City’s traffic situation alarming: Study

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: Increasing number of personal vehicles, stagnant road space, more vehicular pollution and a marginalised public transport system indicates the alarming state of city’s traffic, according to a new study.

More than half of total cities of the country, especially the smaller ones, are choking on critical levels of pollution and congestion, according to the study conducted by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

By 2030, cars alone will burn up nearly the same amount of energy consumed by the entire road transport today, it said.

"Individually owned vehicles today have marginalised buses that comprise mere 1.1 per cent of the vehicular fleet. It is no wonder that the problem of traffic jams and congestion have become norms of the day," says Anumita Roychoudhary, Associate Director, CSE.

Despite more than 20 per cent of land area dedicated to roads and increase in total road length by about 20 per cent since 1996, traffic speed and road availability per vehicle in Delhi has actually dropped, the study says.

While cars are owned by just a quarter of Delhi’s total population, they are signalling a traffic time bomb.

On the other hand, over 60 per cent of total population in the capital either travels by buses, bicycles or walks to work, making them the worst hit of one of the dreaded modern day traffic problem.

A recent ASSOCHAM survey finds that on average, people spend 2.5 hours each day to commute.

Yet, car owners enjoy hidden subsidies. They do not pay adequately for the disproportionately high usage of road space or of parking, cse study says.

If charges are adjusted to reflect the costs of providing parking in cities, the rates could be as high as Rs 30-40 per hour.

"Even after taking note of the problem, Government penalises buses by taxing them higher than cars. Taxes are not linked with fuel efficiency and emissions levels of cars which aggravates the situation", says Anumita.

Between 1952-2000, India’s urban population has increased 4.6 times but vehicles have increased 158 times. Cities today are struggling to keep pace with infrastructure demands.

Average speed in Delhi has reduced from 20-27 km/hr in 1997 to 15 km/hr in 2002, the study says.

The takeover of road space from public transport by personal vehicles is hurting the urban majority, particularly the poor, the study says.

Half of the population in our cities is too poor, too young, old or disabled to drive a car. Poorer households spend greater share of their income on transport, it says.

The data from central statistical organisation shows that share of household budget spent on transport is increasing faster than the share spent on food. (PTI)

People know me as a writer rather than as a mathematician:Suri

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: The transition now appears to be complete. Originally a mathematician, Manil Suri has arrived as an author, just releasing his second book ‘The Age Of Shiva’ following upon the debut work ‘The Death Of Vishnu’.

His once "secret identity", that of a writer, has today taken precedence over his original self.

But Suri, whose ‘The Death Of Vishnu’, became a best-seller, is basking in the glory of losing the identity he spent over 25 years with.

"When I started writing, it was a James Bond-like secret existence for me to which I liked to retreat time and again. But things have turned the other way round. People know me as a writer rather than as a mathematician today," says the author, who was recently in India to participate in the jaipur literature festival.

Born and brought up in Mumbai, Suri, who is now Professor of Mathematics in University of Baltimore, USA, just can not resist the temptation of basing his novels in the financial capital of India.

While writing, he also borrows heavily from his years of upbringing in the city.

"For anyone who grew up in Mumbai, it’s something you always have with you for the rest of your life," Suri says, adding "I keep coming back to Mumbai thrice a year to recharge my battery to be used up in the not-so active suburbs of Baltimore.

"There are immense varieties of people, communities and religions living in the congested space of the city. It provides a perfect setting for stories," he adds.

Suri, who has already created characters bearing resemblance to the mythology of Vishnu and Shiva, is now working on the third angle of his trilogy ‘Brahma’.

While the ‘Death Of Vishnu’ was based in a setting of India immediately after partition, the ‘Age Of Shiva’ covers a period of three decades after partition.

His third novel, currently under his visualisation, will go a step ahead and project the future of India.

"Based in a future setting, the third part will project the near future of India in the trilogy that runs parallel to the mythology of the three lords," Suri says.

Speaking about his latest book, he reveals that the story of his lead character Mira was somehow intertwined with the post-partition history of India.

"India in the 1950s was a new country with secular traditions trying to make its way against the conventions of the west. Mira, the central character of the `Age Of Shiva’ also tries to find out a way for herself in the hostile male-dominated society," Suri says.

On the success of Indian writers living abroad, he says while there were brilliant writers in India writing not only in english but also vernacular languages, those living abroad had a better idea of the taste of international audience.

