Mid Day

Desi bike designers make a splash at auto expo '12

Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur designers' customised choppers give int'l mean machines run for their vroom

International superbike giants came roaring in with their meanest machines at the Auto Expo 2012, with Harley Davidson, Triumph and Ducati rolling out their latest products for India. But amid these giants, Indian customised chopper designers also made their presence felt. Rajputana Customs of Jaipur, Vardenchi of Mumbai and Mod Bikes of Delhi grabbed a lot of eyeballs with their customised bikes at the expo.

Bike art: Akshay Varde of Mumbai with their choppers. Pics/Rajeev
Tyagi

As a large number of people gathered around these handmade bikes and posed for pictures alongside them, even officials from Harley Davidson came over to appreciate the masterpieces. "This is one of its kind. This bike is India's first handmade customised Harley Davidson chopper. We call it 'Raj MATA' as she is the queen of all bikes. This bike is specially designed for a Mumbai-based businessman who bought a 1200 cc Harley Davidson bike and asked us to modify it for him. We have used Rajasthan's rick culture and handicraft to make this bike.

Onkar Singh

We have used Jawaja leather, fine gold and Silver Koftgari work," said Vijay Singh from Rajputana Customs. Singh's previous bike customisation was for John Abraham, who has kept it in his drawing room. Getting maximum attention was India's famous chopper designer Akshay Varde, who has sold his bikes to various Bollywood celebrities. At the expo, Varde stood out with his white-and-blue 'Infinity'.

Hot wheels: Ashish Chordia, CEO, Ducati India, and Mirko Bordiga,
CEO, Ducati Asia-Pacific, unveil the Monster M795

"This beauty took us two months to build and it has got dazzling chrome with graphic paint. We have used Royal Enfield engine with the bike. Its angled yet comfortable rake along with the low-slung seat gives a very grounded and stable ride for a long trip along the highway. This is the first bike in India to have JBL's audio system with it where you can listen to the radio and connect it with USB and iPod. Although, to have music system on bikes in India is not allowed, we believe in building futuristic bikes," said the Mumbai-based Varde of Vardenchi Motors.

Delhi-based Onkar Singh was also there with his two choppers. "I have been making choppers for the last 10 years from our workshop in Kirti Nagar. We have been using Royal Enfield's engine for customisation as it gives out high output, which makes it best for modification. The bikes we build not only look good but also are high on performance. The bikes we have displayed here is Marvel chopper and Miracle chopper," said Singh.

The international line-up
* Italian mobike brand Ducati unveiled the Monster M795 with a price tag of Rs 6.99 lakh on the second day of the Auto Expo 2012 at Pragati Maidan. The company has developed the bike specially for customers in Asia. "The new Monster 795 has been eagerly awaited in India and we have priced it attractively to make it easier for the Ducatisti to own their favourite brand," said Ducati India CEO Ashish Chordia.

* Earlier, iconic British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph launched its 2012 line-up of motorcycles for the Indian market, consisting of seven of the company's most prominent bikes -- the parallel-twin Bonneville, Speed Triple, Street Triple, the off-roader Tiger 800XC, the Daytona 675 and the cruisers Triumph Storm and Rocket III. The company is in the process of setting up three to four dealerships across India and will expand to 10 to 12 dealerships by 2013.

* Even the US cult bike maker Harley Davidson yesterday launched two locally-assembled models at prices starting from Rs 9.95 lakh, which is much lower than that of imported motorcycles. FXDB Street Bob and FXDC Super Glide Custom, previously offered as Completely Built-up (CBU) imports, will now be available at all the seven dealership of Harley-Davidson. The two bikes belong to the company's Dyna family of motorcycles. FXDB Street Bob will be available for Rs 9.95 lakh as against the earlier Rs 13.95 lakh. The FXDC super Glide Customs will be retailed at Rs 11.5 lakh as against Rs 15.45 lakh (CBU). The assembly plant is at Bawal, Haryana.

Aarushi's parents to face trial

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday allowed the trial of dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar for the murder of their teenaged daughter Aarushi (pictured).

Aarushi

The Talwars had approached the SC to overrule the verdict of a lower court that ordered the CBI to make them the main accused in the case.

A bench of Justice AK Ganguly and Justice JS Khehar said there was nothing wrong in the magistrate's order taking cognizance against the Talwars and putting them on trial. "We dismiss the appeal," the bench said.

Fourteen-year-old Aarushi was found with her throat slit in her parents' Noida apartment May 16, 2008.

