New Delhi, September 27
Immediately after landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport today, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit straightaway drove to the All India Medical Sciences Trauma Centre to visit injured victims of the blast that took place in the afternoon today at Mehrauli.

Dikshit returned from New York where she had gone to attend a programme on pollution control and greenery.

The Chief Minister announced an ex gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the boy who died in the blast. An amount of Rs 50,000 each would also be provided to the injured.

Expressing deep grief over the loss of lives and condemning the explosion, the Chief Minister instructed medical personnel to provide the best possible treatment to the injured.

She also met injured persons individually to inquire about their condition.

Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister-designate, who also visited the blast site, demanded resignation of the union home minister Shivraj Patil, saying that this was a major security lapse.

This is the second incident of bomb explosion within 15 days after a series of blasts which rocked the Capital on September 13, also a Saturday.

Besides Malhotra, other BJP leaders like Saket MLA Vijay Jolly, former MLA Chaudhary Brahm Singh Tanwer and local MCD corporators including Rampal Yadav, Chaman Ambavata, Kartar Singh Tanwar, Yogendra Sejwal and Mool Chand Sharma visited the site.

Jolly said that the re-occurrence of the blast in the city just within 15 days is due to the weak policies of the union government. The BJP leader blamed the “soft approach” of the UPA government for the blast.

Expressing strong reaction on the blast, BJP Delhi pradesh president Harsh Vardhan said that today’s blast, which has come just two weeks after the series of blasts in the city, is the result of vote politics of Delhi and Central governments.

The CPI (M) Delhi state committee secretary, PMS Grewal said that it was a grim reminder of the failure of the union government and its intelligence agencies to uncover the terror networks.

The government must take all steps necessary to apprehend the culprits, he said.

New Delhi, September 27
The bomb blast at Mehrauli today exposed the high alertness of security agencies. In a daring attempt amidst the claim of being on high alert by Delhi police, two motorcycle riders threw a bomb in a crowded market in south Delhi and escaped.

Usually, the Delhi police is prompt to announce high alert every time a bomb blast happens in the Capital, but this time it is already on high alert in the wake of the September 13 serial bomb blasts.

Finally after much speculation, the police department sounded an alert for two men responsible for the blasts. “We have sounded an alert for them. Extensive checking is being undertaken to nab them,” joint commissioner of police (Southern Range) Ajay Kashyap said.

The two men, believed to be aged around 25-30, riding a black motorcycle with Delhi registration number, were responsible for the explosion in which a boy was killed and 23 people were injured.

Meanwhile, the Delhi police officials could be seen in full force on the city roads after the blast.

The entire India Gate region including the Rajpath leading to the Rashtrapati Bhavan was barricaded by the evening and made a no-entry zone.

The weekend crowd which usually throngs the India Gate park was missing in the evening. The park was instead taken over by men in khakhi. Several markets in the Capital show shutters down as soon as the news of blast spread. Panic gripped the people. The Delhi police headquarters and PCR kept getting calls from anxious residents about the rumours of blasts in other parts of the city.

The Delhi police PRO, Rajan Bhagat, has appealed to the people to maintain calm and not be engaged in rumours. He also appealed to report any suspicious person, object or vehicle to the police immediately.

Considering that Mehrauli is located on the border with Haryana, checking for vehicles has been intensified at the Delhi-Gurgaon border. The vehicles were also being checked on all other 26 entry points to the city. 

New Delhi, September 27
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. This saying was perhaps coined exclusively for people like this quadriplegic who has been working relentlessly for the cause of the disabled from his bed for the past several years as the chief coordinator of the “Family of Disabled” (FOD), a voluntary organisation he set up in 1992 to bring dignity and self-respect to the physically challenged.

Rajinder Johar was working as a senior occupational therapist at King George’s Medical College, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), when an injury to his spinal chord in 1986 rendered him quadriplegic.

Having worked with disabled people for over 17 years as occupational therapist, and after becoming disabled himself, he still wanted to continue serving the disabled fraternity. He knew that to cater to such a large population of disabled people, collective efforts by like-minded people were required.

He then, with the blessings of Mother Teresa in 1992, formed the Family of Disabled (FOD). With the help of a few volunteers, FOD sought to help the physically challenged and financially disadvantaged by setting up the Apna Rozgar Scheme in 1998. The purpose was to help the physically challenged to seek self-employment.

Through different projects of FOD, he strove to serve the disabled to the best of his capacity and has devoted his life to the most ignored and neglected section of the Indian society i.e. the disabled people.

