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PM to lit war memorial NEW DELHI, July 25: Candles will be lit at the war memorial in India Gate by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and hundreds of school children at a .......more ‘MBC
quota will not LUCKNOW, July 25: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh today rejected the opposition charge that the proposed job quota for the Most.....more Govt
adopts NEW DELHI, July 25: The Government has adopted a well coordinated and multi-pronged approach for tackling the activities of the ISI, Minister of State ....more Camel
turns violent, JAISALMER (Rajasthan), July 25: It was a shock for a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Binesh Singh, posted along the Indo-Pak border, when . . .......more |
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Hiten Dalal’s arrest MUMBAI, July 25: A special court today allowed the plea of tainted stock broker Hiten Dalal to surrender......more Perhaps
end was NEW DELHI, July 25: Former Bandit Queen Phoolan Devi always believed in surprises, never revealing .....more BJP
led Marandi Govt RANCHI, July 25: The BJP-led Babulal Marandi Government in Jharkhand is heading for a crisis ....more Traffic
congestion in NEW DELHI, July 25: Ever slowing speeds, increase in road accidents, fuel wastage and a sharp rise in environmental.......more |
PM to lit war memorial to remember Kargil martyrs NEW DELHI, July 25: Candles will be lit at the war memorial in India Gate by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and hundreds of school children at a solemn ceremony tomorrow night to remember those killed in the Kargil conflict in the summer of 1999. Since last year, July 26 is being observed as the ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ to celebrate the success of the Indian Armed Forces in evicting Pakistani intruders from the icy heights of the Kargil sector after a two-month battle that began in May. Tomorrow morning, President K R Narayanan, Vice President Krishan Kant, the Prime Minister, Defence Minister Jaswant Singh and the three Service Chiefs will lay wreaths at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in India Gate to pay homage to the 527 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in Kargil and the martyrs of other wars whose names are inscribed on the war memorial. At 0906 hours, four MI17 helicopters carrying the national flag and the service ensigns will fly at a height of 100 metres over India Gate and they will be followed by three Jaguar fighters who will carry out a ‘missing man’ formation to salute the one who did not return home. In the evening, Mr Vajpayee will attend a function where the families of those who were killed in Kargil, and the soldiers who were injured, will be present. A programme of patriotic songs will be the highlight of the function. The Prime Minister, the Defence Minister and the Service Chiefs will return to India Gate at 2000 hours to light the symbolic candle along with more than 1500 school children as a bagpiper of the Rajputana Rifles will play ‘amazing grace’. (UNI) |
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‘MBC quota will not encourage casteism’ LUCKNOW, July 25: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh today rejected the opposition charge that the proposed job quota for the Most Backward Castes (MBCs) would encourage casteism and result in social disharmony. Singh told PTI here that casteism had already reached its Zenith and it was now time for its decline. Terming the opposition charge as an expression of ‘sheer frustration’, the Chief Minister said that the casteist parties were wary of BJP’s growing support among the backward castes and hence were levelling baseless charges. He said that the opposition’s frustration on the Government’s move to provide reservation to the MBCS proved that they had been exploiting these communities for attaining power. The Government’s move was aimed at promoting social and economic equality and providing a chance to these communities to join the mainstream, he said. He said that other members of the Backward Castes would not object ‘to the quota within quota’ for the MBCS as they realised that the mbcs had not been able to reap the benefits of reservation over the years. (PTI) The Chief Minister slammed the opposition for demanding reservation for the OBCs, Dalits and Muslims proportionate to their population saying the provision for reservation was not meant to divide power on the basis of caste and religion. He charged that those raising such a demand were indulging in ‘irresponsible politics’ and wanted to divide the society along the caste and religious lines. To a question he said that the Government move’s was not aimed at gaining political mileage in the next Assembly elections due early next year. When asked whether the move would mobilise the mbcs in BJP’s favour in the elections, the Chief Minister said that the BJP enjoyed support of all sections of the society. On reported voices of dissent over the move within his own party, especially from a few leaders belonging to the Backward Classes, the Chief Minister said that it was wrong to term it as dissent as they were suggestive in nature and the Social Justice Committee would take that into account. On being asked about the opposition’s charge that the move was a political stunt, Singh said that within 15 days of receiving the report of the committee the Government would start the process of recruiting the MBC members. (PTI) |
