Delhi Under ground: Missing old office

‘Unfriend’
The wait for an elected government in Delhi continues, so does the search for BJP’s chief ministerial candidate. With the names of four BJP leaders doing the rounds, one senior leader seems to have taken offence to his supporters’ attempt to project him as the CM candidate. “Some people wrote on my Facebook wall that I should become the CM. I don’t tolerate this sort of lobbying. I have ‘unfriended’ them,” the leader said.

Illegible handwriting
The Medical Council of India (MCI) put out a circular earlier this year on the need for doctors to have legible handwriting, but looks like the circular didn’t reach the doctors in forensic medicine. Police and other investigative agencies have requested at least two leading hospitals that doctors give their post-mortem observations in legible handwriting. “The MCI directive was for clinicians, so it wasn’t discussed in our circles. But after complaints on post-mortem findings and observations on objects retrieved from bodies not being clear and calls from police to clarify what has been written, we are thinking of putting up the circular on notice boards,” a doctor at a South Delhi hospital said.

False claim
After a woman claimed compensation for having “lost her job” since her application didn’t reach her employer, a district consumer forum rejected the claim, noting that the application was posted only in the nick of time. The fact was substantiated by the courier company on the basis of which the forum gave its verdict.

Jackfruit saga
Journalists and mediapersons flocked to the Special Commissioner of Police’s office at the Police Headquarters for a sound bite on the FIR filed by Janata Dal (U) MP Mahendra Prasad over the theft of two jackfruit from his Tughlaq Road bungalow. “Sir, you don’t understand, this might turn into a really big story. Kathal prices in the market might shoot up in the next few days because of our coverage of the incident,” a journalist said.

No bribes, please
It seems anti-bribery campaigns and stricter performance evaluations are finally having an impact on policing in the capital. At the Tilak Bridge railway station, where trains connecting nearby areas halt, constables were seen stopping jaywalkers from crossing over the railway line and issuing challans. When one jaywalker attempted to bribe the personnel, he was told in no uncertain terms that they could not let anyone off. The jaywalker was hauled to the nearest magistrate court to pay the fine.

FYUP row
While the DU faculty has been very vocal about its support to the controversial FYUP programme, the principal of one DU college said the university should have focused more on “skill development” and building “entrepreneurial skills”, so that students could see the tangible benefits of studying for an extra year. He cited the example of the success of foreign universities. According to him, students flock to foreign universities because they impart ‘skills’ and not just award degrees. That is why students do not question the duration of the courses, he argued.

Tapping technology
To resolve the water woes of Dwarka, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is planning to use ‘soil bio-technology’ developed by IIT-Bombay, which will use water from Palam drain. The pilot project is likely to be implemented soon to deliver 5 MLD of potable water, which is equivalent to supply from 50 tubewells, by January next year. “This technology is already being utilised by the Bombay Municipal Corporation and many other places in Maharashtra,” an official said.

Aadhar cards
The Delhi government, which was the first to make Aadhar cards mandatory for all functions of the government, is still confused about repealing the order. Having announced 101 per cent enrollment just six months ago, Revenue department offices across the city still harass people over Aadhar cards. Questioned that the Supreme Court has ruled against its validity, revenue officials say they are helpless in the absence of official orders. So everyday functions like registering marriages, property, issuance of certificates and all magisterial functions at the district and sub-district level are leaving the public running from pillar to post, given the department doesn’t have many centres for Aadhar enrollment running any longer.