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CAG indicts DJB
for huge losses
Farmers beat up Taj Expressway workers
GGSIPU course on cyber crime
High Court verdict split on West Delhi de-sealing
Rs 35 cr sanctioned for
Ambedkar villages
NFL MoU with fertilizer department
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NRI trains widows for beauty care
Inverters’ demand to rise by 35 per cent
Physio held for rape bid on nurse
Pearl begins admission process
BJP demands CBI probe
Osho’s vision on canvas
Student commits suicide
Building collapses in
Rohini, one dies
CBI to reopen murder case
Cops catch up with PCR caller
Former national sportsman arrested
It’s turn for Ambedkar College principal now
Lilothia chairman of SC Board
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CAG indicts DJB
for huge losses
New Delhi, April 1 The report that was tabled in the assembly yesterday criticised the DJB for failing to keep pace with the rapid urbanisation of the city. There is shortage of 270 million gallon of water per day, as against the projected requirement of 1050 MGD. It stated that the demand and supply gap persisted in the range of 25 per cent to 34 per cent. Referring to the delay in the much-hyped Sonia Vihar water treatment plant in South Delhi, the report read, “Most of its (DJB) projects for augmentation of water production capacity and rationalisation of water distribution in different parts of Delhi have fallen behind schedule compounding the problem of water shortage in the Capital.” While the inefficient leak detection management system resulted in a loss of substantial water from the transmission and distribution network, the report said the DJB sustained a loss of Rs 173.77 crore during 2003-07 due to its failure to rectify meters in time. As against the acceptable norms of 15 per cent prescribed by the urban development ministry, distribution losses in the Capital were as high as 40 per cent of the total water supply. On water situation and management in the city, the CAG has pulled up the government’s water agency for inadequate monitoring of water quality. “There was no mechanism in place that could assure the DJB about the purity and effectiveness of chemicals before they were used in water treatment process,” it said. It pointed to an audit scrutiny which revealed that the number of water samples found unsatisfactory increased significantly from .073 per cent in 2002-03 to 1.88 per cent in 2006-07. The much-hyped rainwater-harvesting scheme of the government has also come under the CAG scanner, with report noting that “in 90 per cent, the parties receiving financial help under the scheme did not submit the report to the DJB.” As the DJB’s performance was lagging on many counts, the response from RWAs indicated dissatisfaction in terms of sufficiency and quality of water supplied. “The complaint redressal was also poor and the duration of water supply in different parts of the city was highly skewed, the RWAs have alleged,” the report said. |
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Farmers beat up Taj Expressway workers
Greater Noida, April 1 Even police circle officer (DSP) Kuldip Singh was assaulted. As he fell down, he was thoroughly beaten up by the mob. Seeing this, CO Dadri beat a hasty retreat from the spot. Four miscreants have been booked for torching diesel sets. The farmers had collected near Collectorate and started demanding compensation for the land acquired for Taj Expressway. Ex-MLA Nawab Singh Nagar of BJP was addressing thousands of farmers at Taj Expressway construction site. Here some youths tried to torch diesel sets of construction agency, JP group. CO police, Greater Noida, reached the site to apprehend the miscreants. The angry people pounced upon CO Kuldip Singh who fell down and was thrashed thoroughly. The farmers then torched some more diesel sets and uprooted workers’ tents. Later, a large police team under SP rural, A.K. Vijeta and ADM Shiv Kant Diwedi reached the site to bring the situation under control.
