New Delhi, February 26
Reacting to a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), pointing out irregularities in the working of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi Mayor today ordered a probe into the matter.

The CAG report has revealed several discrepancies within the working of the civic body, saying that 53 percent of the projects have been commissioned without checking the quality.

Mayor Arti Mehra has directed a probe by the vigilance department of the MCD. “Since it is a complex exercise, we have granted one-month time for submission of the probe report,” said Mehra.

She assured that disciplinary action will be taken against officials found guilty in the CAG report. The CAG report has criticised the MCD for blatantly ignoring the upkeep of roads under the MCD.

However, in an attempt to gain political mileage, the opposition Congress party has demanded to supercede the corporation and order a CBI inquiry into the matter.

“The CAG report has raised many questions relating to the working of the MCD. The report pointed out that no provision of outfall of drainage and footpaths have been made and majority of amount have been paid to contractors even though the roads were not completed. Low quality material was used in dense carpeting works,” said Jai Kishan Sharma, Leader of Opposition.

“The team of CAG detected many irregularities in 12 offices of six zones of the MCD. It is unfortunate that these offices do not have perfect database of roads being maintained by them,” he said.

“Not only this, 87 per cent of amount was paid to contractors even though roads were not complete,” he said.

The report has pointed out that out of the Rs 211 crore paid to the MCD under road restoration head by the MTNL, DDA and other departments, 24 per cent amount has remained unspent.

New Delhi, February 26
The Trans-Yamuna Area Development Board (TYADB) failed to carry out any study to identify the drawbacks in the infrastructural facilities in the area though it had shown an expenditure of crores of rupees, said Comptroller Auditor General report.

In the absence of a unified area plan since its establishment in 1994, the board had been allocating funds on ad hoc basis to the MLAs. Till March 2008, the government had allocated Rs 837.47 crore.

The board was allocating funds to each MLA every year under the “MLA Discretionary Fund Scheme”. Till 2003-2004, the board allocated Rs 50 lakh per year per MLA and after 2003, it allocated Rs 60 lakh. There are total 16 MLAs in the area.

According to the report, analysis of the work disclosed that works recommended by the board during 2002-2008 included works of routine nature like improvement of roads, drains, parks, street lights, remodelling of nullahs, replacement of water lines, etc which fall under the domain of MCD and Delhi Jal Board.

The main objective of the board was to remove the disparity between Trans-Yamuna area and other parts of Delhi by securing a planned and accelerated growth of the area. The area is plagued by the problems of phenomenal population density, haphazard growth of unplanned building activities, waterlogging and drainage problem.

The report stated that Delhi urban department engaged the Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation (DSIDC) to build a socio-cultural complex at Laxmi Nagar though they were not mandated to do this job. The contract was given even before the proposal was approved by the planning and finance department of the city government.

However, the socio-cultural centre has been constructed and its operation and maintenance responsibilities have been given to a private agency.

Besides, monitoring of implementation of schemes by the board was deficient, the report said.

New Delhi, February 26
Even though the ministry of home affairs has assured that a special task force will be created for overall security of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, a parliamentary standing committee on home affairs today asked the government to undertake a review of the “security capability” of the Delhi police.

The review should provide the force with the required personnel, weapons and training.

The ministry in its reply to the standing committee had said that Delhi police and central agencies will be used. The protection of participants and athletes would be taken in co-ordination with the central intelligence agencies.

The parliamentary panel says the security to people of the national Capital appeared to be “inadequate”, particularly in the light of the recent serial bomb blasts and more recently the Mumbai terror attacks”.

“It hardly needs to be emphasised that it is the foremost duty of the government to ensure safety and security of its citizens,” the panel, headed by Sushma Swaraj, said in its report presented to both Houses of Parliament.

It recommended that the union home ministry must undertake a “comprehensive review” of the security capability of the Delhi police and provide the force with required personnel, weapons and training so that the life and liberty of the residents of Delhi could be secured.

“The committee also desires that the Metro stations in Delhi need to be provided full security and no stone should be left unturned,” it said.

New Delhi, February 26
A gleaming new domestic terminal awaits air passengers in India’s capital when they fly out early April, with its developers giving a sneak preview of the upgraded infrastructure on Thursday.

Exclusive driveway for entry, inline baggage screening system, 72-counter check-in facility, spacious area for food and beverage outlets and attractive retail space are some of the features of the new terminal.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and civil aviation minister Praful Patel were among those who were given a sneak preview of Terminal 1D.

