New Delhi, January 7
There was no respite from the teeth-cluttering cold for the residents of the Capital who witnessed yet another chilly morning today with the mercury sliding down to 4.3 degree Celsius.

According to the weatherman, the conditions are not expected to improve much. The minimum temperature is likely to be around 5 degree Celsius and the maximum 15 degree Celsius.

The minimum temperature today was 3 degrees below normal. The early hours of the day also saw fog which later gave way to clear skies .

The cold wave has persisted throughout this week and the maximum temperature too has slid below 15 degree Celsius on several days. The maximum temperature today settled at 15 degrees, almost six degrees below normal.

New Delhi, January 7
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has targeted to increase its property tax net by hundred per cent in the next financial year.

Municipal commissioner KS Mehra has said that the number of people paying property tax in the national Capital would be doubled next year. At present, around eight lakh people are under the tax net, whereas the number of properties in the city is near 40 lakh.

"More and more people would be brought under the tax net so as to increase the MCD's revenue from taxes," said Mehra.

The tax collected from property owners in the city is the main source of income for the corporation, other than minor sources like advertisement revenue, toll tax, fee from car parking and mobile phone towers. The civic agency is already under a debt burden of Rs 2,867 crore and is struggling to find ways to increase revenue.

However, this is something that the corporation claims every time while presenting its annual budget, but what is achieved at the end of the year is not enough to make much difference.

Municipal officials admit that the civic body is cash-strapped and is finding it tough to make payments to project contractors on time. The salaries of employees were also taking a big chunk since the Sixth Pay panel came into force. Leaders the BJP feel that instead of increasing tax, the MCD should focus on widening the tax base.

"Some 32 lakh properties are outside the ambit of tax. Around eight to nine lakh are paying tax to us. We should try to bring more properties under the tax net," said chairman of MCD Standing Committee Yogender Chandolia.

The revised budget estimates for 2010-11 show that the MCD has brought down the target of property tax collection from Rs 1,550 crore to Rs 1,050 crore. The opposition raised doubts on whether this is also achievable as the MCD has collected only Rs 518 crore in tax till November.

New Delhi, January 7
There is considerable fear in the wholesale traders of onion and potatoes after the raid of officials of the income tax department.

During the raid, the officials checked registers of the traders to know the arrival of vegetables and its sale. This action has been taken to check the hoarding of vegetables.

As a result, the traders have started buying less quantity of onion and potato with the fear of being caught, sources said.

On the condition of anonymity, a wholesale trader of onion said that this exercise of the government is futile as onion in winter cannot be hoarded as it is perishable. It becomes rotten after one or two days. Besides, there is no scarcity of onion in Delhi even as Pakistan has stopped exporting it.

Raids are being conducted in Delhi, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Lucknow and Gujarat, sources said. Earlier, 15-30 trucks of onion used to arrive in Azadpur Fruit and Vegetable Market. Now around 50 trucks arrive every day and the wholesale rate of onion is between Rs 25 and Rs 40/kg.

He said that 17,000 tonnes of onion has arrived in Bhavnagar Mandi while 25,000 tonnes at Mahuwa Mandi in Gujarat.

The wholesale dealers in Gujarat are not getting trucks to supply onion to Delhil. However, onion will be plentiful in the market within a few days.

New Delhi, January 7
After three months of missed deadlines and failed safety clearances, the much-anticipated Airport express line is set to be operational by next week. According to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation officials, the second inspection by the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety that began today ran smoothly and the line is to get clearance tomorrow.

An official of the concessionaire, Reliance Group's Delhi Airport Express Pvt Ltd (DAMEPL) which has built the network confirmed, saying that, "The Commissioner-in-charge of the Metro Rail Safety has started a two-day inspection of the corridor. We hope we get the safety clearance tomorrow. Once it is obtained, we will need less than a week to open the line for the public."

