New Delhi, February 1
A majority of schools today put out their lists for students selected for nursery classes and many of them might have violated the Directorate of Education’s directive banning parents’ educational and professional status from these admissions.

Sources said most of the schools chose not to delay their results in order to re-fix their criteria, as government’s recent direction would have necessitated, but had the result out on their websites and notice boards in the schools.

A large number of parents turned up at schools to collect their results. However, a few schools chose to delay their results by two to three days or some even for a week. This included Heritage School, Vasant Kunj; Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar; and Srijan School, Model Town.

The DOE had also issued notices against Gyan Bharati School, Bluebells School and Tagore International School on the basis of their criteria.

However, the majority of schools complied with the original timetable given by the DOE for nursery admissions. This included schools like Sanskriti, DPS RK Puram, Bal Bharati, Springdales School.

A teacher of DPS, RK Puram, downplayed the DOE directive changing the criteria for nursery admissions. This teacher, who did not want to be named, said the government should have made it clear months earlier if it was serious.

“They came out with it only when the results are due to come out. If we delayed the result now, it would cause confusion,” she said.

Many parents The Tribune spoke to said they felt relieved that schools have come out with the list as the wait was a psychological drain on them.

Parents said the government had tried to score some brownie points with its last-minute rule and was not really serious about schools following it.

One of the few schools in the Capital that is delaying the result is Ahlcon International School, Mayur Vihar. A teacher at the school said they would come out with the list by February 8.

Greater Noida, February 1
Finding no policeman around, if you take a wrong cut just to escape covering a few kilometers…beware! Someone from the public might capture your photograph or make a video and send it to the police who in turn will send a challan at your residence. On non-payment of the fine, the police might sieze your vehicle.

Apart from traffic violators, there is a warning for eve-teasers, youths who drink at public places and other anti-social elements who roam in the area.

In order to tighten the noose of traffic violators and anti-social elements, the Greater Noida police has made the public its eyes and ears.

“Under the unique e-checking system, if residents find any one indulging in traffic violation or other unlawful activity, they can send MMS, SMS or photo to a mobile number 9999977100,” said S.K.Verma superintendent of police (Greater Noida)

“This number is connected to the police control room. In case of traffic violations, we can trace the owner of a vehicle by its number. We will send the challan at his address. On non-payment, the vehicle will be seized,” said Verma.

“Residents can click photographs through mobile phone cameras or other cameras. Those who don’t have a camera, they can send an SMS mentioning the nature of crime and at what place at the mobile number,” said Verma.

“Residents can report incidents of eve-teasing, persons drinking liquor at public places, people moving suspiciously in a locality. The sender’s credentials will be kept secret,” said Verma.

“Besides taking action on the complaints of residents, video and still cameras have been given to the police. Police teams will conduct raids at various crossings and shopping complexes and make video of the violations noticed. Challans will be sent to the violators’ residences,”said Verma.

The Federation of Residents Welfare Association, Greater Noida, president, J.K. Dutta, said, “The federation has appealed to residents to co-operate with the police in checking crime. With people’s support, e-checking can become an effective tool to control crime. If residents do not wish to be identified, they can send the information to the federation’s representative number and we will send it to the police.”

“On Sunday, we received 11 MMSs about traffic violation. Once the public is aware of the mobile number, we expect good response,” said Shailendera Lal, deputy superintendent of police who had recommended the system after visiting Hyderabad and Bangalore and studying the policing system there.

New Delhi, February 1
The Delhi government today decided to engage an NGO, Hope, to maintain Asha Kiran Home, place for mentally retarded children. The NGO will be responsible for providing medicines, said social welfare minister Mangat Ram Singhal.

This decision has been taken after the death of five inmates of the home in January.

There is shortage of staff in Asha Kiran Home that is one of the reasons that inmates are not being looked after properly.

When asked how much money the NGO would be given for looking after the inmates, the minister said that it would be decided later. The NGO would appoint doctors, nurses and other staff members, the minister said. He said an inquiry had been ordered to find out the cause of death of inmates. According to preliminary inquiry, they died of poor health.

Leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly V.K. Malhotra said instead of appointing trained nurses, the government had appointed maids to look after the kids. Within two months, 26 inmates had died.

New Delhi, February 1
The probability of contempt of court and subsequent legal punishment in case student bodies in Jawaharlal Nehru University decide to hold union elections, banned by the Supreme Court in October 28, 2008, has sparked off squabbles among student organisations. Though there is near consensus among them that they should go ahead with elections; they are divided over the ways to conduct it.