The family's domestic help, Hemraj, whom the police initially thought to be the prime suspect, was also found killed on the apartment's terrace a day later.

The couple's counsel Rebecca John said, "Talwars have to face trial. All the legal battles have ended, as the SC is the apex court," John said.

Lokpal Bill fiasco: Blame game begins

Cong, BJP trade charges over who really prevented RS vote from taking place

The Lokpal Bill, which failed the Rajya Sabha test on Thursday, is now likely to be taken up in the Budget Session of Parliament. Sources in the Congress said the government would soon convene a meeting with the Election Commission to decide on the dates of the Budget Session.

BJP activists led by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra during a march to the PM House in New Delhi yesterday to protest against the Congress over the Lokpal Bill not being put to vote in the Rajya Sabha. PIC/Rajeev Tyagi

The Budget Session usually begins in the third week of February, but the polls will stretch from January 28 to March 3. As the start of the Budget Session could clash with the poll schedule, the session may begin after the results are out.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, in his customary post-session press conference yesterday, confirmed the bill would be taken up in the next session. "The bill is still alive and will be taken up in the Budget Session," he said. The Congress fielded its key ministers to bail out the government from Thursday midnight's fiasco.

War of words
Speaking to reporters, Bansal said, "The BJP knows that the sitting cannot go on after midnight, yet they (BJP members) were fielding speaker after speaker. If they were serious about getting the Lokpal Bill passed, they would have pressed for taking up the bill for passing much earlier and not at midnight."

Home Minister P Chidambaram said, "The BJP, which accepted these critical amendments in the Lok Sabha, changed its stand in the Rajya Sabha over the Lokayukta and two other issues. Their real intention was to not pass the Lokpal Bill."

Chidambaram said 187 amendments were moved by the Opposition from December 28 evening till 6 pm of December 29 and it was impossible to collate all of them and decide anything in such a short span. "I have never heard it before," he said.

BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj criticised the government for avoiding a vote on the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. "If it was freedom at midnight on August 15, 1947, it was 'flee-dom' at midnight yesterday," Jaitley said in a joint press conference with Swaraj.

He said the government's excuse that the Rajya Sabha could not be run after midnight was not valid.
"Given the managed disturbance, we requested the chairman of the House to continue the session, but he thought otherwise," Jaitley said.

Govt behind House drama, says Team Anna
Members of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare's team, which had been demanding the passage of a strong Lokpal Bill in the Winter Session of Parliament, alleged yesterday that the government had engineered Thursday's high drama in the Rajya Sabha as it did not have any intention of passing the bill.

"The way the voting in the Rajya Sabha was prevented shows that the government was committing fraud after fraud. They say they want to bring a strong Lokpal but they don't have the intention," said Arvind Kejriwal, a member of Hazare's core team. "It would have been the beginning of a strong Lokpal."

Another Hazare team member, Prashant Bhushan, said, "People were hired to disturb the proceedings, to tear the bill and then ensure that everybody goes home (without passing the bill)."

Murli Manohar Joshi calls for auditing of Army Canteens'' account

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Murli Manohar Joshi has said that there is a definite need for auditing unit-run Indian Army canteens due to their increasing turnover from Rs. 1.5 crore since the system began to Rs. 8600 crores till date.

Addressing a gathering, Joshi said that there was an urgent need to audit the revenue earned by the Unit-Run Canteens (URCs).

"We witnessed that when the system of Unit-Run Canteens exclusively for Army personnel, began, the turnover used to be Rs. 1.5 crore, however with time the turnover amounts to Rs. 8600 crore. So I think there is a definite need for auditing.

Senior Army officers felt that a large portion of the revenue is used for the betterment of Army soldiers, to which our committee said that would be taken care by the Parliament," he said.

"It is not apt to use a soldier''s money for his betterment. So, I think there should be an adequate auditing mechanism in place," he added.

He also pointed out inefficiencies of the procurement and distribution mechanism of food items to soldiers by the Army and termed it as a serious concern.

"Another issue that is important is the procedure of procuring and distributing food items (ration) to Army personnel. The committee thought that a lot of irregularities were taking place in its distribution in regard to its quality and quantity. We also found out that the personnel were receiving expired food items. This is extremely serious and we want to rectify this as well," said Joshi.

Statistics reveal that the Indian Army Service Corps (ASC) spends as much as Rs 1,440 crore (Rs. 14400 million) annually on procuring rations.