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GGSIPU course on cyber crime
New Delhi, April 1 The specialized programme was jointly inaugurated on Tuesday by Neeraj Kumar, special commissioner (Administration), Delhi Police and Prof. K. K. Aggarwal, vice-chancellor, GGSIPU, in the presence of P. N. Aggarwal, joint commissioner (Training), Delhi Police and V. K. Jain, registrar, GGSIPU, and other senior officials of the two organizations. The training is a part of a joint collaboration between GGSIPU and Delhi Police. Speaking on the occasion, the vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. K. K. Aggarwal remarked, “Computers have invaded every sphere of our lives and so has crime. Like every technology, even Information Technology (IT) has both positive and negative aspects to it but how we make use of it, is our choice. If IT creates problems, it also provides solution. So, there are ways to tackle cyber crimes like email frauds, phishing, banking scams, hacking and so on.” Almost 100 investigating officers from each district of Delhi, at the rank of sub-inspector and inspector, will undertake this programme of six weeks’ duration in two batches of 50 participants each. According to Neeraj Kumar, special commissioner (Administration), “Cyber crimes are the crimes of modern age and nowadays even conventional crimes are committed using computer and IT tools. A course like this will gear our officers to meet the challenges posed by cyber criminals.” He also appreciated the infrastructure and facilities at GGSIPU. The course will be conducted by University School of Information Technology (USIT), GGSIPU. The first four weeks of the training will provide inputs on computer hardware, including dismantling and assembling of PC, bus architecture, storage devices, expansion boards, and peripherals, computer software and computer networks which will broadly cover data communication networks, TCP/ IP protocol suite, network protocols and disaster recovery. The last two weeks would focus on cyber crime investigations and forensics, where topics like cyber crime, digital fraud, incident response systems, etc will be dealt at length. Apart from the in-house faculty members, external experts from Delhi Police, Cyber Security Cell of NIC, and Central Forensic Lab, Hyderabad, will be imparting this course.
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High Court verdict split on West Delhi de-sealing
New Delhi, April 1 The municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) sealed these properties in 2006 as they were built on plots allegedly carved out of bigger plots without authorisation and sanction from the civic agency. A division bench comprising justices AK Sikri and Rekha Sharma differed on the matter and forwarded it to the chief justice for consideration. Justice Sikri agreed that according to the Master Plan 2021, the Delhi development authority (DDA) has considered the sub-divided industrial plots in the area for regularization. “Since the DDA is coming up with a policy to regularize these plots for the next two years, so there is no point to keep these properties sealed,” Sikri observed in his order. However, justice Sikri put some conditions for de-sealing. According to the conditions, the property owners have to submit an undertaking with the MCD that they will not sell the property and will not proceed with any construction work there. Justice Sharma, on the other hand, noted in her judgement: “The buildings that have been constructed are without a sanctioned building plan.” — IANS
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Rs 35 cr sanctioned for
Ambedkar villages
Noida, April 1 According to Y.K. Behl, ACEO Noida Authority, a detailed development plan has been prepared for improving the infrastructure in villages on the pattern of Noida sectors. A budget of Rs 55 crore has been approved for developing all villages, out of which Rs 35 crore is earmarked for development work in Ambedkar villages alone. In some of the Ambedkar villages, development work has already been taken in hand. By the second week of April, work will be started in all the Ambedkar villages, said Behl. After these works, roads, water supply, sewerage and sanitation will be improved. In all, 28 Noida officials have been appointed as nodal officers to oversee the development work in these villages. These officers had first conducted a survey in these villages and development plans have been approved on the basis of these survey, ACEO Behl said. |
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NFL MoU with fertilizer department
Noida, April 1 NFL is one of the leading producers of nitrogenous fertilizer, with a contribution of 16.6% of urea production in the country. The MoU was signed by chairman and managing director, NFL, G.S. Mangat and secretary (Fertilizers) Government of India, Dr. J.S. Sarma, yesterday in the presence of senior officers of the department and NFL. During 2007-08, NFL had produced 33.15 lakh tonnes of urea, had a sales turnover of Rs 3,865 crore and achieved a profit before tax of Rs 263.67 crore. Under the MoU, various targets viz production, sales turnover, profit, ECA allocation and the help from the government for the year are fixed and quantum of feed-stock and promotional programmes are all spelled out. During the year 2008-09, NFL envisages to implement various projects viz revamp of its three fuel oil-based plants at Panipat, Bathinda and Nangal for changeover of feed stock, and capacity enhancement of its gas-based plant at Vijaipur. NFL has consistently been awarded “Excellent” rating under MoU for the past seven consecutive years which proves that NFL has excelled in production, finance, quality, safety and environmental management on a sustained basis. |
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NRI trains widows for beauty care