As a result, JNU Students’ Union president Sandeep Singh deferred the general body meeting to February 5 from February 2.

To avoid contempt of court while holding JNUSU elections, some political organisations have come out in support of convening elections as per Lyngdoh

Committee recommendations though those likely to be affected by them do not approve of it.

BJP-backed students’s body, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), has said the JNUSU elections must take place according to the committee recommendations.

“The elections must be held and we should comply with Lyngdoh Committee recommendations,” said Manoj Singh, an ABVP leader.

The SC had banned JNUSU elections because they were flouting the recommendations, which were made mandatory by the court.

However, the present office-bearers belonging to the ultra left students’ wing, All India Students’ Association (AISA), are in a bind for a host of reasons. Many of its leaders think they will be singled out if elections are held.

“We are committed to upholding JNUSU constitution. However, there should be a proper debate and there should be no shortcut,” said Meera, an AISA leader.

On the other hand, some student organisations have refused to move away from their university constitution.

A massive march was also taken out on the JNU campus last night by four students’ organisations, Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Students’ Union (DSU), Progressive Students’ Union (PSU) and AIDSO, demanding immediate elections.

“The Supreme Court had no business interfering with our democratic right to hold elections. The ban was unconstitutional and now to rectify it, we should hold elections right away,” many leaders said.

New Delhi, February 1
Running against time to fulfill its deadlines before the Commonwealth Games, for the first time the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is building a unique all-steel Metro station at Chhattarpur on the Central Secretariat to HUDA City Centre line.

This is the only Metro station to be made completely of steel as all other stations are made using concrete and some steel elements.

The DMRC had to resort to this rather unconventional construction technique at Chhattarpur to ensure that the Central Secretariat-to-Gurgaon corridor was opened to the public in time before the Games starting later this year.

“The conventional construction technique of making stations by concrete would have taken at least two years which would have delayed the Metro line substantially,” said Anuj Dayal, spokesperson, DMRC.

The DMRC was trying to acquire this land since September 2006, but got the Chattarpur area covering about two hectares only in October 2009 after prolonged litigation.

The DMRC engineers, therefore, decided to adopt a special design using structural steel to construct the Chhattarpur station in a record time of only eight months. No Metro station in India has been built in such a short span of time ever so far.

DMRC sources said the station which was now being made by pre-fabricated steel structures was being constructed by Jindal Mectec, who were making the station using high strength steel.

Since the time was short, the steel columns and other structures were made at a workshop in Gurgaon and brought to Chhattarpur by trailers, where they are being erected using cranes with long booms for easy maneuverability and movement at the site.

“About 70 per cent of the work for the station has already been completed and four cranes of 20 ton capacity each are currently operating at the site where lifting, holding and bolting activity of the steel structure is taking place,” said Dayal.

The quality of the construction is being checked through radiography of the joints by X-ray and dye-penetration tests.

To ensure good quality control, the DMRC officials said they did not permit any welding activity at Chhattarpur and only the steel structures had to be joined together by using bolting arrangements.

After the erection of the steel structures, 180 millimetre of concrete will be laid on top of the structure. The above procedure, however, is more expensive and will cost DMRC an additional 30 to 50 per cent.

By adopting this technique, the DMRC will able to open Chhattarpur for through running of trains on the Central Secretariat to Gurgaon line by June this year as DMRC will be able to complete the operational requirement of track work, platform work, roof work by this time.

However, the rest of the station building will take more time for construction and this station will be opened by August 2010 when the entries, exit and finishing will be done.

New Delhi, February 1
A reporter employed with a magazine has alleged being abused and beaten up by his employer for demanding his salary of three months.

The victim Gopal Prasad lodged a complaint at Barakhamba Road police station on January 28 stating that his employer Sunil Saurabh called him to his cabin, abused and beat him up.

Prasad was employed with the Speed Media Group-owned magazine Auto Speed since November 2009. However, he was not given any salary ever since.

“On January 27, when I reminded Saurabh about my pending salaries, he slapped me in front of the whole office. My colleagues saved me from further hitting. However, the next day, he called me to his cabin and after locking the door beat me. He abused me about my caste as well,” alleged Gopal in his complaint adding that, “After the incident, he made a call to the police, whereupon he was taken to the Barakhamba police station.”

Speaking to The Tribune, Gopal said in spite of being humiliated, the police did not lodge an FIR in the matter.

