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Bluelines can ply for now, rules HC
Cluster bus service from
February 7
Molestation of child |
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Students interact with Delhi University VC at the university sports complex
in New Delhi on Monday. Tribune photo
Metro Phase III to cover Jamia, Faridabad
Foggy start to day
Delhi councillors to get Rs 1.5 crore more
for development
CWG infrastructure in shambles: Walia
Quotas ate up most seats, rue parents
Visitor from Punjab stabbed
to death
4 held for robbery
A Sikh delegation meets Prime Minister Manmohan SIngh to lodge its protest against making helmet compulsory for women, including those from the Sikh community. Tribune photo
Cashier robbed, shot dead
Subsidy on onions goes as prices dip
Youth held with Rs 45-lakh heroin
Trader’s office burgled of
Rs 41 lakh
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Bluelines can ply for now, rules HC
New Delhi, January 31 Even though the high court had earlier endorsed the government's decision, the bus owners' plea against the decision to force them to surrender their licences seems to have found support. A Bench headed by Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Suresh Kait ticked off the government for bringing out a notification, which banned the running of Blueline buses on city roads after January 31, on January 28. Official sources said over 800 buses would continue to ply after the HC's decision today. Over 500 of them have permits valid till June. Shyam Lal Gola, spokesperson for the private bus operators, said the order meant that Blueline buses could not be forced to go off the road before the expiry of their licences. "Over 250 buses would continue to ply next year also as their permit is still valid. Blueline buses would go as and when their licences expire," he said. A senior transport official, though, said the claims of the Blueline operators about the number of their buses having valid permits were exaggerated as the buses were getting increasingly less visible. Transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said he had asked the Delhi Transport of Corporation (DTC) to take note of any transportation problem faced by the common man in any area and deploy its buses in those areas. Blueline buses have acquired notoriety over the years for their involvement in a disproportionately high number of fatal road accidents and have been given the sobriquet "killer buses". As many as 823 Blueline buses, of a total of 2,052, were shunted out last month as the government refused to let them ply after the expiry of their permits.
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Cluster bus service from
February 7
New Delhi, January 31 The cluster bus service was planned to replace Blueline that was found involved in fatal accidents as untrained drivers and conductors used to operate these buses. The sources said that private companies operating the cluster bus service will have proper training arrangement of the drivers and conductors. A total number of 800 buses are to be operated on various roads where the government has not yet provided Metro service. These buses will be divided into five clusters that will be owned by big corporate houses. The buses will be parked in the depots managed by the DTC. Meanwhile, the DTC has opened a control room in each region . The passengers needing help can call telephone numbers: central control room 23370209, 23370217, 23370218 and central complaint cell 9582948918, 9582948924. |
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AIIMS doctor refrained from doing duty
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 31 Though an order of suspension is awaited, the authorities confirmed that he has been refrained from IPD and OPD services based on the prima facie evidence, even as he is learnt to have gone on leave after the incidence. The final inquiry report is said to be declared within seven days from January 25, the date when the matter was referred to the standing committee of the institute for prevention of sexual harassment. The incidence took place on January 23 when the child, who was in the ICU post-surgery for brain tumor, was allegedly molested by the senior resident doctor (final year student) in the duty-room. The next day, the family after knowing about it went ahead with a complaint to the AIIMS administration and a fact-finding committee was assigned the task of carrying an internal inquiry into the matter, but the accused escaped the scanner until yesterday when the matter drew the spotlight "Following the compliant by the victim's parents, the director and the deputy director of the institute constituted a fact-finding committee under Dr Artil Vij (in charge of the ORBO) on January 24. She interviewed the doctors present in the ICU, along with the staff, who were on-duty that day and submitted her inquiry report the next day," said Dr YK Gupta, the spokesperson for AIIMS. Subsequently, the same day, the matter was referred to the standing committee for prevention of sexual harrasment, chaired by Dr AC Ammini, the head of the endocrinology department of AIIMS and the committee is supposed to submit its report within seven working days, ending on February 2. The committee is said to have a senior clinical psychologist, a professor of neurology and Dr Ammini, among others. However, AIIMS deputy director (administration) Vineet Choudhary, ruling out the possibility for the need of any medical examination, said, "it was not a sodomy, the genitalia area was fondled. The accused has been interrogated extensively and the versions of the child and the parents have been recorded. The report should be out within seven days." Apparently, the family was earlier asked to report the matter to the area police, but the parents wanted the matter to be sorted internally, as claimed by the authorities. Case filed
A case under Sections 377 (unnatural offences), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with life imprisonment and in such attempt doing any act towards the commission of the offence) was filed. Relevant Sections of the Juvenile Justice Act was invoked.
