New Delhi, November 25
With a view to preserve the cultural diversity of the country, the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) has announced plans to develop a web-based video encyclopaedia of India.

The proposed site, www.indiavideo.org, which will highlight the culture, heritage and geography of the country, is being developed by Invis Multimedia - a premier content development organisation, specialising in audio-visual production.

Announcing the agreement between the UNESCO and the Invis Multimedia, Minja Yang, director, UNESCO, New Delhi said that one of the mandates is to safeguard and promote the wealth of the world’s cultural diversity.

India is a vast country, with an extraordinarily ancient and diverse cultural heritage. The objective behind this project is to develop an atlas of India that covers not just its geographical features but the cultural ones too, Yang said.

She said that the content would be created in a format that is easily accessible and would generate awareness about the importance of safeguarding India’s heritage.

The encyclopaedia will have detailed sections on each state and union territory. The video clips will be supplemented with text in English.

Kerala is the first state to be covered, with 2,000 professionally created video clips, which are to be uploaded by March 2008.

The uploading of video clips from other parts of India will begin along with the formal launching of the site in April 2008.

Observing that there are 28 world heritage sites in India, yang said that the UNESCO’s principles were to embrace the protection and promotion of heritage and creativity in a much broader sense.

Cultural diversity not only encompasses landscapes and buildings, but also rituals, performing art, traditional crafts and other traditional knowledge on nature. This is why, a video encyclopaedia is particularly well suited to depicting the full range of India’s culture, she said.

Yang pointed out that India is a signatory to the convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions and the convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage, which were both promulgated by the UNESCO. — PTI 

Noida, November 26
Two MBA students were killed, while taking part in a race on their 1000 high-powered Honda racing bikes, about 7.30 on Sunday morning. The Noida Expressway, which is also called “Killer Expressway” has taken 60 lives, mostly in traffic accidents in about past five years.

Sanjiv Raj, 22, riding the bike was killed on the spot when he was thrown off his bike some 15 metres away as his bike hit the culvert, about 5 km from Amity University Campus. Pillion rider, Amit Chopra, 22, grievously injured in fall on the road was rushed to Kailash hospital where he died later. Both were MBA students in a Delhi institute.

Ironically, Amit Chopra had promised a friend on Saturday night that he was quitting bike racing as it was very risky. About a dozen youths were taking part in the race from Noida to Greater Noida yesterday when this mishap occurred.

Race enthusiasts have found the well-maintained and clean 24-km long expressway very inviting for racing. Motor bikes and sometimes even four-wheelers can be seen using the broad and smooth highway for racing on mornings of Saturdays and Sundays.

Incidentally the G.B. Nagar traffic police have proved ineffective in stopping the race buffs. The races, the police say, comprise about 47 km back and forth on over 23-km expressway. Quite often this fun game of racing results in the dance of death for the participants.

About two years ago, the police had arrested about a dozen persons having a race in their luxury cars which were seized. This patch has become the favourite racing track for the prosperous Delhi residents and youth. Six months ago in a similar luxury car race on the Expressway, a villager had a narrow escape from being knocked out by one of the cars. Irate villagers had smashed the glasspanes of many cars. But racers had fled by the time police reached the spot.

Costly bikes and cars usually take part in these races. According SP traffic, Ajay Sehdev, lack of a speed limit on Expressway is exploited by drivers and race enthusiasts. “But now we are considering a policy for the expressway and soon notice boards and hoardings etc. will be put along the expressway, prohibiting racing.”

New Delhi, November 26
Defence minister A K Antony today said people from all walks of life should follow the teachings of the religions they belong to in their personal lives as that would make them wonderful human beings and would eradicate evil and wickedeness from every sphere of life.

Releasing the Malayalam translation of the holy book of Muslims, the Koran, by Hindu scholar Vanidas Elayavoor and Muslim scholar Sheikh Mohammad Karakkunn here, Antony said the message of the Koran is for the entire mankind and it preaches unity among all people, irrespective of the religions they belong to.

He said a Hindu scholar and a Muslim scholar joining hands to do something as noble as translating the Koran is something first of its kind and it should set an example in society.