Today, FOD, consisting of a staff of five, including Johar as the chief coordinator, has helped 275 people through its Apna Rozgar Scheme (self-employment scheme), claimed a spokesperson here.

Confined to his bed and totally dependent on others, he manages the organisation from his room, which is accessible to disabled people. Being declared 100 per cent disabled by the doctors, he is in the process of assessing the disability percentage on his own parameter.

The person who is confined to bed for over two decades and cannot even turn a side on his own and is totally dependent on others, has enabled hundreds of disabled individuals to live an independent and financially secure life. They have not only become self-reliant but can now take care of their dependants too, claim some of his admirers.

“Family of Disabled is like his child and he feels immense pleasure in seeing it grow. Despite being discouraged to start this organisation because of his physical limitations, he went ahead,” said another admirer.

In 1992, making the best of what life thrust upon him, he began using two fingers and a thumb to type and soon began producing a bi-annual magazine, The Voice. The objective of the magazine was to create awareness among the masses and sensitise them to various aspects of people with disabilities

His only strength is the conviction and dedication towards the cause. His untiring efforts to utilise his every second, to support, motivate and establish the disabled people have no parallel. His total assets are a telephone to keep in contact with the world, a writing device (worth Rs 30), which he and his engineer brother designed together as they couldn’t find one which could cater to his needs. He ties this gadget to his wrist and writes with shoulder movements. He used to type earlier on a donated electronic typewriter but his deteriorating health doesn’t allow him to take that much strain now.

He has won 13 awards, including the Helen Keller Award in 2003, the prestigious National Award, Red and White Bravery Award, from government and non-government agencies for his selfless services to the disabled people.

New Delhi, September 27
Babloo broke his backbone last year working on a construction site in Jharkhand. After dispatching him to a nearby hospital, his employers didn’t bother to find out how his family would make both ends meet. Today his wife Sheela Devi sobbingly said how she is barely able to feed her children and look after her invalid husband.

All thanks to the tardy implementation of the Building and Construction Workers Act 1996 and Inter-state Migrant Labour Act in the country.

Similarly young women and girls working at construction sites are frequently exploited, sexually and otherwise and sometimes even raped. They don’t get their due wages.

These and several such stories of exploitation were related by thousands of construction workers here today when they assembled at Jantar Mantar under the aegis of Construction Workers Federation of India, affiliated to CITU, to stage a dharna to press for effective implementation of the Building and Construction Workers Act 1996 and Inter-state Migrant Labour Act effectively in the country.

“We are submitting a memorandum to the labour minister and minister of overseas affairs seeking effective implementation of laws. We are also demanding effective measures and health policies for the workers all over India,” said Debanjan Chakrabarti, general secretary, CITU.

Though the Building and Construction Workers Act came into existence in 1996, so far the Construction Workers Welfare Board is set up in 13 states only, confirmed an official. The workers are even deprived of the benefits of the cess collected from the central government departments, railways, defence and telecommunication in the name of ‘sector cess’, added the general secretary, CITU.

New Delhi, September 27
Eighteen aspiring designers will debut at the premier Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) here from October 15-19, thus getting an opportunity to kickstart their careers in the world of fashion.

“WIFW is a prestigious launch pad for emerging designers to showcase the best of Indian design talent globally. It provides them with the crucial introduction to buyers from across the globe and key members of the fashion industry,” WIFW organiser Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) president Sunil Sethi said in a statement.

“We welcome our new partners at WIFW to experience country’s only business-to-business event,” he added.

The debutante designers are Abdul Halder, Adarsh Gill, Anupamaa, Ashima Singh, Parvesh and Jai, Form Debarun, Gaurav and Ritika, Hemant and Nandita, Joy Mitra, Nida Mahmood, Nisha Merchant, Raakesh Agarwal, Rohit Mittal, Sanchita and Umesh Vashisht.

Apart from them, accessory designers Shelina & Camelia and Priyanka Murarka too will showcase at the event for the first time.

Wills Lifestyle’s divisional chief executive Atul Chand said, “WIFW is the country’s biggest and most prestigious lifestyle event and we have already received an overwhelming response from the designer fraternity.” — IANS

New Delhi, September 27
IGNOU has started a school named ‘School of Tourism and Hospitality Service Sectoral Management (SOTHSSM)’. It is hopeful of training over 25 lakh people in about 10 years from now.

The new venture will include a slew of additional programmes for diploma, bachelors, masters, M.Phil. and PhD degrees.

