New Delhi, June 17
The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will hold counselling for 87 seats in MD, MS, MDS and master of chirurgical (MCh) tomorrow from 10 am. Earlier, it was scheduled for June 11.

The decision came after AIIMS overruled an objection raised by the Directorate-General of Health Services (DGHS) against considering candidates who had secured seats in other medical colleges but were likely to leave them in case they cleared the AIIMS PG entrance test.

The standing legal counsel of AIIMS has overruled the ministry’s concern and the academic section discussed the matter today.

“Our standing legal counsel has said the DGHS objection is not binding on AIIMS as it is an autonomous institution,” Dr Sunil Chumber, sub-dean of AIIMS, told The Tribune.

The earlier date (June 11) scheduled for counselling as mentioned in the institute’s prospectus had to be postponed following a commotion when DGHS assistant director Mangala Kohli landed at AIIMS and asked the director to debar the candidates who had taken seats in other medical colleges based on the scores in the All-India Post-Graduate Entrance Test (AIPGET) but did not join them.

Kohli also cited the petition (dated May 13, 2010) filed by several candidates in the Supreme Court, in which the court had issued an interim order for the extended second round of PG counselling regarding the all India-quota-2010 to ensure that the unfilled seats were utilised.

A letter was written to the AIIMS director on June 7 in this regard, seeking a list of candidates who had scored 50 per cent in both the AIIMS PG entrance test and the all-India PG entrance test.

However, as she was not carrying a copy of the court order, a part of the counselling, including the asessment of documents was carried out, said Dr Chumber. He added that no admisions had been made so far.

If AIIMS abides by the DGHS notification, around 15 students holding top ranks will be affected.

Counselling for 80 seats in MD and MS, five seats in MDS and two in MCh in 19 super-specialities along with two seats in masters in hospital administration (MHA) will start at 10 am.

The second round of counselling is scheduled for June 22 and the third for July. The classes will start on August 1. 

New Delhi, June 17
The Union cabinet has amended the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Act, paving way for the MP from New Delhi constituency, Ajay Maken, to become a member of the council. Besides, the number of members from SC category has been increased from one to two.

The Central government’s decision is being considered in political circles as a snub for Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit who had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to derail the amendments. She did manage to keep it at bay for some time but the government finally decided to go ahead with the changes, which will allow Ajay Maken, a minister in the central government and a bête noire of Dikshit, to be present in NDMC meetings.

According to sources, Maken’s claims that the New Delhi MP should have more say in the civic body as he represents the constituency in Parliament has found favour with the Congress leadership. An influential section in the Congress top brass also believes that Maken would be a credible counterweight to Dikshit who has overshadowed her party rivals in the Capital. Many believe that she is grooming her son, Saneep Dikshit, who is an MP from East Delhi constituency, as her replacement— something not acceptable to the party.

“The MP from New Delhi constituency will have voting rights and play an important role in the decision making process of the council. The approval will ensure greater participation of weaker sections of society and people’s representatives in the decision making process of the New Delhi Municipal Council. We welcome it,” said Mukesh Bhatt, an NDMC member.

According to sources, the amended Bill will be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament. The Bill also provides for increasing the number of representatives belonging to the scheduled caste category from one to two.

According to the amended Bill, a Chief Minister, if representing the NDMC area, will chair the meetings of the council.

Congress sources said the amendment might be a setback for the suave Delhi Chief Minister but she has no immediate threat and would remain on her post.

Ghaziabad, June 17
The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) will now bring a scheme of 1,000 flats, according to GDA vice-chairman N.K. Chaudhary. The era of plots has ended and the GDA will now concentrate on building flats, he said.

The GDA last allotted 875 plots in Madhuban–Bapu Dhaam.

Chaudhary said a scheme of 1,000 flats would be launched in Madhuban–Bapu Dhaam in August-September. The flats in Madhuban–Bapu Dhaam will range across LIG, MIG and HIG categories. Work of the scheme has already begun, the VC said.

Chaudhry said the contractors would be responsible for the maintenance of these flats during the first year. For the next two years, GDA will take care of the maintenance. After two years, the respective residents’ welfare societies will have to shoulder the responsibility of maintenance. However, GDA will make available funds for it, the vice- chairman said.

New Delhi, June 18
The Delhi government has agreed to increase autorickshaw and taxi fare following the hike in CNG rates and the pressure mounted by the autorickshaw unions.

The autorickshaw drivers staged a protest demonstration against the Sheila Dikshit government at Ajmeri Gate near New Delhi railway station today. They had yesterday threatened to go on an indefinite strike from Monday if the autorickshaw fare was not raised.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the department concerned was considering to chalk out a slab for autorickshaw and taxi fare but by how much it would be increased had not been decided yet.

However, president of the Delhi Auto and Taxi Union Rajinder Soni said so far he had not received any such signal from the government. The Chief Minister has just talked about considering the demand, which is not enough. “Last month, the transport commissioner had assured us that the fare would be increased within a month. But nothing has happened so far,” he said.

He added that the union had demanded from the government to make hundred per cent increase in the fare. But it could be adjusted somewhere in between.

