Illegal units thrive as HUDA acts coy
Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, October 29
If the government can allow hundreds of illegal commercial structures in the prohibited area near the Ammunition Depot of the Army here, why demolish our houses, demand residents of unauthorised colonies in the city. Residents of over 25 unauthorised colonies today staged a demonstration here against the recent demolitions in Surya Vihar Colony and on Basai road.

The protestors later submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner, Gurgaon Division, to be handed over to the Haryana Governor, urging him to take action against the officials involved in the lathi charge during the demolitions in Surya Vihar Colony. The authorities, a few days back, had demolished about 25 structures in Surya Vihar Colony and on Basai road.

The demonstration was held under the aegis of the Sangharsh Samiti, constituted recently to prevent further demolitions in these colonies. Besides calling for a halt to the demolitions, the memorandum also demanded regularisation of these colonies, as the residents there had already been provided with electricity connections and their names had been included in the voters’ list.

The residents of the colonies had been paying their dues to the state government, the memorandum said. With regard to Surya Vihar Colony, it was pointed out that the houses had been constructed about 15 years back.

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) says that the demolitions were undertaken after the stay given by the lower court in favour of the residents was vacated by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and after following the due administrative procedure.

However, the residents allege that the authorities have exceeded their brief. Mr Raj Dahiya and Mr

M. K. Behal, who are in the vanguard of the agitation, said that the authorities also demolished those residential structures which had been exempted by the court from acquisition proceedings.

While the legalities are not in question, residents harp on the selective approach of the authorities in their drive against encroachments.

A visit to the area near Payal Theatre would reveal that hundreds of commercial clusters have sprung up over the last few years. What is startling is that some of these clusters have come up in a prohibited and sensitive zone -- the area falls within 1,000 metres of the Ammunition Depot of the Indian Army. As per rules, no permanent structure can come up in the area as it could endanger the life of civilians.

More interesting are the illegal activities going on right under the nose of the HUDA; its local building also houses the office of its local Administrator. The area has become a commercial hub with several shops coming up. Of course, the jurisdiction over the area lies with the local Municipal Council.

Inquiries reveal that a number of political bigwigs own benami property in this prohibited area. In a number of cases, the loyalists, including real estate agents of political leaders, have set up shops here. And most of them are cases of organised land grabbing, involving crores of rupees. Consequently, the price of land in the area has shot up.

Though most of the encroachments took place before the present government came to power, it cannot wish away such land grabbing in a sensitive area and yet close its eyes on the demolitions by the HUDA in residential colonies, say residents of unauthorised colonies.

Body of abducted 8-yr-old boy fished out of canal
Parmindar Singh

Ghaziabad, October 29
The body of the eight-year-old boy abducted on October 24 for a ransom of Rs 30 lakh was fished out from Ganga Canal today by the police. The body of Vishal, son of steel merchant Sanjay Chaudhuri, a resident of C-Block in Sector 23 in Neeti Nagar, was found in a gunny bag after two suspected kidnappers, who were arrested yesterday, confessed to the crime.

The suspects have confessed that they strangled Vishal on October 24 and stacked the body in a gunny bag and threw in the canal.

The murder has sent shock waves through the city. A large number of people gathered outside the residence of Mr Chaudhury when the body was brought. Some of the people were seen crying as a pall of gloom descended on the area.

The agitated residents alleged that the entire city was turning into a virtual cesspool of crime with criminals having a free run. They demanded that the police must get their act together and provide minimum security to the citizens. An inconsolable Mr Chaudhury also demanded strict action against the suspects and their alleged associates.

The kidnapping was allegedly engineered by the grandson of Mr Chaudhury’s sister, Neeraj, for collecting a ransom of Rs 30 lakh. Neeraj and his friend Jetinder were arrested yesterday by the police after days of monitoring the phone calls to Mr Chaudhury’s house.

