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Positive move, says SC on Delhi government formation effort

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 30 Oktober 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Thursday described as positive the reports that lt governor Najeeb Jung would be consulting all the political parties in its efforts to form a government in Delhi.

The apex court constitution bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu said that as per the newspaper reports there is a positive move by the lt governor that he is going to consult all the political parties in his efforts to form a government in Delhi.

The court said that there are situations with a party not having majority forms the government with outside support.

READ ALSO: Centre may wait for bypoll results to decide on government in Delhi

As the court said this, Aam Aadmi Party counsel Prashant Bhushan said that this was another attempt to deny people of their right to have a representative government.

However, he said that they have no objection in giving lt governor another chance to explore the possibility of forming the government, but it should be time bound.

The court also observed that if by chance, the lt governor fails and the formation of the government is not possible, he may seek the advice of the President and he will take a call.

Having said this, the court adjourned till November 11 hearing on the AAP petition seeking dissolution of the assembly and holding of fresh elections.

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North Corporation to report on `illegal' mall

NEW DELHI: A mall allegedly built illegally in Kirti Nagar came under the scanner of Delhi high court on Wednesday after it asked North Delhi Municipal Corporation to file a status report.

HC's direction came on a PIL seeking demolition of the "illegal" mall. A division bench of Justices B D Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul gave North Corporation till November 19 to apprise it of the circumstances in which the mall was built and if it is illegal. The court also tagged the petition with a case it is hearing on unauthorised constructions in the city.

Filed by NGO Pardarshita, the petition has alleged that the land on which Moments Mall is built, was originally sanctioned for a steel tank factory . NGO president Harkishan Das Nijhawan has alleged that mall is neither approved by the competent authority nor regularized by NDMC.Nijhawan has claimed they wrote to the NDMC commissioner but nothing has been done so far.

"Direct NDMC to demolish the illegal and unauthorised construction in Kirti Nagar which falls under the North Corporation's jurisdiction," the plea added.

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Quota can't help transgender kids in school

NEW DELHI: The "transgender child" in now eligible for free seats in Delhi's private schools. Included in the "disadvantaged groups" on October 9, they can apply in the 25% Economically Weaker Section-DG category but activists argue that securing seats was never the biggest problem for this group anyway. Staying in school once they - and others - notice they're different and the bullying begins, is the real challenge.

For most, quota rights in school education are exercised at entry-level when the child is too young to know if he belongs to the transgender community. "The population of hermaphrodites is miniscule. Most of these kids are born with either male or female anatomical features and their gender is decided by parents based on them," says Firoz Khan from National Coalition for People Living with Aids (NCPI+). "It's much later, when they hit puberty or even later, that they start feeling like they don't belong to the bodies they have," says Anjan Joshi of Society for People's Awareness, Care & Empowerment (SPACE). By then, most are also beyond the purview of the Right to Education Act and the 25% free seats it mandates.

"These kids aren't discriminated against officially but are severely bullied and physically abused," explains Khan, "They get no support - usually not even from families - and drop out." Teena, now 25, dropped out of her all-boys government school in north Delhi in sixth grade. "I had complained to teachers but they too abused me," she says. Shagun, 24, who left school after grade 10 is trying to keep her teenaged chelas (disciples) in. "There are about 16 kids from Timarpur. They are routinely beaten up, even attacked with blades," she says. Of her own experience she recounts, "I realized I was different in third or fourth grade. The boys in my class laughed at me, said I should be abused." She changed school in class nine - from private to government - but the environment was the same at both.

"There is a Prevention of Atrocities Act for SC/STs," says Joshi, "We want the same for people who don't follow prescribed gender norms. Till you make the environment secure, this sort of reservation won't help children."

Delhi schools aren't ready; most aren't even trying to be. Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar, is arguably the only exception. They started the "human rights campaign about LGBTQI (lesbian-gay-bisexual-trangender-queer-intersex) community" in 2013 when principal Madhulika Sen cleared the proposal realizing "abuse starts at school level." About 40 kids signed up as volunteers. "We sent circulars to the parents and except from two-three, there was barely any resistance. The team went through 25 hours of training. A presentation was created which we took to two-three schools but others haven't been very forthcoming," she says. The presentation addresses questions on history, biology and the law. "The idea is to broaden the mind of the children and demolish preconceived notions," says Sen. Her students were present with their school banner at protests against the Supreme Court's decision to nullify the Delhi High Court's order reading down Section 377. She too asks how school authorities will know about gender identity necessary for the quota. "As for facilities," she says, "As far as I'm concerned, he or she will be like any other child."

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Arvind Mayaram gets third transfer within a month

NEW DELHI: Barely a fortnight after the Centre shifted out finance secretary Arvind Mayaram as tourism secretary, he has been shunted yet again, this time to the post of secretary, minority affairs.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Thursday canceled its October 16 order appointing Mayaram, an IAS officer of 1978 batch belonging to Rajasthan cadre, as secretary, ministry of tourism. He has now been named as secretary, ministry of minority affairs, upon incumbent Lalit K Panwar, a 1979 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, relinquishing charge of the post.

Panwar will move out as secretary, tourism, in the vacancy of Parvez Dewan, a Jammu & Kashmir cadre IAS officer of 1977 batch. Dewan is due to retire at the end of this month.

READ ALSO: Mehrishi is economic affairs secretary, Mayaram shifted out of finance

Meanwhile, Ratan P Watal, secretary, expenditure, in the finance ministry, will hold additional charge as secretary, department of economic affairs, until Rajiv Mehrishi, appointed to the key post on October 16, assumes charge. Mehrishi, as chief secretary of Rajasthan, has been known for his pro-reforms approach.

According to the ACC order issued on Thursday, Watal has been assigned additional charge of the post of secretary, department of economic affairs, for a period of one month with immediate effect or until the assumption of charge of the post by Mehrishi, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.


(Union finance minister Arun Jaitley along with Arvind Mayaram addresses a press conference in New Delhi: File photo)

Mehrishi was brought in place of Mayaram, a UPA government appointee, a fortnight back as part of the first major shuffle of top civil servants since PM Modi took office on May 26. The reshuffle in the finance ministry came ahead of start of the budget preparation exercise.

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Govt proposes to cut duration of training programme for IAS officers from 8 weeks to 7 weeks

NEW DELHI: The government proposes to cut the duration of mid-career training programme (MCTP) for IAS officers, which they must undergo in two phases between completing 7 years and 16 years of service, to 7 weeks from the existing 8 weeks. Also, it has mooted a relaxation in eligibility criteria for last phase of their training, from completion of 26-28 years of service to 23-24 years.

Mid-career training programme is mandatory for IAS officers and is conducted over three phases, called Phase III (at 7-9 years of service), Phase IV (at 14-16 years of service) and Phase V (at 26-28 years of service). The completion of these phases is linked to further increments and promotion. While the duration of Phase III and Phase IV programmes is 8 weeks, the Phase V training stretches over 5 weeks.

""It is now proposed that the duration of Phase III and Phase IV is reduced by one week, i.e. from 8 to 7 weeks; (and) eligibility condition of 26-28 years of service for Phase V is reduced to 23-24 years,"" DoPT said in a note issued on Thursday. Accordingly, it has sought comments from various stakeholders on the proposed changes before November 4, 2014.

MCTP for IAS was made mandatory on the basis of recommendations of various committees on civil services reforms. IAS Pay Rules were amended in 2007 to make completion of various phases a pre-requisite for further increments/promotion. Accordingly, DoPT implemented the three-phased mid-career training architecture.

The programmes aim to impart structured training to officers at key inflection points in their service career. In the first cycle from 2007-09, the programme was directly implemented by DoPT on an outsourcing basis through selected national and international partner institutions. From 2010, the responsibility for design and delivery of all the phases was entrusted to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie. By the end of 2014, 8 rounds of Phase III and V and 9 rounds of Phase IV would be completed.

On an average, around 90-100 participants have been attending each of the phases of the programme. (ENDS)

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Cops assault reporter in Trilokpuri

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 29 Oktober 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: A journalist working with Nav Bharat Times was allegedly assaulted by a group of policemen when he had visited the riot-hit Trilokpuri on Tuesday. The reporter, Rajesh Saroha, claims he reached block number 11 during the hours when prohibitory orders were lifted.

Saroha said a group of policemen led by an inspector stopped him saying that there was a restriction on the entry to this area. As he was about to leave the spot, the inspector, later identified as SHO Vivek Vihar Rakesh Sangwan, allegedly turned up. "The inspector started abusing me and asked me to leave immediately," he said. When Saroha protested he was pushed and beaten up with batons by the policemen.

When Saroha informed DCP Ajay Kumar about the incident, he reached the spot and asked the SHO to apologise to the reporter. The commissioner of police has also promised action against the inspector.

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RTR flyover OK, but PWD gets 2 weeks for diversions

NEW DELHI: Giving its conditional nod to PWD's ambitious project to construct a three-lane flyover parallel to the RTR one, the Delhi high court said traffic police must decongest alternative routes within two weeks to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

A bench of Justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul permitted PWD to start the tendering process for the flyover, saying the agencies must also make operational alternative routes.

"In two weeks time you have to show us how you are going to de-stress the two junctions, one connecting the Outer Ring Road and Nelson Mandela Marg and the other connecting Mehrauli-Mahipalpur Road with a six lane DDA road which will take traffic to NH-8 and the airport," the court noted.

The bench told the authorities to decongest the two junctions after PWD gave a power point presentation on how they intend to divert the traffic during building of the three-lane flyover parallel to the one existing at RTR Marg on the Outer Ring Road.

