New Delhi, October 22
Civic officials in the Capital have decided to send teams across the country to scout for monkey catchers in a bid to check the increasing simian menace in the capital, brought to the fore once again with the freak death of Deputy Mayor S.S. Bajwa.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials are desperate as the city has only three catchers for an estimated 15,000-20,000 monkeys.

“We are planning to send teams across the country to seek monkey catchers because despite floating tenders many times, no one has approached us for the job,” MCD spokesperson Deep Mathur told IANS.

“We are helpless as there are only three catchers in the capital for an estimated 15,000-20,000 monkeys. Nobody wants to take this job possibly because of religious sentiments, people are opting for other jobs due to the dangers involved in the job,” Mathur said.

Deputy Mayor Bajwa, 52, died of head injuries Sunday after a fall from the terrace of his house while trying to fend off an attacking monkey.

Bajwa, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor from Anand Vihar ward, was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Apollo Hospital Saturday with multiple injuries and internal bleeding after the freak accident at his residence.

“We have been advertising in the past in all national and regional newspapers to hire monkey catchers, but have not received any good applications.”Only two people approached us for the job. But now we are planning to take some more initiatives.” said V.K. Singh, a veterinary officer with the MCD.

Harsh Vardhan, president of the BJP’s Delhi unit, said the services of foreign experts could be sought to control the monkey menace in the capital.

“Though we are not setting up any special committee on the issue, we have suggested various brainstorming ideas to step up efforts to control monkeys. We will also take experts’ help in striking a balance between human beings and animals in the urban areas,” he said.

The monkey menace in Delhi has increased over the years because of the continuous shrinking of the animal’s natural habitats. And all efforts in relocating them have so far turned futile.

The areas affected by the animal menace include Patparganj, Anand Vihar, Mehrauli, Kamla Nagar and parts of Lutyen’s Delhi.

MCD’s decision to hire langurs (another monkey species) to scare away the unruly monkeys also failed. The troublemakers simply relocate themselves to other parts of the city.

According to environmentalist Iqbal Malik, the MCD, state government and Centre are responsible for keeping a check on the city’s simian population.

“The monkey menace is a manmade problem because we haven’t been able to manage them properly. It’s high time the government set up a specific central body that can help solve this problem across the country,” Malik said. — IANS

New Delhi, October 22
Delhi revenue minister Rajkumar Chauhan said that efforts were being made to provide relief to the 1984 riot victims.

Requests of those who could not apply for pension would also be considered. He said that the government was planning to provide a pension of Rs 2,500 per month to those who became 70 per cent handicapped during the riot and to the wives of those who were still missing.

He added that the government was also planning to provide a rehabilitation ex-gratia to those, who had left the Capital due to security reasons and did not get anything under the rehabilitation schemes.

The government would provide an ex gratia of Rs two lakh per family. The list of those who were killed at railway stations or in trains was also being prepared. The verification of their family members or legal heirs was going on.

This amount will be in addition to the amount already paid.

New Delhi, October 22
All claims of the Delhi Traffic Police to ensure taxiwallaha do not harass passengers at the international terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) have proven to be hollow. Taxi mafia rules the roost allegedly in connivance with the traffic police.

Gone are the days when the passenger coming out of the IGIA would head to the pre-paid taxi booth operated by the Delhi Traffic Police.

He would take a pre-paid taxi slip with the taxi registration number on it. Now, the passengers are being handed over payment slips without any registration numbers.

Taxi drivers refuse to go smaller distances. Drivers break the queue to get their numbers written in the register being maintained by the traffic constable on duty.

Those who hire the taxi from the pre-paid booth have to walk out of the the booth situated inside the terminal building searching for the taxi driver who would be willing to go.

Kailash Chand, a taxi driver at the stand, points out that over the past few months a taxi mafia runs at the airport.

Those part of the mafia get to have three to four trips per day others end up with just one trip.

Satish Mahajan, 72, says his son and daughter-in-law had arrived from Canada. Armed with the pre-paid taxi slip, the couple were refused by several drivers because they had to go to nearby Vasant Kunj.

Vikas Singh, another taxi driver, says with the traffic police not mentioning the taxi number on the slip, it has become a free for all. The drivers seek either foreigners or long distance passengers.

The drivers do not help the passengers with loading of the luggage. At times, they even refuse to carry their luggage.

New Delhi, October 22
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) claimed that the MCD, DDA and other agencies were not complying with the provisions of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (special provision) second ordinance, 2007 promulgated on September 15, 2007 in a communication sent today to union urban development minister Jaipal Reddy.

It also urged him to direct the authorities to obey the provisions of said ordinance, which has become law of the land.

The copies of the communication have also been sent to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L. K.Advani, State Minister Ajay Maken, Delhi LG Shri Tejindra Khanna, Delhi CM Mrs. Shiela Dikshit, Deputy Opposition Leader In Rajya Sabha Smt. Sushma Swaraj Members of Parliament from Delhi and State BJP President Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Delhi Mayor Aarti Mehra.