“I did not receive any bodily injury, but have been mentally harassed. The police is collaborating with Sourabh and so no action has been taken against him,” he said.

However, Aman Deep Sehgal, SHO, Barakhamba Road police station, has refuted any partiality or inaction in the matter. “Cases related to abuses are usually first investigated by the ACP-level officers and only then an FIR is registered. It is a serious offence and we cannot be callous in such matters,” said Sehgal.

He said the police had also received a cross complaint from Saurabh about Gopal stealing some papers from the office.

With the police failing to lodge an FIR in the matter even after four days, Gopal today evening met Buta Singh, chairman, Commission for SC/ST, and put forth his grievances.

“I met Buta Singh along with Udit Raj (president, Justice Party) today evening. He has called me to his office tomorrow afternoon and has assured me of justice,” said Gopal.

New Delhi, February 1
The expenditure and finance committee of Delhi government has cleared a Rs 21.95 crore proposal for beautification of roads around Commonwealth Games venues.

Besides Games venues, under the proposal, space under flyovers, road crossings and footpaths will be beautified by planting saplings.  

Delhi finance minister A. K. Walia said that the streetscaping work on Jagannath Marg would cost Rs 3.40 crore while on Lodi Road it would cost Rs 18.55 crore. 

Walia exhorted the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to accomplish the work with speed, accuracy and quality by April 2010. 

“The design of beautification has been given to the agencies concerned. The work includes upgradation of ambience and facilities around Thyagraj Stadium, Nehru Stadium, Siri Fort Sports Complex, R.K. Khanna Lawn Tennis Stadium, Dr. Karni Singh Stadium, Yamuna Sports Complex and important sections of Ring Road,” Walia added.

Apart from the beautification project, the government has been underlining the need of uniform signages and maximum possible green cover in the city.

New Delhi, February 1
The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has requested the Commonwealth Games organising committee to refrain from serving beef during the mega-sports event.

In a letter to organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, PETA has urged the committee to respect the country’s culture by not serving non-vegetarian food to athletes and delegates during the event.

“Refraining from serving beef would be respectful to millions of people who worship cows. Serving vegetarian food would show respect for animals and public health,” the animal rights group said.

Quoting a United Nations study that livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas than the total number of cars, trucks, trains and planes in the world, PETA added, “The production of meat, eggs and dairy products wreaks havoc on the environment as they emit carbon gas,” said a member of PETA.

The CWG committee has already received a similar request from the Leader of the House in BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and BJP former president Rajnath Singh.

They had issued warnings to the committee stating that they would lodge FIRs and would hold agitations, if beef was served during the Games.

Earlier, Singh had written to Kalmadi informing him of the BJP’s objection to serving beef during the event.

Ghaziabad, February 1
The Ghaziabad police while replying to an RTI application has revealed that Rajkumar, a suspect in the Aarushi murder case, has not been called for interrogation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and so there was no need to provide him security as demanded by him.

Rajkumar, through his lawyer Naresh Yadav, had asked the Ghaziabad police to provide security to him claiming that the CBI wanted to interrogate him and that was why he had come to India from Nepal, said Ghaziabad DIG, Akhil Kumar, said.

The police in turn confirmed with the CBI if it wanted to interrogate Rajkumar. But the investigating agency told the local police that it did not need to quiz Rajkumar further as his narco-analysis and brain mapping tests had already been done while he was in police custody between May 28 and September 12, 2008.

“On the basis of what we were told by the CBI, we denied security to Rajkumar who now stays in Nepal”, Kumar said.

The case dates back to May 16, 2008 when teenager Aarushi Talwar was found murdered in her apartment in Jalvayu Vihar at Noida. The next day, the body of the servant of the family, Hemraj, was also recovered from the terrace.

The Noida police arrested Aarushi’s father, Rajesh Talwar, for the murders, but he was later released on bail as no evidence was found against him. Later, the case went to the CBI which arrested Krishna, Rajkumar and Vijay Mandal, all servants of the Talwar family. However, later they too got bail as the CBI could not present any evidence against them.

New Delhi, February 1
Transport department has decided to penalise those auto owners who have failed to comply with the government’s directive to get a smart card, which is equipped to register the details of vehicle owner, driver’s licence number, address and other relevant information.

As per the rule, one person cannot own more than one auto, but the government believes it is being violated and smart cards will help stem such violation, a senior officer of transport department said.