Joshi also noted that 74 percent of fresh vegetables and fruits given to units by supply depots defied approved norms.

He also added that the three services have accepted inefficiencies and promised to work towards rectifying errors.

Khurshid disappointed as Lokpal failed to get Constitutional status

Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid has expressed disappointment over the Constitution Amendment Bill on Lokpal failed in the Lok Sabha.

"Of course we are disappointed but we have achieved in getting a Lokpal. We had promised the Lokpal and a Lokpal Bill has been passed. A statuary Lokpal at least has been established but the Constitutional status that we wanted in the Lokpal, we don''t have," Khurshid told the media outside Parliament.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V. Narayanswamy hailed the passage of the Bill.

" Manmohan Singh and UPA chairman Sonia Gandhi had said that the government will bring the Lokpal Bill in the house in the winter session and we will take all possible steps to pass the Bill. That has been achieved and it is a great achievement for us.

"As far the constitutional status is concerned, we don''t have the numbers, it is clear but given then the BJP , while giving the dissenting note before the Standing Committee, they have mentioned very clearly in the committee, in the dissenting note that they will support the constitutional status of the Lokpal for the centre but unfortunately in the house they changed their stand, their double standard has now been exposed because we wanted to give the Lokpal constitutional status like Election Commission, CAG and also CVC," Narayanswamy added.

Earlier, addressing the Lok Sabha session, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee slammed the opposition parties for rejecting Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi proposal, calling it as a sad day for the democracy.

"The Constitutional status to the Lokpal Bill has been defeated, requisite majority we did not have and it is known to everybody, we have simple majority and it is a sad day that the Lok Sabha did not give Constitutional status to Lokpal and to the Lokayukta in order frustrate the combined and they have defeated knowing fully well that this house we do not have the two third majority; therefore they have taken the advantage of that. It is a sad day for democracy," Mukherjee added.

The Lok Sabha passed the much-anticipated Lokpal Bill on Tuesday to create an anti-corruption body. However, it failed to give it a constitutional status.

It may now be held up in the Rajya Sabha, where the government coalition does not have a majority.

Sonia shakes a leg with tribal dancers

Special Protection Group personnel, who followed Gandhi, had a hard time as the seemingly excited women tried to shake hands with the Congress president

It's not often that one sees Sonia Gandhi let herself go, but at the Mahila Congress convention yesterday, the Congress president did exactly that when she matched steps with tribal dancers.

Matching the steps: United Progressive Alliance Chairperson and
Congress President Sonia Gandhi happily accepted the greetings and
gifts from the tribals, and joined them for a few dance steps. Pic/AFP

Gandhi, who inaugurated the convention on 'Empowerment to Tribal Women', mingled with the delegates who had come from different tribal regions of the country.

As the tribal women, attired in their tradition garb, came to the podium for a dance performance, Gandhi briefly came down and joined them.

Special Protection Group personnel, who followed Gandhi, had a hard time as the seemingly excited women tried to shake hands with the Congress president.

Gandhi happily accepted their greetings and gifts and joined them for a few dance steps. The Mahila Congress leaders on the stage watched smilingly as Gandhi's presence among women delegates sent a wave of excitement at the gathering.

Some of the workers even captured Gandhi's impromptu jig on their mobile phones. The convention went ahead with speeches from union ministers after Gandhi left the venue.

'Why censor FB when you allow Sunny Leone on tv?'

BJP leader wonders why the government wants to repress social media, when it is not censoring the Indo-Canadian porn star who is now a rage on national television; Kapil Sibal states our society is 'not as mature as in the West'

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) young leader Anurag Singh Thakur wonders why the government wants to censor social media like Facebook when it is not 'censoring Sunny Leone', an Indo-Canadian porn star who is a rage on the popular television show Bigg Boss.

After a successful stint on a reality show, porn star
Sunny Leone will star in Mahesh Bhatt's Jism 2

"Why do they want to censor Facebook, when they don't censor Sunny Leone," Thakur asked a day after Communications Minister Kapil Sibal advocated screening of inflammatory or offensive content on social networking sites.

Sunny trend
"Thousands of children are searching for her on internet and getting connected to porn sites," said Thakur on the sidelines of a conference on effective legislatures organised by PRS Legislative Research.

Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor, who had 'rejected' censorship for social media, however, said that after an expostulation from his colleague Kapil Sibal he felt some restriction was needed, as Indian politics and society was not as mature as in the West.

