New Delhi, May 12
With the hottest day in the past five years, the national Capital today sweltered under extreme heat with the maximum temperature touching 43.1° C, four degrees above the average for this time of the year.

"The maximum temperature today at 43.1° C made it the hottest day of the season. It also broke the five-year record by being the hottest day since 2006," said an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The minimum temperature recorded today was five degrees above the average at 29.6° C.

For tomorrow, the Met Department predicted similar weather conditions, however, the only respite that the Capital may expect partly cloudy skies.

"Over the next 24 hours, there is a likelihood of a duststorm or a thunderstorm, but no rain. The skies will be partly cloudy," he said.

In 2010, the maximum temperature on May 12 was 41° C. In 2009, it was 37°, in 2008 it was 38°, in 2007 40° and in 2006 it was 40° C.

New Delhi, May 12
The Delhi High Court today reserved its order on charges by Delhi University (DU) that some teachers had flouted court orders by protesting against the semester system.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna said: "The court will pronounce its final verdict on whether the teachers can be hauled up for the contempt of court or not next week."

However, according to the teachers present in the court today, they were heard properly for the first time.

The judges today spent much of their time speaking to teachers of different subjects, including English literature, maths and economics.

The counsel for DU moved an application alleging that the teachers of Dyal Singh College should be punished for contempt of court as they tried to stall the implementation of semester system.

"The college was supposed to send the eligibility criteria and additional information regarding the curriculum being fixed by the university, but they refused to reply, stating that the matter is pending before the high court," the counsel said.

According to the DU counsel, since the court had not stayed the implementation of semester system and has asked the teachers to cooperate with them in the interest of students, the teachers' denial amounted to the contempt of court.

On behalf of the teachers, senior counsel Prashant Bhushan submitted that the teachers are protesting only because they are concerned about the students.

New Delhi, May 12
The BJP opposes the privatization of water supply in the Capital, saying that it shows the failure of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as she is chairperson of the Delhi Jal Board. The DJB has failed to distribute water equitably. A majority of the areas depend on water supplied by private tankers and ground water.

In a joint statement, Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta and Leader of Opposition V. K. Malhotra said that during the 13 years of her rule in the Capital, the Chief Minister has not been able to provide drinking water to the people. She has not been able to stop the wastage of water either.

She could not cut the revenue deficit of the Jal Board which has been increasing constantly. She has also failed to get Delhi's share of water from the neighbouring states.

The BJP leaders said that the Chief Minister has been planning to hand over the DJB to the private companies for a long time and with this intention, she has doubled the rates of power and water recently so that after the privatization of the Jal Board, the companies get benefit.

They alleged that there was bungling of Rs 12,500 crore in the privatization of power supply and now the Delhi Jal Board was going to be privatized in the similar manner.

Gurgaon, May 12
There is widespread resentment among industrialists against the Haryana government's new industrial policy and the HSIIDC's estate management procedures (EMP-2011).

Hundreds of entrepreneurs of Gurgaon and nearby areas micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) staged a dharna in front of the HSIIDC office in Udyog Vihar here today. Representatives of different industrial associations participated in the dharna.

Terming the new industrial policy and procedures "anti-MSME and "unlawful", the protesters said certain provisions in the policy and procedures would "harm the growth of small enterprises in the state and perpetrate a regime of harassment by HSIIDC".

The protest was organised under the aegis of the Joint Forum of Gurgaon Industrial Associations, which includes the Gurgaon Industrial Association , Chamber of Industries of Udyog Vihar, Udyog Vihar Industries Association, Haryana Industries Association, Gurgaon Udyog Association, Laghu Udyog Bharti, Pace City Industrial Association, Industrial Development Association sector 37, Udyog Vihar Phase VI Industrial Association and Roj-ka-Meo Industrial Association.

As a mark of protest, black flags were put atop all industrial units and the units observed a half-day bandh.

Similar protests were held at Manesar and other towns of Haryana, including Kundli, Rai, Barhi, Panipat, Karnal, Kurushektra, Manakpur, Bahadurgarh and Rohtak.

The decision to stage protest demonstrations was taken by all Haryana MSME industrial associations at a meeting held in Kundli recently.

"Industrial property was allotted by HSIIDC on a freehold basis, but as per the new policy, conditions of freehold right have been restrained. Entrepreneurs are being forced to sign an undertaking on a stamp paper declaring that provisions of EMP- 2011 would be applicable and original agreement at the time of allotment would not apply anymore," they alleged. They added that there was no provision in the new EMP for registering title deed of ownership and allotees.

"If an allotee leases out his premises, he will be required to pay 50 per cent of rentals to the HSIIDC in case of any alleged default by the tenant.

A system of complicated procedures for obtaining permissions has been introduced so that the HSIIDC can continue to harass entrepreneurs and extort from them in the name of heavy penalties and interest. Properties, including buildings constructed by entrepreneurs, are being subjected to resumption for minor defaults," they maintained.

New Delhi, May 12
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has got a master plan prepared for the development of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib with the help of experts from the foreign countries.

Once it is developed, Rakab Ganj Sahib will be one of the most beautiful gurdwaras in the country after Harmandir Sahib, claimed DSGMC president Paramjeet Singh Sarna.

The DSGMC president said that having seen the increasing rush of devotees, the committee felt the need to develop the open area of the gurdwara premises in a modern way. A multi-storeyed parking will also be constructed. Architects from Hong Kong, Singapore and London were invited to make the layout plan. As the foreign architects were not aware of Sikh architecture and religious needs, they were taken to Harmandir Sahib and other historical places of Sikhs.

The layout plan was examined by the DSGMC and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Development Committee. It was finalized after discussing all the issues with the experts.

Members of the development committee paid Rs 1 crore to the experts from their own pockets as the charges of preparing the layout plan, Sarna said.

