Demolition drive on Bokaro Steel Limited radar

TNN Jun 24, 2011, 11.06pm IST

BOKARO: The Bokaro Steel Limited (BSL) has decided to remove encroachment from 77 places in the township and evicted occupants from more than 100 illegally occupied quarters, but the company has not taken any initiative to snap electricity and water supply on its encroached compound.

On March 7, the Jharkhand high court had directed PSUs, including the BSL, to disconnect power and water supply to the illegal buildings.

However, repeated directions given by the administrative officials to the BSL management have fallen on deaf ears. On Friday, Chas SDO Sudhir Kumar Ranjan asked the BSL officials to cut electricity and water supply of a slum adjacent to the airport boundary in Sector-XII.

The BSL management has planned to conduct demolition drive in that area on Saturday. The administration has asked the BSL officials to cut the power in the area a few days ago but of no avail.

When asked, Ranjan said he had asked the BSL officials several times to snap the power and water supply in the encroached area, but the company disconnected the lines a few hours before the eviction drive.

Another official said snapping of power and water connections would help send a strong message to the squatters. “It will also save huge revenue loss suffered by the BSL against illegal connection of water and electricity.”

However, the CBI which is inquiring into the encroachment on company land has submitted a preliminary report to the high court saying about 163 dwellings and 2086.39 acres of the company were encroached.

BSL’s chief of communication Sanjay Tiwari said the squatters in different areas used to steal power and water from the main supply line. “Several times the BSL has removed the illegal connections, but the squatters restored them again. However, disconnecting electricity lines to the squatters is difficult as it affects other genuine residents because the main supply line in the buildings is the same,” he said.

[Source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-24/ranchi/29703184_1_bsl-management-water-supply-power-and-water]

Urdu daily The Inquilab to be launched from Lucknow

By afaqs! news bureau, afaqs!, New Delhi, May 27, 2011

An image of the Lucknow edition of the Urdu daily Inquilab

Jagran Prakashan launches the first edition of The Inquilab, a year after acquiring Mid-Day Multimedia, owner of the Urdu daily.

Jagran Prakashan (JPL) is launching the Urdu newspaper The Inquilab from Lucknow on May 27. JPL bought over Mid-Day Multimedia in May 2010, and The Inquilab was a part of the deal.

The Inquilab is targeted at the upmarket, affluent, Urdu-speaking population across a range of markets in the North. The daily is being positioned as a family newspaper, with content for everyone. There will be dedicated content space for women, kids and youth, apart from the regular national and international news, sports, city, business and entertainment.

Post this launch, the group has lined up more editions from other markets of UP, Delhi and Bihar.

The Inquilab will, on an average, be a 12-page newspaper on weekdays, and a 16-page newspaper on weekends. Additionally, there will be two supplements — one on Fridays, and the other on Sundays.

To promote the launch, the group has planned a series of launch campaigns supporting the new edition, both at the reader, as well as the industry levels.

Shahid Latif, the editor for The Inquilab, and who has been responsible for the makeover of the newspaper, has been at the helm of affairs since 2004. Under his overall guidance, the content planning has been done for all new editions.

Shakeel Shamsi is the editor for the North editions. He has 25 years of experience in Journalism, across media types. Shamsi has authored over 12 books, and is the recipient of the Bharatendu Award.

According to a company spokesperson, “There are many Urdu newspapers in the market, and it’s a fairly competitive space. However, our positioning of The Inquilab as a nationalistic paper will be the key differentiator. The Inquilab is India’s oldest and largest read Urdu newspaper, and these credentials give us an edge in the market. While the print runs for Urdu papers are small, the readership numbers are huge.”

For the record, with the launch of The Inquilab’s Lucknow edition, JPL now has 82 editions across four languages, covering 14 states.

[Source: http://www.afaqs.com/news/story.html?sid=30640_Urdu+daily+The+Inquilab+to+be+launched+from+Lucknow  ]

 

Jagran launches Urdu newspaper Inquilab in Lucknow

  Posted by Adgully Bureau | May 27th, 2011 at 7:00 am

Jagran Prakashan Ltd launches its Urdu newspaper Inquilab from Lucknow on 27th May 2011 i.e today. Inquilab is India’s oldest and largest read Urdu newspaper. With this launch, JPL further strengthens its position as the largest read publication group of India.

