New Delhi, June 23
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today assured that her government would ensure supply of 20-lakh litre of edible oil through its Public Distribution System (PDS).

She expressed confidence that this would enhance the availability of edible oil like palmoline and soya oil in the National Capital territory of Delhi.

The decision has been taken to contain the rising prices of edible oil. Dikshit added that the rate of inflation, as far as the daily consumption items are concerned, comes to 6.14% (average) as against the overall 11.05% due to the increase in the prices of cement, steel and petrol.

Rate of inflation in respect of pulses is 1.5%. In respect of food grains, it is 6.1%, rice 8.7%, wheat 7.3%, fruit and vegetables 6.4%, sugar 5.2% and milk 8.1%.

The Chief Minister said that the rate of inflation during 2007 at the national level was recorded at 6.5% whereas it was 4.9% in Delhi.

Rate of inflation in 2007 was much lower in Delhi as compared to other metro cities. It was 9.1% in Kolkata, 5.1% in Chennai and 6.3% in Mumbai. The trend continues.

The increase in retail prices of essential commodities in Delhi reflects a mixed trend. There has been a decrease in retail prices of urad dal (Rs 8 per kg), potato (Rs 4 per kg), tomatoes and lauki (Rs 6 per kg).

Further, the retail price of onion, brinjal and lady finger remained static as compared to the retail prices as on June 22, 2007 and June 20, 2008.

There has been a marginal increase of Rs 1.50 in the retail price of whole-wheat, wheat flour and Rs 2 in rice, arhar dal, gram dal and milk, she said.

New Delhi, June 23
The special cell of Delhi Police has arrested two notorious criminals— Tasleem and Saleem of the Anwar Thakur gang for their involvement in the murder of Salim Pehalwan, a criminal, on April 30.

Tasleem was arrested from the Seelampuri DTC depot, while Saleem was apprehended from Kalyani Hospital in Seelampuri. A l arge number of arms have been recovered from them.

Salim Pehalwan was murdered in an act of revenge. In 2006, Saleem had murdered Baddu, a close associate of Anwar Thakur in the Ghonda area of the Capital.

Incited by the murder, Anwar, a life-convict, directed the two to eliminate Salim Pehalwan. Subsequently, Salim was murdered in Yamuna Vihar on April 30.

On May 2, the special cell arrested two members of the Anwar gang, Mohd Akil and Raja Thakur near Karkardooma court.

The two revealed that I.R. Khan, Saleem and Tasleem were also involved in the murder. The pistol used for the murder was also recovered on their instance.

Tasleem has a total of 19 cases of murder, attempt to murder and riot registered against him, while Saleem has a total of ten cases against him.

Rahul had promised to marry her if she committed the theft. Lucy also disclosed that she had mixed sleeping pills in their food.

Some of the stolen items were also recovered from Rahul, who was arrested on
Lucy’s instance.

New Delhi, June 23
People have welcomed the recent circular issued by Delhi Police commissioner Y.S. Dadwal that all arrests in dowry-related cases should be carried out only after an explicit permission from an officer of the rank of a deputy commissioner of police.

The circular was issued to prevent misuse of the two crucial sections of the Indian Penal Code — 498 A (cruelty in marriage) and 406 (breach of trust).

It has been served to all police stations and to the crime against women cell. The Delhi Police headquarters here has been swamped with complaints of misuse of the two sections during the last few years.

According to the Delhi Police sources, the circular was issued after discussions with the legal cell of the Delhi Police, which had claimed that majority of dowry-related cases were an attempt to settle scores after the marriage had gone sour.

The circular also cautions investigating officers (IOs) that in cases where an arrest was imminent, only main accused should be taken into custody and not relatives.

Legal circles here have also welcomed the circular and have said that it would come as a relief to people trapped in false dowry harassment cases.

Noida, June 23
The Noida Police has rescued the three-year-old boy who was abducted from Bishan Pura village under Sector — 58 police station four days ago for ransom.

The two who had abducted the child have been arrested. Chandan Kumar and Ranjan had abducted the boy.

According to SP City, Nur Mohamad’s son, Alif had gone missing on June 20 while he was playing outside his house. When Alif was not found, Nur Mohamad lodged an FIR. In the evening he received a ransom call.

