2G scam: Supreme Court cancels Raja's licences, refers Chidambaram role to trial court

In a huge blow to the country's telecom sector, which has spawned India's biggest scandal, the Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the 122 licences granted by former telecom minister A Raja, holding that the scandal-tainted 2008 sale was conducted in ''totally arbitrary and unconstitutional'' manner.

The apex court, however, granted relief to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram by directing the trial court to examine his alleged role in the grant of spectrum. The apex court refused to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe Chidambaram's decision, saying the CBI trial court was competent enough in deciding the matter.

Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy, who had brought the matter before the apex court, has also filed his petition on Chidambaram in the trial court. The apex court asked the trial court to decide the matter within two weeks.

The bench of Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly cancelled the 122 licences stating they were granted in an ''arbitrary and unconstitutional'' manner. Licences held by five companies including the local joint ventures of Norway's Telenor and Abu Dhabi's Etisalat were cancelled in the verdict, calling into question the government's telecom decisions three years ago.

Imposing a fine of Rs 5 crore each on three telecom companies, which offloaded their shares after getting the licences, the court said this judgement was for the accountability of the corporate citizen, those who enjoy the fruits of the government's decisions.

with thanks : Indian Express : LINK for detailed news.

Deer Park visit of Sh Ajay Makan

It was in February 2010 that Shri Ajay Maken, then Minister of Urban Development, Govt. of India, visited District Park/Deer Park at the instance of a specific request of Efforts Group to see for himself the dilapidated condition of District Park. A number of residents from all over of the adjoining colonies greeted him at the District Park gate where Pankaj Agarwal, General Secretary, Efforts Group, explained various issues concerning proper maintenance of the complex supposed to be giving healthy environments to the colonies around. A memorandum containing different issues pertaining to District Park/Deer Park/Rose Garden was presented to the Minister. Honorable Minister endorsed the memorandum to all concerned of DDA for appropriate action.

Efforts Group pursued the matter at all levels of DDA and  regular meetings to review the progress were conducted by the Coordination Committee constituted of certain DDA officials and delegates of Efforts Group/RWAs. Monthly meetings are  being  & conducted on first Friday of every month to review the progress on various issues.

Shri Ajay Maken revisited District Park today morning in order to review and inspect the development /progress of work in District Park/Deer Park/Rose Garden. A huge number of residents from Safdarjung Enclave, Arjun Nagar, Humayunpur, Krishna Naagar, Green Park, SDA etc  assembled at the District Park in the early morning and greeted Shri Maken with sense of gratefulness for having ensured  & that progress indeed is achieved.

Also present in the morning were DDA’s Sr. officers  ie  Supd Engineer D.K.Goyel, Executive Engineer B.K.Sharma, Director (Horticulture) M P Nim,  DDH Shri Brij Lal ,  EE Shri BB Guruwan, AE S.K.Gaur, ADH Shri Bijendra Singh  & many other officials.  From Efforts Group were   General Secretary Shri Pankaj Agarwal, Shri S S Rudra, Shri Sudarshan Sobti, Shri S L Watwani, Shri I D Sharma & Shri Anil Saigal.

 Shri Maken appreciated the good work done by DDA’s Shri A K Pandit, Chief Engineer ( SZ)  & other DDA’s . He also complimented Mr Pankaj Agarwal & his Efforts Group’s team for their untiring efforts in helping Govt agencies in bringing much needed improvements in these parks. He also assured the residents that still further steps shall be taken to bring these parks/garden to the best standards and particularly ensured about improvement in the lake to render it as a standard one. He assured residents that very shortly he will visit again to see the other initiated works.

Mr Pankaj Agarwal also informed to the gathering that forth coming project of covering of Naala from Bhika Ji Cama to Raj Nagar is efforts of Mr Ajay Maken, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit & Prof Kiran Walia who took lot of efforts in the sanction of this project.

Mr Pankaj Agarwal also requested the Hon’ble Minister for sanction of Sports complex, relocating of SDM ( Vasant Vihar ) office  from Kapashera & also Safdarjung Enclave’s Police Station  also  near Trauma Center where lot of land is available. Even he requested that a walk way be made from near Kamal Cinema to Metro Station Safdarjung Hospital.

