New Delhi, June 3
Climate of Delhi is changing that causes high temperature and less rainfall in the city, said a survey report conducted by the Energy and Resource Institute (TERI).

The report said that over 90 per cent of the respondents stated that climatic changes were occurring that resulted increase in temperature and rainfall is declining.

Almost 95 per cent of the respondents felt that water was being wasted due to pattern of its usage, leakage from taps and leakage during distribution of water, the report said.

The household waste has also its contribution in climate change in Delhi. As far as the pattern of household waste disposal is concerned there is no system of recycling of the household waste. Eighty-eight per cent of the respondents felt improper waste management had severe health impacts with another nine per cent stating the impact to be moderate. The survey attempted to understand the willingness of the citizens to segregate their household waste into bio-degradable and non-biodegradable categories before disposing it. It was found that only 35 per cent of the respondents were willing segregate waste.

The report says that haphazard development is also one of the reasons of climate change in Delhi. But majority of the people are not aware of this view. Only 4 per cent of the total respondents from middle income localities stated that environmental protection and development could go hand in hand, whereas 13 per cent and 21 per cent for the respondents from low income and high income localities respectively has similar views.

With regard to education, more than 57 per cent of the primary educated respondents reported that government should prioritize environment over development.

New Delhi, June 3
Scorching heat lashed the national Capital today as the maximum temperature was recorded at 41.7° C, a notch above normal.

The minimum temperature of the day settled at 26.5° C, a notch below normal.

The MeT department has predicted a mainly clear sky for tomorrow but the mercury is expected to soar to 43° C and the minimum temperature is likely to settle around 26° C.

The maximum temperature recorded yesterday was one notch below normal at 39.9° C and the minimum was 25° C, three notches below normal.

New Delhi, June 3
The Delhi Excise Department has seized thousands of bottles of liquor during several raids conducted by the officials to curb the menace in different parts of Delhi.

The raids were carried out on the directions of Lieutenant Governor (LG) Najeeb Jung.

Giving details of the raids, the Commissioner (Excise), J.B. Singh informed that several cases have been registered against the violators at different police stations with full information of quality, quantity and brand of liquor recovered and also the vehicles seized.

Around 84,000 bottles of liquor seized during several raids.

In Narela, Punjabi Colony, an FIR was filed against Bhagwan Dutt where 50 cases of illicit liquor (240 bottles of Besto and 360 of Murthal No.1 Brands) for sale in Haryana were seized. One vehicle was also seized in this case.

Another case was registered in Loni, Ghaziabad, against Jugal Kishore in which 40 cases (240 bottles of Party Special and 240 of Santra Brands) for sale in Haryana were seized.

"Similar cases were filed against persons at police stations of Pandav Nagar, Bhalswa Dairy, Vasant Kunj, Geeta Colony and Alipur. A total of 613 cases of illicit liquor were seized from them which were for sale in Haryana. Five vehicles have also been seized from the possession of accused," said Singh.

Singh said that the raids will continue in the capital to check the discrepancies and to find whether the provisions are followed properly or not.

He clarified that the stringent action will be taken against the persons found violating the provisions.

New Delhi, June 3
The Delhi Congress today accused the BJP-ruled Central government of halting the development work of 895 unauthorized colonies regularized by the Congress government.

The Delhi Urban Development (UD) Ministry has ordered to extend the time period to determine the boundaries of the unauthorized colonies by one more year. Congress leaders said the orders show that whenever the BJP came to power, it had put hurdles in the regularization of unauthorized colonies.

"The Delhi UD Ministry, at the behest of the BJP leaders, in a pre-planned manner, was trying to delay the development of these colonies through the order to determine the boundaries of the unauthorized colonies in a fresh manner," said Mukesh Sharma, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) chief spokesperson.

There are around 1,600 unauthorised colonies in the city. During the tenure of former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, a gazette notification was issued for the regularization of these 895 colonies.