In his communication CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that since the said ordinance is deemed to have come into force from 19th May, 2007, the concerned authorities are under obligation to maintain status quo as on 8th February, 2007 as per clause 3(ii) of the ordinance in respect of unauthorized colonies & village abadi. Large number of business premises in unauthorized colonies & village abadi has been sealed prior to promulgation of ordinance.

 He further said that since the ordinance is the law of the land such sealed premises enjoy protection of clause 3(ii) of the said ordinance but concerned Government Agencies namely MCD, DDA etc. have so far not taken any step to de-seal the premises which enjoys protection of the ordinance.

He regretted that several persons who are approaching authorities immediately since promulgation of ordinance on 15th September, 2007 for de-sealing of their business premises are being forced to make rounds of on one pretext or the other but with no result.

Mr. Khandelwal has urged that immediate suitable directions may be issued to concerned authorities to comply with the provisions of ordinance by de-sealing of business premises.

New Delhi, October 22
Pitching for an effective transport system before the Commonwealth Games, the union urban development ministry wants the Delhi government to implement an intelligence transport system (ITS) in the Capital.

The ITS can be an effective system to tackle the Commonwealth Games rush and we are forming a committee to explore the system in the city, M Ramachandra, secretary, urban development, told PTI. It should be implemented not only in the Capital, but also in all major cities across the country.

Delhi roads are already witnessing a heavy load, as there are more vehicles in the Capital than in any other major city in the country. The load will increase manifold, as many sportspersons and visitors will throng in the Capital during the 2010 Games.

The system is basically an IT-enabled system, which will help in regulating the traffic during the rush hour. It involves the entire gamut of transportation including signalling, tracking, road condition, availability of vehicles and traffic pattern, said Ramachandra. — PTI

Greater Noida, October 22
The farmers of G B Nagar boycotted the government camp at Raipur today and said that they would not accept land compensation at the present rates.

They would boycott government camp organised at Tusyana on October 25 for disbursement of land compensation.

The decision was taken at the mahapanchayat in Tusyana village. A farmers’ delegation would meet the District Magistrate soon.

It was decided that no farmer would accept the present land compensation rate nor hand over his land, unless the state government brings forward a notification to enhance the land compensation rate to market rates.

The farmers said if the GNIDA was keen to acquire their land, it would have to pay land compensation at the market rates.

The angry farmers said that the GNIDA had acquired their land at half the price and sold it to industrialists at exorbitant rates.

Village pradhan Ravi Bhatti said that educational institutes were allotted land at Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per sq meter.

Alleging that they charge hefty fee at the time of admission of their children, he said that the GNIDA should hand over that amount to farmers, after deducting the development cess.

Once a farmer hands over his land, his main source of livelihood comes to an end.

The rate of land compensation is so meagre that a farmer cannot think of starting any other trade.

Farmer from Raipur, Bangar, Kheda Choganpur, Derin, Habibpur, Bisarakh and Ammabad were present at the panchayat.

New Delhi, October 22
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) today made the final breakthrough in the construction of a tunnel below the bed of the Najafgarh drain.

The section is a part of the Vishwavidyala-Jahangirpuri corridor of Phase-II. According to DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal, this is the first time that a section of the Delhi metro is being constructed below a water body.

“The final tunnel breakthrough took place today when the last portion of soil that separated tunnels being dug from both the sides was finally broken through. The top of the tunnel is about 0.5 m and base 6.7 m below the bed of the drain. The total length of the tunnel in the Vishwavidyalaya-Jahangirpuri section is 1 km of which 40 m is directly below the drain,” Dayal says

Construction of the tunnel below the Najafgarh Nala, near the Vishwavidyalaya station, started in May this year.

It presented a unique challenge to engineers as the tunnel had to be constructed below the bed of the drain and a bridge above it, thus making it a three-tier crossing.

“Two temporary steel bridges were built above the drain so that traffic was not blocked. The flow of the drain was also not stopped at any time, as this would have caused inconvenience to the public of Delhi. For this purpose, two-thirds of the drain was first diverted by sand filling,” the DMRC spokesperson adds.

New Delhi, October 22
Plans are in the pipeline for Delhi University to provide “Jobs on Campus” to help students earn some pocket money.

N K Chadha, director, Department of Adult, Continuing Education and Extension is of the view that in today’s competitive environment, academic proficiency alone is not sufficient for students.

Emphasizing the need for such a move, he says, “It is equally important for the younger generation to understand the professional world and be successful at whatever they undertake and what better way to teach them than in the protected environment of the university itself.”

The jobs would enable students to work between 25 and 30 hours a month. These would mainly be part-time or temporary and would not exceed beyond four months.

Such a move would generate qualified takers for various positions like research associates, assistant technicians, website and database developers, counsellors, physical education trainers, swimming coaches, hostel caregivers, gardening jobs, staff vehicle drivers and security personnel; besides providing students a platform to hone their managerial and leadership skills.