New Delhi, November 24
A local court has sentenced a retired DESU assistant engineer to three years of rigorous imprisonment for accepting a bribe from a generator workshop owner. Noting that punishment should be adequate to act as a deterrent, special judge S K Kaushik convicted A K Rastogi for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from Sriniwas, the owner of a generator workshop and also imposed a fine of Rs 70,000 on him, apart from the three years’ RI.

The court, however, acquitted his two associates Vipin Gupta and Pramod Tayal due to lack of evidence. As per the prosecution, Rastogi, then with the Delhi Electricity Supply Undertaking (DESU) demanded and accepted the money from Sriniwas and threatened him with cancellation of his workshop permit in Karol Bagh in central Delhi, as he was allegedly consuming more electricity than the sanctioned load of one kilowatt.

Rastogi (62), was caught by the anti-corruption branch sleuths of the Delhi Police on March 7, 1997. Seeing the age of the convict, Rastogi, and his mother’s ill-health, I hereby sentence him to undergo imprisonment for a period of three years, the judge said in a recent order. Rastogi, who had abused his official position, was convicted under sections of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988. Earlier, opposing the leniency plea of the convict, Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Vipin Sanduja argued that as taking bribe had become a norm in society, the convict should be handed down optimum punishment to send a right message. —PTI

New Delhi, November 24
Delhi High Court on Friday asked the city’s land licensing agency Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to explain the reasons for violating a judicial order by allowing concrete constructions on the ecologically fragile Yamuna riverbed.

A bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and Rekha Sharma directed DDA and DMRC to file the reasons for carrying out such large-scale constructions—such as the Commonwealth Games Village and metro station—by flouting the court orders. The court had directed the authorities to plant trees and conserve the area as a green belt, but the authorities had destroyed it, the court observed. “You will have to explain the reasons for flouting the orders,” said the bench while adjourning the matter till November 27. Advocate Sanjay Parikh appearing for the petitioner submitted that the government deliberately dumped the study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), which had suggested preserving the 9,700 hectare area for recharging the ground water. The NEERI report had suggested that the union government not allow any concrete construction in the area, but the authorities had constructed many buildings, said Parikh. Submitting some documents before the court, he said the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) on December 14, 2006 had given the clearance for temporary construction to these authorities despite court ban. The petition, by India’s ‘water man’ Rajendra Singh, the Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) and People’s Action, seeks immediate stay on all construction on the riverbed and urges the court to direct the authorities to restore the area as intended under the yet-to-be-notified River Regulation Zone. The petition said the river ecosystem has invaluable significance and the wetland system and water recharge zone of the national capital needs to be protected. Allowing construction activity to continue would lead to floods in low-lying areas of Delhi, it warned, adding that DDA had gone ahead with clearing the area for the Games village despite expert advice against permanent structures on the riverbed. — IANS

New Delhi, November 24
A city court remanded multi-million-rupee land scam accused Ashok Malhotra and seven others in judicial custody till December 13 after they surrendered in the court on the expiry of their interim bail on Friday.

Special judge S.K. Kaushik remanded prime accused Malhotra, three Delhi Development Authority (DDA) officials Jeet Ram Gaur, A.K. Mishra, Sumer Chand Garg, three Muncipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials Atul Vashisth, S.N. S. Sidhu and Philip Toppo, and businessman Ashok Jain till the next date of hearing on December 13 in connection with the Molarband land scam case. After going through the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the court said, “The sanction for prosecution against accused Gaur, Shyam Babu, Ajay Kumar Sharma, Sunil Kumar Sharma has been taken by the competent authority, and I accordingly took cognizance of the chargesheet and summoned them for December 13, including one K.S. Verma (a retired official of DDA).” The probe agency submitted to the court that an accused, under-secretary of Delhi Vidhan Sabha Lal Mani, who was not arrested by it, committed the offences not in the capacity as a public servant but in his private capacity and therefore no sanction for his prosecution was necessary. The court fixed November 28 for hearing of the regular bail application of accused Malhotra, Toppo, Sandhu and others. Malhotra, who was the kingpin of the scam, prepared fake and forged documents like ration-cards, identity cards, photographs and bank documents in the name of non-existent applicants for allotment of land. The CBI had on November 5 filed six chargesheets against Malhotra and others who had allegedly made millions of rupees through bogus plot allotments in collusion with Lal Mani and officials of DDA and MCD. The DDA officials Gaur, Mishra, Verma, Garg, and MCD officials Vashisth, Sidhu and Toppo allegedly joined in the conspiracy by accepting Malhotra’s forged applications to facilitate the allotment of plots, which were meant for resettlement of slum dwellers. Malhotra was arrested on August 6 from a private news channel studio in Noida.—IANS

New Delhi, November 24
Prakash Utsav was celebrated at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in the Capital today to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji.

