Since the price of milk supplied by the government has increased, the private milk companies and milk producers have also increased the price of their products, Vardhan pointed out. 

New Delhi, August 23
Leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Jai Kishan Sharma, condemned the yesterday’s incident in Nangloi area where a BJP councillor Pankaj Kumar Singh allegedly misbehaved with a municipal official.

Earlier, the BJP councillors misbehaved with BSP corporators and pushed them out of the House. Nangloi incident is a second one.

Demanding arrest of the BJP councillor, Jai Kishan Sharma said that attitude of hooliganism of Congress councillors was not tolerable. The BJP is under impression that they will run the corporation at their whims. But this is not possible. The Congress councillors will boycott all corporation’s meetings, if the BJP does not change its behaviour.

New Delhi, August 23
Manav Sthali School here held its annual Award Presentation Ceremony of “XXIII Annual Manav Sthali National Mathematics Talent Test” yesterday.

The chief guest on the occasion was Professor S C Arora, Head of Department of Mathematics, University of Delhi, who gave away the awards to the young math wizards.

This test is organized not only for the students of Manav Sthali School but for the students from various prestigious schools of Delhi and around.

Prof Arora admired the wonderful reservoir of Maths Talent Test organized by Manav Sthali School. He said that with the ever-changing paradigm of education, the school has always taken initiative with far-reaching implications. He congratulated the school on organizing such healthy competitions.

New Delhi, August 23
With the arrest of four alleged sex workers, the south district police has claimed to have busted a prostitution racket.

After secret information was received by the Badarpur police yesterday, a raiding party was constituted to track down the racket in the area.

The police team clinched a deal with the alleged pimp for two girls at Rs 300 each. The decoy customers were asked to come on the Meethapur street.

While finalizing the deal, the decoy customers paid Rs 400 in advance and the pimp called four girls to choose from.

All the girls and the pimp were arrested on the spot under the ITP act.

The police suspects the racket as just a link in the whole chain. 

Pataudi, August 23
The mortal remains of Hardas an Indian Army soldier, who went missing four decades ago in an air crash in 1968 ,were consigned to flames with full military honours at his native village Lochbca in Pataudi on Thursday.

The body of the martyr was taken to his home village by 11811 Pioneer Battalion Commander K S Bhisth. Hardas brother’s son Inder Bhan lit the pyre.

The villagers rushed to Lochbca totheir respects to martyr Hardas. Many people were seen standing on their rooftops to witness the last journeyof the martyr. Even residents of nearby villages converged to attend the funeral ceremony. As the mortal remains of jawan Hardas arrived in the village people raised slogans in the memory of Hardas.

When the body of jawan Hardas arrived at his residence ,his 62 years old wife, Shanti Devi , broke down sobbing .

Hardas was among the four soldiers whose bodies were accidentally discovered by a mountaineering expedition at an altitude of more than 17,500 feet in the Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh.

An AN 12 transport aircraft carrying Indian soldiers had crashed in 1968 in which all 102 on board were killed. The bodies were only partially decomposed when they were discovered.

Das’s remains now weigh only 6.5 kg and he was identified on the basis of an oval disc on his wrist on which his name, rank and battalion were engraved.

Shanti Devi was barely 21 when the accident occurred.

She was hopeful of her husband’s return. She said was shocked when she learnt about the death of her husband.

The only consolation was that he was being cremated at his native place, thus, fulfilling his last wish.

Local MLA Bhupinder Chaudhray, Sub Divisional Magisterate, relatives of the martyr and a large number of people of the area paid floral tributes to the departed soul.

New Delhi, August 23
BYPL today restored the power connection to the Delhi government-run Leprosy Colony in Tahirpur, Shahdara in East Delhi following assurances by the local MLA, Veer Singh Dhingan, that the electricity dues of the last 25 years would be cleared soon.

The power supply to the colony was disconnected yesterday after the consumer (Department of Social Welfare) not only refused to pay the dues but also ignored numerous reminders sent by the BYPL, sources said.

According to BYPL sources, Leprosy Colony which houses around 1100 inhabitants owes BYPL around Rs 75 lakh in unpaid electricity dues and that too since 1981. Earlier, the colony had around 83 electricity connections. Today they are down to just 13.

