Jetking to open 20 new franchises across India

New Delhi, Apr 25 (UNI) Aiming to bring education to every door step, Jetking Infotrain Ltd is all set to open 20 new franchises in the country this year.

The institute, that trains youth in computer hardware and networking, has over 135 training centers at present and claims to have placed about four lakh technical and non-technical students in various companies.

''The new centres will be primarily focused in eastern and southern part of the country. The locations will include Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh in south, along with the north-eastern states,'' Urvashi Bharwani, Vice-president, Sales and
Marketing, Jetking Infotrain Ltd, told UNI today.

The present centres include more than 10 in Delhi and NCR wherein students from all over the country such as Rewari, Sri Ganganagar, Bijnor, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Haldwani and Delhi and NCR study.

Talking about the teaching methodology used at the centres, Ms Bharwani stated that building confidence along with providing right skills to the students remained their priority.

''The students are trained by certified trainers who have already been trained by our technical team. Efforts remain constant to upgrade their knowledge according to the industry needs so as to motivate them in performing well,'' she said.

The institute uses its unique Smartlab Plus teaching methodology that focuses on personality development, English-speaking, Yoga, sixty per cent practical, CBT, field visits and quizzes.

''Through this methodology, we break the journey of the student into small interesting steps maintaining his or her interest,'' Ms Bharwani said.

The institute has launched a new course this year named Jetking Certified Hardware and Networking Engineer (JCHNE). It is a year long course wherein the classes are held for two hours daily.

The institute also organises placement weeks in every city annually. The last one was held on April 6 wherein more than 35 students got on the spot job offers and around 260 students were short-listed at the fair, Ms Bharwani claimed.

She added that 950 students (under-graduates and graduates) from 19 different centers and representatives of 13 IT companies had participated in the event.

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Reckoner for dwellers in Delhi during earthquake

New Delhi, Apr 25 (UNI) Delhi being vulnerable to earthquakes of high intensity, the city government has prepared a ready reckoner for its dwellers during quakes as a precautionary measure.

Flagging off a mini-marathon from her residence to India Gate to spread awareness regarding Disaster Management, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today informed this to mediapersons.

''This is a compilation of all precautionary measures, in case the measures are taken in true spirit worse would be avoided. A toll-free disaster helpline 1077 is also functional in the city,'' she said.

Ms Dikshit also inaugurated a Disaster Management awareness drive in the Capital.

She called upon people to take note of tips which will definitely prove to be useful during difficult times and will also help in saving precious lives and property.

Around 500 students participated in the inaugural ceremony today. This drive will go on for a week to involve people and make them aware about the consequences of disasters.

During the campaign, a number of street plays, puppet shows, essay writing competitions, quiz competitions will be organised and useful material will be distributed at different various public places.

Ms Dikshit noted that the entire region of Delhi was in seismic zone-IV which is vulnerable to earthquake of 5.5 to 6.7 on Richter scale.

''Delhi is posed with serious challenges in management of emergencies because of its large and densely populous base, large number of unsafe building, key administrative and historical installations, non-engineered structures and large span of
unplanned areas like urban slums, unauthorised colonies and industrial clusters,'' she said.

Ms Dikshit added that such areas were highly vulnerable to chemical and industrial fire, flood and even terrorist attacks.

''A disaster can cause unprecedented and colossal damage to Delhi,'' she said.

She informed the gathering that a number of hospitals and other buildings were being constructed as per quake resistant norms apart from retrofitting.

The city government has taken steps to include a topic of Disaster Management in school curriculum. Apart from this, mock drills are being organised and people are being trained to meet any unexpected challenges.

Delhi police to establish Anti Stalker Cell

New Delhi, Apr 23 (UNI) Extending their efforts to safeguard women in Delhi, the Delhi Police is going to launch an Anti Stalker Cell soon.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Delhi Commissioner of Police Y S Dadwal said the scope of the Anti Obscene Calls Cell in Crime branch will be expanded also to address complaints of stalking.

''Complaints of women in Delhi being harassed or stalked are often received by the police. The cell will record and take action to such calls,'' the Delhi police chief said.

He further said the helpline number, e-mail address and fax numbers will soon be declared through advertisements in newspaper and other media.

Referring to the Anti Obscene Calls Cell, he said the cell had received 12333 calls last year out of which 12103 were redressed to the satisfaction of the caller.

''This year also, the cell has recieved a tremendous response and so far, 14171 calls have been received,'' the Commissioner said.

Terror threat: Dadwal claims police cautious of its duties

New Delhi, Apr 23 (UNI) Close on the heels of advisories issued by some countries to their citizens in Delhi regarding possible terror threat, Delhi Police Commissioner today claimed that the police ''has been doing its job seriously irrespective of issuance of any such advisories''.