The line had earlier failed to get safety clearances owing to technical glitches during an earlier inspection by the CMRS in late September. If opened next week, the 23 km link will connect Connaught Place with the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. It promises to take commuters from the New Delhi Railway Station to the airport in 18 minutes.

"The final decision will be known only tomorrow. But from what we hear, as of now everything seems positive. If the CMRS decides in favour of the line, it will be made official by Monday," added a senior DMRC official.

However, another worry that still remains to be resolved for the smooth running is differences between DAMEPL and various airlines over setting up check-in counters at select stations on the line. "It is a commercial issue between the concessionaire and the airlines. It is yet to be resolved. But at least Air India will set up check-in counters," the DMRC official said.

Airlines are reluctant to pay rental charges for the check-in facilities at the Metro stations, however, negotiations are on. Air India's team recently did a technical inspection of the stations and is likely to sign an agreement shortly with DAMEPL. "At Rs 150, the fare for the high-speed Metro is far higher than any of the other Metro corridors in the city, raising doubts on occupancy. A check-in facility at Metro stations is, therefore, crucial to attract flyers, who normally take taxis to the airport," the official explained.

New Delhi, January 7
A Delhi court today reserved its order on sentence against the six HuJI men, including three Pakistanis, convicted under stringent anti-terror law, the Prevention of Terrorism Act POTA, for conspiring to kidnap cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly in 2002.

Additional sessions judge Pinki reserved its order till January 15, after hearing the arguments.

Initiating the arguments on the quantum of sentence, public prosecutor Anita Hooda appearing for the Delhi police sought maximum punishment to the convicts saying that their plan was dangerous.

"The convicts conspired to kidnap Tendulkar for receiving funds and Ganguly to secure the release of their jailed associates.

Besides, they planned to attack the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and assassinate APJ Abdul Kalam…If they (convicts) had succeeded in their plot, they would have caused massive destruction to life and property. They should be given life imprisonment," Hooda said.

This was, however, opposed by defence counsel MS Khan who pleaded for a lenient view saying that, "The Delhi High Court had reduced the sentence of three of their associates, who pleaded guilty, to only eight-year jail term."

Meanwhile, Hooda submitted that the convicts wanted to secure release of two HuJI terrorists Nasarullah Langrial and Abdul Rahim who were then lodged in different jails here.

She alleged Rahim was an associate of Asif Raza Khan, an aide of Umar Sheikh who was released by the Indian government, along with others, in exchange of hijacked Indian Airlines plane IC 814 in Afghanistan in 1999.

The court had, on December 24, held all six men - Tariq Mohammed, Arshad Khan and Ashfaq Ahmed - all Pakistani's and Mufti Israr, Ghulam Qadir Bhatt and Ghulam Mohd Dar, all Indians, guilty under the POTA and Indian Penal Code.

The Delhi police had arrested 10 HUJI militants, including six Pakistanis, in 2002.

Out of them, three Pakistanis Mohd Amran, Abdul Majeed and Mohd Ashraf had pleaded guilty in 2003 and were awarded eight years' imprisonment for their varying roles.

Jalaluddin, who was termed as the mastermind, managed to flee the custody of the police during the probe and was later declared a proclaimed offender by the court.

New Delhi, January 7
The Delhi government has formed Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKS) to deliver quality health services to the citizens. The samitis will be associated with the hospitals and community participation.

So far, the government has formed 24 RKS.

This was stated by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at a bhagidari workshop on the RKS. The aim of the workshop is to sensitise the members of the RKS about their roles and responsibilities and also get the positive and negative feedback about it.

She also said that like the success of Vidyalaya Kalyan Samiti, the RKS would also bring about a positive change in the working of the government hospitals. Each RKS had already received Rs 5 lakh as initial seed money for maintenance which could be further replenished by the state government to the tune of Rs 10 to Rs 15 lakh depending upon the number of beds.

