New Delhi, July 11
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Diskshit today said that privatisation of power in the state had benefited the people.

Inaugurating a national seminar on “Energising Urban India”, Dikshit said with new power plants coming up in Rithala, Bawana, Bamnauli and Jhajjar in a few months, the power situation in the national Capital would improve considerably.

Speaking at the seminar, organised by the Consulting Engineers Association, the Chief Minister said keeping in view the rising demand for power in the national Capital, the state government had undertaken several measures to popularise energy efficiency products and appliances among the public.

To encourage this, the Delhi government would give concessions to those who opt for these energy-saving devices under its carbon credits scheme, she said.

Later, while releasing a book on non-conventional energy, she stressed on consulting engineers designing energy efficient buildings. She also stressed on the importance of completing 2010 Commonwealth Games related projects on time.

“The Delhi government has set up the energy efficiency and renewable energy management centre to coordinate efforts of energy conservation. Consulting engineers can help in further saving energy by designing and constructing energy-efficient green buildings,” the Chief Minister said.

“There is a need to sensitise people on conservation as power is not an unending supply. It will take time to change mindset of people to enable them to develop conservation as part of their habit. Incentive of Rs 6,000 to each domestic category consumer is being given for installation of solar water heating system.

Energy audit of buildings has been envisaged to be done initially in respect of few public sector buildings and government buildings as a pilot to promote and encourage the electricity savings in such buildings.

Later, while releasing a book on non-conventional energy, the chief minister stressed on consulting engineers designing energy efficient buildings. She also emphasised on completing 2010 commonwealth games related projects on time.

Speaking on the occasion, chief secretary Rakesh Mehta said that privatisation of power in Delhi has been a success story. “Power companies not only created infrastructure but starting giving dividend to the government from 2nd year of their existence,” Mehta said and described privatisation of power in the state as one of the bold initiative of the Chief Minister.

The chairman of the conference K K Kapila said 150 experts were participating in the two-day seminar, which would deliberate on issues like sharp rise in commercial and industrial activities in the state, construction of high rise building without proper electricity arrangements and the need to make mandatory participation of consulting engineers in government projects. 

New Delhi, July 11
Leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Jai Kishan Sharma today criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled MCD’s decision to increase the trade licence fee. The Standing Committee took the decision.

He said that 30% hike in the licence fee was not justified as all traders were not rich.

He alleged that ever since the BJP had come into power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, taxes were being increased constantly. Thereby, causing extra burden on citizens who are already facing difficulties due to the rise in prices of essential commodities.

When the Bharatiya Janata Party first came to power the rates of toll tax was increased and the practice of issuing monthly passes was abolished. Transporters were in a fix and indirectly the burden was shifted on citizens by way of the rise in prices. Thereafter, the parking rates were also increased. This added to the woes of citizens.

Later, the property tax rates were increased but due to strong protest by the Congress, the increased rates were withdrawn. Property taxpayers faced harassment while depositing their taxes. The online system of depositing property tax remained shut for many weeks. Sanitary conditions are in a bad shape. Heaps of garbage can be seen everywhere. The short spell of rains had caused waterlogging at many places.

The Mayor often makes foreign trips on public money, he alleged.

He alleged that there was defection in MCD BJP leaders. As a result, many important policy decisions could not be taken. The rift between the Mayor and chairman of the Standing Committee is a major hindrance in formulating new policies for the welfare of the national Capital’s residents. 

Faridabad, July 11
The Haryana Janhit Congress leader Kuldip Bishnoi today said that in principle he was in favour of the country going in for nuclear deal with the USA but did not support the proposed nuclear safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board in its present format.

Bishnoi, who was at a function at village Tiagaon, said that he has already raised nine objections to the agreement submitted to the IAEA in a letter to Prime Miniser Dr Manmohan Singh.

However, he said that although he was in favour of the nuclear deal in the interest of the country, his party would not support the UPA government in Parliament at the time of the confidence motion.

Criticising the UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bishnoi said that she was responsible for the unprecedented inflation in the country.

With regard Haryana he said that the Congress government in the state has failed on all front and held Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda responsible for it.

With regard to the next Lok Sabha election in the state, he said his party would declare the names of its nominees in all the 10 parliamentary constituencies by August 15.

In response to a question, he said that his party would not forge an alliance with any one, but would face the election alone.

According to him, the Congress leadership has back-stabbed his father and former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal as the latter was ignored at the time of choosing Chief Minister after the last assembly election. This was despite of the fact that Bhajan Lal was instrumental in party’s electoral victory in the state and he enjoyed the support of majority of the Congress MLAs. The issue is before the public and it will give the Congress a fitting response to this political, moral and intellectual corruption indulged into by it, he added.