New Delhi, April 1 An initiative of the 10-year-old Loomba Trust that works for the uplift of widows across the world, this project ultimately aims to empower 100 widows in India in the first phase of the programme. “When a woman is economically empowered, she is also empowered socially. This programme, I am certain, will help the poor widows become self-reliant and educate their children which is what the Loomba Trust strives for,” Loomba said at the launch of the programme at the India International Centre. Widows in India, particularly those, who are Hindu, have traditionally been subjected to stringent social regulations and many of them find themselves without a support system. The Loomba Trust Entrepreneurship Programme, which will be carried out in association with well-known beautician Blossom Kochhar, will ensure free education on hair and beauty care and then financial assistance for the widows to set up their own salons. “Why we chose the field of beauty care to empower these women is, one, this is a woman oriented field. Therefore these women will not feel intimidated in front of others. And second, because it is a flourishing business,” Loomba said. The course, which will be of six to eight week duration, will teach women basic skills in beauty and hair care. They will then be involved in a three-month apprenticeship with a salon before setting up their own business. The women in the first batch are expected to be graduate and be ready to start their own enterprise by June 4 this year, which is marked as International Widows Day by the Trust in more than 15 countries. “Education without a hands-on training is futile. Therefore, we will ensure that after the six to eight week programme, these women get an apprenticeship with a good salon. And, even after they set up their own salon, we will guide them for a year or more so that they are confident in their job,” Kochhar told IANS. The Loomba Trust will be assisting the women with an amount of Rs 100,000 each to set up their salon. One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Jasbir Kaur of Patparganj in East Delhi, said this initiative would ensure a regular income for her family. “My husband was working in partnership with someone before he suddenly passed away in 2004. After that, my husband’s business partner took away everything from us...only I know how I managed to keep my children from dropping out of school,” Kaur said softly as she sat with a beauty kit given to her during the programme’s launch. “Until now, I have been running the household by tailoring and sewing clothes. My son is in school, studying with the help of the scholarship given by the Loomba Trust. With this programme, I hope to have a regular income and give my children all the comforts that I want to,” she said. Sheetal Yadav, another beneficiary of the programme, said, “Another good thing about this programme is that we will be compensated during the training, so that our children don’t go hungry during that period.” The beneficiaries were selected after an interview with Kochhar that basically concentrated on the women’s economical status and the health and educational status of their children. “These women don’t earn more than Rs 1,000-1,500 per month but after they set up their own salons or start working in someone else’s, their starting salary will be Rs 5,000,” Kochhar said. In India, the Loomba Trust supports 3,600 children of poor widows throughout the country. It also works on similar philanthropic programmes in 14 other countries in Asia and Africa. — IANS
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Inverters’ demand to rise by 35 per cent
New Delhi, April 1 The worst affected sectors that are likely to suffer the heat impact in the region include industrial and residential areas, hospitals, schools and shopping centres in which the power cuts could range between eight and 10 hours a day. As a result, the demand for inverters, their batteries and generators will rise to the extent of 30-35 per cent as NCR is unlikely to be supplied power either from the neighbouring region or else from the far-off power producing sources, says the ASSOCHAM analysis. Figures compiled by ASSOCHAM on inverters market reveal that large players in the segment like Su-Kam, Microtech and Luminous will face tough competition from the unorganised inverter industry in view of price differential of about Rs 2000-2500 per inverter in NCR. This region’s inverter market was estimated at Rs 2500 crore for which the main demand came from residential sector in the last year which will grow to approximately Rs 3000 crore this summer, said D S Rawat, secretary-general, ASSOCHAM. Its analysis also says that in last summer, peak power demand in NCR was about 4600 megawatt. The peak demand might grow to over 6400 megawatt in the current summer. The NCR had generator market size to the extent of less than Rs 5000 crore during the last summer, most of which was in the shopping centres and agriculture segment, and partly in residential complexes. The market size for generator is expected to grow at least by over Rs 1200 crore in the region in view of their rising demand as generator prices have not gone that too high, said Rawat. The domestic airconditioner segment, growing at 20 per cent annually, will rise to 25 per cent growth in 2008. Split aircondition units currently comprise about 60 per cent of the market base, at an estimated 25 lakh units. The Indian residential market for airconditioners is put at 12 lakh units per year. While the domestic AC market is estimated at Rs 3200 crore, Delhi has Rs 400 crore share. There is so much overload on power infrastructure especially in Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad that over 1000 transformers have reportedly been gutted in the last two years and production in industries has come down heavily due to lack of power supply. Gurgaon is also facing acute power shortage. Its posh areas like DLF, Sushant Lok, South City, Palam Vihar, etc. are affected badly. In case of Delhi, South Delhi will witness the maximum power cuts due to high density population and unplanned number of offices and shops, followed by East Delhi’s areas like Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar. The impact of the power cuts will be so high that even the government hospitals in the NCR will suffer badly. The power cuts affect the education sector also, especially the government schools and colleges.