The caller had asked him to pay Rs 3 lakh for the safe release of his son. The call was made from the mobile phone of a youth living in the area.

Nur Mohamad informed the police about the ransom call. As per the plan, the kidnappers were called near Global Institute in Sector 62.

When two youths reached there the police nabbed them. They were identified as Chandan Kumar, a neighbour of Nur Mohamad and Ranjan Kumar, living in a rented room in Chhijarsi village. The police recovered the boy from them.

The police said that Chandan had taken a loan of Rs 30,000 from Ranjan. Ranjan was constantly asking him to pay back the money.

They planned to abduct the boy. The boy was kept in a rented room at New Ashok Nagar on New Delhi-Noida border.

Noida, June 23
Residents of Sector-23 in Noida are a worried lot these days. They are concerned about the recent rise in the incidences of crime in this small sector.

The Noida Authority and the local police has constantly neglected the sector, alleges the RWA.

According to retired lt. General A.K. Agarwal, president, RWA, Sector-23, in the last two years there have been 46 cases of crime including murders, suicide, thefts, house-breaking, theft attempts, car or stereo thefts and chain snatching.

The Resident Welfare Association (RWA) of Sector-23 maintains a ‘Crime Register’ that regularly records all cases of crimes committed in the sector.

In the last week alone, there have been three cases of crime including a mobile snatching on June 15, a car breaking on the intervening night of June 15 and 16 and theft of an electric transformer oil on June 21.

“We have made all efforts to urge the Noida Authority to take measures for improving the safety and security of the residents but have received no response,” said Agarwal.

He alleged that no action has been taken to implement a number of projects,
which could improve the security in the sector even after being approved by
the Noida Authority.

The boundary wall of Block ‘B’ and Block ‘C’ are in a dilapidated condition, which provides a free passage to the thieves and other intruders in the sector.

Further, the proposal of increasing the height of the boundary wall of Block ‘C’ was duly approved and the work had started in October 2006.

But, it was stalled just one month later. And it has not been started in spite of our repeated reminders, Agarwal added.

“An illegal taxi stand is operating from shop no. 13 in Block ‘A’ market in the sector. As many as 15-20 taxis are parked in the narrow road creating congestion. These taxi drivers ply taxis round the clock freely and disturb the peace of the area.” Agarwal said.

“Our efforts to remove the taxi stand from the sector has not borne any results because of the indifferent attitude of the police and the Noida Authority,” he added.

The RWA further alleges that its proposal of putting up speed breakers on about 200 metre-long connecting road between Sector-22 and 33, was though approved in July 2007 but is yet to see the light of the day.

In the absence of the speed breakers, the motorist drive at a speed of 60 to 80 km per hour endangering the safety of the residents.

Besides, there have been number of cases of chain snatching by bike riders just outside the Community Centre.

Further, though the Noida Authority had sanctioned the closing of the existing gates of Noida Public School located in the sector, nothing has been done regarding it.

The school has strength of 2500 children. The area faces severe traffic problems during the opening and closing hours of the school.

Besides, a number of anti-social elements come to the sector posing as parents or guardians of the wards for picking up children.

Miscreants also enter the area from the villages in the vicinity and create problems in the markets and parks.

Presence of police personnel in the between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. will be of great help, feels the RWA president.

New Delhi, June 23
An anonymous call to the Delhi Police informing of a bomb planted at a Metro station here today evening turned out to be a hoax, officials said.

The call of a bomb planted at the Chawri Bazaar station was received around 8 pm. “After an hour of combing operations, security officials found nothing in the Chawri Bazaar station or on the Metro tracks,” Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal said.

Dayal said the police received an anonymous call that a bomb has been planted at the station. “The train services were suspended for nearly 20 minutes,” Dayal said.

This is the fifth hoax bomb scare at the Chawri Bazaar Metro Station, on the Central Secretariat-Delhi University line, in the last one month.

“Police and paramilitary forces are trying to trace the source of the call,” Dayal added. Delhi Metro is the modern mass transport medium.

Currently, it ferries over 600,000 passengers on its 68-km network. Construction work is underway to add another 120 km to the existing network. — IANS

New Delhi, June 23
A man accused of cheating several traders in the Capital to the tune of millions of rupees was arrested from Meerut after the police found a clue to his whereabouts from his son’s Class XII marksheet.