The programme started with the recitation of Sukhmani Sahib and Nitnem. Bhai Harjit Singh and Gurdeep Singh performed Asa Di Var with Shabad Kirtan.

Guru Nanak was a reformer and a revolutionary. He introduced Langar (free community kitchen), which has become a universal concept of Sikhism.

Noida, November 24
Common people who had applied for a plot in Noida Authority’s much-hyped draw of plots in July 2004 are feeling relieved at the Supreme Court order on Friday calling it as “a stinking farce” and cancelling the 2004 draw and ordering a fresh one in its place. Common applicants had been waiting for this decision for the past three years.

Some 1.76 lakh people had applied for a residential plot in 2004, the draw for which was conducted through computer on July 2, 2004, only to be countermanded on July 4, 2004 after the press had alleged large-scale rigging into the draw.

It was alleged that a large number of plots had been allotted to VVIPs and VIPs including UP ministers, MPs, MLA, IAS and IPS officers and their relatives. This was because immediate sale of plots was expected to fetch a premium from Rs 40 to 50 lakh per plot. As a matter of fact only VIPs and people with “connections” had been allotted the plots, especially in the elite sector 44 as there was high premium on plots in that sector. Few commoners had figured in the list of allottees.

The plots ranged from 112 sq metres to 450 sq metres in size and were located in Sectors 43, 44, 46, 48, 50, 51, 52, 71, 72, 92, 92B, 105, 108 and 122.

Among those who made it to the list of successful applicants were wives of the then District Magistrate G.B. Nagar and Ghaziabad, SSP Noida, close relatives of police officials of Noida, relatives of local MLA and MP from BJP. Interestingly, these public representatives had made a big issue of draw, but after they were declared among the lucky allottees, not a word was heard from these very persons.

The then CEO and Chairman of Noida Authority, Deo Dutt Sharma had called an impromptu press conference in the morning of July 4, 2004, which happened to be a Sunday to announce that the draw had been countermanded in view of the image of the Noida Authority. CEO Dev Dutta and Additional Chief Executive officer, Mukesh Mohan Mishra, in-charge of the draw, were however posted out of Noida Authority on July 10 in view of their culpability.

Manav Sewa Samiti, Noida and some other organizations had then taken the matter to the Allahabad High Court. The court ordered a CBI enquiry into the rigged draw, calling it a “complete farce” which “stinks and is unjust enrichment of the undeserving”

This order of High Court was later stayed by the apex court on petition by Noida Authority and the UPDESCO–which had conducted the computerized draw. The apex court has now allowed CBI enquiry into the sordid draw and massive bungling of Noida residential plot allotment case. The CBI enquiry is also expected to throw light on the involvement of the officials concerned.

New Delhi, November 24
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit launched another round of the pulse polio campaign in the Capital today. She administered anti-polio drops to children within the age group of 0 to 5 years at her residence today. The pulse polio immunisation programme will begin tomorrow.

Two hundred more booths have been commissioned this time. Special arrangements have been made to administer the vaccine to children in the Trade Fair and outside gurudwaras.

Dikshit assured that the government would ensure that the poliovirus did not enter the NCT of Delhi. “For a strong nation, we must have strong children. This is possible only with the success of the pulse polio programme. Being the pioneer in the pulse polio programme, Delhi is regarded as a role model and would continue to strive to eradicate polio” she said.

This year, only one case of polio has been reported from the Capital, as against 392 cases from across the country. The city would become polio free by the next year.

The pulse polio immunisation programme started in the Capital in 1994 while, house to house ‘search and immunisation’ campaign started in 1999.

Dikshit thanked the health department officials for their effort in overcoming the threat of polio in the city.

Health minister Yoganand Shastri also administered polio drops to children. He conveyed his gratitude towards the rotary club and other NGOs for making the pulse polio campaign a success in the national Capital.