Appearing for the agency advocate Ferida Satarawala assured the court that encroachments along side the alternative routes will be removed. She also pointed that a 'Shani Mandir' below the existing RTR flyover encroaches public land beyond space sanctioned for it under the master plan. Despite writing to the state government's religious committee, there has been no action taken, she said.

The bench then asked PWD to file an application which will be taken up for hearing next time. HC is hearing a plea by resident welfare associations of Vasant Vihar challenging PWD's decision to build a three-lane flyover.

PWD and Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre told the court that traffic will never be disturbed in the project which will be completed in seven phases in 24 months covering a stretch of 2.5 kms.

The court made it clear that it will not stop the construction work and wanted the residents to cooperate with the authorities. The court has now fixed the matter for further hearing on November 18.

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Drone helps police scan Trilokpuri locality

NEW DELHI: Even as curfew remained in force in Trilokpuri on Day 5, the police carried out massive door-to-door search operations and recovered a huge amount of weapons and bottles of acid. For the first time, Delhi Police used a drone during the riot investigations.

The search operation started on Monday evening after procuring warrants. Cops formed several teams comprising a senior officer, women personnel and constables, who were supported by Rapid Action Force sleuths.

By Tuesday evening, the cops had searched 609 houses in eight blocks. Most recoveries were made from blocks 15, 20, 26, 27 and 28. Sources said intelligence officials were also present in plainclothes.

A police officer said around 70 bags containing around 1,000 bricks and stones were seized from the rooms and terraces of the houses. Besides, cops seized five bags of acid bottles, around a dozen swords and meat cleavers and two dozen knives. Five people were arrested. Cops said the drive will continue till all suspects are arrested.

The drone was a huge help as it could hover around multiple terraces and scan them within minutes. Delhi Police have procured two more drones with night vision after its use helped nab suspects and scan the area.


Delhi Police use a drone camera in Trilokpuri, four days after a clash between two groups. (TOI Photo by Sanjeev Rastogi)

The curfew was lifted between 2pm and 5pm during which essential supplies were distributed to people. Cops will also lift the curfew from 11am onwards for Chhath Puja. However, this will only be allowed if nothing sensitive is observed, an officer said.

Police are sanitizing the entire area so that tensions don't escalate again. Cops have also asked for the mobile and CCTV footages and appealed people to maintain peace through loudspeakers.

Special commissioner (law & order) Deepak Mishra said he was monitoring the situation closely and appealed to people to not indulge in rumour mongering. "We have been getting hoax calls and a team is probing them. Those found to be creating panic and mischief will not be spared," Mishra said. Joint commissioner of police Sanjay Baniwal said they hope to restore normalcy in the area in the next few days.

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Cops assault reporter in Delhi's Trilokpuri area

NEW DELHI: A journalist working with Nav Bharat Times was allegedly assaulted by a group of policemen when he had visited the riot-hit Trilokpuri on Tuesday. The reporter, Rajesh Saroha, claims he reached block number 11 during the hours when prohibitory orders were lifted.

Saroha said a group of policemen led by an inspector stopped him saying that there was a restriction on the entry to this area. As he was about to leave the spot, the inspector, later identified as SHO Vivek Vihar Rakesh Sangwan, allegedly turned up. "The inspector started abusing me and asked me to leave immediately," he said. When Saroha protested he was pushed and beaten up with batons by the policemen.

When Saroha informed DCP Ajay Kumar about the incident, he reached the spot and asked the SHO to apologise to the reporter. The commissioner of police has also promised action against the inspector.

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Delhi LG to talk to parties on govt formation, meets Rajnath

NEW DELHI: Lt governor Najeeb Jung on Wednesday decided to invite political parties to explore possibility of government formation in Delhi, a day after Supreme Court's rap over delay in taking a decision on the issue.

Jung, who returned from a foreign trip on Tuesday night, met Union home minister Rajnath Singh this morning and apprised him of his move to call the parties before taking a final decision on ending the political uncertainty in Delhi which is under President's Rule since February after the AAP government's resignation.

"In view of the President's approval to explore the possibility of installing a popular government in Delhi, the lt governor would be exploring the possibilities with the leaders of all political parties over the next few days," LG's office said.

READ ALSO: SC can't dictate President to dissolve assembly: Centre

Sources in LG's office said BJP, the single largest party in the assembly, may be invited "at the earliest" to know their views on government formation followed by AAP and Congress.

On Tuesday, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that President Pranab Mukherjee had accepted a proposal by the LG to invite the BJP to take a shot at the power in Delhi.

Hearing a petition filed by AAP seeking dissolution of the assembly, a five-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu had put the issue on a fast forward mode as it slammed the Centre and the lt governor over delay in taking a decision on government formation.

The case will come up for hearing on Thursday again.

The BJP appeared undecided on taking a shot at power even as a number of its senior leaders including party president Amit Shah and Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh were learnt to be in favour of the party forming a government.

Though Delhi BJP leaders maintained that a "final decision" on whether to go for polls or form a government was yet to be taken, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said the party was ready for elections.

The AAP and Congress have accused BJP of "running away" from the elections by not taking a decision on whether to end President's Rule.

Currently BJP, along with ally Akali Dal's lone MLA, has 29 legislators and will require the support of five more MLAs to prove majority in the 67-member assembly if it decides to form the government.

The party is hoping of getting support of expelled AAP MLA Vinod Kumar Binny and Independent MLA from Mundka Ramvir Shokeen in case it decides to form government.

BJP had emerged the single largest party in the December assembly polls winning 31 seats but fell four seats short of a simple majority. It refused to form government then, saying it will not resort to any "unfair means" to take over the reins.

Its strength came down to 28 after the Lok Sabha polls as three MLAs Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma were elected to the Parliament. With their resignation, the strength of the assembly also went down to 67. The bypolls to the three seats will be held on November 25.


AAP had formed the government in Delhi with the support of Congress. The government led by Kejriwal had resigned on 14 February after the party's pet project, the Janlokpal Bill, could not be passed due to opposition from BJP and Congress. President's Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17.

Jung had not favoured dissolution of the Delhi assembly as recommended by the council of ministers headed by Kejriwal and kept the assembly in suspended animation.

Kejriwal on Wednesday demanded that the LG call an all-party-meeting and take a decision on the future of course of action.

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Kejriwal pitches for fresh elections, accuses BJP of being scared

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 28 Oktober 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: After the Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped the Centre and the lieutenant governor over the delay in government formation in Delhi, AAP and Congress have charged that BJP was "running away" from fresh polls in the national capital, claims which were promptly countered by the saffron outfit.

READ ALSO: President's rule can't go on forever: SC on Delhi govt formation

"BJP is not confident of winning assembly elections, that is why they are delaying it. It is playing dirty politics over the issue. If BJP had the magic numbers, it would have formed the govt in the national capital," AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal told reporters here.

"BJP knows it doesn't have the numbers... which is why it running away from fresh elections," he said.

Kejriwal also accused Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung of favouring one particular party instead of protecting the Constitution.

READ ALSO: LG gets President's nod to invite BJP

"It is very sad that instead of protecting Constitution, the lieutenant governor is working on the direction of one political party," he said.

Senior party member and lawyer Prashant Bhushan also said that BJP was scared of fresh elections which is why, once again, they tried to have the court hearing postponed on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress, too, hit out at BJP in the wake of the Supreme Court reprimand earlier today and said that it was adopting different "tactics" to delay assembly elections in Delhi.

READ ALSO: Govt formation in Delhi: Despite LG's nod, BJP may struggle for numbers

"From day one we are saying that BJP is running away from fresh elections. They are just finding excuses one after another. Congress will oppose BJP and can never think of an AAP-BJP government in Delhi... we will fully oppose it," said DPCC chief Arvinder Singh.

"If BJP had the numbers, they would have formed the government. "It is clear that they don't have the numbers, inviting BJP to form the government is not reasonable," he averred.

Reacting sharply to the allegations, BJP charged that former Delhi chief minister Kejirwal had left the people of the city in a limbo after he quit office here to pursue his prime ministerial ambitions.

"People of Delhi had given Mr Kejriwal the kind of mandate where his AAP had formed the government in Delhi with the support of Congress.

READ ALSO: AAP shows sting video, alleges BJP trying to buy MLAs

"Ironically, in a hurry to become the prime minister of the country, Mr Kejriwal left the people of Delhi in a limbo and rushed to Varanasi. But after he was taught a lesson throughout the country, today he has come back to Delhi and is expecting that the people of Delhi would support him," said BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra.

In the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, Kejriwal had unsuccessfully contested against Narendra Modi in Varanasi while his party managed to win only four seats.

(With inputs from PTI)

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BJP 'running away' from fresh polls in Delhi: AAP, Congress

NEW DELHI: After the Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped the Centre and the lieutenant governor over the delay in government formation in Delhi, AAP and Congress have charged that BJP was "running away" from fresh polls in the national capital, claims which were promptly countered by the saffron outfit.

READ ALSO: President's rule can't go on forever: SC on Delhi govt formation

"BJP is not confident of winning assembly elections, that is why they are delaying it. It is playing dirty politics over the issue. If BJP had the magic numbers, it would have formed the govt in the national capital," AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal told reporters here.

"BJP knows it doesn't have the numbers... which is why it running away from fresh elections," he said.

Kejriwal also accused Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung of favouring one particular party instead of protecting the Constitution.

READ ALSO: LG gets President's nod to invite BJP

"It is very sad that instead of protecting Constitution, the lieutenant governor is working on the direction of one political party," he said.