Antony said three or four translations of the Koran already exist but the one done in the Malayalam language is the easiest.

‘’Hundreds of thousands of people have been reading the Koran since it came into being and have benefited immensely from it. This has also brought them out of the darkness they earlier were languishing in,’’ he added.

On conflicting views in society, he said the people with different ideas and beliefs cannot be brought on the same platform and if anybody tries that, it would not be possible. But several issues can be resolved through debate and discussion. — UNI

New Delhi, November 26
The Edhi Foundation and the Ramakrishna Mission were honoured with the GART–AMDA Award – 2007, for their contribution in the areas of disaster and crisis management at Gandhi Ashram in the Capital recently.

Nirmala Deshpande, president, Gandhi Ashram Reconstruction Trust (GART) and Shigeru Suganami, president, Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA in Okayama, Japan) presented the awards to Begum Bilquis Edhi and Swami Suviranandaji, additional secretary, Ramakrishna Mission.

The award ceremony marked the culmination of the AMDA’s 20th international conference. Many doctors, volunteers, and NGO workers from over 15 countries including, India shared their experiences in the field of emergency relief.

The Edhi Foundation provided free kitchen to the victims of Tsunami in Sri Lanka and Indonesia in 2003. It also carried out relief work in the earthquake-hit Azad Kashmir and the NWFP area in 2005.

Abdul Sattar Edhi, born in 1928, in a small town in Gujarat, migrated to Pakistan in 1947. He established a welfare trust named the ‘Abdul Sattar Edhi Foundation’. The Foundation carries out humanitarian works in the area of crisis management. Edhi married Bilquis, a nurse, who worked at the Edhi dispensary, in 1965.

Presently, the Foundation has a service of 1,200 ambulances, one helicopter, two aircrafts, 28 rescue boats and many shelter homes.

The Ramakrishna Mission, established by Swami Vivekananda in May 1897, mirrors the messages of Ramakrishna Paramhansa, whose life, as described by Mahatma Gandhi, was a story of religion in practice. The Mission, known for its humanitarian works, has 166 branches and many hospitals, schools, colleges, dispensaries, orphanages, hostels and rural and tribal development centres.

The Gandhi Ashram Reconstruction Trust (GART) operates on the Gandhian ideology. It aims at providing more organised and networked relief service during disasters and rekindling the spirit of ‘sewa’ (selfless service). It also aims to develop a community at the Gandhi Ashram at Kingsway Camp.

The AMDA is a humanitarian, non-profitable, non-political, non-sectarian and non-governmental organisation. It aims to maintain global peace and carry out developmental works. It is a UN-recognised organisation, working primarily in disaster areas. In 1995, it received the Consultative Status from the United Nations Economic and Socialouncil (ECOSOC). 

New Delhi, November 26
In the wake of an increasing number of deaths on Delhi roads caused by Blueline buses, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has admitted to the chaotic working of the Bluelines in the city but at the same time also stressed the need for discipline among the public.

Speaking to a television channel last night, the Chief Minister said, ‘’In many of the cases, the Blueline buses are to blame. In fact, they are wrong more times than one. But there are people who are indisciplined. Sometimes there is a bus going and a motorcycle, three-wheeler or a car overtaking from the wrong side. Also, many time you have a bus going on a road at a speed of, say, 40 or 50 kmph and somebody comes right in front. People have to learn to be disciplined—learn to walk or drive carefully.’’

Speaking on Devil’s Advocate on CNN IBN, Dikshit, while reiterating her government’s commitment to phase out the Bluelines from the city’s roads, said it could not be done overnight and that the process would take two to two and a half years.

‘’On our part, we want to get 5000 to 6000 new buses in one year’s time. But, we cannot get them because they are just not available. It is not easy to get CNG buses in India. There are not enough manufacturers of CNG buses. But buses are definitely coming by the year 2009-2010,’’ the Chief Minister said.

Acknowledging the government’s helplessness in bringing the errant Bluelines in line, Dikshit said, ‘’The buses are being regularly checked. We penalized them, send them off the roads and even punished them. But they are apparently incorrigible, 25 per cent of the buses have faulty speed governors. Though the fitness of these buses is checked from time to time but by the time they are out of the fitness room, they tamper with them. It is not possible to look at each of the 4800 buses running on the roads. still, we have taken action against them, withdrawing permits of 700 buses. I also stopped Blueline buses for half a day to see that they came in line. But, thousands of people stranded on the roads. They pleaded to bring Bluelines back.’’

