New Delhi, April 28
Indicating a possible hike in power tariff, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said that residents had money to afford expensive power.

"People in Delhi have money... they will have to pay more for power if they use more," Dikshit said replying to a question if there would be any hike in power tariff.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Corporation (DERC) is likely to announce a new tariff order for 2010-11 in the next week. DERC chairman Berjinder Singh briefed Dikshit on the new tariff order yesterday.

Sources in the DERC said that there could be a hike in tariff for those whose use more power.

BSES, has been pressing for a minimum 40 per cent hike in power tariff arguing that in the last one year the cost of power in open market as well as the cost of distribution has increased significantly.

The DERC had not increased tariff in the city despite the discoms' demand. But the tariff had gone up after the Delhi government withdrew subsidy to certain categories of customers citing financial difficulties.

In the last six months, the city government has increased water tariff, hiked bus fare, withdrew subsidy on LPG cylinders and increased VAT on a range of items, including diesel to mop up additional revenue.

Gurgaon, April 28
The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) authorities plan to complete the infrastructure development and augment power supply to Gurgaon, Faridabad and Charkhi Dadri in Haryana under a World Bank project.

The World Bank had sanctioned Rs 430 crore for the Haryana Power System Improvement Project (HPSIP) in August 2009.

At a recent meeting with the review mission of the World Bank, DHBVN representatives maintained that under this project, Rs 119.43 crore would be spent in Gurgaon, Rs 167.41 crore in Faridabad and Rs 27.10 crore in Charkhi Dadri.

An amount of Rs 116.54 crore has been earmarked for the advance metering infrastructure (AMI) in the DHBVN.

The power plan meant for Charkhi Dadri is likely to be completed within the next 18 months, while the schemes meant for Gurgaon and Faridabad are likely to be completed in 24 months.

Eighty per cent cost of the project would come as loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the remaining 20 per cent contributed by the borrower as equity.

Major objectives of the project are reduction in transmission and distribution losses besides improvement in revenue collection and power supply to consumers.

"AMI will facilitate a two-way communication between us and the consumer. The consumer will get to know about the details of his monthly bill, due date, hours of power cuts, etc and we will know about his problems. The system also has the facility of remote connection/disconnection and centralised control room for meter reading," asserted Sanjeev Chopra, DGM, DHBVN.

He maintained that under this project, the theft-prone naked transmission (LT) lines would be replaced with aerial-bunch cables.

Under this plan, the DHBVN has identified 94 feeders of 11-KV level for the High-Voltage Distribution System (HVDS) where the system is overstretched, particularly in areas having unplanned growth of residential and commercial establishments.

Benefits of HVDS include proper voltage up to the last distribution transformers of feeders, besides cut in losses and pilferage of power. Worn-out and undersized conductors will be replaced and Aerial Bunched Cable (ABC) will be used wherever required.

Energy meters will be installed at all the distribution transformers for an accurate account of energy flow down the transformers.

This will act as a deterrent against power theft and also provide useful data about transformer loading and load-balancing.

The review mission of the World Bank expressed satisfaction with the progress of the project.

New Delhi, April 28
While the AIIMS doctors are struggling to figure out the exact line of the treatment for radioactive patients, officials of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) have expressed their displeasure at the reported ignorance of the doctors.

Sources said the government has asked Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to design a comprehensive document on nuclear disasters in the light of Mayapuri radiation. NDMA, though, insisted that

the fault also lay with doctors not following the guidelines.

“There are national guidelines for handling chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) disasters issued since 2007. Five hundred copies were published and circulated among all the organisations and our branches in states,” said Lt-Gen (Dr) J R Bhardwaj, member of NDMA.

However, city doctors feel that the system is on paper only. Assistant professor, department of emergency medicine of AIIMS trauma centre, Dr Sanjeev Bhoi, said, “Many hospitals have the infrastructure, but lack protocols. As a matter of fact, the country is lacking when it comes to implementing the protocol. Though a beginning has been made by the National Disaster Management Authority, it is still in its infancy, with the training sessions taking place once in a while.”

According to Dr Bhardwaj, all tertiary healthcare centres having cancer treatment facility and a radiation medicine department could be modified at a short notice to handle CBRN cases. But, the point of concern is that currently there is no dedicated comprehensive CBRN centre in any hospital in the country.

Besides AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia and Apollo hospitals have radiation medicine departments. Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (AIIMS Trauma Centre) would be ready with a complete unit for handling CBRN cases, said Dr Bhardwaj.

Adding that the current radioactive incident would bring in more focus in treatment modalities of radioactive disasters, he said, “NDMA has been conducting courses on emergency preparedness for tackling mass casualty due to CBRN causes. At AIIMS Trauma Centre, today we carried the fourth course on managing radiation injury patients and a total of 35 doctors from various hospitals participated in the three-day training.”