The Commissioner, Y S Dadwal, said at a press conference here the police has always been cautious and all kind of alerts were always put in place.

''This is our job and we are doing it seriously,'' he said.

He was replying to a question regarding advisories issued by the US, the UK and Australia to their nationals warning them of possible terrorist strikes in Delhi and other parts of India.

Mr Dadwal stated that every country has a right to talk to their citizens and so the three nations issued the warnings to them.

''Our motto is to have safe and secured Delhi. The Delhi Police has always been taking various steps required to maintain that,'' he asserted.

Referring to their anti-terror measures, he said they were being taken in full vigour. ''Our activities, including mock drills, checking of guest houses and cyber cafes, meetings with all stake-holders of Eyes and Ears scheme, anti-sabotage checks, deployment of QRTs, hit teams, morchas and machaans, are being fully taken care of,'' he said.

The Commissioner informed mediapersons that recently the police had visited various countries including China, Australia, the UK and others, ahead of the Commonwealth Games preparations.

''The meetings were successful. The arrangements and security planning put in place during trial events held recently in the Capital were well appreciated by the participant nations and it was conveyed to us that the system was as good as anywhere in the world,'' he said.

On Wednesday, the US issued an advisory to its citizens in India asking them to avoid visiting congested areas of Delhi after increased indications of terrorists planning attacks.

The advisory issued by Australia asked its nationals to exercise a high degree of caution in India at this time because of the high risk of terror activities by the militant groups.

Canada had alsp issued warnings about possible attacks against markets frequented by foreigners in New Delhi.

According to these warnings, specific and credible information suggested that markets including Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash, Karol Bagh, Mehrauli and Sarojini Nagar could be targeted by terrorists in the coming days or weeks.

''We strongly advise Australians to minimise their presence in market areas of New Delhi,'' the Australian Advisory said.

Delhi prepared for CWG, nothing left to be addressed: Dadwal

New Delhi, Apr 23 (UNI) Delhi Commissioner of Police Y S Dadwal today said the city police was ''totally prepared for the upcoming Commonwealth Games and nothing is left to be addressed.''

''I categorically state that the Delhi police is totally prepared for the Commonwealth Games and all required arrangements are in place,'' Mr Dadwal said, while briefing mediapersons here.

He cited the number of test events held in the capital before the Games and said they all went perfectly without any security issues.

''Various major sporting events were organised in Delhi including IPL cricket matches recently. The analysis puts into perspective our security preparedness for the Games,'' the Commissioner said.

He explained that the security arrangements for these events were not restricted to providing security at the stadia only but also meant to secure the places of stay of participants, team and technical officials besides airport and routes to reach the game venues.

Athlete protection also involved transformational security and securing the places of visits of the participants. This also involved covering the media briefings and visitor management and control at the stadia and hotels, he said.

''Security was also provided during the practice sessions of the teams and the same level of security was extended to the participants as was done for the main event,'' Mr Dadwal said.

In addition, elaborate traffic circulation plans were also put in place, he noted and advised the general public to support the police and play a role of responsible citizen at least during the traffic movement.

Reacting to some media reports regarding security arrangements for the Games, the Commissioner appealed that ''It is better to publish the report after confirming from us because they go to world press and create apprehensions about security arrangements made here.''

Clock ticking: Majority Indians falling prey to heart diseases

Gurgaon, Apr 20 (UNI) Indians may account for more than 50 per cent of the global cardiovascular diseases if urgent action is not taken, according to health experts.

Aiming to reduce this burden, a Centre of Excellence for prevention and control of such diseases was opened here today.

Jointly set up by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) and Emory University, the Centre will provide population-based applied research and training to combat diseases related to heart.

There has been a rise in diseases like diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke world over and Indians are fast falling prey to them.

''While there are several effective and cost-effective interventions for prevention and control of cardio-metabolic diseases, the translation into practice and policy is woefully inadequate,'' Prof D Prabhakaran, Department of Chronic Disease
Epidemiology, PHFI and Executive Director, Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC), said.

The Centre would enable clinical research infrastructure development, conduct research and stimulate clinical, epidemiologic, health services and outcomes, health policy, translation and behavioural research, he added.

President and Director of MDRF Prof V Mohan noted that the country needed more of skilled health workers in large numbers. ''This Centre will act as a facilitator in training such people. It will develop models,'' he said.

Prof Nikhil Tandon from Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, AIIMS, emphasised that the Centre would fill in the gap between doctors and patients.

''A majority of people, who suffer from such diseases, do visit doctors and practitioners, but still the results are not visible. This is because there is a significant gap between patients and doctors. There are a huge number of people who either do not get the right medicine or do not follow their prescription. This is an
attempt to fill that gap,'' he said.

