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Runaway student found dead
The damaged drain in front of the UGC office near Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in the Capital on Monday. — Tribune photo by Mukesh Aggarwal
Policy soon to reserve beds for maternity services
Minimum temp goes up to 6.2° C
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BJP activists demonstrate against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for his divisive comments on North Indians living in Maharashtra, at Jantar Mantar in the Capital on Monday. — Tribune photo by Manas Ranjan Bhui
Walia to ask LG for welfare scheme plots
Jaspal, Noor honoured at Punjabi fest
Jeweller looted in bus
Policy framed for low-cost housing
Woman shot by lover moved to Vrindavan
Fire in DDA office
Primary classes resume
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit being felicitated by Arvinder Singh Lovely, education minister of Delhi during the national symposium on "Guru, Granth and Panth" at Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Delhi University on Monday. —A Tribune photograph
Abduction mastermind escapes
Dadri civic body demands
funds from GDA
Annual function held
Eight of a family killed in accident
Red alert for security of Maharashtrians
Human integration conference opens
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Runaway student found dead
New Delhi, February 4 Pushkar, 14, a student of the Central School in Pitampura of northwest Delhi, ran away from his home Saturday along with his friend Vikram Bhatt after a teacher reportedly scolded and beat him up. His father Jagdish Singh filed a missing person complaint at the Pitampura police station. His body was found near railway tracks in Faridabad on the outskirts of the capital Monday morning. Vikram was caught by the railway police and handed over to his parents. Pushkar’s family blamed the school authorities for the death. “The teacher had humiliated Pushkar and beaten him up after he was caught cheating in an examination. He ran away from home after that and committed suicide,” said Vijay Kumar, a relative of the boy. School principal A.K. Sharma refuted the claim. “The boy died in an accident and the school has nothing to do with it. In fact, once he had complained to one of our teachers that he was often roughed up by his father and was suffering from depression,” Sharma told reporters. The school was closed soon after the news of the accident spread. Vikram said the two of them were not good in studies and had decided to go to Mumbai after repeated scolding at the school. “Pushkar and I boarded a train, but we were in different compartments. I didn’t know he had met with an accident before police officials told me,” he said. Senior police officials said the reason behind the death had not been ascertained and investigations were underway. —
IANS |
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Drain covers cave in
New Delhi, February 4 It will hinder smooth flow of traffic from the UGC, the Auditor Comptroller General of India (ACGI) and other central government offices. According to sources, the concrete cover broke due to overweighing vehicles. Chartered buses and MCD trucks pass from here on a regular basis. According to daily road users, it had hardly been five months since the bridge was constructed. They alleged that the contractor had not used quality material for constructing the bridge. Patty traders, who have their kiosks near the government offices, said that they had complained to the concerned authorities about the poor material that was being used in the construction of the bridge. They alleged that no one paid attention to their complaints. There is another broken sewer line in front of the UGC. It often overflows. Sometimes during night, car drivers do not see the broken sewer lines and fall in the sewer. |
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Policy soon to reserve beds for maternity services
New Delhi, February 4 Addressing a review meeting of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said that for want of adequate maternity care, it is becoming difficult to provide quality health services to the newborn and their mothers. Around hundred beds in 200-bedded
Kokiwala Bagh hospital would be kept reserved for maternity services. She also emphasized the need for providing maternity services near residential colonies.
The city government will provide financial assistance to MCD for improvement of their 32 maternity centres and make those centres optimally functional. A survey has been conducted for better utilization of these centres. With upgradation of these centres, another 450 beds for maternity services would become available. Dikshit added that her government would soon formulate a policy for reservation of certain percentage of beds exclusively for maternity services in all city hospitals. The policy would be placed before the cabinet for approval. A separate maternity hospital would also be constructed in Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalya at Geeta
Colony. Besides, a 64-bed maternity hospital at Nasirpur and 36-bed maternity hospital at Kanti Nagar would be commissioned very soon. She added that her government is keen to ensure 100 per cent institutional births in Delhi, which would provide adequate health care to the newborn and expectant mothers. This would help in overcoming emergency situation during delivery. Certain local nursing homes are being authorized under national health missions. All efforts would be made to utilize Mamta scheme for this purpose. She stated that all 100-bedded hospitals would be made modern and well equipped to overcome the influx of patients in big hospitals. Certain private diagnostic centres would also be authorized to discourage patients from rushing to big hospitals for
minor diagnostic tests.
