Delhi Underground

Caught out

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been lamenting over its empty coffers for long,citing it as the reason behind the potholes on Delhi streets. The civic body,thus became the butt of a few light-hearted jokes when the guests invited to one of its functions saw a rare treat served — onion pakodas. Guests made it known to the councillors that the civic agency has been exaggerating its poor financial status — no civic agency can call itself poor while still being able to serve onions — a vegetable whose prices have shot skyward in the last few weeks.

Proceeding on paper

As the Bofors case hearing started at a Tis Hazari court last week,Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra,appearing for the Central Bureau of Investigation in the case,raised his grievances about a document filed in the court without his knowledge. The law officer objected to the move by advocate Ashok Agarwal,who has challenged the CBI’s move to withdraw the case against Ottavio Quattrocchi,arguing that it was unfair on Agarwal’s part to submit the document without giving a copy to the CBI. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav,however,shot back,“Mr Counsel,I can completely understand your objection. But even I got to know only through the newspaper reports that something has been submitted in the court and that I am going to take note of it on the next hearing.” The judge’s remarks created quite a flutter in the courtroom and caused the two opposing lawyers to dump the issue therein and proceed to more substantial arguments.

Beacon for trouble

This is as ironical as it could get. The Traffic Police challaned the Transport Commissioner of a neighbouring state last week for travelling with a red beacon on his car. The keen eye of the Traffic Police is now focussing on ‘important’ persons. From Wednesday to Friday,41 ‘high and mighty’ persons — from MPs to MLAs to bureaucrats — were hauled up for using beacons in an unauthorised manner. The only saving grace was that most of these ‘VIPs’ were from outside Delhi. A top Traffic official said: “It only shows that these people easily get away with it in their own areas. It is interesting to note that they do not bother to check whether they really are entitled to use a beacon; they just go ahead and buy beacons just to feel important.”

Down the same road

The Delhi University is all set to initiate the process of converting its annual courses into the semester mode,and indications are that some heads of departments have taken the job a tad too seriously. If rumours are to be believed,most heads are ready with their semesterised syllabi even before a single meeting has been called to discuss the proposed changes. The same allegations were made last year,and pre-prepared syllabi was one of the reasons college teachers had joined the anti-semester protests in a big way.

Meddling with prices

As the sacked boss of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee was questioned by the CBI this week,the aftermath of the Games brought in another set of ripples elsewhere. Concerned at the increasing gold prices,a few lawyers in a city court were heard attributing it to the sports event. “Hundreds of gold medals were manufactured for winners. This had to raise the demand for gold,leading to an increase in its prices,” said a man-in-black,as the others nodded in agreement. They,however,just stopped short of terming the Games a gold scam.

Truant doctor

Senior administrative officials at the AIIMS have received repeated complaints from doctors of one of the hospital’s department over the HOD’s abysmally low attendance. “It is a wonderful department,and has a bunch of dedicated doctors. But complaints have been frequently flowing in from doctors about their HOD’s lack of enthusiasm. It definitely is a never-before situation in the institute,” said an official. Doctors of the department said even on days the reputed doctor shows up,it is much after OPD hours. Authorities have decided to let things be for a bit,and then conduct an inquiry into the matter. “It is a problem when we get complaints of this nature against such senior doctors. Frankly,We are at a loss about what to do,” said a source in the administration.

Rock and a hard place

After IPS officer I D Shukla was dismissed for disobeying the Home Ministry’s transfer orders,it now seems the heat is on IAS officer Sumati Mehta,who is also the wife of Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta. After the Home Ministry transferred her to Mizoram,and when all efforts to defer the transfer failed,she applied for voluntary retirement to the Mizoram government itself. The Mizoram government,however,declined approval as she had not joined them and officially was not on their rolls,telling her that she could get voluntary retirement only after she joined them. The Home Ministry,meanwhile,is also taking a tough stance. Mehta has now gone on a long leave,hoping that things will cool off soon.

First day,no-show

Tourists were a disappointed lot when the much-touted sound-and light show at Purana Quila,which was inaugurated by Vice-President Hamid Ansari and was slated to open this weekend,was cancelled. While some officials said the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC),that will run the shows,is waiting for the winter chill to go away,sources said the body is yet to get the infrastructure in place for running the show. While the ITDC works out a final date for the opening of the show to the public,a number of visitors at the Fort are seen waiting till the monument’s closing hours hoping to catch the first show.