Dismissing charges of inaction levelled against her government, the Chief Minister said the government had done everything possible to rein in the Bluelines in the past months. ‘’Your life is as precious to us as it is to you. It pains me to see if there is an accident. And, we have taken action. Police did take very strong action against a driver a week ago, putting him behind bars under culpable homicide which had them really scared. I have met with their federation at least five times, pleading them that lives are very important for us. In fact, if we had not done anything to curb the problem, you would be having more than the hundred people (who died in Blueline accidents),’’ Dikshit said.

She added, ‘’I can assure we are doing everything possible within us and are determined that things will be right in two years.’’—UNI

New Delhi, November 26
Coming down heavily on Blueline buses, the Delhi High Court on Monday told owners of the ‘killer buses’ to deposit the compensation for accident victims before seeking release of their confiscated vehicles. It also asked the government to calculate the cost of living index for a final compensation amount.

A division bench headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal asked bus operators to pay a compensation of Rs 100,000 each to the kin in case of death, Rs 50,000 each for grievous injuries and Rs 25,000 each for minor injuries caused by the buses.

Dealing with an application of about 10 bus operators seeking release of their impounded buses, the court said their vehicles would be released only after compensation is paid.

“Pay the compensation and then the court would order the release of the buses,” said the court emphatically, reminding the owners that the toll in Blueline accidents in the city had crossed 108 so far this year.

The money would be deducted from the amount finally awarded by the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) courts, the High Court said.

“It’s becoming shocking day by day and cannot get worse than this,” the bench said, referring to the frequent accidents caused by these privately owned buses.

The court also asked the central government counsel to calculate the cost of living index from November 1994 till date. “The cost of living index must have gone up after so many years. So get us the figures first and update them in the Motor Vehicle Act and then we will pass any order on the compensation,” said the bench.

The Capital has over 4,000 Blueline buses, which form a crucial part of the city’s public transport system.
— IANS

Noida, November 26
Since heart disease is caused mostly due to lifestyle-related problems and can even affect younger people who are in their 20s, the nine tests designed by leading cardiologists at Fortis Noida specifically inform people about the ill-effects of smoking, consumption of fatty foods, excessive stress and other factors on your heart, says Dr Upendra Kaul, director, Fortis Noida cardiology team.

Dr Upendra Kaul said, “As India’s leading private sector healthcare institution, it was our duty to sensitise the common man about the various factors which lead to heart ailments. I am sure that people will rate our tests as the best and the cheapest in the healthcare industry.”

Celebrating a ‘Fortis Healthy Heart Month’ during November 20 and December 20, 2007 Fortis Hospital, Noida is offering a package of nine intensive tests to give you all relevant information about your heart. These tests are being offered at only Rs 1,500 during the healthy heart month as against the normal charges of Rs 2,500

The Comprehensive Heart Check comprises the following tests: Blood sugar–fasting & PP, serum creatinine, lipid profile, ECG, ECHO, TMT, X-ray Chest-PA View, cardiac consultation and diet consultation. Further, Fortis Hospital, Noida, is offering angiography tests at Rs 7,000 —at a discount of 40 per cent.

Fortis has recently integrated the world renowned cardiac care facilities at Escorts Heart Centre and Research Institute with five of its hospitals, including Noida. Thus, patients coming to Fortis Noida can avail themselves of the same treatment that they would get at Escorts Institute, Okhla, Dr Kaul informed.

Fortis Hospital, Noida, offers emergency evacuation for cardiac patients. In fact, the hospital offers this service free of cost within a 50-km radius of the hospital, covering areas such as Greater Noida, Hapur, Bulandshahr and Meerut.

New Delhi, Nov 26
An earthquake of light intensity rocked Delhi and neighbouring areas in the early hours, jolting people out of their sleep and forcing many to rush out of their homes in the cool winter morning of Tuesday.

