Mr. Vijender Gupta, Chairman, Standing Committee today informed that for the first time Municipal Corporation of Delhi is going to affiliate with Shahid Sukhdev College of Business Studies, University of Delhi to ensure active participation of youths of Delhi in various civic services. Mr. Gupta expressed hope that active participation of youths will provide impetus to civic amenities during the Commonwealth Games. The announcement to this effect will be made in the annual function of the College titled ‘Crescendo ‘08’ being held on 14th and 15th February at Shah Auditorium, Civil Lines.

Giving details, Mr. Gupta disclosed that during the Commonwealth Games – 2010 nearly 5000 athletes belonging to more than 80 countries of the World will visit Delhi. The MCD would be facing challenging task to provide civic amenities as well as other aesthetic arrangements for the Athletes as well as spectators coming to watch the games. The youths of Delhi will form core groups which during the Games will monitor various civic services like Sanitation, Horticulture works, Street Lights, Repair and cleanliness of Roads etc. Before the Games these core groups will be provided adequate training.

The Chairman further disclosed that the these core groups will also organize Nukkar Nataks, Cultural Programmes based on folk dances; entertainment programmes as well as other interaction programmes so as to acquaint athletes and spectators with glimpses of Indian culture. These core groups will also serve as a Guide to the visitors.

Mr. Gupta also informed that to begin with MCD is going to affiliate with Shahid Sukhdev College of Business Studies but with a passage of time other collages of Delhi University will also be involved.

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REPUBLIC DAY PARADE – 2008- REHEARSALS ON

17th, 19th, 20th, & 21th January, 2008. Rehearsals of Republic Day Parade, 2008 shall be held on Rajpath on 17th, 19th, 20th, & 21STJanuary, 2008 from Vijay Chowk to India Gate. In order to facilitate the uninterrupted movement of parade on Rajpath, some restrictions shall be enforced on the movement of traffic crossing Rajpath. These restrictions shall remain in force from 9 A.M. till 12 noon on these dates.

(i) Vijay Chowk being assembly point for the Parade, traffic shall remain closed from morning on both North of Vijay Chowk and South of Vijay Chowk till the departure of the last contingent.

(ii) Personnel working in North block and South block are requested to advance their journey to offices by an hour to avoid inconvenience. NORTH-SOUTH CORRIDOR In order to avoid inconvenience in delay in traveling from North Delhi to South Delhi and vice versa or South Delhi to New Delhi and vice versa, motorists are requested to avoid:-
(a) Crossing of Rajpath from 9.00 AM till departure of Parade on Rafi Marg, Janpath and Man Singh Road.
(b) Motorists are requested to take following routes:- Ø Via Ring Road i.e. Ashram Chowk – Sarai Kale Khan – I.P. Flyover – Rajghat. Ø Via Lajpat Rai Marg – Mathura Road – Bhairon Road – Ring Road. Ø Aurobindo Marg – Safdarjung Chowk – Kamal Attaturk Marg – Kautilya Marg - Mother Teresa Crescent – Baba Kharak Singh Marg to reach New Delhi.
(c ) Motorists coming on Vinay Marg, Shantipath and going to New Delhi and beyond should take Sardar Patel Marg-Panchsheel Marg – Simon Boulevar Marg – Shankar Road – Park Street – Mandir Marg – Mother Teresa Crescent – Baba Kharak Singh Marg and proceed further to North Delhi /New Delhi. DTC and blue line buses (City transport services) shall be terminated on the southern side of Rajpath at
(i) Man Singh Road (Jaisalmer House),
(ii) Maulana Azad Road (Nirman Bhawan)
(iii) Suneri Bagh Road
(iv) Jodhpur Hostel- C Hexagon
(v) Tyagraj Marg DTC

and blue line buses (City transport services) shall be terminated on the northern side of Rajpath at
(i) Udyan Marg (Park Street)
(ii) Pahar Ganj(Aram Bagh)
(iii) Shivaji Statue (Minto Road)
(iv) Mandi House.