“For all courses, learners will be taught and trained through a mix of online, face-to-face and the open and distance learning (ODL) mode,”a university official informed.

The IGNOU School of Tourism and Hospitality has a number of features. The courses judiciously mix the academic content with its application. The convergence of theoretical aspects with practical on-the-job trainings makes the programmes unique, which the conventional classroom tourism/hospitality trainings cannot match.

Second, the programmes eye to tap the massive potentials of human resources in the country. A large contingent of tourism professionals will benefit from this venture.

Finally, the programme will have pan-India focus, which none of the conventional curricula ensures.

Noida, September 27
Three years ago this man had hogged the media limelight by having landed as a bridegroom at his marriage venue from a helicopter. But he has turned out to be a highway robber, according to the Noida Phase-II police.

The police has busted this gang of criminals and arrested six of his accomplices. This gang has robbed people in eight separate incidents during the past one month.

The police has seized from them a Skoda, two Wagon R, one pistol, three daggers and a large quantity of looted valuables, jewellery and cash. The gang leader Vineet Bhatti is a BBA second year student, according to police.

The police has been looking for this gang, which used to rob people on and near Expressway, for a long time. Their modus operandi was to hit a car, pick a quarrel and then rob people at gun and daggerpoint.

The gangsters were captured on CCTV camera in the house of Safdarjung Hospital doctor, Krishen Dutta. They had looted his house on September 3. The police was able to establish their identity from the images caught on CCTV camera and on Friday afternoon the police nabbed the criminals when they were planning to commit a crime on Expressway.

According to SSP R.K. Chaturvedi, in February 2005, Vineet’s marriage was celebrated in Greater Noida. He brought his bride in a helicopter to the marriage venue. Fed up with Vineet’s criminal activities, his wife had tried to commit suicide about a week ago, the SSP said.

The police has seized a .32 pistol, 3 daggers, 2 knives, one Skoda, two Wagon R cars, a fridge, an LCD TV, other electronic goods, jewellery worth lakhs, Rs 30,000 in cash, 8 cell phones, two signed cheques for Rs 40,000 and Rs 30,000 from the gang, the SSP added.

Ghaziabad, September 27
After the recovery of Rs 1.43 lakh from the currency chest of Ghaziabad branch of Oriental Bank of Commerce, three persons were arrested on Friday with Rs 7.50 lakh in Meerut. While in Ghaziabad, three persons were nabbed with fake notes worth Rs 50,000 yesterday.

In Meerut, an ATS team from Kankar Kheda police station arrested three persons late on Friday evening from Sardhana crossing and recovered Rs 7.50 lakh fake notes from them. All three belong to Kerana town in Muzzafarnagar.

The accused have been identified as Riyafat, Akhlaque and Aadil. The swathes of fake currency reached them from Pakistan via Nepal, police sources said. The fake currency included 1,100 notes of Rs 500 denomination and 200 notes of Rs 1,000 denomination.

The police said Riyafat had been arrested twice earlier also with fake notes. Once Delhi police nabbed him and the second time he was arrested at Kandhla in Muzzafarnagar. At that time also, he was suspected to have links with Pakistan’s secret intelligence agency, ISI.

In Ghaziabad, Sihani Gate police and intelligence sleuths jointly achieved this breakthrough. Three persons with Rs 50,000 fake notes were arrested. They are being quizzed by the police and the intelligence staff.

Ghaziabad SSP, Deepak Kumar said this matter was still being investigated. The nabbed criminals have reportedly told the police about their accomplices in Meerut and eastern UP. Police is trying to find out their network in the state and their mastermind. 

Gt Noida, September 27
Assistant director, factories, Subhash Chand Vishwakarma and assistant labour commissioner, Gautam Budh Nagar, Atul Kumar, have been suspended in connection with the lynching of Graziano Transmissioni’s India head L.K. Chaudhary on September 22.

The CEO was attacked and lynched by retrenched and disgruntled workers of the company.

Deputy labour commissioner B.K. Singh said Atal Kumar had executed an agreement between workers and the management of Graziano factory.

While according to department sources, Vishwakarma has been suspended as he was responsible for the safety of the workers at workshops and in the operational areas in which he had failed.

New Delhi, September 27
A large number of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers today thronged the residence of the party’s chief ministerial candidate Vijay Kumar Malhotra at Bishamber Nath Marg.

The party had announced yesterday that Malhotra would be its chief ministerial candidate.

The workers mobbed the leader with garlands and bouquets. 

Malhotra exhorted the party men to ensure a landslide victory for the BJP in the coming elections.