The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 29, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Briefly

Awards for architects

NEW DELHI FEB. 28. The Vice-President, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, presented the "Architect Of The Year Awards-2001 and 2002" at Vigyan Bhavan today. The award has been instituted by J.K. White Cement Works and J.K. White Cement Works.

Mr.Shekhawat said: "The construction industry is many years behind, in spite of being in existence nearly when the civilisation started. This poses a special challenge to the architects and planners to seriously consider as to what they are going to leave behind in the form of habitats, towns, infrastructure and all such matters."

The J.K. Cement Works Managing Director, Y.P. Singhania, said: "Housing is a basic need in most of the countries and so is it in India. The disparity in housing designs in urban and rural areas is striking."

Stress on development

NEW DELHI FEB. 28. While acknowledging that Delhi was the powerhouse of the Indian economy, Delhi's Lieutenant-Governor, Vijai Kapoor, said over the week-end that the phenomenon of rural-urban shift should be taken as an opportunity for development.

Addressing members of the Observers Research Foundation, Mr. Kapoor said Delhi was in the process of being transformed from a big village to a metropolis.

He said that while formulating the Master Plan, the employment scenario must be taken into account.

Commenting on the pattern of governance, Mr. Kapoor said that dual authority would remain till Delhi becomes a full-fledged State. He said it was important to ensure that accountability does not become a casualty in the administrative process.

He also stressed that there should be a mechanism to check the misuse of public interest litigation.

Trans-Yamuna board meets

NEW DELHI FEB. 28. To look into the development work carried out in the Assembly constituencies of the trans-Yamuna area, a meeting of the Trans-Yamuna Board was held here on Friday.

The TYB Chairman, Narender Nath, directed the Chief Engineer of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Chief Engineer that all the civil work must be completed by March 31.

To improve the sanitation conditions in the area, the Board on the suggestion of the Delhi Chief Minister, Shiela Dikshit, has decided to purchase 32 refuse collector trucks and 1,600 bins to collect dry and wet garbage. These purchases would have to be done by March 31.

Meet on Freemasonry

NEW DELHI FEB. 28. An open session to highlight the ideals of Freemasonry was held here on Saturday by the Grand Lodge of India.

The Rajya Sabha member, Karan Singh, was the chief guest. Appreciating the service being rendered by the Freemasons, Dr.Singh advised them to put in more efforts to improve the moral and social vales in society.

The Grand Master, Arun Chintopanth, said Freemasonry was a worldwide organisation based on the principles of fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man. It seeks to make men morally and spiritually better human beings. Stating that Freemasonry has been in existence for over 280 years in the world and for 200 years in India, Mr. Chintopanth mentioned the names of prominent Indians like Swami Vivekananda, C. Rajagopalachari and Moti Lal Nehru who have been members of this organisation.

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