New Delhi, September 11
Very soon, plastic bags will be eliminated from the markets as today the Delhi Cabinet decided to impose a blanket ban on manufacturing, sales, storage and usage of plastic bags. In 2009, the government had banned the manufacturing, sale and use of plastic bags made of virgin, recycled or compostable plastic of less than 40 microns in thickness. But today the Cabinet banned all types of plastic bags.

The decision was taken just next day after the government decided to enforce a complete ban on gutka and other related products like panmasala, nicotine and tobacco particles.

The notification will come into force with the date to be decided in the official gazette. The notification will not affect the use of plastic carry bags as specified under the Bio-Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules, 1998. Some officials would be authorised to implement the notification in their respective jurisdictions. The Member Secretary of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee shall ensure overall monitoring and implementation of the order.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said that the government, after considering the adverse effects of plastic carry bags on the environment, felt that these bags are littered about irresponsibly and have detrimental effect on the environment. It has also been observed that the plastic carry bags cause blockage of gutters, sewerage system and drains, resulting in serious environmental and public health related problems.

The notification on the bane would be issued stating that no person, including any shopkeeper, vendor, wholesaler or retailer, trader, hawker or rehriwala would sell or store or use any kind of plastic carry bags for storing or dispensing of any eatable or non-eatable goods or materials. No person shall manufacture, import, store, sell or transport any kind of plastic carry bags in Delhi and no person shall use any kind of plastic cover or plastic sheet or plastic film or plastic tube to pack or cover any book, including magazine, an invitation card or greeting card.

New Delhi, September 11
A Delhi police constable lost his life last night after he was stabbed by a youth while trying to resolve a fight in the city's red light area on GB Road, said a senior police official.

Another constable was critically injured in the scuffle and admitted to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital.

The police has arrested three attackers and a juvenile in the matter. According to additional commissioner of police, Devesh Chandra Srivastava, the scuffle between the youths broke out in brothel number 57. The reason for it is yet to be ascertained.

The three beat officials, head constable Baljeet, constable Vijender and constable Sandeep, who were deputed at the police picket near HDFC Bank ATM, saw a youth running out of the brothel, screaming for help late last night.

The man who was later identified as Irshad, 22, told them that four persons had hit him in the brothel and they were trying to kill him.

Constable Sandeep then tried to save Irshad from an attacker who was holding an electronic button knife in his hand.

The other two persons managed to flee after seeing the cops. In the meantime, the knife-borne assailant, who has been identified as Suraj, 22, slashed Sandeep's face with the knife, in order to escape.

He then stabbed Vijender in the stomach, who was holding the juvenile. Getting the information, more policemen reached the spot and apprehended them from the spot.

The injured Vijender, Sandeep and Irshad were taken to the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital in an autorickshaw where Vijender was declared brought dead while Sandeep and Irshad are undergoing treatment.

The other two accused, Ashish and Manoj, were arrested later from their houses in Pushp Vihar and Karawal Nagar, respectively, said a police official.

Suraj, a resident of Madangir, works as a part-time car driver.

The juvenile works in a mobile shop, Ashish works as a ticketing agent in a tour and travel company in Connaught Place while Manoj works in a factory in Karawal Nagar, the official added.

New Delhi, September 11
Campaigning is in full swing at Jawaharlal Nehru University. A University General Body Meeting (UGBM) was held today where candidates for the post of vice-president, general secretary and cultural secretary for this year's JNU student union (JNUSU) were engaged in an extensive daylong debate.

The university will witness the ultimate showdown tomorrow at the presidential debate, which is the most awaited event during the campaigning. Covered in promotional posters by separate groups, JNU screams that it is a campus that has been waiting for a student union for four years now.

Over the last few days, public meetings have been called by the parties to disseminate their political ideologies amongst the student community.

Last JNUSU president and AISA member Sucheta De said, "JNU elections are not money and muscle power like DU's. Parties get votes on the basis of their agenda, ideologies and ability to stand firm on the national policy matters. How the contesting candidates perform in the presidential debate can make or break their case."

Ten candidates are contesting for the president's post, five for the vice-president's post followed by six each for the general secretary and joint secretary's posts.

"At the presidential debate tomorrow, the outgoing JNUSU will face some tough questions. I am confident that the students will recognize the efforts NSUI has put in over the last some months," said NSUI's presidential candidate Iqbal Singh Sandhu.

Kopal Singh, presidential candidate for Student Federation of India (SFI), said that there has been a shortage of hostels in the university, but nothing has been done so far.

"The reduction of viva voce marks was supposed to be implemented from this academic session. Besides, only 19 per cent of the OBC seats are filled when the quota is for 27 per cent," she added.

New Delhi, September 11
The Delhi University election commission today slapped show cause notices to three more candidates for using printed material for canvassing.

Just yesterday, eight candidates of the ABVP and NSUI were issued notices on similar grounds.

The three candidates who have got notices are presidential candidates Anjela Kishore and Neha Bhardwaj backed by the National Students Congress (NSC), and Abhishek Pandey, contesting for the post of joint secretary who is a candidate of the Ambedkar Missionaries Vidyarthi Association (AMVA).

Meanwhile, the eight candidates who had been issued show cause notices yesterday filed their responses today.

While the ABVP candidates said that they were unaware of any printed material in their names, NSUI candidates also said that they were not responsible for the posters.

New Delhi, September 11
A 30-year-old woman was shot dead at Rohini Sector-16 in west Delhi this morning by an unidentified person on a motorcycle while she was returning home after dropping her son at a playschool, around 8.30 am.

"Meenakshi was returning in a cycle rickshaw after dropping her son Manshu in his playschool when a man waylaid her. He stopped his motorcycle in front of the rickshaw and forced Meenakshi to get down. It has come to light that the two then got into a heated argument," a police official said.

Eyewitnesses claim that Meenakshi left the spot after a while, but the man followed her.

"He fired three shots in the air and subsequently shot thrice at Meenakshi. The man then fled the spot on his motorcycle," said Manoj, an eyewitness. According to eyewitnesses, the manner in which Meenakshi spoke with the accused suggested that they knew each other.

Meanwhile, the rickshaw puller made a call to the police control room.

"Meenakshi died on the spot. A crime team has inspected the spot. We are investigating the matter from the angle of personal enmity," said Mohammad Akhtar Rizvi, additional deputy commissioner of police (Outer).

Meeshakshi lived with her husband and four year old Manshu in Block-B of Sector 16, Rohini. Police officials have claimed that personal enmity could be the reason behind the murder. They said that Meenakshi's husband and his first wife Ritu would be questioned.

Six years ago, Meenakshi got married to businessman Parminder Rana, who was separated from his first wife Ritu.

Meenakshi's family has alleged that she had been threatened by Ritu's brother in the past and he could be involved in the incident.

The body has been kept for post-mortem at Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital. Sources in the hospital said Meenakshi was shot in the head, chest and abdomen.

"The body will be handed over to Meenakshi's family after the postmortem tomorrow," the official said.

A case of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code has been lodged at the KN Katju Marg police station.