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Physio held for rape bid on nurse
Ghaziabad, April 1 Circle officer CP Singh said the Kavi Nagar police received a complaint from the staff nurse of Nirog Prakruatik Chikitsa Kendra at Kavi Nagar. In the complaint, the staff nurse said she joined the centre a week back. The owner and the physiotherapist, Pramod Vajpayee used to call her in his chamber on one pretext or the other. Vajpayee called her on Saturday in the chamber and attempted to rape her but she managed to escape and went to the police station. The police arrested the physiotherapist on Saturday and conducted the medical examination of the victim at the government district hospital.— IANS
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Pearl begins admission process
New Delhi, April 1 The last date for submission of forms is May 24. The entrance test will be conducted on June 1 at seven centers across the country including Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow and Chandigarh. The entrance test will be followed by a situation test/group discussion and a panel interview. The session will begin in August. The Academy will offer four-year degree courses in fashion design, textile design, jewellery design, communication design, fashion retail and merchandising and fashion merchandising and production. AKG Nair, group director, PAF, said, “In the academic year 2007-08, PAF averaged at 20 applicants per seat for undergraduate courses in Delhi, Jaipur and Chennai, with Delhi topping the list with 40 applications per seat. The highest number of applications was received for fashion design, followed by fashion merchandising and production.” |
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BJP demands CBI probe
New Delhi, April 1 Delhi unit BJP chief Harsh Vardhan said that the DJB had not recovered revenue worth more than Rs 2,000 crore. The board sends bills to over 41 per cent consumers without reading the meter. Their complaints fall on deaf ears. Besides, Rs 174 crore have been lost due to defective meters. The DJB has failed to provide regular water supply to consumers throughout the year. The CAG report has also exposed the additional payment of Rs 30 lakh to contractors and wasteful expenditure. Vardhan alleged that the Chief Minister had not been able to improve health services in the Capital in ten years of her rule. Health services are the basic requirement of citizens. There has been bungling of crores of rupees in GB Pant Hospital, DDU Hospital, Ambedkar Hospital and LNJP Hospital. Machines were purchased but they were not utilised. In GB Pant Hospital, an insinuator was purchased for Rs 21 lakh, which remained inoperative. In the DDU Hospital, the Oxygen Concentrator remained closed for a long time during 2003-07. As a result, Oxygen had to be purchased and the government incurred loss of Rs 34 lakh. In Ambedkar Hospital, equipment worth Rs 20 lakh were purchased which could not be utilised. In LNJP Hospital, a ventilator worth $ 34,000 was purchased. Even this did not serve any purpose. The CAG has also exposed many serious irregularities in other hospitals. Vardhan said that the CAG has exposed bungling of a huge sum in transport department, excise department, health department, education department, PWD and energy department. The government incurred a loss of Rs 800 crores due to IP Power Plant. The education directorate also wasted one and half crore rupees in computerisation. Due to irregularity in registration of vehicles, the government lost 33 crore rupees. Due to corruption in VAT department there was loss a of Rs 12.39 crore. Due to the non-utilisation of godowns of the Delhi State Civil Supply Corporation, the government lost Rs 3.16 crore. The PWD has also made additional expenditure of Rs 7.41 crore due to lack of its farsightedness in construction works. Due to negligence of the home department Rs 38 lakh were lost, the BJP claimed.
