New Delhi, September 26
The Prime Minister's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and cancellation of holiday on October 2 on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti have forced the officers and others for changing their programmes for going out during holidays. The officials are alert for keeping all the railway stations in Delhi clean as the minister has announced to visit any of the stations, sources in the Northern Railway said.

According to the sources, officials have been put on alert on each station supervising the cleanliness drive. Announcements are being made after every few hours for keeping the stations clean and fine of up to Rs 500 is being charged if anybody, including passengers, is found littering the stations.

Since the Northern Railway has launched the cleanliness drive, everyday on an average 50 passengers have been booked for littering the stations. When people keep their houses clean why they cannot keep the railway stations clean, an official on the condition of anonymity said.

When trains are late they stay at the station. It is their duty to keep the station clean, the official said.

Railway staff washes trains at the yards. Safai karamcharis clean the platforms, waiting rooms, ticket centres and all other places at the railway stations.

Authorities may also plan to organise cultural programmes for giving message of cleanliness, said A.S. Negi, spokesperson of the Northern Railway.

New Delhi, September 26
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) today posted an online video guide on filling up of forms for its new housing scheme and precautions to be taken for it.

Running into over six minutes, the video is available on the 'DDA Housing Scheme 2014' page on its official website www.Dda.Org.In.

The video gives details, column by column, of the steps to be used in filling the form. It also elaborates on the precautions which could be taken while filling up the form, the urban body said.

The DDA had earlier uploaded a video detailing the process of conversion of property from leasehold into freehold, it said.

Considering various requests and queries from general public regarding filling up of the forms the video has been uploaded on the website.

The website had received a whopping 18.25 lakh hits in the first two days since its launch of scheme on September 1, under which over 25,000 flats have been offered. It had crashed on its opening day following a massive response of 11 lakh hits.

"We have upgraded our servers to meet the online traffic requirements," a senior DDA official said.

Officials said 15 lakh brochures were printed in the first installment and later 5 lakh more were added following the demand. — PTI

New Delhi, September 26
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today issued a notice to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on a plea seeking to initiate contempt proceedings for non-compliance of its order to stop illegal mining being carried out in the Yamuna river bed in the Wazirabad and Jagatpur Bund areas here.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swantanter Kumar sought a reply from the chairman of the DPCC, the Delhi Commissioner of Police and the Chief Engineer of Department of Irrigation and Flood Control.

"Issue notice to the non-applicants/respondents by dasti only. Notice returnable on September 30," the bench said.

The order came on a petition by Rahul Nagar, filed through advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, to initiate contempt proceedings as prescribed under Section 26 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.

The Tribunal had on September 1 directed the Delhi government to stop illegal mining being carried out without requisite environmental clearance at Wazirabad and Jagatpur Bund.

"Illegal mining is not only in contravention of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, but also of order and directions of the Supreme Court and directions of National Green Tribunal," Nagar had said in his plea.

The petitioner had claimed that the sand mining mafia has begun to trespass private agricultural fields located near flood plains even though such activity, without any environmental clearance, is banned.

Alleging that "illegal sand mining continues unabated under the nose of the government officials," the plea had said the Irrigation and Flood Control Department in the national Capital has also issued various letters to the Delhi Police wherein they have requested the police to take action against sand mafia.

"There is an increased necessity of studying the impact of sand mining, the deterioration caused and remedial measures. — PTI

New Delhi, September 26
In a bid to structure and channelise the energy of its student supporters towards "politics of change", the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has put in place its Delhi unit's student wing Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) which aims to remove cynicism and negativity associated with student politics in the country.

The student wing will be formally launched tomorrow to coincide with the 107th birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal will be the chief guest at the function.

In its vision document, the student wing, hoping to expand its base from the national Capital at present to other states by next year, vows to fight to change the prevailing discriminatory education system and work towards high quality affordable education for all.

In Delhi, the group started initially from Delhi University and made in inroads into Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Islamia University, Indian Institute of Technology followed by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprashtha University and Delhi Technological University.

"We have a stronghold in DU where we have office-bearers in 50 colleges, JNU, Jamia and IIT whereas we have started making reach into Ambedkar University, IP University and DTU. We target at least 50,000 members by next January," said Anupam Kumar, one of the three vice-presidents of the CYSS.

He said the group will take up issues, such as transportation, hostels, re-correction and language aspect in UPSC exams, affecting the students. "We are going to set an example that student organisations need to have a clear vision about combating money and muscle power in politics, which is the root cause for corruption," he said, while noting that the idea is to engage youth in nation building and provide an honest platform for raising real issues for tangible and positive action.

