Delhi Underground

Plan for plastic ban

A pollution official has a to-do list written on a white board placed behind his seat,and on it is an action plan to implement Delhi’s contentious plastic bag ban. The ban that prevents the use of all plastic bags in the capital,even to wrap magazines,was supposed to be effective in November. But since bag manufacturers contested the new law,the Delhi High Court asked the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to refrain from penalising people until the case,which has been postponed at least twice since March,was settled. Asked what the action plan was,the DPCC official said they were waiting for the decision of the court before making the plan public.

Work for new admin

Last week’s farewell function for two dignitaries — the outgoing director of GB Pant hospital and the former dean of Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) — held in a lecture hall at MAMC saw a few technical glitches. A senior professor at the function said,“The microphone was not working,and when the speakers tried making a power point presentation,it was found the projector also had a problem.” This,incidentally,is one of the key lecture theatres,where the faculty addresses the 250-odd MBBS students. The capacity of the lecture theatre is around 180-190 students. While the number of students admitted into the college has increased,there is no facility where all students can sit in class together. “We manage somehow. But,we are glad that the new director and the dean saw that neither the microphone nor the projector was working. Hopefully,they will take steps to address the problems,” a student said.

DU in turmoil

At a time when sections of Delhi University’s teaching community are up in arms against the implementation of the four-year undergraduate programme,the rift in the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) seems to have grown wider. When plans to hold a general body meeting on Sunday were made public,some DUTA members protested against it. Later,Ramjas College withdrew its permission to hold the meeting in its auditorium. Lashing out at the Vice Chancellor and his supporters,the DUTA president said,“This confirms that the V-C and his supporters fear debate and are bent on not allowing the teachers to come to a collective view. Unfortunately,even the elected members of DUTA,including the Secretary,have become tools in the hands of the V-C.”

DDA on fast track

To fast track the processes,the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has reduced the time for responding to public notices related to amendments in the Master Plan from 90 days to 45 days. According to sources,this has also been done keeping in mind that the Assembly elections are going to be held this year. “To ensure that the Master Plan amendments get cleared fast,the time to submit objections and suggestions has been changed from 90 days to 45 days,” a DDA official said.