The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Briefly

Report on DTC buses presented

NEW DELHI FEB. 24. A pilot study report on Delhi Transport Corporation buses was presented to the Transport Minister, Haroon Yusuf, on Tuesday. The report was presented by the team leader, P.C. Tamta. The report consists several important aspects of CNG buses, which were instrumental in reducing the level of pollution in Delhi.

The Minister said he would forward the report to the DTC Chairman and the Transport Commissioner for examination and implementation. He also described the efforts of the study team as important, vital and useful in reducing the pollution level.

NCC cadets return from Nepal

NEW DELHI FEB. 24. One officer and 10 NCC cadets returned from Nepal after participating in an NCC Camp there and witnessing the Royal Nepalese Parade organised by the Directorate of Military Training from February 12 to 22. The delegation visited Nepal under the youth exchange programme of NCC.

Besides visiting places of tourist interest in Nepal, the cadets during the course of their stay also had a chance to meet a number of dignitaries such as the Chief Advisor of NCC Nepal and Chief of Staff of the Nepalese Army. They also witnessed the NCC parade (Dikshanta Kawaj) and the Army Day Parade of Nepal Army.

The cadets also interacted with a cross-section of the local populace and thus experienced the socio-economic and cultural realities of the country besides getting an exposure to various developmental issues.

`Appreciation Day' celebrated

NEW DELHI FEB. 24. The Birla Vidya Niketan Junior School celebrated `Appreciation Day' here this past week. Over 600 children participated in various cultural activities, including rhymes recitation and skits. The show began with "Aaja Mere Prabhu Mere Dil Mein".

The chief guest for the day was the Regional Director-South, Directorate of Education, D.S. Pandit. Appreciating the introduction of lockers in the classrooms, reducing the burden of heavy school bags, he said that schools play an important role in making children grow up into responsible adults.

Energex 2004 planned

NEW DELHI FEB. 24. Energex 2004 -- a first-ever exhibition on power back-up products would be held at Pragati Maidan here from March 26 to 28. The exhibition will focus on battery and allied products, inverters, servo, stabilisers, generator sets, battery manufacturing machinery and solar energy products among others. More than 200 companies from across the country are expected to participate in this fair.

Energex aims to bring manufacturers, suppliers and vendors together and offer them a common platform to showcase their latest products, machinery, equipment and technologies related to power back-up solutions. According to the exhibition chief coordinator, Anand Aggarwal, it will provide multiple vendor and supplier options to them besides offering a platform to interact directly with dealers and end consumers.

Ghana business delegation

NEW DELHI FEB. 24. To explore the possibility of an Indo-Ghana joint venture an eight-member business and investment delegation from Ghana paid a visit today to the headquarters of the Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation (DSIDC).

Led by the board member of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Faustina Mensah, the Ghanaian delegation was received by the DSIDC Chairman, Hasan Ahmed, the Managing Director, Jalaj Shrivastva, and the Executive Director, Rita Kumar.

The delegation, which included the High Commissioner of Ghana, Mike Oqvaye, enquired about some of the projects undertaken by the DSIDC. Later on, the delegation was taken to the Bawana Industrial Complex and shown sample houses built by the DSIDC.

NCERT curriculum for teachers

New Delhi Feb 24. National Council of Educational Research and Training today brought out a new Curriculum Framework for Teachers' Education with a special focus on motivating the professionals in the field to convert the challenges into opportunities.

The document emphasised the need for making teachers' education institutions better equipped with regard to infrastructure and greater professional support on a continuous basis. It also called for re-establishing the school-community mutuality.

The NCERT Director, J S Rajput, said that areas like work education, vocationalisation of education, education of learners with special needs, in-service orientation and recurrent in-service education of serving teachers deserved a fresh look. The areas of concern particularly mentioned in the new framework include strengthening national identity, protection and conservation of environment, value education and professional development of teacher educators.

The document has been developed as a blueprint on teacher education.

Eunuchs take up social cause

Balrampur Feb. 24. They may have been marginalised by the society, but the Eunuchs are taking up the social cause of spreading the message of polio eradication in Uttar Pradesh, which ranks first in number of polio cases in the country.

The eunuchs will meet the district magistrates and seek their help in spreading the message of polio eradication, Mujahid Muzzaffar, president of The All India Eunuchs Association said after a meeting here last night.

The gesture though is not entirely honorary, the eunuchs believe that when they go door-to-door to collect incentives on the birth of a child it was their responsibility also to save the children against the disease.

The eunuchs also resolved that the money collected from the parents of new-borns will be utilised to provide proper education to the children.

Sikhs threaten poll boycott

Kanpur Feb. 24. The Sikh community in Uttar Pradesh would boycott the coming Lok Sabha elections if the State Government failed to pay compensation to 1984 riots victims before the polls, an association of the victims said today.

President of the November 1984 Riots Victims Association, Manjit Singh Anand, told reporters here that since 1984, all Chief Ministers had assured that compensation would be paid but nothing had been done so far.

He said there were 70 lakh Sikhs voters in Uttar Pradesh who would keep away from the poll process if the compensation was not paid.

However, he added that the Sikhs of the State would forgive all dues if the Chief Minister goes to any gurdwara, offer apology and express the State Government's inability to pay the compensation.

Mr. Anand said there were 4,500 claim cases pending and the government had to pay Rs 115 crore as compensation.

While Delhi, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab Governments had already paid the compensation, the U.P. Government was "delaying" the issue.

Businessman robbed of car

NEW DELHI Feb. 24. Three men on a scooter allegedly abducted a 47-year-old businessman in his own Maruti Zen and robbed him of the vehicle and cash at Najafgarh in South-West Delhi yesterday.

Around 5 p.m., Rajkumar Nagpal was going to Mayapuri from Najafgarh when three men on a scooter intercepted his vehicle near Tura Mandi and at gunpoint, two of them forced their way into the car. While one of the culprits took control of the wheels, the other sat with Mr. Nagpal on the rear seat.

The robbers drove towards Neelwal village where they dumped Mr. Nagpal and fled with the vehicle. The police have registered a case and are investigating. Mr. Nagpal is a commission agent with an iron-rod manufacturing company.

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