New Delhi, June 13
It was a dream come true for 12-year-old Useeran Sheikh, a ragpicker, as she shook hands with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday, and requested abolition of child labour and quality education for all children in the country.

Sheikh, with two other ragpicker children, met the prime minister at his 7 Race Course Road residence in the Capital.

“I liked it very much. This is the first time I am meeting the prime minister. I never thought this would ever happen to us,” Sheikh said excitedly after leaving the Prime Ministers’ House.

In the meeting that lasted a bare two-three minutes, the three children, dressed in their best, handed over a letter to the prime minister requesting abolition of child labour and compulsory education.

“We go to a government school from 7 am to 1 pm and then come back and work as ragpickers from 4 pm to 6 pm. We pay a fee of Rs 110 for three months and it is very difficult for our families to afford the amount. We fear any time we might have to leave the studies,” Sheikh said.

Renu Pasman, who dreams of becoming Miss India, said: “The prime minister shook my hand and said “good girl, good girl”. We asked for his autograph, but he said there was no time.”

The children’s meeting with the prime minister was organised by child rights organisation Save the Children.

“The law says children under 14 should not work, yet there are ragpickers. We should go to school, we should be allowed to study without paying fees. Without education, we cannot follow our dreams. I want all children to be able to fulfill their dreams,” Sheikh said.

“The prime minister smiled and responded that he will try to solve the problem of child labour,” said Zakir Hussein, who aspires to start his own dance school.

Renu, who was jumping with excitement, said: “We wanted to share many more things with the prime minister but paucity of time was the problem.”

Thomas Chandy, chief executive officer of the NGO, remarked that the prime minister focused entirely on children and even took their personal details down. 
— IANS

New Delhi, June 13
Going by the belief that images and visuals tend to be more effective than words, an intensive crusade against tobacco has been taken up via a mass media campaign— ‘Sponge’. To cater to the wide and diverse audience, the campaign is being aired across 40 TV and 28 radio channels in five languages, namely Hindi, English, Tamil, Gujarati and Bengali.

The nationwide drive, a joint initiative of World Lung Foundation and the ministry of health and family welfare, would be on air till July 2009, informed health officials from the ministry.

With India losing 10 million lives annually, doctors point out that in India 40 per cent of health-related problems and 50 per cent of cancer deaths are due to tobacco consumption. And illiteracy and lack of awareness are considered to be major causes behind the increasing fold of tobacco, especially among youth and children from poor families.

“An informed community is an empowered community, and children should realise that tobacco is extremely detrimental to health, and it consumes much of the productive years,” outlined Poonam Khetrapal Singh, the deputy regional director of WHO’s South-East Asia regional office.

Given the fact that India is home to 12 per cent of world’s smokers, this health drive, visually depicting the amount of tar that collects inside an average smoker’s lungs over a period of time, is especially directed towards encouraging smoking cessation besides cutting down tobacco consumption.

Studies point out that mass media campaigns for motivating people to quit smoking have been very successful in many parts of the world. Drawn on the lines of World Health Organisation’s M-P-O-W-E-R concept, Sponge too aims at reaching out to people of all age groups.

“At a time when millions are misinformed about the health impact of tobacco use in India, ‘Sponge’ will help us correct this problem as it clearly depicts the poison in tobacco and what it physically does to human lungs,” stated Jagdish Kaur, the chief medical officer of National Tobacco Control Program.

As per World Cancer Report, lung cancer is the most common cancer and thus, action against smoking can prevent nearly one-third of extant cancers. With estimated 50,000 lung cancer cases prevailing in India, every year India reports 30,000 fresh cases of lung cancers.

Hailing the campaign as another step towards creating a smoke-free India, joint secretary of ministry of health and family welfare B K Prasad, said, “Our government is committed to reducing the toll of tobacco by creating awareness about the hazards of tobacco usage. This campaign, which uses a scientific approach to develop and deliver a clear message about the harms of tobacco, would go a long way in doing its bit towards generating awareness and mobilising masses to say ‘no’ to smoking or rather any form of tobacco.”

However, according to the WHO, only two per cent succeed in India in smoking cessation vis-à-vis 10 per cent in China, eight per cent in Bangladesh, 40 per cent in the UK and 30 per cent each in the US and Canada. Again, out of two per cent quitters in India, 90 per cent manage so only after developing severe ailments.

