Bollywood commodifies women, feel noted activists
New Delhi, January 7
At a time when the country is caught in a sweeping debate on anti-rape laws and justification of death penalty as a punishment for offenders, eminent women activists here today criticised Bollywood for promoting commodification of women, especially through the sizzling item numbers that, they say, put the women’s safety at stake in a big way.

A demonstrator demands in her own way justice for Damini during a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Sheltergate: Govt blames it on BJP-ruled MCD
New Delhi, January 7
Demanding a probe into the alleged scam of Rs 20 crore in the construction of night shelters for homeless poor, the Delhi government said that the corruption is reported when the Urban Shelter Improvement Board (USIB) was under the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

Schools insist on Aadhar Cards; refuse admission
New Delhi, January 7
Confusion over the requirements for candidates from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) applying to nursery schools has left the parents worried. The Directorate of Education has maintained that no school can refuse admission to a candidate in the absence of Aadhar Cards.

Sunny relief from icy cold New Delhi, January 7 Citizens of Delhi today got some respite from cold as people were seen soaking the sun at India Gate and outside the government offices during lunch time. The minimum temperature was recorded at 2.4 degree Celsius, slightly better than previous day’s 1.9 degree Celsius, the season’s lowest so far. An electric heater warms the Royal Bengal Tiger enclosure at Delhi Zoo in New Delhi on Monday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

55-yr-old priest held for rape
New Delhi, January 7
A 55-year-old priest allegedly raped another priest’s wife in his house in east Delhi on New Year day, said senior police officials today. The incident took place in Pandav Nagar on January 1 when the victim had gone to the priest’s house. It came to light when the woman, who is in her early 30s, informed her husband about the incident.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari interacting with the NCC cadets in the Republic Day Camp-2013 at Garrison Parade Ground in New Delhi on Monday. Tribune photo

Three of family found dead
New Delhi, January 7
Three persons, including a four-year-old child, were found dead in mysterious circumstances in a house in west Delhi’s Nangloi area, said police officials today. The bodies have been sent for postmortem.

Jamia installs ‘single wall carbon nanotube’
New Delhi, January 7
Jamia Millia Islamia has now set up a unique facility on the synthesis of ‘single wall carbon nanotube’ at the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in the university.

Sushruta centre has new contractor for gas pipeline
New Delhi, January 7
In view of the incident of disruption in oxygen supply that took place in Sushruta Trauma Centre in December last year leading to the death of five persons, the Delhi government’s health department today said it has appointed a new contractor for maintenance of the gas pipeline in the hospital.

Hospital offers free treatment to rape victim’s friend
New Delhi, January 7
The friend of the Delhi gangrape victim was today offered “full comprehensive treatment”, including psychiatric counselling, by a leading city hospital. Fortis Healthcare, which has hospitals across the National Capital Region, said it was ready to offer treatment free of cost to the software engineer, who was also attacked by the six men who allegedly gangraped his 23-year-old friend.

Bollywood commodifies women, feel noted activists
Harness the fire in the backdrop of the Delhi gangrape and translate it into ending violence against women, says US playwright
Ananya Panda
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
At a time when the country is caught in a sweeping debate on anti-rape laws and justification of death penalty as a punishment for offenders, eminent women activists here today criticised Bollywood for promoting commodification of women, especially through the sizzling item numbers that, they say, put the women’s safety at stake in a big way.

US playwright and activist Eve Ensler feels that India should harness the fire in the backdrop of the Delhi gangrape and translate it into efforts towards ending violence against women.

“Never have I seen such a breakthrough as the huge reportage and people flooding the streets here after the horrendous incident, neither in the US or elsewhere. We are in the middle of something extraordinary and the idea is to canalize it to end violence against women. We may change the laws, but the change will come only when we change our basics within ourselves,” said Eve while calling for a strong collaboration of men for a “One Billion Rising Campaign” (OBRC), a global campaign to end violence against women under way in 179 countries, including India.

Expressing concern over women’s status, she added, the next big trade after drugs is the sex industry because girls and women are “reusable”. “We have reached a crucial crescendo surrounded with the pervasive capitalism and colonialism,” she noted.

Women rights advocate Kamla Bhasin, who has been coordinating the OBRC in South Asia, said the campaign is not about women issues alone but about human rights as a whole and the public and media should be vigilant as they have been over the weeks following the brutal violence. “At least one in three women in the world is battered or a victim of abuse during her life. OBRC demonstrates protest, anger and celebration of women movement calling for zero tolerance of violence across the states in India and the world. We are rising against violence done to women and we are rising to tell Bollywood and Hollywood heroines to stop objectification of women. It is a cultural tsunami,” she remarked.

