New Delhi, November 23
The Delhi High Court on Thursday expressed its concern over mushrooming of unrecognised primary schools in the Capital without proper infrastructure, water supply and sanitary facilities.

A division bench headed by Justice T.S. Thakur and Veena Birbal pulled up the schools while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Social Jurist, an NGO, which demanded the regulation of unrecognised schools.

“Let the Delhi government prescribe norms, we will examine the norms. If you find them too harsh, then you can come and protest. You just cannot start any school in a cattle shed.”

The court was surprised that one could start a school without following any norms or regulation. “Are there any norms under the Delhi School Education Act to begin a primary School in the city?”

The bench asked the state’s counsel J.R. Midha: “What about the building, what about the proper and separate toilets for boys and girls, what about the drinking water? Some standard must be prescribed.”

Justice Thakur added that no nursing home could be run without licence and even a grocer needed a municipal licence for the shop.

“Education is a serious issue. If there is lack of infrastructure, where will students sit? Where will they study? What about the students-teachers ratio? They are left upon the mercy of God,” the bench added.

Additional Director of Education S.S. Ghonkrokta, who was present in the court, said a proposal describing certain norms or regulations in this regard had been drafted and sent to the government.

Midha also informed the court that as per the Delhi School Education Act, no school could run without recognition from the Directorate of Education. “If someone wants to open a school, prior intimation should be given to the directorate.

“The administrator has the power to regulate education in all schools in Delhi in accordance with the provisions in the act,” he said.

However, R.M. Sinha, counsel for private schools, stated, “If we are bounded to take permission from the Directorate of Education, there are possibilities of harassment. For every thing, we will have to run to the directorate.”

According to the PIL, there are around 10,000 unauthorised private schools, having classes from the nursery level to Class 12, that are doing brisk business without complying with the norms of the education act.

After hearing the PIL, the bench said the order was reserved and would be pronounced at a later date.

During the last hearing the court had observed that even “dhabas were better than these schools”.

Advocate Ashok Agrawal appearing for Social Jurist said these schools were the breeding grounds of cheap labour force as they were not the proper institutions to provide education to the students.

“Safety norms must not be compromised with when it is the case of children,” the bench had earlier said.

A court-appointed committee comprising Y.V.V.J. Rajasekhar, deputy director of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), R.K. Wadhera, assistant director, and advocate Agrawal visited 11 such schools in various localities of Delhi.

In its report, the committee stated that except for the R.J. Public School in Mahipalpur, other schools were not recognised by the civic authorities. — IANS

New Delhi, November 23
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has stated that the government is committed to ensuring comprehensive social security to a large number of construction labourers who are engaged in a number of building projects in the Capital.

She said this while inaugurating a first-ever camp organised in Delhi for construction labourers associated with the Commonwealth projects at Thyagraj Stadium in Delhi. Thyagraj Stadium is first such stadium which is being fully reconstructed right.

She distributed temporary ration cards, passbooks and Janshree Bima Cards to the 15 labourers though 285 others were also provided with these documents after the function.

Union labour minister Oscar Fernandes delivered the inaugural address whereas Delhi labour minister Mangat Ram Singhal presided over the function.

The Chief Minister stated that the state government had created a fund for the welfare of the workers with Rs 110 crore. The government is fully aware of the difficulties of those construction workers who come to Delhi. Similar camps would also be organised at all project sites relating to Commonwealth Games.

The construction workers are being enrolled as members of Delhi Building and other Construction Welfare Board, which would enable them the benefits of Public Distribution System (PDS), Janshree Bima Yojana. These schemeas provides for compensation between Rs 30,000 and Rs 75,000 on death and Rs 37,5000 on permanent disability, maternity benefit, medical assistance, scholarship to schoolchildren, financial assistance amounting to Rs 2,000 at the time of marriage of their dependants, pension on attaining age of 60 years, disability pension, family pension, etc.

Workers in the age group of 18 to 60 years are eligible to become a member of the Board.

They will have to deposit monthly refundable subscription of Rs 20, which would be credited to their savings account.