There are altogether 11 such Centres of Excellence in the south Asian region, out of which two are in India. The others are in the US, Guatemala, Peru, Argentina, South Africa, Kenya, Tunisia, China and Bangladesh.

These Centres are together funded by National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and United Health.

Naxal war: Govindacharya supports Digvijay's criticism

New Delhi, Apr 22 (UNI) Supporting senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh's criticism over the anti-Naxal policy of Home Minister P Chidambaram, former BJP ideologue K N Govindacharya today said Naxalism is the result of failing state.

Mr Singh has recently written an article in a newspaper wherein he had questioned Mr Chidambaram's approach to the Naxal issue.

Talking to newspersons Mr Govindacharya said, ''A disciplined soldier of Congress, Mr Singh, could not have expressed his resentment in a better way. It is essential that his statement should not be viewed as a posture or part of competitive politics
but read in a wider context of Naxal movement.''

He reiterated his stance that the Home Minister did not actually have any plan of action to fight the menace. ''I totally disagree with the ways of Mr Chidambaram,'' the Rashtriya Swabhiman Aandolan's patron said.

He stated that the Centre and State Governments should understand that the Naxal movement was not merely a law and order problem and ''could not be vanquished by crass state or carpet bombing or drone aircraft''.

''The socio-economic orientation of the state is strenghtening the movement,'' he said.

Mr Govindacharya further said the RSS would take initiatives and would contribute its might for creating a favourable environment.
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Congress-led UPA more interested in IPL than BPL: BJP

New Delhi, Apr 21 (UNI) Continuing its tirade against the murky IPL dealings, the BJP today criticised the Congress-led UPA government for ''being more interested in Cricket than the problems of commons''.

''The Congress-led UPA is more worried about IPL than BPL (Below Poverty Line). Their ministers are more interested in looking after Cricket than working for the uplift of poor in the country,'' Former BJP president Rajnath Singh said while
addressing a huge gathering of people at Ramlila Ground here.

The government has become ''Incompetent Political League'', he added.

Former Union Human Resource Minister Murli Manohar Joshi also took the government to task on the issue of involvement of its leaders in the IPL.

''The leaders of the UPA government are busy in the game instead of necessary things which have direct relation with the lives of people,'' Mr Joshi said.

The BJP president further said he had posed 14 questions to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on price rise but the ruling party failed to come up even with a single reply.

Referring to the UPA's claims that it has always worked for the poor, NDA Chairman Advani alleged that the party has always taken care of the rich class.

''There are only declarations and assurances for the poor while the benefits are only for the rich,'' he said.

Prices of essential commodities had risen between 100 and 200 per cent since the UPA first took office six years back, he added and alleged that this has happened because of Congress' bad management and corruption.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj lamented the government for always giving three reasons for price rise -- natural calamity, global recession and increased support price of food grains.

''Price rise is not an outcome of any natural calamity, it is the outcome of the wrong policies of the government,'' she said.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley alleged that the Congress Government has always been incapable of taking care of country's people.

''Be it countering terrorism or ensuring security or tackling price rise, the Congress has always been a failure due to flaws in its policies,'' he said.

Recalling NDA's regime, former BJP president Rajnath Singh claimed that such a situation of economic crisis had appeared in 2001 also when NDA was in power and it had come out with certain preventive measures and was able to implement them successfully.

''Why BJP-led NDA is able to control inflation while Congress-led UPA cannot even when the people are same, land is same and products are same?'' he asked.

Mr Singh also pointed out that thousands of tonnes of food grains were lying in the Government store houses and alleged that it all has been stored to give to the liquor manufacturers.

Another former party president Venkaiah Naidu expressed concern that after the current Parliament session would be over, the prices of petrol and diesel would rise further.

''We are here to awaken the government from its slumber,'' he said.

''The government has to answer why is it sleeping when people are weeping and why is it silent when the prices are violent,'' he added.

The party members and activists later marched towards Parliament.

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Talk to Maoists else Dantewada will repeat: Mahasweta Devi

New Delhi, Apr 15 (UNI) Strongly reacting to the recent Dantewada massacre, eminent writer and Magsaysay award winner Mahasweta Devi today said such incidents would continue to happen if the government does not talk with Maoists.

''The government, especially the country's Prime Minister, should go and talk with the tribals. If he does not do so, more and more tribals would turn into Maoists creating more menace,'' she said.

She asserted that she was against any violence and killings and so did not want such massacres to happen again.

The rebels had killed 75 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and a Chhattisgarh policeman in Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh in the worst ever attack by the Maoists.