New Delhi, April 28
Announcing a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of Rajinder, who died due to radiation effects on Monday, Delhi health minister Kiran Walia said that the healthcare workers and doctors of various city hospitals would be trained on how to handle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) casualties.

For this, the city health department would chalk out a programme in consultation with National Disaster Management Authority and give necessary equipment to trainee doctors for treating the CBRN casualties.

She said, “After training, the Delhi Government would provide radiation detection cards to the trained doctors. A 40-bedded special ward would come up in JPN Apex Trauma Centre at AIIMS to meet any eventuality of radiation-affected casualties for Commonwealth Games. It is time to create extra facilities in the hospital for treating radiation injuries.”

She was speaking on the occasion of three-day workshop on Training Programme for Preparedness for Emergency Medical Response to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear casualties held at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Trauma Centre here.

New Delhi, April 28
The Delhi government today directed the agencies concerned to take up the work of replacing hanging wires in the walled city with underground cables as per an approved plan amounting to Rs 4.5 crore.

In order to assess the problems relating to parking of vehicles and a large number of hanging wires, the Delhi urban development and finance minister, Dr AK Walia, today took a round of various localities in Shahjahanabad.

While reacting to hanging wires in different parts of the walled city, Walia asked the agencies concerned to replace the hanging wires with underground cables well before the Commonwealth Games. Walia also visited Daryaganj and Ramlila Maidan to understand the parking problems.

It was stated by the urban development department that a parking for 2,000 vehicles over an area of 10,000 square meter can be constructed as per the redevelopment plan. The plan includes a multi-storey complex to house the existing school.

Walia also visited Ghata Masjid near a fire station and directed the authorities to explore the possibility of constructing another parking lot at this place, which may accommodate 1,000 vehicles. 

New Delhi, April 28
The national Capital is likely to witness a cloudy day accompanied by duststorm or thunderstorm tomorrow. The weather office said this today offering some respite from the unrelenting sun.

“There is a possibility of duststorm and thunderstorm tomorrow. More rains could follow late in the evening today,” an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 40.6 degrees Celsius today, three degrees above normal, while the minimum was recorded at 27.5 degrees Celsius, two degrees higher than yesterday’s 25.3 degrees Celsius.

The humidity remained between 47 and 25 per cent today.

Last evening, duststorm had lashed Delhi. “There is possibility of scanty rain in some parts of the city,” the official said.

“The light showers, all of a sudden, sent a sudden heat wave last evening. Within half and hour, no one could even tell if it rained. Today there is no sign of any rain. Even though it was hot today, we got a breather from the scorching sun with the duststorm and thunderstorms. Even the temperatures have dipped a bit,” said Fatima, a resident.

Noida, April 28
The land rates for 2010-2011 have been increased by 10 per cent as compared to last year for commercial, residential and institutional plots. The rates for industrial plots have not been touched.

A number of important decisions were taken in the 167th meeting of Noida Authority Board held today.

Noida chairman Mohinder Singh said land rates were not increased during the previous two years due to economic slowdown.

The board also approved the budget proposals for 2010-2011. The budget showed receipts of Rs 533062.20 lakh while the expenditure of Rs 510315.50. lakh was approved.

The chairman said over 50 per cent of Noida budget will be utilized for creating world-class infrastructural facilities, especially in view of the Commonwealth Games so that foreign visitors could move about and have comfortable stay here.

He informed that the board has approved a proposal to develop four hectare residential land in Sector-121. A proposal has also been okayed to rehabilitate jhuggi-jhompri dwellers of different sectors of Noida.

The proposal for the cycling race during the Commonwealth Games on Noida-Greater Noida Expressway has been approved as well.

Other infrastructural facilities like power, potable water supply, storm water drainage, sewerage, temporary roads and pavements, are being built at a fast pace, the chairman added.

New Delhi, April 28
Close on the heels of notification of the Right to Education Act which requires every child from 6 to 14 years to be at school, child activists and Delhi police today rescued 72 bonded child workers from the heart of the Capital.

Located at a stone's throw from New Delhi Railway Station, the Nabi Karim locality of central Delhi was home until this morning to 72 children, trafficked from Bihar for the purpose of child labour. They had long been working as bonded labourers with eight employers detained in this connection at Nabi Karim police station.

According to a senior police officer of the district, the verification in the matter is on and any arrest is yet to be made. "None has been arrested so far. However, we have detained eight people and are verifying their antecedents and involvement in employing these children. If found guilty, they could be booked accordingly under various provisions of Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act 2002, the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act 1976 and the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act 1986," said the officer.

The Bonded Labour System Abolition Act, 1976 entitles rescued children to release certificates and rehabilitation grant of Rs 20,000 each from the employer and Rs 5,000 each from the state they belong to.

The children--all aged from 9 to 12 years--had been engaged for long in bag manufacturing industry of Nabi Karim, where they would work for 18 hours a day on an average and get a pittance ranging from Rs 500 to 1,600 a month.