Are we immature?
"I talked to Kapil Sibal, he told me that there were inflammatory images of gods, goddesses, prophets. When I saw those, I felt there is a problem. Free speech in India is not the same as in the West," Tharoor said at the conference.

"If certain people see these images, it can cause violence, we don't have a democracy so mature that we can ignore such things. So certain amount of restraint is necessary," he said.

"Inflammatory communal incitement is like a match at a petrol pump, why should we do that?" Tharoor argued, adding in good measure, however, that he was against censorship.

Contradicting him, Thakur said social media was a platform for common expression and should be allowed to grow and become mature.

"Social media should be given time to get mature," said Thakur, adding that it should be left to the social media to create ways of removing objectionable content. "There are options like watermarking," he suggested.

Sibal, however, said the government will not allow social networking sites to host 'objectionable' content and will take steps to screen and remove these.

Anna accuses Pawar of protecting the corrupt

Says Union Agriculture Minister has an old habit of keeping the company of dishonest people; claims his 'Just One Slap?' comment after Pawar was attacked wasn't wrong

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has accused Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar of protecting corrupt people who will have to be tried for graft once the Lokpal institution is in place.

Following Anna Hazare's comment after Sharad Pawar was slapped, the Nationalist Congress Party supporters took to the streets and protested against the anti-corruption crusader

Hazare posted on his blog that it was Pawar's 'old habit' to support and protect the corrupt, and listed instances when he had to resort to movements to get justice for people affected by graft.

"Sharad Pawar has an old habit of keeping the company of corrupt people. The politicians got so angry with that one slap that many buses were burnt, national property was destroyed, many shops and private vehicles were damaged but this did not make anyone angry. This is unfortunate," Hazare said.

Referring to his comments soon after Pawar was attacked by a youth recently and the anger of politicians against such acts of violence, Hazare said he had 'committed violence' by those remarks, though it was verbal in nature.

Right or wrong?
"For the betterment of the society and the country, I have used strong words many times in the past. 'Just One Slap?' I admit that I committed violence when I said that. But for the betterment of society, I do not consider this violence as wrong."

Hazare said that corruption is rising day-by-day. "This corruption has made it difficult for the ordinary people to live. It is increasingly becoming difficult for people to run their families. When the limit to patience ends, then some people take law in their own hands and commit such acts," he said.

"What this young man did was wrong there are no two opinions about it. And I have also condemned it," he added.

Also, condemning the alleged damage to property by Pawar's supporters after the youth slapped him, Hazare said, "Any damage to national property is our personal loss."

Unfortunate!
Hazare said he had organised several movements along with thousands of activists for the betterment of society and solving their problems. "But we never allowed any national property or private property to be damaged," he said.

The veteran social activist added, "Many people got angry due to one slap, but when the people who have dedicated their entire life for society and country are victimised, then no one gets angry. This is unfortunate."

"I have a request if you have anger against me and want to burn my effigies, then continue doing that as you have been doing till now. Do whatever you want to insult me, but do not damage national property because it belongs to all of us," he added.

Dengue death toll reaches six in Delhi

About five cases are being reported every day

Dengue remains a cause of worry in the National Capital, which recorded another death due to the haemorrhagic fever. Prateek (14), a resident of Mehrauli, died recently due to dengue fever, taking the toll in the city this year to six. An average of five dengue cases were being reported daily from different hospitals in the city, say government sources.

Chairman, health committee, Dr VK Monga said that the total count of dengue cases in the city had gone up to 1,108. "The total toll due to dengue haemorrhagic fever has gone up to six this year. Prateek, who was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on November 17 and died the same day, too has been diagnosed with dengue fever," Monga said.

'Sting' operation

"This is alarming as dengue deaths are happening in spite of changes in the weather condition. The epistemology of dengue is changing and people should check their premises for mosquito breeding," he said. Another vector-borne disease, chikungunya, too continues to be reported from different hospitals in Delhi. The total number of chikungunya cases has gone up to 100, he said.

On Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Monga said, "Results of the eighty-one blood samples collected from pigs to test for presence of Japanese Encephalitis virus will be available in a day or two." Japanese Encephalitis, common in the neighbouring states, surfaced for the first time in the city after four people tested positive in October this year.

The Delhi government had ordered for screening of pigs to detect the presence of JE virus, as these animals were the amplifying hosts for the disease. The tests are being conducted at the National Research Centre for Equines at Hisar in Haryana.