He said that opposition groups in the gurdwara committee misguided people by saying that Rs 350 crore would be spent for construction of the parking only. This amount would be for the entire development work. The committee cannot manage this amount. The Sikh community has come forward to contribute money for the development work.

The layout plan consists of an institute of Sikh history, religion, museum, reference library where the scholars doing research in the Sikh history will be provided with all possible information. The institute will be based on modern technology.

Another institute will disseminate the teachings of brotherhood, equality and peace listed in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Apart from this, a huge hall, an air conditioned langar hall with proper kitchen facility will be constructed. The multi-storeyed parking having the capacity to park 3,000 cars is part of the project.

Besides, staff quarters for granthis, employees and a guest house for devotees who come from far-off places will also be constructed.

Sarna said it would take three years to complete the project. Once the project is over, the gurdwara will be an attraction for the tourists, including foreigners and research scholars.

New Delhi, May 12
With the arrest of a 22-year-old pilot who has submitted a forged marksheet to obtain a commercial pilot licence (CPL), the total number of pilots, middlemen and officials arrested in this scam has gone up to 19.

According to Ashok Chand, DCP (crime), Rohit Kapoor was arrested from RK Puram last night after his papers were found forged. Meanwhile, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has forwarded two more names to the Delhi police for checking their antecedents and marksheets. "Two more names, Jigesh G Bhai Patel and Saurabh P Lokhande have also been forwarded to the crime branch of the Delhi police by the DGCA which believes that they have submitted forged marksheets to obtain the CPL," said Chand. The duo is yet to be arrested.

According to information, Kapoor joined a three-year diploma course in aeronautical mechanical engineering from an aviation academy in Hyderabad but left the course midway and went to Phillipines to join a flying course in March 2008. He joined a flying school there and in December 2008, he came to India and appeared for pilot examination but he could not pass any paper.

"He once again appeared in all three exams in April 2009, but could pass only one paper of air regulation. Then he went back to Phillipines and completed his flying hours and got his CPL in January 2010. In April 2010 session, he appeared in air navigation composite paper for conversion of the CPL (Phillipines) into CPL (India), but could not clear the same," said the DCP.

After repeated failures to clear the exam, Kapoor met a contact in Delhi who assured him that on payment of Rs 50,000 he would help him in getting him the result card and would also get his file processed in the DGCA for grant of the CPL.

He allegedly paid Rs 50,000 to the contact who then submitted the documents for obtaining of the CPL with the DGCA. However, there was suspicion over his documents and the file was kept pending for the issue of the CPL by the DGCA.

Granted bail by court

New Delhi, May 12

A trial court here today granted bail to Rohit Kapoor who was arrested for submitting forged documents to obtain his commercial pilots licence.

"Considering the circumstances that the accused has not flown any aircraft and that other people arrested in a similar cases are released on bail... thus, he is also entitled to bail," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit said.

The court dismissed the Delhi police's plea seeking 14-days judicial custody of Kapoor.

It further directed Kapoor to furnish personal and surety bonds each of Rs 25,000.

A few hours after Kapoor was arrested, the police took him to Rajasthan to apprehend other accused in the case, a senior police officer said. - IANS

New Delhi, May 12
A 34-year-old man stabbed his wife to death over a petty domestic issue in the Vijay Vihar area of outer Delhi last night.

According to the police, the victim has been identified as Chhoti Sahni (30).

The incident came to light around 11 pm when Kamlesh, one of the neigbhours, suspected foul and entered the house. He found the victim lying in the pool of blood.

According to the police, accused Amarjeet Sahni stabbed his wife after a heated argument which was audible to the neighbours too.

"The murder took place in front of their five-year-old son, who told us that his father stabbed his mother. After stabbing, Amarjeet rushed out from the house. Seeing this, Kamlesh went inside the house and found Chhoti injured," said a police official.

He informed the police and other neighbours. She was rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

Amarjeet, a native of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, is still absconding and the police is trying to trace him.

"We have questioned around 20 to 30 persons in the case and have also deputed a team at various railway stations and inter-state bus stops to arrest him," said the official.

The victim's family members have been informed about the incident.

Amarjeet do not have any fixed source of income and engages in menial jobs.

New Delhi, May 12
The crime branch of the Delhi police has apprehended Mohammad Salim (58), a typist with Tis Hazari Court, for unlawfully using the seal of a notary public for attesting documents.

According to the police, five blank stamp papers, 20 rubber stamps pertaining to notary public, oath commissioner, etc have been recovered from his possession.

According to Ashok Chand, DCP (crime), Salim was arrested on May 10 when he was found attesting a document using the seal of notary. The genesis of the case pertains to a 2005 complaint at Patel Nagar police station by a German resident alleging brutality by her husband and his family. However, during the trail, both the parties compromised and filed a petition for quashing the FIR in the court.

"As the complainant was residing in Germany, her paternal uncle produced a general power of attorney on March 13. However, the court got suspicious as the seal of the notary was not having the registration number on it. The court directed the investigating officer to verify the notary," said the DCP.

New Delhi, May 12
Commemorating the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, a series of events were organised in several city hospitals and on the occasion, the hospital nursing staff were awarded in recognition of their patient-care services.

Nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system without whom the hospital services would be left limping. Moreover, the job of nurses has become quite demanding with their strength being significantly less against their requirement in government hospitals, which receive a heavy influx of patients.

International Nurses Day was observed in gaiety keeping aside the unsettled issues between the nursing staff and hospital administrations that have disrupted the patient-care services many times in several hospitals of Delhi.

"Even as the functions organised in the government hospitals saw a good participation, many nurses could not attend them due to their shifts," said Premlata, the assistant nursing superintendent of GTB Hospital.