Ms Dikshit exhorted NGOs to render constructive cooperation in enrolment of construction workers and disseminate information about the scheme and rights of the workers. This would help in achieving the desired results.

Oscar Fernandes described this first-ever camp as an important initiative of Delhi government which would convey a good message throughout the country.

He complimented the state government on implementing workers’ health scheme in the Capital. Delhi has become the first state to implement this scheme, which has been finalised by the Union Government.

He added that unorganised workers in Delhi would also be brought under the ambit of ESI and they would also become entitled to bonus. He expressed confidence that on completion of construction-related Commonwealth Games project, the scenario in Delhi would become more attractive.

Delhi labour minister Mangat Ram Singhal stated that his department has made elaborate arrangements to impart education to the wards of workers.

He also made reference of Delhi Workers Welfare Fund, which he described as of much relevance to the workers. Health facilities are also being provided in the camp.

New Delhi, November 23
The Delhi Police will use cameras to catch rogue bikers, who perform dangerous stunts and cause trouble to people on roads during the annual commemorative processions on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, to be celebrated on Friday.

“Every year hundreds of such riders take to streets and perform dangerous stunts posing threat to people and themselves. This year, we have instructed our officials to video-record their activities,” said Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat.

“The decision was taken to get these bikers punished under appropriate sections of laws,” Bhagat told IANS on Thursday.

In July, around 150 youths from affluent families, rode swanky bikes and unleashed a spell of terror in the Connaught Place and Mandir Marg area of the Capital at dangerous speed to have fun at the cost of others. They also had the police chasing them for hours.

The youths, all from west Delhi, had come to the Jain Dhaba eatery, close to the Connaught Place police station, in the middle of the night, after attending the Gurudwara Banglasaheb Gurupurab celebrations.

The police officials said that besides harassing and abusing families gathered at restaurants nearby, some of them even robed strollers.

They didn’t stop there and roughed up the dhaba owner, after he refused to serve them food, as he had closed the shop. The dhaba owner had to be hospitalised.

The bikers also assaulted journalists, who were covering the incident.

The drama ended only after the police managed to arrest 45 of them. Later, a city court granted them bail on personal bonds of Rs 25,000 each and the condition that they perform community service.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) R.K. Pandey said that people should avoid taking select roads in Central Delhi from 10 am to 12 
noon. — IANS

New Delhi, November 23
The Uphaar fire 10 years ago still smoulders. But things have got no better in the years since the cinema hall tragedy with more than 2,500 high-rise buildings in the Capital awaiting a similar fate.

“Since January, we have sent notices to 2,506 building owners or authorities for violating security norms prescribed under the fire safety acts,” said deputy fire chief A.K. Sharma.

The issue of fire safety is back in the spotlight with the Uphaar verdict that has found building barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal and 10 others guilty for the fire that killed 59 people in June 1997.

The Capital’s fire service department, which issues a no-objection certificate related to fire security, says the buildings that have been issued notices include homes that have flouted mandatory rules.

“Despite serving notices to violators, people are not willing to install necessary firefighting equipment in the buildings and the matter ends up reaching the court. Some buildings are in the narrowest and busiest lanes of the Capital and an emergency could prove unmanageable,” Sharma told IANS.

Seven such cases, including Chawla Jewellers in Karol Bagh, APJ Satya House in Masjid Moth and Building No. 2 in Rajendra Place, are pending before various courts.

Just last week, the Delhi High Court had slapped a fine of Rs 150,000 on the Allahabad Bank’s Parliament Street branch for not installing fire safety equipment in its building despite an undertaking given to the court two years ago.

The fine was imposed on a petition by the bank challenging a decision of the Delhi Fire Service to disconnect the water and power supply to its building.

In this grim scenario of a disaster waiting to happen, cinema halls provide the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

“To the best of my knowledge, no cinema hall or theatre is operating without licence and other obligatory clearances. The Uphaar tragedy has left behind unforgettable lessons and we have learnt from failure. We have already upgraded all mechanisms and systems to avoid any such incident in the future,” Sharma said.