Anand Trivedi, general secretary of the BJP Transport Prakoshth said the union welcomed the government’s decision to accept the demand of auto and taxi drivers. But the government had time till Sunday. If the hiked fare is not announced by Sunday, 55,000 auto drivers would go on an indefinite strike. He added the rate of auto and taxi fare had not been increased for the past three years, whereas the bus fare was raised a few months ago.

The government should increase the auto and taxi fare in proportion with the hike in CNG price, he said. 

New Delhi, June 17
A new series of cars having registration numbers starting with the letters ‘CWG’ will soon hit Delhi roads ahead of the Commonwealth Games in October.

The transport department has been asked to provide a VIP car registration series starting with ‘CWG’.

The VIP cars of the CWG delegates and officials will be registered under this new series for the convenience of the traffic police and cops.

“The vehicles to be used by CWG delegates will have special number plates. Transport officials said the move would facilitate identification of Games vehicles and hence make the work of the police and traffic police easier,” said an official with the organising committee (OC).

The officials of the transport department said the registration series was expected to begin with ‘CWG’ so that the vehicles could be easily identified on the roads and would be exclusively used for Games officials and delegates.

According to the officers, the idea has been proposed by the Chief Minister’s office. “This way, the Games vehicles would be offered priority services,” said the officer.

The OC has arranged 1,500 sponsored cars to ferry CWG delegates and officials from airport to their place of stay and from and to the stadiums during the Games. A special traffic plan has been chalked out where dedicated lanes would be built on the roads for the CWG vehicles.

“The trial run for vehicle movement would begin later this month,” said the official.

According to the proposed plan, one lane of selected roads would be reserved for Games traffic.

“The trial runs are aimed at acquainting Delhiites with the traffic plan for the CWG, in which the extreme right lane on all major roads leading to stadiums, practice venues, airport and CWG Village will be reserved exclusively for vehicles ferrying athletes and delegates.

The final traffic circulation plan has been finalised and given required permissions by the civic agencies. The work of making dedicated lanes on all selected roads will be done by civic agencies.

New Delhi, June 17
Jamia Millia Islamia seems to be facing cheating and impersonation cases during interviews and entrance exams being conducted this admission season, as the university administration is reportedly busy apprehending the errant students.

On Thursday, the Jamia administration caught Md Ishtiyaq Alam, a student, in a case of impersonation as his photograph did not match the candidate’s appearing for the interview.

When grilled, the candidate admitted that he was impersonating. The matter was later reported to the university proctor.

This is not the only instance of cheating and impersonation at the university. Jamia administration has reported a plethora of such cases in May and June.

As a precautionary measure, the university has started mandatory photographing of candidates at test centres prior to being allowed to enter the examination hall.

Dr Simi Malhotra, Jamia spokesperson said, “Underhand practises like cheating and impersonation have been occurring at Jamia for some time. We have become more vigilant. Students are being photographed and identification officers have been appointed.”

A case of cheating was reported during the entrance test of diploma in elementary teacher education held on June 6 when Amit Kumar, a bona fide student of diploma in tourism and travel management at Jamia, had appeared as Sameer Arora. He had done this to help Sherin Irfan, a student of certificate course in tourism and travel management. Both Amit Kumar and Sherin Irfan have confessed their involvement.

Following this, vice-chancellor Najeeb Jung expelled Amit Kumar and Sherin Irfan from the university.

In a related case, a candidate allegedly impersonated for Md Mukhtar Alam and appeared in the diploma engineering entrance test held on June 1. The candidate did not disclose his identity during the entrance exam. The university has cancelled his test papers and has lodged an FIR with the Jamia Nagar police station.

On May 29, the university had caught one boy allegedly impersonating for candidates in its B.Tech. admission test while two others were caught impersonating for candidates in its BDS admission test the next day.

Greater Noida, June 17
A man who had been hired by a family to paint its house allegedly abducted a 2-year-old boy from the house.

The victim is the son of the house’s owner Subash Chaudhary.

Chaudhary of G-118 in Alpha-2, Greater Noida, lives with his wife Sushma, two-year-old son Kuldeep and his parents.

The accused Mahesh Pal allegedly kidnapped the boy as Chaudhary did not pay Rs 14,000 to him as his wages.

On Tuesday night, Chaudhary’s son Kuldeep went missing. Chaudhary and his father looked for Kuldeep all around but could not trace him. Later, they found that Mahesh Pal of Bulandshahr who was painting their house and living with them for the past one month was also not present.

Chaudhary lodged an abduction report against Mahesh Pal the next morning.

The police rescued the child on Wednesday morning and arrested Mahesh Pal near Kasna bus stand. Mahesh Pal was reportedly hiding with the child at different places in Greater Noida for two nights.

The police said Mahesh Pal had kidnapped the child for ransom. He told the police that Chaudhary was not paying him Rs 14,000 for the work that he had done. However, Chaudhary has defied the allegation and said that he had paid Rs 3,000 to him only two days ago. He added that some work was still left to be completed. Chaudhary added that he would have paid the remaining amount in some time.

Mahesh who had been working in the house for about 40 days was given a room on the second floor of the house. Mahesh had gelled with all family members, including kids.