Expressing her concern to the community, she said, ''Government is selling India, its states, its soil, its water inch by inch to the corporates under Special Economic Zones (SEZ). This is the greater menace which should be stopped immediately.''

While talking to UNI, she reiterated that condition of tribals in India was really bad, in fact worse beyond imagination. ''Wherever there are mineral rich lands, tribals are evicted from there and lands are sold to big corporates. Our government is bad to have been doing so with the weaker sections,'' she said.

The condition was similar everywhere in the country, be it Orissa, West Bengal, Jharkhand or Chhattisgarh, she added.

The social activist was in the Capital today to receive Manavata Vikas Award for her commitment towards the society. She was presented with a gold medal, a citation and a cheque of Rs 5 lakh as part of the award, instituted by Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM).

''Whatever money I get in such awards or from anywhere else, it all goes to the tribals. It is worth only if is used for their welfare,'' she said.
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Delhi kids knowing about green buildings the Swiss way!

New Delhi, Apr 20 (UNI) Students of Delhi are all set to 'go green' this scorching summer and apply their minds in saving their planet from global warming.

In an effort to motivate students to save resources in times of energy crisis, Switzerland Embassy is holding workshops all around the city creating awareness about green buildings, along with other things.

Organised in 10 Kendriya Vidyalayas across Delhi, the project is a part of the two nations' endeavours to enhance their bilateral relations.

''Out of the many challenges and concerns facing the modern world, the three major concerns which require our immediate attention are Global Warming, Resource Depletion and Energy Crisis. Switzerland is one of those countries which have implemented the concept of green buildings and so it thought of sharing it with the
children here,'' Arthur Mattli, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, said today.

The workshops include sessions on green buildings, health and nutrition. A session on general awareness about Switzerland would also be organised at the end of every workshop.

''Looking at the response of both teachers and students, we are thinking of taking it further to July as it is helping them in enriching their knowledge and doing good both for the society and themselves,'' Dr Sachikant, Deputy Commissioner, Training, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, told UNI.

He further said the European country should diversify this movement in India, especially in the field of education.

This project has been organised by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in support with Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). Greentech Knowledge Solutions Pvt Ltd and Nestle have been assisting the two in project application.

''Green building is a holistic approach to minimise the overall usage of resources and energy over the life span of the buildings. They are important for India because India is in amidst of construction boom which is projected to last for several decades,'' Dheeraj Lalchandani from Greentech said.

Mr Lalchandani and his colleague Kanagraj have been holding the sessions on such buildings with the students while Ishita kapoor was the resource person from Nestle for the session on nutrition.

At the end of the workshop, students are provided with an assigment so that they can apply the knowledge gained in the sessions into the practical world.

''They are required to complete the assignment during summer break and present their work in the form of a powerpoint presentation after the schools reopen,'' Mr Lalchandani said.

Animal Dissection: US group, PETA urge UGC to mordernise

New Delhi, Apr 19 (UNI) Taking the dissection debate a step further, a US-based organisation, in collaboration with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, has urged the University Grants Commission (UGC) to put an
end to animal dissection in varsity courses and adopt a mordernised approach.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) Director Hope Ferdowsian has written to UGC Chair Sukhadeo Thorat asking that the Commission should ban dissection in college zoology courses.

In the letter, Dr Ferdowsian has pointed out that a wide range of non-animal methods were available.

''Methods like computer simulations, interactive CD-ROMs, films, charts and lifelike models teach anatomy and complex biological processes as well or in better way than
animal-based lessons,'' he said.

Expressing concern that dissection sends a dangerous message to students, he said it could also put students' health at risk.

''The agent that is used to preserve animals who are killed for dissection, is a hazardous chemical that can cause nausea, headaches and breathing difficulties and
has been linked to cancer.''

PETA India campaigner Anuradha Srivastava said replacing cruel and archaic experiments on animals with computer models and other modern methods would improve students' understanding of biology while saving the lives of countless animal.

Commitment like of maoists can uproot bonded labour: Swami Agnivesh

New Delhi, Apr 13 (UNI) A commitment of maoist is required to sensitise and make the Government actually work for the welfare of bonded and migrant labour in India, renowned human rights activist Swami Agnivesh today said.

Giving a clarion call to all such labourers in the country to initiate a mass movement demanding proper fulfillment of their basic rights, especially national minimum wage, Swami Agnivesh said, ''A peaceful campaign with a commitment as strong as of a maoist is enough to pressurise the government.''

He referred to the Union Home Minister's recent statement on the Dantewada incident wherein he accepted ''moral responsibility'' for the massacre of 76 security personnel in the area by naxals.

''The most urgent and significant need at present is formation and implementation of a proper National Minimum Wage Policy,'' he stated.

He further said issues like alcoholism, proper implementation of Right to Education and extension of time period in NREGA scheme of the government from 100 days to at least 200.

