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| Wednesday,
November 7, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Did MCD lead Centre up the garden path? New Delhi, November 6 “The act of the MCD is a breach of trust,” said the Delhi Finance Minister, Mr Mahindra Singh Saathi, apparently still smarting under the direct funding of the BJP-dominated MCD. Mr Saathi said that he would soon write to the Union Urban Development Minister, Mr Ananth Kumar, and apprise him of the facts. Scrutiny of the records available with the Delhi Government indicate that 46 roads out of the 68 roads, indicated by the MCD in the memorandum of understanding with the Centre, were the same for which action plan had already been given. The minister said that the action plan was submitted by the MCD to the Delhi Government in September this year. The state government, which is agitated over the grant of Rs 100 crore directly by the Centre, said that action should be initiated against the corporation for acting in such a callous manner. Mr Saathi is expected to meet the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit, and discuss the issue soon. He is likely to discuss the possible action, the state government may initiate against the corporation for the “breach of trust.” Congress MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah demanded a CBI inquiry into the “scam” as the corporators have acted fraudulently. Some of the roads which appear in the memorandum of understanding signed by the MCD and Centre and in the action plan sent by the MCD to the Delhi Government, were Mathura Road from Tilak Nagar crossing to DPS, Vasant Marg in Vasant Vihar in SZ, roads of Sector 17, Rohini, Sant Guru Ram Singh Road Patel Road crossing in Kirti Nagar police
station, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg from Lady Sriram College to Paras Chowk. The MCD in the MoU had listed the development of 68 roads, which would cost Rs 150 crore. Putting at rest speculations, Mr Saathi said that the state government would release the second instalment of MCD development fund, as he would not like to act as a hurdle in the development work of the city. “About a sum of Rs 1,100 crore is given to the MCD each year by the Delhi Government for various developmental works. While the first instalment has been released, the second instalment would be released within a week or so,” he said. “However, we will not release the third instalment unless the corporation gives us the utility report,” the State Finance minister said. Mr Saathi said, “Our demand of utility report, before releasing the fund, now stands vindicated as the MCD has shown only those roads to be developed for which it has given an action plan to us.” He said that the state government based on the MCD’s projections had allocated Rs 110 crore for the development of roads. The corporation had an unutilised fund of Rs 18 crore left from the previous year’s allocation. “This year, we have released Rs 27 crore so far and the second instalment of another Rs 27 crore would be released soon,” he said. In 1998-99, the MCD was provided Rs 522.80 crore by the Delhi Government and the corporation returned Rs 132.93 crore as unspent. In 1999-2000, of the Rs 521.82 crore released by the state government, the MCD returned Rs 78.90 crore. In 2000-01, an amount of Rs 582.10 crore was released to the MCD and the corporation returned Rs 25.60 crore as unspent. |
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Crackers
can leave a crack in a child’s psyche New Delhi, November 6 Child psychologists here are insisting that bursting of crackers is not only psychologically harmful, but also the manner in which some of these crackers are deployed is a major cause of concern. Apart from the minor and major mishaps the fireworks could cause, the very aggressive nature of the practice leaves an indelible mark on a child’s psyche, it is pointed out. Children in the National Capital Region may be more aware about crackers and their harmful effects to one’s life than those in any other state in the country. Many of them have already resolved to say `no’ to crackers, thereby not contributing their mite to noise and air pollution in the already polluted national Capital. This year’s ‘Say-no-to-crackers’ campaign was started by Delhi’s Health Minister A. K. Walia, with school children chipping in and raising slogans against crackers. Dr Samir Parikh, a consultant who specialises in child and adolescent psychiatry, has formed a child-adolescent guidance clinic. He is conducting awareness programmes on child development in various schools like St. Xavier’s School, Mata Jai Kaur Public School, Jaspal Kaur Public School, Greenfields Public School, Dilshad Garden, Vasant Kunj DAV and Silver Line Public School, Ghaziabad. According to Dr Parikh, the violence manifest in bursting of crackers affects children, resulting in aggression and insensitivity towards others. Aggression among children -- the most worrisome issue these days – is an indirect fallout of toy guns and bombs. Bursting of crackers