(D) Other buses going to New Delhi Railway Station shall take route via Sardar Patel Marg – Simon Bouliver Marg – Upper Ridge Road – Faiz Road – DBG Road – Under Pul Pahar Ganj.

(E) Similarly general traffic from North side of Rajpath will not be allowed to cross Rajpath to go towards South via Rafi Marg – Janpath & Man Singh Road. Motorists are requested to take Ashoka Road or Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road and C-Hexagon to proceed further to South Delhi or advance their journey on the Rehearsal day and cross Rajpath by 9 A.M. to avoid inconvenience.

(F) No LGV/DeliveryVan will be allowed towards Parade area from Safdarjung Tomb, R/A Vinay Marg/Satya Marg – Shanti Path/Panchsheel – SPM/Panchsheel Marg – R/A Shanker Road-Kali Bari Marg/Mandir Marg, Peshwa Road/Mandir Marg - Panchkuin Road/Mandir Marg – R.K. Ashram Marg – DDU/Minto – J&N/Ranjit Singh Flyover – Delhi Sectt. Under I.P.Flyover – Bhairon Road/Ring Road - (Mathura Road – Lala Lajpat Rai Marg) near DPS School – Lodi Road. Because of diverted traffic congestion is likely to take place on these roads. Motorists are requested to bear with us, observe traffic and road discipline and follow directions of traffic police personnel deployed at all intersections. People are requested to plan their journey, routes to be taken in advance to avoid inconvenience.

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JAI KISHAN SHARMA, ALLEGED LESS PROPERTY TAX RECOVERY THIS YEAR

Mr. Jai Kishan Sharma, Leader of Opposition in MCD today alleged that the property tax recovery upto 30th June this year is far less than the target fixed. The ruling BJP in MCD had announced that facility of online payment of property tax has been introduced. The actual position is that the online system failed miserably. As a result, long queues were seen at property tax offices upto 30th June. The senior citizens as well as ladies were seen standing in long queues. Many property tax payers could not deposit the property tax upto the prescribed date so as to avail rebate of 15%. The data of Property Tax Department itself speaks that only 20% property tax was recovered through online. Out of total property tax recovery of Rs.295 crores only Rs.60 crores were received through online. Remaining 80% were recovered by manual receipts. It is ironical that no entry whatsoever has been made of manual receipts in the record. This year 90,000 property tax payers had paid their property tax through online, whereas there are about 24 lakh properties in Delhi.

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Dr. N.K. Yadav, Municipal Health Officer today informed that seven Chikungunya cases have been reported this week. All these patients got infection during their visit to Kerala. Chikungunya cases are being reported in Southern and Western states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujrat etc. Apart from such Chikungunya cases, Chikungunya infection can also be brought to Delhi through mild and sub-clinical cases (persons harbouring virus but not showing any symptom). Chikungunya cases coming to Delhi are potential threat for spread of Chikungunya in Delhi. The symptoms of chickungunya are fever with headache, joint pains, backache, photophobia and rashes. Like Dengue, Chikungunya is also a viral illness and there is no medicine against these viruses.

Dr. Yadav streesed that in the absence of specific medicine against the virus, the only way to prevent Chikungunya and Dengue is to prevent Aedes mosquito breeding by community participation. Aedes mosquito breeds in artificial collection of clean water in domestic and peridomestic sites like desert coolers, uncovered water tanks/containers, collection of rain water in waste/empty containers lying in open/old tyers and bird water pots etc. After the heavy rains Aedes mosquito breeding had been detected from various localities of Delhi. High index of mosquito breeding has been detected from Moti Bagh, Kamraj Marg, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Kalyan Puri, Geeta Colony Police Station, Sriniwas Puri, Sangam Vihar, Tuglakabad Village, Police Station Okhla Phase-I, Railway Colony Tuglakabad and Kishan Ganj, Basant Road, Sector-16 Rohini, Bharat Nagar and Ambedkar Hospital Rohini.