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Govt adopts multi-pronged approach to tackle ISI: Rao NEW DELHI, July 25: The Government has adopted a well coordinated and multi-pronged approach for tackling the activities of the ISI, Minister of State for Home Ch Vidyasagar Rao told Rajya Sabha today. The Minister, in his written reply to Mr Rajiv Shukla, said that the Government was aware of the activities of the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI of aiding, abetting and supporting terrorism in various parts of the country. The states of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra and Bihar were affected but information about the arrest of suspected ISI agents and their local contacts was not maintained by the Centre. He said measures taken to deal with the situation included strengthening of the border management, galvanising intelligence machinery, neutralising plans of ISI by well coordinated intelligence based operations and modernisation and upgradation of police and security forces with advanced sophisticated weapons and communication system. Further, he said the Government was sensitising the states about the threat perception and ISI activities in its periodic meetings for discussing strategies to counter such activities. The Centre reimburses security related expenditures to the states. "As a result of coordinated action, a number of Pakistan backed modules have been neutralised, he added. To a question of Mr Bratin Sengupta, Mr Rao said India shared 3,343 km of border with Pakistan, 4,095 km with Bangladesh and 3,488 km with China. Explaining the reasons for not fencing certain areas, the Minister said it was not feasible due to terrain conditions, riverine and permanently waterlogged areas and shifting sand dunes. A small portion of the border had been fenced in Jammu and Gujarat and fencing work was on in these states, he said. 452 kms or border in Punjab and 1048 kms in Rajasthan were already fenced, he added. Regarding the problem of infiltration from Bangladesh, the Minister said it is difficult to make any realistic estimate because the infiltrators enter surreptitiously and mingle easily with the local population, given the ethnic and linguistic similarities. The number of deported Bangladeshi citizens was 1,934 in 1999 2,349 in 2000 and 1931 during 2001. (UNI) |
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BJP led Marandi Govt heading for crisis in Jharkhand RANCHI, July 25: The BJP-led Babulal Marandi Government in Jharkhand is heading for a crisis with the non-BJP members of the alliance threatening to resign or strive for a change in leadership if their demand for the constitution of the State Coordination Committee of the coalition partners is not met within a week. Informing this, sources in the Samata Party here said the non BJP members of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) who had met here last night at the residence of the Samata Legislature Party leader and State Excise Minister Ramesh Singh Munda had given the Chief Minister a week’s time for the constitution of the same. He said they have decided to meet again on August two to take a formal decision regarding their course of action. The non-BJP members could even resign en masse from the Council of Ministers, boycott the Cabinet or demand for a change in leader-ship of the ruling NDA if their demand was not conceded within the given timeframe, said the sources. Meanwhile, State Excise Minister and Samata leader Ramesh Singh Munda, when contacted, confirmed the threat posed by the non-BJP members of the NDA and said the ultimatum had been given as no option was left before them. The non-BJP members had been demanding for the coordination committee since the installation of the NDA Government in the state, he said, adding, "we had even submitted a memorandum about two months ago to the Chief Minister in this regard." Mr Munda said the delay in the constitution of the coordination committee might prove suicidal for the Marandi Government as the non-BJP ministers were in no mood to tolerate their neglect in course of the State’s governance. "We have waited enough, now no more," said Mr Munda, adding that the August two meeting would prove decisive for the Marandi Government. "The Marandi Government was expected to run the State on the basis of a common agenda of the allied partners. Unfortunately, the common agenda of governance has not even been formulated as yet following the absence of the coordination committee of the ruling NDA," he added. Mr Munda, the state chief of Samata Party, said the non BJP members of the NDA had been taken for granted in Jharkhand by the BJP which was against the coalition ethics and highly objectionable. None of the non-BJP Ministers, including he himself, had ever in the past eight months of the State’s creation felt a part of the Government, said Mr Munda, adding, "we have never been consulted by the Chief Minister on sensitive matters and issues of public interest." We are called when the Chief Minister lands in some problem or controversy over contentitious issues like reservation,’’ alleged the Samata leader adding it was probably for the first time on the issue of reservation that the Chief Minister felt the need for calling the NDA constituents for discussion. Mr Munda said had Mr Marandi called the allies earlier, the state would not have witnessed such ‘lawlessness’ over the reservation