According to Dr Ashok Raghav, Superintendent of Police, the boy was abducted on October 24. Mr Chaudhari and family went to attend a marriage nearby. After some time, Vishal, a student of class III in DPS, Ghaziabad, returned home with his grandmother (Mr Chaudhury’s mother). While Vishal switched on the TV, his grandmother went to another room. When she returned, there was no trace of Vishal.

On informed, Mr Chaudhury rushed home and later informed the police. As the police began looking for clues, Vishal’s family received a number of telephone calls in the last few days asking for a ransom of Rs 30 lakh.

The police, which constituted a crack team comprising personnel of Kavi Nagar, Murad Nagar and Modi Nagar police stations managed to trace the calls and arrested Jetinder of Satya Nagar in Modi Nagar and Neeraj, son of Inderpal, resident of Umbrala village under the Murad Nagar police station.

The SSP and SP, City, interrogated the duo and came to know that Jetinder was the grandson of Mr Chaudhury’s sister and had lost his father at an early age. Mr Chaudhury and family had been looking after the entire family of Jetinder since then.

Jetinder along with his friend Neeraj, employee of a bookshop in Modi Nagar, abducted Vishal from his house and brought him to Murad Nagar in a Tata Sumo belonging to Vijay Pal of Pratappur village. They strangled Vishal the same night and put him into a gunny bag and threw the bag in Ganga Canal. Even after killing the boy, they kept on demanding the ransom from Mr Chaudhury.

Another minor feared kidnapped
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, October 29
Mystery shrouds the disappearance of a a minor boy from a colony of Ballabgarh town. While the family claims that it is a case of kidnapping for ransom, the police believe that it may be only a case of harassment by some anti-social elements. This is the second such incident in the last four days.

The incident took place within 24 hours of a similar incident in which the 11-year-old son of a garment manufacturer was kidnapped by some armed youth from his house and rescued by the police within two hours on Thursday.

In the latest incident, four-year-old Adarsh, son of Vinod of Nahar Singh Colony in Ballabgarh, went missing.

The family of the victim claimed that the boy was abducted for ransom, as an unknown caller had asked the family to be prepared to pay over Rs 3 lakh. The SSP, Mr Ranbir Sharma, however, said that the case might not be that of kidnapping for ransom, as claimed. He said the DSP, Ballabgarh, was investigating the case and the truth might soon be out.

Sop for minority institutions
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29
Fulfilling a long-standing demand of the minorities, the Delhi Government yesterday granted minority status to educational institutions established by them. Following the government decision, 50 per cent of the seats in professional and technical institutes established by them would be reserved for students of these communities. These seats would be equally distributed between free and payment seats. Admissions would be made directly on merit on the basis of a common entrance test.

Currently, five institutions affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University are offering professional and technical courses. According to the policy guidelines framed by the government, educational institutions affiliated either to this university or the Board of Technical Education would be accorded minority status.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit told media persons on Monday that the decision pertains to the institutions established by the five minority communities comprising Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Buddhists. Only those communities that have been notified as minority community under the Government of Delhi Minorities Commission Act, 1999, shall be given the benefit.

The decision comes in the wake of a report submitted by a committee constituted by the Chief Minister and headed by the Principal Secretary (Training and Technical Education), Mr B. B. Saxena. Secretary (Education) Geeta Sagar and Higher Education Director S. P. Marwah, who is also the Registrar of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, were the other members of the committee.

The report of the committee also detailed the definition of minorities, authority for according recognition of minority status and the criteria and the procedure of admission. Based on the report, the Delhi Government issued guidelines on October 3.

The Finance Minister, Mr M. S. Saathi told The Tribune that since the policy guidelines for according minority status pertained to self-financing colleges, the government would not be incurring any additional burden.

Dikshit lashes out at Rs100 cr aid to MCD
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today slammed the Centre for giving the Rs 100 crore grant directly to Municipal Corporation of Delhi as it had set a “wrong precedent” and was “undermining the authority” of the elected government.

Terming the grant as “politically motivated”, Ms Dikshit, after an emergency Cabinet meeting, which discussed the issue, said the Centre’s move had set a wrong precedent for the country.