— PTI |
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VC promises girls more hostels
New Delhi, January 31 Singh told students that the campus would have a new hostel for over 1,500 undergraduate girl students. Close to 3,000 students drawn from all the DU colleges took part in the interactive session and he would be meeting principals of the colleges tomorrow. He also backed the semester system as the most feasible solution to students' concerns about the "archaic" syllabus. He lamented that the
DU, among India's leading universities, did not figure among the world's top 250 universities and said he would work to improve its standing. He also announced a unique scheme wherein proposals will be invited from all the colleges and the winner idea will be funded by the university.
DU will have a single number call centre from where students will be able to get all sorts of information, Singh said. Singh asked the students to fill in the feedback forms and assured that every letter will be read and every problem addressed. While Maharaja Agrasen students spoke of negligible safety of girl students in east Delhi, girls from lady Shri Ram College were worried as the date for the third year exams and all the important MA entrances are bound to clash in May. Announcing a number of initiatives, the
vice-chancelloer said the university will soon evolve a mechanism so that sports and ECA students have a special recognition after college ends. The same importance will be given to a maths topper and a meritorious sportsperson, Singh said. More buses with no or minimal fare will be started on the campus route. Currently, there is just one bus that plies on south campus roads. North campus will now have uniformed guards. The University of Delhi would soon have an official page on FB that will be managed by designated professors to look into students' concerns. To strengthen presence of all colleges on the website, volunteers from each college will be selected who will be responsible for updating the relevant information regarding their college. Translation of English textbooks into Hindi is also in the process,
the VC said. |
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Metro Phase III to cover Jamia, Faridabad
New Delhi, January 31 The biggest addition to Phase III, where the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has planned an extension of over 30 km, is the coverage of Jamia Milia Islamia University, a top Metro official said. The proposed Phase III will cost Rs 27,500 crore for the Delhi extensions and is expected to be completed by March 2016. With this, the DMRC will cover 70 per cent of the Capital city's population and include neighbouring areas like Faridabad and Noida, said DMRC managing director E. Sreedharan. The project was approved in principle by the government in October 2010. But it t has suggested some amendments, asking the DMRC to cover more areas so as to include the outer and the inner Ring Roads. "We were supposed to have met the planning commission officials with the detailed project report (DPR) of Phase III by January 13 for a review and to take a final call on the budget decision. The meeting never happened as we are not ready with the DPR. It is still being finalised," Sreedharan said. "We had prepared a DPR earlier for 70 km. Now, the Delhi government wants alterations. So Phase III is coming to almost 104 km, 34 km extra," the DMRC chief said. After the planning commission's approval, the Phase-III project will be reviewed by an empowered committee of officials before going for the Union cabinet approval. Sreedharan said a final decision on the funding pattern is yet to be taken, but the DMRC has given some suggestions in this regard. "We have given some suggestions. One option is for the two governments (India and Japan) contributing 40 per cent (each) of the cost. The Japanese funding can extend to nearly 40 per cent and the DMRC itself can raise about five to eight percent on the property development as things are looking up on the real estate," he explained. For the balance fund he suggested that the government authorise the DMRC to issue tax-free bonds for that amount or alternatively request the Japanese government to make its contribution 50 per cent instead of 40. To a query on whether the Japan International Cooperation Agency will come forward to fund the Phase III project, Sreedharan said: "We have a very good relationship with the JICA. Their experience with the DMRC has been excellent in Phase I and II (and) they are willing to consider. But they haven't made any commitment as we have not formally requested them." Sreedharan said Metro has already begun preliminary works of Phase III . The soil investigation, geo-technical surveys, finalising station design for the underground and elevated stations and preparation of tender documents have started. "Apart from this, we are revising the specifications in many areas to bring down the cost of the project without sacrificing the safety or the reliability," he said. The work for Phase III will start in April. "Phase III will have two additional big lines-- lines 7 and 8 -- while others are only extension of existing lines...... The Kalindi Kunj line will be extended till Noida (Botanical Garden). The Noida extension will be taken care of by the Noida authority," he added. The biggest addition on Phase III is the coverage of Jamia Milia Islamia University, which will extend from Nehru Place and will cover the Outer Ring Road. Kalkaji will be one of the interchange stations on this line. — IANS