Senior party member and lawyer Prashant Bhushan also said that BJP was scared of fresh elections which is why, once again, they tried to have the court hearing postponed on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress, too, hit out at BJP in the wake of the Supreme Court reprimand earlier today and said that it was adopting different "tactics" to delay assembly elections in Delhi.

READ ALSO: Govt formation in Delhi: Despite LG's nod, BJP may struggle for numbers

"From day one we are saying that BJP is running away from fresh elections. They are just finding excuses one after another. Congress will oppose BJP and can never think of an AAP-BJP government in Delhi... we will fully oppose it," said DPCC chief Arvinder Singh.

"If BJP had the numbers, they would have formed the government. "It is clear that they don't have the numbers, inviting BJP to form the government is not reasonable," he averred.

Reacting sharply to the allegations, BJP charged that former Delhi chief minister Kejirwal had left the people of the city in a limbo after he quit office here to pursue his prime ministerial ambitions.

"People of Delhi had given Mr Kejriwal the kind of mandate where his AAP had formed the government in Delhi with the support of Congress.

READ ALSO: AAP shows sting video, alleges BJP trying to buy MLAs

"Ironically, in a hurry to become the prime minister of the country, Mr Kejriwal left the people of Delhi in a limbo and rushed to Varanasi. But after he was taught a lesson throughout the country, today he has come back to Delhi and is expecting that the people of Delhi would support him," said BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra.

In the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, Kejriwal had unsuccessfully contested against Narendra Modi in Varanasi while his party managed to win only four seats.

(With inputs from PTI)

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President has given consent to Delhi LG's move to invite BJP: Centre

NEW DELHI: The uncertainty over government formation in Delhi may come to an end soon with the Supreme Court putting the issue on fast track even as the President accepted an LG proposal that BJP be asked to form the government.

A five-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, however, while deciding to hear on Thursday the petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seeking dissolution of the Assembly, slammed the Centre and the Lt Governor over the five-month delay in taking a decision on government formation.

During the hearing on Tuesday the Centre disclosed that the President has given his consent to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung's proposal to invite BJP to form government.

Rapping the Centre and the LG over the delay, the court said that in a democracy President's Rule cannot go on forever and questioned why the authorities failed to act expeditiously.

The bench also asked why the Centre always comes out with one statement or another just a day before the matter is taken up for hearing by it.

"Just before matter is taken up for hearing, you make a statement. Why was it not decided earlier? How long can you go on like this?" the bench said, adding that LG should have taken the decision at the earliest.

"We can't shrug our responsibility and we will hear the case on merit," the bench said, adding, "in a democratic polity people have right to have government and not to be ruled by a governor."

It said that such issues take time and that is why it adjourned the case many times to facilitate the LG to take a decision but nothing has been done.

Referring to the President's letter which was placed before the bench, the apex court said that "this exercise should have been done much earlier".

At the moment, a party needs the support of 34 MLAs for a simple majority in a House of 70 with three vacancies which are to be filled in bye elections late next month.

BJP had emerged the single largest party after the Assembly polls in December last year with 31 seats apart from the support of ally Akali Dal's one MLA in the 70-member House. But its numbers have now come down to 28 after three of its legislators - Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Bidhuri and Pervesh Verma - were elected to Lok Sabha.

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Efforts on to achieve total garbage management in Delhi: Naidu

NEW DELHI: All efforts are being made to ensure total management of waste in the national capital with steps being taken to achieve 100 per cent door-to-door collection of domestic garbage, union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Tuesday.

Addressing the residents of two Jhuggi-Jhopdi (JJ) clusters on Kali Bari Marg after inaugurating two public toilet blocks in the area, the urban development minister stressed that waste should be viewed as a resource which can be scientifically collected and managed.

The minister praised the efforts of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the three municipal corporations in the national capital to ensure that the city remains clean in the wake of the Swachh Bharat mission launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said that efforts are being made to move towards total waste management "through 100 per cent door-to-door collection of domestic waste, its segregation at source, and recycling."

The minister, meanwhile, cited the construction of the two toilet blocks by NDMC as part of the cleanliness mission to underline the impact of the government initiative.

"Although these clusters were in existence for over 30 years, only eight public toilets had been built for the residents, besides one mobile toilet unit.

"(But) within one month of the launch of Swachh Bharat, NDMC has built 17 toilets. That is a clear evidence of the impact of the mission," said Naidu.

Comprising 17 toilets, the two blocks have been built at a cost of Rs 12.50 lakh for the residents of cluster Nos. 31 and 33, which have a total of 160 dwellings accommodating around 3,000 people.

Of these toilets, eight are for women and two for differently-abled persons, according to an official release.

He asked NDMC to install solar panels on the roofs of the toilet blocks so that electricity generation is easier for ensuring, among other things, 24-hour water supply.

Expressing concern over the living conditions in the JJ clusters, Naidu said that in order to enable the poor of the country to live in dignity, the prime minister has proposed the 'Housing for All by 2022' initiative.

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Sheila Dikshit clarifies her stand on praising PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Former Delhi chief minister and senior Congress leader, Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday clarified her stand on showering praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by stating that she found him confident and noted that what matters at the end is about how much work has been done on the ground.

"I only said that I found him confident and with a vision, but I didn't mention about what vision," Dikshit told ANI here. Dikshit noted that it is yet to be seen in what time all the announcements made by Prime Minister Modi -led government gets implemented. "He has been making visions almost everyday. What matters is about how much work has been done. Whether acche din has come or not, whether the prices have dropped,' she added.

Taking a jibe at the Centre for only revealing three names, inspite of its tall claims of revealing it all. She said, "The latest thing where they said that they will disclose all names of those having bank accounts in foreign banks, they have revealed three names and at the same time they have said that they are waiting so that it doesn't embarrasses the Congress ..." "He looks confident, because he has won it fresh no matter what may be the reason, he will look confident because he has won. But, what ultimately matters is how much work has been done and one goes through that test everyday," she added.

While giving an interview to prominent English daily, Dikshit had reportedly disclosed that during her meeting with Prime Minister Modi in July she "saw a confident man, with a vision" and "a new language".

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Man rapes daughters, sent to jail for 10 years

Written By Unknown on Senin, 27 Oktober 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: Refusing to show any leniency, the Delhi high court has awarded ten years' rigorous imprisonment to a man who raped his two minor daughters.

The HC upheld the lower court's verdict and pointed out that the two girls had "absolutely no motive" to implicate their father. Justice Pratibha Rani echoed observations made by the Supreme Court that there can't ever be "more graver and heinous crime" than a father raping his daughters.

The court went by the testimonies of the daughters, whose mother did not live with them. It also waived off the delay in reporting the matter to the police by the elder girl, saying she wanted to avoid a situation where she and her three siblings are rendered homeless.

"Perhaps in a hope to have a roof on their head, 'X' (eldest survivor) continued to bear the repeated sexual assaults of her own father with the hope that at least her three younger sisters are safe. The mere fact that she raised her voice when she saw her father attempting to rape her younger sister and she sent her sister to school shows that even at that stage, she had no intention to lodge an FIR against her own father," the high court noted, empathizing with the plight of the girls.

"It may be mentioned here that the four daughters have been rendered homeless just because X on seeing her father not sparing even his 11-year-old daughter was compelled to take action against him...," the court further observed, while explaining delay in reporting of the crime.

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Man attacks Shahi Imam, tries to set him on fire

NEW DELHI: Evening prayers at Jama Masjid were dramatically interrupted on Sunday after a 34-year-old man hurled kerosene on the Shahi Imam, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, and charged at him with a lighter in an apparent attempt to set him ablaze. However, the Imam's guards were able to apprehend the attacker in the nick of time and hand him over to the police.

The attacker was identified as Kamaaluddin alias Kamaal, a resident of south 24 Parganas in West Bengal. An FIR under section 307 (attempt to murder) has been registered at the local police station and the accused has been arrested, a senior cop said.

A joint team of intelligence bureau sleuths, the special cell and the local police is questioning the accused to ascertain the motive behind the attack. His antecedents are also being probed.

The incident was reported around 6pm as hundreds of people gathered at the mosque to offer namaz. Speaking to TOI, the Imam said that the accused had tried to meet him earlier in the evening as well when he was walking in the courtyard before the prayers.

"He had even shaken hands with me and was roaming around in the area. He was wearing a white shirt and black trousers and did not look like he had come to the mosque to offer prayers," Bukhari told TOI.

According to witnesses, the accused charged at Bukhari from behind as devotes bent down to offer namaz. "He was carrying a 300ml bottle from which he threw kerosene on the Imam. He then tried to light the bottle, which still had some kerosene left, and hurl it at the Imam. However, the lighter did not work and the guards pounced on him," a senior cop said.

"Despite this, I continued with my prayers to prevent any chaos as I feared people would thrash him if I left the prayers midway and got up," Bukhari further said. The attacker was taken away from the mosque and the cops took him in custody.

Imam's brother Tariq Bukhari said the Imam's office has requested the home ministry to increase security for the Imam following the incident.

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Cops seek Rs 1 lakh yearly grant for football ground

AHMEDABAD: The football ground to be prepared at the cost of Rs 22.5 lakh on the Gaekwad Haveli premises, will be named after Vasant-Rajab who laid down their lives for communal harmony in 1946 .

"We have forwarded a request to the city police chief Shivanand Jha for a grant of Rs 22.5 lakh for getting the ground ready. We have also requested a yearly grant of Rs 1 lakh for maintenance," said crime branch officials.

Officials of city crime branch who are playing a leading role in the preparation of the ground within the Haveli premises, said the ground will be for under-16 players.