These sources said that the BYPL has been repeatedly highlighting to the authorities concerned, but in vain, that the residents of the colony are illegally drawing electricity and need to take legal connections. This, besides streamlining the electricity supply in the area will also put an end to the massive incidence of power theft. In the numerous meetings and letters to the authorities, BYPL had time and again provided all the relevant details. As a humanitarian gesture, BSES had also offered to waive off the Late Payment Surcharge (LPSC) of around Rs 31 lakh (accumulated since 1981). So far, there has been no positive outcome of the numerous communications. All BYPL has been informed is that, all pending dues amounting to around Rs 42 lakh (after availing BYPL offer to wave off around Rs 31 lakh as LPSC charge) would be paid by the end of March 2007.

Sources said that they communicated in the third week of May 2007 to the Department of Social Welfare, Government of NCT of Delhi, again requesting that the pending arrears be cleared and the Ashram take legal connections for their inhabitants and this letter be treated as the final notice.

The letter also said that if the matter is not resolved by May 30, 2007, BYPL will be left with no option but to disconnect the electricity supply to the colony. Even after the expiry of the deadline, the discom did not disconnect electricity to the Ashram and gave it more time to clear the dues. But nothing happened.

These sources said that during its numerous power theft raids in the colony, BSES enforcement teams unearthed power theft of around 2000 KW, amounting to nearly Rs 8 crore in penalties.

These sources said that the discom had once again appealed to the authorities to clear the pending bills so that it does not have to again resort to the unpleasant task of disconnecting power.

New Delhi, August 23
With the help of the Delhi AIDS Control Society, the Delhi government has inspired other NGOs to make functional 30 targeted interventions to focus on high risk core group, said Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit here today while inaugurating 15 new Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC).

Around 1200 AIDS patients are currently receiving help through free Anti-Retroviral Treatment Centre in various hospitals in Delhi. Apart from focussing on voluntary counselling and testing services, an initiative has been taken to extend the outreach of these services through mobile vans to cover vulnerable population.

The Chief Minister also said that the Delhi government would organise a one-day workshop for Delhi MPs and MLAs to create AIDS awareness amongst people.

Dikshit further said that there are over 2.5 crore people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide. The figure is alarming and compels all persons concerned to give thought to it. Since the beginning of the epidemic, AIDS has killed more than 30 million people.

These facilities have also been introduced on campuses of Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia and JNU.

The Chief Minister hoped that 15 new ICTCs would provide facilities like early detection of HIV, provision of basic information on transmission and prevention of HIV and link people with other HIV prevention, care and treatment services.

Adding today’s 15 ICTCs, the total number of ICTCs has been increased to 43. If needed, more ICTCs would be opened in future, she added.

Speaking on this occasion, health minister Yoganand Shastri said that under the leadership of Dikshit, Delhi government was committed to providing better health facilities to the citizens of the Capital.

He further said that the health department had already launched MITWA (Mobile Integrated Testing and Wellness Access) campaign which was an endeavour to provide a comprehensive service.

At present, two mobile vans are being run by Delhi AIDA Control Society and 11 vans are run in collaboration with Mobile Health Scheme of Directorate of Health Services. Services provided by these vans include general health check-up, dispensing of drugs, syndromic treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD), reproductive tract infection, HIV counselling and testing, distribution of IEC material and condoms and holding folk media activities like Nukkad Nataks. 

New Delhi, August 23
Minimally invasive surgery has emerged as one of the most revolutionary treatments in the history of surgery as a successful alternative to open surgeries. Keeping up these basics intact, Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty serves as an outstanding alternative to other treatment modes that are usually undertaken to treat one of the commonest congenital abnormalities of the ureter called the Uretero Pelvic Junction Obstruction.

Significantly less invasive and morbid than open pyeloplasty, this technique is being increasingly adopted by surgeons because of its almost 90% success rate and 100% patient satisfaction.

Elaborating on the subject, Dr Anshuman Agarwal, M.S (Surgery), M. Ch. (Urology), Senior Consultant Urologist, RG Stone Urological Research Institute says “Surgeries conducted with the application of Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty have definitely witnessed outstanding results. Having used it for nearly two years on 40-odd people, as urological laparoscopy is still in its progressive stage in the country today, still I feel that its use has definitely progressed our standards not only in the urological field but in the overall healthcare.”

Laparoscopic pyeloplasty addresses all potential causes of Uretero Pelvic Junction Obstruction.

Described as a functional or anatomic obstruction to outflow of urine from the pelvis to the ureter, which if left untreated leads to deterioration of the affected kidney’s function, the problem initially relays signs as agonizing abdominal pain, infections to kidney stones, blood in urine and ultimately kidney damage. However, these are commonly encountered on a day-to-day clinical practice that if detected at an earlier stage through diagnosis as ultrasounds, intravenous urography, DTPA renal scan could help treat a problem that could turn fatal.

