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2 perish in craft unit fire
Delhi blasts: Fresh warrants against 11
Okhla plant not a health hazard: CM
Toll tax to go up by 17-28%
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Kuttu atta mill owner among 16 held
Commerce syllabus for sem approved
Notices to 4 firms for not paying minimum wages
Bill against honour killing, making stalking a crime needed: Vyas
Yamuna Express City to be extended
‘Dead’ woman comes alive
Girl admits eloping with rape accused
Abducted kids traced to Patna, woman held
Afghan, Nigerian held with 1.6 kg heroin
Plastic scrap godown gutted
Christians don’t want polio drive on Easter
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2 perish in craft unit fire
New Delhi, April 6 According to the police, the victim has been identified as Wasim (23) and Naeem (34), both residents of Rang Mahal locality nearby. "Three fire trucks were rushed to the spot and it took about 15 minutes to douse the blaze. There was plenty of wooden material on the floor, including the presence of chemicals which aggravated the flames. Two people who were injured in the incident died later at the hospital," said a fire official, adding that the cause of fire is being investigated. According to the sleuths of Chandni Mahal police station, nothing can be said conclusively as of now. "We are questioning some of the people present in the building and yet to reach any conclusion," said a police official, adding that either it was due to the short-circuiting of wires or someone threw a cigarette butt on the chemicals which resulted in the mishap. According to the official, while Naeem was trapped in the fire, Wasim tried to get inside the building to rescue the inmates, but came in contact with an electricity wire, leading to his electrocution. "They were rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital, but both were declared brought dead," said the official. |
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Delhi blasts: Fresh warrants against 11
New Delhi, April 6 Additional Sessions Judge Santosh Snehi Mann issued production warrants against the accused for May 6 after the Sabarmati jail's officer in charge sought three weeks to produce the accused before the court. "I want certain confusions to be removed. Directions were given to produce them under the CrPC. It is your obligation to produce them before the court," the court said. Earlier, the court had summoned the officer in charge on his failure to produce the accused even after repeated production warrants were issued against them. It added that there should be no reason for non-compliance of its order. All the 11 accused are presently lodged in the Sabarmati Central Jail of Ahmedabad. The court has fixed the matter for May 6, for framing charges against the accused in the 2008 blasts. The court had earlier issued summons against the jail official saying that the physical production of the 11 accused was required to record their stands on the charges against them. "The charges could not be framed in the case till date due to the non-production of the 11 accused before it," the court said. The court had earlier decided to frame charges against the accused for waging a war against the state and killing people in the September 13, 2008, serial blasts which left 26 people dead and 135 others injured. The court had discharged one of the accused, Salman, as no evidence was found against him. The charges are to be framed against Mohd Shakeel, Mohd Saif, Zeeshan Ahmed, Zia-ur-Rehaman, Saquib Nisar, Mohd Sadique, Kayamuddin Kapadia, Mohd Hakim, Mohd Mansoor Ashgar Peerbhoy, Mubin Kadar Sheikh, Asif Bashiruddin, Mohd Akbar Ismail Chaudhary and Shahzad Ahmed. Five cases were registered in connection with the serial blasts at Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh, Barakhamba Road in Connaught Place, M-Block Market in Greater Kailash and recovery of a bomb near India Gate. Of the 14 accused, five were arrested by the Delhi police following an encounter at Batla House here on September 19, 2008. Four others were apprehended by the Mumbai police, three by the Uttar Pradesh police and one each by the Hyderabad and Madhya Pradesh police forces. |
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Okhla plant not a health hazard: CM
New Delhi, April 6 The residents of the area are opposed to the commissioning of the plant as they claim that it would be a health hazard because medical waste would be used for power generation. Apart from the plant being built, the RWA members also complained about health hazards due to a bio-medical waste management plant and water treatment plant existing in the vicinity of their colonies for the past many year. It was clarified that both these plants had been commissioned after receiving permission from all statutory agencies, including Union ministry of environment. The water treatment plant has been in existence since 1950s whereas the bio-medical waste plant was commissioned a few years ago. The RWA members were also told that the upcoming waste-to-energy plant was being commissioned after getting clearances from all the agencies concerned. The Chief Minister directed the secretary (environment) to give the resident welfare associations copies of all studies and reports about the two existing plants and the one coming up. She requested the residents of Okhla to get the reports studied from any environmentalist or expert and submit solutions to address the problem within a week. The Chief Minister also instructed the chief secretary and the secretary (environment) to take up the matter on a priority basis so that the reasonable grievances of the residents could be addressed at the earliest. She also spoke to Union minister of environment and forest Jairam Ramesh, who assured her that the Central Pollution Control Board would survey the area and suggest any step required to check any contamination. |