is another violent game that leaves an imprint on the psyche of children, making them more aggressive. Insensitivity towards others, the other problem, manifests when the child is not dissuaded from using these toy ‘weapons’ against others. The reluctance or the inability of parents to monitor these subtle changes in the psyche leaves the child with a skewed sense of social values and a lack of concern for others. Such a child becomes more self-oriented, says Dr Parikh. Moreover, adults who burst crackers set a bad example for the child, he adds. Dr Parikh appreciates the initiative taken by the Delhi Police to ban crackers, especially the clampdown after 10 pm. Meanwhile, he also wants parents to take a more responsible stance. ``It is important for the parents to discourage the use of high-decibel crackers that make a child aggressive. They also must avoid bursting crackers,’’ he says. Moreover, he wants schools to assume a more pro-active role. Schools must organise awareness programmes on social issues and encourage students to come up with ideas to spread the right message on these issues, he says. Before passing the responsibility to the schools, at home, adults need to be more psychological in their approach towards the child, says Dr
Parikh. |
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Waiting for a helping hand MENTALLY
challenged children, drawn from a few institutions run by non-governmental organisations, spent the whole of Tuesday picnicking at Rail Museum and Nehru Park, courtesy the Indian Navy. The gesture formed a part of the cultural activities planned by the naval community, particularly INS India, in the run up to the Navy Week celebrations that begin in the first week of December. Navy Week commemorates the “victory at sea” during the 1971 India-Pakistan conflict. The spastic children were drawn from
Sankalp, an NGO run by the Navy Wives Welfare Association, ASHA AWWA, a school for spastic children run by the Army Wives Welfare Association, and the Okhla Centre for Mentally Challenged. The boys and girls, numbering about 25, were first taken to the Rail Museum at
Chanakyapuri. A joy ride in the toy train was an added attraction. They were then escorted to Nehru Park where games like spoon and lemon race, one leg race, shoe race, football and frisbees were organised. Besides prizes for the winners, all the children took home gifts, including Navy Day T-shirts. The picnic was concluded with a feast. The children were accompanied by students of classes IX and XI, Naval Public School, who acted as volunteers for the safe and efficient conduct of the outing. |
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‘Godman’
held in
14-yr-old murder case New Delhi,
November 6 Self-styled godman
Vikramanand and Mandajeet Singh have been arrested. However, the third
accused in the case, Suresh, alias Heera, servant of the couple, has
since expired. The police has also arrested Surender Arora, who
worked as a stamp vendor at the Sub-Registrar’s Office in Seelampur,
and Jyoti Prasad for helping Swami Vikramanand to forge the property
documents. The couple had neither any legal heir to own the property
nor had they prepared any will for its ownership, the police said.
After the murder, the property was taken over by the Administrator
General and the Official Trustee, Government of Delhi, as there were
no legal claimants for it. |
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Faridabad
plot holders in the lurch Faridabad, November 6 The authorities had reportedly promised to hand over the fully developed plots to the owners within two years. However, no development has taken place, even though the plot holders had deposited the entire amount for the purpose between 1995 and 1997. Among the promises made were provision of basic amenities – power supply, sewerage lines and pucca roads -- by 1997, but nothing has been done, an applicant said. Members of the Aravali Vihar Awasiya Yojna Association say the “failure” of the “MCF” to develop the colony and the “diversion” of funds for other purposes is a fraud perpetrated upon the innocent applicants. Some of them have also filed a case in the consumer court. The case is pending for about two months. Mr S. K. Virmani, convenor of the Aravali Vihar Awasiya (residential) Yojna Association, says the MCF has let them down. An interest at the rate of 15 per cent was also charged, even though the plot holders deposited all instalments of the development charges on time, he says, and alleges that the authorities have not taken the allotees in to confidence about the delay. |