"It’s wrong to believe that Indian writers taste success when they write outside India. There are a number of successful writers in India, writing also in vernacular languages, but the writers living in the west probably have a better idea of the the taste of international audience," he says. (PTI)

Sharmila Tagore expresses concern over apathy to girl child

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: Lamenting the plight of the girl child in India, well-known actor and Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF India Sharmila Tagore says a girl child undergoes sufferings in every phase of her life in our society, right from the day she comes in the womb till the day she meets her end.

The gorgeous woman, who was in the capital on Friday as Chief Guest at the felicitation ceremony of 8th CRY Cadence Corporate Cricket Challenge (5Cs), however, said with the right kind of support and encouragement, the rampant discrimination towards the girl child would certainly go to the grave.

"We need to strike a balance of the mindsets of both men and women. And to bring a change, every individual of the society has to work together, they will have to stand up for the rights of children, especially the girls," the veteran actor said, adding that the solution of this serious issue was with the people and they just needed to make a long term commitment.

Addressing the mediapersons, the Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) said, "Education is one thing which can enhance women’s role in the society and in their family. It’s a human right. But, sadly, in our country it still remains privileged."

Ms Tagore, further expressing her concern towards female foeticide, quoted from Health Ministry’s campaign stating "Happy Girl Child is the future of India" and said efforts were to be made to help increase the sex ratio which had reached an alarming low in recent times.

Appreciating CRY’s (Child Rights and You) efforts to take up such an issue and initiating the campaign "Eliminate Discrimination, not the girl child" through their eight years of commitment the actor said, "The 5Cs has given a chance to both the corporate India and girl child to be winners. It also highlights that the time has come for collectively pledging and taking affirmative action for protecting rights of the girl child."

"Both cricket and girl child have been in news lately for wrong reasons. While India ‘down under’ saw a spiraling racial abuse charge being levelled against its players, parents of a new born baby girl in Kerela have been arrested for strangulating her to death and dumping her on the roadside," the actor averred.

Asking parents not to discriminate between their children over their sex, the former leading lady of Bollywood said she was lucky as her parents loved all her three siblings equally and were never worried that they did not have a boy.

The actor, who has spent almost 50 years in the film industry is busy and enjoying her work as the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in a move to help the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country.

After being charged-up receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the sixth Pune International Film Festival (PIFF), the lady is all set to bag awards of other categories as she is to act in ‘Tasveer’, a film being directed by Nagesh Kuknoor of "Iqbal" fame. She will also be seen judging a reality show on television.

(UNI)

Admiral Gorshkov: An endless wait for Indian Navy

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: The Indian Navy will have to wait for

another 4-5 years before Admiral Gorshkov, the Russian aircraft carrier, is inducted into its fleet as Moscow has been insisting on revision of contract in view of price escalation and some refit work needed on the warship.

In a setback to the Indian Navy plan to acquire Admiral Gorshkov after phasing out the indigenous INS Viraat, Russia last year shocked New Delhi by demanding additional 1.2 billion US dollars for the retrofitting process on the aircraft carrier, rechristened INS Vikramaditya.

The two countries had signed the 1.5 billion US dollar agreement for the purchase of the 45,000-tonne aircraft carrier on January 20, 2004, after hard bargaining and protracted negotiations which started in 1997.

However, Russia has failed to fulfill the commitment of handing over Admiral Gorshkov to India by August this year as per the agreement and instead pushed back the delivery date to 2012-2013.

The Russians are citing recabling work of 2,400 km to be done on the aircraft carrier and sea trials as the reasons for the huge price escalation to whopping 2.7 billion US dollars.

Initially, it was believed that Gorshkov would require new cabling running into around 700-km in length. But, once the carrier was opened up, the figure got revised to 2,400 km.

India cannot afford to pull out of the deal at this juncture as it has already paid nearly 50 per cent (500 million dollars) of the contracted amount.

The then Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, who had specially flown from Moscow to sign the 1.5-billion US dollar agreement with his Indian counterpart George Fernandes, had stated that the Gorshkov deal incorporated life-time upgrades for the warship from the Russian side.

A lot of work was required to be done on Admiral Gorshkov to convert it into a state-of-the-art carrier.

Initially, the aircraft carrier’s flight deck was to be extended and a powder type catapult installed for short take-offs and landings (STOL). The Russian side had indicated that all these alterations and improvements would take another four years or so.