Bishnoi asserted that Bhupinder Singh Hooda has no moral right to be the Chief Minister. The people of the state are reeling under all kinds of problems. The law and order situation has nose-dived and civic amenities like electricity have virtually evaporated.

He said that his party would further intensify its struggle against the anti-farmers policy and anti-people policies of the government.

When asked about the apparent indiscipline in his own party, he said that it would not be tolerated. 

New Delhi, July 11
The city government’s Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) has approved four projects amounting to Rs 88 crore. The projects are related to PWD and the directorate of education.

As preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games have started, the Delhi government has decided to renovate Chhatrasal Stadium. The long-standing issue got the government’s nod today. The proposal was presented before state finance ministry’s EFC recently.

Delhi finance minister A.K. Walia said that Rs 83 crore had been sanctioned for the development of an athlete-training venue at Chhatrasal Stadium. The athlete-training venue will be spread on 17,646-sq metre land. It will be renovated within 18 months.

The organising committee of the Commonwealth Games 2010 had approved the Chhatrasal Sports Complex as training venue for athletes.

The facilities will also be used for various tournaments at the national, state and zonal level.

The city government has been providing priority to all projects related to the Commonwealth Games.

Walia stated that Rs 4.70 crore had been sanctioned for the improvement of drainage system along Guru Ravi Dass Marg — road number 14 in East Delhi. The work will be completed within six months. It will provide wider and better intake during rains and avoid stagnation of water.

The EFC also discussed a proposal seeking the release of an additional amount of Rs 51 crore for a project related to the construction of a grade separator at Raja Ram Kohli Marg and Shastri Nagar intersection in East Delhi. 

New Delhi, July 11
Eminent doctors of the National Capital Territory of Delhi on the occasion of the World Population Day today expressed concern over the continuing increase in the population which was putting a serious strain on the state and quality of health services.

They were unanimous over the fact that while the population has been increasing at a constant rate, the health services, especially in some key areas, have not been able to keep pace with it.

These doctors, specialists in their own respective fields, were reacting to a question posed to them whether the recent advances in health care in the country had been able to keep pace with the growing population.

Dr Sonali Gaur, paediatrician and gynaecologist, Umkal Healthcare says that the increase in population results in depletion of resources which in turn affects the developing countries the most as they have large population.

Also the level of education and awareness about medical issues is low in these countries which results in increase in medical costs and expenditures.

Dr Samir Parikh, consultant psychiatrist, Max Healthcare, said while the population was increasing at a fast pace, the same could not be said about the state of mental health services in India. This was a very neglected area and according to WHO estimates, the number of mental health experts was very low in India. “This is an area of serious concern which needs proper care and attention,” he said.

Dr Shivani Gaur, infertility specialist, Phoenix Hospital, said with the constant increase in population, the stress levels, work pressure and the level of pollution were also on the rise and as a consequence the cases of male infertility were also increasing along with reduced sperm count in males.

Dr Devansh, cosmetic surgeon, Max Healthcare, states that as the population is constantly on the rise, there is a need that is felt in individuals to stand apart from the crowd or simply, look different. It is precisely because of this that more people were going in for cosmetic surgery to improve their looks or be just different.

Dr Amit Bhargav, oncologist, Max Healthcare, claimed that the only direct relationship between increasing population and cancer was that with the increase in population there has been an increase in cases of cancer that have been diagnosed.

Dr Vinita Jha, psychologist, Umkal Healthcare, Gurgaon however, sees a silver lining and says that there are evidences to prove that a stressed out population has much lesser rate of population growth.

The increased level of stress these days can prove beneficial for a country like India in population control which other wise has a very high rate of growth.

New Delhi, July 11
With the arrest of four persons including a woman, the anti-extortion cell of the crime branch of Delhi Police has busted a fake media house involved in the extortion of affluent people.

Brijesh Kumar, 30, Raj Kumar, 29, Neeraj Kumar, 32 and Vandana Soni have been arrested.

Mukesh Aggarwal (name changed) of South Delhi had filed a complaint that about one month ago he had come in contact with a young girl named Nisha on his mobile phone. She showed interest in him and befriended him.

After a couple of meetings, she invited him to her friend’s place at Chanakya Place, Dabri. Neeraj was also present there. They offered drinks to the complainant and Neeraj left the place on some pretext after that.

Nisha lured him to have sex with her. The associates of the lady filmed the act secretly.

On July 4 Nisha called the complainant at a restaurant where she was present along with Neeraj and one more person who identified himself as Rajesh, a news reporter.

They showed him the film and demanded Rs 10 lakh from him or else the film would be broadcast on the news channels and would be sent to his family members.