CNG mess has another fallout — Prostitution New Delhi, November 6 It is a fact that prostitutes and drug peddlers are taking advantage of the situation of autorickshaws and buses lined up in large numbers outside filling stations because of the shortage of the non-polluting fuel. Randhir Singh, an autorickshaw driver, who was lined up outside the R.K.Puram filling station in south Delhi, said: “The minute it gets dark there are lots of prostitutes who come here to do their business. I think they are doing pretty well because most of the bus drivers here take these prostitutes in their buses.” “And you would find drug peddlers roaming around here all the time. They supply charas (hash) and ganja (weed) to us. What else can we do? We spend at least 6 to 7 hours in the line every day. It is the only way we can pass our time.” Sangram Singh, a bus driver, said: “Yes, we do have prostitutes coming here. We use them. It is our only recreation in this whole CNG mess. Do you think we enjoy standing here for hours together to get gas filled in our vehicles? No we don’t. It is a torture waiting in a line just to get fuel.” Singh, lying down in his bus wearing just undergarments, said his life was much better until the Government thought of this idea of eliminating pollution from the city. “I haven’t gone home for two days,” said Sunder Bhatti, another autorickshaw driver. “All night I stand in this line and in the morning all I can do is drive around to earn some money. I also have children waiting at home. Doesn’t the government realise that?” Bhatti said that he had never even seen drugs in his entire life. But ever since the “CNG mess” he has “tried charas, ganja and even smack” and said that he had almost become a slave to it. “I really like the high. It drives away my sadness and the feeling of torture when I have to wait in the queue. Everything goes off smoothly. I have become less irritable and before I know it, I am quite close to the gas station for my turn,” Bhatti said. Radhey Shyam, sitting on a sheet on the pavement along with Bhatti and some other colleagues, playing cards, said in a whisper, “We get very nice girls here. They are not that expensive either. We either tie up with the bus drivers for space in their vehicles or there are a lot of slums just behind the filling station. Till our turn comes we take them there.” The Supreme Court had ordered all commercial vehicles to be converted to CNG by October 1, 2001, but the deadline was recently extended to January 31, 2002. There are about 40,000 buses, taxis and autorickshaws in Delhi with just 74 CNG filling stations. A few shopkeepers across the road also mentioned of eunuchs visiting the area ever since the existence of the long queue of vehicles. “These drivers also take the eunuchs inside their buses,” said a shopkeeper. An autorickshaw driver confirmed this, saying that those who “cannot afford the female prostitutes use eunuchs to pass their time. But I don’t do all this.” “It is not only outside this filling station that all this goes on. It happens wherever there is a filling station. These people know that outside these filling stations, there are people who wait here for a minimum of 8 hours every day. This is their way to earn,” he said. Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Bhatia told The Tribune: “I wouldn’t rule out the possibility. In fact we were quite prepared for it. The minute you talk of such a queue in any area, you should be aware that such problems might arise. But I can’t believe that autorickshaw drivers indulge in such activities. Bus drivers. Yes as they have the space.” Bhatia said the problem was quite grave initially but they are keeping a proper check on it now. “It is impossible to eliminate the problem as long as such round-the-clock queues remain in the city. But definitely we have checked the problem quite a bit.” However, the residents of the area are not satisfied. “Ever since this line of autos and buses has been formed here, our life has become hell. This is supposed to be one of the cleanest colonies of Delhi and look now. We have all sorts of people wandering around here. So often we see these drivers sitting in our parks and having drugs. And what more can happen - we have prostitutes visiting our colony,” said a resident, who did not wish to be identified. The resident said that he himself had complained to the police about such activities. “Nothing happened at all. The police officials do patrol occasionally but they are bribed. If I can see all this happening, why can’t they.” |
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Sugarcane
farmers will have it sweet this year Ghaziabad, November 6 UP Minister for Sugarcane Development and Medical Education Narender Singh Gaur said, “This leaves only 2.67 per cent payment yet to be released, which is being processed. The production of sugarcane at about 44 lakh tonnes in the state is also a record figure this year. Up to 2001 October end crushing has been started in Modi Nagar, Bhagwanpur, Malakpur, Khatauli and Deoband sugar mills. While rest of the mills will undertake it in November”. The minister said that an increase of Rs. 5 for per quintal has been announced in the price of sugarcane which will give an additional Rs. 250 crores to the