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Toll tax to go up by 17-28%
New Delhi, April 6 The proposal was brought at a meeting of the MCD standing committee with municipal commissioner KS Mehra, saying that the hike in the rates is necessary to neutralise the impact of increase in wholesale price index (WPI). The rates were last increased in May 2007. As per the proposal, taxi, tempo, Tata-407 and other such type of commercial vehicles, which are paying Rs 35 as toll tax per entry at present, will have to shell out Rs 45. The hike will also help in revenue generation for the cash-strapped civic body. However, the opposition Congress opposed the proposal, though the ruling BJP members said it was a nominal hike within the limits prescribed by the Delhi government. There are 18 entry points to the city where tax is collected by the MCD. The corporation, which has outsourced collection of toll tax, plans to float a new tender for awarding contract for it. "The new tender will commence from May 16, 2011, and the rates will be applicable from that time at all toll points within the jurisdiction of Delhi," a MCD official said. Bus, truck, Nissan, Tata-709 or canters and other such vehicles, which are paying Rs 70 at present, will have to pay Rs 85. The rate for six-wheel trucks has been increased from Rs 140 to Rs 165, that for 10-wheel trucks from Rs 280 to Rs 330 and for 14-wheel trucks from Rs 700 to Rs 820. The hike will not be applicable for non-commercial vehicles, ambulances, fire-fighting vehicles, police vehicles, government vehicles having red and amber lights, defence vehicles and hearses. |
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Kuttu atta mill owner among 16 held
New Delhi, April 6 According to information, 14 cases have been registered across the police stations in east and northeast districts. While all 11 have been arrested from northeast district, the police is yet to materialise any arrest in east district. Three cases have been registered at Krishna Nagar police station while two cases have been registered at Shakarpur police station. One case each has been registered at police stations of Farsh Bazar, Welcome, Madhu Vihar, Mandawli, Kalyanpuri, Mayur Vihar, MS Park, Jyoti Nagar, Nand Nagri. "The arrested persons include Nand Kishore (41), the owner of Nandu Masala Mills in Mandawali and the others are all shopkeepers who were found to be selling the adulterated flour. The police has seized the samples of the flour for the test. Meanwhile, investigations are on and there are likely to be more arrests tonight," said a senior police official. Nandu Masala Mills has been found to be the manufacturer of the adulterated buckwheat and its premises has been sealed. Kishore was arrested last night and booked under Sections 272 (Sale of Noxious Food or Drink), 273 (Punishment Regarding Sale of Noxious Food or Drink) and 336 (Act Endangering Life or Personal Safety of Others) of the IPC. Meanwhile, a 58-year-old MCD employee, who was undergoing treatment at the LBS Hospital after consumption of buckwheat flour, died this morning. Prabhu Dayal, a resident of Trilokpuri, was admitted to the hospital after complaints of dizziness and diarreohea on Tuesday morning. While hospital authorities said Dayal died due to some other ailment, Dayal's son Sanjay alleged that his father died due to consumption of adulterated flour. |
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Commerce syllabus for sem approved
New Delhi, April 6 The department of commerce that caters to as many as 28,000 students across DU colleges is the first department in Delhi University to have approved the detailed syllabus in the semester mode. The syllabus will now be tabled at the academic council for approval. The faculty of commerce and business passed the semester syllabus module for B Com (Hons), B Com (Programme) and other inter-disciplinarily courses in BA programme, said an official statement from the registrar. "A 26-paper model for B Com (Hons) has been approved by the faculty as compared to the earlier 24-paper model. Special focus was given to the fact that the number of period lectures should not decrease due to the new syllabus. Earlier in the annual mode, we had 67 hours of period lectures. Within the new system, we have 68 hours, so there is no loss of time for the students," said Prof. Hemchand, commerce faculty, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College. Head of the department K V Bhanumurthy said the department has decided to convert the optional into compulsory papers in the semester mode. Amongst the interdisciplinary courses, indirect taxes and international business have been added. For B Com Programme, a 24-paper model has been finalized. |
