New Delhi, September 9
Two girl students of Dr Zakir Husain Memorial School in the Zafarabad area of North East Delhi were crushed to death by a private school bus today afternoon.

The deceased, who were real sisters, have been identified as Zeenat, 8, and Zainab, 9. They were residents of house number 80/94 near Photo Chowk in Welcome.

According to eyewitnesses, the girls were walking hand in hand when the accident took place outside the school gates around 12 p.m. when the classes got over. The classes had just got over. The girls had come under the wheels of a chartered bus that the school had hired to ferry students. The bus was empty when the accident took place. Its driver fled from the spot as soon no sooner the incident took place.

While Zeenat was a student of class II, her elder sister studied in class IV. Their father Zahid Ali is a tailor.

The news spread in the area in no time and large number of people gathered outside the school and protested against rash and negligent driving. The angry mob pelted stones on the bus and set it afire. Two persons were injured in the incident.

It was a tough time for the police to pacify the angry crowd that demanded compensation for the family of the deceased sisters and arrest of the negligent driver.

Several police teams had been sent around to nab the driver. However, the driver could not be traced till late evening police.

New Delhi, September 9
Delhi unit chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Ramvir Singh Bidhuri today resigned from the party to launch a countrywide agitation against the BJP.

Launching all-out attack against the BJP, Bidhuri said there was a need to counter the BJP which had targeted the Gujjar community in Rajasthan and the Jammu region. Gujjars had always stood for the country and fought against Pakistan, but they had not been given their due rights.

The BJP government in Rajasthan has suppressed them, alleges Bidhuri.

When asked which party he would join, Bidhuri said he would disclose this after a week.

However, sources said Bidhuri would join the Congress as he had been with it since his student days and was considered close to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Sources also said Bidhuri could be the counter of Sajjan Kumar who was so far the only Gujjar leader in the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. Sajjan is in opposite group of the Chief Minister in the party.

The induction of Bidhutri in the Congress may make the CM faction stronger.

In the South Delhi area, Bidhuri is considered a strong Gujjar leader. He represents the Badarpur constituency in the Delhi Assembly.

Whether he would contest the assembly election this year is so far not confirmed, sources said.

Bidhuri said he was with the Congress from 1967 to 1990. In 1990, he had joined the Janata Dal and contested the parliamentary election from East Delhi but lost it. In 1991 he had contested the assembly election on Janata Dal ticket from Badarpur. Later, he had joined the Nationalist Congress Party. 

New Delhi, September 9
The Delhi High Court today sought a response from the Delhi government for allegedly denying admission to six students in various government schools.

Justice Vipin Sanghi asked the government to file its reply by September 19 when the court would hear the plea of the students.

Six students — Mamta, Kiran, Reena, Pushpa, Niraj and Abhishek had approached various schools for admission in different classes but they were allegedly denied admission by the schools.

Kiran, who wanted admission in class VII, was denied admission as she had studied at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh and the transfer certificate had not been countersigned by authorities there.

Niraj, Abhishek, Reena, Pushpa and Mamta failed to pass a subject in class X, but they cleared their compartment examination. Yet, they were denied admission to class XI in a government school in North Delhi.

The students then moved the court, saying that the right to education was their fundamental right.

Advocate Ashok Agrawal, appearing for the students, contended that the school authorities and the education department were not justified in denying them admission and their decision was arbitrary, illegal, and unjust. — IANS

New Delhi, September 9
At the call of the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives’ Association of India (FMRAI), sales promotion employees from across the country staged a demonstration outside Shram Shakti Bhawan here.

A four-member delegation also met labour minister Oscar Fernandes and submitted a memorandum encompassing their demands. The minister assured intervention by calling a meeting with the FMRAI leadership at the earliest.

The agitators demanded the enforcement of Section 2 (J) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 that declares sales as an industry.

They also wanted the implementation of working rules including eight-hour work under the Sales Promotion Employees Act, 1976 and extension of the act to all industries other than the pharmaceutical industry.