The social activist is also planning to visit Dantewada in May to spread a message of peace and non-violence among the masses over there.

Chairperson of Bandhua Mukti Morcha (Bonded Labour Liberation Front) Swami Agnivesh was speaking at a workshop organised by the National Campaign Committee on Unorganised Sector Workers, based and Delhi. It was attended by labourers from all over the country.

CW writers deny giving space to climate change in their fiction

New Delhi, Apr 11 (UNI) Award-winning writers in the Commonwealth region believe that writing about climate change and getting involved in the global warming discussion is not their forte.

Expressing their immense love for fiction, they feel discussing climate change in their books and making the world leaders and their people realise their duties to bring about a revolution is calling for friction.

''We love fiction, but not friction,'' they say.

Regional winners of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2010, to be held here tomorrow, are in the Capital to promote quality literature through a series of discussions and events among the people.

As a part of this run-up to the event, a panel discussion on ''Writing in a Changing Climate'', hosted by Crossword bookstore, was held last evening. It was attended by three of the finalists - Daniyal Mueenuddin, Shandy Mitchell and Michael Crummey who
interacted with young readers on the topic.

''You are trying to use a wrong instrument. Fiction is about describing things but not taking any positions'', Mueenuddin a writer from Pakistan, said. He has won critical acclaim with his first collection of stories- 'In Other Rooms and Other Wonders'.

Supporting his view, Mitchell, a Canadian writer, said, ''This is true. I cannot imagine myself taking a position to convince others. The non-fiction world is enough for that''. Her first book 'The Unbroken Sky', has been nominated under the Best First Book prize category.

She asserted that fiction writers write with naturalism and never with a set mind. '' The ideas keep generating while you write. However, if writing for climate change, then it will be for a purpose, a purpose that’s may be politically motivated,'' she said.

Crummey, another Canadian writer whose book ''Galore'' has been shortlisted in the Best Book category, added, ''If one starts writing with a political motive, 99 per cent it will come out as a bad fiction''.

He explained, ''What is important for a fiction novel is a good story because only that can travel, irrespective of what message it passes on''.

However, this thought process of the writers making them shy away from such an important issue left the audience disappointed, who also put their point in front of them.

''If one goes back to the history, he will find that writers have done wonders in bringing about a change in the mindset of people and society as a whole. I can feel that you are undermining your capabilities'', Ashok Sehgal, a banker, pointed.

Commonwealth Foundation’s director Mark Collins was also present on the occasion.

The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize organised and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation, is a leading award for fiction that was first awarded in 1987. The aim of the prize is to encourage new Commonwealth fiction, and to ensure that works of merit reach a wider audience outside their country of origin.

Mayapuri lapse: A question mark on CWG preparation

New Delhi, Apr 11 (UNI) As the city government spends crores to upgrade infrastructure for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, it will have to ensure that accidents like the recent radiation leak in Mayapuri do not mar the Games.

Panic had gripped Mayapuri Industrial area on the night of April 8 when, after coming in contact with a material, scrap dealer Deepak Jain and four of his employees showed allergic reactions and started vomiting.

The skins of two of them turned completely black. They also had burn injuries and rashes all over their bodies.

The material causing the damage was identified as Cobalt-60, a radioactive isotope of Cobalt, which is a hard, lustrous and grey metal. Cobalt is used in making colours and pigments for jewellery and paints.

In an interaction with UNI, Suneet Chopra, senior CPI(M) leader said, ''The material has been lying there for a long time. What proper screening is being done to
save other people from a similar accident?''

''If we leave the situation like this, we would not know how many shipments are still lying in the area,'' he added.

He also said the government should now institute a commission of eminent scientists to probe the incident.

''Those affected are not likely to survive since cobalt radiation has no known cure,'' he felt.

The accident has certainly raised apprehensions of the common people regarding security. With the Commonwealth Games approaching fast, Delhi cannot afford
to have such lapses.

Scrap dealers handle hazardous chemicals everyday and Mayapuri, also a site for disposal of military waste, employs lakhs of such dealers.

Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), Delhi, president Ramesh Khanna told UNI, ''It is all right to spend crores over roads and bridges but what about the
safety of people and tourists during the Games?''

''The hospital which was the source of the radioactive chemical and the government, which was responsible for security lapse, are both to be held accountable,''
he said.

Cobalt is known to have strong penetrative power which can cross anything but lead. Cabins storing Cobalt are thus made of lead.

''But junk dealers are illiterate and uneducated people. They must be taught the proper way of handling such substances,'' Mr Khanna added.

The area has been gripped by panic and many shopkeepers are avoiding to go there.
''We came to know about the radiations, so we are scared to enter the area now,'' Dinesh Goel, a Mayapuri-based printing press owner said.

