Scorpions at Taj!

Richeek Mishra

Agra. A five year old kid was admitted in a serious condition to a hospital after he received deadly pangs by a scorpion at one of the most beautiful monuments of the world. The condition of the kid worsened while being rushed to a hospital a few kilometers away, as there is no medical facility near this historical monument. Thank God! This is not a real story but it can be very much possible at Tajmahal.

DLA am, reporter while visiting Tajmahal noticed a small light brown scorpion roaming on the floor near the minaret. While he was clicking its photographs a person killed the Scorpion to avoid any mishap. The scorpion was roaming freely on the marble platform. Due to the chilled weather and fog it was trying to hide itself in a crevice of the marble floor. It should be noted that Indian and foreign tourists have to put off their footwears and they walk here on the floor bare-foot. It can be dangerous to tourists, as there is no hospital in the vicinity.

There are CCTVs, commandoes, ASI employees for the security of the tourist but what about these crawlers. The monument is situated near river Yamuna and forest areas due to which these small creepers and centipedes are roaming there freely and possibilities of poisonous snakes also could not be denied.

DVVNL shocks villages

• 1.63 cr pending in 20 villages, supply cut-off

Richeek Mishra

Agra. Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited (DVVNL) is on its toes to collect the pending bills from the rural areas of the Agra district. Power Corporation has disconnected the supply of more than 20 villages in the district and nearby areas. Bills worth Rs. 1.63 crore are pending in these villages.

Villagers refused to deposit the bills. Not only this, residents of these villages are always ready to thrash employees of Power Corporation. It is a known fact that villages consume more power than urban areas. Power employees said that villagers always refused to deposit the bills. Residents of cities try to save their social image and deposit their pending bills while their counterparts in villages want power free of cost. Following the instructions from the headquarters, DVVNL has disconnected the power supply of these defaulter villages, said Superintending Engineer OP Jain.

Government has instructed corporation to provide electricity as per the payment, he told. Tubewells and other agricultural equipments consume more power and corporation has already lost millions of money following the government policies of concessions, he added. Now, distribution department is not entertaining any excuse from the villagers. Those who have deposited their pending bills they are getting the regular supply as per the norms of the corporation.

Moreover, we have started a drive to disconnect the power supply of all the defaulter villages, he added. The disconnection drive was also started in the city and power department has stopped the supply of around eight to ten thousand connections of various categories during the last one month, he added.

Defaulter villages

Undera, Olenda, Dulara, Banjara Basti, Devnari, Chhiproda, Devratha, Nagla Pramasut, Nagla Kerai, Karara, Garhi Vichitra, Nagla Vichitra, Nagla Sikarwar, Garh Sahni, Sugnapur, Satyampuram, Mangoli Kala, Mangoli Khurd, Gujjar Pura, Suteri, Nagla Ajitha, Gitroa, Baroli Aheer, Lateempur, Nagla Bhagat, Khediya and Nagla Laxman.

Villagers want power @ lantern

Richeek Mishra

Agra. "India lives in Villages..." yes that's true. When it comes to assessing the various facilities and amenities, they not only misuse it but evade the payment. This is what gets reflected in Kiravali tehsil. Here the villagers are not paying their electricity bills even after being repeatedly told by the power corporation. They want it as cheap as to lit a lantern. Infact, they would prefer electricity free of cost. Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) has disconnected the power supply of seven villages of Kiravali tehsil.

Residents of four villages annoyed with the step taken by the UPPCL jammed the traffic on Jaipur Road for four hours on October 24. Considering the seriousness of the matter and also the SAARC delegation visit, SDM Garima Yadav assured them for power supply. She further asked power officials to provide electricity supply to these four villages upto October 28. She further said that administration would like to avoid any type of unwanted situation during the visit of SAARC delegation. On the complaint of power corporation officials about the pending bills, Yadav suggested them to organise camps in villages to collect them.

UPPCL officials have organised camps in these seven villages to collect the pending bills, however the villagers did not show their interest to submit the bill. SDM Garima Yadav instructed UPPCL officials to disconnect the power supply to all these villages after October 28, if they do not submit the bills. According the UPPCL, these villages have to deposit around Rs. 65 lakh. Corporation has warned them for regular power cut if they do not deposit the amount within the given deadline.

The four villages in which the power supply has been provided till October 28 are Garara, Garibi Chitra, Sugnapur and Nagla Sikarwar. Residents of these villages jammed the traffic on the Jaipur Road. The other three villages are Satyampura, Nagla Ajitha and Suteri. UPPCL has disconnected the power supply of these three villages for indefinite period.

