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| Tuesday,
November 20, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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2 mowed
down at ‘killer’ chowk Faridabad, November 19 In the first incident, a Haryana Roadways bus, whose driver lost control over the steering wheel reportedly due to “brake failure”, drove on to a footpath, mowing down a youth and a cow at Sarai Khwaja chowk on the national highway this morning. The youth was standing on the footpath when the bus – which rammed into a red light pole first – hit him. The unidentified youth died on the spot. In a similar incident and, at the same place, Ranbir Dillo, a resident of Bulandshahar, was crushed to death by a speeding milk tanker last night. The victim was crossing the national highway at that time. In the third incident on Sunday, a cleaner of a truck, who happened to be checking the vehicle parked on the side of the Mathura Road near Jharsentli village, was killed when a tanker hit him. The victim died in the hospital. In yet another road mishap, a motorcyclist, Thomas George, residing in Sector-37 here, died when he had a head-on collision with a scooter in Sector 21 this morning. The scooterist was also injured. He succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. In another incident, a five-year-old girl, Anshu, died after she fell from the rooftop of her house in Khillu colony of Ballabgarh town last evening. |
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Haryana to
bail out Delhi for Chhath festival dip New Delhi, November 19 Lakhs of people from Bihar, residing in Delhi, offer prayers on the banks of the river and observe the traditional customs on the occasion. According to Irrigation Minister Yoganand Shastri, water would be released by Monday night. The bail-out package came after Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit spoke with her Haryana counterpart Om Prakash Chautala on Monday evening. Irrigation Minister Yoganand Shastri said that Haryana had agreed to release water by Monday night so that by Wednesday morning, large portions of the entire stretch of the Yamuna extending from Wazirabad to Kalindi Kunj and Okhla barrage would have adequate levels of water for the customary dip. Mr Shastri told The NCR Tribune that the crisis of receding levels of water in the Yamuna had been made acute by the diversion of waters for irrigation purpose downstream. The Yamuna, he added, was flowing two metres below optimum. The minister said that Delhi had suggested the release of 1 to 1.5 lakh cusecs. The demand had been met partially by the Haryana Government, the minister added. The drying up of the Yamuna has been a source of problem for the people hailing from Bihar, who have had to trudge long distances to take the customary dip in the river and offer prayers on the banks. Delhi is home to close to two lakh people from that state. This year, though, the exasperated community had to per force sound out the authorities to salvage the situation. The Delhi Jal Board, apparently, threw up its hands in despair following which Irrigation Minister Yoganand Shastri took up the matter with the Chief Minister. Incidentally, last year the Government of NCT of Delhi had declared a restricted holiday on the occasion of Chhath, though no such consideration has been given this year. Mr Shastri claimed that on several occasions in the past, the two states had come to a head on the vexed issue. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had accused the Haryana Government of breaching an agreement by not supplying 40 million gallons a day (mgd) of raw water to the plant in Nangloi. Haryana had then said that it had at no stage agreed to supply any additional Yamuna water and as such the question of backtracking did not arise. The Haryana Government stated that they were supplying 93 per cent in excess of Delhi's share of 255 cusecs per day as per the Yamuna Water Acord. Mr Kumar stated that Haryana was supplying 415 cusecs per day to Delhi as per the Supreme Court direction. |
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Some serious
cloning is on at Appu Ghar
New Delhi, November 19 The Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the Pyramids, the Great Wall of China and others, which have mesmerised people all over the world for centuries, can now be seen in Delhi. Replicas of 15 wonders of the world have been raised in Appu Ghar, offering an insight into their workmanship. Of course, it is not the real thing, but according to the Appu Ghar management, efforts have been made to clone these in detail and recreate the ambience. “Not many can think of visiting these wonders. It is our attempt to create the replicas and give a glimpse of the rare feat,’’ Mr Gian Vijeshwar, Chairman of the International Amusement Ltd, told the NCR Tribune. The replicas have been built at a cost of Rs 50 lakh in over three months. “Apart from giving written details about these wonders, guides would be present at vantage points to escort visitors and provide an insight into their workmanship,” he said. Mr Vijeshwar adds: “We will encourage schools to send students, as it would be a great moment for them.” Ruling out any payment for visiting the area, he said: “For two months, we will allow the visitor to see these wonders without payment. Depending on the response, we will review our decision.’’ The wonder zone has something for everyone. Very few people know about the Parthenon, which was the chief temple of the Greek goddess Athena, built on the hills of Acropolis at Athens. Although the rectangular white marble Parthenon has been damaged over the centuries, its basic structure remains intact. The Golden Gate Bridge in California, US, is the longest suspension bridge in the world and is unparalleled in the magnificence of its settings. The main span, 1280-metre-long, hangs on two scales from towers which are 227 metre high. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missourie, US, is a 630-ft-high tapering curve of stainless steel and 630-feet wide at its base. It is the tallest memorial in the US. The Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Black Hills of South Dakota, US, is a huge carving on a granite cliff. The memorial shows the faces of four US Presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincon. The head of George Washington is as high as a five-storey building. Workers used models that were one-twelfth of the actual size to obtain measurements for the figures. The memorial rises 1745 metres above sea level and 150 metres above the valley. The Pyramids at Giza (Al Jizah) stand on the west bank of river Nile outside Cairo. There are 10 pyramids at Giza, including three of the largest and best preserved. The largest, built for King Khufu, was called the Great Pyramid. It contains more than two million stone blocks that weigh on an average 2.3 metric tonnes. It was originally 147 meters high, but some of its upper stones are now gone, and it stands about 140 metres high. Its base covers an area of about five hectares.  |
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Two girls
gang raped Faridabad, November 19 According to the complaint, the girls were coming home after shopping in Ballabgarh town on Saturday night. They were abducted by four youth, who took them in a TATA 407 truck in the full view of residents. It is reported that the victims were gang-raped by the youth, who fled after the sexual assault. The girls returned to their house next morning and told their families about the incident. The police have lodged a complaint against one Jaiveer of Premnagar and his three accomplices. |
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Gulmohar Park–A lesson in how to ruin a
colony New Delhi, November 19 Residents of Gulmohar Park agree that it is a beautiful place to live in. But they also admit that with each passing day the colony is going from good to bad. "We love this colony, even though there are shortcomings. We would never want to leave it and shift somewhere else. Instead, we would rather stay here and try to improve the living conditions. But it has to be a mass effort, one person cannot make a difference," said Ms Sandhya Kumar, a resident. The major problem in the colony is that of security and safety. Thefts have been common in the past few years. One reason could be because there are a couple of milk booths, a tea stall and a public toilet inside the colony. "Surely, none of us queue up to buy milk nor do we use the public toilet and we can certainly make tea at home. Most people using these facilities are from the neighbouring colonies and slums," said Ms Kumar. All sorts of people come and loiter around jeopardising security," she added. Every morning there is a long line of those wanting to use the toilet. It is really embarrassing for residents to move out because the toilet is more or less open. Ms Kumar, who lives bang opposite this toilet, said those queuing up at the toilet kept an eye on who was moving out of their house and when. Certainly, this is a reason for so many thefts taking place in the colony," she asserted. "People from the slums come inside the colony as early as 3.30 am to buy milk or to ease themselves. Leave alone the dirty smell of the toilet, these people talk loudly and create a ruckus. It is really disturbing," she added. Residents said all these people after finishing their work hang around inside the colony for the rest of the day, making it very difficult for girls of the colony to move out of their homes. The residents have complained time and again to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) but no action has been taken to remove the toilet or shift the milk booth. Mr Jeetender Kumar Kochar, member of the Standing Committee of the MCD, said, "The public toilet is for the shopkeepers of the market inside the colony. The toilet was built because the residents complained that the shopkeepers eased themselves in the open. And now they have a problem with the toilet. If the shopkeepers are there in the market throughout the day, where would they ease themselves?" Residents said the law and order situation was deteriorating. "There is a police post inside the colony. The police can easily warn these people not to loiter around in the colony. That would make a great difference. But it seems nobody is bothered. When we take the initiative and tell these people they ask us who are we to tell them to move out," said Mr V.C. Tandon, member of the managing committee of Gulmohar Park. But the toilet or the milk booth are not the only problems in the colony. Residents admit there are a few more for which no one else but the residents themselves are to blame. Built in the late 70s for journalists, Gulmohar Park was a very peaceful and almost a problem-free colony. But with the passage of time the generations that followed the original scribe-landlords sold the houses off to non-journalists. Huge multi-storeyed buildings stand where once stood small and attractive houses. The owners of these multi-storeyed buildings have let out some floors. Naturally, when 25 persons live in a building originally made to accommodate only five to six problems are bound to follow. Mr Tandon said since there were so many people living in the same building there was hardly any space to park vehicles, which caused a lot of congestion inside the colony. These huge buildings have been expanded further, resulting in encroachment of stormwater drains. The service lanes of the colony are also in a very bad shape. When these multi-storeyed buildings were being constructed the debris was left in the service lanes, said residents. The residents did tell the MCD to clean these lanes but the MCD always said "they were short of funds." Realising the futility of the situation, the residents spent money from their own pocket to get the debris cleared. "The lanes were so full of debris that it took 80 trucks to lug it out," said Mr Tandon. The residents are proud that the colony has as many as 13 parks. The unfortunate part, however, is that these parks are not maintained at all. "Only dogs use these parks. None of the children play in them," said Mr Raju Sriman, a resident. Both MLA Kiran Walia as well as Municipal Councillor Arti Mehra have visited the colony several times. "Both of them are trying to be one up on each other and their sole aim is to see a notice on a board proclaiming them to be the provider of the beautiful parks," said Mr Sriman. |