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Notices to 4 firms for not paying minimum wages
Noida, April 6 Baisaku Ram, a resident of Chamoli, had lodged a complaint against a Greater Noida-based company in 2007. Ramesh Yadav too had lodged a similar complaint against another company in 2009. Later, in the same year, Rishi Pal and Sonu Mishra lodged complaints against two other companies. Assistant labour commissioner K.N. Aggarwal investigated the complaints and found that the companies in question were actually not paying the minimum wages to their staff. Last year, he ordered the companies to pay the wages due to these workers. But the companies ignored the order. Yesterday, recovery notices were sent to these companies. The total amount of wages due to the complainants is around Rs 1.15 lakh. Today, several trade unions held a meeting and demanded minimum wages for the workers. "There has been no revision of minimum wages since 2000. Moreover, now, companies hire workers through contractors and claim that these workers are on contract and not company staff. Thereby, they deny the workers ESI, PF and other benefits," said Gangeshwar Dutt Sharma of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU). Several trade unions-- INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, BMS, UTUC, HMKP, UPLF and the Bhartiya Labour Union-yesterday submitted a memorandum to district magistrate, demanding wages at par with workers in Delhi. "Eighty per cent of the workers in a company should be permanent employees and only 20 per cent should be hired on contract. But contract workers too should be given ESI, PF and medical facilities, they demanded. |
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Bill against honour killing, making stalking a crime needed: Vyas
New Delhi, April 6 The number of incidents of crime against women, especially in the national Capital, calls for making stalking a crime. A separate penal code section has already been drafted for stalking and sent to the government for the necessary action. "Stalking of women should be declared a crime and a separate section added to the Indian Penal Code to combat the menace rather than clubbing it with eve-teasing," she said. "The honour killing Bill is likely to be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament in July. There shouldn't be any hitch in its approval as the group of ministers authorised to look into the matter supports the move," said Vyas, who will step down from the post this weekend after completing six years with the commission. The Bill, Prevention of crimes in the name of honour and tradition, proposes severe punishment, at par with murder, to members of khap (caste) panchayats who order or provoke honour killings. "It should be a two-step strategy. Through the new Bill, we want to deter the khaps and family members from killing couples and through awareness programmes, we want to convince the community leaders that murder is no way to protect their pride and tradition," Vayas said. Also, expressing concern over the unprecedented decline in child sex ratio in the country, Vyas said that there were several "loopholes or gaps" in the law made for curbing pre-natal sex determination that the government needed to look into. The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex selection) Act has already been reviewed once and the NCW has now forwarded new suggestions after the latest Census threw an all-time low rex ratio since Independence. Speaking on the recent recommendations and schemes, including those related to rehabilitation of rape victims and combating indecent representation of women in audio-visual media, Vayas said the NCW had recommended amendments in Section 125of the CrPC. It has proposed maintenance for step and adopted children and women in relationship in the nature of marriage (live-in relationships). |
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Yamuna Express City to be extended
Noida, April 6 The master plan of Phase-I of the Yamuna Express City has been completed. In the first stage, the development work will start from Greater Noida to Javer. The master plan is being put up for approval in the board meeting scheduled for May. In the new city, all the roads between residential sectors will be 60 mt wide. The width of roads between Greater Noida sectors is 24 mt only. There are a total of 23 residential and 15 industrial sectors in the proposed city. Land has been reserved for commercial establishments within the residential and industrial sectors. A 120 mt highway is planned linking Palwal in Haryana and Khurja in Bulandshahr district. Land for a rail corridor along the highway has also been reserved. The proposed Ganga Expressway from Greater Noida to Baliya and the peripheral highway of Delhi NCR will also be linked with the city. The Yamuna Expressway Authority has reserved 10,000 hectares of land for an international airport in Javer. Special provision has been made for green belt in the city. A link road is planned to be built around the city in Phase-I. Twenty-three per cent of total land has been earmarked for developing a green belt. The master plan has been prepared extending over 584 sq km area of Bulandshahr and Javer. The development of Phase-I will be completed by 2031. The second stage master plan will cover area from Javer to Agra, it is learnt. |