"The ground will be 87.5m in length and 47m in breadth. "The football ground will be specially for students from government-run schools from the city," said a crime branch official.

Deputy commissioner of police, crime branch, Himanshu Shukla said that they plan to rope in a professional football coach for the students who come there to play football.

Meanwhile, the crime branch has also undertaken a task to find the relatives of Vasant and Rajab. "We have met relatives of Vasant. We have also tracked relatives of Rajab who are now settled in America. "We want to know more about the two mascots of communal harmony," said Shukla.

Crime branch officials said a police museum will come up at the circular watch tower and a home theatre will be build inside the rooms located on the gate of the Haveli.

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Metro gridlock after suicide bid

NEW DELHI: A 50-year-old woman suffering from cancer tried to commit suicide by jumping in front of a Metro at the Malviya Nagar station on Sunday evening. She was saved as the train pilot applied the brakes in time, though she was dragged under the first coach.

The incident was reported around 5.10pm when there were only a few passengers waiting at the station. Witnesses said the woman who was sitting at a chair on the platform suddenly stood up and started running towards the approaching train. The driver slammed on the brakes but she was already under the coach.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation officials said the services were disrupted for half an hour after the incident on the Gurgaon-Jahangirpuri line. She was heaved out and rushed to a local hospital where doctors said her condition was stable. She had suffered injuries to the head and limbs.

Her family members have told police that the woman had been suffering from cancer and was under treatment for the past few months. She was depressed over her ailment. On Sunday, she had called up her son's girlfriend and told her that she was going to end her life.

The girl alerted her son and the family had launched a search for her in the locality and even informed police. The woman has two sons; the elder one is a doctor while the other helps her husband in business. The family has been advised to take her for counselling.

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Contract delay affects CP’s upkeep

NEW DELHI: Maintenance of Connaught Place has been affected due to delay in awarding a contract to a private company for ensuring proper upkeep of the market.

A private entity was chosen to maintain cleanliness in CP but the final award of the contract to the firm is yet to be given as a number of members of the New Delhi Municipal Council have raised certain objections about its terms and conditions.

NDMC officials said private entity, J C Decaux, was chosen following strictly laid down procedures and the delay in awarding the contract has severely affected the upkeep of the market which was redeveloped at a cost of around Rs 600 crore.

They said a discussion on awarding the contract had taken place at a council meeting on September 19 where some of the members, including New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi demanded a copy of the contract but nobody had raised any "dissent" over the decision to involve the operator.

NDMC chairperson Jalaj Shrivastava in a letter dated October 20, had written to the members of the council that the award of the contract was approved after due discussions and presentation and all possible queries raised by the members were answered in the council meeting.

"This was an unanimous decision. However, in case of differences, the dissent note is required from the member concerned, which we have not received till date," Shrivastava, who left for an official training to US for a month on Saturday, said in the communication.

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Delhi's Trilokpuri under curfew, no fresh violence

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 26 Oktober 2014 | 22.11

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Trilokpuri area remained tense and under curfew on Sunday though no new incident of violence was reported, police said, a day after five people were shot at during a communal clash.

Deputy commissioner of police Ajay Kumar told IANS: "The situation is tense but under control. No fresh violence or clashes have been reported."

Following Thursday's clash between two groups of Hindus and Muslims over Diwali celebration, authorities imposed prohibitory orders banning illegal gatherings.

Police had detained around 70 people till Saturday night after the two groups stoned each other Friday. Following a brief period of calm, clashes erupted again and five people were shot at Saturday evening.

Police said 14 people, including 13 police personnel, were injured in the stoning. They were admitted to hospitals.

Police, the Rapid Action Force and the Central Reserve Police Force were deployed in the area along with over 30 police vans, water cannons and riot control vehicles.

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Sorry teacher, here’s why we broke the no-crackers oath

Granny calls it ashubh, parents, a waste of money and friends, girly - reasons why Delhi students couldn't honour the 'cracker-less Diwali' oath they took in school

NEW DELHI: Parents and teachers might behave like separated twins with joint agendas throughout the year, but around Diwali, they seem to be on very different tracks. In many of the schools in the city, right before the Diwali break, the students are made to stand in the assembly ground and collectively swear that they will not celebrate Diwali with crackers. They are even asked to make charts and models on the theme of a 'green Diwali.' But even the students who take the whole process seriously say that they ultimately break down and light a phuljhadi or burst a gola bomb, not because they are tempted to do so, but because parents, grandparents, relatives and even peers make them.

Granny said it would be ashubh

Granny might always be your go-to person when you want to get your parents to give you more money, but on Diwali, her sense of shubh and ashubh doesn't exactly work in your favour. Ankit Sharma, 16, says, "Last Diwali, I refused to burst crackers because we had been to made to take an oath in our school that we will celebrate a green Diwali. Nobody said much when I did not burst crackers as a build up to Diwali, but when I did not light even a phuljhadi on the day of the festival, my daadi got mad. She was like, 'Joh teachers ne kaha bas wohi sahi hai? Saal mein ek baar Diwali aati hai, aur tum shagun ke patakhe tak nahin jalaoge?' So I had to burst some crackers."

Mom said it would be a waste of money

Just the way you can't buy super expensive shoes and then complain of shoe bites in front of your mom, you can't say no to crackers as long as your parents buy them for you on Diwali. Tia Anand, 14, says, "I never go Diwali shopping with my parents because I want to avoid the Diwali rush. And also because I mostly have exams right after the Diwali break, so I am swamped with work. So, my parents got me large boxes of crackers despite me telling them that I have taken the no-crackers oath in school. And when I said I don't want to burst crackers, they were like, 'How were we supposed to know that you were serious? We have spent so much money on the crackers, so now you can't waste it all."

Couldn't play the spoilsport at family Diwali get-togethers

For some students, compliance with what the 'society' thinks plays a role even on Diwali. Raghav Makkhan, 11, says, "Every Diwali, my family has a get-together with some fifty relatives, which cousins and all the uncles and aunties attend. And at the get-together, everybody wants to light chakris, ladis and anars. That and eating are pretty much what the kids are supposed to do there, so joining them is like an obligation. If you try to fight them too much, you are labelled the spoilsport."

Relatives got us crackers for presents

Zhilmil Nanda, 14, says, "On Diwali, you get so many gifts that if I were allowed to make a list of gifts I want and give it to the relatives, life would be perfect. But instead, I am always given big packs of crackers as Diwali gifts. Even if I tell my parents to just pass the stuff on, there are always those relatives who get you crackers on the day of the festival, so you have to use at least some of them or your parents give you the whole 'How come you don't think of the environment while doing 30 other silly things' look."

It's girly to not burst crackers, guy friends said

Twisted gender notions never fail to surprise you and Diwali is no surprise. Angad Raj, 15, says, "If the boys around you happen to like crackers, you cannot not be part of it, because they label you a sissy if you don't. If you try to tell the guys that you don't want to burst crackers because it's bad for the environment or simply because your teachers made you swear against it, they call you girly. And because of that, many guys just choose to burst crackers."

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15 finalists selected for Clean & Clear Delhi Times Fresh Face 2013

After a long selection process, 15 girls and boys were selected as finalists for Clean & Clear Delhi Times Fresh Face 2013. The chosen ones got to experience the coolest part of being a finalist - the makeovers! Amjad Habibb and his team gave these fuchchas a chic new avatar at his salon recently, after which, they posed for a glamourous photo shoot.

Now, it's your turn to choose your favourite by logging on to itimes.com/freshface, checking out the ultra-glam pics of the finalists, choosing your favourites and voting for them or SMSing your choice.

Ujwal had been eagerly looking forward to his new hairdo. "We kept his hair messy and uneven from the back, with long side bangs on the front," said Amjad. The new hairdo looked fun, versatile and easy to maintain. The side swept hair resembled Justin Bieber's from his Baby days. Ujwal hid his face behind his hands and had a laughing fit whenever this was mentioned to him. Since he was wary of getting makeup done, makeup artiste Isha just applied foundation on his face and lip balm to give his chapped lips a neater look.

Vedant was the first person to get his hair cut and styled. "Since his face is small, we kept the hair longer and wavier on the top to give the illusion of added height," said Amjad. For makeup, Isha evened out his under eye skin tone with the rest of his face and he was good to go.

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Auto driver gets 7-year jail term for robbing army man

NEW DELHI: A 24-year-old auto driver has been sent to seven years in jail by a Delhi court for robbing and injuring his passenger, an army personnel, in 2011.

Additional sessions judge Anuradha Shukla Bhardwaj awarded the jail term to Delhi resident Mujahir for robbing Durga Rao, who had boarded his auto from ISBT for going to the New Delhi Railway Station.

"Keeping in view ... fact of aggravated state of crime and also considering the fact that too much leniency in sentencing will not have the deterrent effect on the convict, I am of the opinion that the ends of justice would be sub-served if the convict is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for seven years for having committed robbery and facilitated hurt to the complainant (Rao) in the process," the judge said, while directing Mujahir to pay a fine of Rs 6,000.

According to the prosecution, on January 1, 2011, Rao had hired Mujahir's auto in the evening and at that time one more person was sitting in the vehicle. While Mujahir was driving it, Azad was sitting next to him.

Mujahir further made two more people to board the auto. The two persons sitting on the back seat tried to strangulate Rao and the third one put a screw driver in his mouth to stop him from raising the voice, it said.

Later on, they threw Rao from the auto and ran away after robbing his mobile phone and other articles in Geeta Colony area of east Delhi, it added.

