New Delhi, December 4
Delhi Minority Commission (DMC) today constituted a forum of public schools run by minority communities to file a case in the Supreme Court against the direction of the Delhi High Court. The High Court had directed these schools to follow the recommendations of Ganguly Committee report for admissions in nursery classes.

The forum was constituted after a two-hour-long meeting held at DMC office which was attended by 25 managers of the schools. They also decided to write a letter to the directorate of education appealing it to change the guidelines giving permission to private schools for taking admission on their own basis, sources said.

Representatives of these schools also had a meeting with education minister Arvinder Singh Lovely.

The High Court ruling said that these minority schools were no different from other schools and would have to follow the Ganguly Committee recommendations and rules laid down by the directorate of education of the state government.

Lovely stated that the city government was committed to chalking out child-friendly criteria for nursery admissions as educational qualifications of parents would become immaterial. This would provide level playing field to all the parents including poor, economically weak and less educated.

He expressed these views while chairing a meeting of the School Advisory Board which was attended by education secretary, director Education, and noted educationists, principals of various reputed schools and other members of the Board. A number of constructive suggestions were placed to facilitate the entire process of nursery admissions this year.

The Board appreciated the efforts of the government and the Education Department in bringing detailed guidelines, which are useful for every section of society.

It was unanimously decided that each school would chalk out its own guidelines for nursery admissions this year keeping in view local requirements and will submit it to the Education Directorate for necessary approval. During the course of the meeting, the emphasis was drawn to the fact that the guidelines should be balanced enough to ensure benefit to all sections of society.

The minister suggested that the guidelines should not give weight to the educational qualification of the parents. This year the guidelines are going to be the same for the poor and the affluent alike.

The schools are to submit these guidelines by December 7. 

New Delhi, December 4
Denying bail to a technocrat arrested for facilitating online drug trafficking, the Supreme Court has said a telecommunication service provider would lose his legal immunity from prosecution if he misuses his services for such crimes.

A bench of Justice S.B. Sinha and Justice Harjit Singh Bedi gave this ruling on Monday, while denying bail to Sanjay Kedia, the owner of two Kolkata-based IT firms, Xponse Technologies Ltd (XTL) and Xponse IT Services Private Limited.

Kedia was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in February for facilitating trafficking of banned contrabands phentermine and butalbital in the US through a host of websites launched by his two firms in the names of brotherspharmacy and LessRx.

“We find that the appellant (Kedia) and his associates were not innocent intermediaries or network service providers as defined under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act,” said the bench.

“Their business was only a facade and camouflage for more sinister activity of drug trafficking. In this situation, Section 79 will not grant immunity to an accused who has violated the provisions of the Act as this provision gives immunity from prosecution for an offence only under the Technology Act itself,” the bench said.

Kedia had approached the apex court for bail after his four appeals for bail had been turned down - two by a Kolkata trial court and another two by the Calcutta High Court.—IANS

New Delhi, December 4
Marking 23rd Anniversary of Bhopal Gas Disaster as the “Black Day”, several well-known activists from Delhi condemned “the Indian Government for its enthusiasm to bail Dow out of its legal liabilities”.

At a conference addressed by noted journalist Kuldip Nayar, academician activist Kamal Mitra Chenoy and human rights activists Javed Abidi and Mira Shiva, the group strongly criticized the UPA Government’s plans to write off Dow’s liabilities in return for investments in India.

“Besides being held responsible for the clean-up of the toxic wastes and groundwater in Bhopal, Union Carbide was declared an absconder in 1992 by the Bhopal magistrate for its failure to honour summons to face charges of “culpable homicide not amounting to murder,” they said.

According to Nayar, “Ever since it took over Carbide in 2001, Dow Chemical has actively shielded the company from Indian courts even while profiting from the illegal sale of its products in India.”

“Bhopal is now equated with injustice, corporate crime and government insensitivity towards their own. For years, the criminal trial has not been able to progress because Union Carbide is absconding, and the government has refused to act strongly to enforce its appearance. And now it seems to have been taken in by their billion dollar investment plans. It is high time the government represents its own people and not companies like Dow. It must make Dow honour Indian law and lives,” he stressed.