“We will soon take up this issue with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister,” she said. With only a few months left to go for the municipal poll, the sudden grant of Rs 100 crore by the Centre, “without any stated purpose or identified public interest and also without any guidelines governing the unexpected and direct sanction of funds is seen by the state government as a blatant and imprudent misuse of public funds apart from constituting a serious election motivated impropriety.”

“Releasing Rs 100 crore to the MCD directly by the Centre under the totally unfounded pretext that the Delhi Government was starving the MCD of funds is wrong both constitutionally and in propriety,” Ms Dikshit said.

Slamming the Centre for the grant, she said “this impropriety will set an unhealthy precedent and send very wrong signals to the state governments.”

Asked about Union Urban Development Minister Ananth Kumar’s statement that the Delhi Government was “non-functional”, she said, “Such a statement from the minister indicated the political motivation behind the funding.” “During the three years of the Congress government in Delhi such an allegation was never made. Only now, when the elections to the MCD are a few months away, are such statements being made,” Ms Dikshit said.

The Chief Minister denied the allegation that the Delhi Government was not providing funds to the corporation for its development activities.

MCD gets part of Rs 100 crore grant
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi today received the first instalment of Rs 100 crore for development works from the central government amid rising controversy between the Bharatiya Janata Party-led civic body and the Congress government of the National Capital Territory (NCT).

The Delhi Government has taken serious exception to the move of the Centre to directly fund the civic body, one of the largest in the world in terms of population, and next only to Tokyo in Japan. The state Minister for Health and Urban Development, Dr. A. K. Walia, has in fact written a letter to the Lieut- Governor of Delhi, M. Vijay Kapoor, protesting against this move, claiming that the money should have been routed through them so that there could be better accountability.

The Delhi Government has been claiming that the MCD has been unable to spend a huge chunk of money earmarked for development works for two successive years which has affected their efforts to improve the national Capital and make it more attractive to live in.

The central government has, however, justified the direct funding of the civic body, quoting the Constitution, according to which the Centre has every right to fund the local government directly.

The first instalment of Rs 100 crore was released to the MCD by Mr Anant Kumar, Union Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, at a function organised at the Town Hall. The Mayor, Mr Shanti Desai, received the cheque on behalf of the corporation. Senior officers of the ministry and the civic body signed a memorandum of understanding for quality work.

The minister said the second instalment of Rs 200 crore would be released shortly. This would basically be meant for constructing a civic centre in the Minto Road area. The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee would lay the foundation stone, on December 25 to coincide with his birthday.

Besides the construction and repair of roads the Union Government would fund the MCD for construction of houses in the Capital. The MCD requires land for the construction that is to be given to it by the Union Minister.

When asked about the quality of the houses, the minister said it was mentioned in the memorandum of understanding that houses to be constructed by the MCD would be of good quality.

The MCD has 133 schemes for improvement of roads and bridges in Delhi. Of them, the MCD has selected schemes which will be completed with the aid of Rs 100 crore given to the Union Minster today. The construction of roads will be started from next week. The Union Minister will do the inauguration of the construction. The Mayor of Delhi, Mr Shanti Desai, will also be there. The MCD will generate Rs 50 crore from its own sources for the scheme. For the remaining schemes the MCD requires Rs 121.58 crore.

The roads chosen to be constructed out of the Union Development Funds are major arterial roads, which carry huge volume of traffic. Work on the construction and repair of roads will be timely. The completion of these works will reduce travel time, eliminate traffic jams and lead to better civic life.

FACE TO FACE
Delhi has a problem of plenty: Sahib Singh
Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

THE multiplicity of authorities is the “problem number one” in the Capital and this can be tackled only by according full statehood to Delhi.

This is the view of Mr Sahib Singh Verma, former Delhi Chief Minister and a stalwart of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

To resolve this problem, the Delhi Government would have to give its recommendations to the Centre, specifying what kind of statehood it envisages for Delhi, Mr Verma says. But there is a hitch.

