Sunday, May 9, 2010

Hike Subsidy For Poor School Kids, High Court Tells Delhi

The Delhi High Court has underlined the need for providing good facilities to poor students in private schools and directed the government to consider revising the rates for reimbursement of the cost of their books and uniform.
Justice Kailash Gambhir in his order on Friday said, "Students belonging to the economically weaker section (EWS) are entitled to same benefits as other students."

The court was hearing a suit seeking contempt action against a Delhi-based private school for allegedly not complying with the court's earlier order for reimbursement of the money spent by poor students on books and uniform.

"Students of the EWS are entitled to read the same books which are available to other students, otherwise they will not be able to compete with them," the court said while directing the school to file its reply within three weeks.

A parent had approached the court stating that her two children studying in the school’s classes X and VI were not given summer uniform and free books. However, counsel for the school cited financial limitations and informed the court that the school can bear an annual cost of Rs 2,151 for the petitioner’s child in class X and Rs 3,355 for her child in class VI. 
DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.
With thanks : source : Tribune

Overflowing tanks: VK puts lid

NEW DELHI: Residents of Vasant Kunj and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) will launch a unique initiative on Saturday to stop wastage of water.

Four volunteers — called jal rakshaks — from each pocket will point out overflowing water tanks to the residents responsible for it. After three warnings, which will include offers of help with phone numbers of plumbers who can fix the problem, the jal rakshaks will forward a complaint to DJB, which will then initiate punitive action.

Vasant Kunj has around 19,000 flats and a colony-run project of this kind, it is estimated, will end up saving around 1 lakh kilolitres of water every day. The project has been conceived by FORCE, an NGO working for water conservation, with DJB as a partner. Jyoti Sharma, FORCE president, said they had used jal rakshaks before but the process had never been very formal. ''Now it will be. Our primary aim is to make Vasant Kunj a 'water-wise' colony. When the model becomes a success, hopefully in the next six months, DJB will use it in other colonies,'' said Sharma.

The project will also involve members of the local branch of Innerwheel Club, an organization linked to Rotary International. ''Each jal rakshak team will include a member of the club. They will rope in children from each pocket,'' Sharma said. ''These children will perform street plays to spread the message.” 
 
Last year, the pocket B-1 RWA had started a programme called Water Warriors, in which colony children went about doing what the jal rakshaks will do.

Vasant Kunj has 30 residential pockets and the colony has been in the news ever since people moved in because of scarcity of water. The situation though has improved somewhat since Vasant Kunj started getting water from Sonia Vihar. However, even as people from other less privileged areas like the colony of Sangam Vihar hold demonstrations for water, many residents here have been oblivious to overflowing of their tanks. 
 
DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.
With thanks : source : Times of India

We and they

For almost six days i was in hongkong,macau and shengzen and am back yesterday night. Kindly permit me to share my few experiences relevant to our cause.

Foot paths are really meant for walking. None dared to extend shops or homes etc and hence totally ENCROACHMENT FREE.

Mobile and other wirelesss services are provided by using tall tower erected for lot of other purposes and not like delhi where these legal and more than legal towers are erected in residential places without bothering for health of citizens and caring two hoots for law of the land. Despite loss to exchequer, the question of i do not care attitude because i have money and clout. I have taken care of officers and politicians and hence NO WORRY.

Vohra ji...when that day will dawn when the necks of law breakers shall be put on block. When the pockets of tax evaders shall be emptied out and poor will be spared of hike in prices of all commodities. I am eager to listen from you. OR YOU CALL THE MEETING AND LET THE WORLD LISTEN.

kk ghei

Saturday, May 8, 2010

RWA's : Do you have Dirty drinking water problem, in your area ?

Dear RWA friends,

If you have the Dirty Drinking water problem in your area, just mail us the details. Please expedite and mail us with your Name,Cell number as well your complete contact details.

Thanks  & Regards

B S Vohra
www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com
rwabhagidari@yahoo.in

Deadline Over, MCD To Start Sealing illegal Cell Towers


In the coming few days, if your calls drop frequently, don't be surprised.After giving cell phone operators a month to regularise their illegal cell phone towers, the MCD will start sealing all the towers that aren't regularised.

The MCD had issued 1,532 show cause notices to cellphone operators for illegal towers. The notices directed the operators to regularise the towers as they did not have the requisite permission. The city has a total of 5,364 cellphone towers.

However, an RTI application revealed that a number of them had been set up without the mandatory MCD permission. If the sealing drive takes off, South Delhi will be the worst hit. While 35 towers have already been sealed, action is likely on another 250.

MCD officials say, while some operators did apply for regularisation not all of them are willing to pay the Rs 5 lakh installation charges as per the new policy. The cell tower operators say the charges are too steep.

Which means that none of the illegal towers have been regularised till date. "We had organised camps to allow the operators to apply for regularisation but they are not ready to pay the Rs 5 lakh fee.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.
With thanks : source : Hindustan Times

Legal Sanction: Want A Pet? Get Licence First


Very soon, you will need a license to own a pet, whose well-being will be regularly inspected by government officials. If your pet is found to be in bad health, the officials will have powers to confiscate them.

In the new draft rules for pet shops, the environment ministry has made license for each species of pet mandatory and allowed sale of only sterilised pets, except where a veterinary doctor allows. "The license will be valid only for 12 months," the rules said.

However, the pet owner would be able to obtain the license directly from the local authorities or with the help of the pet shop owners, who will have to take a license to operate. Government officials will have the right to inspect the pets at regular intervals.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.