S L Watwani

Delhi Jal Board

Dear Mr. Vohra ji, DJB's action in engaging ex-servicemen to do water meter reading is a welcome thing. It is true the existing staff manipulate and in the process favour the customers, while deriving a fixed sum in return, regularly! Like BSES, it is high time that the DJB engages a contractor to do the job instead of having a staff on their rolls, which will be economical, effective and efficient, overcoming the present scenario!  This month almost all residents in Anand Vihar have received inflated water bills without giving any reasons/justification! We would insist that the DJB, like the Property tax office, collect the amount and correct the bills also at one spot by holding a camp in each residential colony to put the records straight! Will the DJB wake up to this request and comply or comment!! TK Balu Secretary/RBECHS/Anand Vihar

Mr Ajay Makan to visit Deer Park, and Rose Garden to inspect & review the Development works in District Park

Dear Sir/Madam,

Subject : Visit by Mr. Ajay Maken, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Sports & Youth Affairs Govt. of India to review & inspect the development/progress of work in District Park, Deer Park & Rose Garden.

Date & Time : Thursday, 2^nd February,2012 at 7:45 am (Sharp)

Starting Point:  District Park Gate, Opp. Centre for Sight, B-5/24, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi  

Shri Ajay Maken, Hon'ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Govt. of India will visit District Park, Deer Park, and Rose Garden to inspect & review the Development works in District Park, Deer Park and Rose Garden. on 2nd February 2012 at 7:45 am.

Starting point will be District Park Gate opp. Centre for Sight, B-5/24, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi. All are requested to attend and also join for Tea & Light refreshments.

Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,

Pankaj Agarwal
General Secretary, Efforts Group

Per capita income

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK

Women's quota

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK

Expose

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK

Recent approaches to sustainability focus on energy

Indian urban population is about 28% and slated to reach 40% by 2030. But cities take up only 3% of the country's total area. Any approach to sustainability will need to create more urban space. "India needs to double the area of urban space from 3% to 6%," says V Suresh, former chairman of HUDCO and principal executive officer of construction company Hirco. India could be on target here with a large number of new - and relatively more sustainable - developments planned.

with thanks : economic times : LINK for detailed news.

Ex-Armymen hired to read water meters

Acting on customer complaints of manipulation by meter readers, the Delhi Jal Board has hired about 300 ex-servicemen on contract basis to facilitate the job.

“We have a lot of vacancies. The decision to hire ex-servicemen on a contract basis would help us in filling those vacancies on a contract basis,” said Prashant Goyal, Member (Finance), DJB.

According to sources, the Delhi Subordinate Service Selection Board has not carried out any new recruitment in the past few years, something that has left the Delhi Jal Board incapable of filling its vacant positions.

Goyal said the water utility has already issued letters of appointment to at least 300 candidates, of which at least 50 have already reported for work.

with thanks : Indian Express : link for detailed news.

BSES discoms question DERC findings on audit discrepencies

New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) Reliance Infrastructure-backed discom BYPL and BRPL have contested findings of Delhi's power regulator DERC which had detected certain "discrepancies" in their audit and observed that the financial position of the companies was not as bad as has been made out to be. In an affidavit filed before the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), the discoms questioning the findings of the regulator, termed them as "baseless, frivolous and surprising", sources said. The discoms -- BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd -- said they followed the methodology suggested by DERC in an order in 2003 to analyse their financial status. The discoms in the affidavit said a clarification to the January 25 order of the regulator indicating that the companies may have exaggerated their fund crisis had already been filed with the regulator. The DERC last month had asked the discoms to submit a detailed account of their monthly revenue generation and expenditure since April 2011 so as to keep a tab on their accounts. After scrutiny of the audit reports, DERC last week had found "prima-facie unexplained discrepancies" in the power purchase cost by both BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd.

with thanks : IBNLive : LINK for detailed news.

सरकारी स्कूलों में आधे बच्चे 'बीमार'

नई दिल्ली।। राजधानी के सरकारी स्कूलों के 50 प्रतिशत से अधिक बच्चे 'बीमार' पाए गए हैं। उन्हें किसी न किसी प्रकार की छोटी-मोटी बीमारी है। यह जांच एक सरकारी योजनना के तहत की गई। सरकार का मानना है कि अगर शुुरुआती दौर में ही स्कूली बच्चों में बीमारी पकड़ में आ जाती है तो उनका इलाज कर उन्हें स्वस्थ किया जा सकता है। 

दिल्ली सरकार ने राजधानी के सभी स्कूली बच्चों के स्वास्थ्य को ध्यान में रखते हुए हाल ही में चाचा नेहरू स्वास्थ्य योजना शुरू की है। इसका मकसद शुरुआती दौर में ही बच्चों में बीमारी का पता लगाकर उसका समुचित इलाज करना है। इस प्रोजेक्ट से प्राइवेट अस्पतालों को भी जोड़ा गया है और इनका बाकायदा डेटा बनाया जा रहा है। स्वास्थ्य मंत्री डॉ. ए. के. वालिया के अनुसार दो माह के भीतर सरकारी स्कूलांे के करीब 26,411 स्टूडेंट्स का हेल्थ चेक-अप किया गया है। 

with thanks : NBT : LINK for detailed news.