New Delhi, July 25
More than 200 civil services aspirants were detained by the police as they were allegedly trying to march to Parliament today to demand the removal of the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) in the Union Public Service Commission's examination.

Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi District) S B S Tyagi said that the 235 civil services aspirants were detained at the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi.

"At about 11 am, we brought them to the police station from Rafi Marg, Rajpath crossing and near Rail Bhawan," he said, adding that the protesters were just detained.

On being asked if a case will be registered against them, the officer replied, "We have not registered a case and are leaving the 235 detainees." The protesters had violated Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure by marching towards Parliament. The section prevents the unlawful assembly of five or more persons.

The civil service aspirants who were detained at the station alleged that the police beat them.

An aspirant, Anmol Kumar, who was one of the detainees, told reporters, "We were heading to Parliament to raise our demands on scrapping the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). There were different groups of us who were caught by the police near Rail Bhawan and Rajpath. They took us to the police station in vans and buses, after beating us."

However, Tyagi said, "We did not beat them. We only used force to restrain them and pick them up.

The Samajwadi Party MP, Dharmendra Yadav, met the students who were detained at the police station. He told reporters that the demands of the students should be met.

Meanwhile, hundreds of civil services aspirants also gathered near Batra Cinema in north-west Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar locality today. They have been coming there for the past few days to protest against the test. Last night, widespread arson, stone pelting and rioting at the National Highway-1 between Gandhi Vihar and Wazirabad took place.

According to the police, about 700 civil services aspirants had gathered on the road at about 8 pm last night. They shouted slogans demanding a written confirmation from the government that the aptitude test be scrapped.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (North District), Madhur Verma, said that violence broke out when a highway patrol team of the district reached NH-1.

"The protesters set on fire the police vehicle and started pelting stones which injured the policemen. After repeated requests to allow traffic movement failed, additional force was called. Till the time the reinforcements could arrive, they kept pelting stones. We had to launch a crackdown when the situation went out of control," he said. The police had lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.

A civil services aspirant, Pankaj Prajapati, who witnessed the violence said that at about 7 pm last night, they were going to Gandhi Vihar from Batra Cinema. But the police allegedly stopped them at Gandhi Vihar and 'lathicharged'. "During the commotion, we don't know who set fire to the police gypsy and damaged the other vehicles. After everyone was dispersed, the police went to Wazirabad, Gandhi Vihar and Mukherjee Nagar and started randomly pulling out tenants who were civil services aspirants," he said.

New Delhi, July 25
The AAP today demanded an enquiry into the batoncharge by the police on hundreds of students, including girls, protesting against the Union Public Civil Services Examination (UPSC). The Central government should direct the UPSC to postpone the exams, it stated.

"A probe must immediately be ordered on the police brutality on students last night in and around Mukherjee Nagar and today near the Rail Bhawan. Immediate action must be taken against the police officers clearly seen in the video footage and still photographs brutally beating up students," the party said.

"The UPSC be directed to probe its decision of starting the process of online admit cards for the preliminary exams when the matter was still under discussion. The government must immediately direct the UPSC to postpone the prelim exams till the deadlock on the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) is resolved," said the party.

New Delhi, July 25
The problems of guest teachers agitating for the past five years were discussed by BJP Delhi Pradesh president Satish Upadhyay who met the Lt. Governor today.

He submitted a memorandum to the LG on women safety, requesting establishment of women police stations in every district and sensitization of staff. The meeting also raised issues such as release of water to Delhi from Haryana.

Upadhyay apprised the LG of the problems of guest teachers who are paid around Rs 7,000 per month in contrast to the other employee who gets minimum wages much higher than this.

"The interests of guest teachers have been disregarded for the past 15 years due to which 18,000 posts of teachers are vacant under the Delhi government and education has become a business in which contract teachers are being forced to work," said Upadhyay.

"As a result, the standard of education in government schools with all the amenities is deteriorating and a large number of private schools have come up everywhere and it is regrettable that the teachers are not getting due respect," he said.

The LG expressed concern over their problems and said that the administration will take the matter seriously.

His attention was also drawn towards the problem of decrease in the quantity of water being released from Haryana and demanded that the officials should raise the issue in the meeting of the Upper Yamuna River Board Meeting on August 1.

It was also mentioned that regulating building construction is the job of the municipal corporations which have separate departments for this, but it has been noticed that the SHOs and the local police staff take undue interest in these matters and harass the public.

"Role of police needs to be curtailed in the building construction cases and this should be widely publicised as cases of harassment of northeast students and other citizens has been noticed. Efforts need to be made to provide protection to this section as they are providing lots of essential services in Delhi," he said.

New Delhi, July 25
Clamour for "justice for Pavitra Bhardwaj" is back in focus at Delhi University's Bhim Rao Ambedkar College (BRC) as accused principal Dr GK Arora today resumed office after nearly 9 ½ months of suspension following charges of sexual harassment of a lab technician leading to her suicide.

In the matter, chairperson of the college governing body, Prof Ashok Kumar Prasad, drew flak for recommending the revoking of Arora's suspension to the Vice-Chancellor who in a letter withdrew it yesterday.