The also demanded the inclusion of sales promotion in Section 2 (S) of the Industrial Disputes Act and the formation of a tripartite committee.

They alleged that despite categorical assurances given by the labour minister himself and his ministry during the past two decades, nothing concrete had been done by the central government for the fulfillment of their demands.

This had led to the victimisation of employees, they alleged.

Many MPs and leaders of various central trade unions addressed the demonstration.

New Delhi, September 9
Growing numbers of patients suffering from dengue fever in and around the Capital have caused serious concerns amongst the residents and authorities.

Almost 136 cases of dengue have been reported in the city this year. While the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) penalised government offices for not clearing the breeding grounds of the dengue mosquitoes, the MCD searched more than 13 million houses and detected the breeding grounds in 70,336 houses.

The MCD has announced that special dengue wards would be introduced in all government hospitals if required. A special dengue ward has already been functioning in the Bara Hindurao Hospital.

All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has been distributing booklets providing information regarding the dengue fever amongst residents free of cost. The booklet has been written by Dr Bir Singh.

A common communicable disease, dengue is characterised by the occurrence of high fever, severe body ache and intense headache. Something that makes the disease dire is the fact that young children are more susceptible to it compared to the adults.

The fever that kills five per 100 patients to 30 per 100 patients is caused by the bite of ‘Aedes’ mosquito that is tough and bold to bite even during the day.

The symptoms of dengue fever can be seen in a person bitten by the mosquito in a period of three to 10 days.

The classical dengue fever can be managed at home by giving the patient paracetamol tablets or syrup to keep the temperature low, avoiding the dose of aspirin and dispirin. If the fever rises to more than 102° Farenheit, hydrotherapy can also be carried out. The patient should be given plenty of fluids and food as the body requires more food in fever.

However, the DHF or DSS dengue fever has to be treated in the hospital.

The MCD authorities said the city government hospitals have enough platelets to cure the patients. 

New Delhi, September 9
Come Sunday and Delhi will see a chunk of its youngsters come together and instead of hanging around in a mall or cineplex run for the cause of cancer.

The annual Terry Fox Run, to be held for the 23rd time in Delhi — they did not organise one last year is being eagerly looked forward to by school and college students to raise funds for cancer research here.

Terry Fox was a Canadian who, after being detected with cancer and having to amputee his cancerous legs, ran the ‘Marathon of Hope’ across the country in 1980. Although he could not complete his run, because the cancer had started spreading to his lungs, this 22-year old’s fierce determination prompted the organising of this run in order to raise money for cancer research.

Narendra Bhardwaj of the Indo-Canadian Cancer Research Foundation, which organises the run here, said that they expect more than 1,500 students to participate in the 3.5 km run which will start in Connaught Place.

“Terry was a young man of 22 when all this happened to him and he really wanted that a cure for cancer should be found. Therefore, instead of targeting corporates, we target young kids so that they feel for the cause,” Bhardwaj said.

“There is no fixed amount of money that we say one should donate. It could be Re 1 to anything,” he said.

“Another good thing is that the fund remains in the place where it is being raised,” Bhardwaj added.

The run this year will flagged off by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. A number of students from schools and colleges, like Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Convent of Jesus and Mary and Miranda House will volunteer, besides participate, in the run. — IANS

New Delhi, September 9
A total of Rs 40 billion would be spent on works related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games by the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said here today.

“With the commissioning of 100 flyovers, 272-km Metro line and 10,000 low-floor buses in DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) fleet before the commencement of the Commonwealth Games, the scenario of public transport system in the Capital would change,” said Dikshit.

Earlier, she had laid the foundation stone of grade separators, a type of flyover, at Apsara Border in East Delhi and near Anand Vihar Inter-State Bus Terminus.

She also said that streetlights would be upgraded to international standards on roads maintained by the PWD.

“The Capital would have streetlights of international standard and 450 km of PWD roads would be repaired well before Diwali,” she said.

The grade separator at Apsara Border would cost around Rs 2.26 billion whereas the other grade separator near Anand Vihar ISBT would cost around Rs.1.23 billion.