There are 55,000 autos in the Capital. But their ownership is not registered with transport authorities. Auto permit is issued only to the auto drivers. Many transporters have dozens of autos and that is why they do not get the smart card, the officer said.

The transporters give their autos to drivers on rent. They have two shifts – day and night. The rent for each trip is Rs 300. This has grown to become a lucrative business, he said.

The government had declared the smart card policy in October last year and auto owners were given one month for getting the card issued.

The department extended the deadline thrice, but only 12,000 auto owners have so far come out to get the smart card, he said.

Secretary-cum-commissioner of transport, R. K. Verma said the auto owners would be penalised if they did not get the card. The last date for getting it is February 24. Thereafter, the department will charge Rs 150 as a penalty from an errant auto owner.

New Delhi, February 1
An unidentified man robbed Rs 8 lakh from an “unlocked” flat in a south-west Delhi locality after forcing a factory owner’s wife to inhale sedatives, police said today.

The incident was reported from Naraina Vihar last night. The masked robber managed to enter flat of Dharminder Singh and forced his wife Jaswinder Kaur (48) to inhale sedative-laden handkerchief. The robber also slit the arm of Kaur after she tried to hold him by the collar in a drowsy state.

Singh has a factory in Noida, which manufactures spare parts for an electronics company, and three days ago, he had brought home Rs 8 lakh.

The complainant said their house was under renovation and that they used to keep the front door of the flat unlocked as labourers used to come in and go till 10 pm. Kaur was resting when the robber walked in and he held his hand around her neck and put a handkerchief on her face. She fell unconscious, the complainant claimed.

In a semi-conscious state, Kaur claimed, she could see the robber breaking open the cupboard and taking the cash. “He left nothing, even took cosmetics and clothes,” she said.

After sometime, she claimed, she managed to telephone her husband, went to the other room and caught the robber by his collar. When she tried to raise the alarm, the robber slashed Kaur’s right arm with a knife and fled.

A case of theft has been registered as the police was verifying the claims of the complainant.

Investigators suspect that the robber knew about the money kept in the house as well as that she was alone. Singh was at a friend’s house in Arjun Nagar when the incident took place.

Police rushed Kaur to Safdarjung Hospital. She was discharged after treatment. Asked why a case of robbery was not registered, a senior police official said there was no sign of break in and the entry was friendly. — PTI

New Delhi, February 1
A Delhi court today awarded a 40-year-old former Garhwali film actor a compensation of Rs 6.61 lakh for the permanent disability suffered by him in a road accident that took place five years ago.

The man, Vijay Singh Negi, had started his film career in the recent past only and at the time of the accident also worked as a waiter to earn his living. He suffered 35 per cent permanent disability, including partial eye-sight loss, in the accident.

Taking a serious view of the loss of future prospects of Negi, presiding officer of the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal Swarana K. Sharma, said, “The petitioner stated that at the time of the mishap he was working in Garhwali films. Therefore, his future prospects as an actor have been totally destroyed due to the disability suffered by him. With this, his dreams of becoming famous and enjoying life have been shattered.”

The court slapped the fine on the insurance company as well as the owner and driver of the truck that caused the accident on January 13, 2005. The fine is to be paid within 30 days.

The court further said, “One can understand the agony undergone by the petitioner who could have become famous by working in films. Having lost this chance, the agony is lifelong and the loss irreparable. As judges, we may not be able to fulfill the loss, but we can try to at least compensate him to some extent in terms of monetary benefits.”

New Delhi, February 1
A Delhi court today ruled out that a widow could not seek maintenance from her brothers-in-law under the Domestic Violence Act as they were not responsible for her.

Metropolitan magistrate Twinkle Wadhwa said, “The complaint has been filed by a woman (widow) against her three brothers-in-law. They are not under any legal or moral obligation to maintain her living.”

The court made these remarks when a woman whose husband had died on January 5, 2005, filed a petition under the Domestic Violence Act appealing the court to order her brothers-in-law to pay Rs 20,000 to her per month as maintenance money. She said she had two kids.

During the proceedings of the case, the woman had alleged that her brothers-in-law had harassed her by stopping the payment of the rent earned from their house at Anand Parbat here.

Whereas, the brothers-in-law said that they were paying her the rent as per her share. They said the woman was the second wife of their brother. His first wife had also to be taken care of, as she had also filed a case of maintenance against them.

Taking in note the statement of the brothers-in-law, the court said that they were not entitled to pay any maintenance to the woman.