Giving details of preventive measures, Dr. Yadav informed that to create awareness and evolve community participation MCD is organizing public meetings with elected representatives, RWAs, NGOs and residents in all the 272 Wards. MCD has also deployed about 3000 domestic breeding checkers for checking of mosquito breeding and to create awareness in the public to take steps for preventing mosquito breeding.. During such visits mosquito breeding has been detected at 14372 places. Creation of mosquitogenic condition or causing mosquito breeding is an offence. Legal notices have been issued to 14998 persons and 1566 persons have so far been challaned. Dr. Yadav has appealed to all heads of offices/institutions and residents to take following preventive measures and contribute for prevention of mosquito borne diseases like Dengue, Chikungunya in Delhi:

Clean your coolers once a week and mop them dry before refilling. Put one table spoon of kerosene oil/petrol in coolers which cannot be cleaned.
Keep the water containers upside down while not in use.
Cover all the water storage containers and over-head tanks.
Put kerosene oil/petrol/diesel oil in the stagnant water collections.
Remove all unwanted containers and articles e.g. broken cups, unused bottles, tyers etc. that can hold rain water.
Avoid mosquito bite by wearing cloth that covers you fully, use mosquito releppents , mosquito nets. Screen doors and windows of the house.

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Following instruction of Mr. Vijender Gupta, Chairman, Standing Committee, Municipal Corporation of Delhi has intensified its operations to curb breeding of mosquitoes keeping in view the current rainy season which is conducive for breeding of Aedes mosquitoes. Mr. Gupta stressed that community participation is a must to prevent spread of vector borne diseases like Dengue, Chikungunya and Malaria. He has directed the officials of Health Department to intensify the public awareness campaign.

Mr. Gupta has appealed to elected representatives to coordinate public awareness campaigns alongwith officials of Health Department. Mr. Gupta informed that MCD has engaged 10 Domestic Breeding Checkers in each Ward who will report to area municipal Councillor in person. Each area councillor will nominate five NGOs/RWAs to arrange at least 10 group meetings in their respective localities with minimum attendance of 50 household owners. The public meetings so called will be addressed by area Councillor on Dengue awareness. The Domestic Breeding Checkers will give field demonstration by printed literature, exhibits as well as CDs. This exercise will continue upto 30th September. The Malaria Inspectors will be deployed to create awareness amongst residents living in JJ colonies, Slums and unauthorized colonies to take preventive measures to curb mosquito breeding.

Mr. Vijender Gupta has also appealed to the public to cooperate with the Health Officials and initiate steps to prevent breeding of mosquitoes since it is not feasible to prevent spread of vector borne diseases without the active cooperation of citizens. He hoped that the public and health officials will jointly bring down the graph of vector borne diseases this year.

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Chairman, Medical Relief and Public Health Committee, Dr. V.K. Monga today inspected the Kasturba Hospital at Jama Masjid alongwith Mr. K.D. Akolia, Additional Commissioner (Health), Dr. J.N. Banwalikar, officiating Director, Hospital Administration and senior functionaries of the Hospital.

Dr. Monga on the occasion informed that two floors of new building will be completed within 3-4 months and the OPD will be made operational soon after in the newly constructed block. He said the possibilities are being explored to run the pathology labs for 24 hours in the hospital.

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Sahmat strongly condemns the assault

Sahmat strongly condemns the assault on art historian Shivji Panikkar which
took place in Ahmedabad today. Professor Panikkar was assaulted in his car on
the way to preside as a chief guest at a film festival, and the windows of his
car were smashed. Recently suspended from the faculty of fine arts at the MS
University in Baroda after a jury review was disrupted by BJP leader Niraj
Jain, Professor Panikkar had been threatened with 'dire consequences' by Mr.
Jain, for protecting the rights of his students and the integrity of the
academic proceedings of his department. Today’s attack is obviously
orchestrated by the sangh parivar and seeks to continue their attempt to impose
their politically motivated cultural agenda by fear and terror.