Court orders extension of Pawar-slapper's stay at IHBAS

The youth who had slapped Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, was on Monday ordered by a Delhi court to stay at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) till December 12. His prolonged stay has been ordered for additional tests by a medical board to ascertain his mental health.

Sharad Pawar

Extending the hospital stay of Harvinder Singh, who was admitted at IHBAS on December 2 as per the court's directive, metropolitan magistrate Jasjeet Kaur asked the institute's medical superintendent to authorise a doctor to produce Singh's medical report personally before her.

The court ordered Singh's additional tests after going through a preliminary report which the institute had submitted to it as per its November 30 order in response to a plea by Singh's counsel, saying he was suffering from mental illness.

The court has adjourned the hearing on Singh's bail plea for the time being and he will be produced in court on December 9, when his judicial custody expires. Seeking bail for Singh, his counsel said his client has been undergoing psychiatric treatment for four years and as per a Supreme Court order, a mentally sick person cannot be held guilty even for killing someone.

Prashant Bhushan targets PMO over 'doctored' CD

The noted lawyer has also pointed towards Home Minister P Chidambaram for releasing 'false' CFSL report to the media

Noted Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Monday dragged the Prime Minister's Office into the controversial CD issue involving his father, Shanti Bhushan, alleging that it was behind withholding a forensic report which said it was doctored.

Prashant Bhushan

His remarks came following an RTI reply that the forensic examination by Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh, shows that the CD was doctored, contradicting findings of two other such tests.

Courting controversy

"The interest taken by home minister P Chidambaram in this matter and the PMO in revealing the Delhi CSFL report while withholding the Chandigarh CFSL report, shows that the government is behind the dissemination of this fabrication, if not the actual fabrication itself. This was the beginning of the repeated attempts by the government to defame important members of the anti-corruption campaign - an attempt which continues till this day," Bhushan said.

After the CD came into circulation, Shanti Bhushan had filed a complaint with Delhi police on April 14, alleging that it was fabricated and denied having any conversation with Mulayam Singh. "This (Chandigarh) report, after eight months since it came into existence, has been given to Subash Chandra Aggarwal by the Chandigarh CSFL on Central Information Commission's order.

Delhi police refused to give this report to Shanti Bhushan despite his repeatedly asking for the same. "Despite facts they distributed the dishonest Delhi CFSL report which certified the CD to be genuine to the entire media. Even the PMO, in response to the RTI, gave the petitioner only the Delhi CFSL report and not the Chandigarh report," Bhushan claimed.

Six IM suspects remanded to 10-day police custody

All of them, reportedly, belong to north Bihar, which is coming across as the new recruitment centre for the terror outfit

A Delhi court on Monday remanded six suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives, allegedly involved in various blasts across India, in police custody for ten days. Officials of the special cell of Delhi police on November 30 arrested the six alleged terrorists from Delhi, Bihar and Chennai and recovered two AK-47 rifles, a 9 mm pistol, 5 kg explosives and 64 cartridges from the accused.

Trigger effect: Scene at Jama Masjid after the attack. File pic

Going by the recoveries made, it is believed that the group was planning to target other places in the country.

Sources said that the Indian Mujahideen module is believed to be behind the three biggest terror attacks in the last two years - the German Bakery blast, Chinnaswamy Stadium blast and the Jama Masjid firing which took place in Delhi.

Leave no trails

The module hardly relied on technology and maintained a high degree of secrecy, with each member being informed only about his specific task. Group members were well trained in handling of sophisticated weapons and making explosives.

All the arrested operatives hail from north Bihar. Police sources say this area could well be the new recruitment centre for the Indian Mujahideen. For the police, the top priority at present is to arrest Ahmad Siddi Bappa or Yashin Ahmad, the man believed to be the leader of this group and the mastermind of Indian Mujahideen's operations in the country.

Getting intelligent

These arrests assume significance because the police believe this is the only active module of the Indian Mujahideen functioning since 2009. The interrogation of these men will give security agencies a chance to build more intelligence about the working of the group and the pattern of funding and training of terrorist operatitions.

'Unauthorised colonies meeting norms to be legalised before April'

Said the new Delhi urban development minister AK Walia on Monday

A day after AK Walia was given the urban development portfolio, the incumbent minister said that unauthorised colonies, which meet prescribed norms for regularisation, would be legalised ahead of MCD polls, which are scheduled to be held in April next year.

AK Walia

"We are aiming to regularise the unauthorised colonies, which have got clearances from all concerned agencies and departments, at the earliest," he said, adding some of the colonies may be regularised even before the municipal polls.