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Foggy start to day
New Delhi, January 31 The minimum temperature today settled at 8.1°C, up from yesterdays 6.5°C while the maximum temperature was recorded at 22.1°C today, down from yesterday's 6.5°C. Both the night and day temperatures were normal for this time the year, Meteorological Department officials said. The humidity levels was between 95 and 44 per cent. The weather office has predicted warmer days for the rest of the week. For tomorrow, the weatherman has predicted shallow fog in the morning and partly cloudy sky . The minimum and the maximum temperatures are likely to oscillate between 8° and 22°C. At the IGI airport this morning, flights got delayed by 30 minutes while some were hung for almost three hours as the runway visibility dropped to 75 metre, far below the required minima of 125 metre. A total of 112 flights were operated under the low visibility procedures since last night. An international flight from Abhu Dhabi had to be diverted to Mumbai while two domestic flights from Mumbai had to be diverted to Lucknow and Jaipur after runway visibility dropped to 50 metre. Fog started to become dense around 3 am forcing the authorities to implement low visibility procedures on third runway at 3.32 am. Visibility at the main runway also started to deteriorate around 5.30 am and authorities implemented the low visibility procedures at 5.45 am. As many as 13 flights were cancelled while over a dozen domestic and international flights were delayed said an official statement from International Airport Limited that runs the airport operations.
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Delhi councillors to get Rs 1.5 crore more
for development
New Delhi, January 31 The funds would be accounted in the current financial years before March 31. An extra amount of Rs 5 lakh would be given to each councillor for the installation of new streetlights. In addition to that, the councillor representing unauthorised colonies and villages will be given Rs 50 lakh each for providing basic amenities in their wards. There are around hundred councillors coming from unauthorised colonies and 42 from areas coming under rural or village category. Standing committee chairman Yogender Chandolia said if only the councillors were able to book their money before March 31, they would be given the specified amount, which could be spent in next three to four months. "We will finalise our budget by February 15 and minutes would be prepared the same day. So the councillors can get their project report prepared by the junior engineers and get it passed by the assistant and chief engineer. The whole procedure takes a week's time but we have asked our officials to speed up the process and also to simplify it so that every councillor can take the benefit of the fund for the common man," said Chandolia. He said this would ensure early completion of the projects. "This way the councillors would be able to finish their works between July and August. Earlier, the money itself was released by April due to which the projects used to get delayed," he said. He said streetlight being a major problem in every ward, a special provision for granting Rs 5 lakh to every councilor for the same was made. The councillors had already received Rs 50 lakh as development fund for the current financial year. A fresh amount of Rs 2.5 crore has also been allocated in the budget for the councillors that include Rs 25 lakh as sanitation fund, Rs 75 lakh for maintenance, Rs 50 lakh for roads and Rs 5 lakh for streetlights. |
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CWG infrastructure in shambles: Walia
New Delhi, January 31 He cautioned that with the continue damage to the costly and modern infrastructure there was bound to be an irreparable loss to the city's glory which drew attention and praise from the visitors, sports persons, officials, common men and international community during the Games. In a letter addressed to the vice-chairman of the DDA, MCD commissioner, NDMC chairperson, principal secretary of the PWD, CMD of the DTC, secretary of the Art and Culture, GM of Northern Railway, commissioner of Delhi police, DG-NHAI, secretary of environment and health departments and other departments concerned to take cognisance of the deficiencies in maintenance and upkeep of their infrastructure and issue necessary instructions to take appropriate steps. The steps must be of curative and precautionary nature. He cautioned, "If such negligence