We call on the authorities to immediately proceed against the attackers. Meanwhile,
the functioning of the department of art at MSU continues to be stalled, with the
still incomplete results from the last session, disrupted by the BJP. The admissions
process is also stalled, and the students are on an indefinite strike calling for
reinstatement of Professor Panikkar. Since the University Authorities do not seem to
be keen on resolving this situation, we call on the Governor of Gujarat, to take
action in his capacity as visitor to MS University to restore the world-famous
department to it's normal functioning.

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DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION & PUBLICITY
GOVERNMENT OF DELHI

Delhi would soon get 40 MGD water for Nangloi Water Treatment Plant from Haryana-Smt. Dikshit
CM Inaugurates Laying of Peripheral Water Main Lines and Underground Reservoirs at UJJWA and Daulatpur Village, Najafgarh; More than 42 villages of Outer Delhi would be benefited

New Delhi:24th June, 2007 

      Delhi Chief Minister and Chairperson, Delhi Jal Board Smt. Sheila Dikshit has today said that Delhi would get 40 MGD water for Nangloi Water Treatment Plant from Haryana out of which 20 MGD had already released. Smt. Dikshit was inaugurating the laying of peripheral water main lines and Underground Reservoir and its peripheral system at Daultapur village and at Ujjwa village. After commissioning of these projects, more than 42 villages of Outer Delhi would be benefited, she added. Outer Delhi MP Shri Sajjan Kumar, area MLAs Shri Vijay Lochav and Shri Dharam Dev Solanki, CEO Delhi Jal Board Shri Arun Mathur and large number of gathering were present on this occasion.

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Smt. Dikshit further said that after commissioning of Daulatpur UGR and its
peripheral system, 24 villages would be benefited. By laying the peripheral
lines, the prominent villages and colonies like Ghumanhera, Kharkhari Rond,
Kharkhari Jatmal, Pindwala Kalan, Pindwala Khurd, Hasanpur, Daulatpur,
Asalatpur Khawad, Shikarpur, Jhatikara, Badusaria, Nanakheri, Raghavpur,
Kanganheri, Chhawla, Tajpur Khurd, Goela Khurd, Rewla Khanpur, Somesh Vihar,
BSF Camp, Qutab Vihar, Samta Enclave, Goela Dairy and Hans Nagar would be
benefited. DJB would construct this UGR and BPS and peripheral lines would
cost Rs. 14.81 crore.

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Subhash Arya demanded extention of date

Mr. Subhash Arya, Leader of House in Municipal Corporation of Delhi today demanded from Urban Development Ministry that the last date for depositing mixed use charges shall be extended from 30th June to 30th August. He said that it is not possible for lacs of traders and professionals to understand the ticklish process of this Scheme, arrange money to deposit within five days. At least traders and professionals should be granted two months time. He alleged that the Urban Development Ministry delayed the process of fixing rates of conversion and parking charges as a result of which the traders/professionals are facing difficulties. Still there are some points on which the notification is silent. Everyday new problems are being observed by MCD for which clarifications are being sought from the Ministry.

Mr. Arya further demanded that Urban Development Ministry shall reconsider the notification of DDA dated 22nd June, 2007 and remove the short comings and issue another amended notification immediately. He also demanded that a notification to extend the last date by two months shall also be issued since there is no provision in the Master Plan to extend the date.

Mr. Arya regretted that Urban Development Ministry has not decreased the parking charges. The present rates are exhorbitant which are out of the reach of traders. The Ministry should not forget that mixed use charges and parking charges are demanded at a one time.

