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Probe into Rs 1000-cr
cheque scam begins
French film fest to coincide with Bastille Day
celebrations
Relief sought for traders hit by sealing, razing
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First gay parade held in Delhi
New Delhi, June 29
Queer activists from across the city took out the first-ever ‘Queer Pride’ parade in the Capital today. The parade that started from Connaught Place ended with candlelight vigil at Jantar Mantar. Sexual minorities all over the world celebrate the week leading to June 29. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans-sexuals participate in their ‘Queer Pride’ parade in New Delhi on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Manas Ranjan Bhui
Verify servants or face jail
ICA’s marathon flagged off
Rotary Club donates 3 wheelchairs
Bhojpuri actress, Nigerian held with heroin
Gandhi summer school workshops end
NDMC to get 100 MLD more water
Rising school fees force parents to
opt for single child only: Study
Seven cases of polio detected in UP
Dengue reaches Noida
Ramdev, new Ganga crusader
Yoga guru Swami Ramdev along with actress Yukta Mookhey releases a book titled 'Yog Darshan' at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday. —Tribune photo by Manas Ranjan Bhui
Girls fall from roof, die
Engineer booked for beating wife
IIPM not fake varsity: UGC
Opening with prayer, Aarushi’s school to counsel students
IGNOU, MANUU to exchange videos
Toy exhibition draws kids
Resort raided for illegally serving liquor
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Probe into Rs 1000-cr
cheque scam begins
Noida, June 29 The signatures of horticulture and landscaping department officials in Noida Authority are being forensically examined. The order to this effect was issued by Noida CEO, Mohinder Singh yesterday evening. It may be recalled that The Tribune had highlighted issuing cheques under false signatures by accounts department of Noida Authority to the tune of Rs 1 crore in its issue dated June 28. After the forensic examination, things will become clear on fake signatures on cheques. Forensic examination is understood to have become imperative due to acceptance of affidavits submitted by the officials concerned. On the other hand, the task of tallying with records the 35000 cheques issued by Noida Authority during last two years amounting to Rs 1,000 crore is also proceeding apace in the authority offices. Reports are expected to be available in a week in both the cases. The liability of careless officers will be determined on the basis of these reports and the real culprits will be unmasked. Interestingly, contractor Chandan Mandal, alias Lalit Kumar, had reportedly managed to draw Rs 81 lakh by putting fake signatures of seven officers of horticulture and landscaping department of Noida Authority without executing any work or order whatsoever. After the detection of the fraud, Sushil Kumar, the chief finance & accounts officer of Noida Authority had filed an FIR in Sector-20 police station on June 21 against Lalit Kumar. Later, CEO Mohinder Singh wrote to the SSP Noida to arrest the contractor, but police has yet to nab Lalit Kumar, although they have his photo with them. On Friday police had questioned the officials in Finance and Accounts department of Noida Authority who told the police that they had signed the cheques thinking the signatures of horticulture department officials on them were genuine. The police is now suspecting the officials of horticulture and accounts department. Only on receipt of forensic reports, the question of signatures would be decided once for all. |
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French film fest to coincide with Bastille Day
celebrations
The festival will begin with the screening of the trilogy, the award winning Three Colours- Blue, White and Red by the Oscar-nominated famous Polish film director and screen writer, Krzyztof Kieslowski. Kieslowski started his career by shooting documentaries and later became associated with the “cinema of moral anxiety along with several other Polish directors who aimed to depict the living conditions of Poles under communist rule. Tibetan film
festival
The India International Centre (IIC) and the Foundation for Universal Responsibility are also presenting a Tibetan film festival from July 5 to July 9 at the IIC auditorium here. The films to be screened at the festival will give an insight into the life of Tibetans, their spirituality and their continuing struggle for independence. Odissi duet
‘Voices of Freedom’
Saregama India Ltd launched its new album, “Voices of Freedom” at the Vice-President’s house here last week. The album was released by the Vice-President of India, M. Hamid Ansari before an august gathering of eminent artistes and dignitaries. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Karan Singh, senior politician and a known patron of arts, said, “Hearing the actual voices of the men and women who led the freedom movement, the cultural renaissance and the shaping of free India, brings history alive. This presentation will inspire the people of India, especially the young, and draw them to our cultural heritage.” R. P. Goenka, chairman emeritus, RPG Enterprises, said, “We are honoured to partner Dr Karan Singh in presenting the original speeches of the great leaders of our nation. This is our way of paying tribute to them and bringing their vision and message to the youth of India.” The album is a treasure-trove of landmark speeches by Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Indira Gandhi and many more. The selection is embellished by an evocative introduction by Dr Karan Singh and interspersed with a selection of some of the greatest songs celebrating our national identity. Many of these songs, such as ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Sare jahan se acchha’, ‘Vaishnav jan toh’ etc. were at the very heart of the Indian freedom movement. The launch also featured a playback of excerpts from the speeches and songs which vividly brought alive for all present the fervour and emotion of the times gone by. Documentary on