“The grade separators are being constructed to provide free flow of traffic and ensure relief to those commuters who are forced to face heavy traffic jams,” a Delhi government spokesperson said.

Dikshit said that a scheme has been prepared to upgrade the streetlights on the roads maintained by the PWD in Delhi.

“The scheme proposes streetlight illumination level of international standards at a cost of Rs 1.98 billion,” the spokesperson added. — IANS

New Delhi, September 9
The Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court today rejected the bail plea of Raj Kumar, a co-accused in the twin murders of Noida teenager Aarushi Talwar and her domestic help Hemraj. The bail plea was rejected by magistrate Sapna Mishra, a day before the September 10 deadline for CBI to file a chargesheet in the double murder.

Arguing the case for the bail of his client, the defence counsel held that the CBI could not produce any evidence against the domestic help and therefore Raj Kumar should be released on bail. The argument was countered by the CBI counsel on the grounds that the investigation in the case was on and there were chances of Raj Kumar fleeing if he is let out.

Raj Kumar’s bail rejection came hours before the CBI today said that it would not file the chargesheet in the case as it requires more time for investigation.

According to law, the CBI has to file a chargesheet within 90 days of the first arrest, failing which the accused can get bail. With the CBI stating it has no intention of doing so, Raj Kumar and Krishna, another accused, are likely to get bail.

Aarushi was found killed in her Noida home on May 16 along with her domestic help Hemraj. Aarushi’s father Rajesh Talwar was arrested a week later but given a clean chit. The CBI then accused Dr Talwar’s medical assistant Krishna and two others, Raj Kumar (domestic help of Talwar’s family friend) and Vijay Mandal (neighbour’s help), on the basis of narco-analysis tests. While Vijay managed to get bail last week, Krishna and Raj Kumar are still in judicial custody.

New Delhi, September 9
A software engineer was allegedly stabbed and critically wounded by a group of assailants in his home this morning as he tried to resist a robbery bid in the Ashok Vihar area of North West Delhi.

According to information, the robbery took place around 4 am in house number 167 of I –Block, owned by Rajesh Pathak (25). Six robbers allegedly entered the house after cutting the window iron grills and when they started ransacking the house, Rajesh woke up and challenged them.

Rajesh was stabbed many times by the robbers and they only left after assuming him to be dead.

“As my son, Rajesh, woke up they stabbed him with a knife. Thinking him dead the assailants escaped with a mobile phone and few household articles,” said Vimla Pathak, mother of Rajesh.

Rajesh was rushed to the Sunder Lal Jain Hospital in an unconscious state and is not in the position to give a statement. “He is admitted in the ICU and his condition is critical. We would record his statement once he is in the position to speak and doctors permit,” said a police official.

Noida, September 9
Two young women of Noida took on six car-borne romeos late on Sunday evening and thrashed them thoroughly in public by raining punches and kicks on them. Finding themselves at the receiving end, the youths were quick to offer apologies to their newly discovered sisters, “Didi mauf kar do”, they blurted out while touching the feet of the young girls.

But the damsels did not let go of them and insisted on summoning their family members and forgave the Romeos only after each one of them tendered a written apology.

The young girls are two real sisters who are reportedly practising advocates in the Delhi High Court and live in O Block of Sector 12 Noida. Both had stepped out from their residence to get some eatables for dinner. Some young men following them in an open car started teasing and harassing them. The girls noted down the car number and dialed No 100. After some time, a police Chetak stopped near the girls who informed the cops that the boys went towards a market near Metro hospital in Sector-12.

The cops took the young girls along and found the youths standing near a juice kiosk. The boys were flabbergasted to see the girls being accompanied by the police.

Both the girls who were expert in karate thoroughly thrashed the boys with punches and kicks and later asked the police to register a case against them.

The boys then fell on their knees and touched the girls’ feet saying, “Didi mauf kar do”. The young women advocates insisted on calling the parents of one of the boys and made them ask for forgiveness in presence of their parents.

They also took a written apology from them.