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Minimum temp goes up to 6.2° C
New Delhi, February 4 IMD officials said Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 6.2 ° Celsius (three degrees below normal) and a maximum of 22.5°. “Due to snowfall in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, chill will be felt for a few more days in the city. But the cold wave condition is unlikely to return,” said an IMD official. “We expect that the mercury will rise in the coming days. Today Delhi witnessed maximum temperature above the normal level and this is definitely a very good indicator,” he added. On Sunday the minimum temperature was 9.8 ° Celsius and a maximum of 19.4 ° Celsius. Though the temperature on Monday was below normal, people in the city said that they were really happy at the rise in temperature after the bitter cold of the last couple of weeks. “Monday morning was relatively warm. I think many people like me must have breathed a sigh of relief at this development,” said Sharat Kumar, a marketing executive. “If the cold spell is over then its definitely good news. I can now get up early and go for a morning walk. I had stopped going for a walk for over two weeks,” said Kumar. For the last 15 days, the minimum temperature in Delhi has been hovering between two and four degrees. — IANS |
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Dikshit, Vardhan slam Raj Thackeray
New Delhi, February 4 “His utterances are highly irresponsible and he should refrain from making such remarks. Had he been in Delhi, he would have got a befitting reply,” Dikshit said in response to a query from media persons. Last week, Thackeray had repeatedly ridiculed people from North India, especially from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, who had settled in Mumbai. On Sunday, several parts of Maharashtra witnessed clashes as MNS supporters allegedly attacked migrants. Dikshit hoped that the people of Maharashtra in general and Mumbaikars in particular would appreciate the sensitivity of the matter and would do the needful to restore an atmosphere of peace and brotherhood. “We are citizens of one nation and live like brothers and sisters. It is one nation and one people living in complete harmony. There is no scope for any kind of hatred that is being spread along the regional lines in Mumbai,” she said. BJP activists held demonstrations at several places in the national Capital seeking against Thackeray. City BJP president Harsh Vardhan termed the remarks as an assault on people’s right to settle anywhere in the country. “The Indian constitution gives us the freedom to move and settle wherever we want. How can Thackeray decide the people’s choices?” Harsh Vardhan told IANS. He said that his party would ensure that punitive action was taken against Thackeray. “What he is doing is indicative of an ominous trend and must be checked immediately,” Harsh Vardhan said.
— IANS |
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Walia to ask LG for welfare scheme plots
New Delhi, February 4 The development schemes are land for community hall in Geeta Colony; additional land for Kabristan at Khureji; dispensary at New Lahore Shastri Nagar, all in trans-Yamuna area, and for development of various DDA parks. Walia today urged senior officers of DDA to act fast and ensure allotment of plots as delay on their part is causing difficulties to the people who are being denied their rightful facilities already approved by the Delhi government. He stated that he has been pursuing these matters in a number of meetings and has also visited sites of the projects. The lukewarm response of various departments of DDA is causing unnecessary delay in execution of the developmental schemes. Apart from this, a road opposite Poorva Sanskritik Kendra is also in a bad shape. The residents of the colony have been insisting upon upgradation of this road for the last four years. DDA has not cared to provide any solution. Walia has appealed to the Lt. Governor to bring irresponsible officials to book to avoid delay in the execution of these projects. |
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Jaspal, Noor honoured at Punjabi fest
New Delhi, February 4 Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit presented the awards at the concluding function of the three-day Punjabi Mela held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) here last evening. The Delhi government-run Punjabi Academy has instituted the awards. Sidhu was presented the ‘’best Punjabi journalism’’ award for 2006-07. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a citation, a shawl and a memento. The best literary award, Param Sahit Satkar Samman, was presented to Dr Noor for his contribution to the Punjabi literature, language and culture. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1.11 lakh, a citation, a shawl and a memento. The other recipients were Kirpal Singh Azad for Punjabi Sahit Sewa Samman, Dr Shanno Khurana (Punjabi music), Dr Tejinder Pal Kaur (translation). Each of them would get cash prize of Rs 51,000, a citation, a shawl and a memento. Imroz won the award for his book ‘Jashan Jaari Hai’, Ushma for her poetry ‘Nee Main Keehnu Akhan’, Sekhon Ludhianvi for his novel ‘Kukh’ and Wariyam Mast for his drama ‘Gharli’. These awards carry Rs 21,000 in cash besides a citation, a shawl and memento. However, no one was awarded with the lifetime achievement award of Rs 11 lakh, this year. Two years ago, this award was presented to late Amrita Pritam. Dikshit lauded the winners’ contribution towards the Punjabi language. She said that the Punjabi culture has contributed a lot to enrich the culture of the Capital. Pakistan’s Abdul Niazi Qawwal, Manpreet Akhtar from Punjab and Daler Mahendi rendered Sufi songs on the occasion. — UNI