farmers. The state government has increased the sugarcane prices by Rs. 24 per quintal during its tenure. Sugar mills are also encouraged to produce fertiliser which will reduce the requirement of chemical fertilisers in the state to the extent of Rs. 68 crore. Mr Gaur described that an agreement for the sale of power, produced in 14 private sector mills and two public sector mills to UP power corporation has been concluded under which 120 megawatts power will be made available immediately. The minister claimed that the number of pro-farmer programmes announced by the present BJP government far exceeds those announced by any previous government. A decision too has also been taken to make available one quintal of sugarcane to farmers on wholesale prices. Credit cards for sugarcane farmers have also been introduced. Centralised loan scheme for seed of high-yielding varieties farm implements, tractors etc. have been introduced. All these items are eligible for rebate too, Minister added. Under an anti-corruption and misuse of authority campaign, two chief managers have been dismissed for under-weighing sugarcane and 186 employees have been suspended and 428 have been proceeded against administratively. Licences of 595 mill owners have also been cancelled, Mr Gaur said. |
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Nothing
left in Sonepat to encroach upon Sonepat, November 6 For instance, go to any road in the city. More than the vehicles passing through them, the ones parked on them catch the attention. It is as if all the roads are parking lots. Some 500-odd unlicensed taxis are always seen parked outside the general bus stand, tehsil office building, old civil hospital and at the Subhash Chowk in the Model Town area besides at the railway crossing near Hindu College. Almost all the main roads and streets in the city have become congested. As the population has gone up to over 2 lakh, the number of vehicles on the roads here also has increased considerably. With the indifference of auto-drivers, rickshaw pullers and pedestrians towards traffic rules, traffic movement on the roads has become chaotic. Adding to the confusion are the trucks of transport companies parked on roadsides for unloading goods. A long stretch on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road has become the nerve centre of transport companies and the trucks parked on the site are a major traffic bottleneck. A large number of dhabas and restaurants have encroached upon the public land on both sides of the G.T. Road near Rai, Bahalgarh, Kundli, Murthal and Ganaur Similarly, small workshops have also come up near the telephone exchange between the railway crossing near Hindu College and Mamoon Bhanja Chowk. No step has been taken so far to remove these permanent and temporary encroachments. If this is the case of roads, step on to any footpaths in any of the main bazars in the city. That is if you can. Footpaths in all these areas are occupied by squatters, some of whom are authorised by the municipal council on payment of nominal tehbazari. The very purpose of footpaths thus gets defeated as pedestrians are hardly able to use them. In many areas, makeshift kiosks have sprung up. The Railway land here has become a free-for-all property. Owing to the indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned, a number of truck drivers and taxi owners have illegally occupied the land on the premises of the Railways. Similarly, railway land has also been encroached upon by a number of tea stall owners, rehriwalas and halwais with the connivance of Railways officials. Illegal occupants don’t discriminate between good and bad land either. They have colonised the embankments of Drain No. 6 near the general bus stand too. A cluster of jhuggis has also sprung up on both sides of the drain. Similarly, several pucca houses and shops have also come up on them. The municipal by-laws prohibiting dairies in residential areas and colonies are frequently flouted. In almost every mohalla, there are four to six dairies which add to the prevailing unsanitary conditions there. Civic authorities had made several plans to beautify the city in the past but their plans are reduced to a mockery in view of these glaring violations of law. Interestingly, civic authorities invariably blame the lack of civic sense among the people for the state of affairs in the city. The city has an office of the Divisional Country and Town Planner but hardly any building is built according to its specifications. A person can construct a building or make alterations in an existing one without caring to get the plans approved if he has the influence in the right quarters, say sources. District authorities too remain silent spectators and never take any action against the erring officials or employees of the departments concerned, residents allege. One of the instances is the opening of a taxi and cycle stand on the public land outside the Osram company on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh road. Shopkeepers in the button factory area have grabbed the municipal land meant for the development of a park. They have now built a concrete platform to park their vehicles, sell their goods and attract customers. Municipal authorities have so far failed to take any action against such shopkeepers. |
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Twiddling