During the investigation, Delhi Police arrested Mujahir while co-accused Azad remained absconding and was declared a proclaimed offender.

During the trial, the auto driver denied the allegations and claimed that he was falsely implicated in the case.

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Delhi BJP demands deployment of additional forces for Chhath puja

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP on Sunday demanded deployment of additional police force and disaster management squads at railway stations and Chhath puja ghats to manage people's rush and prevent occurrence any accident.

This comes a day after one person was killed and another injured while trying to board a train at New Delhi station while going to Bihar for Chhath puja.

"Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay who had before Diwali written to chief secretary of Delhi for deployment of Disaster Management Squads with ambulances at railway stations and Chhath ghats shall again raise the demand to ensure immediate deployment of squads, extra police force and marshals at railway stations for ensuring safety," an official statement said on Sunday.

Upadhyay would also meet Delhi chief secretary DM Sapolia in his office on Monday to ensure Delhi government departments and all three Municipal Corporations of Delhi come together to provide best facilities to Chhath vratis in Delhi at around 200 identified Chhath puja ghats, the statement added.

The Delhi BJP chief also thanked railway minister Sadanand Gowda for accepting Delhi BJP's demand for special trains on October 26, 27 and 28 for people wanting to travel from Delhi to their home towns in Eastern UP and Bihar and sanctioning 160 special trains.

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Last-minute efforts fail, city stays 'noisy'

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 25 Oktober 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: Delhiites went all out to flout the visibly unrealistic 10pm deadline for firecrackers on the Diwali night.

Few days before Diwali, Union health minister and Chandni Chowk MP Harsh Vardhan had requested lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung to ensure a "silent Diwali" in the capital. The Delhi government then set up an inter-departmental team to implement the 2005 Supreme Court ban on bursting of sound-emitting firecrackers between 10pm and 6am.

However, with residents bursting crackers even past midnight, noise pollution levels breached the safe standard at most monitoring stations set up by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). The government's warning to punish those flouting the ban also seemed to have little effect. Till Friday night, Delhi Police could not come up with any such prosecution.

There was no reduction in noise levels compared to last year either, according to the CPCB monitoring data. It also reveals that the level was within the night limit of 45 Leq dB (A) only at Dilshad Garden.

In most colonies, the noise level was at its peak between 8 and 9pm. It consistently stayed high even after 10pm. The choice of crackers for these late-night revellers was the loudest varieties.

Experts say it is important to make the deadline more realistic. "Implementing this kind of a ban requires a lead time for preparation. The authorities need to advertise and sensitize people about such restrictions and the heavy penalty involved in case of a violation. The authorities can't be high handed during a festival, necessitating campaigns at the community level," said Anumita Roychowdhury, head of CSE's Clean Air programme.

Vardhan had said Delhi had failed to implement the order while many state governments had been quite successful in restricting noise levels during festivals. "I hope that under your direction, Delhi will turn a corner from this Diwali onwards," the health minister had written to Jung.

DPCC had formed eight teams to assist the district magistrates and police to visit various areas to check the level of noise pollution and cracker shops.

The sub-divisional magistrates and police officials, being the designated authorities, were to ensure compliance of the SC order. The police department was supposed to sensitize PCR vans to keep a vigil. SDMs were also asked to organize awareness meetings with resident welfare associations and market trader associations in the run-up to Diwali.

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Diwali sends pollution levels spiralling in Delhi

NEW DELHI: The sustained anti-firecracker campaign, clampdown on Chinese crackers and a 10pm deadline do not seem to have made the city breathe any easier this Diwali than during the last one.

There was no significant improvement in air quality compared to last year. The range of average PM 2.5 (fine, respirable particles) may have reduced from 201-533 microgram per cubic metre last Diwali to 145-500 microgram per cubic metre but this has been negated by a substantial rise in oxides of nitrogen. An analysis by the Central Pollution Control Board in the run-up to Diwali day also showed very high levels of carbon monoxide and benzene. In short, Delhiites were exposed to unhealthy air both on Diwali and the day after.

The marginal dip in some pollutants was due to the warm weather and breeze that helped in dispersal. Air quality remained very poor with average PM 10 (coarse particles) and PM 2.5 at least five times the safe standard at almost all monitoring stations.

In fact, a random check of real-time data on the website of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Diwali evening showed PM2.5 levels peak to about 16 times higher than the standard!

There was also an increase in oxides of nitrogen (NO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels which are linked to respiratory conditions and reduced lung function. "The maximum average of NO2 has certainly shown an increase over last year - it has shot up by more than two times the standard. This could be linked to the heavy traffic on Diwali and before Diwali while high SO2 levels are linked to use of sulphur-rich crackers. I don't see any significant improvement compared to previous years," said Anumita Roychowdhury, head of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

The CPCB's analysis of pre-Diwali and Diwali day air pollution pointed at certain pollutants that are otherwise ignored. Carbon monoxide levels, for instance, peaked to 4,328 microgram per cubic metre as against a safe standard of 2,000 microgram per cubic metre. In the run-up to Diwali, on October 20, levels of carcinogen benzene peaked to 22 micrograms per cubic metre as against the safe standard of 5 microgram per cubic metre. Benzene is a component of crude oil and petrol.The levels of PM2.5 — particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres (these fine particles can penetrate lungs easily) — were not available with CPCB on Friday evening. Officials said they could release the data on Saturday. But, according to DPCC's data, PM2.5 levels had improved slightly but were still about eight times the standard at some locations.

"Delhi government has taken steps to contain air pollution levels in Delhi during Diwali through multi-pronged anti-firecrackers campaign with the support and assistance of various stakeholders like eco-clubs, schools, colleges and RWAs. A mass awareness campaign was also carried out through radio channels and media," the environment department claimed in a statement on Friday.

But what both CPCB and DPCC did not talk about was the dangerously high air pollution on Friday, the day after the celebrations. System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), a joint project of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), found air quality to be "severe" at most monitoring sites. SAFAR follows the air quality index (AQI) which simplifies the air pollution data by providing a colour grading and associated health impacts. The maroon category stands for "severe" which in simple terms means that the air quality is so bad that it can cause health complications even among the healthy population.

SAFAR, however, claimed that there was improvement in air quality compared to previous years. "The weather was warm and the boundary layer (lowest one or 2km of the atmosphere) was up. The slight breeze may have also helped pollutants disperse. There was also some reduction in bursting of crackers," explained Gufran Beig, chief project scientist, SAFAR.

An analysis by CSE of regulations abroad shows the stark disregard for enforcement in Delhi. "In order to cope with record smog, Beijing has issued an emergency plan to curb air pollution, including a ban on fireworks when the city sees three consecutive days of heavy smog. The city government recently introduced a regulation requiring people who buy five or more boxes of fireworks to register with an official ID; the city will halt fireworks sales entirely if pollution rises to dangerous levels," says the analysis.

It also found that Shanghai had cut the city's number of authorized firework sellers by 400.

Fireworks Regulation Act 2004 prohibits the use of fireworks in England and Wales between 11 pm and 7 am. These regulations are enforced by the police and a penalty of up to £5,000 or six months in prison can be enforced for a breach.

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Woman killed in scuffle over bursting of crackers

NEW DELHI: An elderly woman was killed and several others injured in separate incidents of violence that took place over bursting of crackers on Diwali night. Ten people have been arrested so far.

The woman, Shanta Devi (52), entered into an argument with another woman after someone burst crackers outside her house in Badli village around 8pm on Thursday. Soon, members of both the families joined the argument, which turned into a scuffle.

Police said the both sides started pelting stones at each other in which three people were injured. During this, one of the family members noticed Santa collapse and raised an alarm. She was rushed to the Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini where she died during treatment. Police suspect she might have succumbed to head injuries caused as result of the stone-pelting. The three others, including a 16-year-old girl, were admitted to the hospital with head injuries.

A team from the Samaipur Badli police station rushed to the spot around 8.30pm and brought the situation under control. More than 20 people were taken for a medico-legal checkup. A case of rioting has been registered against both the families and arrests will be made accordingly, police said.

In another case, a fight broke out between two groups over bursting of firecrackers in north Delhi's Majnu Ka Tilla. A police constable was injured in the incident. The fight turned violent when family members of two men, who had an argument initially, started pelting stones at each other around 11.30pm on Thursday. A police force was rushed to the spot and the situation was brought under control. The police had to use force to disperse the crowd. Eight persons have been detained so far.

Police said that members of both the families who live in the opposite sides of the Chandrawal village road started fighting with each other. They climbed the roofs of their houses and pelted stones at the public and passersby. At least 15 cars were damaged. "The clashes started after a youth from the locality burst a cracker near two men playing card at Chandrawal Road Chowk. The duo then thrashed the boy," said a villager.

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Cop stabbed in the leg

NEW DELHI: In another incident of a policeman being attacked, a cop posted with the Mansarovar Park police station was stabbed in the leg by a man on Wednesday night. The accused man has been arrested.

Around 11pm, ASI Jagdish was returning to the police station. He was waiting to go on to the other side of the road after resolving a dispute when the man, who was sit ting on the footpath, struck him with a glass bottle, a police official said. Jagdish immediately raised an alarm.

Other cops rushed to the spot and arrested the man, later identified as one Sonu.

A senior police officer said that Sonu was found to be involved in other cases earlier and charged under sections of causing hurt. A case has been registered against him.

Jagdish was rushed to GTB Hospital. He was discharged after treatment.