“The 1989 settlement, the manner in which it had been arrived, and its adequacy is grossly unjust. Even after 23 years, the impact of the health disaster is being witnessed. It is a pity that long-term studies by ICMR have been stopped mid way,” added human rights activist Shiva.

She said that by permitting Dow to sell products like Dursban which are banned in the US due to its proven toxicity, the government had only shown its indifference towards peoples’ health. “Dow was fined heavily by the US Securities Exchange Commission for bribing Indian officials to facilitate its business. The CBI recently raided Dow’s offices across the country,” Shiva added.

Over 20,000 were gassed to death on the fateful night. Activists say 1,50,000 continue to be chronically ill and a new generation of children was being born with severe birth defects.

“Dow’s refusal to disclose the information regarding the composition of the gas leak and ICMR’s failure to provide the toxicology reports barred victims from getting appropriate treatment,” remarked Abidi.

“Besides arm-twisting the Indian government, Dow in fact has been trying all means to evade its liabilities including its repeated attempts at forging relationships with reputed Indian academic institutes,” he added.

Prof Chenoy commented, “We need to question and regulate the kind of companies that enter the academic institutes. Dow is a company whose environment and accountability record worldwide is shocking.”

New Delhi, December 4
Paramedical staff of five hospitals here have called off their day-long strike demanding job regularisation and filling of vacancies after the Delhi government invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against them.

Para-medics of GB Pant, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash, Maulana Azad Medical College, Guru Nanak Eye Centre and Maulana Azad Dental Hospitals decided to call off their strike late last night after getting an assurance from the government that it will look into their demands favourably, sources said.

The government had yesterday invoked provisions of ESMA after terming the agitation illegal.

Within 15 days, the government will start the process of filling of vacancies, a government official said.

Regarding the regularisation of paramedical staff, the official said those working on ad hoc basis will be put on a probation period of three years and depending on their performance they will absorbed in the service.

On November 27, health services in these hospitals were affected as nurses, group C and D employees had called the strike under the banner of joint action committee to press their demand for new appointments of paramedical staff in these hospitals besides regularisation of services of temporary staff.

The OPD, pharmacy, wards and other medical lab services including X-ray, ECG remained suspended as 5,000 paramedical staff refused to join duty to press their demand.

The committee has been alleging that while around 5,000 posts of nurses and other paramedical employees have been lying vacant for the last several years in these hospitals, there has been no move to fill up the vacancies. 

New Delhi, December 4
With winter coming on and the Capital’s temperature dipping, the plight of homeless women living their lives out on the streets of Delhi is inhuman. The absence of shelter for homeless women is glaring, say shelter rights activists.

Despite women making up 7-10% of Delhi’s homeless, the only year-round shelter for women in the Capital was closed down in June this year leaving them with no safe place to sleep. “When the shelter was closed, these women were forced out on the streets again leaving them vulnerable to violence and sexual abuse,” says Paramjeet Kaur of Ashray Adhikar Abhiyan.

The women’s shelter had been opened up in December 2004 in Yamuna Pushta under pressure from civil society groups after Palika women’s shelter. However, it stayed open for just 10 months and was later shut down. Tents providing temporary shelters, including for women, will only be set up by the government from December 15–the official date for the onset of winter.

“There are no lasting options for women who live on the streets and are seeking safety at night. They huddle together on railway platforms, around temples and other places of worship,” Kaur adds. It is not only winters when shelter is needed. All the year round, homeless people are exposed to great risks on the streets. Heat, cold and rains only add to those. Existing shelter cater to less than 5% of the homeless in the city.

“There is an urgent need to increase shelters for men, women and children in the city,” says Indu Prakash Singh, who leads ActionAid’s work on shelter and homelessness. “The New Delhi Municipal Council is one of India’s richest municipal bodies with a large amount of property at its disposal. Many buildings are unused and could be used as shelters with a small investment in running cost.”

“More shelters with specific provisions for women and children would mean fewer rapes and assaults on Delhi’s streets,” adds Singh. Slum evictions under JNNURM and Delhi Master Plan are adding to the number of homeless. Preparations for 2010 Commonwealth Games will also involve major displacement.

In 2004, homes of 150,000 people were bulldozed in Yamuna Pushta–the largest eviction in the Capital.