Village Pending amount

Garara -24 lakh, Satyampura-19 lakh, Nagla Sikarwar-12 lakh, Suteri-07 lakh, Sugnapur-06 lakh, Nagla Ajitha-04 lakh, Garibi Chitra-03 lakh

Strike worries UPPCL Chairman

UPPCL Chairman GB Pattanaik discussed about the state-level strike of engineers with his officials at every zonal office through hotline. Few more temporary control rooms will be open to provide regular and uninterrupted power supply and to resolve customers' grievances. Pattanaik asked his officials about the preparation going on. Further he has instructed to resolve customers' grievances during the strike.

Agra ST in profit

• UPSRTC declares Ist half of financial year's detail
• Though the number of passengers decreases
• A bus covers 371 kms per day
• Pvt. operators reluctant to further contract

Richeek Mishra

Agra. The number of contract buses hired by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) is decreasing day by day due to the lack of interest shown by the private bus owners, said Assistant Regional Manager (Finance) Atul Shrotriya. Corporation is not affected with the decreasing number of hired buses. The decline will help us to increase state transport buses and its services, he added. UPSRTC is providing efficient, economic, environment friendly, co-ordinated & adequate passenger services with comfort, claimed Atul. UPSRTC has received revenue of Rs. 48.30 crore during the month of April to September this year. Last year in the same period UPSRTC has earned Rs. 43.92 crore. This shows that Agra region of state transport has earned profit of Rs. 4.38 crore.

Corporation has increased eight buses for the Agra region as the number of hired buses decreased during first half of this financial year. Atul informed that the contract period of 3 buses is over, thus now we have to increase our buses. The decision taken by the corporation has evoked good response. According to the sources, state transport buses have covered 297.80 lakh kilometres during first half of this financial year while during the last year these buses had covered only 282.50 lakh km in the same period. However, this is irony that the number of passengers have decreased in this period. Last year around 113.40 lakh passengers took the benefit of corporation buses while this year the number decreases to 111.40 lakh.

Talking to DLA am, ARM Atul Shrotriya said that the number of passengers have decreased due to the recent riots in Agra, Gujjar-Meena agitation in northern part and some other issues. During these incidents passengers preferred train-journey. Meanwhile, these incidents also helped UPSRTC to increase its services in other states when transport services of such states were disturbed due to violence. Agra region has also introduced CNG buses and open Kheragarh route which also indicates good reponse, added Atul.

Fatehpur Sikri Road open for ST buses

Local administration has revoked the ban on the buses plying between Sai Ki Takiya and Subhash Park crossing. This will help Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses and other state buses to travel on Fatehpur Sikri Road. The decision taken by the local administration is welcomed by the state transport officials, said Assistant Regional Manager (Finance) Atul Shrotriya. Buses are diverted towards tourist village Barare and Malpura. The journey time increased due to the diversion of the buses.

Water pipeline on computer screen

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  Geographical Information System on cards


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  GIS helps in indicating faults in pipeline


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  Chemically balanced and treated water supply


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  New technology to be installed at Water Works

Recheek Mishra

Agra. Now Agraites can hope for clean and hygeinic water. Local administration is going to introduce a sophisticated and advanced digital system to resolve water related problems in the city. With the help of new system any fault even within the underground pipeline can be traced out on the screen of computer. The enitre city is facing scarcity of potable water. The cause behind this is lack of proper management, irregularity in supply and water pollution.

The problem of pollution has been perturbing the city for the last one decade. Proper drainage, sewage, disposal of solid waste and potable water have become issues of great concern for the local administration. Various NGOs, government agencies and instituions are claiming to cooperate in providing better civic amenities to the locals. Local administration seems apparently committed to resolve the public grievances. Administration is trying to bring potable water in the city under Gangajal Project.

The new technology to be introduced is known as Geographical Information System (GIS). This electronic digital system will help in monitoring any technical or mechanical fault in water pipeline in the entire city. This is more advanced but similar like Train Tracking System used by railway department. Before installing the system in the city, local administration will improve water treatment plant. It is a general complaint of the citizens that polluted, unhygienic and stinking water is supplied throughout the city.

A new technology will be installed at Water Works to balance the percentage and odour of Chlorine in water. Following this, after treatment the water will be sent to Indian Standard Institute (ISI) for the approval. Experts from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) recently visited the city and reviewed the water pipeline system to start the project. The new technology will help in purifying the water of River Yamuna. To study the entire water pipeline system in the city JBIC has carry out Special Assistance For Project Formation (SAPROF) in various areas under Housing Development Board. SAPROF assignments are carried out by consultants and experts hired by JBIC.

What is GIS?