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Jeweller looted in bus
Ghaziabad, February 4 According to police officials, the incident occurred in Moradnagar area of the district Monday morning when the assailants tried to rob the Meerut-based jeweller Sunil Verma, who was travelling to Delhi. The robbery seemed well planned. “The robbers were already sitting inside the DTC bus and they tried to loot Verma near Moradnagar canal. But a constable, conductor and driver of the bus put up stiff resistance and a fight ensued,” a police official told IANS. “The robbers opened fire during the scuffle and escaped in a car trailing the bus,” the official said. The injured were admitted to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared the conductor dead. The condition of the other two was stated to be critical. The number of people aboard the bus was not immediately known. Police officials in district headquarter Ghaziabad—a town that adjoins the national capital—said they have cordoned off the area and that Verma was being questioned. They added that they were in touch with the police in Meerut. —
IANS |
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Policy framed for low-cost housing
New Delhi, February 4 The decisions were taken today in a cabinet meeting presided over by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Talking to the media, the Chief Minister stated that a system to monitor cabinet decisions had been commissioned to expedite timely implementation of various decisions. This would help in bringing the desired efficiency and enhancement of reach of different schemes approved by the cabinet. It was revealed that 163 cabinet decisions had been taken since January 2007 out of which 83 (51 per cent) have been fully implemented whereas 73 (45 per cent) stand partly implemented. The status of seven other decisions is yet to be ascertained. Dikshit expressed satisfaction over the percentage of implementation of cabinet decisions. A policy for allotment of flats to the urban poor in low-cost housing scheme under the JNNURM has been approved. This would pave way for expediting implementation of the scheme. The policy for allotment includes eligibility criteria of the beneficiaries and financing of the project. The beneficiary should be a resident of Delhi since 1990 and should have a valid ration card and should not be in possession of a house or plot in Delhi. The Central government has approved five projects for construction of 43,804 flats for industrial workers in the category of urban poor and slum dwellers at Bawana, Narela, Bhorgarh, Poothkhurd, Kanjhawala, Ghogha, Samaspur and Dera Mandi. The subsidy component of the government under the JNNURM scheme is Rs 1 lakh for all the categories of beneficiaries. The Delhi government would provide a special relief of Rs 25,000 as subsidy to slum dwellers under the slum relocation projects. The offer for grant of loan would be opened to all the banks or financial institutions. The lead bank of Delhi will coordinate with other banks. |
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Woman shot by lover moved to Vrindavan
Vrindavan, February 4 According to doctors, the condition of Leela remained critical today. Her relatives and friends are hoping for a miracle to save her. According to the police, she was brought to Vrindavan - about 150 kms from New Delhi on Sunday after doctors said that there was little hope of her survival. Leela is in a guesthouse in Vrindavan, a major Hindu pilgrim centre. Scores of Lord Krishna devotees are chanting hymns in the guesthouse, praying for her survival. Leela is a Lord Krishna devotee and made pilgrimages to India often. She had been living in the Raman Reti area of Vrindavan when she was shot. Her lover Saurabh shot and injured her on Saturday after an argument, according to the police. Saurabh later committed suicide. Leela was initially admitted to the Apollo Hospital in near Agra, but was shifted to the New Delhi branch of the hospital. Police sources said investigations were on. — IANS
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Fire in DDA office
New Delhi, February 4 According to fire officials, seven fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The air conditioner on the ground floor was the first thing to catch fire. Electric short circuit seems to have caused the fire, said fire brigade officials. However, the situation was brought under control in half an hour. No injury has been reported. |
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Primary classes resume
New Delhi, February 4 The Delhi government had ordered the closure of primary sections on January 29 due to the cold weather. The order covered all schools, private, government-aided and government-run. The decision to reopen the schools was taken following an improvement in the weather conditions, senior Delhi government officials informed. The step to close the schools had been taken, as several parents had been approaching the government to close the primary sections due to cold conditions. |