Shastri said that 9,000 polio booths would be established tomorrow to administer the vaccine to children between the age of 0-5 years. Around 30,000 workers and employees of the health department would be deployed from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm to ensure its maximum reach.

The stalls would be stationed at railway stations, ISBT, public places including, Appu Ghar, major temples, metro stations, Millennium Park, zoo and outlets of Mc Donalds. Besides, a door-to-door weeklong survey would also be conducted under the ‘search and immunisation’ programme. Around 17,000 workers would visit slums and JJ Clusters in teams to administer polio drops to children.

New Delhi, November 24
Nine bands, from India and abroad, got together for a musical extravaganza as part of the three-day Jazz Utsav, which started yesterday.

Moving on from its earlier name ‘Jazz Yatra’, Jazz Utsav will have bands from countries like Norway, Germany, Belgium, Poland and Britain regaling the audience at the FICCI auditorium in the heart of the city.

Soli J. Sorabjee, former attorney general of India and a patron of Jazz music, said that although Jazz, as a genre, is not as popular as rock or pop, it still has a dedicated following to whom this festival caters each year.

“Capital Jazz, one of the organisers of the festival, believes in keeping the spirit of Jazz alive. We don’t follow any particular ideology, we just believe in good music. And that’s what is going to happen in the festival this weekend,” Sorabjee said.

The festival has been treating the people of the Capital since the early 1980s.

Among the Indian bands to perform in the festival this year are Sonia Saigal and Friends from Mumbai, Madhav Chari Trio of Chennai and Ramamani with Amit Heri Trio of Bangalore.

Jake Fryer, a member of the band from the UK, ‘Jake Fryer & the London Bebop Collective’ said that he is absolutely thrilled to come and perform in India for the very first time.

“We have played in places and concerts around the world like the London Jazz Festival. We are eager to play for the Indian audience and interact with the Indian musicians to exchange ideas,” Fryer told IANS.

Besides pure Jazz, something which one rarely gets to hear in Delhi these days, there will also be some fusion music awaiting the audience. — IANS

New Delhi, November 24
Taking a stand against the increasing incidences of violence and terrorism in the world, around 5,000 children from 30 countries gathered in the Indian capital to say “Let’s give peace a chance”.

The young cultural ambassadors were here to participate in the six-day-long 8th International Children’s Festival of Performing Arts 2007, one of the world’s biggest extravaganzas, that kicked off on Friday evening at the National Bal Bhavan.

The festival, titled ‘Let’s give peace a chance’, is being hosted by Ryan International School.

Speaking on the occasion, Somnath Chatterjee, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, said: “These children are ambassadors of peace and harmony. Such initiatives are laudable as they bring people from various cultural and ethnic groups together and help them to think in the same direction and give peace a chance.”

“This is the right time to impart the message to the youth of the world, that peace is the ultimate tool to achieve peaceful co-existence for the human race to grow and bond together,” added Grace Pinto, managing director of Ryan International Group of Institutions.

The fete started with a prayer, followed by a dance performance by 100 children from the participating countries to the beats of A.R. Rahman’s “Vande Mataram”. The children were decked up in their traditional outfits and held the national flags.

There were dance performances by participants from India, Poland, Romania, Germany and Sri Lanka.

“Peaceful coexistence is the only way to reach universal brotherhood, and theatre is a powerful and wonderful medium to spread this message. It binds people and brings the best out of them,” said Augustine Pinto, founder chairman of Ryan International Group of Institutions and Ryan Foundation.

In the coming days, there will be more than 200 performances in dance, drama, music, mime and puppetry. A white T-shirt ceremony and a peace march are also part of the event.—IANS

New Delhi, November 24
The two-day national conference on management organised at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) ended today. The theme of the conference was corporate strategies and innovations in the emerging global economy.

It provided a platform to corporate leaders, management practitioners, thinkers, academicians and students to deliberate on issues, challenges, strategies and innovations adopted by the corporate sector for managing business organisations in today’s complex and competitive global environment.

“Global corporations need to have a global appeal,” said B.B. Anand, president, Reliance Communications Ltd. “The strategies that organisations need to adopt in today’s scenario includes innovation, which is not just confined to the creation of products but also to cut costs, reduce time and dependability on others and improve reliability,” he said.

