New Delhi, May 9
Residents of Lal Kuwan village located on Mehrauli-Badarpur Road pelted the police personnel with stones when they reached late an accident site where a villager was crushed to death by a container truck.

Five policemen sustained injuries in the attack. They have been admitted to hospital. A policy vehicle and a crane were also damaged by the mob.

The police then resorted to lathi-charge. When it failed to control the mob, it lobbed teargas shells.

A few villagers also sustained injuries.

The victim, Suraj, was crushed to death by the truck in the morning today while he was walking on the road. The truck driver escaped after the accident, sources said.

Just after the incident, family members of the victim and villagers gathered on the road. A few of them telephoned the police, but it took a lot of time for the cops to reach the spot which made the residents angry.

They asked for the arrest of the driver, the sources said.

The residents said that with the registration number of truck, the police could find out the address of the driver.

When they saw that the police was only interested in rushing the body to hospital for postmortem, the residents started beating the personnel.

However, the police has a different version. It said that the victim was sitting beside a wall which collapsed after being hit by the truck. The truck also turned upside down. The man was buried under the truck and the wall.

When the police team tried to extricate the man, the residents attacked the personnel. No arrest has been made so far.

New Delhi, May 9
Upset with the hike in school fee and the government’s apathetic attitude in the matter, anguished parents today launched a unique way to register their protest. The scene at Chandni Chowk was unusual today as many parents were seen polishing shoes and selling vegetables to protest against fee hike.

Delhi Parents’ Council (DPC) chairman Praveen Khandelwal who led the protestors asked the Delhi government to take immediate action in the matter and save parents from the burden of extra charges in the form of school fee.

He demanded from the government to form a joint committee consisting of senior officials, representatives of private schools and parents’ bodies to look into the matter.

Parents were holding placards with slogans like ‘Hum aur kya karein, school fee ka paisa kahan se layen’, ‘Fees Ka bojh parents par dalna dhoka hai.’

Khandelwal said instead of burdening parents with higher fee amounting to Rs 1,500 crore, the government should compensate private schools by providing them with financial aid from the education cess that it has collected since 2004.

He also assured to take up the matter when the new government came to power.

New Delhi, May 9
The BJP is expected to win three parliamentary seats in Delhi, said Delhi unit chief of the party, O. P. Kohli after getting the assessment report submitted to him by the party candidates and district presidents.

He said that it was difficult to predict about the winnable seats but after having seen the voters’ mood on the polling day, it was assessed that South Delhi, New Delhi and West Delhi would in favour of the saffron party. As far as North East is concerned, the last-minute decision of the BSP candidate, Haji Dilshad, in favour of the Congress has jolted the party, he said.

The Muslim electorate had no alternative after the withdrawal of candidature by Haji Dilshad but to vote for the Congress candidate. However, some areas are there in which the BJP was seen in strong position, he claimed.

Though BSP was not a factor in Delhi but it could have made dent in Congress vote bank, had it contested the election seriously. Having seen attitude of its candidates, it seemed that they had no strategy.

In Chandni Chowk where Muslims voters are 13 per

cent of the total electorate, BSP has not even installed its tables to woo the voters on polling day.

The grapevine has it that BSP candidate Mustaqeem had assured Kapil Sibal that he would have a low profile on the polling day in a meeting held at Islamic Cultural Centre.

As far as New Delhi is concerned, the Delhi unit BJP chief said that Vijay Goel was found in a strong position in the assessment report.

The party had better position in West Delhi from the very beginning of campaigning, he said.

But North West has always been in favour of the Congress. Though party workers worked hard for Meera Kanwaria, they could not make dent in the Congress vote bank, Kohli said.

New Delhi, May 9
Eight hundred and fifty one Delhi voters went to the polling booths on Thursday but refused to vote for any of the candidates. They used section 49-O that enables a voter to reject all candidates.

According to the Election Commission, among those who used this provision of the Conduct of Elections Act, the upscale New Delhi constituency led with 178 people saying ‘I don’t wish to vote’.

This was followed by 164 voters in West Delhi, 153 in East Delhi, 130 in Chandni Chowk and North West Delhi and 50 in South Delhi, officials said here on Friday.

North East Delhi had the least number of people, 46, registering themselves in register 17 (A) and signing that they don’t wish to cast their vote for any of the candidates.

Satbir Silas Bedi, Delhi’s chief electoral officer, said: “We kept a tab on the number of people using the provision 49-O just to keep our records straight. Earlier, we didn’t really compile the data because we are only concerned about the number of people who have cast their vote.”

“However this time because there has been a lot of interest in the provision, we complied the data,” said Bedi.

A number of NGOs and youth organisations like Youth for Equality were quite vociferous in spreading awareness about the provision.

Jiten Jain of Youth for Equality said: “It’s a good thing that people are using 49-O. Before Delhi went to the polls, we tried to reach across to as many people as possible saying that boycotting the elections is not the solution - use code 49-O and say that you don’t want to vote any of the candidates.” — IANS

New Delhi, May 9
An elated Election Commission (EC) today said over 50 per cent women voters in the capital came out to cast their votes for the Lok Sabha polls, showing much more enthusiasm than the last general elections.