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Guru Granth Sahib preaches tolerance: CM
New Delhi, February 4 Inaugurating a National Symposium on Guru, Granth and Panth on the occasion of commemorating the 300th anniversary of
Guruship to Adi Granth at GTB Khalsa College, Delhi University, the Chief Minister said that Granth sets an example of religious tolerance in entire world. The Guru Granth Sahib has given equal importance to all religions. Different languages like Sanskrit, Braj, Punjabi, Arabi, Farsi languages have been used in the Holy Granth. This is a religious scripture containing the universal message of spiritual life for one and all and also gives the message of peace, harmony and brotherhood. She outlined the role of Sikh movement in freedom struggle. Their bravery has been recognized by one and all. This community has shown its mettle throughout the world. The Chief Minister further said that on the occasion of commemorating the 300th anniversary of Guruship to Adi Granth, the Central government would release Rs 800 crore for the celebrations in the country. The Delhi government is committed to providing all possible support to celebrate the occasion. Delhi education minister Arvinder Singh who was also present on the occasion said that Guru Granth Sahib is a unique holy scripture which consists of the poetry of the Gurus, prominent saints and spiritual poets like Baba Farid, Namdev, Tulsi Das and Kabir of the Indian subcontinent. |
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Noida, February 4 The accused, Chhattrapal, and two others allegedly involved in the kidnapping were climbing down the court stairs along with four police officials when he quietly escaped, said a police official on condition of anonymity. “He managed to escape after unlocking his handcuffs. We have formed teams to arrest him,” a police official said. Chhattrapal and his accomplices had abducted Adobe India CEO Naresh Gupta’s three-year-old son Anant on November 13, 2006, and demanded Rs 5 million as ransom. Anant was rescued after five days. The police had then arrested Chhattrapal, Pawan and one more person on charges of kidnapping. According to the police, Chhattrapal was standing behind some people on the staircase of the court and disappeared into the crowd. The police officials realised he was missing only after they reached the bottom of the staircase. The police is interrogating his accomplices about Chhattrapal’s escape plans and his possible whereabouts. “No decision has been taken on the police officials escorting him,” the official added. — IANS
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Dadri civic body demands
funds from GDA
Ghaziabad, February 4 GDA has been given the authority to approve the building plans of Dadri for the last 18 years. For this GDA has earned hundred of crores from Dadri, but has done precious little for the development of the town. Now government has demanded Rs 50 crore from Municipal Committee. |
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Annual function held
New Delhi, February 4 An inter-college GK quiz competition – Spectrum was held. Tata Indicom had sponsored the event. Vineet
Bhatia, COO, Delhi circle, Tata Teleservices Ltd, said, “We at Tata Indicom not only try to connect with the youth as consumers but also take part in their empowerment process.” |
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Eight of a family killed in accident
Agra, February 4 The accident occurred near Saiyan, nearly 22 km from Agra, when the family was travelling to Soron, a pilgrimage point in Etah district, to immerse the ashes of a family member in the Ganges. The four injured have been admitted to S.N. Medical College in Agra. Police officials here ascribed driver fatigue as a probable cause of the accident. —
IANS |
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Red alert for security of Maharashtrians
Ghaziabad, February 4 A large number of people of Maharashtrian origin live in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad who are employed in private companies and factories particularly hosiery, IT and software sectors. There is considerable resentment among local people regarding violence and disturbances by Shiv Sainiks in Mumbai. The administration has taken steps to prevent any backlash on Maharashtrians in western UP. According to V.K. Gupta, IG police Meerut Zone, a red alert has been issued in West Zone, in view of the incidents in Mumbai where people of UP and Bihar had been targeted. All SSPs and SPs have been given written orders not to allow any backlash of Mumbai incidents of regional and caste bias in west UP. Inspector General Police said strong action will be taken if violence or caste-based incidents are reported from any police station area in the zone. All SSPs have been directed to keep special teams in readiness to deal with any emerging situation, IG police V.K. Gupta added. The police have been ordered to take immediate action to curb any untoward development.
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Human integration conference opens
New Delhi, February 4 Inaugurating the conference, he spoke on the importance of meditation. He said, “Mediate as life is passing at a fast speed.” We face a lot of stress in our day to day life. One can cope up with the hectic life through meditation. |
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