Geographical Information System (GIS) is a systematic integration of computer hardware, software and spatial data, used for capturing, storing, displaying, updating, manipulating and analysing, in order to solve complex management problems.The definition of GIS for a common man: Previously we had paper maps, which were very colourful, which we couldn't modify. Then came the computer revolution, where the maps were digitised and stored in digital format. These were just entities (line, circle, polygon or point) and could not be used for giving any information in geographical terms. Using these digital files we can though modify easily and reproduce it quickly but can not use them for any analysis purpose. Then came the GIS which could make these all things possible at a time.

Shocking Diwali gift for farmers

• Rural Agra burdens loss of Rs. 36.19 cr.

UPPCL will not pay money for installing tubewells. Indisciplined employees will be terminated on spot. Loss of around one billion in state. Department will bring corporate culture

Richeek Mishra

Agra. Rural part of Agra win the race of consuming power than its counterpart urban areas. Tubewells, flourmills and other various agricultural equipments consume more power than any other electronic material utilised in the city. Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) loses crores of rupees every year due to some unfavourable government policies and increased consumption of power in rural areas. Higher officials of UPPCL have decided not to provide financial assistance in installation of tubewells in the rural areas. Till now, power department is paying around Rs. 57000 per tubewell while government provide subsidy of Rs. 43000 on it.

The total cost of installation of single tubewell is one lakh. Department has lost Rs. 36.19 crore last year due to installation of tubewells in rural Agra, informed UPPCL General Manager Randhir Singh. Around 6350 tubewells have been installed in rural part of Agra zone last year. When the department calculated the investment on these tubewells, it was shocking as UPPCL has suffered loss of Rs. 36.19 crore, he added. Despite, providing regular and better power supply to the rural areas, department is suffering big revenue loss, said Singh. Now, department will remove those transformers which are not used in rural areas and install them in the city.

Besides, such transformers will also be removed from rural areas, which are installed but do not get power supply, he added. A meeting of higher-level officials was organised recently in Agra to sort out the problem of revenue loss from rural areas. Not only this, higher officials has taken various major decisions in a meeting held at Lucknow on October 12. In the meeting, state government's representatives said that now government would not compensate funds to UPPCL regarding installation of tubewells. According to the sources, department suffered a loss of around one billion in the entire state to install the tubewells during the last year. Now department has decided that the customers have to bear entire expenses of tubewell installation, informed Singh.

State government has given instruction to the department to cultivate corporate culture. Considering the seriousness of the matter, Managing Director of South Zone Kripal Singh instructed his officials to increase profit by collecting more revenue and eliminate power theft and other illegal activities carried out by customers. UPPCL management has also instructed the staff to perform well or leave the department. Sources confirm that department may terminate the indisciplined employees.

I was 98, 40 years back!

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  Rly. Software denies to recognise 138 year old

"Kisi raees ki mehfil ka jikra kya hai amir, khuda ke ghar bhi na jayenge bin bulawe ke".

Richeek Mishra

Agra. Not only North Central Railway (NCR) but all the zones of railway department have proved that normal man could not live more than 98-99 years. The railway reservation system never accepts age more than 98-99 years. DLA am reporter, strived to get a berth reserved for the 138 year old Habib Miyan (India's oldest living man). On reservation counter, railway official shocked to see the age written in the reservation form. He tried for the many times to enter the correct age but the software always replaced it with the age of 98 or 99. Finally, the booking clerk issued the ticket (PNR no. 260-5355284) from Jaipur to Ajmer on HW-ADI Mail (train no. 9106) for October 12. The software has been developed by the Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) and they are responsible for the pros and cons of software, said Railway PRO Manzar Karar. The higher level officials will be informed about the lacuna in the software, he added. This is really shocking information for the entire department. Now, the question arises as how the railway department corrects this mistake?

Habib Miyan

Habib, the oldest person Habib Miyan, claims to be born in Jaipur in 19th century in the month of May. Regarding the year he is confused to1869, 1878 and 1872. His exact age is unknown. According to his state-issued pension book, Habib Miyan was born on 20 May 1878. If this date is proved correct, Miyan will be the oldest person alive since the death of Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment in 1997. Moreover, Miyan has been recorded as the world's oldest person ever to live in 1993 on the occasion of his 123rd birthday.Guinness and independent researchers have not, however, verified Miyan's age. His extraordinary claim is principally based upon documents issued in 1938 identifying a man named "Rahim Khan", born in 1878. Miyan's assertion that he is, in fact, "Rahim Khan" is greeted by many with suspicion. Miyan has lately claimed being born in 1872 and most recently, 1869. On his alleged 138th birthday (2007) while talking to PTI at his home Miyan said, "Kisi raees ki mehfil ka jikra kya hai amir, khuda ke ghar bhi na jayenge bin bulawe ke" and while asking about his eating habits, he said: "I am open to any kind of food".