Lok Sansad clamours for passage of consensus bills
New Delhi, February 21
Condemning the long disruptions during the last session of the 15th Lok Sabha, hundreds of people and social activists today marched to Parliament under the banner of a coalition of people's movements--Lok Sansad-to demand that consensus bills are passed through ordinances-Grievance Redress Bill, Disability Rights Bill and SC/ST [PoA] Amendment Bill.

(L) Mandhir Singh Deol, a senior journalist, gets the first Pushpinder Singh Memorial Award. Tribune photo

North Delhi streets plunge into darkness
New Delhi, February 21
The streets of North Delhi have plunged into darkness after Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) disconnected the power owing to the non-payments of electricity dues by Public Works Department (PWD). The discom has disrupted power to the streetlights in Ashok Vihar, Keshavpuram, Model Town, Shastri Nagar, Shalimarbagh and Rohini areas as these roads are under the jurisdiction of the PWD.

Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi sit on a dharna near Parliament. They were demanding remunerative prices for agricultural products, reduction in power and diesel tariffs and a separate budget for agriculture in New Delhi on Friday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

Ex-BSF constable tries to immolate self
New Delhi, February 21
A 39-year-old man, retired from the Border Security Force in 2000 for being 'mentally disturbed', today arrived at Vijay Chowk near Parliament, with his family and threatened to immolate himself.

Revised Budget for Delhi approved
New Delhi, February 21
The Revised Budget for the year 2013-14 and Interim Budget for the year 2014-15 of the government of NCT of Delhi was today presented in Parliament and approved by the House.

12 children rescued from cosmetic firm
New Delhi, February 21
Twelve children, trafficked into Delhi and forced to work under torturous conditions in a cosmetic factory (Nonie Lime Fresh), were rescued from Rajouri Garden by the Delhi police and Labour Department following a complaint by the NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan. The factory was sealed and its owner was apprehended too.

BJP promises full statehood for Delhi
New Delhi, February 21
The BJP has reiterated its old assurance that if it is voted to power, it will get full statehood for Delhi even though Union Minister of Home Affairs Sushil Kumar Shinde recently said that Delhi could not be given it. Delhi unit chief of the BJP Dr Harsh Vardhan has said that Delhi will be provided the status of a full-fledged state when the BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi, comes to power at Centre. He said that crores of people of the NCR face various administrative and other difficulties as Delhi does not have full statehood. The pace of development work remains slow due to multi-agency system in Delhi, Vardhan said. — TNS

Lok Sansad clamours for passage of consensus bills
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
Condemning the long disruptions during the last session of the 15th Lok Sabha, hundreds of people and social activists today marched to Parliament under the banner of a coalition of people's movements--Lok Sansad-to demand that consensus bills are passed through ordinances-Grievance Redress Bill, Disability Rights Bill and SC/ST [PoA] Amendment Bill.

In the evening, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi met the protesters and assured them of bringing ordinances on the three pending bills.

Even as the protesters welcomed the passage of the Whistle Blowers Bill and the Street Vendors Bill, they called it a partial victory as several key bills are still pending. "It is gross injustice to the sections concerned that despite consensus across all parties, Parliament has not passed the bills," they said.

Earlier, Anjali Bhardwaj of National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information (NCPRI) said that Parliament has betrayed the people of this country because in 2011 Parliament passed a sense of house resolution promising to offer a comprehensive framework for grievance redress and accountability including the Grievance Redress Bill.

"As citizens, we are distressed by what is happening in Parliament. For the last three years, we've seen continual disruptions in Parliament and very little business being transacted. Lok Sansad had been demanding that one day of Parliament be set aside for passing consensus legislations," she said urging not to end the session.

Javed Abidi of Disabled Right Group strongly condemned the inaction by MPs and Parliament for passing the bills. He said that the rights of the disabled have been neglected since Independence and the 1995 legislation is extremely inadequate as it does even recognise many types of disabilities and the new legislation is pending with the Rajya Sabha.

Nikhil Dey of NCPRI said that the Lok Sansad had met with leaders of all parties, and all the parties had assured them that they would support the passage of the bill. He said that Parliament has failed millions of people by not passing the bills and denying them justice.

Rameshnathan, National Coalition on Strengthening of SC/ST PoA Act, said that Parliament had betrayed Dalits. He said that untouchability prevails all over the country and the existing SC/ST PoA act is very weak and the conviction rate has been less than six per cent.