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Osho’s vision on canvas
New Delhi, March 31 Mishra described Pratiksha’s paintings as challenging which unveil a new dimension of life. Before becoming an artist, Pratiksha was a fashion designer. This exhibition is the third series of her spiritual odyssey collection. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had inaugurated her first solo exhibition in 2007. Vajpayee had congratulated Pratiksha for painting the spiritual journey of a meditator. Her second exhibition of the series was held at the NCPA, Mumbai. Nita Ambani had inaugurated the exhibition. |
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Student commits suicide
New Delhi, April 1 Vivek, a class VII student in a Sultanpuri school, was found hanging from the ceiling of a room on the second floor of his house in Mir Bagh. His class seven report card was found from his pocket. Police say that Vivek’s parents had scolded him, after he failed in exams. This apparently led him to commit suicide. — UNI |
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Building collapses in
Rohini, one dies
New Delhi, April 1 The incident occurred at around 3:30 pm when the under construction second floor of janata flat number F-7/30 collapsed. According to fire officials engaged in rescue operation, Vinod died while three persons were injured. The injured have been admitted to hospital. The 25 metre flats made by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) permit only first floor. In this flat, the second floor was being extended while the ground floor too was being expanded. This is the second case of collapse in the Capital in the last three days. A building collapsed in the Seelampur area killing nine persons. |
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CBI to reopen murder case
New Delhi, April 1 “During investigations, it has come to light that Singh had purchased several properties in the name of DU reader Govind Mishra and later transferred them in the name of his daughter to avoid detection of his disproportionate assets,” a CBI official said. “Singh was also found to have forged his (Mishra’s) will,” the official added. A close friend of Singh, Mishra was shot in August 1996 while he was on his way to the university. He later died in hospital without giving a statement. The case was closed after the investigations did not make any headway. The premier investigating agency recently filed a charge sheet against Akhand Pratap Singh for acquiring wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. The CBI in its charge sheet said that Singh had forged the signature of his father and friend (Mishra) for transferring the properties and routing financial transactions through several fictitious bank accounts. “Singh owned a bank account in the name of Mishra and even forged his signature to transfer property in the name of his daughter,” the official said. Singh, a 1967-batch IAS officer who retired in 2003, had invested huge sums of money in several private limited companies with his relatives, friends and family members, who were shown as promoters and directors of the companies.
— IANS |
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Cops catch up with PCR caller
New Delhi, April 1 Sunny Kumar Grover, 24, an unemployed school dropout would allegedly call and propose women operators of central police control room (CPCR). According to the PCR staff, whenever any female operator attended his call he would say, “I love you, please marry me, I want to meet you.” When women officials turned down his proposal, he used obscene language. The mischievous caller was located with the help of electronic devices available in the CPCR. He used to live with his father. A complaint has been registered against him in the IP Estate police station. This is the second such case in recent months. An engineering student was nabbed recently for making obscene calls to the PCR woman staff. The police has installed a call locating system and ACD to locate such miscreants.
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It’s turn for Ambedkar College principal now
New Delhi, April 1 It has demanded an apology from Arora warning him to refrain from such “obnoxious behaviour.” The DUTA has resolved to take to task the erring principal and has demanded from the vice-chancellor to institute a comprehensive inquiry into the attempt to violate rules, regulations, ordinances and statutes of the University of Delhi and unwarranted police action initiated by Arora. The police had assaulted DUTA members including women who were sitting on a ‘peaceful dharna’ on March 28 on college campus. They were protesting against the violation of university ordinances by the principal on composition of a selection committee for lecturer in the Department of English. DUTA members inform, “We are aghast at the dictatorial and shameless behaviour of the principal for refusing a dialogue with DUTA office bearers on the statutory position of teacher in-charge on the selection committee.” The DUTA office bearers had gone for a dialogue with the principal at the request of the college staff association. The DUTA members expressed concern over the nexus between principal-police and university officials “who had unleashed to have a reign of terror in the college.” |
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