"The chairman of the governing body (GB) has no power to recommend revocation of suspension of an employee without a resolution of the GB to that effect," asserted Executive Council members Abha Dev Habib and Aditya Narayan Misra in a letter to the VC.

"Individuals can't substitute the GB," noted Academic Council member Rajesh Kumar Jha.

Teachers and employees under the banner of Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) and Delhi University and College Karamchari Union (DUCKU) have condemned the 'surreptitious' move, resolving to step up the fight for Pavitra who immolated herself on September 30 last year outside Delhi Secretariat.

Pavitra had alleged sexual and mental harassment by Dr Arora and another staff member. She had been sacked two years ago.

"His reinstatement without being taken up by college governing body is illegal. As part of the joint action, we are going to hold a candlelight vigil tomorrow," said Birander Singh of the college and DUCKU's executive member.

Pavitra's husband, Dharmendra, too questioned the move. "The chairperson pushed his reinstatement even without any GB meeting. What was the hurry in reinstating him when the matter is sub judice. The police (Central district) too have not been responding to my calls I make to know the progress in the case against Arora," he said.

The chairperson is also accused of calling GB meetings on earlier occasions to consider B. L. Garg Committee Report on the matter without circulating agenda papers to the GB members. The meetings-June 6, 2014 and July 23, 2014-were cancelled as the teacher members refused to attend the meetings without proper notice and agenda papers.

"The staff association of the college also pointed out that its complaint to the chairperson of the GB against Dr Arora for installing hidden cameras in his office and victimisation of dissenting employees has not been acted upon. The High Court had in fact directed the GB to consider these complaints. But they were simply brushed aside," said DUTA president Nandita Narain.

New Delhi, July 25
The Public Works Department (PWD) will use advanced technology in taking up several development projects of world standard in the national Capital.

Speaking on the 53rd foundation day of the PWD at Delhi Secretariat, PWD engineer-in-chief Dinesh Kumar said that they were doing their best to develop Delhi and use more advanced technology while executing several projects.

"The PWD has constructed 76 flyovers, 687 schools, 45 hospitals, 15 court buildings and several dispensaries so far and dedicated these to people of Delhi. More than 1,250 kms of roads are also being beautified and maintained by PWD," Kumar said.

Chief Secretary SK Srivastava was the chief guest in the programme. Besides, PWD chief engineer MCT Parera, principal chief engineer Mukund Joshi also shared the dais.

"I am very impressed by the way PWD is developing Delhi. Elevated roads and flyovers are fuel efficient. We have to work as per the world standard. I would like to suggest choosing right contractors so that projects are delivered on time," Srivastava said while addressing the gathering.

On the occasion, Srivastava also released two books about achievements of the PWD and cost benefit analysis of flyovers. Besides, the PWD also screened a documentary film during programme.

Chief engineer Parera said, "Delhi is now also known as the city of flyovers. The PWD came into being on July 25, 1961, and it had constructed its first flyover at ITO on Ring Road in 1961. We are making efforts to make Delhi a world-class city."

Principal chief engineer Joshi said that the PWD is planning for systematic growth through roads and basic services despite huge population and unplanned growth in several areas.

New Delhi, July 25
In a massive training programme of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), as many as 9,724 employees will be trained by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM).

During the sessions, the employees will be trained in soft skills on topics such as standard management practices, centralised complaint registration and response system, team building, effective functioning of shifts, professional etiquette, public communication, emergency response, etc.

"The DJB has been providing such training programmes since 2010 on a regular basis and these have proved to be effective and have had positive impact in bringing about professionalism amongst its employees," said a senior DJB official.

"The Board has collaborated with the IIM Ahmedabad, to provide a one-week training programme on project management and risk management for its senior officers from September 7 to 13," said the official.

Besides the project planning and project management concepts and methods, IIM Ahmedabad will organise sessions on contracting and procurement, public private partnership, risk allocation and financing, features of water supply and sanitation, regulations and social and financial cost benefit analysis.

"Training workshops on 'Effective Complaint Handling' and 'Customer Care Practices' for the water emergency staff of the Delhi Jal Board have also been organised by the training cell from July 21 to August 1," he said.

About 9,724 employees are to be trained this year while 3,844 were trained in the last financial year. "As a result of these trainings and workshops, the DJB expects to increase the efficiency of its staff to respond proactively to its customers' needs," added the official.

New Delhi, July 25
The Delhi Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) has arrested one Subhash Chand for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from one complainant, said Additional Commissioner of Police (ACB) V. Renganathan.

The complainant has alleged that his brother, who is facing a trial in an attempt to murder case in Tihar Jail, had telephonically informed him to arrange for Rs 20,000 to give it to an Assistant Superintendent of Tihar Jail for helping him in the case.

The prisoner also informed that if the money was not given to him, he would implicate him in a false case.

"The complainant said the Assistant Superintendent called him and directed him to come with the money at the parking site in front of the jail," he said.

The complainant reported the matter to the ACB. Subhash Chand was caught red-handed with Rs 10,000 from the site.

During investigations, Chand said is a contract labourer employed by the PWD in the jail complex and was accepting bribe on behalf of the Assistant Superintendent of Tihar Jail.