Out-and-out politician that he is, Mr Verma feels that the Congress-ruled Delhi government, headed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, is not going to give to the Centre its blueprint for full statehood. Mr Verma reasons that the Delhi government is apprehensive that the Centre may lose no time in accepting its proposal and order fresh elections under the new dispensation.

The former chief minister’s logic is that Ms Dixit “knows in her heart of hearts” that neither she nor the Congress Party stand a chance of retaining power once fresh elections take place. “So, why not remain in power for two more years?” argues Mr Verma.

The librarian-turned-politician feels that problems like pollution, pathetic public transport, perennial shortage of water and electricity, inadequate public health care and burgeoning slums would persist until key utilities and services remain under the jurisdiction of multiple authorities. Institutions like the Delhi Police, the Delhi Development Authority and the Public Works Department are only some such examples, says Mr Verma.

The Jat leader also attaches great significance to the upcoming elections for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, due in March 2002, and says that “Municipal elections in Delhi are as important as the Lok Sabha or the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.” At present, the BJP controls the MCD as it won 80 out of a total of 134 seats in the 1996 polls, with the Congress getting less than fifty seats.

Of course, he predicts that the Congress will get a drubbing in the coming municipal elections. He says that the BJP’s main poll plank in the municipal elections is going to be two-fold: (i) Full statehood and (ii) harmony with the Centre for more effctive and speedier development. Mr Verma says that since the BJP was heading a coalition government at th Centre, a BJP-ruled corporation in Delhi would go a long way in ameliorating the people’s sufferings.

The NCR Tribune recently interviewed Mr Sahib Singh Verma.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: What, according to you, is Delhi’s problem number one? How can it be solved?

A: Multiplicity of authority. There should be complete statehood for Delhi. All departments and services like the police, the DDA and the PWD should be totally under control of the Delhi government. Right now, the Delhi government has no powers over such key services. On its own, the Delhi government can neither appoint nor transfer any official in aforesaid departments. Even whatever is within the jurisdiction of the Delhi government can be vetoed by the Lt Governor, who is the representative of the Centre. The LG can stop Delhi government from acting on a proposal of that nature. It has happened in the past.

Q: When was that? Could you give some details?

A: This happened during my tenure as Chief Minister. My government wanted to introduce a panchayati system in Delhi. My cabinet passed a resolution to this effect and sent it for LG’s approval. The LG sent it to the Home Minister and the Home Minister sent a two-line letter to us, saying that no action can be taken by us in this regard till we get clearance from the Centre. Five years have gone by and nothing has come from the Centre.

Q: So, what is the solution?

A: The only solution is full statehood. But the Delhi government has not sent any recommendation in this regard. In fact, nothing is being done in this regard. The chief minister feels that if the Centre approves statehood, fresh elections may be held for the new Assembly. On account of that, she is not sending her recommendations to the Centre.

Q: Are you prepared for the coming municipal elections in Delhi?

A: We are preparing for these elections which I feel are of enormous importance. Maybe as important as the coming UP Assembly elections, because any elections in Delhi have a bearing on national politics. I can tell you that out of 42 constituencies in Outer Delhi (out of a total of 134), we will win at least 30.

Q: What will be the main issues for MCD elections?

A: Our focus will be on ensuring harmonious relations between the MCD and the Central government. Because BJP is at the helm of affairs at the Centre, Delhiites would definitely be doing the right thing by giving BJP the charge of MCD, too. Besides, the BJP has a good track record in municipalities all over country, especially in Delhi. Under our rule, there has been all-round development of roads, gardens, hospitals, schools and sanitation facilities.

How about a Sanskrit doctorate in English?
Gaurav Choudhury
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29
You don’t have to know Sanskrit to get a doctorate in this ancient language, at least not in the Delhi University. Despite elaborate schemes and active institutional and government support, the efforts to popularise Sanskrit do not appear to have made much headway in this prestigious University.

During the last ten years, the University of Delhi has received more than 100 PhD theses in the Department of Sanskrit. Sources in the Department, however, say that about 85 per cent of the theses were written in either Hindi or in English and only a meager 15 per cent were in Sanskrit. The exact statistics were not immediately available as neither the Department of Sanskrit nor the Examination Department, the nodal department for awarding Doctorates in the University, has readily available data.