“We were flooded with calls from women voters inquiring about the poll process and clearing doubts over their identity proof,” said Uday Baxi, joint chief electoral officer.

He added a trend that the EC noticed in these elections was that young women voters exercised their franchise on their own choice rather than getting influenced by family members.

“The younger women voters were better informed and they even motivated others to come out and vote. We are quite satisfied with the turnout of women voters,” said Baxi.

In the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, the turnout of women voters was 44.4 per cent but this time it was 50.16 per cent.

Among the seven constituencies, New Delhi fared the best with 55 per cent women turning up to cast their ballot. South Delhi scored the least with just 45 per cent women voters exercising their franchise.

Ranjana Kumari, director of Centre for Social Research and Women Power Connect, an NGO working for women, said she was happy with the turnout.

“The visibility of women in these elections has definitely shot. I saw a lot more women standing in queues outside polling booths, than I did in the last elections. However, there were just a handful of candidates contesting the elections, which was unfortunate,” said Kumari. — IANS

New Delhi, May 9
With a view to addressing the growing needs of the financial markets, the School of Management Studies at IGNOU in collaboration with Financial Technologies (India) Ltd., Mumbai, is launching a series of programmes in the areas of equity, derivative, currency and bond markets.

A one-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Financial Markets Practice will be launched as the first step from July 2009. 

The programme which is heavily practice-oriented will be on a modular pattern consisting of several independent stand-alone modules and can be upgraded to a Masters in Financial Administration (MBA) after undergoing one more year of study in various advanced specialisations.

Financial Technologies Knowledge Management Company (FTKMC), a constituent of the Financial Technologies Group, is a leading provider of knowledge solutions and skills in the financial industry.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Markets Practice is a unique initiative in developing education and knowledge on financial markets, providing reach and access to students and professionals across the country.

Taking into account the growing needs and importance of superior skills required in the financial markets industry, the course is designed to provide greater thrust and focus on practice perspectives on the financial markets, which could enhance the scope for greater opportunities for employment as also entrepreneurship.

The academic content for the programme is designed by experts drawn from academia and industry as also experts from IGNOU and FTKMC.

New Delhi, May 9
Private tuitions and coaching centres have emerged a profitable business in a metropolitan city like Delhi as schools and colleges have witnessed a sea change in their syllabuses and courses.

Private tuitions have seen a steep increase of 40 to 45 per cent in the city, especially in the last five years.

The middle class families spend around one-third of their incomes on private tuitions so that their children score better.

“Tutorials were earlier meant for those students who missed their regular classes or were weak in studies. But looking at the cut-throat competition today, every parent is worried for their child. In such a case there is no other option than to approach private tutors or coaching centres,” says Geeta Shukla, a resident of Mayur Vihar Phase-I.

Geeta claimed to have been spending Rs 3,000 every month on private tuitions for her child studying in sixth class.

Maths dominates the market. A recent survey done by the Social Development Foundation of Assocham said that 70% of students who have been accessing tutorials find that chemistry and physics have the second best market. English is much behind them while subjects in social sciences and humanities hardly matter.

Sources say that maths, chemistry and physics tutors earn a handsome monthly income.

Commenting on the open market of tuitions in the city, a helpless father, Shambhunath says, “My child is studying in class XI. He wants to prepare for his IIT entrance and the fee is not less than Rs 650 per hour. Though my pocket does not allow this, I am doing it for his future.”

A schoolteacher, Alka Rastogi says, “Parents expect that private tuitions will enable their wards get a distinction in their final exams. The presumption is wrong. Many tutors also mislead the parents and children.”

Many school students commented in an interaction that tuition helps them and if one doesn’t take tuitions, it means ‘you’re not aiming for an 85 per cent or a 95 per cent marks’.

A child educationist, Sushmita Malik says, “Nearly 60% parents spend about Rs 8,000 per month on tuition for two kids—more than three times the school fee. The high expectation of parents and their ability to pay to private tutors have spawned a huge industry.”

New Delhi, May 9
Beggars cannot be choosers, but beggars are quick to spot an opportunity, especially when there is a buzz in the city about “thousands of tourists” flocking here for the Commonwealth Games next year.

And beggars are gearing up for it by learning not just English but French and Spanish as well, not knowing that only English is spoken in all Commonwealth countries.

“Thousands of foreign tourists will visit the city during Games 2010. So some beggar families are teaching younger child beggars to beg in foreign languages,” said Savitri, a street performer from Prem Nagar, West Delhi.

Savitri’s extended family of 25 persons, including 15 children, belongs to the Nat Jati (tribe) of Chhattisgarh that performs acrobatics and tight rope tricks on the capital’s streets to earn money, especially from foreigners.

“We say, Please sir! Give me Rs 10! Anything...,” demonstrated her daughter Kusum, a 10-year-old acrobat.

Vijay Babli, who claims to be the leader of over 1,200 mendicant families living at Lal Quarter in Rohini was recently quoted as saying “classes” had begun to prepare the young alms-seekers to target large number of tourists for the Games in October 2010.