While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has classified the earthquake in “light intensity” category, environment group Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan (YJA), which has been actively campaigning in Delhi against Commonwealth Games village and high-rise structures coming up on the riverbed of Yamuna, has called the earthquake a very gentle warning by nature.

“The earthquake is a signal that don’t mess with nature,” says YJA member Manoj Misra.

As per the IMD, the earthquake occurred at 4.42 am and measured 4.3 on the Richter scale. Tremors were felt strongly in Delhi and surrounding areas of UP and Haryana as its epicentre was on the Delhi-Haryana border at Lat. 28.6°N and Long. 77.0°E. Besides the Capital, the tremor was felt in surrounding areas, including Noida in UP and Faridabad and Gurgaon in Haryana.

IMD scientists call the Delhi tremblor a normal tectonic activity in the area having no relation with the 6.7-magnitude earthquake that struck off Indonesia’s Sumbawa island today. “There are many activities that take place across the globe on any normal day. Delhi lies in a seismically active zone. Tectonic activities acting on the globe increases stresses on fault lines. When stresses increase beyond the strength of the rock it result into an earthquake. Today’s earthquake was of light intensity,” they say.

Misra, however, terms the earthquake “quite pronounced”.

“Today’s earthquake was quite pronounced. And the last one which was 3 on the Richter Scale was on October 18 and centred in Noida. These are signs that high-rise buildings should not be raised in flood plains. People were woken up from their sleep as buildings rocked for a few seconds. They rushed out of their homes into open spaces. The fact that the epicenter was very close to the Moradabad fault line shows that Delhi fault lines are becoming active. Despite this construction activities are continuing along the fault line,” he added. 

New Delhi, Nov 26
The political drama starring Taslima Nasreen, currently playing in the country, witnessed an interesting angle with former BJP MP B.L. Sharma “Prem Singh Sher” offering to adopt the controversial Bangladeshi writer “as his own daughter since no one else was accepting her”.

Sharma, who currently is the national secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and is no longer associated with active politics, said the offer was open to the writer “subject to her consent”.

The 78-year-old two-time MP from the East Delhi constituency confirmed to The Tribune his offer to Taslima, adding that he would provide her accommodation throughout her life.

Sharma, also the founder of Akhand Hindusthan Morcha, was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 and 1996. He says his two daughters have no objections to his adopting Taslima.

According to Sharma, he took pledge to protect Taslima in order to uphold Hindu traditions and teachings of Guru Gobind Singh who ordained that “cow and underprivileged must be protected even at the cost of life”. 

New Delhi, November 26
The South district police has arrested a Malaysian national for using fake credit cards for shopping. Tseng Tak Weik was arrested on the complaint of the owner of a watch showroom in Greater Kailash I.

The suspect had bought a wristwatch worth Rs 88,000 from a TAG Heuer showroom on Sunday. Instead of making the payment by cash, he gave one credit card to the seller. Later, the card was found to be a forged one.

New Delhi, November 26
India has over 240 million buildings, both residential and commercial, but few are built to be quake resistant, warns a top official of India’s apex body for disaster management. And disasters—in case of strong earthquakes—are waiting to happen.

“Estimates suggest that the country has over 240 million buildings but the scary part is that most of them are not quake resistant nor can withstand high intensity tremors,” N.V.C. Menon, a senior member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), told IANS.

A moderate earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale shook residents of the national capital and surrounding areas out of their beds early on Monday. Tremors were also felt in the neighbouring towns of Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida and Faridabad where a building boom has seen high-rises multiply both for offices and residences.

“Nearly 60 per cent of India’s population is living under constant threats from such disasters waiting to happen. Natural tragedies can’t be prevented but we can minimize its consequences. We expect all state agencies to enforce and follow disaster management guidelines notified by the central government,” Menon added.

With a burgeoning population and rampant unscientific construction mushrooming all over the country in the shape of multi-storeyed luxury apartments, huge factory buildings, colossal malls and warehouses, the threat becomes real.

“India is thus at high risk,” warned Menon. “The home ministry had recently directed that all buildings built after May 2007 must be compliant with disaster management norms. State agencies have been assigned to ensure that everyone follows the guidelines and buildings have mandatory clearances,” the official added. — IANS