According to the Head of the Department, Prof Avnindra Kumar, PhD scholars were entitled to write the thesis in any of the three languages – English, Hindi or Sanskrit. "Rules that have been laid down by the University do not enforce the use of any particular language for the writing of the thesis,"’ Prof Kumar pointed out.

"This is not a healthy development, especially since the government is taking pains to popularise the ancient language”, a researcher in the Sanskrit Department of Delhi University said.

The Centre has formulated various schemes for the development of Sanskrit education in pursuance of the National Policy on Education (1986) and as per the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. These schemes are being implemented through Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Maharishi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan and Scheme for Development of Sanskrit Educational through State Governments. Two deemed universities-- Lal Bahadur Sahstri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati, – specifically impart education in Sanskrit

According to an official, in order to bring about a fusion between the traditional and the modern system, grants have been set aside to facilitate appointment of teachers in a Modern Indian Language, science, mathematics and humanities in traditional Sanskrit pathshalas.

Grants also take care of the salaries of Sanskrit teachers, to be appointed in Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools, where the state Government is not in a position to provide facilities to teach Sanskrit. Besides there are several scholarships offered by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, meant for school students as well as post-doctoral scholars

Educationists, however, point out that there are inherent flaws in the system of education in the country, which is preventing the spread of Sanskrit. This, they say, cannot be overcome through grants and financial assistance.

“There is a systemic flaw in teaching Sanskrit at the school level. For instance, there is too much emphasis on literature than on language components. In today’s scheme of things, a student can clear matriculation without actually learning any of the regional languages. There are several cases where students opt for French and English and get elevated to the senior secondary level”, Vice Chancellor of Lal Bahadur Sahstri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, Kulapati Vachastati Upadhaya, said.

“Sanskrit has never been taught at the primary level and has always been an optional subject at the middle or senior secondary level. This creates a major constraint. What can be more ironical: For spreading a language, another language ( English, Hindi or any modern Indian language ) has to be used”, Kulapati Upadhaya said.

COMMUNITY

How safe are the hands on the wheels?
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29
Road safety is one major aspect that is given importance in today’s medical world. A number of seminars and debates are being conducted across the country to ensure to ensure safety and spread awareness among the people about road safety.

A high-powered committee comprising medical professionals, road safety managers and safety conscious public keen in promoting such a cause met recently in the Capital to discuss and deliberate on some changes in road safety management, which could improve the quality of life.

The concept of road safety was not looked into with greater significance until the number of road accidents, pollutants causing health hazards and traffic jams that make commuters wait for long hours on polluted roads that culminate in what is now being increasingly referred to as road rage were given some thought. Experts are taking these issues very seriously and are devising various methods and techniques to tackle them.

Dr K.K. Aggarwal Executive Vice- Chairman, Heart Care Foundation of India, a crusader in this field, recommends more changes in the existing testing pattern. He says, “In India only checks for eyesight and alcohol consumption in drivers are conducted, but one need to realise that there are a host of health hazards that need to be looked at. Common among them are diabetes, hypertension and epilepsy.”

India should take the lead from countries that are experimenting with better traffic mechanisms to streamline traffic. For instance, Canada, which was the first country to devise health tests for drivers, included the ‘grip test’ and ‘go-up-go test’. The ‘grip test’ is about the strength of the dominant hand that must be about 35 pounds. The ‘go-up-go test’ is a reaction response test.

Regular blood tests, blood pressure check-ups and cardiac tests also need to be conducted periodically for drivers to ensure their safety as well as public safety. Moreover, the studies in Canada have shown a dip in accidents after the drivers were made to undergo these tests, said Dr Aggarwal.

In India, a startling fact is that about 25 per cent of road accidents occur due to the negligence of drivers. One can easily avert these accidents if the drivers are fit and healthy. So there is a greater need for drivers of public transport to be checked in general public interest.