Thus, the world health body raises concern over the dearth of rehabilitation or de-addiction centres in India.

New Delhi, June 13
Five days after an FIR was lodged against Delhi businessman Subhash Aggarwal and his wife Snehlata for duping thousands of people of more than Rs 1,000 crore, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of crime branch arrested the duo last evening from the Nangloi area.

About Rs 1.50 lakh in cash and jewellery worth several lakhs were recovered from their possession. The duo were produced in Rohini court this afternoon which sent Aggarwal to five days’ police custody and his wife Snehlata to two days’ judicial custody.

Aggarwal allegedly duped around 5,000 residents of Nangloi, Aman Vihar, Satya Enclave, Prem Nagar and Mundka area of about Rs 1,000 crore with the promise of doubling and trebling their investment within a few months.

He even lured investors by giving them heavy monthly interests. After he had amassed enough booty, he started issuing post-dated cheques to the investors, which later bounced in the bank.

The matter first came to light on May 19 when several investors found their cheques issued by Aggarwal’s company, Stop Loss Commodity, bounce in the bank.

“He used to give post-dated cheques to all to gain their confidence. However, on May 19 some investors went to the bank to collect money. That is when the matter surfaced,” the police said. After the fraud came to light, people ransacked Aggarwal’s home and office in Nangloi area.

In his interrogation by the EOW, Subhash has divulged his modus operandi and confessed to having cheated hundreds of people to the tune of crores of rupees.

“He promised false and high returns to the people on their investment. Initially he was a sub-broker and later he took brokership of various commodity exchanges and was playing satta, using people’s money. He has also admitted to having suffered heavy losses in the satta market of commodities during the last few months,” said an EOW official. Aggarwal also revealed that he has acquired property and jewellery worth lakhs of rupees and vehicles, apart from other valuable items for his family.

Aggarwal, who hails from Haryana’s Rohtak town, came to the Capital four years ago and started a firm in Uttam Nagar. He sold similar schemes, but disappeared after his victims lodged complaints.

Later in Nangloi, he started the same schemes with Naresh Lapada, who was the director of the firm. Aggarwal along with a property dealer Satpal invested crores of rupees in property and built an empire of his own, officials said.

The police is also looking out for Satpal and Naresh who are absconding.

Details of the bank accounts and property of the accused Subhash Aggarwal are being ascertained. With his arrest, the duped people believe that justice would be done to them.

Greater Noida, June 13
Just two days after a father hacked her two minor daughters to clear way for his illicit love affair in Sangrauli village under Javer police station, a 15-year-old girl of the same village burnt herself after being scolded by her mother.

Daughter of one Bhudev Jatav sprinkled kerosene and set herself afire after an argument with her mother.

According to sources, after the said argument, the girl stormed out of the house shouting, “I will kill myself.” To which, her mother had retorted, “Why go outside, if you want to kill yourself, you can die in the house itself.”

In the evening, when the mother had gone out to attend a marriage in the neighbourhood, the girl sprinkled kerosene and burnt herself.

Hearing her shrieks, neighbours rushed to her rescue. But by then she had received 80 per cent burn injuries.

She was rushed to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries after some time.

The family cremated the girl hastily without informing the police.

New Delhi, June 13
Five people, including a man and his two sons, were killed while nine suffered serious injuries when a gas cylinder exploded in a shop at Kamruddin Nagar in the Nangloi area of west district this evening. Two among the dead were the labourers from Bihar. According to the police, the cylinder exploded in a welding shop around 4.40 pm.

The impact of the explosion was so huge that the roof of the shop collapsed and an adjoining shop of scrap dealer was also shattered leading to more casualties.

A police official said that five persons died on the spot while eight who received injuries were taken to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Satya Bhama Hospital. All are critically injured and undergoing treatment.

“The deceased are identified as Ved Pal, his sons Sonu and Monu. Ved Pal used to run his welding shop in the area. At the time of the incident, there were five persons in his shop. Some passers-by who were going on the way also came in contact with explosion and suffered injuries,” stated a senior police officer. The area people said that the situation had become chaotic when explosion took place. “Shutters of seven shops in the area were also damaged. We heard a loud thud and when we rushed outside our shops, we were shocked to see five bodies lying in a pool of blood and dozen men writhing in pain. We then called fire brigade and police,” said Satender, a local grocery shop owner. 