Patel said the IGI Airport would match the best airports in the world in terms of infrastructure and other facilities.

“Delhi has become a global city. I can assure you that the airport and its surroundings would be green, environment-friendly and will have good access to the city,” the minister said after inaugurating the terminal, which would come into operation in the first week of April.

The Delhi chief minister urged Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), a GMR Group consortium, to lift the IGI Airport to international levels.

“There are multi-authorities in Delhi, which could make your work difficult. We are always there to help you. Please tell me what help you need from us,” Dikshit told the airport developer.

GMR group chairman G.M. Rao said the new departure terminal was not part of the contractual agreement GMR had signed with the government. But the company developed 1D considering the problems faced by the passengers, he said.

The new terminal, set up at an investment of Rs 5 billion, will be capable of handling all outbound domestic passengers.

Terming aviation as India’s “sunrise sector”, Patel said several new airports are coming up and “we will see a drastic change in aviation’s infrastructure in the next few years”.

Defending the government’s decision to levy surcharge on passengers at the Delhi airport, Patel said “airports of certain scale” being developed by the Airports Authority of India could also do the same.

“This should be taken in the right spirit. What’s wrong if the government has taken this step?” he asked.

The government announced on Monday that DIAL would charge Rs 200 on domestic passengers and Rs 1,300 on international passengers from March 1 due to the company’s inability to raise money from lenders and the market.

“The Airport Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) - the new regulator for airlines - will look into the matter,” said the minister. — IANS

Gurgaon, February 26
The Gurgaon United Residents Movement (GURM), a joint body of local residents’ welfare associations, has maintained that the residents of the city were being made to pay higher power tariffs as compared to the inhabitants of Delhi and other neighbouring cities like Noida and Ghaziabad.

In a letter written to the chairman of the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission, GURM chairman Col (retd.) Rattan Singh, co-chairman Dharam Sagar and general secretary R.S. Rathee have urged him to take suitable action in this regard.

“We, the residents of Gurgaon, feel very aggrieved, not only by the erratic and unpredictable nature of power supply, but also for having to pay a higher tariff for the same as compared to residents of neighbouring Delhi, or bordering cities such as Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh,” they said in a letter written to the HERC chief.

GURM has pointed out in the communiqué that even though coal prices have come down substantially in the recent past, the power tariff for the residents of the millennium city had not been reduced. They have demanded that the power tariff be reduced by 20 per cent.

In another letter written to the union minister for shipping, road transport and highways, the residents’ body has demanded that a flyover or an underpass be constructed at the busy Hero Honda Chowk in the city.

Ghaziabad, February 26
The country’s largest online education provider company Educomp Solutions has been accused of fraud worth millions of rupees by one of its investors. A police official said here Thursday that the allegations were being probed, while the firm denied them.

Gajendra Kumar from Ghaziabad - a satellite city of the national capital - lodged a complaint with the police on February 13 alleging that the company has siphoned out millions of rupees into “fraudulently created” small firms.

Senior superintendent of police (Ghaziabad) Akhil Kumar said that on the complaint of Kumar a criminal case has been registered against eight people, including the company’s chief managing director (CMD) Shantanu Prakash, at Sihani Gate police station.

Kumar, in his complaint, alleged: “The company has transferred the investors’ money into small companies fraudulently generated by the management at national and international level.

“The company has shown the false figures of profit in its balance sheet and at the same time the company has shown a debt of Rs 367 crore (Rs 3.67 billion) from banks.

“These contradictory statements, of showing profits on one hand and availing loans from the bank on the other hand, shows that the company has not only cheated the investors but also has evaded the various types of taxes.”

Kumar also alleged that the company gained a loan of Rs.1 billion from Axis Bank to its sister concern Educomp Infra using these false balance sheets.

Educomp Solutions Ltd claims to be the leading e-education service providing company outsourcing to 21,000 government and private schools and having 10.99 million learners.

The company in 2005 was chosen as the company of the year in ITES sector at CNBC-ICICI Bank Emerging India awards.

The complainant also said that though the company has 3,955 employees, its salary sheet shows is just Rs.350 million which is quite low.

Educomp chief Prakash said: “People who do not understand our business make such false allegations.”

Talking about the firm’s salary sheet, Prakash said that at the entry level the company pays Rs 4,000 per month to people at government schools and Rs 7,000 per month at private schools, and around 70 per cent of the employees are at such levels. “That’s why the salary sheets are low.” — IANS

New Delhi, February 26
Protesting against the rustication of five student leaders in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), seven students started an indefinite hunger strike on campus today.