A team under ACP/anti-extortion cell Jasvir Malik was constituted. Mukesh agreed to pay the amount on the pretext that the film woulf be handed over to him.

They had decided to meet yesterday at about 6 p.m. near Bhutani Hotel in Tilak Nagar. A trap was laid and the accused persons were arrested along with the video camera.

They revealed that they had formed media houses by the name of News India and Reporter’s Eyes.

Akhilesh alias Rajesh is the mastermind behind the racket. Akhilesh worked as a crime reporter while Brijesh worked as the editor of the media house. Raj Kumar worked as a senior reporter and Neeraj Kumar worked as technician.

The arrested girl namely Nisha also worked with them as a reporter.

They used to extort large amounts of money from people by preparing their videotapes with the girl.

Efforts are being made to arrest Akhilesh and also to identify their previous  victims.

New Delhi, July 11
One person was arrested here with fake currency amounting to nearly Rs 180,000, the police said on Friday.

On a tip-off, a team of the special cell of the police arrested Mohammed Mustaqim near Chhatrashal Stadium in North West Delhi when he came to give the consignment of fake currency to his associate.

The fake notes were in the denomination of Rs 1,000, Rs 500 and Rs 100. “The fake Indian currency originated in Pakistan and through Bangladesh border it reached Delhi for further circulation in neighbouring states,” the police said.

Mastaqim revealed that the currency was supplied by a Bangladesh-based Inter-Service Intelligence operative and one fugitive named Sahil procured it from Bangladesh. — IANS

New Delhi, July 11
A 35-year-old mentally unstable man was allegedly beaten to death when he tried to escape from a house after committing theft in Delhi, the police said on Friday.

The incident took place in the Rohini area early on Friday morning when Manoj Kumar was trying to run away with a moped from a house, a police official said.

But residents caught him and beat him mercilessly. He was taken to the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, the police official added.

Kumar was living with his father in a rented home nearby.

Neighbours said that Kumar was mentally unstable.

“Eyewitnesses told us that there were three other people with Kumar and they fled from the place but he was caught. We are investigating the matter,” additional deputy commissioner of police (outer district) B.K. Singh said. — IANS

New Delhi, July 11
The crime branch yesterday evening arrested a servant couple—Sushma alias Bala and Sardool Singh alias Sandeep for drugging their employers and committing theft in houses. The couple was arrested on the basis of a secret information from near Sarai Kale Khan Bus stand on Ring Road. Several household goods like DVD, TV, 3 mobile phones and 4 watches were recovered from their possession.  

According to DCP (crime) Neeraj Thakur, the crime branch had received a secret information that the couple was committing thefts in the houses of their employers. The duo would read newspapers and select advertisements for housemaids. After getting the job, Sushma would first observe the activities of the inmates. Then on a suitable opportunity, she would mix drugs in tea or food, which made the employers unconscious within 30 minutes. Then, they would steal valuable and cash and flee. They usually shifted their house after every incident.  

New Delhi, July 11
The Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) has expressed concern over the manner in which university ordinances, rules and regulations are being flouted in the matter of revising the syllabus of the undergraduate honours programme in mathematics.

At the meeting of the Standing Committee on Academic Affairs held yesterday, a proposal for fusing and revising the syllabi of the BA (Hons) and BSc (Hons) mathematics was passed by majority with the dissent of a DTF member, Dr Rajib Ray, despite the fact that the procedure for such revision had been flouted.

A spokesman of the DTF said that the empowered committee constituted by the VC to prepare the proposal had no legal sanctity. It had usurped the powers of the Committee of Courses of the Department of Mathematics and the Faculty which are the bodies provided for in the ordinances for all matters relating to revision of syllabi and proposals for new courses. Such empowered committees, set up earlier for the restructuring of the BA and BA (Hons) programmes, may have had some logic since their task was to propose a new common structure across several disciplines.

The proposal for the BSc (Hons) mathematics, however, is a revision of syllabus only in mathematics. Approving an empowered committee in such a case will mean that the role of the Committees of Courses and Faculties laid down in the ordinances can now be usurped by a body for which there is no legal provision and which is handpicked by the vice-chancellor. This illegal procedure can similarly be applied to all other disciplines as well, the spokesman said.

The DTF has urged the Academic Council to reflect on the dangerous precedent that such a decision would set and to send the proposal back for a wider discussion involving the general body of teachers of mathematics, the Committee of Courses and the Faculty of Mathematics.

New Delhi, July 11
There is a deep relevance of spirituality in the enterprise management as the common factor is humanity.

Both aim ultimately at the welfare of mankind.