Ruia, who had allegedly cheated several traders in Chandni Chowk and Lohari Gate area in the Walled Delhi, was arrested on Sunday.

Ruia, 40, worked as a middleman to arrange loans for various parties from prospective lenders for the last six-seven years in Chandni Chowk.

The police was looking for him after Nitin Gupta, a trader, complained that Ruia had cheated him of Rs 700,000.

“Ruia issued post-dated cheques to Gupta as a guarantee for the borrowed money. But when the cheques bounced, Ruia escaped with his family,” DCP (North Delhi) Devesh Srivastva said today.

“When we came to know that Ruia’s son Viresh Kant was studying in class XII, we approached the CBSE office at Preet Vihar in Delhi and found that his son had passed the board examination from D.P.M. Public School Behsuma in Meerut,” Srivastva added. — IANS

New Delhi, June 23
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi Satbir Silas Bedi has recommended to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to suspend two of its officials on charges of negligence and dereliction of election duties.

They were deployed as supervisor and booth level officer (BLO). Shakuntla Sharma, head mistress of Municipal Corporation Primary School at Arya Pura and Kamal Kumar Gupta, auditor in factory licencing department were deployed on Designated Photography Location (DPL) centre number 15 at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Mori Gate under the Chandni Chowk assembly constituency.

According to sources, Shakuntla Sharma was not on duty when Bedi along with electoral officials had paid a surprise visit yesterday.

When asked, Kamal Kumar Gupta told them that Shakuntla Sharma had gone
to visit the area assigned to her. Later, it was found that she had not visited
the DPL since morning.

Taking note of gross negligence and dereliction of duties by Shakuntala Sharma and misrepresentation of facts by Kamal Kumar Gupta, the CEO has recommended their suspension to the MCD.

The same day, the team visited another photo electoral centre at Municipal Corporation Primary School, Maidan Garhi under the Chhatarpur assembly constituency and found that the staff there had been doing excellent work.

An appreciation letter has been issued to Kamla Grewal, assistant teacher from MCD who has been deputed as booth level officer.

New Delhi, June 23
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) today announced that the Penalty Relief Scheme — 2007 would not be extended any more.

The scheme was extended till June 30 following public representations. According to the DDA, it is the last opportunity for the defaulters who were allotted flats on hire-purchase basis under various housing schemes of the DDA.

Considerable relief has been given to them to facilitate the clearing of dues and escape the cancellation of property on account of the non-payment of dues, a DDA spokesperson said.

The DDA, in view of the demand of residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) and individual allottees, had extended the Penalty Relief Scheme – 2007 for another six months i.e.. till June 30 so that the allottees who had failed to pay the monthly installments clear up their dues.

Under the scheme the defaulters are entitled to 25% relief in respect of unpaid penalty (interest) on late/non-payment of installments. Besides, the DDA will not levy any restoration charges.

However, if an applicant has deposited upto Rs 25,000 less, the case will not be rejected, but the allottee will have to deposit the balance amount of the demand together with 18% interest per annum from the date of application.

If he fails to pay this amount within three months from demand, it would result in cancellation of the allotment.

New Delhi, June 23
The lull in the rains has come as a relief to the beleaguered Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which could not complete the de-silting work because of the early arrival of the monsoon in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, causing waterlogging in many areas.

A senior MCD officer said that the lull in the rains would give them an opportunity to go ahead with the de-silting work.

He said that more than 80% of the work had been completed and teams were working round the clock to complete the remaining work.

The MCD had come under considerable criticism when the monsoon struck the Capital two weeks ahead of schedule causing massive waterlogging, particularly in the low-lying areas, disrupting the normal life of residents.

Senior MCD officials said that the de-silting work was being monitored by senior zonal staff and was likely to be completed in the next couple of days.

New Delhi, June 23
Delhi University (DU) mathematics teachers have expressed anguish about the way the university administration has allegedly bypassed norms to implement the new undergraduate syllabus.

“The vice-chancellor is planning to convene a meeting of the Academic Council (AC) in which there will be an attempt to push through the new syllabus,” said N.K. Jain, spokesperson, Delhi University Mathematics Teachers’ Association (DUMTA).

A committee set up by vice-chancellor Deepak Pental and aided by Dinesh Singh has prepared the new syllabus, which is not going down well with university teachers.