Mr. Arya further said that it is not clear that why parking charges are imposed in the special area. These special area comprises of crowded areas

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Gale lashes Jammu & Kashmir

A strong gale hit some parts of valley including Srinagar and Jammu paralysing normal life and disrupting power supply and road communication late on friday. Nearly 300 people, including over 250 tourists were rescued by police and local drivers. Boats were capsized and trees were uprooted due wind strom in Dal lake and other areas in Kashmir valley. However, no report of loss of life had been received till reports last come. Due to heavy storms power tranmission lines and poles had collapsed. Meanwhile, windstorm also hit Jammu region this mid-night uprooting several trees and snapping electricity supply to major parts of Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch. The electricity in the several areas of Jammu were either snapped or switched off within few minutes due to heavy windstorm.

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WORK OF DESILTING OF NALLAHAS SHALL BE COMPLETED UPTO 20TH JUNE

Ms. Arti Mehra, Mayor of Delhi today inspected Kamla Nagar, Clock Tower, Rana Pratap Bagh, Jahangirpuri, Bhalaswa and Jagatpur areas situated at Civil Lines Zone to take stock of sanitation and work of desilting of nallahs. Before inspection, she held a meeting in the office of Mr. Ramesh Chauhan, Chairman, Ward Committee, Civil Lines Zone in which all Municipal Councillors of the zone and senior officers of MCD were present. She opined in the meeting that co-ordination between elected representatives and senior officers is sine-qua-non of better civic works. He fixed target for making Delhi clean city. He said that Delhi shall be made zero garbage city by 22nd May and work of desilting of nallahs shall be completed by 20th June. She directed that if contractors do not deposit tenders upto 12th May then the work of desilting of nallahs shall be handed over to NGOs so as to complete it within prescribed time period. Any lapse in this regard will be reviewed seriously. The Mayor directed that the garbage in the dalaos opposite Traffic Training Park, Roshanara Road shall be cleaned by today evening positively. She also directed that the silt removed from nallahs in Rana Pratap Bagh near sewage pumping station should be removed from the site immediately. The Mayor also directed Deputy Commissioner of the zone, Smt. Kiran Dabral to get removed encroachments from the road from one end to another in front of park at Jahangirpuri. She also directed to take action against tyre dumping in open plots to prevent any outbreak of disease from Jagatpur area.

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MCD teachers will be trained during summer

The State Council of Educational Research and Training, Delhi is organizing Teachers Training Programme under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan during Summer vacations. The main aim of this programme is to build capacity of municipal primary teachers teaching-learning process by training them in AdvancedTechniques and Methods of Teaching. The training will be imparted in two groups. The first group will comprise of newly recruited primary teachers. Duration of this programme will be 30 days. There will be 16 training centres set-up in various parts of Delhi. About 100 teachers will be imparted training in each of these centres in two phases. In this way, a total number of 1600 newly recruited teachers will be trained.
The second group will comprise of old municipal teachers recruited before July, 2006. Duration of this programme will be 20 days. For this programme 69 training centres have been set-up in various part of Delhi. About 200 teachers will get training in each of these training centres in three phases. In this way a total of 14,000 municipal teachers will be trained.

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People vs POSCO, Jagatsinghpur, Orissa - Report release and video on people's resistance in Orissa

As you may know, a strong people's resistance has been going on in the parts of Jagatsinghpur district of Orissa against acquisition of their land for a steel plant and captive port proposed in the area since July 2005, a month after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the project was signed between the Government of Orissa and Pohang Steel Company Limited (POSCO). The current situation in the area is very tense. The government seems to be hell bent to expedite the implementation of the project. Several platoons of Orissa Military Police were deployed in the area five days before the mandatory environmental clearance public hearing on 15 th April 2007. The protests in the three affected Gram Panchayats have become stronger especially after PM Manmohan Singh's statement on April 19th asking the Orissa government to expedite the land acquisition process. Though the state and central government claim that they will not use force, the military build up in the area suggests otherwise and raises the alarming possibility of a repeat of violent incidents of state repression like Kalinganagar, Singur and Nandigram. This case once again brings up larger issues relating to displacement, the process and type of industarialisation, role of the state in corporate land acquisition, people's participation in decision making related to these issues and the resultant constitutional crisis, issues related to Foreign Direct Investment and uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources.

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