Delhi underground

Aspirations on hold
The BJP’s losses in the Lok Sabha elections seem to have affected several leaders of the party’s student wing,Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad,as well. These leaders,who were hoping for a better showing in the polls,are now in the mood to backtrack from DUSU elections. Top leaders are taking their studies more seriously,putting on hold any political aspirations. A former ABVP leader said he has been trying to convince his younger brother to not contest this year. “I told him not to waste money and his dignity. When bigwigs have fared so badly,what are the chances of student leaders,” he said.

Fool-proof allotment
With the elections finally over,the Delhi government is back to dealing with a problem it has been avoiding using the excuse of the Model Code of Conduct being in place: the allotment of 9,000 low-cost flats constructed under the Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojana. The Urban Development department has been delaying their allotment since the DDA scam was uncovered. The department has been sending files to the IT department and the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation,asking them to come up with a fool-proof system,only to be reminded repeatedly that the system is in place and the department has to only begin the process.

Good riddance?
What is more embarrassing for the BJP — losing all seats in Delhi or Thavar Chand Gehlot,in charge of the Delhi elections,losing from Shajapur in Madhya Pradesh? Both are equally embarrassing,voters who backed the BJP would say. But Delhi BJP leaders,it seems,are quiet happy about Gehlot’s defeat. “Serves him right,at least now he will be off our backs,” a senior leader was heard saying.

No case
The CBI had said last week it would file a final report in the Arushi-Hemraj double murder case,and officials say the agency is seeking legal opinion in the case. The CBI has failed to recover the murder weapon and the mobile of the victim,and there is no other direct evidence in the case. Citing these lacunas,legal experts have flatly said the case is untenable in a court of law. Now,given the odds,it remains to be seen what the CBI’s investigation report will say.

Bad weather ahead
Even the slightest squall and rain,which just about manages to offer the slightest relief from the heat,comes as bad news for airport operations in Delhi. A shower on Friday that lasted about 10 minutes forced the airport authorities to shut down two runways; all flights were arriving and departing from one runway. One wonders what will happen in the monsoons. Should one expect all flight operations to come to a standstill during ‘inclement weather and high winds’?

No list,no work
The Vidyalaya Kalyan Samiti,launched in 2005 to involve parents and local people in development work at government schools,and to reduce official involvement as part of the Bhagidari initiative,seems to have hit a roadblock,ironically,due to red tape. As the new session has started,new members have to be selected for samitis in all schools. The lists,however,have not been cleared by the Bhagidari Cell of the Chief Minister’s office. Repairs and other things usually taken care of during the summer break are,therefore,on hold as principals can no longer spend money without the samiti’s approval.

Accident prone
The next time you are around a Metro construction site take care of your own safety,as the Delhi Metro feels it can’t do more to avert accidents at these sites. The increasing number of accidents at Metro construction sites might come as an embarrassment for the image conscious Delhi Metro,but officials in the DMRC maintain little can be done to avert such untoward incidents. The DMRC does,however,dutifully pay damages every time an accident is reported and with apologies too.

At arm’s length
While the NDMC’s instructions for averting swine flu include suggestions about avoiding crowded places and “staying at more than an arm’s length” from any one displaying flu symptoms like a cough or a running nose,sneezing or fever,they also lay down some very attention-grabbing don’ts. The NDMC list also asks people not to “shake hands,hug and kiss socially or use other contact greetings”.

Free of crime?
Avtar Singh Bhadana,the Congress candidate who won the Lok Sabha elections from Faridabad,said at a gathering last week that he will see to it that his constituency is free of all criminals and any sort of criminal activity. What is ironical is that Bhadana has mentioned several pending cases against himself in his declaration filed during nominations.