New Delhi, July 28
Heads of educational institutions, including school principals, proctors and university vice-chancellors, will soon have powers to challan anyone found selling tobacco products in the vicinity of these establishments.

In a major development meant to check illegal sale of tobacco products around schools and colleges, the ministry of health has proposed an additional notification under the existing Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COPTA) to list people who will have the power to enforce the provisions of the law.

The notification has been sent for the law ministry's approval, after which it will become operational. It has been issued under Sections 6 (a) and 6 (b) of the COPTA which prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors and sale in an area within a radius of 100 yards of any educational institution.

The said sections also mandate the installation of a display board at the point of the sale of tobacco declaring that such sale to minors is prohibited and a display board in all educational institutions stating that sale of tobacco within 100-yard radius is prohibited.

As per the proposed new notification, the following persons will have the authority under the COTPA to act against and punish offenders - vice-chancellors, directors, proctors, principals, headmaster, in charge of educational institutions as well as junior labour commissioners from the department of labour.

Besides, municipal health officers, representatives of panchayati raj institutions, including chairpersons, sarpanch and panchayat secretaries, can slap fine on defaulters.

All officers of the rank of sub-inspector in state food and drug administration; all officers of the rank of inspector and above from the department of education and all officers of the rank of sub-inspector of the police and above from the department of home affairs will also be empowered to take an action in this regard.

District programme managers and finance managers from the district health societies under the National Rural Health Mission, civil surgeons, chief medical officers at district hospital and medical officers at primary health centres will also be authorised to challan the offenders.

Powers will also be given to block development officers, block extension educators, directors and joint directors, department of health and department of education in the state governments and nodal officers of state and district tobacco control cell under the National Tobacco Control Programme.

Officials of the health ministry said the fresh notification was brought in after several state governments expressed a desire for clarification as they were facing problems with the enforcement of the relevant sections of the COTPA. — PTI

Greater Noida, July 28
Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) chief executive officer (CEO) Rama Raman today said, "The authority has no power to hike the land compensation. Once we get a concrete proposal of mentioning the amount from farmers, we will send it to the state government for the approval."

"Ninety per cent of the court cases of the farmers are of abadi land. Their other problem was related to developed land given to them. They want plots on the Noida pattern," said Raman.

The third demand was a hike in land compensation. This will have to be decided by the state government, said Raman.

Regarding the changing of land from industrial to residential, the CEO said, "The planned industrial development included residential and commercial activity too. However, we maintain the percentage of the land in each category as per approved by the master plan. The declined global industrial recession demand has forced the authority to change the use of land to residential. However, an equal area of other land was earmarked for industrial units."

When asked about the huge difference of land compensation of Rs 850 given to farmers and Rs 10,000 the allotment rate at which the land was sold to builders, he said, "We have to incur the development costs of internal, external and special sectors. The total expenditure calculates around Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,650. Adding both, it comes to between Rs 5,000 and Rs 5,500 per sq mtr."

"We can only sell 50 to 55 per cent land, as rest is utilised for roads, parks and STPs and other infrastructure. Considering this, per square metre costs us between Rs 10,000 and Rs 11,000 per sq mtr. This is the price at which we sold the residential group housing flat plots," said Raman.

Meanwhile, today farmers held a havan at Sector 74, Sorkha. "We pray that officers get wisdom and think of us and give our due share in profit," said Sunil Choudhary, a leader of the farmers.

New Delhi, July 28
Overcast skies remained the major highlight of the day today in the national capital with some parts of the city receiving light drizzles, while others receiving heavy showers.

The showers today led to traffic hassles on the city roads with commuters stuck in jams during the evening office hours. Be it the ITO, Mathura Road, Govindpuri, GB Road, or Ashram, every road was blocked due to waterlogging.

The weatherman has forecast more rains for the capital over the next 24 hours. Rains are expected late night today as well.

Even late last night, the city received heavy showers at various places with the rain gauges recording 6.3mm rainfall till 8.30am today morning.

The minimum temperature today settled one degree below the average at 26.1 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature today settled at 33.6 degree Celsius, average for this time of the season.

The humidity levels today settled on the higher side at 95 per cent.

"The skies are likely to remain cloudy tomorrow as well. The maximum and the minimum temperatures tomorrow are likely to oscillate between 32 and 27 degree Celsius. There is possibility of rain and thundershowers in some parts of the capital and nearby areas," an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said.

New Delhi, July 28
Teachers in over 1700 municipal schools will now impart self-defence skills to its students apart from academics.

The education department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) today concluded its 15-day 'Save the Life' training camp for its teachers.

The camp that was aimed at making teachers efficient in self-defence skills so that they could further teach the students, especially girls. The training included games like judo and karate.