continued to the next few months, the infrastructure may suffer substantial damage making revival a Herculean task". Newly developed infrastructure is losing sheen due to little visible cracks, damaged paints, loose grills, potholes on roads, un-cleaned FOBs with escalators, broken flower pots, accumulation of garbage, uneven and shabby landscapes, broken signage, non-functional traffic lights and street lights, on-going rampant unauthorised constructions, unsatisfactory sanitary conditions, non-disposal of solid-waste, etc. He has requested all concerned to give serious consideration to this state of affair. Just after the Games, the Chief Minister had discussed the issue of maintenance of these infrastructures with few ministers and senior officers. But there was no headway in the budget for maintaining these as it require a huge amount. In the new budget the government will allocate special amount for this, sources said.
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Quotas ate up most seats, rue parents
New Delhi, January 31 The most common complaint from the parents is that most schools ended up reserving at least half of their seats under the management and economically weaker section quotas, leaving only 50 per cent of the seats open for admission. In addition, parents say that seats were also set aside under the alumni and sibling criterion, and so, the children who did not come under any of these categories had an extremely hard time. Sumit Vohra, head of nurseryadmissions.com, a website helping parents, says, "Parents have faced immense difficulties this time. This is because as compared to the past few years, competition was much tough this time. Fewer seats were available as at least 50 per cent of the seats in most schools were reserved under the EWS and management quotas. In addition, many seats were set aside under the sibling and alumni criterion," Vohra added. "My daughter did not get admission to DPS despite the fact that we tried very hard for it. She did not make it to either the sibling or alumni category. We are very disappointed… I hope she gets admission to at least one of the eight schools we have applied to. I am waiting for the list of Mothers International, but am not very confident about her admission this year," said Rekha Dayal, disappointed mother of a four-year-old child. Suresh Mehra, another parent whose son did not get admission to DPS, said, "I am very upset because my son has not got admission to DPS. The process has been very tough this year. Almost half of the seats were reserved on some or the other ground. I hope he makes it to one of the other schools we have applied to. But still it will be very tough for us as my elder son studies in DPS R.K. Puram and my younger son will go to another school." R.C. Jain, president, Delhi State Public School Management Association, said, "It is true that many parents have faced difficulties this year as because of the EWS and management quotas, fewer seats were open for the general students. So, the competition had been tougher. But I feel the only solution to the problem is building more schools."
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Visitor from Punjab stabbed
to death
New Delhi, January 31 According to the police, Satpal hails from Punjab's Adampur and was attacked by some men in Trilokpuri around 8 pm yesterday. He owns a dhaba in Adampur and had come to his in-laws' house in the Capital in connection with his wife Poonam's treatment. As per information, his three children
Dhruv, Pushkar and Veer were playing outside when some people
objected. "Satpal came out and an argument ensued over his children playing outside. Somebody then attacked him with a knife from behind. He was stabbed thrice on his face and neck," a family member said. However, the police believes that the murder was due to the fallout of a fight Poonam's brother Bittu had with somebody during Divali in November last year. |
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4 held for robbery
New Delhi, January 31 With their arrest, the police claims to have solved a blind robbery case where worth Rs 45 lakh carpets were robbed at knife point from a showroom in Lajpat Nagar . The arrests were made after an investigation was taken up on a complaint filed on January 29, which stated that some carpets have been stolen from C-119 Lajpat Nagar-II. The police was suspicious of Sajjad who was earlier into the business of carpets but was idle these days. He was held from Jungpura. During the interrogation, he confessed that he hatched the conspiracy and involved four other boys . The police has recovered 30 carpets, a mobile phone and a knife from their possession. "Sajjad was the mastermind as he provided the information regarding carpets being kept in the showroom. The accused materialised the plan on Sunday evening when the owner of the showroom was out and only one employee was in the showroom. They overpowered the employee, tied his hands and legs and decamped with the carpets," said a senior police official.