The community has even set up an informal academy in the area.

Many beggar children who have never been to school could speak English, French and Spanish, all thanks to the classes, Babli said.

The trend to ask foreigners for alms in their own languages adds a “personal touch”, said a beggar at the Jantar Mantar observatory that draws a lot of tourists.

The beggars were also imparted training in distinguishing foreign currency notes — to recognise value, said a resident of Kathputli colony, who did not wish to be identified.

Beggars at tourist spots like India Gate, Jama Masjid, Bahai Mandir and shopping hubs like Connought Place often learn just a few sentences in foreign languages. — IANS

Greater Noida, May 9
The Yamuna Expressway Authority has extended the last date for submission of forms of residential plots to May 15. This has been done as many applicants could not submit the forms in time due to the Lok Sabha polls.

The Authority had launched the scheme on March 5 this year for residential plots measuring 300, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 4,000 sq meters. According to sources, there are around 8,000 such plots.

Earlier, the scheme was to close on May 5. Deputy CEO of the Authority said that people had responded in a positive way to the scheme. He expressed hope that the number of applicants would surge more by May 15.

New Delhi, May 9
“Mother you gave to me, all my life to do as I please...” As children gear up to pamper their mothers this Sunday, lifestyle and home decor stores are getting ready to cash in on the umbilical tie with an array of gifts.

The wares on offer for Mother’s Day vary from designer coffee mugs, delicate silver bric-a-bracs, chandeliers with antique finish, ivory bathroom sets, fine-dining cutlery, upholstered chairs to designer ‘kurtis’, accessories and handbags.

The business generated by Mother’s Day, according to lifestyle store owners countrywide, runs to several billion rupees despite the recession.

For women, Mother’s Day is special, says Roopa Gogia of the women’s and mother’s accessory store Gogia’s in the capital.

“The bonds between a mother and daughter deepen after a woman marries and begets a child. We want mothers to be appreciated round the year,” says Gogia, whose store has been drawing scores of young shoppers, mostly women scouting for Mother’s Day gifts.

Capital-based lifestyle store Ishatvam has crafted special Mother’s Day chandeliers from cast metal with an antique finish and a range of black and ivory bathroom sets; while a shop called Furniture Portside Cafe has created a range of Abraham Lincoln boxes and picture frames in turquoise leather for the day. The boxes are priced at Rs 3,000 to Rs 8,000.

Luxury brand Episode has themed its Mother’s Day collection in sterling silver. The cache flaunts a range of pretty “this and that” boxes, combs, cardholders, photo-frames and icons of Ganesha.

The brand has also lined up dinner table surprises of handcrafted flatware dinner sets and “silver bark” cutleries priced at Rs 3,000 to Rs 7,00,000.

“The choice of gifts depends on the buyers and their budgets. But our sterling silver combs are selling much more than luxury wares. Silver figurines of Ganesha are also in demand,” a spokesperson for Episode said.

However, flowers, she said, were the most common gift.

Zaza Home and Space, a new interior decor store in the capital, has tried to make life comfortable for mothers with its collection of upholstered Mother’s Day chairs priced at Rs 8,000.

“For the past few weeks, girls have been walking into my store to buy wallets and large shopping bags for their mothers,” said Vicky Ahuja of Delhi-based leather boutique Blue Oyster. — IANS

New Delhi, May 9
With 8,000-10,000 new thalassaemia patients born every year, India is home to about one lakh such patients. Delhi and NCR alone has 2,000 thalassaemia children, who require one to two units of blood every two to three weeks that amounts to 20,000 to 50,000 units of blood annually.

Blood is the mainstay of thalassaemia patients and doctors say at times it becomes difficult to procure even a bag of blood. During such exigencies, the patients and their families undergo an intense trauma as they have to wait for days.

To address this shortage of blood, the Thalassemics India (TI), an NGO, calls for more support from the civil society through blood donations, even doctors say that a person fulfilling safe health parameters can donate blood once every three months.

The theme of this year’s World Thalassaemia Day is “Reach every patient”, but this can be possible only when there is sufficient storage of life-saving blood.

But what is more worrisome is the cost of treating thalassaemia that is exorbitantly high, especially when over 28 per cent of Indians are living below the poverty level. Regular blood transfusions, painful cutaneous injections or oral capsules (chelation therapy) and blood filters together incur a price of Rs 5000-10,000. It’s only in Delhi and Jammu that the treatment is available free of cost (barring Rs 150 for the filters) to the registered patients.

However, according to secretary of TI, Shobha Tuli, there are many thalassaemics in Delhi, Jammu and other parts of the country who never reach these blood banks and are destined to die. “In fact, about 90 per cent of the thalassaemics cannot afford the treatment here in India,” she stated.

Thalassaemia can be fully cured only by bone marrow transplantation, which again demands a heavy pocket loaded with Rs 7,00,000, which is much beyond the reach of the common Indian.

However, Dr V K. Khanna, a senior paediatrician and in-charge of thalassaemia department of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said that bone marrow transplantation is possible only when HLA matched sibling (real brother or sister) is available. But even after this, the patient has the capability to pass it to the offspring.