Walking: the zero-cost exercise

New Delhi, Apr 11 (UNI) With ''Urbanism and Healthy Living'' forming the theme of World Health Week 2010, doctors reiterate their advise to make walking, 'the zero-cost exercise', as the fitness mantra.

Often known as the best heart medicine, walking has always been considered the simplest positive change one can make to effectively improve his or her heart health.

''People residing in metropolitan cities often undermine their health due to busy lifestyle and hectic work schedules.

They are not able to take out time for proper exercise. So, walking comes to the rescue,'' Dr Ravindra L Kulkarni, an interventional cardiologist and founder Director of Just For Hearts, said today.

The Just For Hearts is an organisation that aims at spreading the consciousness for a healthy life and a healthy heart.

He said every individual should walk for at least 30 minutes each day. ''A majority of people are becoming obese these days. Walking helps in burning calories. It is a zero-cost exercise,'' Dr Kulkarni, who was awarded Advanced Fellowship in Complex Percutaneous Coronary Interventions from University of Torino in Italy, said.

According to studies, every hour of physical activity can add up to two-hours to ones life expectancy. It can help a person not only reduce the risk of coronary heart disease but improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels, maintain body
weight, enhance mental well-being, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, breast and colon cancer and diabetes also, among others.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association and the Art of Living marked the week's beginning by organising a walk for ''Healthy Cities - Hygienic Habits''.

Many people involving medical fraternity, school and college students, NGOs and local government participated in the walk from India Gate Children's Park to Amar Jawan Jyoti at 0700 hrs.

''Cultivating hygienic habits among people is most important in the present era. It does not require any hard efforts, but commitment, education and awareness,'' Sayantan Sinha, president of Rotary Club of Delhi South Metropolitan,
said.

Various members of the club, including people from all age groups, had participated in the walkathon.

Sunder Lal Jain Hospital gets new ambulance

New Delhi, Apr 10 (UNI) As a humble gesture towards the needy, Amway Opportunity Foundation (AOF), a registered NGO, in association with Rotary Club of Delhi Ashoka today donated an ambulance to Sunder Lal Jain Hospital here this morning.

This was the ninth ambulance donated by AOF in northern India. Earlier it had donated four ambulances in Punjab, two in Faridabad and one each in Chandigarh and Uttarakhand.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr William S Pinckney, Chairman, AOF said, ''This ambulance will help in addressing the health requirements and medical emergencies of the needy. We are planning to donate five more ambulances till the end of this year in the northern region only.''

The services of this ambulance would be provided round the clock for the patients of the hospital and other needy within Delhi NCR.

President of Rotary Club of Delhi Ashoka Kapil Gupta said, ''This modest donation is in line with the Rotary International Theme 2009-10 -- The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands -- that lay emphasis on water, health, hunger and Child Education.''

Dr Chander Prakash, Chairman, Sunder Lal Jain Hospital, was also present on the occasion.

1 critical among 5 affected by radioactive radiation

New Delhi, Apr 9 (UNI) Condition of the scrap dealer, who along with other four others was exposed to radioactive material in Mayapuri area of west Delhi, is stated to be critical due to deficiency of blood cells.

The scrap dealer, Deepak Jain, was admitted to Apollo Hospital after he was exposed to radiation from Cobalt-60 that was kept at his shop, hospital officials said today.

They stated that Mr Jain's bone marrow was significantly suppressed leading to reduced blood cells.

''He is presently in the ICU and a multi disciplinary team of doctors is monitoring his progress. His condition is serious,'' an official said.

Panic had gripped Mayapuri Industrial area last night when after coming in contact with the material, Jain and four of his employees showed allergic reactions and started vomiting. The skins of two of them turned completely black. They also had burn injuries and rashes all over their bodies, a senior police official said.

He said a team of experts was sent to the incident site last night and this morning, who collected and isolated the ''mysterious shining object'' from the shop in the congested industrial area and sent it for further investigations.

''The team included scientists from the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS). They have identified the material as Cobalt-60,'' the official noted.

Cobalt-60 is a radioactive isotope of Cobalt, which is a hard, lustrous and grey metal. It is used in making colours and pigments for jewellery and paints.

The experts scanned the whole area also to check if there was any other source of radiation emission in the vicinity.

After the incident had come to light, police cordoned off the area around the shop as a precautionary measure.

All the injured were sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Reportedly, the scrap material was brought from a city hospital and was kept in an almirah inside the shop.

Police suspect that more people residing or working in that area could have been affected.

Investigations into the incident were on.

India's 1st online Community College launched

New Delhi, Apr 6 (UNI) Bringing about a revolution in providing skill-based education, India's first online Community College was launched here today that promises gainful employment to country's youth, especially the rural population.

