New Delhi, July 14
With an objective of sharing information and reviewing the security situation in wake of serial bomb blasts in Mumbai yesterday and forthcoming Independence Day, an interstate co-ordination meeting was held at the Delhi police Headquarters today.

The meeting was chaired by police commissioner BK Gupta. Attended by the senior Delhi police officials, the other invitees included police chiefs of neighbouring districts, including Meerut, Faridabad, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Palwal, Panipat, etc.

"The meeting focused on the evaluation of threat perception related to the Independence Day. Besides, exchanging information on interstate criminals and their modus operandi was done and strategies chalked out for action concerted against active criminals," said Sandeep Goel, joint commissioner (crime).

The modalities of pre-operation and post-operation coordination by timely sharing of information, association in raids, dissemination of information on wanted criminals, dossiers, interrogation, etc. were discussed.

According to Goel, the commissioner stressed on the extensive use of ZIPNET which is a very useful tool for sharing of information on real time basis and desired that coordinated action should be taken to organise joint checking at borders.

In view of forthcoming Independence Day celebrations and the prevailing security situation, the police officers were advised to take effective anti-terrorist measures, including launching of intensive drives for verification of tenants, servants, guest houses, second hand scooter/car dealers, cyber café users, cycle sellers, contract labourers, shops selling explosives/chemicals, etc.

New Delhi, July 14
The Tihar Jail, comprising 10 sub-jails on the outskirts of Delhi, is all set to install 22 cell phone jammers and 250 CCTVs in addition to already existing eight jammers and 258 CCTVs to check any illegal use of phones by the inmates.

According to jail authorities, all the process of acquiring these equipment have been completed and the work of installment has begun. The prompt action in regard to installment of jammers at Tihar came in wake of the recent Delhi High Court direction to the state government to install at least 22 more jammers by August 15.

Sunil Kumar Gupta, law officer, Tihar Jail, said the 22 jammers were being procured from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and after completing all the formalities, the installment work was about to begun any day soon and likely to be completed by mid-August.

"Twentytwo jammers are being installed in various sub-jails which would be capable of blocking the cellular activities like incoming and outgoing calls, SMS, picture sending, web access, etc. These jammers would be capable of blocking even the 3G technology," said Gupta.

Even the existing eight jammers have been upgraded to block the latest technology in mobiles. According to him, with the additional 22 jammers, none of the sub-jail would be left uncovered.

The jail has long felt severe shortage of jammers as existing eight jammers were not enough, so much so that four sub-jails, 5, 7, 8 and 9 do not have a single jammer while sub-jails 6 and 3 have two jammers each. However, even these jails are not fully covered by the jammers as these have a radius of merely 50 metres and thus allow the use of mobile in various areas within the jail.

According to Gupta, the new jammers would have radius of 80 metres and intelligent installment of these would go a long way in curbing the nuisance of mobile use.

The Delhi police had also earlier complained that mobiles were being used inside the jail and some of the inmates were carrying on with their illegal activities with their help.

Apart from jammers, the jail authorities are also installing 250 CCTVs which would take the total number of cameras in the jails to 508.

Gupta said 250 CCTVs which would go a long way in keeping the eye on the inmates and any illegal activity in the compound.

New Delhi, July 14
The Anand Vihar-Vaishali, Ghaziabad, Delhi Metro line was opened to the public at 7 am today. The line was integrated with the existing Dwarka Sector 21 corridor.

The Anand Vihar station master flagged off the train, whereas panchayat minister (UP) Swami Prasad Maurya initiated the services from the Vaishali station. There were speculations that UP Chief Minister Mayawati would inaugurate the Metro line but she could not turn up due to political turmoil in the state, sources said.

The line was integrated with the Dwarka Sector 21 to Anand Vihar ISBT corridor. This will benefit people of Ghaziabad and its neighbouring areas, who have to travel to the Capital everyday. Dwarka Sector 21 to Vaishali line became the second longest corridor of the Delhi Metro with a route length of 46 km, in contrast to the Noida section, which is 49 km.

After Noida and Gurgaon, Ghaziabad is the third city in the National Capital Region to become connected to Delhi.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) estimates that 40,000 people will use the Ghaziabad line everyday. However, the numbers are likely to be higher.

In addition, the DMRC has constructed foot over bridges at the Vaishali and Kaushambi Metro stations to connect these to the Sahibabad Industrial Area.

"This will make it easy for the commuters from this extremely large industrial unit to access the Metro system," said spokesman for the DMRC Anuj Dayal.

The Delhi Metro network is over 185-km long and is used to transport more than 16 lakh passengers during weekdays.

Furthermore, the commuters can avail the parking facilities at the Kaushambi and Vaishali Metro stations. These stations will also have a traffic management system where there will be parking areas for autos, buses, cars and rickshaws.

Dayal said CCTV cameras had been installed for the safety of the commuters and the Metro staff had been mobilised at the stations.

New Delhi, July 14
Falling roofs, filthy and unhygienic toilets and cracking walls, this was the common scene at the all municipal schools during a surprise visit by education department officials today.

The condition of municipal schools at East of Kailash was found to be unsafe and unsatisfactory.

According to the officials, the ceiling of the classrooms appeared to be dangerous as cement was chipping off due to monsoon. Though they said the engineering department was directed to repair the buildings during the summer vacation, they did not carry out any work in this regard.

"We were surprised to see the condition of ceilings in the schools. It is dangerous as the rainy season has begun. We had asked the engineering department to fix the ceilings but they did not do so," said Mahender Nagpal, chairman of the education committee.