Dr Mahinder Nagpal, chairman of the Education Committee, said the move would lead to awareness among students about self-defence and security.

These camps were organized in all 12 zones of the MCD, in which about 1100 teachers took part.

Nagpal said the teachers were made aware about disaster management, music, yoga, traffic rules etc.

"The main aim of the training camp was to infuse a new dimension towards life among the teachers so that they inspire students to lead a better and a secured life. This will also help the students become a good citizen of the country," said Nagpal.

New Delhi, July 28
Second and third year students of Ramjas College, who were agitating against the new merit rule for hostel accommodation, today called off their hunger strike.

The hostel committee said the students had stopped their agitation as most of them were easily qualifying according to the new rules and making through the final list.

"The only students who have been left out are the ones who have failed or have an essential repeat paper. Also, some students who were involved in violence complaints and had indulged in undisciplinary and violent acts in hostel and the warden house will not be on the list. Most students, who applied, have made it. Rules are rules, and they stay. Most students are now on board," said hostel warden Suresh Kumar.

The students were on strike since Monday following a ruling from the staff council that called for yearly academic evaluation for the allotment of hostels every year.

As many as 110 students, including 45 girls, were affected by the new ruling, who said that they met with closed doors when they returned for the new academic session this year.

A BA III year, Devesh Singh, said, "We have stopped the strike after the assurances from the committee that most of the students have made it to the list.

“We are now waiting for the final list which will be out tomorrow."

New Delhi, July 28
A three-year-old girl, who was hospitalised after being raped and left behind bleeding unconscious by the culprits on Sunday night, died in a city hospital today.

The incident was reported from the Kanjhawala area of outer Delhi on Sunday night when the girl was abducted while she was sleeping with her mother in the courtyard of her house.

The parents found the girl lying unconscious behind their house. She was hospitalised at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and after the struggle of three days, she died today.

According to the police, the victim lived with her parents in the Sashi Vihar area. Her parents filed a complaint of rape against unknown persons on Sunday.

"The girl's father (name with held) has named some suspects in the matter and we are checking their antecedents. The culprit will soon be arrested," said a police official.

Meanwhile, the residents of the area met senior police officials of the district demanding immediate arrest of the culprit.

New Delhi, July 28
Lakhs of rupees spent in erecting hoardings at various places by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) about dedication to the memorial of Guru Teg Bahadur is wastage of money as it has already been advertised through the media by the government.

This was stated by Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi-UK) president Jasjit Singh here today.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi will dedicate the memorial of the Guru, spread in 11 acre at Singhu Border, tomorrow. It has constructed with a cost of about Rs 25 lakh.

Jasjit Singh said construction of the memorial was the achievement of the Delhi government that had spent crores of rupees in the name of the Guru who had sacrificed his life against the tyranny of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The foundation stone was laid by the UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, in 2007.

DSGMC president Paramjeet Singh Sarna said, "The money has no value. If any party of our body is used in the service of the Guru, we will be lucky. Those who say that erecting hoardings about dedication to the memorial of the Guru is wastage of money are not true Sikhs."

He said the DSGMC would organise a community kitchen during the function. To welcome Rahul Gandhi, a beautiful huge gate had been erected. Nishan Sahib had been installed.

Sources said the Congress in Delhi had chosen Rahul for the dedication keeping in view the elections in Punjab that was to be held in February next year and of MCD and DSGMC that was to be held in December. Party high-command considers that being youth leader dedication of Rahul to the memorial may play a major role in the elections, the sources said.

There will be four major players - Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi), the current ruling party, Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi UK) and Kendriya Guru Singh Sabha (Delhi) - in the DSGMC elections.

According to the sources, the entire Delhi government, including Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Arvinder Singh Lovely, who looks after gurdwara elections, is busy in managing tomorrow's function.

The Chief Minister is monitoring the management work herself. She has been visiting there for three days. Sarna also visited the memorial yesterday.

Ghaziabad, July 28
Eight persons died in different incidents in the district, the police said here today.

A 55-year-old man was killed allegedly by his brother at Bhood Gari village today.

Search is on to nab the accused who fled after the incident.

In a similar incident, a 35-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by his wife and brother-in-law at Kaniya village yesterday, the police said.

In another case, a 65-year-old man was killed allegedly by his son over property dispute in the Loni area yesterday.

An employee of the UP state electricity department was electrocuted yesterday, triggering a protest by his colleagues who blocked a road and damaged vehicles, it said.

In the Babugarh area, a new-born baby died in a nursing home due to alleged medical negligence. The child's family has lodged a police complaint against the hospital.

An unidentified person was run over by a train in Hapur yesterday, the police said.

A boy was found dead on a platform in Ghaziabad railway station. — PTI