Indian culture
Special excerpts from the unique documentary “Indian Imprints” on the spread of the Indian culture by Dr S. Krishnaswamy will be screened in the auditorium of the India International Centre here on July 1. The well-known film-makers, Dr S. Krishnaswamy and his wife, Dr Mohana Krishnaswamy, took up the challenging task of tracing the spread of the Indian culture in some of the countries, particularly, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and turning it into a unique 18-episode documentary funded by the Prasar Bharati. Dr S Krishnaswamy is the winner of four national awards for his short films. The documentary has been filmed in over 100 locations in five countries. |
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Relief sought for traders hit by sealing, razing
New Delhi, June 29 In a communication to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, CAIT has urged him to intervene in the matter and direct the Delhi government and other departments concerned to follow the statutory policy in providing relief to affected persons. CAIT has also sent copies of the communication to leader of opposition L. K. Advani, union rural development minister Dr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, urban development minister Jaipal Reddy, state minister Ajay Maken, Delhi LG Tejendra Khanna and Chief Minister of Delhi, Shiela Dikshit. CAIT secretary-general Praveen Khandelwal said the union ministry for rural development had inserted advertisements on June 28 in newspapers about the National Rehabilitation & Resettlement Policy, 2007 which provides that in case of involuntary displacement of people, including shopkeepers, depriving them of their land, livelihood and shelter, restricting their access to traditional resource base and uprooting them from their socio-cultural environment, shall be liable for rehabilitation and resettlement. Under Chapter 4.1 of the policy, the government is under obligation to carry a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) study in areas where involuntary displacement of 400 or more families takes place or is likely to take place. The study will also consider various alternatives. So far, the government has not initiated any such study, Khandelwal said. He further said that the sealing and demolitions in Delhi had displaced a large number of people from their livelihood and even after more than two years, a large number of shops continued to be sealed and no one from the government ever took pains to ensure their rehabilitation. He further regretted that though the policy was notified on October 31, 2007, it was not made public and only yesterday the traders and people came to know about it.
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First gay parade held in Delhi
New Delhi, June 29 Sexual minorities all over the world celebrate the week leading to June 29 in remembrance of 1969 Stonewall riots as Rainbow Pride week. On June 28, 1969, armed cops from New York Police Department (NYPD) entered a pub called Stonewall Inn in New York and arrested several gays. The queer activists protested against the incident and riots broke out in the city. The gay activists protested against the state harassment of sexual minorities in India. “From this platform we are opposing all the regressive laws including article 377 that criminalises alternative sexuality,” said one participant. Participants also expressed the need to organize public events in different cities in the country, which celebrate the existence of homosexuals, transvestite, bisexuals and lesbians. “We want the city hospitals to extend their facilities to sex change as well. One has to practically shift down to some other state for the surgeries,” said another participant. The gay activists are waiting for the Delhi High Court to decide on the petition against Article 377. “I expect the petition to be in its final stage. We would want the High Court to know that all of us are waiting for it and looking forward to a positive judgement,” said Gautam Bhan, writer and gay activist.
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Verify servants or face jail
New Delhi, June 29 Under the drive that was launched on May 12, the Delhi Police has contacted around 4 lakh houses so far. However to its utter dismay, only 25,345 servants out of the total 60,298 servants in these houses were verified. Disappointed with the attitude of the employers, a police official at the police headquarters said, “Time and again, through public notices we have been reminding people to get their domestic help verified. However, it seems they are not taking the issue seriously.” He added that the Delhi Police would soon start booking defaulters under the provisions of law, which amounts to a fine and imprisonment. The Delhi Police public relations officer, ACP Rajan Bhagat has confirmed the observation. “Action can be taken against them (those who fail to report their tenants to the police) under section 144 of CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code) clubbed with section 188 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) that suggests fine and a maximum imprisonment of six months,” Bhagat said. The fresh drive would be launched in the days to come and those who are found employing an unverified person would be booked under the law.