The digital institution has been launched by Gurukul Online Learning Solutions Academy (GOLS) under the Community College scheme of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

IGNOU Vice-Chancellor Prof V N Rajasekharan Pillai, the Chief Guest on the occasion, emphasised that in the country, although several million people were working, only five per cent of them have quality and eligible certification.

''This online Community College will enable teachers and trainers to reach the masses in a better way, enhancing the quality of learning process,'' Prof Pillai said.

Terming it as misconception, the Vice-Chancellor said reaching out to rural India was not as difficult now as it was earlier.

''A number of institutions, including the government, have taken up several measures to enable the reach of internet to our villages. One of the biggest examples is setting up of the Community Service Centres,'' Prof Pillai said.

After pursuing a course of at least six months in this online college, students would be able to obtain either certificate level qualification or higher. The interested candidates can visit the academy's website ''http://ignou.golsacademy.com''.

''One of the best features of the college is that the students can take a break from the course at any time and resume it later by obtaining credits of what he or she has already achieved, with the maximum duration being six years,'' GOLS CEO Shailesh H Mehta said.

Talking to UNI, he said over 30 certificate, diploma and associate degree programmes have been initially started under this scheme.

''The duration of these programmes varies between three months to two years and are priced at between Rs 2,500 to Rs 25,000,'' Mr Mehta said.

Referring to students' placement, he said talks regarding collaboration with various companies were in process. ''We are sure to join hands with many and provide employment to many of our students,'' he said.

India's 1st Standard Gauge takes Delhi Metro to Mundka

New Delhi, Apr 2 (UNI) Marking a milestone in the country's transport infrastructure, India's first Standard Gauge Metro line reached Mundka today with the Delhi Metro inaugurating its new green corridor from Inderlok here.

The 15.15 km-long line was flagged off by Minister for Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy in presence of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Union Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath, Delhi PWD and Revenue Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, DMRC Managing Director E Sreedharan and other dignitaries who took the
inaugural ride from Inderlok to Paschim Vihar (East) station.

Mr Reddy said, ''This line of the Delhi Metro has initiated the establishment of Standard Gauge in the country. From now onwards, only this gauge would be used on the tracks.''

Referring to the Metro networks under construction in Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad, the Union Minister said they all would be constructed over Standard Gauge.

Being on the Standard Gauge rails measuring four feet and 8.5 inches, as against Broad Gauge used for Phase one, the tracks on this line will be narrower and speed of the trains better.

With the commissioning of this line that will be opened to public from 0600 hrs tomorrow, the total Metro network has increased to over 111 km and 97 stations.

The Chief Minister expressed hope that the ongoing widening of the Metro network in the country would continue.

The line, forming a part of Phase II of the Delhi Metro, has 14 stations namely Inderlok, Ashok Park Main, Punjabi Bagh East, Shivaji Park, Madipur, Paschim Vihar East, Paschim Vihar West, Peera Garhi, Udyog Nagar, Surajmal Stadium, Nangloi, Nangloi Railway station, Rajdhani Park and Mundka.

It is expected to receive a foot-fall of over one lakh commuters everyday, along with reducing the crowd on the existing system, DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said.

The section has joined two existing Delhi Metro lines -- Line one (red line) and Line three (blue line) -- together in the middle to cut the travel time. Line one is joined at Inderlok station while Line three will be joined at Kirti Nagar station later this year.

Initially, 10 trains would be running on this line with a peak hour frequency of six minutes and one extra train has been kept as standby for emergency use.

The time taken to travel from one end to the other end of the line will be 29 minutes only.

Talking about the facilities available at the new stations, Mr Dayal said a new type of Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gates have been introduced on this line.

''It will allow faster passage for commuters and improve passenger management. These gates will also have a provision for return of tokens from the AFC gates,'' he said.

A total of 91 AFC Gates have been provided on this line comprising 33 Entry, 44 Exit and 14 Disable Friendly AFC Gates.

In addition, the stations have all other facilities like lifts and escalators, Ticket Office Machines or Token Counters, Customer Care Centres and toilets. Parking is available at 10 of the 14 stations of this line.

Delhi women join protest against price rise

New Delhi, Apr 1 (UNI) Hundreds of women in the national capital today took to the streets in protest against the sky-rocketing prices while blaming the Congress-led state government for playing fraud with people.

Wearing garlands made out of vegetables around their neck and holding placards against price rise in their hands, women from various walks of life, including both housewives and working ladies, assembled at the famous Jantar Mantar and proceeded
towards Parliament Street.

''It is we who have to manage the house expenses. We become the biggest sufferers when the prices increase,'' Sujata Sharma, a houswife said.