In early 2006, over 1500 households were demolished in Delhi’s Mandawali and another 597 households near Bhatti Mines in Balbir Nagar on the outskirts of the city.

New Delhi, December 4
The situation at Jagatsinghpur in Orissa, where South Korea’s Pohang Iron and Steel Co (Posco) intends to build a steel plant, is heading for the worse, as protestors said here on Tuesday they will continue to fight and die for their lands.

“We are committed to fight for our land, lives and livelihoods,” Prafulla Das, a member of Posco Pratirodh Samgram Samiti, said here at a press conference.

“We are ready to die to protect our lands from the hands of greedy capitalists,” he added.

Das accused the Orissa government of advocating Posco’s case ahead of the interests of the local people.

A strong resistance has sprung up in the area of the proposed plant since July 2005, a month after the state government signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea’s steel giant to build a three-million tonne steel plant with an investment of $12 billion.

Local people say the plant will ruin their livelihoods based on cultivating betel-vine, paddy, cashew nut, and fishing.

“Our area is famous for betel-vine cultivation. It provides good earnings to locals of all ages. The steel plant can’t give us such good earnings,” said Prasant Paikroy, a member of Orissa Bachao Andolan.

Asked whether they would give up their agitation if the government comes up with appropriate compensation and job assurance for all affected people, Paikroy told IANS that the Orissa government had a very poor record of not fulfilling promises to people who were displaced in earlier projects.

“People displaced in earlier projects are still crying for compensation. We don’t believe in government assurances. Besides, people in Jagatshingpur earn much more than what the government can give them,” Paikroy maintained.

Both Paikroy and Das blamed the state government for the Nov 29 violence, in which at least 30 people, including several women and children, were injured.

They were all goons hired by the government, who attacked with bombs local people protesting peacefully in a camp at Balitutha village, the protestors said.

The speakers called on the government to end repression on people of three villages, namely, Dhinkia, Gadakujanga and Nuagam.—IANS

Greater Noida, December 4
Night safari project in Greater Noida will not be assigned to any private sector company, but will be completed by Greater Noida Development Authority on its own.

A decision to this effect has been taken by GNIDA and efforts are being made to mobilize financial resources for the prestigious project with possibilities of international tourism.

Some 120 acres between Gautam Budh University and night safari project will soon go under the hammer for developing a tourism and entertainment hub.

The money earned from auction is expected to be utilized for the development of night safari project, it is learnt.

The board meeting of GNIDA slated for December 10 is expected to give a green signal for this after which tenders will be floated by the end of this year.

According to GNIDA chairman, Lalit Srivastava, there will not be any delay in night safari Project which will be completed within three years.

Besides, the GNIDA has obtained permission from other departments concerned.

An approval of the apex court is expected to be received soon, Srivastava said. Greater Noida Authority hopes to complete the project with the help of Zoo Authority of India and its own technical departments.

“Since financial outlay for the project is pegged at Rs 277 crore, the adjacent 120 acres of land will be developed as tourism and entertainment park. We shall float tenders for the purpose and it is hoped that we shall be able to mobilize the financial resources we need for this project. Park will be divided into separate zones and private companies will be entrusted with the construction part,” chairman Lalit Srivastava added. 

New Delhi, December 4
Blueline bus claimed another life late on Monday night after it collided with a motorcycle on the Lodhi Road flyover. Two pillion-riders were also injured in the accident.

The injured have been rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Science.

However, the driver and the conductor of the bus fled the scene soon after the accident. According to the police sources, the bikers were at fault as they were riding the motorcycle on the wrong side under the influence of alcohol.

The Blueline toll goes up to 111 after this accident.

New Delhi, December 4
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit launched a Hepatitis B Immunization Programme at her residence today. To mark World Hepatitis Day, a large number of children were immunized in the presence of the Chief Minister and Delhi Health Minister Dr. Yoganand Shastri.

Dikshit said that her government had formalized Hepatitis B vaccination as part of routine immunization programme. Hepatitis B vaccine is totally free of charge throughout Delhi and all the participating agencies were contributing. Hepatitis disease is caused by four different viruses namely A, E, B and C. A and E were caused by contaminated food and water whereas Hepatitis B and C were caused by infected blood or its products.