Mumbai Briefly

People should seek poll reform'MUMBAI, September 16: Citizens will have to take it on themselves to reform the electoral process instead...

People should seek poll reform8217;
MUMBAI, September 16: Citizens will have to take it on themselves to reform the electoral process instead of expecting the law to do so, said Union Minister for Urban Development, Ram Jethmalani.

Speaking at a meet on Electoral Reforms8217; he held that changes in the law to arrest electoral evils would prove to be counter-productive since the law itself would be exploited for its loopholes.

Talking on the present state of the Central government, Jethmalani gestured to the winds from the South8217; for the disarray. Referring to the Urban Land Ceiling and Regulation Act which aimed at obtaining land for public purposes, Jethmalani said that it had only ended up being misused.

VC meets UDCT students
The Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai University today met some of the agitating 120 research fellowship students of University Department of Chemical Technology UDCT who were on a sit-in-dharna since Tuesday protesting the paltry stipends paid to them.

VC SnehalataDeshmukh said, 8220;I am going to Delhi. I will take up this matter with University Grant Commission UGC officials8221;.

The affected scholars alleged that they did not get proper stipends though the UDCT received the highest ever grant of Rs 3.2 crore early this year and the UGC had announced increase in the stipends for the students.

8220;UDCT is not giving us our dues, in fact even our old 1994 revised stipends have not been given to us,8221; said some of the affected students adding that that for the last three months they have been trying to seek an appointment with the VC, ut had not succeeded.

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Dadar hawkers assured space
Mayor Nandu Satam today announced that hawkers in Dadar are being supplied cards entitling them to allotments in the hawking plaza which will be ready after 11 months. Speaking after a mayor-in-council meeting, Satam said the police had initiated action against the illegal hawkers of Dadar area and any confusion will be cleared in due course. The MiC at its meeting today clearedsome 55 accident claims collectively worth over Rs 27 lakh related to the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking. In one significant case, a claimant who was rendered disabled for life was awarded Rs 11 lakh after a compromise8217; was arrived at by both BEST and the claimant. In April 12, 1994 the claimant Niranjan Shantilal Shah was in a car which collided with a BEST bus at Walchand Hirachand Marg in Fort.8220;He suffered major fractures and at present is 70 per cent disabled and needed financial aid for treatment,8221; revealed Satam.