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Exempt women from wearing helmet: Sikh leaders
New Delhi, January 31 The delegation informed the Prime Minister that a few years back the Delhi police had started the same policy but with the intervention of the government it was cancelled. The delegation, consisted of the president of National Akali Dal Paramjit Singh Pamma, Sikh Welfare Society member Satpal Singh Manga, secretary generals of Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha in Chennai Harbans Singh Anant and Jagjit Singh Anant, requested the Prime Minister to intervene in the matter and stop the Delhi police to make helmet wearing must for the Sikh women.
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Cashier robbed, shot dead
New Delhi, January 31 According to the police, Vinod was accosted near Negi Chowk and shot when he tried to resist the robbery attempt. The incident was reported around 4.30 pm. "Vinod works with a scrap dealer Dileep Verma who has office in Patparganj. He was on his way to Mansarovar Park on motorcycle when two bike-borne youths hit his bike from behind and forced him to stop. They tried to snatch his bag, but when Vinod resisted, they shot him twice and escaped with the money bag," said a police official. Vinod succumbed to his injuries when rushed to GTB Hospital. According to the police, the amount of cash taken is yet to be confirmed but believes it to be in lakhs. Vinod was resident of the Bhagwanpur Khear area of northeast Delhi. A case of murder and robbery has been registered at the local police station.
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Subsidy on onions goes as prices dip
New Delhi, January 31 Taking note of the fact that the prices of onions in the retail market has gone down considerably from Rs 70 to Rs 85 per kg as on December 20 and 21 to Rs 30 today, the officials decided to end the subsidised sale of onions. "Since the prices of onions have started coming down in Delhi, it was thought that the subsidised sale of the vegetable was not needed," a source said. However, Nafed managing director Sanjeev Chopra said if there was any left out stock in Nafed godowns, the same would be cleared in the next one or two days at Rs 20 . During December when the soaring prices of onions brought tears not just to the eyes but also to the pocket of a common man, the government decided to sell onions at cheaper rates in Delhi through outlets of Mother Dairy, Nafed, National Consumer Co-operative Federation and Kendriya Bhandar. Meanwhile, the wholesale prices of onions have come down to Rs 5-17 per kg in Azadpur wholesale market. |
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Youth held with Rs 45-lakh heroin
New Delhi, January 31 According to the police, Mohammad Saharuddin was apprehended yesterday fromt he Connaught Place area by a team of the narcotics wing when he came there to supply the contraband to a customer. Saharuddin hails from Kishanganj in Bihar and used to bring heroin from there. The heroin with which he was caught was procured by him from one Anwar for the consumption of vagabonds in Connaught Place. A case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against Saharuddin," said Ashok Chand, deputy commisioner of police DCP (Crime). |
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Trader’s office burgled of
Rs 41 lakh
Ghaziabad, January 31 According to the police, the burglary took place during the weekend at Bahubali Steel and Iron Company run by Vibhor Goel. Goel found his safe open and the money missing when he opened the shop in Ghaziabad's steel wholesale market on Monday around 12 noon. He had closed the shop for the weekend Saturday night around 8 pm, the police said. "We are trying to find out if any insider was involved in the burglary," city police superintendent A.K. Vijeta said.
IANS |
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