The same was the condition of toilets, which were stinking and not maintained. "We have given a warning to the engineering department to complete all the repair works of the schools within a week, else they will have to face strict action," said Nagpal.

The inspection was made to check the working of recently launched computerised attendance system for the teachers. Nagpal said the system was a success as most of the schools were shifted to the new technology and the school staff was excited about the change.

"Most of the schools, provided with the computers and the internet, are also working efficiently," he said.

But he added that there are still some schools where the internet connection is out of reach. "There are over 80 to 90 schools where internet has not been installed," he said.

However, the computerised attendance for the students is still far from reach. "The electronic attendance for the students will take some time. We have to register them first on the computers which is a difficult task," he said. There are over 10 lakh students in municipal schools spread across the city.

New Delhi, July 14
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said it would strictly enforce the anti-tobacco measures in all the municipal offices, schools and hospitals.

Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi today wrote to municipal commissioner KS Mehra asking him to take strict action in this regard. In the letter written to him, she asked the commissioner to issue a circular to all MCD schools, hospitals and dispensaries so that they did not allow any shop to sell tobacco products within 100 metre of their location.

Prof Abbi said it would be appropriate if necessary instructions were issued to teachers of all the schools to educate and aware children on the ill-effects of tobacco-chewing and smoking.

"We will issue necessary instruction for not allowing smoking on the MCD office premises. If anybody is caught doing so, heavy fine should be imposed on him. The deputy commissioners of all the 12 zones will be instructed to give a report regarding any shop or tehbazari near schools in their areas within a week," said Abbi.

The Mayor's directions came following her meeting with a delegation from a voluntary organisation 'Voices of Victims' at the Civic Centre. The delegation presented the Mayor with a charter of demands that included banning gutka, stopping sale of tobacco products near educational institutions and determining strong policies and programmes for tobacco control in consultation with victims of tobacco-chewing.

Tobacco kills approximately 60 lakh people every year across the globe. In India, about 10 lakh people die every year due to its use. Around 20 per cent of men and 5 per cent of women die due to the use of tobacco.

Noida, July 14
Six private builders whose projects were affected at Noida Extension held a media conference here today under the banner of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) and assured the investors that their money would be returned with interest, if they want.

The builders included Supertech, Amrapali, Mahagun, Panchsheel, Gulshan Homes and SPJ (Shree). Their managing directors answered the media queries.

The builders also talked about their losses. They would suffer a loss of around Rs 600 crore as they have invested in construction activity and other heads.

RK Arora, MD Supertech, said, "We are collectively speaking to the authority about our losses incurred due to the Supreme Court ruling, quashing the land acquisition. We are discussing with the officials as to where the authority will allot an alternative site and how our losses could be recovered."

"A total of 6,000 apartments are affected under the Shahberi project. It includes 700 apartments of Supertech, 150 of Panchsheel and 300 of Gulshan," said Arora.

Anil Sharma, MD Amrapali and vice-chairman CREDAI (western UP), said, "The association has formed a cell to monitor the ongoing projects also so that investors are not affected."

Regarding the land acquisition, the developers said it is to be looked after by the authorities.

The present Act needs amendment, but the builders have no role in this.

The builders said that a majority of buyers want flats at alternative site, but at the old rate of allotment. Several such buyers have been shifted to alternative sites available with the developers.

Around 500 applications for refund have been received so far.

New Delhi, July 14
With the arrest of three budding robbers, the police of north-east district has claimed to have foiled a major robbery bid to loot money from Muthoot Finance Corporation bank located at Nathu Colony Chowk in the Mansarovar Park area.

The robbers are identified as Bobby Tomar (30), Kamal (22) and Ankit Malik (18).

The incident took place last evening when three accused entered the bank with weapons and demanded keys to the safe/lockers.

"Meanwhile, one bank employee found the opportunity and raised an alarm, as a result the robbers panicked and ran away from the bank. He also followed them and shouted for help. The police on patrolling apprehended them along with arms and ammunition," said DCP SK Jain. Bobby Tomar is the master mind behind the entire plan.

The idea to commit robbery in the Muthoot Fincorp came to Bobby's mind from the recent robberies committed in the branches of Muthoot Finance and Fincorp as these banks are the soft targets.

Tomar has done MA from Choudhary Charan Singh University.

New Delhi, July 14
A 32-year-old driver has been arrested on charges of abducting and sodomising an 11-year-old boy near Gole Dak Khana in New Delhi district on Tuesday night.

According to the police, the accused has been identified as Nagender Shah who hails from Sitamarhi district of Bihar. The incident was reported at Mandir Marg police station around 11 pm on July 12.

The school student was returning from Gole Market around 8 pm where he had gone to buy some grocery when Shah, driver of an Innova car, stopped nearby and asked him the way to Gole Market.

"The minor described the route to the driver, but he insisted that the boy should sit in the vehicle. He promised to drop him at his house. The child was taken in and boarded the car. Instead of dropping him at his house, the driver took him to an isolated lane near Birla Mandir and forced the boy to do unnatural sex, threatening to lock the vehicle from inside," said a police official, adding that after committing the crime, the accused dropped the boy near Shanker Road and escaped. However, the child managed to note down the registration number of the vehicle. He confided in his mother who informed the police.

During the course of investigation, the details of the ownership of Innova car were obtained following which Nagender Shah was arrested. During the inspection of the vehicle, incriminating evidence has been lifted by the experts.

The clothes of the accused have also been seized.

Further investigation is in progress.