Emphasising innovation as a way of life, Prof K.K. Aggarwal, vice-chancellor, GGSIPU said, “There is not one solution to a problem, but there could be multiple way outs. We must allow youngsters to think. This is an era to think globally and act locally.”

The conference included tracks on information technology and innovation, human resource management, marketing & operations and finance. 

New Delhi, November 24
Ansal Institute of Technology (AIT), Gurgaon, with support from the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences,

and co-sponsored by (NDSU), Fargo, USA is organizing a five-day international conference-cum-workshop on nanoscience and nanotechnology on its campus from December 17-21. The main objective of this conference-cum-workshop is to provide a multidisciplinary view of the various facets of nanoscience and nanotechnology and its target is an audience with a good science/engineering background. Leading scientists and researchers from the renowned US and French academic institutions and laboratories, among others and eminent speakers from the US including Ivy League institutions like Stanford, UCLA, Georgia Tech and experts from Canada, France and national laboratories will provide an exposure to a whole gamut of technologies associated with nanotechnology. Leading scientists and researchers from Indian institutions are also going to participate in the deliberations.There will also be an interactive presentation on “Architecture in Nanospace” by Sir Harrold Kroto (Nobel Laureate). According to Prof. M. P. Singh, director, there is a growing need to raise awareness and knowledge of the opportunities and risks associated with the developments in nanotechnology. The conference’s proceedings will be published in the international journal of nanotechnology.

Noida, November 23
A speeding truck at Link Road on Expressway here knocked down a bike rider.

Durga Prasad, a resident of Nand Nagari in the Capital died on the spot. The truck driver fled from the scene, leaving behind the truck. The truck has been seized.

Durga Prasad was going to Greater Noida on his bike. As he tried to come on the Expressway from the Link Road near Amar Pali crossing, a speeding truck knocked him down. 

John Abraham has finally met his match. And, I don’t mean Bipasha Basu with whom he forms a truly endearing match. This time, the match he meets is one on the field.

Spectacularly filmed, the green vistas of Vivek Agnihotri’s London locales fill the screen with vigour, vim and virility that go well with the mood of this sporty slick, which is a spiffy tale of sportsmanship, racism, brotherhood and victory against all odds.

Let’s face it, there’s just so much that a director can do with a sports film. It has to be about a bunch of semi-losers facing all the odds to emerge as winners in the climactic game and there have to be warring groups and a burnt-out disgraced coach. Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Chak De India’ and Boman Irani here are in spirit the one and the same, though not necessarily in that order.

The spirit of ‘Chak De India’ haunts ‘Goal’, though not in any damaging or ridiculing way. While in essence, the two films shake hands on many occasions, there are several interludes and episodes in ‘Goal’ that take a route away from the mellow meadows embraced by ‘Chak De India’.

Here, the line of action is eternally aggressive. The wars between football teams and between the members of the same team are aligned with acidic remarks and barbed comments that bring to notice the slanted racist slurs that operate beneath the spirit of sportsmanship in a country that is multi-cultured and where people co-exist uneasily under a veneer of prosperity.

The ideas on inequality and on-field aggression occupy the centre stage in Agnihotri’s film. He doesn’t bite more than he can chew. The director is in splendid form here, letting the characters grow from the theme as naturally and vivaciously as the narration allows.

Yes, Agnihotri knows his football far better than he knew the noire genre in his directorial debut ‘Chocolate’.

Attarsingh Saini’s camera searches for the root-cause of every character’s stress-level, and then gives it a visual rendering.

This is easier said than done. Luckily for us, a lot of what has been said reveals the characters’ inner world. The outer world with its jagged edges and baffling contradictions takes shape willy-nilly.

The John-Bipasha relationship here is more fun than the sexual frisson in ‘Jism’ or the psychological tangles in ‘Madhoshi’. Watch Bipasha make space for herself in this boys-will-be-boys tale of triumphant sportsmanship. She finds her metier without jostling or over-acting.

The film’s backbone is the John-Arshad rivalry. Arshad once again proves himself the unstoppable scene-stealer. Displaying wrath and cynicism, he plays the field in ‘Goal’ with consummate aplomb.

Watch ‘Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal’ for its neat blend of bite and bark in a game where the ball says it all. — IANS