"They did not have fixed remunerations. We rescued them from terrible conditions, with tens of children stuffed together in this heat in one small room, where they would be required to work for 18 hours a day," Chandan, an activist with Human Rights Law Network told TNS today.

The rescue operation was conducted jointly by the Central District Task Force, constituted by

the area DC, the HRLN and Bachpan Bachao Andolan.

Post-rescue, the minors-all boys--were presented before the chairperson of Child Welfare Committee of Mayur Vihar, Mamata Sahai, who ordered their rehabilitation at Mukti Ashram in Ibrahimpur.

Activists said the rescue task was not easy, given the domination of child exploiters in the area, which was famous as the concentration point of children trafficked from Bihar and UP.

All the children freed today are from Bihar, making the state government liable to pay them compensation once they get back. The offences under the Juvenile Justice Act are cognizable and the guilty can face imprisonment up to six years or fine or both.

New Delhi, April 28
As the countdown to admissions in Delhi University (DU) at the undergraduate level begins, the university today announced the 'open days' to clear the queries of applicants.

To facilitate admission process, the DU administration organises open days for students and parents. Applicants can get information about the colleges and courses they are interested in on these days. They are also made familiar with the admission process.

"It includes a 40-minute multimedia presentation by students of various courses followed by an interactive session," said S.K. Vij, dean, students' welfare, DU.

Each day three to four sessions are conducted by subject experts from various colleges of the university.

On May 15, open day would be conducted at SGTB Khalsa College, North Campus. On May 16 and 17 there would be a session at S.P. Jain Centre, South Campus. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College will hold a session on May 18, while Zakir Hussain College will hold it on May 19. On May 20 and 21 open day sessions would be conducted at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College and Shyam Lal College respectively. On May 22 and 23, Acharya Narayan Dev College and Keshav Mahavidyalaya will conduct counseling sessions.

New Delhi, April 28
Less than a month is left for Delhi University (DU) admissions and teachers are still confused about the implementation of semester system at the undergraduate level.

A section of teachers believes that the system would only be introduced in commerce and science courses as the matter has met stark opposition from humanities’ departments.

“It appears that the system would only be introduced in some selected courses as the administration could not back the agenda in most departments,” said Rajeev Kumar Kunwar, secretary, Democratic Teachers’ Federation and a faculty at DU.

He added that it would be problematic to have two different systems of evaluating and teaching in one college at the same time. “Just a month is left for the next academic year and teachers do not know the syllabi,” said Kunwar.

DU teachers have registered strong opposition against the implementation of semester system at the undergraduate level, calling it not feasible. Some of the main humanities’ departments, including economics, English, sociology and geography, have rejected the system.

The teachers alleged that vice chancellor Deepak Pental was interested in implementing the system. He could manage to change the syllabi of some science courses only.

“The vice chancellor has violated the university’s rules about dividing the syllabi into two semesters, but he could manage this in some courses only. He is planning to bring the semester in just a few courses,” said Rajib Ray, DU executive committee member.

Some departments in which the system might be implemented are mathematics, applied sciences, commerce and business studies.

However, the university authorities have denied any such decision. “Every decision taken in this regard will have to go through the academic council and the meeting is yet to be held,” said S.K. Vij, dean of DU students’ welfare.

The academic council meet is likely to be scheduled for the first week in May.

The administration also maintained that the implementation of the system had nothing to do with the admission process. “Admissions would take place normally. Students would not be affected by the implementation or otherwise,” said Gurpreet Tuteja, deputy dean, DU students’ welfare.

He said minimum changes were likely to be introduced in the syllabi and the present syllabi only needed to be divided into two halves.

Noida, April 28
The Noida police rescued a two-year-old girl, who was kidnapped yesterday afternoon, from Meerut this morning.

The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of Rs 40 lakh for releasing the child.

Noida SSP A.K. Singh said that the child was abducted by her fathers' cousin brother, Anshuman Dixit of Barola. Dixit allegedly took the child to a market on the pretext of buying her a candy.

After this, Dixit went missing with the child. The child's father, Harish Kumar Sharma, lodged a missing report at Sector-24 Kotwali.

Sharma, marketing director in a leading private firm, told the police that he had received a ransom call for Rs 40 lakh for the safe release of his child.

The police traced that the call had been made from Meerut. A case under Sections 381/ 10 and 364-a/ 506 was registered at Sector 24 Kotwali.

SSP A.K. Singh said that a team was formed to rescue the girl and nab the kidnappers.

After tracing that the ransom call was made from Meerut, a police team was sent there. The team zeroed in on Incholi, Meerut.

The police was able to identify village Lawd under Incholi police station from where another kidnapped child had been rescued a few days ago. The police raided area and rescued the 2-year-old girl. The accused persons were also arrested.