Laparoscopic pyeloplasty herein plays a crucial role. The procedure essentially duplicates open pyeloplasty without giving a conventional 12-15 cm skin incision. Making 3 to 4 small holes of 5 mm each on the patient’s abdomen usually does it. Hence, this prevents much of the postoperative pain and helps promote a smooth and quick recovery that just requires a three-day stay in the hospital.

“Though there is 90% success rate, failure may occur at times that generally relates to technical errors.

New Delhi, August 23
An orientation programme was organized at AnsalInstitute of Technology, Gurgaon ,for the new batch ofstudents who joined in various UG programs like

Engineering, Business Administration, Computer Science,Biotechnology, Mass Communication, Hotel Management, Retail Management, and PG programs in Business Administration,

Computer Science, Information Systems and Software Engineering was held on its campus in Gurgaon.

The students enrolled in above disciplines attended the program with great enthusiasm and with big hopes and optimism for a promising career. Senior students participated in the program and helped the freshers in knowing and understanding the system.

Prof M P Singh, Director, AIT delivered the inaugural address in which he covered all important aspects of the academic life in the Institute and the future prospects of the courses being chosen by them. On the occasion, several senior faculty members also addressed the newly admitted students and guided them on campus life, value-added

courses, co-curricular and extracurricular activities that help in overall development of personality.

Prof Singh, spoke on various programmes offered in the institute that expose a student to the best practices of a global corporate environment as well as enable one to understand present day business. He further said that a student can look forward to a cross cultural interaction with students of other nationalities studying at the

institute. Prof Singh feels that Parichay endeavors to encourage an active interaction of the freshers with other students and the faculty members.

It was followed by a presentation on the Institute and internship opportunities provided by AIESEC, the world’s largest student body, and finally the registration for the semester’s courses and other facilities available at the Institute including book bank, hostel, transport, recreation societies, computer.

New Delhi, August 23
Dr. Bharat H Desai, Jawahar Lal Nehru Chair in International Law, of Jawahar Lal Nehru University here has proposed to the United Nations to set up a specialized agency on environment issues

Addressing a press conference here, Dr. Desai said that there was growing convergence of views on ‘upgradation’ of the United Nations Environment Programme into UN ‘specialized agency’ that could be known as United Nations Environment Protection Organization (UNEPO). The new organization’s constituent instrument can provide for a plenary organ which may be known as the General Conference (GC) as well as a Bureau apart from functional organs such as a Science and Technology Council (STC), an Environmental Law and Policy Council (ELPC), and an Environmental Emergencies Relief Council (EERC).

Dr Desai suggested that the Secretariat could be headed by the Director-General. The GC would constitute a small Executive Committee or Bureau of about 10 states, which will act under the authority delegated by the GC. In respect of membership of other functional organs, they may comprise a limited number of member states, which may vary between 42 and 60. The election of members of these organs can be by rotation, with one-third of the members retiring every two years. The STC and ELPC could be technical bodies.

The STC may be designed to address science and technology issues. It can maintain crucial interaction with bodies such as Subsidiary Body for Science and Technology Advice (SUBSTA) of MEA secretariats as well as professional bodies like Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC). The STC can provide vital scientific input on which decisions of policy-making organs can rest.

Similarly, the ELPC’s primary task can be maintaining coherence in the progressive development of international environmental law. It can launch new initiatives for environmental law awareness, supervise developments in soft law and examine the need for appropriate hard instruments from time to time. The ELPC’s role will be crucial in imparting planned development of international environmental law in consonance with the changing needs. The third functional organ, EERC’s main task, can be to address environmental emergencies and provide relief for the purpose. As such it can perform the task of international green fire fighters. It can rush in assistance for environmental catastrophes such as oil pollution disasters, forest fires, transfrontier pollution (such as air, water, and radiation), major industrial accidents (such as spillage of oil, chemicals, hazardous waste) and even in cases of natural disasters (earthquakes, cyclones, floods etc.).

UNEP is being increasingly asked for assistance concerning environmental implications of the disasters (including post-conflict assessments). It can maintain close liaison with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other related agencies to make assessments and provide succor to the victims of such disasters/emergencies. It will be, however, necessary to ensure that the EERC can act strictly upon the explicit written request from the affected member states, as well as approval by two-thirds of its members present and voting.