Gorshkov was designed to carry several missiles but lacked full flattop deck. The Russian designers soon began work to make it into a true flattop. The obsolete equipment and weapons were dismantled and fuel tanks cleaned, fulfilling the pre-contract agreement.

With a sea endurance of 30 days and the capacity to carry more than 2,000 sailors and officers, Admiral Gorshkov was perceived as a real force projector for the country. Once refurbished, it would have come with 16 MiG-29K ‘Fulcrum’ supersonic fighters and a mix of Kamov KA-28 and KA-31 choppers. MiG-29K had a range of 2,300 km.

The refit work entails removal of huge missile launchers on the bow to build a ski-jump at a 14.3 degree angle for MiG-29Ks. The aircraft carrier is also to be fitted with new-generation air defence and other weapon systems, new engines, eight diesel boilers with generators, electrical machinery, communication systems besides distillation plants among other things.

Now, India has expressed its readiness to renegotiate the deal to break the deadlock over the delivery of Admiral Gorshkov, a move seen as a complete U-turn from its earlier hardened stand.

A high-level team, headed by Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, is scheduled to leave for Russia on February 19, to verify the refit work on the warship and assess the "actual" cost.

The Defence Secretary confirmed to UNI that he is leaving for Russia with Director General (Acquisition) S K Sharma and other senior officials from the Ministry to hold talks with the officials there over the issues of price escalation and refit work.

Indicating that India was ready to revise the contract upwards in view of insistence by Moscow, defence sources said a large amount of money would have to be incurred on sea trials of the displacement carrier and the Russians may not have expected such a huge price escalation at the time of signing the deal with India.

"To some extent, their (Russians) demand is right. But, we have to verify the extent. If the variation is far too much, the Defence Ministry will have to seek the nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security before revising the contract," they added.

The sources hinted that India would be ready to shell out another 500-600 million dollars to Russia for the carrier.

However, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta had recently criticised Russia for demanding a huge increase in the quoted price of Admiral Gorshkov, asserting that India would go by the original agreement over the aircraft carrier.

"There is no question of re-negotiating the deal. There should be no revision in the contract," he had said.

The Defence Secretary expressed the hope of "positive and fruitful" discussions with the Russians. "I want to go and see the present status of the ship. I am hopeful of positive discussions with the Russian authorities. One of our teams is already there," he added.

Meanwhile, the latest issue of the Russian Information Centre’s newsletter said neither Russia nor India were satisfied with Moscow’s efforts to repair and re-equip Admiral Gorshkov.

"The ship’s conversion into an aircraft carrier was a very difficult and complicated operation. Many designing and technological decision made during the implementation of this order have no precedent in shipbuilding. After identifying defects in the warship, drafting a technical project and making detailed engineering blueprints, the Russian side had to make substantial changes in the ship’s design and conversion technology.

"It wants the aircraft carrier to have high combat qualities and a long service life. This required a lot of additional work, which was not envisaged by the signed contract. This is why the schedule of work had to be changed, as well as the cost of repairs and conversion," it said.

During the upcoming consultations and talks, the newsletter said the two sides would be able to agree on the changes and on the transfer of what practically amounts to a new aircraft carrier to the Indian Navy.

Quoting a military source, it said the two countries have started implementing joint projects to develop and produce a new generation aircraft and a multi-role cargo plane.

The programme licensing the Indian production of the SU-30MKI aircraft (NATO reporting name Flanker-H) and their AL-31FP engines was continuing, the newsletter said. The two sides have also launched a project for licensed production of the RD-33 (series 3) aircraft engine.

Last year, the two countries signed a record number of arms supplies agreements against the background of India’s rapid economic development, it added.

(UNI)

Go after ‘big fish’ in drug trafficking cases: Court to police

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: Slamming law-enforcement agencies for making "no serious effort" against drug trafficking, a court here has directed them to go after the "big fish" involved in the crime, and not just the "small fry".

Besides, it also sought a "transparent system" for the destruction of seized narcotics to prevent them from falling in wrong hands.

"It appears that in some cases, the actual source - which is a big fish - is being let off and in its place, a person - who is only a small fry - is implicated," Rakesh Kapoor, the designated judge for NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act cases, said in a recent order.

"It has become imperative that a transparent system of destruction of the seized contraband is put in place and it is ensured that the recovered drugs does not fall into wrong hands," he said.

The court, which absolved two persons-Kamlesh Kumar and Shyam-both from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly possessing five kg heroin, gave slew of directions to Delhi Police to ensure that "fight against drug trafficking is not lost".