Walia said the department was examining allegations of wrongdoings in handing out provisional regularisation certificates to certain colonies which do not meet prescribed norms. "We are looking into the allegations. Officers have been given instructions on what should be done. We are examining the entire issue. We will regularise those colonies which meet all the required norms," Walia said.

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Sunday had relieved Raj Kumar Chauhan of urban development department and given it to Walia. Walia, who held the department till a reshuffle in February, said expediting framing of rules and administrative structures of three proposed municipal corporations would also be an important priority for him.

Stamp of approval

The government had issued provisional regularisation certificates to 1,639 unauthorised colonies ahead of assembly polls in 2008, which have been home to around 40 lakh people. Chauhan was urban development minister when the certificates were distributed.

Two-month preparedness exercise for earthquakes

Initiated by the Delhi government, Delhi Disaster Management Authority will take the programme forward in the city

Delhi government has launched a two-month earthquake-preparedness exercise from next week to educate people about steps needed to be taken in the event of a tremor in the city. Being touted as a first of its kind in the country, the exercise will include mock-drills, workshops, media campaigns and awareness programmes at schools, colleges, shopping malls, cinema halls, Metro Stations, airport, hospitals, railway stations, markets, embassies and residential localities.

Let's get started: Vijay Dev, Divisional commissioner (Delhi govt), at a

press conference over disaster management in the Capital on Monday.

Pic/Mid Day

Delhi, falling in seismic zone IV, is in a high-risk zone and is vulnerable to disasters. Divisional commissioner, Delhi government, Vijay Dev said the exercise is being undertaken to help people deal with earthquakes as Delhi is situated in a high seismic zone.

Contributers to awareness

Dev said workshops will be participated in by MLAs, councillors, representatives from the judiciary, bar associations, Institute of Engineers, Institute of Architects, Institute of Charted Accountants and Resident Welfare Associations. The exercise will be carried out by Delhi Disaster Management Authority in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority. "This will be a major disaster management preparedness exercise and the first of its kind in the country for earthquake and other disasters," Dev said.

Dev said school children are being involved extensively in the campaign and on Thursday, all schools will participate in the same at 11 am. "All school children in Delhi will participate at the same time in the drop, cover and hold exercise when a special type of bell rings in schools," he said.

This exercise is a part of an emergency drill for school children and will teach them how to react when an earthquake occurs in their area. "For the first time, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority and National Disaster Management Authority will conduct this major 'shake out drill,' covering all schools at the same time, to train the children get ready for a possible earthquake.

DDMA since its inception

Since its inception in 2008, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has conducted 3,091 awareness generation programmes, 5,799 training programmes and 1,389 mock drills in Delhi.

Chandni Chowk to get a facelift soon

Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation in collaboration with Municipal Corporation of Delhi and others, has announced two projects to take care of problems being faced by shopkeepers and shoppers alike for a very long time

Chandni Chowk, one of the oldest shopping hubs in Old Delhi, is set to get a facelift with the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) announcing the launch of two projects to beautify the area while preserving its cultural heritage. Electric cables and wires hanging at various places in the area, posing danger to life and property, will be laid underground as part of the first project, while traffic congestion will be resolved under the second.

Relief on the cards: The ever-crowded market area, where

even a small spark can lead to a blaze. The wires here will be buried

underground, putting an end to safety woes

"A small spark can lead to a blaze in the congested neighbourhood of the city. These wires are an eyesore as well as hazardous, hence, they will be buried underground," chief secretary PK Tripathi said at a function here while announcing the projects.

Local MP Kapil Sibal. Pic/MiD DAY

Truth of the fact

HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, who was also present, said the Board still had a long way to go in terms of implementation of the redevelopment plan. "It is difficult to preserve heritage sites when people are living in them. The aim is to restore the beauty of the place, and also provide amenities to the people living in the area," Sibal said.

The minister explained that the project took some time to launch as all the stakeholders needed to be brought on board. "Wide consultations with the residents and traders were made while finalising the plan. Ultimately, shopkeepers understood that if there are good facilities and beautiful places to walk and eat, shoppers will automatically flock to the area, thereby increasing their sales," he said. "My ultimate dream is to shift the traders out of the city to a large site, with world class facilities, and maintain Old Delhi purely as a heritage site," Sibal said. The project is to be implemented in phases.