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ICA’s marathon flagged off
New Delhi, June 29 The theme of the marathon was ‘Save the environment’. More than 10,000 members and students from in and around Delhi had gathered for the event. Ved Jain, president, northern India regional council, CA, announced that 60,000 saplings will be planted in Delhi this year. |
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Rotary Club donates 3 wheelchairs
New Delhi, June 29 The wheelchairs were donated at a function and in the presence of Dr HS Chhabra, chief of spine & director medical services, Rakesh Rajora, municipal councillor and other dignitaries The president of the club, advocate Sant Bhushan Lal, said the first recipient of the tricycle was Mohd. Afzal Ahmed, a young man of 28 years, resident of Nalanda, Bihar. He was injured in a fall. The second recipient was Babu Chand, a young man of 25 years, resident of Kinjar village in Bihar and the third was Rakesh Ranjan, aged 32 years, resident of Patna, Bihar. The two wheelchairs and the tricycle were gifted by Ramesh Chander, Bharat Vaish and Anup Kothari.
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Bhojpuri actress, Nigerian held with heroin
New Delhi, June 29 The two have been identified as Pius Onwasa Okolonta and Hema. Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Alok Kumar, addressing a press conference at the special cell office at New Defence Colony today evening, said that the two were arrested on the basis of a tip off. According to their information the consignment of heroin had come to Delhi via J&K. “We laid a trap and arrested Hema when she was handing over the consignment to Pius Onwaso Okolonta. In their interrogation, the two have revealed that a person called Zorawar in Lahore had sent the drugs to a person called Rummy in Jammu,” Kumar said. Hema said that she has acted in the bhojpuri film ‘Don’ and have performed item songs in two films. She has also done some television commercials.
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Gandhi summer school workshops end
New Delhi, June 29 The Gandhi Summer Schools programmes are held every year during the long summer holidays in collaboration with the Sahitya Kala Parishad of the government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
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NDMC to get 100 MLD more water
New Delhi, June 29 The council took up extensive work in the wake of 2010 Commonwealth Games. However, the area under NDMC still falls short of 100 MLD water. NDMC gets 115 MLD water from the Delhi Jal
Board. However, total water required rounds up at around 225 MLD. To meet the excess water supply, NDMC is planning to interconnect the water boosting stations along with the construction of additional boosting stations. A new water boosting station would be constructed at Lodhi Road near Golf Links with the cost of Rs 15 crore. Old transmission and distribution mains would be replaced. The senior officials at NDMC said that they have received assurance from the Delhi Jal Board regarding additional water supply from the Sonia Vihar water station. While the council is working on evolving mechanisms to fulfill the need for water, work has already started on the upgradation of sewerage system in NDMC area. With an objective of desilting and strengthening the existing sewers along with augmentation as per requirement for increasing the carrying capacity, NDMC decided to rework on the underground pipes. Trenchless technology is used for augmentation of new sewers and rehabilitation of the existing ones. Extensive micro tunnelling is being done as part of the pilot project. Work has already started at Kusak Nallah near Brigadier Hosiar Singh Road. The project would be funded under JNNRUM scheme. |
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Rising school fees force parents to
opt for single child only: Study
New Delhi, June 29 This startling revelation was made by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) which conducted a special survey recently. According to the survey, school expenses, excluding tuition fees, have risen from Rs 25,000 in 2000 to Rs 65,000 per annum in 2008 per child. The annual income, however, of an average economically better-off family has not risen by more than 28 per cent to 30 per cent during this period, says D. S. Rawat, secretary-general of the industry body. Nearly 2,000 working parents were interviewed in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Dehradun, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai and Chandigarh by the ASSOCHAM’s research team. The survey was conducted in April-May 2008. The survey also brought out the fact that nine out of 10 parents find meeting their ward’s school costs very difficult. These expenses include uniforms, books, stationery, transport, sports activities, school trips, contributions to upgradation of schools, and school aids. The total expenses for learning are many times higher than the school fees. Nearly one in 10 respondents indicated that the cost associated with schooling has affected their choice of the school they send their wards to. Sixty five per cent of parents spend more than half their take-home salary on their children’s education, which is a significant burden on the family budgets. A high 60 per cent of parents complained that education was now being run like a commercial enterprise. The high tuition fees are not justified by the services rendered by schools. Besides, the erratic fee hike effected each year by the school managements is an irritant. An estimated over 30 million children are educated in private schools, with fees usually rising well above the inflation rate, the survey revealed. Parents are also concerned at schools putting pressure on them to make so-called ‘voluntary contributions,’ the survey said. The survey revealed that the cost of private day schools, with an average annual fee of Rs 60,000, is considerably higher in metropolitan cities. Private preparatory schools for those aged between 3 and 5 years charge about Rs 25,000 a term. |