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‘Dead’ woman comes alive
Noida, April 6 This unbelievable incident flabbergasted the villagers gathered around for her cremation. Sanjeev's wife Manju was afflicted with polio soon after the marriage. A fortnight ago, she was taken to the Sharda Hospital by her family members. On Sunday, the hospital doctors pronounced her dead after thorough investigations and handed over the body to her relatives. As her body was lowered to the pyre, amidst weeping by her kith and kin, mild movements were noticed in her hands, arms and feet. A relative poured water into her mouth. After a while, Manju sat up in her pyre, surprising everyone. People rushed to her pyre to have a look at the 'dead' woman coming to life. Many called it a miracle. Village head Shyamveer said the hospital doctors had put a tape on Manju's eyes and mouth while handing the body to her family members. The bandages had been removed from her mouth and eyes before she was put on the pyre. However, Sharda Hospital's chief medical superintendent Dr P.L. Kareelu denied that Manju had been declared dead. He said her liver had failed and the family was told that the chances of her recovery were slender. The family had insisted on taking her home, Dr Kareelu said. |
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Girl admits eloping with rape accused
New Delhi, April 6 Additional sessions judge Paramjit Singh acquitted northwest Delhi resident Anil Kumar, saying the prosecution had failed to prove the charges against him. Anil was arrested on the basis of a case lodged by the parents of the girl, a class XI student at Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Mundka, that their daughter had been abducted by the man on March 22, 2004. As per the prosecution, months later, the police recovered the girl from Patiala in Punjab and arrested the boy. The police had acted on a tip-off by the girl's aunt. The girl supported her father's allegations that the boy had kidnapped her. She said she was taken to Patiala, was kept there as hostage for over three months and raped during the period. The defence counsel, however, said the girl had forced the accused to elope with him and marry her. The girl had called him to her school at Mundka and told him that she wanted to run away with him as her parents harass her and on her request, Anil had taken her to Patiala where they stayed in a rented house for about two months. The defence also contended that Anil was arrested from Delhi instead of Patiala as the girl's aunt called them to Delhi on the pretext that her parents had agreed to their marriage and then handed him over to the police. But the court acquitted the boy after the girl broke down in the court and admitted that she had eloped. — PTI |
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Abducted kids traced to Patna, woman held
Noida, April6 A woman, Lalita Devi who had kidnapped and taken them to Patna in Bihar, has been arrested. The children are being escorted back to Noida by the police. On the morning of March 31, while Krishen Kumar had left for his workplace, his two children, daughter Saruti and son Birbal, were in the house along with their mother. In the afternoon, a woman from the neighbourhood, Lalita Devi, visited their house. She somehow persuaded the young children to go with her. Krishen Kumar lodged a report with the sector 58 police station. The police registered a case of kidnapping against the woman. A team of Noida police was dispatched to Bihar which apprehended the woman with the help of Bihar police. The police arrested the kidnapper while the children are reported to be in good health. |
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Afghan, Nigerian held with 1.6 kg heroin
New Delhi, April 6 Mohd Sarwar (32), hailing from Kandahar and Emeka Paul (27) from Nigeria were apprehended from near Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology in Dwarka, southwest Delhi, recently. "We have received information about foreign nationals involved in supply of drugs from across the border to various countries with Delhi as a transit point. Investigations led to the arrests of two persons," said Arun Kampani, DCP (special cell).
— PTI |
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Plastic scrap godown gutted
New Delhi, April 6 The fire which took place at 9.20 pm was reported from one of the godowns in the plastic scrap market. It spread to the adjoining godowns within minutes, causing a huge loss of property. Twenty fire tenders were rushed to the spot. It took around an hour to the fire fighters to douse the flame, the Delhi Fire Services official said. "We received the call around 9.30 pm. Fire tenders were rushed immediately. No one was injured," the police added. |
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Christians don’t want polio drive on Easter
New Delhi, April 6 Former member of the Delhi Minorities Commission Arnold James said April 24 was Christians' religious festival of Easter that was to be celebrated worldwide. The majority of the nurses in the hospitals were of the Christian community and the polio drop programme on April 24 would be a cause of inconvenience for them. Keeping this in view the government should change the date of the programme, he demanded. |
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