leaves Azadpur flyover in twilight zone A flyover was planned as long back as 1978-79 to evade the traffic congestion on Azadpur T-junction but till date the authorities concerned have been unable to complete the project. A one-kilometre-long flyover was planned to link Inner Ring Road at GT Karnal Road besides the traffic approaching from Shalimar Bagh and Mall Road to Outer Ring Road behind Jahangir Puri. A 500m- long stretch needs to be constructed near Kewal Park, Gopal Park, Suraj Nagar and Gopal Nagar. The much-waited-for project has acquired a controversial hue as the MLA of the area has claimed it to be an encroachment. Officials of the Public Works Department, Circle II, on the other hand, claim no encroachment has been done in this area since the past 10 years. The land needs to be acquired from the residents. The plan for this was left incomplete in 1983. The two- way road near DJB Flats on the left and Dhirpur village on the right behind Model Town was carpeted in 1991 but work has been at a standstill since then. The nearby shopkeepers and commuters lament it is a case of lack of will on the part of the authorities concerned. No provision of sewer lines or water lines has been made for any of these colonies. The area (near DJB Flats) is waterlogged besides being flooded with muck. The fields around have been deluged by dirt flowing from colonies like Kewalpur Extension and Suraj Nagar, which are linked to Outer Ring Road. Encroachments in the area have added to the existing problems. For instance, at the T-junction of Azadpur timber merchants have encroached on the vacant government land. Alternate sites were provided to them near Majlis Park but the encroachments have again come up in the same area. They conduct their business on Ring Road near Lusa Tower. A commuter, Shispal Sharma, said, “This road is very congested, especially during peak hours. The largest fruit mandi in Asia remains crowded at all times and heavy truckloads entering the market block the free flow of traffic on the road. The flyover would definitely help in this area as trucks could then come via Outer Ring Road.” Mr Chandan Amrit, president of the Nagrik Kalyan Samiti, said, “The authorities lack the political will to complete work. Land is available near Bhilsva, Gopalpur and Hadarpur but the authorities are just interested in issuing statements. They do not believe in getting any work done.” When queried regarding this, MLA and Chief Whip of the Congress Mangat Ram said, “This is all encroached land. Around 126 houses were built long back. Owners of these houses need to be given compensation for work to progress on the flyover. This land was acquired and a notification issued to vacate the area but no compensation was given to the residents. So they are still here. The Land and Development Department had to pay Rs1.26 crore to the residents but as a result of the it will now have to dish out Rs 1.56 crore. We are trying our best to get this done as soon as possible and hopefully this month only. Poor people need to get compensation.” Contrary to this, the PWD officials of the DDA informed that there had been no encroachments in this area as it was all private land and builders’ property. All colonies are authorised and regularised but the residents of these colonies are asking for alternate sites. The government cannot give them land so the work is still lying incomplete. The Superintending Engineer, Mr Dinesh Kumar, said, “The road near Majlis Park and DJB Flats was constructed long time back to save it from encroachments. One hundred and fifty metres of land are already available with the government and 350m needs to be acquired. The government has also planned to pay compensation to the residents of the colony. Work would have progressed but the residents filed a case. Some of them have got a stay order, which complicated the matter. But we are trying to complete the project as soon a possible, maybe by next year.” Once the flyover gets completed traffic snarls at Azadpur and Mall Road would lessen. |
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DTC drivers get tips
on managing stress New Delhi, November 6 The participants were given lessons in “management of aggression”, “stress management” and “building self-esteem”. This is the first such drive for DTC drivers as part of the Soft Skill Development Programme of the society for the bus drivers in Delhi. On an average, five persons are killed everyday on the Capital’s congested roads. In most of the cases, heavy vehicles are the culprits. “The number of accidents in the country are steadily increasing especially because of the high stress and low self esteem among drivers. Hence, there is a need to touch on the psychological aspects, which will enable all drivers to view themselves with greater pride and involvement in their personal and professional lives,” said Mr Rajat Pandit, director general of the SIAM. The Chairman-cum-Managing Director DTC, Mr Rakesh Mehta, said the programme aimed at imparting soft skill training to drivers to bring about an attitudinal and behavioural change thereby reducing stress and lower the incidence of road accidents. Till October 15 this year, a total of 1,414 fatal accidents were reported, a senior official of the Delhi Traffic Police said. The number of fatal accidents are rising year by year along with increasing number of vehicles on the roads. Indiscipline on the part of drivers was one of the major reasons for such accidents, he said. |