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Seven cases of polio detected in UP
Noida, June 29 According to district surveillance officer of the WHO, Dinesh Kumar Singh, till Saturday, 3 samples in Bandu, one in Baraich, one in Eta, one in Shahajhanput and one in Shawastti were found affected with the P-3 virus. In all, 82 stool samples of children under 15 years, were sent for lab examination. Out of this, reports of 63 samples have been received. “The samples, for testing are collected by the WHO officials through child specialists in all hospitals and dispensaries. Information is collected from doctors about children with soft and loose bodies. The stool samples of such children are sent for examination. The samples are collected within 15 to 60 days of the child’s body turning soft and loose,” Dr Dinesh said. Dr. Danish Kumar Singh has appealed to people to take their children for the dose of polio drops during the polio irradiation campaign starting on Sunday. |
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Dengue reaches Noida
Noida, June 29 Amit was admitted to the hospital with fever on 24 June. After the examining of his platelet count, he was diagnosed to be suffering from dengue. According to Dr Amit Saxena who is treating him, Amit had symptoms of dengue when he was brought to the hospital. His tests have also confirmed dengue. Amit’s blood samples have been sent to Delhi’s National Institute Communicable Diseases (NICD). District malaria officer Dr Nanak Chand Sharma had also visited Metro hospital to check Amit’s case. However, Sharma said that dengue can be confirmed only after the receipt of blood test report which has been sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD). |
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New Delhi, June 29 Yoga guru Ramdev, along with a clutch of spiritual seers across the country, is the latest to join the ranks of the river crusaders who are waging a battle against the industry and development lobbies across the country and reluctant state machineries to save India’s dying rivers. The seer, who was in the Capital prior to his 45-day tour of the US, UK and Canada, told the media on Sunday that he is at the forefront of a group, the Ganga Raksha Manch, set-up by spiritual heads in Hardwar. The group will press the government to declare the endangered river a national heritage. The Ganga Raksha Manch comprises spiritual leaders like Sri Sri Ravishankar of the Art of Living, Murari Bapu, Asaram Bapu, Ramesh Bhai Ojha and the heads of the Shankaracharya hermitages across the country. It also has representatives from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, All-India Akhara Parishad, Gayatri Parivar Shantikunj, Sant Nirankari Samagam, Arya Samaj, Shri Jain Acharya Muni hermitage and Ramakrishna Mission. Ramdev is the convenor of the organisation. Besides, the umbrella has also brought in researchers, environmentalists and scientists in its fold to deal with the technicalities of conservation. The campaign will be spread across five states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal. The 2,500-km river is a sacred stream, associated with Indian mythology and ancient civilisations down the ages. In most parts of the country, it is worshipped as an avatar of the mother goddess – ‘Ganga Maiyya’. —IANS
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Girls fall from roof, die
New Delhi, June 29 According to the police, the incident took place at Neha’s house where Aarti along with her parents had come for a visit. Aarti is Neha’s maternal uncle’s daughter. Today being a holiday, the two families had planned to spend the evening together. The girls were rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital were they were declared brought dead. |
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Engineer booked for beating wife
New Delhi, June 29 His wife Meenakshi has alleged that Gaurav beat her up and tried to make her drink a poison-laced drink. The matter came to light when Meenakshi reached the police station along with her relatives around 11 last night and demanded the immediate arrest of her husband. The couple was married about nine years ago and has two children. According to reports, Gaurav is having an extra-marital affair with another woman and stays with her. “According to preliminary investigation, Gaurav was working in Bangalore and came in contact with a girl there. Though Gaurav was married with children, this woman came to Delhi on being called by Gaurav and has since been staying with her,” told a police official. Meenakshi has alleged that Gaurav has been harassing her to vacate the house in which she is staying with her children. A week earlier, Meenakshi along with police reached the house where Gaurav was staying with his girl friend and had created quite a scene in the neigbhourhood. Meenakshi was the vice-president of Delhi University Students Union in 1997.