With thanks : source : Hindustan Times


www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.com

Friday, May 7, 2010

Your Power Bill May Go Up Every Three Months


A new formula is being worked out to hike your electricity bills every three months, even as the power distributors (discoms) for the first time asked the Delhi government to bail them out by lending Rs 700 crore to meet a perceived cash crunch.

Sources said the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has in principle agreed to consider a new financial tool for discoms allowing them to charge a variable "fuel surcharge" in the elec- tricity bills every quarter.
 
Thus, the power tariff will be reviewed every three months, as the fuel-surcharge component will help discoms recover the extra money they pay to power generators whenever the cost of gas or coal used to produce the power increases.

The power generators charge this monthly, over and above the per unit cost of power they sell, if the input cost of coal or gas goes up.

Discoms have been complaining that this causes a bleeding of their cash as they recover the extra money only two years later when their expenses are trued up, while borrowing to meet expenses now.


DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.
With thanks : source : Hindustan Times

Hanging Kasab may take years

New Delhi, May 6 (IANS) Hanging 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab may be sooner said than done as the death sentence given by the special court in Mumbai Thursday will now have to be endorsed by the Supreme Court and, in case of a mercy petition, will require the president's assent.

The entire process could take years if not decades as there are at least 52 people still waiting for presidential assent on their execution, while nearly 300 others condemned to the gallows by lower courts are awaiting the apex court's endorsement.

As Kasab, the lone Pakistan-based terrorist caught alive in the Mumbai terror attack, has been tried under various charges of terrorism under India's latest anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2004, by a special anti-terror court, he will be entitled to approach the Supreme Court directly to challenge the trial court verdict, including his death sentence.

And even if the apex court conducts an expeditious hearing over his appeal, it is highly unlikely that the final decision in the case will be taken in less than five years, say legal experts.

For, even if the apex court decides in favour of the death sentence, Kasab will be entitled to seek a review of the verdict. And in case, if the apex court sticks to its stand, he may approach it a third time with what is known as a curative petition, raising some question of law.

In case the apex court again decides against Kasab, he will still have the freedom to approach the President of India with a mercy petition to seek commutation of his death sentence into life or outright release under Article 72 of the constitution.

DETAILED NEWS CAN BE VIEWED FROM THE LINK IN HEADLINE ABOVE.
With thanks : Source : Yahoo News

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Death sentence for Kasab

A Mumbai Special Court, which conducted the trial of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, today announced the death sentence for Ajmal Amir Kasab, in four cases, while announced Life imprisonment in 5 cases.The sentencing by Judge M L Tahiliyani makes Kasab the 52nd person on death row in India. Kasab was handed capital punishment for killing 72 people and waging war against the state.

ARBITRARY ATTITUDE OF DISHTV

I purchased a Dishtv connection on 06/11/2006 through Paras Image Associates, Preet Vihar,  which was activated on 17/11/2006.  Since then I have been paying the quarterly/half-yearly subscription regularly, and my renewal date has always been 17th of the respective month. Lately, I paid half-yearly subscription of Rs.2,000/- vide Paras Image receipt No.052 dated 07/11/09 for period 17/11/09 to 16/05/10.

From first week of April, I started getting SMS messages, message on the TV screen that my subscription was due on 26/04/10.  I was surprised, and contacted Paras Image, who after checking with Dishtv, told me that  we ordered on 09/12/09 the paid UTV channel @   Rs.28/- per month charge, and the due date was advanced to cover the rental of the channel. It was a shock, as neither I nor any member of my family ordered al-a-carte' UTV channel.  I contact Paras Image again and also Customer Care of Dishtv and explained that no one from  my family order the paid UTV channel.  After a protracted discussion, they revised the subscription date to 06/05/10.  In order to avoid any hassle, I accepted that date. 
 
In the meantime, I paid my subscription of Rs.3,200/- (for ten months, two months free under a Dishtv shcme) for period 07/05/2010 to 06/05/2011, vide Paras Image receipt No.002 dated 24/04/2010.  It was the shock of the day, when I received a message from Customer Care of Dishtv that as per their daily billing process my renewal due date was 01/05/2010.  Now, no one is prepared to listen to me.  'My Account' on TV screen says subscription due date is 06/05/10,  email received from Customer Care (Mr Ankit Jain) on 26/04/10 also confirmed that the renewal date was 06/05/2010.  On every step, there is contradiction in their statements; no one is prepared to listen.  I am sure, there would be many more Dishtv customers like me who are suffering in the hands of Dishtv.  Dishtv management should look into this dictatorial attitude of its staff. 
 
The connection is in my son, Adarsh Gupta's name.  I am not giving my VC number to avoid any further dirty trick by Dishtv with my connection.
 
 
Ram Gupta
General Secretary
Priyadarshini Vihar RWA
+91-98104 02897

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

RTI No Help: `Don't Reveal The Secret Of Others'


Your right to get information from the government has become slightly more difficult.The government has prohibited public information officers (PIOs) from providing information marked as confidential by another department with- out consulting the latter.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the nodal office implementing the Right To Information (RTI) Act, has curbed the power of information officers by invoking the "third party" clause for sharing inter- departmental information with RTI applicants.

The third party clause under the RTI was mostly applied in cases of an individual about whom an information would be sought.The RTI law clearly says third party information cannot be provided without prior consent of the concerned party.

But, there have been instances of a department pro- viding the information it received from another depart- ment as part of inter-depart- mental consultations to RTI applicants, apparently creating disharmony. So, the DoPT arrived at the conclusion that the third party clause under RTI law is also applicable to inter-government information.

Detailed news can be viewed from link in headline above.
With thanks : source : Hindustan Times