Even the experts in road safety wanted to introduce changes like streamlining heavy vehicles, so that they ply in separate lanes.

Five killed in accidents
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29
Five persons, including a girl, were killed in accidents in different areas of the Capital today.

Udaibhan Singh, a resident of Gurgaon, was hit by a speeding truck in Udhyog Vihar in the Najafgarh area of North-West district this morning. He died on the spot. The truck driver, Ant Ram Pathak, has been arrested on charge of rash and negligent driving.

In another accident, Neetu (3) was crushed to death and her brother injured in Sultanpuri area of North-West district when they were hit by truck while going on a cycle to meet one of the relations in the area. Neetu was a student of class III. She died on the spot. The truck hit the victims from behind. The truck driver, Pintu Khan, has been arrested.

Shankar Niwas (50), a resident of Jahangirpuri, was injured when a bus hit him from behind around 8.30 a.m. today.

The incident took place when the victim was going to his factory in Rajasthan Udhyog Nagar on G.T. Karnal Road. He was admitted to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries later.

Ravi Aura (30), who came from Jharkhand to Delhi in search of a job, was hit by an unknown vehicle at Mukarba Chowk at 8.30 am today. He died on the spot.

Yogender, who was on his two-wheeler, sustained serious injuries when his scooter slipped in the Kalyanpuri area of East Delhi this morning, He was taken to Lal Bahadur Hospital where he was declared brought dead. Yogender was a resident of Ghaziabad. The police has informed his family.

NCC auditorium gets upgraded
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today inaugurated a state-of-the-art stage lighting, projection and sound system at the National Cadet Corps auditorium in Delhi Cantonment.

Built at a cost of Rs 33 lakh, the system includes a projector with a DVD (digital video disc) player and screen and sound system. The modernisation work began last year with the construction of a false ceiling and soundproofing of the auditorium. The entire cost of upgradation of the auditorium has been borne by the Delhi Government.

IEC bags MCD contract
Our Correspondent

New Delhi, October 29
The MCD will soon have IT-savvy employees. At least 300 officers and staff members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will be provided IT training by IEC Software Ltd., a software company. The IEC bagged the contract for imparting training to the MCD employees.

The training will include curriculum covering the latest and high-end IT training. The course covers Lotus Smart Suite and Windows.

Shahi Imam’s remarks flayed
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29
Members of the Human Rights Welfare and Social Welfare Society, Shuruaat, demonstrated at Jantar Mantar in protest against the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi, for making derogatory remarks against Ms Shabana Azmi, Rajya Sabha MP.

The president of Shuruaat, Mr Manoj Kumar, said Ms Azmi was not only an actress but also a Rajya Sabha MP and a respectable person in society. She was running a number of social organisations. Making derogatory remarks against her was a “criminal act”, he said.

CRIME

Scooterist killed in mishap
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, October 29
A scooterist was killed and his brother injured in an accident on Mathura Road here last night.

According to the police, a tanker hit the scooter near the Sector 29 crossing, which resulted in the death of Rajender.

His brother Naresh was injured. They were on their way home after work at about 10 pm yesterday when the mishap took place. A case has been registered.

Meanwhile, four persons have been arrested in connection
with possessing about 283 pouches of illicit liquor in separate cases in the past 24 hours in
the district.

Porno watchers
Six persons were caught red-handed by the police for watching pornographic films in their house in the Sarai Khawaja locality of the town yesterday. A colour TV set, a VCR and seven videocassettes of pornographic films were seized. It is reported the accused had taken the TV, VCR and cassettes on hire to watch the films. A case under Section 292 of the ipc has been booked against the accused.

Schoolbus hit
New Delhi: A mini CNG schoolbus which was carrying six primary class students of St Francis School, Janakpuri, was hit by a truck from the left side at the Shivaji Park traffic lights, Punjabi Bagh. However, the students sustained only minor injuries. They were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital and discharged after first aid.

All students are residents of Punjabi Bagh area in West Delhi. The driver Dharamraj, who also sustained minor injuries, was taken to the hospital for first aid.