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Light rain likely in capital today

NEW DELHI: Slightly sultry conditions prevailed in the capital on Friday with temperatures settling a little above the normal even as the weatherman made a forecast for thundershowers and light rain in the city on Saturday. According to the Met de partment, the day temperature was recorded at 33.1 degrees Celsius, one notch above normal, while the minimum was registered at 19 degrees, which was two points higher than the average for this time of the year.

Humidity oscillated be tween 50% and 91%during the day . The Met office has predicted mist and shallow fog on Saturday morning.The day would remain partly cloudy with the possibility of one or two spells of light rainfall and thundershowers, it added.

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Delhi fire department gets 293 calls on Diwali

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 24 Oktober 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received 293 calls — the highest in the past five years — on Diwali Thursday, an official said on Friday.

"This is the highest figure in the past five years. On Diwali, from midnight till 7am Oct 24, we received 293 calls of fire incidents from across the city," a fire official told IANS.

"Of these, 55 incidents were related to fire caused by crackers. But in most of the other cases, the reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained," the officer added.

The figure did not increase much post midnight Oct 23-24, and only 73 calls were received till Friday morning, the officer added.

The highest number of 37 calls were received between between 9pm and 10 pm on Thursday.

While no major fire accident was reported in the city, two DFS officials received minor burn injures while trying to douse a fire in a shop in south Delhi area.

"None of the fire incidents caused any harm to the public at large, but left two of our officials with minor burn injuries while they were trying to douse a fire at a shop caused due to a cylinder gas blast in Okhla," another official told IANS.

The officer added both the fire fighters were taken to the Safdurjung Hospital where their condition was said to be out of danger.

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You click, they break their backs to deliver

NEW DELHI: This Diwali when you celebrate the advent of e-commerce — and goods being delivered at your doorstep at a discount — do spare a thought for the boys carrying them. These delivery boys, mostly in their 20s and 30s, are the lifeline of this business. And they have a difficult job — carrying backpacks weighing 40 kg and more. Doctors say they face the risk of developing disc problems, shoulder strain and other serious complications.

Santosh Yadav, who has been working as a delivery boy for nearly six months, says circumstances at home forced him to take up the job. "With so many people ordering online ahead of Diwali, work hours often get extended to midnight. The company prefers to send even printers and laptops through us because mini vans may get stuck in traffic," he says.

"My parents are poor farmers. They cannot afford to pay for my higher studies," says 24-year-old Santosh Yadav, a delivery boy. He is pursuing graduation from School of Open Learning under Delhi University.

On an average, delivery boys work from 9am to 6pm but during Diwali, work hours may stretch well into the night. Most delivery men employed with online retail companies get paid between Rs 9,000 and Rs 11,000, excluding their PF contribution and the amount deducted for medical insurance.

Dr Deepak Choudhary, director, Safdarjung Sports Injury Center, says it is painful to see young individuals struggling with neck pain, strained shoulder muscles and backache because they carry heavy backpacks daily. "We get two to three such cases on every OPD day. While in most cases the symptoms tend to subside with rest and ice compression, there is always a risk of complications in future that can put them out of action for life," he says. According to the doctor, carrying these heavy bags may lead to disc problems and strain on the shoulder muscles like rotator cuff leading to pain and inflammation at a later stage.

At Okhla Phase I, which has become a major hub for collection and dispatch of goods for e-commerce companies, hundreds of these boys can be seen rushing in and out to deliver items on Wednesday, a day before Diwali. "If I can finish all deliveries today, Diwali will be an off day," says Ajay Lal, revving up his bike. Deepak Mandal, a 32-year-old Badarpur resident, was advised rest by doctors following neck pain last month. "The company allowed me to carry lighter items when I showed them the prescription. But due to the Diwali rush, the loads have become heavier," he confesses.

Some of the delivery boys say they hate their jobs but being non-graduates they have little option. "I know driving. In near future, I plan to take up commercial driving to earn a livelihood. I cannot afford to do this back-breaking job anymore," says Rashid.

Dr Yash Gulati of BLK Super Specialty Hospital says the circumstances in which delivery persons for online retail companies work are no different from that of the porters. "They are rather more difficult. The latter can make a choice about the weight they may carry but these young individuals are forced to do so to earn a livelihood. Accidents caused due to poor balancing of the backpacks while riding bikes is common," he says.

"Even if we have to deliver a pen drive to one customer, the entire bag has to be carried because if any item is lost the company can deduct the cost from our salary," says Sanjeev Kumar as he quickly finishes his lunch. Experts say backpacks should not weigh more than 15-20% of the person's body weight but the online retail chains do not follow any such rules. While few companies have hired their own delivery boys, others get it done through courier agencies.

An e-commerce company was recently reported to have been attempting to redesign the courier bags to improve both delivery and customer experience. More such innovative initiatives may finally free the delivery boys from the tyranny of the backpacks.

Times View

It is inhuman that anybody in this modern age should be made to work like a pack mule. That it should be happening in sectors that are so modern — courier companies and e-retailing — only makes it worse. There is surely a better way of conducting the business than making young boys carry such heavy loads on their back. The courts had to step in to mandate that there must be a limit to the weight schoolchildren are made to carry. We hope that it will not require similar judicial intervention to end this inhuman practice. The government should regulate working conditions in this area, the sooner the better.


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Delhi's Diwali menus packed with both nostalgia and new flavours

A great meal can make or break your Diwali experience, and whether you're looking to try something new or want to go for a traditional meal, restaurants are offering a variety of menus to satisfy the customer's wants Diwali is no longer a festival of just hanging up lights, making rangolis or bursting firecrackers. Everyone knows the best part of any holiday is the food, and restaurants are getting creative as they cater to these expectations. Many have tweaked their menus and introduced dishes inspired by the traditional elements of Diwali, while others have presented their own versions of Diwali cuisine. Read on to see some preparations by restaurants to give customers a delicious Diwali experience.
Tweaking Indian dishes

"These days, Diwali has become a global festival, so we've infused Indian elements into our otherwise global menu. For instance, we have seekh tikka with masala-coated chickpeas, gun powder potato stew with fig puri and regenerated mattar-paneer. We're also mixing it up with sambuca flambe gulab ja mun with toffee cream sauce on cholai slabs and hickory wood-smoked moong daal halwa crumble with melted vanilla ice cream," says Vikrant Batra, owner, Terminus 1. The menu also includes nimbu anar shikanji and smoky tamarind margarita, all of which will be served till October 23.

Cafe Delhi Heights has spiced up its drinks to give it a patakha kick. With options like Diwali pataka punch, bijli bomb, chocolate and chilli kiss and Diwa-Hot Chocolate, the restaurant aims to give customers an `explosive' experience. "We have added spices and chilli to the drinks to give customers the desi patakha feel. We also have desserts like the flaming gulab jamun and sitafal, and cashew and raisin-flavoured kulfi, till Octob er 23," says Vikrant from Cafe Delhi Heights.


Going the traditional way

"Our buffet is completely Indian because that is what Diwali food is - completely desi.And, of course, we have mithai as India is all about mithai," says Zorawar Kalra, owner, Made in Punjab. The restaurant is offering eight-ten types of mithai, including milk cakes and three-four types of kaju katlis. And how are Delhiites liking this food bonanza?
"The festive buffet was supposed to be only for the Diwali week. But now we are planning to continue with this concept even after the festive season is over," adds Zorawar.

If you are a kebab fan, then head over to Kababo Ke Nawab - the Diwali kebab festival at Radisson Blu in Paschim Vihar. "Diwali is about family time, and for us, this translates into a kebab fiesta. The festive menu will be on till the end of October," says chef Dhiraj from Radisson Blu. The restau rant is offering specials like chooza pe shawari, nawadi roti, gilawafi seekh kabab, khade masaale ka paneer tikka, achaari phool and rajma ke shaahi galoti. Desserts too have traditional options like moong daal ka hal wa, phirni, kulfi and sewayi.

Cafe Turtle is offering a Diwali thali, which is inspired by Indian street food. A mix of sweet and savoury snacks, the thali comprises amritsari chola kulcha, tawa aloo tikki,dahi papdi chaat,khasta samosa,meethi khoj and a special masala tea served in a kul har. To seal the yummy deal, it is served with pickle and tamarind chutney on the side. "Our thali plays on the nostalgia of In dian street food, and we want to give people a taste of that," explains Priyanka Malho tra, owner, Cafe Turtle.

A modern take on Diwali dishes

Somerset mushroom soup, leek and potato soup or chicken pancakes florentine hardly sound like Diwali cuisine. But Roost Bistro has come up with these dishes, staying loyal to the type of cuisine it generally serves."We see Diwali as an indication of the changing of seasons. It reminds us of the onset of autumn and winter.So, in our special menu, which will be served till the end of the month, we have incorporated special soups and spicy dishes," says Pranav Kumar from Roost Bistro. Its menu also includes ginger honey hunter chicken, grilled corn fed thyme lemon chicken and saadiya samak.

Summer House Cafe has given Diwali food new meaning by tweaking their portions for the festive season. "Diwali means family time, so we've decided to increase the size of the servings and are giving discounts as well," says Anchit from Summer House Cafe. The restaurant also has some festive specials like sweet paprika chicken breast with creamy pesto sauce, crusted cottage cheese steak with chunky tomato sauce and traditional meat loaf with BBQ sauce and hot BBQ ranch beans. For those with a sweet tooth, the cafe is offering a mega-brownie Diwali mug till October 27.

