Delhi govt considering NSIT plea for university

Delhi govt considering NSIT plea for university status

New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) Delhi government's Education Department is "actively considering" a proposal by a technological institution of Delhi University to accord it a full-fledged university status.The Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT) is reputed in the field of technology and its proposal has come as a process is already underway to upgrade another varsity institute Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR) into a separate University.While the process in this regard for DIPSAR has been initiated quite a long time back, the proposal from NSIT is a new one.The NSIT had approached the Delhi government recently with a proposal seeking a 'state-University status' for it, and the government is actively considering it."The process to study the proposal is under way in connection with the other proposals. In fact, in case of DIPSAR, we are already in the process of finishing the statute," an official with Delhi government's education department said.The Delhi Assembly had passed a bill to accord university status to DIPSAR in December 2008 and the Lieutenant Governor later issued a gazette notification in this regard and the university is waiting for more progress in this direction, DIPSAR Director B Srinivasan said.A Delhi government official said the process was delayed after some concerned parties protested during a similar upgradation of Delhi College of Engineering (DCE) to Delhi Technical University (DTU)."In the light of the opposition witnessed during a similar exercise with the DTU, we are considering the proposal in a detailed and patient way," the official said.

Committee to probe fire at CM residence

Kohima, Feb 9 (PTI) An emergency meeting of Nagaland cabinet today decided to set up an inquiry committee to find out the cause of fire in chief minister Neiphiu Rio's official residence last evening and to fix responsibilities. Chief Secretary Lalthara in a release said the Cabinet meeting expressed sympathy as well as solidarity with the chief minister and members of his family in this hour of our collective loss and decided to set up an inquiry committee to find out the cause of fire, to fix responsibilities and to suggest ways and means to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future. The meeting also expressed gratitude to the Almighty God for saving the lives of the chief minister and his family, and to the fire service department volunteers who had fought the raging fire and ultimately brought it under control, thereby saving the office complex having all the governments documents inside. The chief secretary said since the office portion of the building was not affected the chief minister would continue to function from the same premises as usual. Press secretary to chief minister Abu Metha said Rio and wife and son shifted to their private residence at Kohima village last night and would stay there till alternative arrangement was made. Earlier, the chief minister told newsmen that the fire originated from the ceiling of his living room due to short circuit and immediately engulfed the residential portion of the building. Although fire tenders arrived on time, the whole incident was very unfortunate, he regretted. Rio said that most the residences of ministers and secretaries in the town were quite old and beyond repairing, insisting that all those required reconstruction and modernisation, but the state government did have resources to do so. The chief minister thanked all the people concerned, especially the fire-brigade, for their supervision and timely help.

Advocate complaints against Modi, three others

Purnia (Bihar), Feb 9 (PTI) An advocate today filed a complaint against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister S K Modi and three others accusing them of sexual exploitation and conspiring against Rupam Pathak, accused of killing Purnia BJP MLA Raj Kishore Keshari last month. Hemant Kumar, an advocate in the civil court, registered the case in the court of chief judicial magistrate D L Prasad. He has also filed a complaint against former Purnia district BJP president Vinod Anand Singh, Bipin Rai, a close aide of slain MLA, and Keshari's nephew Sudeep Keshari. Rupam's mother Kumud Mishra, however, distanced herself from the advocate's complaint. "We have nothing to do with the advocate's complaint," Mishra said. The ruling BJP MLA was stabbed to death by Rupam in full public view in Purnia on January 4.