For starters

In the first phase, wires will be buried underground on the main road of Chandni Chowk, from Red Fort to Lahore Gate, Church Mission Road, Esplanade Road, HC Sen Road, Naya Bazar, Khari Baoli, Nai Sarak and Dariba.

In Daryaganj area, overhead system of electrical wires will be buried under Jama Masjid Urdu Bazar Marg and Matia Mahal Road. The project will be implemented by BSES at an estimated cost of Rs 13.23 crore, which will be entirely funded and monitored by the SRDC, and it is expected to be completed in the next few months.

What may follow

The second project aims at resolving traffic congestion and other related issues in an economically feasible as well as technologically viable manner. It includes construction of footpaths, service ducts of size 6 X 6 feet on both sides of Chandni Chowk road, improvement of the drainage system, street furniture and signage, and facade improvement. The first phase of the project is to be implemented by MCD at an estimated cost of Rs 18.94 crore. The two projects are being coordinated by SRDC, with its execution partners MCD, BSES Yamuna Power Ltd, Delhi Jal Board and other stakeholders, like Delhi Police, MTNL and Delhi Fire Service, for time-bound execution of the projects.

AIIMS doctors invited to parliament over hostel crisis

A parliamentary panel has asked members of the Resident Doctors' Association and faculty of the institute to appear before it on Wednesday

Reacting on the ongoing hostel row at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a parliamentary panel has asked resident doctors and faculty members to appear before it on Wednesday to give their views.

Straight talk: AIIMS (above) doctors will highlight various issues such

as hostel accommodation, working conditions, security etc, at the

session. File Pic

An invitation letter sent by Arpana Mendiratta, Joint Director of Rajya Sabha Secretariat was addressed to the president of the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) of the institute, Dr Debjyoti Karmakar. A copy of the letter is exclusively with MiD DAY. The letter talks about improving the functioning of the medical institute and other important aspects.

"The sub-committee has already interacted with certain experts and elicited their views and suggestions on the possible measures of streamlining and improving the functioning of AIIMS. In this connection, the sub-committee intends to hear your views on all the aspects relating to the functioning of AIIMS," the letter said.

In a reply to the invitation by the parliamentary committee, the association has said it's extremely happy and pleased to be called by the committee. The copy of this letter is also only with MiD DAY. "We are really honoured that we have been asked to participate in the important parliamentary session.

The parliament has played a sentinel role in matters of national and international interest. We are glad that the committee has taken the decision to at least hear our views," said Dr Debjyoti Karmakar, president, RDA, AIIMS.

The association has highlighted various issues such as hostel accommodation, working conditions, security etc.

Two held for attempting to murder MBA student

One of the accused is the son of Delhi police ACP (Traffic)

Two persons, who had been on the run in connection with an attempt-to-murder case of an MBA student, were arrested by the police on Sunday. The son of Delhi police ACP (posted in Traffic) Jagdish Rana was earlier arrested by the police. Shakarpur police of east Delhi is looking into the incident.

End of the run

A senior police official said that the duo has been identified as Dinesh alias Monu and Mohin. "They had been on the run for the past 23 days. Police will interrogate them to know more about their other aides who are involved in the incident," the police official said. The official said that the victim, Jitender, was attacked by the accused in F-block area of Lakshmi Nagar.

Friendly visit

"On November10, Jitender had gone to meet his friends in Lalita Park area along with his common friend Sunny. He was talking with someone on the cellphone when the accused persons attacked to rob him. The ACP's son, Lovely, was among the assailants," said the police official.

"Lovely took the victim at gunpoint and asked him to hand his valuables over to them. They then thrashed him up with a sharp-edged weapon and fled from the spot," the police official further informed. Jitender, the victim, was hospitalised in a nearby clinic, in critical condition, and an FIR of attempt-to-murder was also registered in this respect.

Noida to cease to be a commercial hub?

Supreme Court on Monday ruled that banks, hospitals and other commercial activities cannot be carried out from residential plots in the area

In a judgement with significant ramifications, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that banks, hospitals and other commercial activities cannot be carried out from plots in Noida developed for residential purposes and ordered 21 banks and nursing homes in sector 19 to immediately close operations.

"Banking or nursing homes or any other commercial activity is not permitted in sector 19 and for that matter, in any sector, in the development area earmarked for 'residential use'," a bench comprising justices Swatanter Kumar and Ranjana Prakash Desai said.

The apex court directed that the 'misuse' of the residential plot be 'stopped' forthwith and its order should be complied within two months. Noida is located on the outskirts of Delhi.