North Delhi streets plunge into darkness
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
The streets of North Delhi have plunged into darkness after Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL) disconnected the power owing to the non-payments of electricity dues by Public Works Department (PWD). The discom has disrupted power to the streetlights in Ashok Vihar, Keshavpuram, Model Town, Shastri Nagar, Shalimarbagh and Rohini areas as these roads are under the jurisdiction of the PWD.

According to the TPDDL, there is an outstanding amount of Rs 8.90 crore on the PWD since May last year.

"The PWD has defaulted on payment of electricity bill related to streetlights in the TPDDL's area of North and Northwest Delhi. The PWD has not paid the electricity outstanding dues for over 10 months now. As on date a total of Rs 8.90 crore is outstanding on them," said a senior TPDDL official.

"We have been following up for payment of electricity dues with the PWD officials since May last year and have written several letters requesting for an immediate release of amount in order to avoid any inconvenience to the resident of the area," said the official.

He said the move had been taken to recover the outstanding dues. The PWD seems noncommittal on the immediate release of payment and has adopted a dilly-dallying approach which has resulted in the disconnection of streetlights, the official added.

Ex-BSF constable tries to immolate self
Shaurya Karanbir Gurung
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
A 39-year-old man, retired from the Border Security Force in 2000 for being 'mentally disturbed', today arrived at Vijay Chowk near Parliament, with his family and threatened to immolate himself.

The former BSF constable, Ashok Kumar, had arrived at the media parking near Parliament. He was carrying a cloth and before he could set that on fire, the police caught him. "He was enacting a drama of setting himself on fire," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi District) S B S Tyagi.

Speaking to The Tribune, Kumar said that his intention was to burn an effigy. "I would have also set myself on fire had I not been stopped. I was going to do it, because of my prevailing circumstances," he said.

Kumar was from the 95th Battalion of the BSF and posted at the India-Bangladesh border in Assam before his retirement. He claimed that in 1999, he and his colleagues had stopped a truck attempting to transport cows across the border into Bangladesh. "We were on duty. It was Eid, but I didn't allow the truck to pass the border. My senior officers later levelled allegations against me, saying that I was mentally unstable. In regard to other collegues, the officers said one was drunk and the other was sleeping," alleged Kumar.

Kumar claimed that AIIMS in Delhi had constituted three medical boards, which gave him fitness certificates thrice. "The medical tests revealed that I don't consume drugs. I don't have any diseases and most importantly I am fit. But the BSF sent me home, claiming that I was mentally disturbed," he said.

BSF on its part said that Kumar is making false allegations. "He was medically boarded out in 2000, meaning that he was retired on the grounds that his medical condition could not be improved. A medical board of the BSF took opinions from civil doctors who revealed that he was mentally disturbed,” said BSF sources.

Kumar is currently working as a mechanic, repairing fridges and air-conditioners. "I can repair them. I know how to handle their compressors and there is always a danger that they can burst. If I was mentally unstable, would I be able to do all this," he said.

Revised Budget for Delhi approved
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
The Revised Budget for the year 2013-14 and Interim Budget for the year 2014-15 of the government of NCT of Delhi was today presented in Parliament and approved by the House.

The Delhi Appropriation Bill, 2014 which authorizes payment and appropriation of money from the consolidated fund of Delhi government for financial year 2013-14 and Delhi Appropriation (Vote on Account Bill, 2014) providing for withdrawal of funds from the consolidated fund of the government for a period of six months in the year 2014-15 were passed by Parliament.

Presenting the Interim Budget Estimates (BE) for the 2014-15, Parliament approved Rs 36,066 crore. It includes Rs 17,000 crore for Plan Expenditure (including Rs 1,000 crore for CSS) and Rs 19,066 crore for Non-Plan Expenditure. The demand for grants for the full financial year 2014-15 may be revised at the time of presentation of the regular budget, if need arises.

In the Revised Estimates (RE) 2013-14, Parliament has approved Rs 35423.59 crore as against the Budget Estimates (BE) of Rs 37,450 crore.

12 children rescued from cosmetic firm
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21
Twelve children, trafficked into Delhi and forced to work under torturous conditions in a cosmetic factory (Nonie Lime Fresh), were rescued from Rajouri Garden by the Delhi police and Labour Department following a complaint by the NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan. The factory was sealed and its owner was apprehended too.

Two of the boys, aged between 12 and 17, belong to Nepal, while the others had been trafficked from Navgarh village in Uttar Pradesh. The raid team found the child labourers filling crème and powder boxes besides packing the beauty products.

These children said they were forced to work for 15 hours a day up to midnight for a meagre pay. The medical examination of these children revealed a high level of malnourishment.