Taking this forward, renowned dancer Mallika Sarabhai said, “People should understand that rape is not about showing masculinity but represents cowardice. Change has to begin from ourselves. People should be discouraged from using gender-based expressions and also it is important to tell the bunch of our heroines who earn crores for item numbers, but put the lives of other women at risk.”

Social activist Aruna Roy said, “Violence against women has crossed all limits and the huge tragedy in Delhi has once again compelled us to rethink as to what are the root causes. Death penalty and chemical castration are not the solutions as the main reasons are inequality in wealth and resources which are pushing people to these extremes and all this due to poor governance. Women are being commodified.”

According to women safety expert Kalpana Viswanath of Jagori, OBRC is a way to link this particular incident to different forms of violence that women face at homes, workplaces and in public spaces resulting from a strange ideological framework of patriarchy. This reasserts the much-needed uprising for ensuring the dignity and rights of women, she said.

Sheltergate: Govt blames it on BJP-ruled MCD
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
Demanding a probe into the alleged scam of Rs 20 crore in the construction of night shelters for homeless poor, the Delhi government said that the corruption is reported when the Urban Shelter Improvement Board (USIB) was under the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

BJP leader Vijender Gupta asked Lieutenant-Governor Tejinder Khanna to order a probe, alleging that the bungling has continued for more than a decade.

In a statement, Gupta demanded Khanna should order a high-level and transparent enquiry about the activities of entire USIB during the last decade so that people may come to know about this bungling. Gupta also demanded that the ministers of the Delhi government who protected the officers should also be questioned.

However, the Delhi government stated that it had reported the embezzlement of cash to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in October 2010.

“The Board was constituted to streamline the functioning of the activities of the slum department under MCD. The condition of the department was getting worse and the government was flooded with a large number of complaints from the residents,” said a senior Delhi government official.

The official said that the CBI was requested to initiate an independent investigation and take further action in order to book the culprits. The government on its part suspended the assistant director concerned and nine other officers involved in the matter.

“The city government immediately on the constitution of DUSIB started looking into the records and decided to approach the Delhi police at various levels to seek proper investigation of embezzlement of cash by an assistant director in connivance with other staff members,” he said.

Schools insist on Aadhar Cards; refuse admission
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
Confusion over the requirements for candidates from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) applying to nursery schools has left the parents worried. The Directorate of Education has maintained that no school can refuse admission to a candidate in the absence of Aadhar Cards.

However, several city schools are refusing even the admission forms to candidates without Aadhar Cards.

Also, migrant working parents from the Economically Weaker Section face a lot of problems. This year, the guidelines suggest that the parents under this section need to be residents of Delhi for a minimum of three years.

Experts maintain that such restrictions cannot be imposed as the national Capital sees the maximum number of people migrating from other parts of India.

Sumit Vohra, who runs a website called admissionsnursery.com, said, “A recent survey done by us indicates that out of one lakh seats available, 25 per cent are reserved for the students of the Economically Weaker Section, 20 per cent for the management quota. Other criteria include points for neighbourhood, firstborn, girl child, sibling and differently abled students. This year, seats are also reserved for orphans.”

A parent standing at Mount Carmel today, said, “Private schools twist the guidelines according to their convenience. Several schools have included categories in the point system which are prohibited by the government. Similarly, attempts are made to deter EWS applicants. Uniform guidelines should be issued, otherwise we would be caught up in the rules laid out by individual schools,” said the parent who has filed a complaint to the Directorate for clarity on the Aadhar Card issue.

Sunny relief from icy cold
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
Citizens of Delhi today got some respite from cold as people were seen soaking the sun at India Gate and outside the government offices during lunch time. The minimum temperature was recorded at 2.4 degree Celsius, slightly better than previous day’s 1.9 degree Celsius, the season’s lowest so far.

The maximum was, meanwhile, registered at 13.4 degree Celsius, seven degrees below normal and up from yesterday’s 11.8 deg Celsius.

Fog and icy winds made the morning chilly. Conditions improved as the day progressed with fog giving way to a clear sky, but icy winds blew throughout the day.

Rail and air traffic were also disrupted. Fog affected the schedule of over 30 domestic and international flights at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here.

Humidity oscillated between 55 and 100 per cent. The MeT predicted mainly clear skies for tomorrow with fog in the morning. The maximum and minimum temperature would be around 13 and three deg C respectively, it added.

55-yr-old priest held for rape
The priest had called the woman to his house on the pretext of preparing sweets to be offered in the temple.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
A 55-year-old priest allegedly raped another priest’s wife in his house in east Delhi on New Year day, said senior police officials today. The incident took place in Pandav Nagar on January 1 when the victim had gone to the priest’s house. It came to light when the woman, who is in her early 30s, informed her husband about the incident.