“Before the Uphaar accident, reviews of safety measures were not held once licences were issued to the theatres. Now we visit each hall every quarter and ensure that security norm is in place,” he added.

He said a team of Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police, land and building department and civic agencies scrutinise firefighting equipment like water nozzles, water tanks, extinguishers, and glowing exit signboards inside the halls. Special attention is also paid to the emergency exit doors. If only the other buildings follow suit now! —IANS

Noida, November 23
Seven robbers have been arrested by the Sector-20 police, Noida, and stolen goods and valuables worth Rs 4.50 lakh recovered from them.

The arrested persons include three junk dealers who used to purchase the stolen goods from the thieves.

According to police, this gang used to target factories and would loot the goods with the connivance of factory security guards.

One security guard and one sweeper of the factory have also been arrested.

Copper, brass and scrap worth Rs 4.50 lakh had been stolen from a metal finishing factory in B-91, Sector-5 Noida.

Factory proprietor Yogesh Sachdeva had reported the robbery in Sectory-20 police station.

During investigation, police got a tip-off that some persons were about to reach the house of Madan Kabadi (junk dealer) in Sector-8 to dispose of stolen goods.

In a raid organized quickly, the police arrested Dharminder of Shahjahanpur and Pawan of Bihar with stolen goods worth Rs 4.50 lakh in three bags.

Their two accomplices Babbloo and Pinto gave the slip to the police.

The police also arrested the junk dealers Madan, Prem, alias Kalu, and Ikaram of Sector-8. According to Sector-20 police station in-charge SO, Dharminder and his accomplices had stolen the goods in connivance with security guard Rachhpal and sweeper, Sanjeev who were also arrested.

New Delhi, November 23
Even as the rape and murder of a Pune call centre employee by her cab driver is fresh on everyone’s mind, a software analyst has developed a mobile phone-based system that may provide better protection to BPO staff in transit.

“After two cases of rape and murder of female call centre employees, BPO firms have an uphill task so far as security is concerned. And, here comes our system - simple and effective,” said Chennai-based V.M. Sankaran Nampoothiri.

“The GPS-based systems are not adequate as India does not have developed maps for every single nook and corner of our cities. However, our system Webtra will work everywhere, as it is mobile technology-based,” Nampoothiri told IANS.

As soon as an employee gets into a cab, he/she will log on to the mobile phone and send an SMS to a centralised number and, after five minutes a message automatically goes to the employee.

“If he or she does not respond to the message, a call will follow in after five minutes. If the person fails to respond, then the system will declare a crisis alert. The transport department will then call the family or any close friend of the person and other employees, who are slotted in the cab,” he said.

“It is really foolish to expect that a person in trouble will be able to call any helpline or office. For us, it’s not communication but break of communication that is a good alert.”

Nampoothiri said that currently two BPOs - one each in Bangalore and Chennai, were using his system but scores of others were in talks with him.

“Many BPOs in Pune, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Bangalore and Chennai are interacting with us for installing the new system.”

Earlier this month, a Wipro call centre employee in Pune was found raped and murdered by her cab driver. Her body was recovered off the Mumbai-Pune Express Highway. Two people were arrested in this regard.

Last year, a Bangalore-based female employee had faced a similar fate and the culprit was again the cab driver.

Nampoothiri said that there were six reasons for delay in arriving in office or reaching home - traffic, mechanical failure, diversion from original path (indicator of a possible crime), bad health, accident and delay by staff.

“Our system has a data base of thousands of hospitals across the country and this can help employees and companies to rush them to a nearby hospital in case of emergency,” said the analyst, who was in the Capital to interact with some leading BPO firms.

When asked about false alerts and subsequent chaos that the system may create, the analyst said, “Since these employees are young, you can expect them to ignore messages but, they will be on their toes. Due to their negligence, the system may sound 90 per cent false alerts but the remaining 10 per cent will be of great help.”

Besides, he said, “It’s better to be on alert always that let a crime happen.”