Burger joint's Diwali shake

Who would have guessed Johnny Rockets, which opened recently in the capital, would catch the Diwali bug as well? The restaurant has come up with a Diwali shake, which will only be served on chotti and badi Diwali (October 22 and 23). "Diwali is the biggest festival in India. We wanted to do something special, so we picked up all the traditional elements - almonds, kesar and pistachio - and blended them for our signature badam, kesar and pista shake," says chef Dean from Johnny Rockets.

Dessert pizzas and French mithai

Some restaurants focus all their Diwali attention on their desserts, as they feel that Diwali is quintessentially about sweets. But eating a pizza for dessert is something we'd never have imagined. La Vie in Khan market has baffled Delhiites with its range of Diwali dessert pizzas. "We didn't want something completely Indian this Diwali, so we are offering dessert pizzas. It has a hint of tradition in its own way . It's made with the same dough as normal pizza, but is topped with almonds, dates and praline nuts, as Diwali is all about dry fruits and something sweet," says Anirudh from La Vie. Chocoburst pizza, banana crumble pizza, blueberry cheese pizza and apple crumble pizza are some options you can choose from till the end of the month.

If you have ever wondered what the French version of a badam barfi tastes like, then you'll find your answer at Le Bistro du Parc. The restaurant has added a French twist on the traditional badam barfi with almonds. Available from Monday till Diwali, the jugalbandi dessert comprises almond pastry, almond cream and fresh roasted almonds. "We have fused pistacchios, almonds and elements of Indian sweets in a traditional French recipe," says Naina from Le Bistro du Parc.

Everyone loves gulab jamun, but how many people can say they've eaten a flaming gulab jamun? Barrels' flaming gulab jamun is made from Bailey's rabri, which is rich in dry fruits and forms the base of the diya, atop which rests the rum-dipped gulab jamun. The diya is lit before it's served.

Diwali pretzel, anyone?

Germany and Diwali had no connection until Zu Tisch in GK came up with a Diwali home-made bakery box, which consists of apple strudel, black forest, red velvet and chocolate almond cake, pumpernickel bread and pretzels. It will be offered till the end of the month. "People are actually buying these hampers as gifts instead of dry fruits and sweets," says Mayank, the owner of the restaurant.

Motichoor and kaju katli donuts

Going the desi way is donut chain Mad Over Donuts, which started offering gulab jamun, motichoor and kaju katli-flavoured donuts last week. Tarak Bhattacharaya, COO, MOD, told us, "During Diwali, everyone is looking for something innovative instead of the standard mithai and now, even chocolate boxes. So we launched these Indian flavours to add a festive touch to our donuts."

With inputs from Aanchal.Tuli@timesgroup.com


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Fire in Delhi's Shastri Park slum cluster

NEW DELHI: A fire broke out at a slum cluster today in Shastri Park area of north-east Delhi, gutting several jhuggis.

However, no casualty has been reported so far. "We received a call about the fire at 10.19am. As many as 14 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames," an official of the fire department said.

The fire fighters managed to douse the fire by around 11.25am and the situation was brought under control, he said, adding, heavy smoke filled the area.

"No casualties have been reported. The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained," the official said.

According to initial reports, over 50 jhuggis were gutted in the incident. Plastic and wood kept in an open yard in the area fuelled the fire.

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Air quality deteriorates alarmingly in Delhi after Diwali

DELHI: Air quality in the national capital deteriorated alarmingly a day after Diwali as pollution levels spiked more than five times higher than normal leaving many at the risk of respiratory problems.

The Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), which directly affects breathing, has gone up by five times from the national ambiance air quality standard, stated scientists from System of Air quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).

"The 24-hours average of PM10 was recorded at 427mg per cubic metre and PM2.5 was at 278mpcm, almost five times higher than the prescribed standard of 100mpcm and 60mpcm respectively," said senior scientist Dr Gufran Beig at SAFAR, which is jointly run by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and India Meteorological Department.

"These pollutants can harm the heart and brain as well. People with existing heart or lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart disease, or ischemic heart disease are at increased risk of admission to hospitals based on the severity of already existing problem," he said.

Since 10pm onwards, an upward trend was witnessed at all six air quality monitoring stations in Delhi.

According to real time ambient air quality data of Delhi Pollution Control Committee, PM2.5 was at its peak at 5.30am and recorded 724 microgram per cubic meter (mpcm) in R K Puram.

In Punjabi Bagh, the PM2.5 was at its peak at 1am and was recorded at 755 mpcm, while PM10 was recorded as 1,490 mpcm highest at 3.30am.

At Mandir Marg, the particulate matter PM2.5 was at its peak at 2.30am and recorded 984 mpcm while PM10 was recorded as 1,200 mpcm highest at 2am.

The peak pollution level monitored in Civil Lines was PM2.5 at 999.85 mpcm from 11am to 2.30am and the PM10 was 1,000 mpcm from 9pmM to 3am.

At Anand Vihar, PM2.5 was recorded highest at 814 mpcm at 1 AM while PM10 was highest at 1500 mpcm during midnight.

PM2.5 was at its highest at IGI airport at 347.41 mpcm around 11.30pm and PM10 was recorded the highest at 404.98 mpcm during the same time.

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DPS principal’s daughter ends life

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 23 Oktober 2014 | 22.10

NEW DELHI: The daughter of the principal of Delhi Public School, R K Puram, allegedly committed suicide late on Tuesday night at their residence on the school campus, according to the police. Anjana Saini (29) was found hanging from the ceiling fan with a dupatta by her family members. The police have recovered a suicide note from the room in which she has said no one is responsible for her death.

Police said Anjana was having dinner with her family on Tuesday night when she received a phone call and went to her first-floor room to attend it. When she did not return even after an hour, her mother went looking for her around 10pm, found her hanging from the fan and raised an alarm. The family rushed her to Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj where she was declared dead. The hospital informed the police. The body was taken to AIIMS for post-mortem and handed over to the family on Wednesday morning.

The suicide note kept next to the TV in her room said: "Dear mummy and daddy, I don't want to hurt anyone. Nobody is to blame for my death.—Anjana." The cops are examining the note and also looking into her phone calls details to establish the reason for her taking the extreme step.

Anjana had studied at Delhi Public School, R K Puram, and completed her MBA from Amity University in 2008. She was working as a manager with a multinational company based in Gurgaon. Her family has told the cops that they had planned to fix her marriage in the next few months. She has an elder brother and a sister, both of whom are married.

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You click, they break their backs to deliver

NEW DELHI: This Diwali when you celebrate the advent of e-commerce — and goods being delivered at your doorstep at a discount — do spare a thought for the boys carrying them. These delivery boys, mostly in their 20s and 30s, are the lifeline of this business. And they have a difficult job — carrying backpacks weighing 40 kg and more. Doctors say they face the risk of developing disc problems, shoulder strain and other serious complications.

Santosh Yadav, who has been working as a delivery boy for nearly six months, says circumstances at home forced him to take up the job. "With so many people ordering online ahead of Diwali, work hours often get extended to midnight. The company prefers to send even printers and laptops through us because mini vans may get stuck in traffic," he says.

"My parents are poor farmers. They cannot afford to pay for my higher studies," says 24-year-old Santosh Yadav, a delivery boy. He is pursuing graduation from School of Open Learning under Delhi University.

On an average, delivery boys work from 9am to 6pm but during Diwali, work hours may stretch well into the night. Most delivery men employed with online retail companies get paid between Rs 9,000 and Rs 11,000, excluding their PF contribution and the amount deducted for medical insurance.

Dr Deepak Choudhary, director, Safdarjung Sports Injury Center, says it is painful to see young individuals struggling with neck pain, strained shoulder muscles and backache because they carry heavy backpacks daily. "We get two to three such cases on every OPD day. While in most cases the symptoms tend to subside with rest and ice compression, there is always a risk of complications in future that can put them out of action for life," he says. According to the doctor, carrying these heavy bags may lead to disc problems and strain on the shoulder muscles like rotator cuff leading to pain and inflammation at a later stage.

At Okhla Phase I, which has become a major hub for collection and dispatch of goods for e-commerce companies, hundreds of these boys can be seen rushing in and out to deliver items on Wednesday, a day before Diwali. "If I can finish all deliveries today, Diwali will be an off day," says Ajay Lal, revving up his bike. Deepak Mandal, a 32-year-old Badarpur resident, was advised rest by doctors following neck pain last month. "The company allowed me to carry lighter items when I showed them the prescription. But due to the Diwali rush, the loads have become heavier," he confesses.

Some of the delivery boys say they hate their jobs but being non-graduates they have little option. "I know driving. In near future, I plan to take up commercial driving to earn a livelihood. I cannot afford to do this back-breaking job anymore," says Rashid.

Dr Yash Gulati of BLK Super Specialty Hospital says the circumstances in which delivery persons for online retail companies work are no different from that of the porters. "They are rather more difficult. The latter can make a choice about the weight they may carry but these young individuals are forced to do so to earn a livelihood. Accidents caused due to poor balancing of the backpacks while riding bikes is common," he says.

"Even if we have to deliver a pen drive to one customer, the entire bag has to be carried because if any item is lost the company can deduct the cost from our salary," says Sanjeev Kumar as he quickly finishes his lunch. Experts say backpacks should not weigh more than 15-20% of the person's body weight but the online retail chains do not follow any such rules. While few companies have hired their own delivery boys, others get it done through courier agencies.

An e-commerce company was recently reported to have been attempting to redesign the courier bags to improve both delivery and customer experience. More such innovative initiatives may finally free the delivery boys from the tyranny of the backpacks.