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Tiny-tots
enliven Divali mela New Delhi, November 6 |
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Sangh plea to end
Escorts stir Faridabad, November 6 In a statement here today, Mr Subhash Lamba, district president of the SKS, criticised the rigid attitude of the Escorts group management and blamed it for the ongoing agitation. He said the management should reinstate all employees and consider other demands favourably so that peace could return and work resume at all plants. He alleged that some officials of the Labour Department and local administrative were hobnobbing with the management and trying to put the blame for the unrest on the union. He said the state government should intervene in the matter and get the issue resolved immediately as closure of Escorts units could have a devastating effect on its ancillaries and the employment of thousands of workers. |
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Winter
is here New Delhi, November 6 |
Inter-state gang of dacoits busted New Delhi, November 6 The persons arrested were Sunil Kumar (25), Kuldeep, alias Kala (25), Balraj, alias Raju (26), Anil, alias Lilu (28), and Ram Niwas (25). The police has seized three countrymade pistols, seven live cartridges along with two knives. Five separate cases under the Arms Act have been registered against these hardened criminals, police sources said. The team led by the SHO, Najafgarh, Inspector Kapoor Singh, Sub-Inspector Jasmohinder Chaudhury, Head Constable Bhawnesh Kumar, Head Constable Tarif Singh and others under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Rajesh Deo had launched a sustained drive to nab these criminals. Sources said that on November 3 when the team reached Kuldeep’s house (one of the accused), all five, who had gathered there, fled the house on seeing the police team. But the team managed to arrest the criminals. The accused were charged under the Arms Act. Further, they revealed they had formed a new gang under the leadership of Sunil Kumar (one of the accused) and had committed sensational crimes in Delhi and Haryana. The accused were produced in the court and sent to judicial custody. The Najafgarh police is carrying out further investigations.
Suicide by cop A Delhi Police constable posted in the security branch reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan with the help of a lungi in his room. Mahavir Singh (40), resident of A-1359, Jahangirpuri, came home from late night duty and slept alone in his room. His wife and 13-year -old son were sleeping in the next room. When his wife went to his room to wake him up in the morning he was found hanging, police sources said. The Jahangirpuri police is conducting a detailed inquiry into this matter.
Burn case Sangeeta (22), wife of an autorickshaw driver, reportedly sustained major burn injuries when her clothes caught fire while preparing tea at her residence. Sangeeta was married to Raj Kumar one and a half years ago. They were residing in Molar Band Extension in the Badarpur area, said police sources. After the incident, she was immediately admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. The area SDM has recorded her statement.
Fatal accidents A speeding truck crushed to death a motor cyclist on Monday in the Badarpur area of South district. The victim, Avnish Arora, a resident of Laxmi Nagar in East district, was coming from Faridabad when the incident occurred. He was crushed to death just after he entered the Capital in Badarpur. The truck driver could not be arrested. A speeding truck at Raj Ghat traffic signal also reportedly hit another motor cyclist, Ram Kirpal (28), late on Monday night. According to the police, Kirpal, a native of Sitamadi in Bihar, was taken to LJPN Hospital immediately after the incident but was declared brought dead. |
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3 held for murder Faridabad According to the police, the accused, identified as Suresh, Ashok and Billa, had allegedly murdered the victim, Chhotu, a mechanic residing in Kisan Madoor Colony of old Faridabad on February 27 this year. The accused, who were known to the deceased, had been living in the same colony at the time of the incident. Fall from cycle A youth working as a teacher died after he fell from a bicycle on Mathura Road on Tuesday morning. The victim has been identified as Virender, a resident of Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Nagar here. |
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Mob attacks excise team Faridabad, November 6 |
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