The analyst, who has been associated with the industry for 16 years, said that the cost of installing the system could be around Rs 350 per person per month.

“If a company wants to install the system with speech detectors, the cost will be more. A speech detector could translate at least 10 languages and scores of regional accents into English. This will help in deciphering the voice and language of the cab driver and employees,” said Nampoothiri, who is currently associated with the software firm LatticeBridge in Chennai. — IANS

New Delhi, November 23
A major show of contemporary Indian artists is being put up at the Tranvancore Art Gallery from November 25.

Hosted by the Ati Art Gallery, this show “Musing ThroughAutumn” features paintings from as many as 40 masters ,including M.F. Husain, Satish Gujral, Amitava Das, Anjolie Ela Menon, Arpana Caur and Ganesh Pyne.

The other artists whose works have been put include AjayDe, Ashok Bhowmik, Badri Narayan, Bose Krishnamachari,Chandra Bhattacharjee, Dimpy Menon, Dipali Bhattacharya, Hemi Bawa, Jayashree Chakravarty, Jogen Chowdhury, Kanchan Chander, Krishen Khanna, Lalu Prasad Shaw, Manish Pushkale, Manu Parekh, Milind Nayak, Paresh Hazra, Paresh Maity, Prabhakar Mahadeo Kolte, S.G Vasudev, Sakti Burman, Sanatan Dinda, SamirMondal, Sekhar Roy, Shipra Bhattacharya, Shuvaprasanna, Siddharth, Suhas Roy, Sunil Das, Sanat Kar, Subrata Gangopadhyay, Vasundhara Tiwari Broota, Yuriko Lochan, and Yusuf Arakkal.

Says Aarti Sarin Jain, Art Business Head, Ati ArtGallery: “This exhibition has been mounted as Ati Art Gallery’s annual show and is an ode to the trends in contemporary art during the festive season of autumn tide in Delhi. Musings Through Autumn brings together finest artists from all over the country.”

Focusing on a spectrum of established abstract artists from India, as well as artists known for the figurative tenor; this is a show that something for everyone. From Jogen Chowdhury and Anjolie Ela Menon to M.F. Husain and Manu Parekh.

For artist Kanchan Chander, brightly painted female torsos decked with flower petals is the true ode to autumn. Her work titled “A Torso- Allegro” means happiness. Explains the artist: “I have been painting

torso series for long but for this season, I have brought up lots of floral patterns in my canvas. A flower symbolizes fertility, sensivity and sensuality and hence it aptly beautifies the female torso. My painting is a celebration of autumn through the erotic and the sensuous side of the female form.”

In a similar fashion, artist Samir Mondal also focuses on colour and rejoices the onset of autumn. He chooses to glorify the season by presenting its darker side. His work titled “The Mask and The Flower” presents a profound contrast between life and death.

Says the artist: “the mask is pale, dull and lifeless while flowers are fragile, colourful like life”.

Noida, November 23
The 538th birthday (Gurpurb) of Guru Nanak Dev Ji–the first Sikh Guru and founder of Sikhism will be celebrated tomorrow at the main Gurdwara in Sector-18 Noida in a befitting manner.

Elaborate programmes have been chalked out for the daylong celebrations, beginning from 6.30 a.m. to 2.45 p.m., for the morning Diwan and from 5.30 p.m. to 12 midnight for the evening session.

An Akhand Path–continuous recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib which started in the morning on November 22 will be completed on November 24 morning.

The Gurdwara complex has been spruced up and decorated tastefully. It is being illuminated from November 21 to 24.

New Delhi, November 23
Chairperson of the MCD’s standing committee Vijender Gupta today said that zonal control rooms set-up at the 12 zonal offices of the corporation would be strengthened and brought at par with the central control room at Town Hall.

This will be done to ensure effective redressal of public complaints.

A separate staff has been constituted for the central control room (CCR) at Town Hall. This would be extended to the zonal control rooms (ZCR).

Gupta said that though the central and the zonal control rooms would be under the additional commissioner (engineering), the immediate control of zonal control rooms would lay with the zonal deputy commissioners.