Home truths

"The 21 banks and nursing homes, which are operating in sector 19 or any other residential sector, shall close their activity forthwith, stop misuse and put the premises to residential use alone, within two months from the date of pronouncement of this judgment," the bench said.

The court also said the lessees of the plots shall ensure that the occupant banks, nursing homes, companies or persons carrying on any commercial activity in the residential sector should stop such activity and shift the same to the appropriate sectors i.e. commercial, commercial pockets in industrial institutional area and specified pockets for commercial use within the residential sector, strictly earmarked for that activity in the development plan, regulations and provisions of the Act.

The verdict upheld the decision of the Allahabad High Court which had dismissed the bunch of petitions challenging the order of the Noida authority not permitting the use of residential plots for commercials purpose or mixed use.

Ray of hope!

The apex court on Monday also agreed to examine the 'legal validity' of the monitoring committee appointed by it to oversee the sealing of unauthorised business and commercial premises in residential localities. A bench of justices GS Singhvi and Swatanter Kumar agreed to examine the legality of the court-appointed panel after senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for Hotel Ambassador, contended the restaurant which is facing threat of sealing and wanted to challenge the authority under which the monitoring committee was appointed by the apex court in 2006. The apex court also told MCD counsel Sanjib Sen to ensure that the sealing drive was not implemented by the monitoring committee till the next date of hearing in the first week of January 2012.

Goodbye is the hardest word

The hardest decision for any editor to take is to tell his colleagues that the newspaper they worked for with so much passion and commitment is going to cease publication. It is also equally tough to tell loyal readers that their favourite newspaper won't be around from tomorrow.

Unfortunately, editors and publishers are as much victims of the vagaries of the market as anybody else. It is, therefore, with a heavy heart that I have to announce that the Delhi and Bangalore editions of MiD DAY will not be published from Wednesday, December 7.

The Mumbai and Pune editions of MiD DAY will continue to be published. Over the last year or so, MiD DAY has, just as many other newspapers, been facing the brunt of the economic slowdown, fluctuating newsprint prices, and other protracted adverse market conditions have made the functioning of the Delhi and Bangalore editions unviable.

I am aware that many of our readers are subscribers to this newspaper, and have paid their subscription money in advance. I thank them once again for their faith in the newspaper, and I assure them that their subscription money shall be returned at a pro-rata basis. Our long-term advertisers, too, shall be approached by our sales team to ensure that they get their money's worth.

Similarly, we will ensure our vendors are not disappointed. At MiD DAY, we will continue to invest in quality journalism that touches lives and impacts our society. And the Internet will ensure that our stories are read everywhere, in spite of the geographical restrictions of the print edition. I hope you continue to read MiD DAY, and that you continue to support our journalism. Thank you, once again.

Sachin Kalbag Executive Editor

Fashion designer falls victim to casting couch

The 23-year-old was allegedly sexually harassed and physically assaulted by an advertisement firm owner and an art director in south Delhi on the pretext of giving her an assignment.

The owner of an advertisement company and his friend an art director were arrested by police after they allegedly sexually harassed a 23-year-old fashion designer on the pretext of giving her an assignment. The duo called the victim, Nikita (name changed on request) at their flat where they allegedly locked her in a room and physically assaulted her. The incident has been reported from Safdarjung area of south Delhi.

Representative pic

A senior police official said that Nikita lives in Defence Colony of south Delhi and has been known to the accused persons for a long time. They used to give her assignments and would pay her accordingly.

Representative pic

Hidden agenda

"The accused owner of an advertisement company Mohammed Rahil called the victim on the pretext of some work. However, Nikita at first turned down the offer. She told them that she had some other work to do. Rahil asked her to meet them once and called her to his flat in the area," said the police official. He also said that when she reached the address, the victim found Sukanta Kundu (the art director) the second accused in the case was already present there. The trio talked for a while.

"Nikita again turned down their proposal and decided to leave the place. The accused closed the door from the inside and did not allow her to go. They harassed her and physically assaulted her," said the police official. After sometime they opened the door. Nikita left and directly approached the police. The official said that when the police contacted the miscreants they said that Nikita was cooking up stories.

'She's lying'

"We wanted to give her some work but she perhaps wanted more money. She is lying," they told the police. The official said that the accused were arrested. "She said that the accused on the pretext of giving her an assignment have molested her. Police lodged an FIR under section 354 (molestation) and 342 (holding a person hostage) and 34 (common intention) against them. They were both arrested by the police," said the police

official.