It said if the contraband has been recovered within the jurisdiction of a local police station by the narcotics branch, it should be deposited with it.

"This may enhance the course of justice in NDPS cases," the Judge noted while regretting that "this is not being resorted to by the narcotics sleuths."

The court said: "it is intriguing to note that in almost all cases of drug recovery from the accused, the source from which it was secured and the persons to whom it was intended to be supplied is not found.

"It appears that no serious effort is being made to eradicate the menace from the root," the court said.

Observing that the menace of drug trafficking had attained grave proportions, the court expressed displeasure over act of police in treating NDPS cases like other ordinary crimes.

"The investigation and the prosecution of the cases should be conducted in most professional manner so as to rule out the possibility of accused being acquitted on technical ground or basis of doubt," the court said.

The accused were arrested from Raj Ghat here with five kg heroin on February 12, 2004.

The court held that the prosecution had failed to explain the variations in ‘diacetyl morphine’ samples collected by the police from the spot and those drawn by the court directions.

"One cannot help believing that the police had let off the real culprits who, it appears, were big fish and had instead implicated the accused, who might be cronies of the aforesaid persons," the court noted.

It also found that prosecution witnesses were not forthcoming with the true facts and held back vital informations from it.

The Judge also lent credence to the defence contention that the accused were kept in a private place rather than in a lock up. (PTI)

Forensic labs face staff shortage, go head-hunting

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: With dependence on forensic evidence in crimes growing rapidly, the laboratories specialising in the field are feeling a strain on manpower, prompting them to go for head-hunting of experts.

The shortage of staff in the 190 forensic laboratories across the country leads to delays in solving crime cases and to tackle the situation some of the laboratories have resorted to hiring students on contractual basis.

"Staff are very few due to certain constraints. We are working on the procedure to recruit more experts in different departments," says Bibha R Ray, Director of Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), which functions under the administrative control of CBI.

Counting scientists as well as non-scientific attendants employed in different labs altogether, the CFSL has a staff not more than 85, who had to look into 750 cases last year alone.

"Apart from CBI, cases comes from Delhi Police and other states also. Some cases like crime against women, murder case, kidnappings and others needs to be investigated on priority basis," Ray added.

Delay in investigation process some times can kill the very purpose of forensic analysis.

"There is always a possibility of getting evidence tampered due to delay in investigation in certain cases where some biological evidence needs to be preserved," S Sanyal, criminal psychologist and former reader at National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science said.

NICFS trains 40 students in forensic studies and criminology every year but many look for alternatives elsewhere due to lack of charm and on the spot opportunity.

"The interest among youths for choosing this as career have been going down as Government forensic laboratories have not been recruiting scientific staff for so many years. It has created a huge backlog of vacancy," said D Mitra, Director of NICFS.

Apart from training civilian students, the NICFS also provides forensic training to for scientific officials working in over 190 laboratories across the country, including four run by Central Government and twenty by State Governments.

Ban on recruitment of forensic scientists following the suggestions of Fifth Pay Commission for downsizing Government departments have only added to the woes of forensic laboratories.

"Everything is demand driven. Now the labs have also started realising the shortage of manpower which has prompted them to recruit some students on contractual basis. But soon, there is likely to be a huge rush for forensic scientists," Mitra added.

A large number of professionals trained at various private institutes opt for careers overseas or in various service sector firms here.

With the advancement in technology, the judiciary too has been favouring evidence gathered using scientific methods.

"Earlier, blood test was the only option, now DNA tests, finger printing and several other mechanisms have been adopted for investigations," said Adarsh Kumar, Joint Secretary of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine. (PTI)

From wines to nuclear: Indo-French
S&T ties cover wide gamut..

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: From the wine industry to the nuclear sector, India and France signed up a series of pacts to enhance ties in science and technology during the recent visit of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Presidents and directors of several French research institutes and universities, who accompanied Sarkozy, held intense discussions with their Indian counterparts on joint research and student exchange programmes.

The Grand Accelerateur National d’ions Lourds (GANIL), a heavy ion accelerator based in Caen in France, signed a pact with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) to study rare isotopes that are useful for the healthcare sector.

"We have signed an umbrella agreement which can be used as a framework for further cooperation on various research projects," GANIL Director Sydney Gales said here.

The Bordeaux region, famous for its wines the world over, has agreed to share its experience in the sector with their Indian counterparts, a development that is expected to benefit the grape growers here.