The police said that it has not taken the statement of any injured person so far. Local shopkeepers and residents told the police that Ved Pal used to do welding work in his shop using LPG gas. 

New Delhi, June 13
Many youngsters may be confused about a career even as they apply for admission to DU, but most physically challenged students know exactly what they want to do - they want to be teachers, say counsellors.

“I want to pursue B Com (hons) and go for B Ed later. I have always wanted to become a teacher. I think there is nothing greater than spreading knowledge,” Ashish Jain, a Delhi University aspirant, said.

Jain, who suffers from a limp in the right leg, scored 65 per cent in his Class XII examinations. “While teaching is a noble profession, it is also a little relaxing for specially-abled person like me,” he added.

So far nearly 250 physically challenged students have applied for admission to various colleges of Delhi University.

Radhika Handa, a counsellor with the Delhi University helpdesk for physically challenged people, said: “Most physically challenged students aspiring for admission in DU want to take up teaching as a profession later in life. Not just students but even their parents are encouraging them for it.”

For Lal Munni, the resident of a slum cluster who has applied at the university, becoming a teacher guarantees a good salary along with a respectable job.

“I have applied for the BA programme and my preference is Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College. I want to become a teacher because then I would be able to earn well and work in a respectable environment,” said Munni, who has a problem in a legs.

A common concern of disabled students is the accessibility of the colleges from their residence.

“While choosing the college for admission, they are mostly concerned with facilities like a ramp and distance of travel involved,” said Ashu Sharma, a DU student who is also a counsellor at the helpdesk.

Ritu Mehra (name changed), who scored 70 per cent in her Class XII exams, said: “I want to do my graduation in B Com from Sri Ram College of Commerce. I want to become a chartered accountant. Teaching is not a bad option either.”

DU has started an ‘Equal Opportunity Cell’ for students with disabilities for providing facilities such as a computerised study centre, Braille book and talking books. 
— IANS

Gurgaon, June 13
Taking serious note of the petition received from the Gurgaon Unified Residents Movement (GURM) about missing voters’ names, the chief election commissioner of India Naveen Chawla has ordered the Gurgaon administration to investigate the matter and report to him within 15 days.

The GURM had brought to the notice of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Chawla that several names were missing from the voters list in the recently held Lok Sabha elections and had asked them to get the matter investigated to ensure 100 per cent voters’ registration before any other elections were held in the city.

The residents’ forum had mentioned that more than 50,000 names were found missing from the final voters list drawn by the Gurgaon administration for the Lok Sabha elections. A large number of residents holding valid voters cards could not cast their votes because their names were missing from the voters list.

They had claimed that more than six lakh residents in urban Gurgaon were yet to be registered as voters.

Responding to the petition, GURM core committee members were invited to Chandigarh by the Haryana state election commission on Friday.

Naveen Chawla presided over the meeting. Sajjan Singh, election commissioner of Haryana; Alok Shukla, deputy CEC, Haryana; election commission R.K. Kataria; deputy commissioner of Gurgaon Deepati Umashankar; former deputy commissioner of Gurgaon and V.S Hooda, additional DC, Faridabad, attended the meeting.

GURM core committee members R.S. Rathee and Col Oberoi attended the meeting along with other citizen members from the city.

“Elections will not have any significance if the citizens are not granted their democratic right to exercise their franchise,” stressed GURM core committee member Col Oberoi.

Simultaneously, a second meeting was held in Delhi by election commissioner Y.S. Qureshi with another team of GURM committee members comprising Major Gen Satbir Singh and Dharam Sagar on the same day.

“Gurgaon urban population has increased to more than 17 lakh, but only 3.6 lakh voters have been registered; six lakh urban voters remain to be registered as voters,” said Maj Gen Satbir Singh.

“We recommend online listing of all voters so that residents can check their names without any difficulty,” he added.

Taking cognizance of the complaints by GURM members, the CEC directed the officials concerned to correct the lists in consultation with the resident welfare associations.

CEC also advised Kataria, Gurgaon DC, to use local media such as cable TV and local newspapers for announcement and updating of valid voters lists.

Qureshi has assured GURM that he will visit Gurgaon in a week’s time and meet citizens and administration together to make sure all eligible urban residents are registered as voters.