The group is launching with the newspaper’s Lucknow Edition on 27th May. Post which there are editions lined up in Delhi, other markets of UP and Bihar.

Shahid Latif is the Editor for Inquilab and has been at the helm since 2004 and been responsible for the makeover of Inquilab. Under his overall guidance, the content planning has been done for all the new editions.

Shakeel Shamsi is the Editor for the North editions. He comes in with an experience of Journalism across media types of over 25 years. He has authored over 12 books and is the recipient of the Bharatendu Award.

It will be a 12 page newspaper on Weekdays and a 16 Page newspaper on Weekends. Additionally there will be 2 supplements – one on Friday and one on Sunday. It is targeted at the upmarket urdu reading population across markets in UP, Delhi and Bihar.

Inquilab is positioned as a complete family newspaper with content for everyone. There is dedicated content space for Women, Kids and Youth. In addition to National & International News, Sports, City, and Business, the paper will cover Entertainment as well. Inquilab will continue on its editorial path of “nationalistic journalism and will also raise community specific issues.” Inquilab is known for its responsible journalism and the new editions of Inquilab will continue to reflect this in their approach.

Apart from local retail and Government and classifieds, Inquilab will provide increased reach amongst relevant audiences to larger national advertisers.

The flagship brand, Dainik Jagran has been the largest read newspaper in India for the last 17 consecutive rounds of IRS. With the launch of Inquilab’s Lucknow edition, Jagran Prakashan Limited now has 82 Editions across 4 languages covering 14 states and a readership of 62 mn.

[Source : http://www.adgully.com/media/print/jagran-launches-urdu-newspaper-inquilab-in-lucknow.html ]

Schools under BSL lens for illegal hostel biz

Divy Khare, TNN, Jun 4, 2011, 02.08pm IST

BOKARO: In a bid to curb illegal hostel business in company quarters in the township, the Bokaro Steel Limited (BSL) has tightened noose on the schools here.

The BSL has directed schools to ban students from staying on rent in outhouses constructed illegally in quarters. The step has been taken by the BSL to boost the anti-encroachment drive being conducted in the township on directives of the Jharkhand High Court.

BSL has provided land to almost all the schools in the township and hence the directive is being taken seriously by every school, said sources.

The city, which is fast growing as an education hub, draws a large number of outstation students every year from other districts of Bihar, West Bengal etc. With maximum schools bereft of any hostel facility, outsiders are forced to stay in rooms illegally constructed in BSL quarters.

The officials of the town and administration (T&A) department of BSL have found that majority of residents have illegally constructed rooms in allotted or leased quarters of BSL and given it on rent to the outsider for money.

However, BSL while conducting demolition drive recently razed down a few dozen unauthorized hostels in Sector-IV. It also served notices to many employees and lessees to remove such illegal deviations from their quarters. “We have also sought support from schools in this regard,” said a BSL official.

He added, “The increasing number of students in the private schools is one of the prime reasons leading to unauthorized encroachments in quarters in form of dwelling units and hostels. This has created imbalance in normal distribution of basic amenities like electricity and water.”

BSL in the letter served to private schools mentions indiscriminate increase in number of outstation students have forced them to stay in cramped and unhygienic conditions in unauthorized constructions made on the premises of BSL quarters.

BSL management will not allow misuse of the facility provided by the company. A senior official of education department said though the management has planned action against the occupants, the schools should also realize their responsibility towards maintenance of township, which was meant to provide accommodation to the plant employees only.

BSL has directed schools that no further new class or addition in the existing strength of the classes shall be made without permission of the management. Besides, the management has made it mandatory for schools to collect details and addresses related to proposed or existing accommodation from the outside students during their admissions in the current academic year.

If any fresh student, except ward of BSL employees, provides address of BSL quarters, the school should collect a hand written certified copy by the house occupants about the relation they have with the student and mention that the student is not staying on rent in their house premises, said sources.

[Source : http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-04/ranchi/29620455_1_bsl-management-bokaro-steel-limited-private-schools  ]

Commuters stranded in auto strike

TNN | Jun 5, 2011, 01.38pm IST

RANCHI: With over 7,500 auto rickshaws going off roads on Saturday owing to the strike called by auto associations against a new traffic rule, commuters had a harrowing time in the state capital.