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Water woes
worry Sonepat denizens Sonepat, November 19 According to a report, the residents who used to get the supply of drinking water twice a day - morning and evening - even during the summer season, now have been getting the water supply in the morning hours only. This has caused widespread resentment among them. Those living on the first and second floors are having a harrowing time. For the minimum requirement of water, residents have installed booster pumps directly on the water mains. Booster pumps, besides further adding to the consumption of power, draw muddy and contaminated water that causes water-borne diseases. Many residents allege that the water supply in the evening hours always remains disrupted owing to the lack of control on the part of the key men who hold the residents on ransom almost every day. All complaints made to the authorities of the Public Health Department in this regard have fallen on deaf ears. Representatives of various political parties, social and voluntary organisations and trade unions today urged the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to order a high-level probe into the public complaints about the frequent disruption in the supply of drinking water, bungling in public funds in the maintenance branch of the department and preparation of bogus bills for the ongoing works in different parts of the city. They also demanded immediate transfers of the officials found responsible for the drinking water crisis even during the winter season and curtailment in the supply. Such an inquiry will certainly expose the misdeeds of the officials entrusted to the job of maintenance of the water supply. |
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SONEPAT
At least 1,000 destitute and poor persons were given free quilts, blankets, woollen garments, sewing machines, hearing aids and tricycles at a function organised by a social organisation, the Samaj Sewa
Samiti, here Sunday evening. The articles include four tricycles, six sewing machines, two hearing aids, 56 quilts, 350 blankets and 550 woollen garments. Three students, Miss
Anu, Gulab Singh and Miss Kusum who topped the annual middle, matriculation and 10 plus 2 annual examinations held by the Board of School Education, Haryana, this year were given trophies on the occasion. Students of various educational institutions presented a colourful cultural programme on the occasion. Transfer resented Body found 2 die in mishap According to another report, three labourers sustained injuries when they were hit by a speeding car on the
Sonepat-Gohana road in front of the Police Lines here Sunday evening. Similarly, a resident of Kabirpur village sustained injuries when he was hit by a scooter in Sector 14 here on Sunday. All the injured were immediately hospitalised and they are stated to be out of danger. Youth murdered The alleged assailants then set fire on the body. Some persons who were passing through the place noticed the burning of the body and informed the police. The police rushed to the spot and took possession of the half-burnt body. It has been sent for post-mortem examination. The police have registered a case and launched a hunt to apprehend the culprits. A search is on for the whereabouts of his parents as well. According to another report, the Kharkhauda police have found the bodies of a man and a woman lying on the embankment of the Diversion Drain No. 8 near Sisana village, about 25 km from here, on Sunday. The bodies have been identified as that of Mrs
Bimla, wife of Mr Satish, and Mr Jai Bhagwan, son of Mr Ram Chander. Both had reportedly developed an illicit relation and had committed suicide by consuming poison. Girl falls in well A minor girl fell in a well at Murthal village, 8 km from here, on Sunday. She was rescued by villagers, who heard her cry for help. |
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GURGAON Gurgaon, November 19 Around one year ago, Deputy Speaker of Haryana Vidhan Sabha and local MLA Gopi Chand Gehlot made an artificial attempt to check the encroachments by drawing a yellow line on both sides of the bazaar. It was announced that no shopkeeper would display or put any goods crossing the line. Rehris (wooden cart for selling articles) would not be allowed to move in the bazaar. But nothing concrete came out and soon this yellow line disappeared. Sadar Bazar in its initial stage had an about 64-ft-wide road, understood to be the widest for any market during 1857 when it was established. But slowly and steadily the shopkeepers started encroaching the road. In 1940, they filed a case in the court for taking legal possession of 12 feet of the road from each side. The business community won the case in 1952 and thus the road's width was reduced to 40 feet. Some shopkeepers did not even pay at the rate of Rs 4.5 per square yard as fixed by the court but encroached the road illegally, alleged the old-timers. The history of Sadar Bazar, the main market of Gurgaon, dates back to the British rule. About 1857, when here there was no city but a cantonment only, the market used to be on the road where the courts were situated. The English rulers decided to shift the bazaar and gave separate land to the shopkeepers with sufficient financial compensation for constructing the new shops. And thus, the present Sadar Bazar came into existence about 1860. To a question how it was named Sadar Bazar, Mr Jayanti Prasad Jain, an old-timer and well-known