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IIPM not fake varsity: UGC
New Delhi, June 29 The IIPM agreed to make it clear in its advertisements that the institute offers only certificate courses. The institute is also expected to clarify that its courses are aimed at making the students eligible for degree courses like MBA and BBA provided under international management Institute (IMI), Belgium. The IIPM had earlier moved the court after the UGC, in its website, listed it under “fake university alerts.” Mr Justice Rajiv Shakdher, in an interim order, had asked both the UGC and IIPM to continue the arrangement till the final disposal of the writ petition and posted the matter for August 28. The IIPM stated that it does not give any degrees and the move by the regulatory agency calling it “fake is unethical.”
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Opening with prayer, Aarushi’s school to counsel students
New Delhi, June 29 “We will have a special assembly and prayer meeting on Tuesday when the school reopens,” Nina Sehgal, principal of DPS (Noida), said. “We don’t want to unnecessarily remind them of anything. We will first assess the situation and then design our (counselling) programme accordingly,” she added. Said Masuma, mother of Aarushi’s friend Fiza, “Of course children are stressed as they have lost their friend and they would need counseling. And why only children, even adults are stressed due to her brutal murder.” Aarushi, a Class 9 student, was found dead in her Jalvayu Vihar apartment in suburban Noida on May 16. The Noida police initially named the Talwar’s servant Hemraj as the prime suspect but retracted after his body was found on the terrace of the house the next day.Aarushi’s father Rajesh Talwar was arrested on May 23 and the police said he killed his daughter in a fit of rage as he objected to her closeness with Hemraj. A second arrest in the case was made on June 13 when the central bureau of investigation (CBI) held Talwar’s compounder Krishna. On Friday, Rajkumar, the servant of Talwar’s friends Praful and Anita Durrani, was arrested and his blood-stained T-shirt and bicycle seized. The case has only turned murkier with every passing day and the CBI has not even been able to establish a motive behind her murder. — IANS
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IGNOU, MANUU to exchange videos
New Delhi, June 29 This MoU was signed by K Laxman, Registrar IGNOU and Dr P Prakash, Registrar MANUU in the presence of Prof VN Rajasekharan Pillai, VC, IGNOU and Prof Abdul Jaleelkhan M. Pathan, MANUU, Vice Chancellor. Both the parties agree to an exchange of educational video programmes produced by either party between themselves as per the specific needs of the one or the other of the two parties from time to time on a one-to-one basis. A beginning montage of IGNOU’s Urdu video series titled Gulistan-e-Urdu shall be retained in its original form in all telecasts by MANUU. MANUU, in turn shall promote, advertise, and publicise IGNOU’s programmes. This MoU comes into force on the date of signing by the two parties and will remain in force for two years. |
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Toy exhibition draws kids
New Delhi, June 29 The unique exhibition put up by the Toy Association of India (TAI), was inaugurated on Friday by Mangat Ram Singhal, minister of industries, Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. TAI represents 600 toy industry members from India. It holds fairs to bring about awareness among the people regarding the modern playway methods. |
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Resort raided for illegally serving liquor
Faridabad, June 29 Those arrested include the owner of the resort, 15 employees and customers. The resort allegedly did not have the license to serve liquor. All the arrested persons were produced in court on Friday and were released on bail. |
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New Delhi, June 29
New Delhi, June 29
New Delhi, June 29
On July 4, the India International Centre here will present an Odissi duet by Aadya Kaktikar and Madhushree Dasgupta. Both of them are the disciples of Guru Mayadhar Raut and have been pursuing the classical Indian dance form since early childhood.