Thousands of people, including daily commuters, were stranded in different parts of state capital, many of them seen looking for alternative modes of transport, as members of Jharkhand Diesel Auto Association marched to governor house, protesting against the new traffic rule of al-lowing only auto rickshaws with valid road permits to ply in the city.

Members shouted slogans against district administration and termed the decision of giving only 1,026 road permits to three wheelers on 20 routes as pure diktat, responsible for rendering them unemployed and causing in-convenience to commuters.

Many auto rickshaw drivers, however, turned the strike into an opportunity to make a quick buck, exploiting the commuters’ situation.

Rakhi Kumari, a state secretariat employee, seemed extremely annoyed about arbitrary fares being demanded by a few auto rickshaw drivers and decided not to go to her office at all, returning back home from old Circuit House chowk on Circular Road.

Commuters complained even auto rickshaws with road permits were charging double or triple the scheduled fare.

Sumit Mishra, who tried to board an auto rickshaw from New Market Chowk to Birsa Chowk, said the three wheeler drivers demanded Rs 20 instead of the actual fare of Rs 5 and he had little choice but to pay up. “This is pure blackmailing,” said Mishra.

Many others were seen walking to their destinations or boarding the congested city buses.

Many auto rickshaws without valid road permits also plied on various link roads. About 150 such auto rickshaws were seized by police under different police stations.

“Some of the auto rickshaw drivers even tried to disrupt the plying of city buses on Circular Road but were detained by Lalpur police and released in the evening,” said traffic DSP R N Singh.

[Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Commuters-stranded-in-auto-strike/articleshow/8728521.cms ]

Veteran Urdu journalist Dr. Rizwan Ahmad is no more

Born on 9 September 1947 in Barabanki to the famous poet Ghubaar Bhatti, Rizwan Ahmad Khan had started his career with Roznama Azimabad Express of Patna. His weekly column Mujhe Bolne Do was popular in the Urdu press and used to simultaneously appear in Etemad (Hyderabad), Urdu Times (Mumbai), Khabar Jadeed (New Delhi), Qaumi Tanzim (Patna).

His thesis on “Azadi Ke Bad Urdu Sahafat” earned him a PhD from the University of Patna. He was one of the founders of All India Urdu Editors Conference. In 1976 he was elected to the office of the secretary of the organization. Apatrt from being a journalist, he has also written short stories and novels. To name some of them: Yunan ki shahzadi, Masdood rahoN ke musafir, Baadal chhat gaye, Faseele shahar, etc.

He has been serving as a correspondent to the Urdu service of Voice of America for long that proved to be his last employer. He died of heart cancer on 31 May 2011 in Patna.

Class X exam pass percentage on wane

Jaideep Deogharia, TNN | Jun 1, 2011, 01.08pm IST

RANCHI: Overall pass percentage in secondary examinations in the state has been falling continuously since the past three years, even as students continue to score high marks in the tests. The Jharkhand Academic Council announced Class X results on Tuesday. Anjali Kumari of Indira Gandhi Balika High School in Hazaribag topped the merit list with 91% marks.

Only 69% of the total students appearing in the examination for the academic year 2011 managed to pass, in which the boys performed slightly better than girls, registering pass a percentage of 71 as against 67% of the girls. The decline in the examination conducted by Jharkhand academic council has been continuing since 2008, when a record pass percentage of 87% was achieved. In 2009, about 78% students were successful in the examination, while it came down to 74% in 2010. Though the number of students appearing for the school finals had been continuously rising since 2004, this year it came down to 3,54,626 against 4,02,019 students appearing in the exams last year.

Unwilling to admit a decline in the standard of education due to an acute shortage of teachers in the state, minister of HRD Baijnath Ram on the contrary credited Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) for being strict and not allowing the use of unfair means to pass the exams by the students. “If the pass percentage has come down we can say with confidence that performance of students has improved, as is evident from the merit list in which a girl from Indira Gandhi Girls High School has secured 91% marks,” he said.

The JAC has been beset with a number of delays in conducting the secondary exam this year. A large number of teaching and non-teaching staff of government schools were engaged in the National Games in February and also in the census programme.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Class-X-exam-pass-percentage-on-wane/articleshow/8669454.cms )