The priest had called the woman to his house on the pretext of preparing sweets to be offered in the temple.

Her husband reported the matter to the Pandav Nagar police station the next day.

A medical examination confirmed rape. The accused was arrested yesterday from his hideout in Delhi late on Sunday night, said the police.

The accused allegedly threatened her with dire consequences if she approached the police.

Three of family found dead
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
Three persons, including a four-year-old child, were found dead in mysterious circumstances in a house in west Delhi’s Nangloi area, said police officials today. The bodies have been sent for postmortem.

“The incident happened at Rajendra Park Extension at Nangloi in west Delhi, when a neighbour found six persons lying unconscious, inside a house on Monday morning,” said a senior police officer.

The police reached the spot and rushed them to Deen Dayal Upadhaya Hospital where Prempal, (40), Akhilesh, (17) and Vikas, (4) were declared brought dead on arrival. Devkali, (35), Lakshmi, (10) and Amit, (7) were under treatment in the hospital.

“It might be the case of suffocation which caused due to lightning of earthen stove in the house. Food poisoning could be the other reason,” said Additional Commissioner of Police V Renganathan.

“The bodies have been sent for postmortem and the exact reason for the death would come after it,” Renganathan said. The other three are still unconscious, he added.

Jamia installs ‘single wall carbon nanotube’
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
Jamia Millia Islamia has now set up a unique facility on the synthesis of ‘single wall carbon nanotube’ at the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in the university.

This facility is exclusively dedicated for the synthesis of semi-conducting ‘single wall carbon nanotubes’ for the fabrication of emerging nanoscale electronic devices and circuits, which will have a huge impact on future production.

This is a unique facility of its type in the country, which is exclusively meant for the synthesis of semi-conducting ‘single wall carbon nanotubes’. The extraordinary electrical, mechanical, thermal and coupled electromechanical properties of these nanotubes make them very attractive material for nanosensors and futuristic VLSI circuits, especially beyond the silicon domain. Once produced, these will have a huge impact on the industry.

The centre has focused its activities on the perfection of semi-conducting nanotube as a futuristic material of 21st century. The centre has planed to focus its research and development activities in the area of ‘single wall carbon nanotube’ based nano device fabrication with an emphasis on nano-biosensors, laboratory on chip/drug delivery system, physical sensors and ultra high-speed devices and circuits.

University Vice-Chancellor Najeeb Jung, who inaugurated the new nanotechnology lab earlier this week, said, “We will provide the requisite infrastructure facilities to the centre so that the nanocentre is transformed into a world-class research centre in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology at Jamia.”

Sushruta centre has new contractor for gas pipeline
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 7
In view of the incident of disruption in oxygen supply that took place in Sushruta Trauma Centre in December last year leading to the death of five persons, the Delhi government’s health department today said it has appointed a new contractor for maintenance of the gas pipeline in the hospital.

The government had cancelled the contract of PES Installation Pvt. Ltd, which was earlier maintaining the oxygen supply to the center after five persons had died due to technical snag in the system.

Health Minister Dr A.K. Walia stated that nine technicians from Lok Nayak Hospital has been deployed in Sushruta Trauma Centre to ensure proper services, including oxygen supply.

He stated that the centre is being strengthened to make it an important place for the instant care of critical patients. Besides, the city government has decided to put in place a new, advanced trauma care services at Lok Nayak, which is situated in Central Delhi.

“The new services would definitely take care of patients brought from all parts of the city as Lok Nayak Hospital is situated in the heart of Delhi,” said Dr Walia.

He said that the modern services would be commissioned within six months with an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore. Dr Walia has instructed the health department to acquire the latest imaging and other necessary equipment.

He stated that the new services would become operational in the Orthopedic Block at Lok Nayak Hospital with 50 beds which would include ten exclusive ones for Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“The government would ensure installation of the latest equipment required for MRI, CT Scan, ultrasound apart from commissioning a specialized blood bank. It has been planned to make operational specialized electro-physiology labs for neuro and spinal cord injuries,” he said.

Hospital offers free treatment to rape victim’s friend

New Delhi, January 7
The friend of the Delhi gangrape victim was today offered “full comprehensive treatment”, including psychiatric counselling, by a leading city hospital. Fortis Healthcare, which has hospitals across the National Capital Region, said it was ready to offer treatment free of cost to the software engineer, who was also attacked by the six men who allegedly gangraped his 23-year-old friend.

The offer comes in the wake of suggestions that the male friend, who is the only witness to the brutality inflicted on the paramedic student, should be given psychiatric help to overcome the tragedy.

“Fortis Healthcare will provide full treatment to the young man till he recovers. The course of treatment will be decided after our doctor’s examine him,” Jasbir Grewal, Executive Vice-President of Fortis Healthcare, said. — PTI