issue. The Samata Party state chief further charged the Marandi Government with having "failed miserably" on the law and order and the developmental front. He alleged that the State machinery had "failed" to curb extremism and check organised crime. There has been "a total collapse" of law and order machinery in Jharkhand, he observed. On the health front, the state administration has not taken any positive step so far in view of the water borne diseases taking an alarming proportion in rural areas of the State during monsoon, he alleged adding, "this morning I am leaving for Bundu areas with required medicines as nothing has been done so far to check diarrhoea which has affected a large section of the people, particularly children in the rural areas." The Chief Minister should concentrate on these priority issues instead of holding meetings in Delhi and Mumbai on development of Jharkhand, he said, adding, these meetings should have been held in Ranchi and those interested in the State’s development should have been called to discuss it here in the state capital. Mr Munda said the non-BJP members of the NDA should not be forced by the BJP to take any decision which would go against the interest of the ruling NDA in Jharkhand. Chief Minister Babulal Marandi is facing a tough time even from within his own party as four of it’s MPs from Jharkhand have strongly criticised his decision to hold the meeting on Jharkhand’s development in Delhi. BJP state chief Dukha Bhagat had reportedly criticised as "waste of state exchequer" the holding of the meeting on Jharkhand’s development in Delhi. The Chief Minister should have abstained from such extravaganza and held the said meeting here in Ranchi instead of carrying the team of his officials to Delhi to discuss issues related to the State’s development with the leaders who represent this state in parliament, he said. Mr Bhagat said two months ago he had suggested the Chief Minister for convening such a meeting here in Jharkhand’s State capital. (UNI) |
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Traffic congestion in Delhi slows down vehicles, increases accidents NEW DELHI, July 25: Ever slowing speeds, increase in road accidents, fuel wastage and a sharp rise in environmental pollution—traffic congestion in Delhi has, in recent years, assumed alarming proportions, thanks to the burgeoning growth of motor vehicles, recent studies reveal. While the number of motor vehicles operating in the capital increased by almost nine times in the last three decades, the road length has increased by 2.6 times only, resulting in high vehicle density, a study by the Central Research Institute (CRRI) says. The result is extreme congestion on Delhi roads, leading to extremely slow speeds, rise in road accidents, fuel wastage and environmental pollution with motorized vehicles alone contributing to about two thirds of atmospheric pollution. According to the study, the number of vehicles in Delhi has risen from 5.4 lakh in 1981 to over 30 lakh at present. "Delhi has been experiencing an exponential growth in the registration of motorised vehicles since the 1970s. The growth of vehicles in Delhi has been higher than the human population," the CRRI study says. According to the 1991 census, Delhi had a population of 94.21 lakh which increased to 132 lakh in 2001. At the same time vehicle strength has increased phenomenally, and is expected to touch 60 lakh in 2011. In 1975 the vehicular population in Delhi and Mumbai was about the same today Delhi has three times more vehicles than Mumbai. In fact, the number of motor vehicles in Delhi is now more than that of Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai put together. In addition to the vehicles registered in Delhi, it has been estimated that about 100,000 vehicles from the neighbouring states also ply on Delhi roads, adding to the congestion and pollution problems. Today the traffic on roads of Delhi is a heterogeneous mix of cycles, scooters, buses, cars and rickshaws jostling with each other. This has resulted in a chaotic situation, increasing the number of people killed per day in Delhi due to road accidents to 5 and of those injured to 13. "Traffic congestion has reduced vehicular speeds and is responsible for longer travel times, more accidents and extra fuel consumption. The average speed, during peak hours, on the capital’s roads in 1988 was 25 kmph, a figure that is likely to be reduced to around 10 kmph in the coming years," CRRI statistics say. Currently the speed of a vehicle in Delhi varies from 8 km per hour to 35 km per hour, the average being around 24 km per hour. In a congested area, like the walled city, the time taken by a vehicle to traverse a similar distance is about four times more. Deteriorating road conditions have further ensured that consumers spent 40 per cent more on fuel, not to speak of added pollution. According to the CRRI statistics, over 321,000 litres of petrol and 101,000 litres of diesel are burnt daily in the capital due to the idling of vehicles at 466 signalised intersections. This is equivalent to about 20 per cent petrol loss daily at traffic intersections due to idling. "In monetary terms this is equivalent to about Rs 8.2 million per day or Rs 2.45 billion per annum at 1996 prices," it adds. Studies reveal that the drastic rise in privately-owned vehicles-specially two wheelers- over the years is largely due to an inefficient public transportation system. At present Delhi only has