Blaming the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporations for not preparing the layout plans of these colonies, Sharma said that they charge hefty amounts from people for building houses.

"People will be able to get the building plans approved only after the layout plan is made. The MCD officials were taking bribes ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh from the poor people for allowing them to construct houses with the protection of the leaders in the BJP-ruled MCDs," he said.

New Delhi, June 3
It appears the registration process for Delhi University's Four-Year Undergraduate Programmes is gradually picking up a day after sale of forms for admission to various undergraduate courses saw a fall.

"There was an unprecedented rush of admission seekers both at 18 designated centres as well as via online mode," said university authorities.

More than 1,25,000 applicants had already purchased Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) admission forms/registered online up to 5.30 pm as compared to one lakh during last year by the second day of admissions.

"As compared to last year nearly 25,000 more applicants had already bought the forms/registered online till today," DU Registra Prof Alka Sharma said.

Giving further break-up, DU's media coordinator Prof Malay Neerav said a total of nearly 62,000 forms have already been sold on the first two days offline while over 64,000 students have already registered online.

Of 64,000 admission seekers who have opted for online mode while 42,000 had registered today itself and out of which 13,200 had already paid their fees till the same time. In total among the online applicants nearly 20,000 had paid their fees.

On the other side with DU aspirants thronging the campuses since early morning, a total of 29,693 forms were sold from the designated counters in different colleges while authorities confirmed the receiving of 11,859 filled forms at the 18 centres.

There were students accompanied by parents and relatives from Delhi as well as neighbouring areas who had come to collect the form on the second day which was in contrast to the first day when a number of student organisations were seen protesting against the FYUP.

New Delhi, June 3
Standing in solidarity with DU professor GN Saibaba, who is lodged in Nagpur Central Jail on charges of illegal links with Maoists, human rights activists today condemned his continued "incarceration and custodial torture" in jail by the Maharashtra Police and demanded his immediate release.

Activists accused the jail authorities of disregarding the rights of wheel-chair bound Prof Saibaba who is apparently kept in a "dark, cramped space like the unda cell" during the night as told by Prof Saibaba's family, wife Vasantha and younger brother Ramdev.

They have not only denounced the manner of the police and the judicial action against him describing it as inhuman and gross violation of basic rights, but also condemned the DU authorities for allowing it to happen.

The matter came for discussion during a convention organised by the Delhi University Committee Against Police Repression here on a day when the bail petition filed on behalf of Prof Saibaba was fixed for hearing on June 10 by a Nagpur court.

As understood from the family members, he is still denied a wheel-chair and an attendant despite his "90 per cent disability". On the other side, the family has been served with an "eviction notice" by the Delhi University authorities - seen as another attempt to mount pressure and harass.

"Why do the authorities have to rush with the order that states them to vacate the house in 15 days leaving his wife and daughter helpless? This is inhumane," asserted Associate Professor Dr Karen Gabriel of St. Stephen's College.

According to Dr N Raghuram, former president of IP University Teachers' Association, Prof Saibab's case highlights how India which is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is treating the differently abled.

"There is no evidence against him of indulging in any criminal act. This shows what is happening in country in policing of thoughts and expression of views," Dr Raghuram.

The activists alleged that it is the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act that is being used by the law enforcement agencies of the state to scuttle the dissenting voices of individuals and organisations that are involved in the struggle against injustice meted out to the poor and marginalised.

New Delhi, June 3
A minor fire broke out in a media centre at the Delhi Police Headquarters here today due to short-circuit in a computer.

According to the fire department, a call was received at 2.55 pm that a fire had broken out in the police headquarters.

"Six fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flame. It took the firefighters around 25 minutes to control the blaze," said an official of the department.

The police said short-circuit was reported in the UPS of a computer placed in the media centre. Smoke filled the room and a call was made to the fire department immediately.

In the fire, the UPS was gutted and a Photostat machine was also damaged, said a police officer.

No one was injured in the incident, he added. —PTI