Indian Express 2.11.2009
Delhi Underground
Old rivals
With the MCD finally coming under the wing of the Delhi government, there is still tension within the Delhi government between age-old rivals Sheila Dikshit and Finance Minister Ashok Walia. While Dikshit was recently stumped by the media on being asked if there would be a 'new ministry' headed by her to manage the MCD, Finance Minister Walia, was heard assuring those who asked him that he would be heading the MCD in his capacity as the urban development minister. While the demand for MCD was spearheaded by the chief minister, speculation about who would controls the municipal body continues.
Divided house
Delhi University students gave unto themselves a split DUSU this year, and it already looks as if the four office bearers of the Students’ Union belong to four distinct offices. The DUSU has been denied entry into what should be their office and forced to accept portable cabins for offices and they have done so without even a murmur of protest. Even as fee hike agitations rocked North Campus in the past week, the DUSU was uncharacteristically silent on the issue.
DUAC site hacked
The Delhi Urban Arts Commission was recently caught unawares after somebody hacked into the Commission's official website recently. Members realised that information had been tampered with and the site had been declared "harmful." The urban body "reviewed" the website in its monthly meeting and has now decided to modify it making it more secure besides making it more "transparent and user-friendly."
Callous comment
Last week, the CII's former deputy director general Jayant Bhuyan's family went to the Medical Council of India complaining about a hospital's alleged negligence which led to Bhuyan's death. Despite admitting that the patient had died due to an 'accident' in the operating theatre, Dr Parvez Ahmad, executive medical director of the hospital justified the incident by saying, "many people died when the heart-lung machine was invented before technicians could learn to use the machine".
Fast food
People protesting at the ‘dharna chowk’ near Jantar Mantar might not be a pretty sight, but shopkeepers running NDMC stalls at the spot are a happy lot. But last week, a protest that saw thousands gather, left the stall owners morose. Farmers from UP, MP, Orissa and Rajasthan had come to Delhi under the banner of Ekta Manch and stall owners hoped they would make a killing.
“We were happy when we saw such a huge gathering. Only these farmers had been told by some politician to fast. Since the road has been barricaded to accommodate this crowd, our normal customers were not able to come. And these people are fasting,” complained a disappointed stall-owner.
Mind that beep
Elections to the Delhi Bar Association held last week saw text messages being used as the most popular mode of connecting with lawyers and seeking votes. These text messages sent out conveniently and in large numbers through web portals kept the cellphones of lawyers’ abuzz almost round the clock. However, mobiles buzzing each time an SMS arrived had a backlash. Some recipients, in fact, decided to make it a criterion to decide who would get their votes and those who sent too many messages consequently lost quite a few.
Admission schedule
The announcement by the Directorate of Education that it would not let schools have their own whimsical schedules caught schools unawares. Many had announced their admissions process, a few had even sold their forms and were ready with the first list. A particular city school had to turn away parents when they came to check the admissions list. Now, hapless parents are wondering if the money for the forms will be refunded or whether they will have to go through the ordeal of standing in queues again.
Admission schedule
The announcement by the Directorate of Education that it would not let schools have their own whimsical schedules caught schools unawares. Many had announced their admissions process, a few had even sold their forms and were ready with the first list. A particular city school had to turn away parents when they came to check the admissions list. Now, hapless parents are wondering if the money for the forms will be refunded or whether they will have to go through the ordeal of standing in queues again.