The DUMTA has said that the proposed syllabus differs drastically in structure, form and content from the earlier draft prepared by the department of mathematics.

Teachers from 16 colleges have sent written representations pointing out that the prepared draft would lead to dilution of standards and the omissions would be a handicap for those applying for post-graduate studies in other universities and scientific institutions.

“We are ready to put in the extra effort required to teach the new syllabus. However, we should be involved in the decision making,” said head of department, mathematics, Vivekanand Mahila College.

Alleging that the university administration is avoiding the debate on the issue, DUMTA has sent a memorandum to HRD minister Arjun Singh seeking an intervention in the matter.

The teachers have urged the ministry to ensure that the existing syllabus is continued for the next academic year during which an extensive discussion on the proposed syllabus can be held.

“I have also filed a RTI asking 11 questions from the administration related to the formulation of the empowered committee one month ago and but have still not received any reply,” said N.K. Jain.

New Delhi, June 23
Standing Committee chairperson Vijender Gupta today said that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was working towards setting up a paperless administration and initiate efficient work culture at its new Civic Centre office.

He said that the new work culture would ensure transparency in the system. It aims to improve the corporation interface with citizens by making departments e-enabled.

He informed that WIPRO InfoTech has been appointed as consultant to the MCD. It will study the present activities, service delivery, mechanism and operation of different departments of the corporation and prepare the gap analysis document in light of the existing e-initiatives undertaken by the MCD.

He said that most people in the Capital are not computer savvy and, therefore, public interface of the MCD portal and solutions should be user-friendly. Due care should be taken towards data security and integrity. WIPRO InfoTech has also been instructed in this regard.

Computer training will be provided to all MCD employees. WIPRO InfoTech has been selected through a tender process and will be paid somewhere between Rs 70 to Rs 80 lakh for its services.

Departments to be covered under this project include education, horticulture, licensing, land and estate, health, information technology, finance, property tax, engineering, personnel, veterinary, environment services, law, town planning, planning and monitoring, public grievance, slum and toll tax.

New Delhi, June 23
The Rs 6.2 billion radio industry has emerged as a mainstream medium for advertising, but it will take almost five to seven years for it to acquire an adequate share of over 10% in the total media spend, say industry experts.

Prashant Pandey, CEO, Radio Mirchi, said, “Radio has already achieved the position of being a mainstream medium for advertising. But what remains is for it to achieve its rightful glory - a share of 12-13% of media spends.” This, as Pandey foresees, should be accomplished over the next five to seven years.

The growth of radio advertising in terms of media spends, creativity and impact has been very optimistic and encouraging over the past five years, feel experts.

“To quote percentage-wise, radio spends have increased by a whopping 87% in 2005-07,” Ashit Kukian, executive vice-president and national head (sales) Radio City 91.1 FM told IANS.

Harrish M. Bhatia, chief operating officer, My FM 94.3, a regional FM station, explained that the media buying pattern had evolved over the years.

“In 2005-06, the ad share of radio rose from 2.4% to 3.1% and it is expected to reach 6% by 2009. The growth of ad revenue in radio was also maximum during this period, beating even Internet advertising,” Bhatia said.

Even though the share of radio advertising has escalated by almost 87% over the last two years, the money spent on it is still very less compared to what advertisers shell out for television.

“Definitely, a less amount is spent on radio. We believe that in a country like India where music is so strong and the youth quotient is so high, the rightful share of radio is 13% of all media,” Pandey said.

Radio is an effective medium for more localised advertisements as every region has a separate radio station unlike the centralised television studios in the country.

“With radio, advertisers can make different ads for different parts of the country. Besides, radio does not aim to replace TV. It is like the cement in a concrete mix — added in small doses. Without radio, a media plan is plain sand,” Pandey quipped.

According to a recent study by the Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB), adding radio to an existing TV campaign gives it a 15% multiplier effect.

Which means if 10% of a given TV budget is re-deployed on to radio, the efficiency of the campaign in building awareness increases by an average 15%.

Contrary to the traditional perception that rural audience forms the primary listenership of radio, the latest round of Indian Readership Survey (IRS-2008), says Kukian, reveals that radio has a footprint of about 19% of the Indian rural population while the figure in urban India is 23%. — IANS