personality of the market, said this market which was considered the main bazaar was the only market at that time in the district and that was why it was called Sadar Bazar. The First Gazetteer of Gurgaon district (1883-84 AD) also mentioned Sadar Bazar. It said that the station of Gurgaon, the administrative headquarters of the district, consisted of European residents, the Sadar Bazar and the settlement of Jacombpura. With the passage of time, Sadar Bazar, which was primarily from Post Office Chowk to Sohna Chowk has expanded in all directions. Markets of Fountain Chowk and New Railway Road touch the Post Office crossing in the Sadar Bazar whereas Naya Bazar, Sabzi Mandi, Aap ka Bazaar and Apna Bazaar are joined to Sadar Bazar in the middle. And the markets of Jail Road, Old Railway Road, Bada Bazaar, Khandsa Road and Basai Road have graced the historical Sadar Bazar from Sohna Chowk side. There are about 700 shops from Post Office Chowk to Sohna Chowk but if one includes the shops of the above-mentioned markets, the numbers of shops may cross 3000. Some shopkeepers are switching over to cloth business and making big decorative showrooms to attract the customers. Underground and double-storeyed showrooms are also being made for utmost use of the limited space. If the administration fails to move with the times and take preventive measures to check the encroachments the day will not be far away when it would be difficult to walk in the congested market. |
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MCD Oppn
leader calls for meet on funds New Delhi, November 19 He also said the Mayor was trying to politicise the issue by going on a hunger strike, to press the Delhi Government to give all grants due to the corporation, from November 25. The state government had already given all funds due and the Mayor’s strike was to pressurise the state government for more financial aid, he said. On the Rs 100 crore direct funding by the Centre, he said that the Mayor should have discussed the road strengthening issue with the Opposition members before sending the proposal to the central government as it was directly concerned with the budget provisions and financial position of the civic body. This was also the convention of the MCD that proposals are always discussed with the Opposition members in the House before sending it to the central or state governments. Besides the road strengthening proposal, the MCD did not hold discussions on the education, health and mid-day meal proposals with the Opposition as well, he said. Giving details of the road schemes, Mr Ram Babu Sharma, a Councillor of the Congress, alleged that the MCD misguided the central government for getting a grant of Rs 100 crore for construction of 68 roads in the Capital. The MCD took money from the Centre for strengthening Tilak Marg, Lala Lajpat Rai Marg and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg which are well maintained. These roads do not need any repairing work, Mr Sharma alleged. The MCD sent two lists of roads to the Delhi Government for the improvement and strengthening of 220 roads in the Capital. Thus money had been demanded twice for some of the roads. A few roads were well maintained. These roads had been included in the list just to extract money from the government, Mr Sharma alleged. He said that of Rs 100 crore, only 30 per cent would be spent for the road strengthening work. Brushing aside the allegation of the Mayor, Mr Shanti Desai, the Opposition leader said that the Delhi Government had paid all financial dues to the corporation in three instalments for which no memorandum of understanding was signed. He said the MCD had demanded a loan of Rs 60 crore from the Delhi Government to save itself from bankruptcy which was also paid without any delay. |
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State BJP
leader attacks Chautala Sonepat, November 19 Talking to mediapersons here today, he alleged that Mr Chautala was harassing his political opponents by registering criminal cases against them. He expressed his grave concern over the deteriorating law and order situation and said that the incidence of crimes were on the increase and the police had utterly failed to curb the activities of anti-social elements in the state. He also opposed the new policy for the assessment of house tax and blamed the Chautala government for imposing a variety of taxes on the people. This, he said, had caused resentment among the people of the state. The BJP leader also indicated that the state unit of the party was ready to withdraw its support to the Chautala government if the party high command gave the green signal. The state leaders, he said, had already apprised the senior leaders of the party about the situation prevailing here. Meanwhile, Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, MP and vice-president of the Haryana BJP alleged that some vested interests were trying to weaken the base of the party in Haryana, and added that they would not succeed in their attempts. He also hinted at the dissatisfaction of state leaders of the party over the functioning of the Chautala government and said that the party high command would take a decision on the issue of withdrawing support. Mr Sangwan said that the Congress Party in the state was faction ridden and it had failed to play the role of the Opposition. Instead, the BJP was playing the vital role of the Opposition in the state and opposing all the anti-people decisions of the Chautala government. He hoped that the BJP would come to power after the assembly elections as the people of the state were fed up with the Chautala government and they wanted a change. Referring to the POTO, he said that the Opposition parties were trying to mislead the people on the issue. He called upon the people not to be misled by the false propaganda of these parties. |
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Help for CRY New Delhi, November 19 |
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