Ghaziabad, September 9
The chemicals being dumped in the Hindon river water are reportedly causing skin diseases to people living in villages near its banks.

Amarjit, Sandeep, Akbari Devi and Mohd Abdul Quasim are some of the victims of skin ailments caused by the river water. For over three months, they have been suffering from a variety of skin diseases like rashes, itching, boils, daad, etc.

As the government hospitals reportedly do not have proper facilities, all such persons are trooping to private hospitals. All of them said they contracted the ailments while irrigating their fields of rice and vegetables with the Hindon water. They had no idea that this water, once perceived to be as pure as that of the Ganga, had polluted so much that it could cause skin ailments.

The problem is not only confined to the farmers of Safipur and Chhijarsi, but the residents of Kulesra, Momna Thal and Lackwani villages are also afflicted with these diseases.

Now all these people have stopped using the Hindon water to irrigate their crops. Even cattle are reported to have developed some foot and mouth and other diseases. One buffalo of Amarjit has reportedly died of the disease caused by drinking the Hindon water.

Safipur village pradhan Meher Chand said that the Hindon water has become so contaminated that the water pumped out from it has burnt the grass on the land. Many farmers who were using this water for agriculture in the area have stopped irrigating their crops and fields.

Asstt scientist, Pollution Control Board, K.K. Pandey said the Hindon water has become so contaminated that it is not safe to use or else its tragic results will have to be faced.

However, SMO Dr P.K. Singh said no such case has been brought to his notice so far. The villagers reiterate that they have informed the authorities.

New Delhi, September 9
Concerns were raised today on the concept of reverse mortgage for the elders. It was introduced in the union budget last year, but is still to take off in earnest.

Although popular in the developed world, the concept is still to make an impact in India. Just about 1,100 loans have been disbursed this year to the elder citizens of the country to help them purchase property and use it as reserve mortgage.

At a seminar organised here by the Harmony for Silvers Foundation, an NGO founded by Tina Ambani to enhance the quality of life of the elderly in India, the speakers who included minister of ministry of social justice and empowerment Meira Kumar, pointed out that firstly there were few institutional structures to accommodate the special needs of silvers (elders).

Secondly, despite its potential to empower the elderly, there have been few takers for the product, owing to concerns on aspects like property valuation, interest and taxation, and a traditional Indian mindset that prevents many from using the home as equity.

They agreed that several gaps needed to be plugged for the product to succeed but opined that reverse mortgage could indeed be a viable financial solution for the elderly.

Besides the minister, the other panelists at the seminar were S. Sridhar, chairman and managing director, National Housing Bank (NHB), Dr Vinita Kumar, finance adviser, ministry of finance, R. Gandhi, regional director, Reserve Bank of India, Ved Jain, president, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India; and Dr Dharmendra Bhandari , adviser, Harmony for Silvers Foundation .

The minister hoped that the landmark step would help senior citizens avail themselves of this product to a greater extent. India is the first developing country in the world to develop a tool like this, she said.

The changing paradigm in the demographic structure of India makes this product a worthwhile avenue. With the elderly population slated to double in the next decade, one needs to look at the financial implications of longevity—dependence of female elderly population will be 85 per cent. It is in this context that seniors should seriously examine reverse mortgage, the minsiter pointed out.

Highlighting the efforts of her ministry, she said though it is better to live with children for emotional, physical and financial support, abuse of the elderly is becoming a big concern.

The passing of the Senior Citizens Maintenance Bill is a landmark event in this regard and it has already been implemented in eight states.

Sridhar said in the US, reverse mortgage is driven by the government. In India, though, it was felt that it be driven by silvers themselves and the banking industry.

While banks needed to be sensitive to the needs of the elderly, the elderly need to understand that reverse mortgage is not social service but a market-based commercial solution.

The NHB wants an equitable product, by mitigating the problems faced by the banking industry and making the product more user-friendly for senior citizens.

One of the missing pieces is the convergence of financial solutions.

A synergy is needed between banks and insurance companies to ensure a complete solution that provides the elderly a payment stream for their entire life, Sridhar said.