All the protestors expressed their anguish over the increased price of LPG cylinders, along with other essential commodities, affected after the announcement of Delhi Budget 2010-11 recently.

''Proposing heavy increase through the Budget and making small concessions afterwards is like playing fraud on the people of Delhi by the Congress Government,'' BJP Mahila Morcha Delhi Pradesh President Sarita Chaudhary alleged.

The demonstrators were accompanied by BJP Delhi Pradesh President Om Prakash Kohli, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra, National General Secretary Vijay Goel and many others. Many party councillors had
also joined in.

They alleged that the government usually takes the excuse of Commonwealth Games to cover up its failure to curb the price rise and sometimes revenue deficit.

''Why does not the government control administrative expenses and desist from wasting money on advertisements?'' they asked.

Mamata flags off 3 Duronto services, double-decker coach prototype

New Delhi, Mar 31 (UNI) Pleased over fulfilling her commitment of adding new trains to the current fleet of Northern Railways, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged off three more Duronto services from here to the state capitals of Orissa, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir and also unveiled a prototype of newly designed double decker coach today.

With this, 117 more trains have been added in the Northern Railway.

''Today is the last day of financial year and we have fulfilled our commitment made in the last budget. The Railway family deserve the 100 per cent credit for it,'' the Union Minister said.

She added that not only this, the Ministry has also provided various concessions it had promised.

Of the services to be introduced, the trains are Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Jammu Tawi tri-weekly Duronto Express, New Delhi-Howrah bi-weekly Duronto Express and New Delhi-Bhubaneswar weekly Duronto Express trains.

In addition to these new services, Duronto services are available to seven other destinations from New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Stations of Delhi area. They are services to Sealdah, Chennai, Pune, Lucknow, Allahabad, Ernakulum and
Secundrabad.

Referring to the 128-seat double-decker coach, Ms Banerjee said it had 70 per cent more passenger capacity than normal trains.

''This coach will run on trial basis along with other coaches for next two months to have customer feedback,'' she said.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who was also present on the occasion, expressed her pleasure over the addition of new trains leading to better connectivity of the national capital with three more state capitals.

''I am sure Delhi will become the best junction in all over the country in the long run,'' the Chief Minister said.

Doctorate for CM, Infosys Chief Narayana Murthy

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was today conferred with honorary doctorate in recognition of her leadership and service in public and community life by Hamdard University during its 19th convocation here.

Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard University, conferred DSc, Honoris Causa on the Chief Minister.

Expressing pleasure, Ms Dikshit said, ''I am overwhelmed on receiving the doctorate. Although I do not know how much I deserve this, to work for the society has always been my passion.''

The doctorate was also conferred on Founder-Chairman of Infosys Technologies N R Narayana Murthy, who was present on the occasion.

''Spurred by encouragement, we assure to continue to work harder to make this country a much better place for our future generations,'' he said.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee also graced the occasion.

All the dignitaries paid rich tributes to the founder Padmashree late Hakim Abdul Hamid Sahib, who led to the setting up of the institute.

A total 1,340 students were awarded degrees for various courses, out of which 46 were PhD degree holders and 60 were gold medalists.

Pranab 'da' inspires youth towards skill development

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today talked about his vision of transforming India from a ''degree seeking'' system to a ''skill acquiring'' system and encouraged the country's youth to contribute largely towards attaining it rapidly.

''Skill development is a key factor for the economic and social growth of the country. Although many initiatives have been taken by the Government in this regard, they have to be multiplied for a rapid transformation,'' Mr Mukherjee said.

Referring to Prime Minister's Council on National Skill Development, the Finance Minister said it has a mission of creating 50 crore skilled people by 2022.

''A beginning has been made with approval of three projects by National Skill Development Corporation, a public and private sector partnership initiative to create 10 lakh skilled manpower at the rate of one lak per annum,'' he said.

Mr Mukherjee was speaking at the ninth annual convocation ceremony of Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard University here.

Calling it an exciting phase of India's growth story, he emphasised that issues, including strenghthened food security, improved educational opportunities and better health facilities, needed to be addressed and have to be brought forth at household
level, both in urban and rural areas.

''These issues require significant resources and we have to find those resources,'' Mr Mukherjee said.

The Union Minister further said quick revert to the high GDP growth path of nine per cent and then finding the means to cross the 'double digit growth barrier' have also to be taken care of.

In addition, weaknesses in government systems, structures and institutions at different levels of governance also needed attention.

''Our system of governance including economic governance must work towards economic empowerment and make growth human-specific,'' he said.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Founder-Chairman of Infosys Technologies N R Narayana Murthy and Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard Saiyid Hamid also graced the occasion with their presence.