The University of Boredeaux and the University of Pune are planning a joint programme on wine studies covering activities in information technology and software, and wine processing.

"We’re looking forward to joint research and exchange of students and faculty," Professor Singaravelou, vice-president of the University of Bordeaux, said.

Electronics, engineering, nanotechnology and nuclear sciences were the most sought after areas in which the two sides were keen to focus their strengths.

N+i, a network of 75 colleges in France covering all branches of engineering, have agreed for students and faculty exchange with IIT-Guwahati, Birla Institute of Technology- Ranchi, Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology-Delhi and University of Pune.

N+i has also roped in ALTEN, an engineering consultancy firm, which has agreed to fund 60 scholarships for Indian students willing to pursue higher studies in France.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the French National Scientific Research Centre signed an agreement for joint research on eco-friendly chemicals and new drugs.

The University of Lyon 3 and the Faculty of Management Studies at Delhi University are considering a joint masters qualification in retailing.

Delhi University is also working with Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble to launch joint masters degrees in nanotechnology and nuclear engineering and sustainable development.

Institut Superieur d’Electronique de Paris has agreed to send its students for an year-long stint at the Vellore Institute of Technology and, Management and Engineering Research Institute and vice-versa in the field of computer sciences, electronics and engineering.

The prestigious institute of political studies and humanities SciencesPo, which had a number of French Presidents among its alumni, already has its students pursuing doctoral programmes in India.

"We want to have more Indian students to study in France," said Richard Descoings, Director of the Paris-based SciencesPo. (PTI)

NCW to recommend on a bill on domestic servants

NEW DELHI, Feb 3: Domestic servants who commit heinous crimes and flee the country may not find it easy now.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) is coming out with a recommendation draft to deal with domestic servants.

The commission will also send these recommendations to the Ministry of Women and Child Development to bring a bill on the same subject.

To evolve a common view to prepare the draft recommendations for the bill, the Commission is organising a conference from March 14-15, in which various agencies offering employment to servants, NGOs and representatives of domestic servants unions would participate.

The commission will also invite suggestions from people in this regard.

An estimated 2,000 Nepali people enter Delhi every week for jobs and an unspecified number of Bangladeshi nationals have also been flooding the country.

A large number of immigrant servants and floating labourers, chowkidars, plumbers, electricians and other casual labourers come to the national capital in search of employment.

Police officials say that the crime committed by this section in Delhi constitutes a big problem.

They also point out that the lack of cooperation from the law-enforcement agencies, particularly those in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, is a major hindrance in nabbing them.

Besides, most of the servants are from remote villages, which makes the whole process very long.

Further, getting servants from Nepal and Bangladesh verified is quite difficult as it involves both the Ministries of Home and External Affairs.

Most of the Bangladeshi nationals get illegal entries and turn into refugees here. Therefore, verifying them is almost impossible, police officials say.

In the backdrop of the same constraints, the Commission felt the need to recommend for a bill in this regard, while also considering some recent cases where domestic servants were found responsible for heinous crimes like murders.

Despite advise by the Delhi police through the media, cinema, slides, hand-bills and through personal contacts on verifying the credentials of servants, the response from the employers has not been very encouraging.

"There are instances where complete strangers were accepted as domestic and private servants, chowkidars, plumbers, electricians and casual workers. And they decamped soon after, with valuables. We felt the need for a bill that will ensure safety and security of both the employee and employer," NCW member Malini Bhattacharya said.

She also highlighted the need for Resident and Market Associations to be alerted to use the services of only verified people, so as to prevent any possibility of crime.

"At times, there are crimes committed by some characters who also have records of previous convictions. But the employers could not even produce their photographs and addresses. All resident and market associations should, therefore, be alerted to use the services of only verified people," Bhattacharya said.

The Commission is looking at the whole subject holistically by also considering its other aspect, which is security of the servants.

"It is just not that the domestic servants are (always) bad, but at times, they have also been treated very badly. So we are trying to work out on a draft that will ensure not only the security of the employers but the servants employed with them," she said.

The Commission is also paying attention to the problems in identification mechanism that has failed despite efforts by Delhi police.

Going by the inputs received, the Commission has felt it necessary to start verification of character and antecedents of domestic servants, private employees and the chowkidars employed by the Resident Welfare Associations.

Such verification would help the local police greatly if previous convicts, suspects and other shady characters among such private employees are spotted.

That will also help in drafting the recommendations accordingly. (PTI)