New Delhi, September 26
The lawyers of all six district courts in the national Capital today decided to observe a day-long strike on September 29 against the "delay in enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of the trial courts despite the recommendation of the Delhi High Court.

The Co-ordination Committee of all district court bar associations of Delhi also urged the Central government to take appropriate steps so that bill for pecuniary jurisdiction may be passed in the coming winter session.

"The committee of all District Court Bar Associations of Delhi constituting..., in their emergent meeting held on September 25 have unanimously resolved to observe complete strike in all district courts of Delhi on September 29 in protest against the delay in amendment of The Delhi High Court Act, 1966," the committee said in its statement.

It said decision for enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction from the existing Rs 20 lakh to Rs 2 crore was taken by the full bench of the High Court through its November 21, 2012, resolution after considering submissions from all bar associations concerned and the same was recommended to the Centre for amending the Delhi High Court Act.

"Yet nothing has been done in this regard for the past nearly two years," it said, adding the committee "implores the government to take appropriate steps so that the bill for pecuniary jurisdiction may be got passed in the coming Winter Session." The strike called by the committee is likely to affect the work at the Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Rohini, Karkardooma, Saket and Dwarka district courts here. — PTI

New Delhi, September 26
A three-year-old boy died when he was run over by a car which was being driven by a school principal in Nand Nagri, northeast Delhi, yesterday, the police said today.

The deceased has been identified as Varun, who stayed with his parents at Nand Nagri E-Block. The car driver, Jai Prakash, who is the principal of Saint Mary's School in Nand Nagri has been arrested.

The incident took place about 10 am outside the school, where he was 
playing.

An eyewitness named Kamal told the police that Varun was his neighbour and he had seen him playing at a park outside the school. "Soon, a Maruti Esteem car came reversing towards Varun and he was crushed under the vehicle," said Kamal, who is a Class XI student of Rajkiya Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya at Gulabi Bagh.

Kamal identified the car's driver as Jai Prakash. Kamal rushed Varun to a local doctor and informed his parents. Varun's father Umesh took him to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Dilshad Garden. "Varun succumbed to his injuries. Jai was later arrested," said a police officer.

A case of rash driving and causing death by negligence has been registered against Jai at the Nand Nagri police station. The school, where classes up to the VIII are held, has been closed since yesterday.

Varun is survived by his parents and a one-month-old brother.

New Delhi, September 26
A three-year-old girl was raped allegedly by the 24-year-old son of the owner of the playschool she was attending in Hari Nagar, west Delhi, the police said today.

The accused, who has been identified as Vikas, has been arrested. There is a possibility that he may have raped other children as well, according to the police.

The matter came to light when the victim was admitted to a government hospital this morning, after she was suffering from stomach ache and bleeding from her private parts. The doctors, who examined her, informed her parents that she was raped.

According to the victim's family, they have recently started sending her to a playschool at B-Block in Hari Nagar. Twenty-five students are admitted at the school.

On Wednesday afternoon, after the girl returned to her home, she complained to her mother about stomach pain. Her mother gave her some medicines.

The next morning the girl refused to go to the playschool, because of severe pain in her lower abdomen. "Her mother gave her some medicines and advised her to take rest. In the evening, the girl inadvertently urinated on her bed and continued the act until early this morning," said a police officer.

In the early hours today, her mother noticed blood stains on her daughter's undergarment after which the girl was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where the doctor claimed that she was raped. The girl's parents then informed the police.

The women police staff with the help of an NGO counselled the girl, who informed them about the incident. She alleged that Vikas had raped her on Wednesday.

The police learnt that Vikas is the playschool owner's son. "When the incident took place, Vikas's parents had gone to Vaishnu Devi in Jammu. His father had given him the responsibility to handle the school," said the officer.

When the name of Vikas emerged as the rapist, locals with the parents of the children studying in the playschool carried out a demonstration against it. When Vikas was apprehended by the police the public brutally beat him.

"There is a possibility that Vikas may have sexually assaulted other children as well. We have informed the parents to counsel their children and if a similar act comes to light they should report it to the police," said another police officer.

The police also learnt that a caretaker of the playschool is also allegedly involved in the crime. She was allegedly sending children to Vikas who may have assaulted them. Until late evening, she remained at large. The police are searching for her.

Vikas has been admitted to a hospital, where he is being treated for the injuries he had sustained during his beating by the public.

He has been booked under the appropriate sections of the POSCO Act and the Indian Penal Code section of rape.