This was stated by the head of the Sant Nirankari Mission, Baba Hardev Singh ji Maharaj here yesterday while inaugurating a seminar on the theme of relevance of spirituality in the enterprise management.

The one-day seminar was organized jointly by the Standing Committee of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) and the Sant Nirankari Mandal.

Representatives of various leading enterprises in the Capital participated in the seminar.

Baba Hardev Singh said that spirituality had relevance in the life of every human being. “Let us realize that we are not physical beings having spiritual experience but spiritual beings having physical experience. Spirituality makes us real representatives of true humanity. The one who adopts spirituality in life becomes a blessing on the earth,”

While in business enterprises, production units or elsewhere, we must focus on the welfare of man. After all, whether executives, technicians or ordinary workers, we are all human beings first. Spirituality makes us conscious of the welfare of not only ourselves but others also. It removes negativity and promotes positivity, he said.

Baba Ji, however, regretted that in the present scenario man is following an opposite approach. Ordinarily, he should love people and use things, but he is loving things and using people. We find man being exploited by man which is harmful for the entire humanity. What we need is a complete harmony between our material progress and spirituality.

Referring to spirituality vis-a-vis religion, he said that they should not be different from each other. In fact, spirituality has always been the essence of true religion.

Today, however, religion appears to be separate from

spirituality because it identifies itself with dogmas, rites and rituals. Religion must adopt spirituality as its base and aim at uniting the soul with the Over-Soul i.e. God. This will also bring about the much-needed unity in diversity among various religious faiths. Baba ji pointed out that the Sant Nirankari Mission preaches human unity based on spirituality. I am convinced that peace and harmony can come only through spirituality. He appreciated the objective of the seminar and desired that such efforts should continue. If enterprise management needs spirituality,

spirituality too needs an enterprising effort. Only then we can turn this world into a heaven.

The principal speakers included Dr H K Chopra, convener, Health Committee of SCOPE; Lt. Gen J S Ahluwalia, vice-president, Institute of Directors (IOD), Dr Trinath Mishra, former director general CRPF and CISF, A Saxena, vice-president, Future Brands, and Taranjit Singh, engineering director, Cadence Design System.

New Delhi, July 11
Designer modular kitchens, grandiose bedrooms, fancy bathrooms, ornate furniture - home fashion has now gone even beyond personal dressing. The ‘in’ thing today is dressing-up your house.

Be it cushions, curtains, table coverings, paintings, statues and even paint textures, home accessories are now ultra-modern and chic, designer- and custom-made for individual clients.

When asked what people generally like to get designed the most, George, an expert with Concept Interiors of Bangalore, said over phone, “Well, people mostly love getting their kitchens done. Granite is most preferred for kitchens as it is scratch resistant.”

“Customers are finicky when it comes to the colour of their kitchen counters, people usually go for safe colours. Almost 70 per cent of the people stick to green and black,” he said.

Speaking of what is in vogue and widely in demand, Lipika Sud from Dimension Designers here said, “Contemporary furniture in teakwood is in.” Praveen, a designer from Aarson’s Interior’s here in the Capital, added, “People are basically looking for something different and pay close attention to the detail.” According to him, people love to decorate their houses with almost anything under the sun. “People use all kinds of artefacts, almost anything that is available is used right from paintings to roadside treasures,” Praveen added.According to Sud, it is the accessories that give the final touch of perfection to a well designed home. “Accessories are very important. Merely placing the furniture is not enough. One should accessorise, using paintings, photographs and frames,” she said. When people approach a designer, they are largely sure of what they want and certain rooms are given special attention.

“The drawing room is obviously given more attention since it is where everyone congregates,” Sud pointed out. “Well, all rooms are equally important; there is no particular room per se, but yes, the living and drawing rooms are the most visible and therefore given the most attention,” Praveen said.

All good things come for a price though. “The price of designing a basic three-bedroom house can vary from anywhere between Rs 100,000 to Rs 400,000 and above,” said George.

Referring to the price of a complete home makeover, Sud said, “The sky is the limit, but people from south Delhi are usually willing to spend more. The average price comes to around Rs 1,000 per square foot,” she added.

Considering that an average three-bedroom apartment covers 1,200 to 1,500 square feet, that’s a lot of money. But, as Shikha Anand, a resident of East Delhi, put it, “We dress up ourselves and take care of our bodies; so why should we not do similarly for our homes? After all, they are an extension of our own selves.”

Homeowner Auneha Shankar concurred. “A house becomes a home only when we give it a personal touch. It is very fulfilling to get your house made according to your whims and fancies,” Shankar maintained.

Homemaker Parul Chaudhary, who has got two rooms in her house custom designed, said, “The drawing room can seat 25 people and the designing cost us Rs 7,50,000.” — IANS