The Chief Minister said Bhagidari initiative in Delhi had proved to be a turning point in fulfilling people's aspirations and making a citizens-government partnership a viable forum to take Delhi forward in almost all sectors. Apart from this, bhagidari initiative has been recognised as a catalyst force in imbibing sense of attachment. It has helped in substantial improvement in civic services apart from ensuring a transparent and responsive administration.

The Rogi Kalyan Samitis are undertaking activities leading to optimal utilisation and increased responsiveness of health institutions to the needs of the society through active participation of the communities as an important stakeholder.

The samitis are supporting by providing greater powers and autonomic to the medical superintendent and dispensary in charges, the Chief Minister said.

New Delhi, January 7
With the arrest of five persons, the special operations squad (SOS) of the crime branch has busted an international human trafficking racket wherein Bangladeshi, Nepali and Sri Lankan nationals were send to Saudi Arab, Latin America , Australia, Afghanistan and many other countries by obtaining visas of these countries on Indian and Nepali passports and fake documents.

The accused have been identified as Udit Narayan Singh (36), Omar Faruk (24), Khaliq Uddin (41), Kazi Nasrin (33) and Paban Khadka (30). Faruk and Nasrin are Bangladeshi residents.

According to senior crime branch officials, the police has recovered 12 Nepali passports, one fake Indian passport, one Bangladeshi passport, four Australian visa stickers, one Afghanistan visa sticker and many other incriminating material from the accused.

Acting on a tip-off, the police laid a trap near Town Hall in Chandni Chowk where Narayan, Uddin and Faruk were apprehended while exchanging documents and passports.

Nasrin is Uddin's wife and was illegally staying in India even after the expiry of her visa.

During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they used to send Nepali, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan nationals to Saudi Arab, Latin America, Australia, Afghanistan and other countries many other countries by obtaining visas of these countries on Indian and Nepali passports and fake documents. They used to charge Rs 2 to 3 lakh from their customers and the money was distributed among the accused and their agents.

Gurgaon, January 7
The son of a businessman was today arrested here for employing an eight-year-old boy as domestic help, just a day after his father was nabbed on charges of exploiting the minor, the police said today.

Manish Gupta, 26, was booked under relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice Act for exploitation of a juvenile and child employment, said deputy superintendent of police, Vikas Arora said.

Manish's father, Ishwar Gupta, was arrested yesterday but was granted bail by a city court on the same day, Arora said, adding that the mother of the accused is on the run.

The child has been admitted for medical examination of rabies, as an NGO, Shakti Vahini, which released the boy from the clutches of the accused, has claimed that the boy was bitten several times by Manish's pet dog.

The case came to light after the NGO complained that the family used to beat up the child who was forced to do household chores. It alleged that the boy was given cold water in winters for washing utensils which had led to swelling on his hands. — PTI

New Delhi, January 7
The north-west district police has arrested two men in connection with the murder of an 18-year-old boy whose body was found in the Jehangirpuri area on December 15.

According to the police, the accused — Dinesh and Yogesh — killed Gaurav because his father Prem Pal had beaten them up for introducing his son to smoking.

According to Meenu Chaudhary, DCP (North-West), Gaurav's body was found in a drain behind the BJRM Hospital with injuries on the chin, eyebrow and neck.

The body was identified by Pal who suspected the role of Dinesh in the incident.

"Pal revealed that around a year back, he had twice fought with Yogesh for taking Gaurav for smoking.

He further told the police that he had once beaten Yogesh for this, after which he had threatened to kill Gaurav," said Chaudhary, adding that it was also learnt that on the day of the incident, the accused and the victim were seen going towards the BJRM drain.

The accused were arrested and on interrogation, they broke down and confessed to the crime. Yogesh said he beat Gaurav down and overpowered him while Dinesh strangulated him with the help of his muffler," revealed Chaudhary.

According to her, Dinesh has been declared a 'bad character' by the Bhalaswa police station.