a fleet of around 6,000 buses- about 3,500 privately operated blue line buses and about 3,000 dtc buses besides the chartered buses ferrying office goers-which falls far short of the total requirement of 15,000 buses to cater to the peak passenger traffic. The situation is likely to be worsened on October one, the deadline set by the Supreme Court to convert all buses to CNG. According to even the most optimistic estimates, the number of CNG-operated vehicles operated by the DTC by the stipulated deadline is not likely to exceed 2,500. The number is likely to be far lower in case of buses run by by private operators, who are said to be reluctant to convert their buses to CNG in view of the huge capital costs involved. According to Dr Dinesh Mohan, a transport researcher at Delhi IIT, the situation could worsen further in the coming years if there is a sharp hike in cost of public transport, a likely possibility considering the high capital cost incurred by private bus operators as well as DTC in converting vehicles to CNG. Quoting a recent study, Dr Mohan says,"3 per cent of the city bus service passengers own cars and 18 per cent own scooters and motor cycles. About 11 per cent of bus users in Delhi travel by private chartered buses that assure them of a sitting place in return for monthly contract tickets." These bus users are on an average have higher income than those using the city bus service and 11 per cent of them own cars and 44 per cent own motor cycles and scooters. At present the average cost for these commuters is about rupees 9 to ten per trip. This cost is close to the marginal cost of running a motor cycle for 10 km. "Therefore, it is possible that an increase in fare might result in many commuters reverting to use of personal modes. This would be particularly true for those who own scooters and motorcycles, as the running cost for these vehicles is relatively low,"he says. Higher use of these vehicles can offset the environmental advantage of using less polluting CNG buses. Already, personalised transport meets 99.5 per cent of the total travel demand in Delhi, the CRRI says. At the same time, the CRRI study says, there is a need to increase road space to accommodate another 6,000-7,000 buses required to meet the city’s needs, besides building an elevated ring road, and more flyovers and bridges. Efforts to reduce congestion have been taken over the years by the Government of Delhi as well as the Central Government. In a white paper on pollution in Delhi, prepared by the Central Government, several measures were suggested for reducing congestion including construction of expressways and grade separated intersections, introduction of one way streets and synchronised signals and area traffic control systems, construction of a metro rail transport system and increase in number of buses. Accordingly, the Union Government and the Delhi Government, in equal partnership, set up a company named Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, to construct 52 km of metro rail tracks in Delhi by 2005. The project connects the Central Secretariat and Delhi University, Shahadra and Barwala (via Trinagar and Rithala) and Tri Nagar and Nangloi. While construction activity on Shahdara - Tis Hazari section is going on in full swing, construction of the second section between Tis Hazari and Tri Nagar has also started. The corporation this month announced that the Northern-Western line of the project will be ready by December 2003. Upon completion of the project, 19.5 lakh commuter trips per day will be siphoned off the roads. This would mean 2,600 less buses on the roads, increasing in average speed of road buses from 10.5 km/h to 14 km/h, saving of 26 lakh man hours per day due to reduced journey time and saving in fuel cost worth Rs 500 crore per year. The metro can carry the same amount of traffic as 9 lanes of buses or 33 lanes of private motor cars(either way). Further, metro will reduce journey time by 50 to 75 percent. Further, as many as 40 flyovers are to be constructed in Delhi over the next two years to ease the problem of congestion. The State Government also plans to build, by 2004, several express highways, elevated highways and luxury buses that will pick up office-goers from their houses and drop them at their offices. As part of the Government’’s efforts to tackle the problem, traffic management of mostpolluted intersections by the traffic police was introduced in December.98. Further several areas in Delhi now have synchronised signals, established by the CRRI and IRTE. These signals facilitate diversion of traffic to other areas by the area traffic control and central control room based of CPCB air quality monitoring data. Efforts have also been made to provide bicycle tracks and greater use of traffic police and existing tracks. Restricting the plying of goods vehicles during the day is another step which can go a long way in reducing traffic congestion. In this regard the Delhi Government also plans to develop, in the near future, parking areas which are distant from congested market places. Battery-operated buses would ferry the shoppers to the market venues. Deterrent parking charges will be levied in certain areas to restrict vehicular movement. Also on the anvil are schemes for reducing the number of vehicles on the road at any one time. Vehicles of certain zones would not be allowed to ply on a particular day of the week. (UNI) |
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