Hundreds of students gathered outside the university administrative block and said the rustication notices were unjustified as yesterday’s protest was peaceful and their demands were crucial.

The students including three JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) office-bearers were rusticated yesterday for at least one year on the charges of forcibly disrupting the admission process.

“We peacefully requested university staff to close the prospectus counter yesterday, as was decided earlier in the university general body meeting. The administration served us show-cause notices at around 3 pm and asked us to reply by 4 pm. We wrote a letter to the dean of students asking for more time for the replies. However, the administration rusticated us in a few hours,” said Sandeep, president, JNUSU.

The students said the vice-chancellor was trying to use the rustication against them as they fought in the Supreme Court for resuming the students’ union elections. “The vice-chancellor has always been against student politics and activism. He is trying to affect our case in the Supreme Court by giving a signal that the students’ union in JNU is disruptive,” said Sandeep.

The rusticated students said they were not going to leave the university even after they had been asked to stay out-of-bounds. “We are going to

carry out the struggle against the vice-chancellor’s wish to sell the university by being inside the campus. This is one of the biggest attacks on the university students in the history of JNU,” said Roshan, secretary, JNU Students’ Federation of India (SFI).

JNU students also said they had more stake in the university. “The vice-chancellor has been deputed here because of the students. They have much more stake in the university than the vice-chancellor,” said Roshan.

Two parallel hunger strikes were launched in the university after a demonstration at the administrative block today.

“Seven students have given their names to sit on the indefinite hunger strike. Another mass relay hunger strike would start parallel to the indefinite strike,” said Shephalika, vice-president, JNUSU.

“Just because the university administration has rusticated us, we do not cease to remain the representatives of the students,” said Sandeep.

The students have been protesting against 67 per cent increase in the price of university prospectus for the next academic year.

Meanwhile, the administration has given orders to lock the hostel rooms of the seven students who have been rusticated. 

Gurgaon, February 26
A mock drill was organised by the Haryana Fire and Emergency Services in association with the district police at the cyber park here today. Seven members from the fire department presented their skills about rescuing people from fire.

The drill which was about to start at 10 in the morning started four hours behind the schedule as high officials were accepted to visit the spot. During the exercise, which drew a large crowd, the functioning of the hydraulic platform-cum-turn table ladder and demonstration on dousing the blaze was given.

H C Sihag, fire officer, told The Tribune that their department is skilled to tackle any kind of situation. They have a total seven vehicles to control fire. “These types of drills help the security personnel learn how to save buildings and people during emergency,” he clarified.

The delay of the officials caused lot of inconvenience to the employees as well as other visitors there. They felt that if the officials had to conduct such type of drills they should have been on time as this is not worth blocking the way for four hours.

Gurgaon, February 26
Pepsico India launched packaged ‘nimbu paani’ under the brand name of 7 Up Nimbooz at a glittering function organised here today.

Addressing newsmen on the occasion, Pepsico India executive director (marketing) Punita Lal said the no-fizz soft drink was inspired by the country’s favorite homemade drink ‘nimbu paani’. Nimbooz would be available in three packaging formats, including a 200 ml returnable glass bottle, a 200 ml tetra pack (for Rs 10 each) and a 350 ml PET bottle (for Rs 15), she added.

The company’s executive vice-president (flavours) Alpana Titus, who was also present on the occasion, said packaged in a ready-to-drink convenient and hygienic format, Nimbooz was an affordable drink backed by Pepsico quality.

“The drink has been created using real lemon juice and without any artificial flavour to suit the Indian taste,” she maintained, and added that the company had drawn up an intensive consumer activation campaign with the proposition of “Ekdum Asli Indian” for its marketing.

Noida, February 26
Five people allegedly involved in the smuggling of idols were arrested and an antique idol worth Rs 50 million in the international market was recovered from their possession, the police said on Thursday.

“Vinay Malik, Ramesh Prasad Sinha, Ashok Kumar Singh, Pawan Jindal and Naresh Sharma were arrested on Wednesday night in raids across Noida and an idol weighing about 2.50 kg and estimated to be worth Rs.50 million in the international market was recovered from their possession,” senior superintendent of police Navin Arora told IANS.

“We are trying to get the true value and authenticity of the idol verified by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),” he said.

“Pawan Jindal was the mastermind of the gang and used to smuggle antique pieces to Nepal. They also had their network in Bihar and Jharkhand,” Arora added.

The police also seized a Tata Indica car from them. — IANS