The Hindu : Briefly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 15, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Briefly

BJP protest against unit area

NEW DELHI MARCH 14. The Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party today held demonstrations and dharnas at several places across the Capital to protest against the implementation of the Unit Area Method of house tax which comes into force from April 1. The protesters also burnt effigies of the Unit Area Method of property tax. Several senior party leaders took part in the demonstrations. The termed the new method as anti-people.

Olive saplings planted

NEW DELHI MARCH 14. Twenty olive saplings were planted at the Pitampura's district park by the Tunisian Ambassador, Elyes Kasri, and the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, Vijai Kapoor, on Saturday. This is the first time that olive saplings have been planted in the Capital.

The high-profile visitors were accompanied by the Tunisian Ambassador's wife, Monica Kasri, and Tunisian Political Counsellor, Dhia Khaled. Both of them also planted olive saplings. The Vice-Chairman of DDA and senior officers were also present on the occasion.

Mr.Kasri himself took responsibility for arranging the 20 olive saplings, including 14 saplings of the oil-producing Europaea Chetoui and six saplings of the pickle-producing Europaea Picholine.

Olive, an evergreen plant, is cultivated in Tunisia, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Algiers, Morocco and Egypt. So far olive has been found growing extensively in the Himalayan region, particularly Himachal Pradesh's Kullu, Shimla, Solan and Sirmour. Olive cultivation has been undertaken on a limited scale in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.

Focus on female foeticide

NEW DELHI MARCH 14. As part of a campaign against pre-birth elimination of females, Plan India and Population Foundation of India organised a workshop with the industry/corporate sector over the weekend. The workshop was focussed on the advocacy campaign in Haryana and how corporates can help make it a success.

Senior members of the Industry in Haryana, government officials from the Centre as well as well from the State attended the workshop. Experts from medical, legal and other related fields were also present during the workshop apart from representatives of non-government organisations from Haryana.

On the occasion, J. K. Banthia, Registrar General of India, made a presentation on the sharp decline in the child sex ratio in Haryana and consequences of sex selective abortions resulting in female foeticide. The child sex ratio in Haryana, according to the Census 2001, is 820 girls per 1000 boys - the second lowest in the country after Punjab. The gross distortion in this ratio in Haryana has created an explosive situation and has been the result of preference for the male child resulting in female foeticide.

Dr. B. S. Dahiya, Director-General, Health Services, Haryana, shared with the participants how the Government was working to curb the practices of female foeticide and effective implementation of the PNDT Act.

The Executive Director of PFI, A. R. Nanda, emphasised on the need of advocacy on this issue and the need for a commitment to the cause.

Medical workshop

NEW DELHI MARCH 14. A medical workshop on dental implantology, bone plating and minor oral surgical skills for doctors from different parts of the country will be organised by Safdarjang Hospital and Vardhman Mahavir Medical college from March 19.

The three-day medical workshop at Safdarjang Hospital will include lectures in dental surgeries and a live demonstration of dental implant by the President of the Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of India, Dhirendra Srivastava.

This workshop is being held to train doctors practicing in government hospitals in Karnataka, Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra so that these doctors can give the dental implant treatment to the economically weaker patients. Moreover, the patients would not be required to travel all the way to Delhi for treatment. The Conference Chairman, R.P.Narayan and Medical Superintendent, R.N.Salhan, would also be giving lectures.

Doctor caught red-handed

DHANBAD MARCH 14. Central Bureau of Investigation sleuths caught red-handed a doctor of the central hospital here while he was taking a bribe of Rs 5000 from patients for issuing medical certificates last evening.

Dr. S.K. Gupta was brought to the CBI office today and interrogated.

According to a Bharat Coking Coal Limited employee, Kuru Das, who was earlier under the doctor's treatment in the hospital, alleged the doctor demanded Rs 10,000 for two medical certificates.

He had earlier paid Rs 5000 but the doctor had not given the certificate and demanded the remaining Rs 5000 for the certificates.

Seeing no alternative, he informed the CBI and a trap was laid to catch him while accepting the remaining money, CBI sources said. - UNI

Bus turns over, 7 killed

UDAIPUR MARCH 14. Seven people were killed and 27 others injured when a private bus overturned after the driver lost control while negotiating a curve down the Devgarh ghat in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district this evening, according to the police.

The driver lost control of the bus plying on Pratapgarh- Badi Sadadi route.

The injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals.

Held for betting

BIKANER MARCH 14. In special operations carried out at five different places in the town, one person was caught while betting on the India-Pakistan tour opener played at Karachi yesterday.

Four others however, managed to escape, the police said today.

Raids were conducted in Noka locality in this district headquarters during the match yesterday.

Police also seized TV sets, telephones, mobile phones and nearly Rs 700,000 from the arrested person.

Bodies found

ROBERTSGANJ MARCH 14. Highly decomposed bodies of a woman and her two children were recovered from a house in Sonbhadra district today.

Police said the bodies were first discovered by the villagers of Parhi.

The deceased had been identified as Chandratara (26), Pinki (6) and Priyanshu (3).

While Chandratara was found hanging from the ceiling, her children were probably administered poison, the police said.

Police said Chandratara's husband Babulal was a drunkard and used to beat his wife for not bringing dowry.

Seven die in mishap

HISAR MARCH 14. Seven persons were killed when a jeep and a truck collided on Hisar-Sirsa road today, the police said.

The mishap occurred about 60 km from here near village Ankawali. Further details were awaited.

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