Delhi underground

All’s not well

Taking a tough stand on digging of borewells for individual use,a senior DJB official is learnt to have refused permission to some senior functionaries in the government for digging borewells in their farmhouses. No farmhouses are being given permission to dig bore wells for individual use now. “Even the Delhi Jal Board has to take permission from the deputy commissioners of various zones to dig borewells,and it is indeed a tedious process. Permission is only given when the well will serve a whole community and not just individuals,” said an official.

Rainbow for all

Overriding Section 377 and social sitgma,Gay Pride March has become an annual ritual in the Capital. Last year,however,when the first-ever parade was held in Delhi,it was not inclusive of all sections — the transgender felt left out. The complaint is not unique to Delhi. For a long time,gay pride marches across the world are said to have ignored the transgender,who claim they have been sidelined and are the pariahs within the LGBT community. So this time,the organisers in the Capital mobilised the hijra community,asking them to participate and come out in their full glory. “Last time they felt left out. So this year,we tried to convince them to come,” a gay activist said.

A party for the party

Though months have passed since the Congress they came back to power,the party is still not over for some of its MLAs. Without giving the celebrations a break,one of the elected MLAs plans to host a lunch for his fellow party leaders. The first one to do so was Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah,who was followed by Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely. Hence,while the Assembly is in session and the Opposition is busy crying hoarse about water and power crisis,most of the ruling party benches remain empty and the Congress MLAs are seen walking late into the session,content.

Blame the messenger

Despite invoking a stringent and non-bailable section of the IPC against Gungun’s alleged kidnappers,the investigators do not seem to be looking at the episode with equal seriousness. A police officer,connected with the case,described it as a simple case and blamed the media for creating the hype. “The child was picked up by a couple and she is now united with her parents. It is better if both the couples are left alone.” When asked as to why they opted to invoke a stringent provision if it was a “simple case”,he said that the police had to do it because of the frenzy the media had created around the case.

Fuel to fire

A recent demolition drive by the Delhi Development Authority,during which an illegal tin structure and walls of a mosque at Andheria More in Mehrauli were pulled down,did not just kicked up a storm but also got other civic bodies entangled. Officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi reportedly visited the place and if rumours are to be believed,they even asked heritage conservationists to prepare a design to rebuild the mosque,this time perhaps in concrete! The mosque,however,is in the eye of a storm with conservationists objecting to its very existence as it stands in the premises of a listed heritage structure.

Say cheese 

It appears that the newly-appointed deputy commissioner of Gurgaon,Rajender Kataria,in is love with cameras. The media savvy bureaucrat,since taking over the new job,has been everywhere and doing everything that draw the shutterbugs. From driving a tractor and an ambulance to going for a morning walk with all his paraphernalia,the new deputy commissioner leaves no chance to grab the media attention. Work on several incomplete plans and projects in the NCR,it seems,can wait till the flashes go off.

Attention all

Like everyone,Delhi Police officers can be seen unwinding at key watering holes in the Capital like CSOI (K G Marg),PSOI (Yashwant Place),India International Centre and Habitat Centre after a hard day at work. But the at-ease stand may become distant with Home Minister P Chidambaram in charge at North Block. The Home Ministry has sent instructions to Delhi Police to hold frequent security drills to test the capacity and response of its personnel,including ACPs,DCPs,Additional CPs and JCPs,in case of any terrorist attack or emergency situation. The city police have also been told to hold routine firing practise for its quick reaction teams and special squads. The message is clear. The Home Ministry does not want a repeat of 26/11,when all the 210 AK 47 rifles of the Mumbai Police were locked in the armoury and terrorists were running amok.

Who’s next?

All eyes are trained on the HRD Ministry for the appointment of new Vice Chancellor at Jamia Millia Islamia after Mushirul Hasan completed his tenure recently. A number of names are doing the rounds,while some are even lobbying for Hasan to be given another tenure. But HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has other plans. Don’t be surprised if the next V-C is more liberal and carries forth Hasan’s tradition.

Tailpiece

Is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh changing his official bullet proof BMW car? The Transport department has been requested that the PM’s car registration 0006 be allowed to be transferred to another car.