Times View

It is inhuman that anybody in this modern age should be made to work like a pack mule. That it should be happening in sectors that are so modern — courier companies and e-retailing — only makes it worse. There is surely a better way of conducting the business than making young boys carry such heavy loads on their back. The courts had to step in to mandate that there must be a limit to the weight schoolchildren are made to carry. We hope that it will not require similar judicial intervention to end this inhuman practice. The government should regulate working conditions in this area, the sooner the better.

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Directorate of Education orders schools to return excess fees in a fortnight

NEW DELHI: Schools that were found to have unjustifiably raised their fees for students have been ordered by the Directorate of Education to pay its teachers and return the rest of the amount to the parents.

The schools, which raised fees for the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission payscale, were identified by Justice Anil Dev Singh Committee. A total of 330 unaided recognized private schools will be impacted; the committee identified these in five interim reports.

Each of the 330 schools has been ordered to act on the recommendations of the committee within a fortnight of the issue of the order-on October 21. "The schools that have charged excess fee to implement 6{+t}{+h} CPC but have not implemented the same are directed to make the payments to its staff as per 6{+t}{+h} CPC, out of excess fee collected ,with 9% interest, without further raising any fresh demand from the parents/students," says the order. It further adds, "If after implementing the 6th CPC in the school, there still remains excess money charged from the students/parents by such school, it shall be refunded to the children/parent concerned within a fortnight".

The committee was established in September 2011, DOE explains, for the purpose of examining "the records and accounts of all the unaided recognized schools...to check whether the fee hike while implementing the recommendations of 6{+t}{+h} Central Pay Commission was justified or not."

The first interim report had recommended that 64 schools be asked to return fees; the second submitted in March, 2013 identified 58 schools; the third from August 2013, identified 47; the fourth (November, 2013) identified 81 and the last from May this year-80. While studying the financial paperwork of several schools, the three-member committee had even recommended probes.

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Goods worth lakhs lost in 3 fires

NEW DELHI: Three cases of fire were reported from different parts of central Delhi in a span of 24 hours, leading to loss of goods worth lakhs.

Fires were reported from Nabi Karim and Dariba Kalan areas, identified as vulnerable spots by the fire department, while the third took place in Karol Bagh.

Three floors were gutted after a fire broke out at a warehouse in Nabi Karim around 11pm. Officials said nine tenders were sent in and the fire, suspected to have been set off by a short circuit, was controlled in an hour. A patrol team also pitched in.

Officials said that two fire engines from Dariba Kalan were sent to nearby Nabi Karim after they received a call about a blaze at the basement of a warehouse. No one was injured in both cases as the workers were on Diwali leave. Police said that a case was registered against the owners of the two warehouses.

The third fire broke out at a clothes warehouse in Karol Bagh around 9pm on Wednesday. A part of the godown was gutted. Cops suspect a short circuit. Residents from a nearby colony informed the fire brigade and three engines were rushed to the spot.

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Delhi's Diwali menus packed with both nostalgia and new flavours

A great meal can make or break your Diwali experience, and whether you're looking to try something new or want to go for a traditional meal, restaurants are offering a variety of menus to satisfy the customer's wants Diwali is no longer a festival of just hanging up lights, making rangolis or bursting firecrackers. Everyone knows the best part of any holiday is the food, and restaurants are getting creative as they cater to these expectations. Many have tweaked their menus and introduced dishes inspired by the traditional elements of Diwali, while others have presented their own versions of Diwali cuisine. Read on to see some preparations by restaurants to give customers a delicious Diwali experience.
Tweaking Indian dishes

"These days, Diwali has become a global festival, so we've infused Indian elements into our otherwise global menu. For instance, we have seekh tikka with masala-coated chickpeas, gun powder potato stew with fig puri and regenerated mattar-paneer. We're also mixing it up with sambuca flambe gulab ja mun with toffee cream sauce on cholai slabs and hickory wood-smoked moong daal halwa crumble with melted vanilla ice cream," says Vikrant Batra, owner, Terminus 1. The menu also includes nimbu anar shikanji and smoky tamarind margarita, all of which will be served till October 23.

Cafe Delhi Heights has spiced up its drinks to give it a patakha kick. With options like Diwali pataka punch, bijli bomb, chocolate and chilli kiss and Diwa-Hot Chocolate, the restaurant aims to give customers an `explosive' experience. "We have added spices and chilli to the drinks to give customers the desi patakha feel. We also have desserts like the flaming gulab jamun and sitafal, and cashew and raisin-flavoured kulfi, till Octob er 23," says Vikrant from Cafe Delhi Heights.

Going the traditional way

"Our buffet is completely Indian because that is what Diwali food is - completely desi.And, of course, we have mithai as India is all about mithai," says Zorawar Kalra, owner, Made in Punjab. The restaurant is offering eight-ten types of mithai, including milk cakes and three-four types of kaju katlis. And how are Delhiites liking this food bonanza?
"The festive buffet was supposed to be only for the Diwali week. But now we are planning to continue with this concept even after the festive season is over," adds Zorawar.

If you are a kebab fan, then head over to Kababo Ke Nawab - the Diwali kebab festival at Radisson Blu in Paschim Vihar. "Diwali is about family time, and for us, this translates into a kebab fiesta. The festive menu will be on till the end of October," says chef Dhiraj from Radisson Blu. The restau rant is offering specials like chooza pe shawari, nawadi roti, gilawafi seekh kabab, khade masaale ka paneer tikka, achaari phool and rajma ke shaahi galoti. Desserts too have traditional options like moong daal ka hal wa, phirni, kulfi and sewayi.

Cafe Turtle is offering a Diwali thali, which is inspired by Indian street food. A mix of sweet and savoury snacks, the thali comprises amritsari chola kulcha, tawa aloo tikki,dahi papdi chaat,khasta samosa,meethi khoj and a special masala tea served in a kul har. To seal the yummy deal, it is served with pickle and tamarind chutney on the side. "Our thali plays on the nostalgia of In dian street food, and we want to give people a taste of that," explains Priyanka Malho tra, owner, Cafe Turtle.

A modern take on Diwali dishes

Somerset mushroom soup, leek and potato soup or chicken pancakes florentine hardly sound like Diwali cuisine. But Roost Bistro has come up with these dishes, staying loyal to the type of cuisine it generally serves."We see Diwali as an indication of the changing of seasons. It reminds us of the onset of autumn and winter.So, in our special menu, which will be served till the end of the month, we have incorporated special soups and spicy dishes," says Pranav Kumar from Roost Bistro. Its menu also includes ginger honey hunter chicken, grilled corn fed thyme lemon chicken and saadiya samak.

Summer House Cafe has given Diwali food new meaning by tweaking their portions for the festive season. "Diwali means family time, so we've decided to increase the size of the servings and are giving discounts as well," says Anchit from Summer House Cafe. The restaurant also has some festive specials like sweet paprika chicken breast with creamy pesto sauce, crusted cottage cheese steak with chunky tomato sauce and traditional meat loaf with BBQ sauce and hot BBQ ranch beans. For those with a sweet tooth, the cafe is offering a mega-brownie Diwali mug till October 27.

Burger joint's Diwali shake

Who would have guessed Johnny Rockets, which opened recently in the capital, would catch the Diwali bug as well? The restaurant has come up with a Diwali shake, which will only be served on chotti and badi Diwali (October 22 and 23). "Diwali is the biggest festival in India. We wanted to do something special, so we picked up all the traditional elements - almonds, kesar and pistachio - and blended them for our signature badam, kesar and pista shake," says chef Dean from Johnny Rockets.

Dessert pizzas and French mithai

Some restaurants focus all their Diwali attention on their desserts, as they feel that Diwali is quintessentially about sweets. But eating a pizza for dessert is something we'd never have imagined. La Vie in Khan market has baffled Delhiites with its range of Diwali dessert pizzas. "We didn't want something completely Indian this Diwali, so we are offering dessert pizzas. It has a hint of tradition in its own way . It's made with the same dough as normal pizza, but is topped with almonds, dates and praline nuts, as Diwali is all about dry fruits and something sweet," says Anirudh from La Vie. Chocoburst pizza, banana crumble pizza, blueberry cheese pizza and apple crumble pizza are some options you can choose from till the end of the month.

If you have ever wondered what the French version of a badam barfi tastes like, then you'll find your answer at Le Bistro du Parc. The restaurant has added a French twist on the traditional badam barfi with almonds. Available from Monday till Diwali, the jugalbandi dessert comprises almond pastry, almond cream and fresh roasted almonds. "We have fused pistacchios, almonds and elements of Indian sweets in a traditional French recipe," says Naina from Le Bistro du Parc.

Everyone loves gulab jamun, but how many people can say they've eaten a flaming gulab jamun? Barrels' flaming gulab jamun is made from Bailey's rabri, which is rich in dry fruits and forms the base of the diya, atop which rests the rum-dipped gulab jamun. The diya is lit before it's served.

Diwali pretzel, anyone?

Germany and Diwali had no connection until Zu Tisch in GK came up with a Diwali home-made bakery box, which consists of apple strudel, black forest, red velvet and chocolate almond cake, pumpernickel bread and pretzels. It will be offered till the end of the month. "People are actually buying these hampers as gifts instead of dry fruits and sweets," says Mayank, the owner of the restaurant.

Motichoor and kaju katli donuts

Going the desi way is donut chain Mad Over Donuts, which started offering gulab jamun, motichoor and kaju katli-flavoured donuts last week. Tarak Bhattacharaya, COO, MOD, told us, "During Diwali, everyone is looking for something innovative instead of the standard mithai and now, even chocolate boxes. So we launched these Indian flavours to add a festive touch to our donuts."

With inputs from Aanchal.Tuli@timesgroup.com

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